The 10 Best Albums of 2008

Everybody's a critic, and every critic has a different opinion. Since I love year-end lists, I decided to make my own list of top 10 albums from the past year, but the only difference between my list and most "real" critics' lists is that I'm not going to make the picks that people expect critics to make. Every year I'm baffled by the lists of albums from bands I've never even heard of. The way I see it, if it's not at least somewhat popular, then is it really that good? Granted, most of my picks would be popular among crowds of kids who read AltPress and go to Cobra Starship concerts, but hey, I'm just keeping it real. Without further ado, here are the 10 albums I couldn't stop listening to this year.

10. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into

When I first heard the song "We Are Rockstars," I wasn't amused. Now I think it might be the adrenaline anthem of the year. True, they might seem like just another Daft Punk knockoff, but these guys have serious chops beyond electro, dance punk. Their debut album is a bit scatter-brained and bi-polar, with about half of the album being electronica and the other half being more alternative, but it still makes for an interesting listen. When vocalist James Rushent ditches the electro-vox on the more memorable tracks like "Dawn of the Dead" and "Being Bad Feels Pretty Good," it becomes clear that he actually can sing and perhaps the band should make their next album a little more... focused. For every problem I have with this album, I find something else that I like. Specifically, the production on this record is amazing. I can't recall another album with such a unique sound that it made me actually feel as if I were seeing them live every time I listen to it. The echo of the guitars and vocals trick you into believing this might have been a live album. That "live" sound definitely helps this band's debut album stand out from others released in '08.

9. The Maine - Can't Stop, Won't Stop

After how much I built up this band's debut release to all my friends, I must say that I was a bit disappointed with The Maine's final product. Sure the usual hooks and melodic pop-rock sounds are there as expected, but it doesn't break any boundaries. If anything, The Maine played it TOO safe with their debut album. Their The Way We Talk EP gave me the impression that they would really stand out from the rest of the scene, but Can't Stop, Won't Stop shows that they aren't exactly ready to stand out from the pack just yet. Some songs even sound like country ("We'll All Be") at times. I know it's confusing for me to be so negative about an album that I think is worthy of being one of the ten best albums of the year... But for all the unmet expectations, The Maine still manages to impress with classic pop tunes like "We All Roll Along", "Girls Do What They Want", and "Count 'Em One, Two, Three". Keep an eye on this band because, eventually, I think they are going to wow a lot of people.

8. A Cursive Memory - Changes

I was initially drawn to this band via their popular self-made video for "Everything", in which the band (calling themselves the bandarazzi) follows the paparazzi around Hollywood in order to get A-list celebs to be in their music video. Admittedly, I wasn't expecting much when I subsequently downloaded their album, but I was pleasantly surprised. These guys are young and they have a lot of potential. Their style of piano-driven, melodic emo, pop-punk is something that a lot of new bands in the So-Cal scene will be trying to imitate. Though they have that same "Hollywood feel" to them like Metro Station, this band has a lot of depth and a lot of talent. From Something Corporate-like rocker "South" to the uber-chill "Perfect Company", these guys have the same kind of fresh originality to them that I remember Taking Back Sunday having when they first hit the scene.

7. The Kooks - Konk

By no means would I consider this record to be "emo", but it definitely is emotional. From the first track on the record, the one thing that stands out is how much singer Luke Pritchard can sing with such sheer emotion. This helped the Kooks' album top the charts back home (the UK), but it should have had similar success in the US. "Always Where I Need To Be" is as catchy as indie-rock hits come. "Love It All" is one of those songs you blare out of your car with the windows down on a sunny summer afternoon. And "One Last Time" and "Sway" will strike a power chord with anyone and everyone who has endured heartbreak. To me, this album has it all.

6. Cute Is What We Aim For - Rotation

This band may be utterly awful live, but they are still one of the best pop-punk bands filling the Blink-182 void. On their sophomore effort, the maturation of the band is evident. Singer Shaant Hacikyan's vocals seem to have improved and his lyrics are much more focused than on 2006's The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch. No more songs about lying friends, slutty girls and hookups. No, these latest songs are more about not fitting in ("Loser"), the loss of innocence ("Hollywood"), and true love. The only thing bringing this album down is producer John Feldmann, the longtime producer of The Used's albums. Unfortunately, he managed to make a band like CIWWAF sound as hard as The Used with layered screamo vocals behind some singing parts. Though this is distracting, it's not enough to ruin all the high-points Rotation has to offer.

5. The Academy Is... - Fast Times At Barrington High

After bursting onto the scene with 2005's Almost Here, it seemed as if TAI might disappear as fast as they had appeared when they released Santi in 2007. Many fans, like myself, wondered why they chose to make such a departure from the pop-rock sound that garnered them so much attention in '05. Whatever the reason, it appears that the band came to their senses this year, making a more logical follow-up to Almost Here. Songs like "His Girl Friday" and "About A Girl" are typical TAI songs, while "Rumored Nights" and "Automatic Eyes" show a little more maturation and promise. This band is going to have a long and successful career, so long as William Beckett keeps his vocals sharp and the rest of the band avoids any further experimentation with muffled-sounding indie-rock.

4. Fall Out Boy - Folie a Deux

For the first time since Pete Wentz took over writing lyrics for Fall Out Boy, I have to say he falters a little bit here. Most of his lines just aren't as clever as he thinks (ex. "Dear gravity, you held me down..."). But I'll give him a mulligan for the simple fact that he has been busy adapting to being a husband and father. Still, the rest of the band shines bright. Musically, this album is as impressive as ever. Patrick Stump's voice is tuned down a little bit from their previous album which allows the listener to focus more on the music. Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman give some of their best efforts to date, and even Wentz seems to put a little something extra into his bass lines this time around. It seems as though Fall Out Boy has made a pop-punk album, an emo album, a rock album, and now, perhaps, a hip-hop album. Songs like "She's My Winona", "Tiffany Blews", and "w.a.m.s" have clear hip-hop influences. Still, I think the most notable change on this album is the fact that FOB has finally mastered the art of the ballad. "What A Catch, Donnie" is one of my favorite tracks on the album and is, by far, my favorite FOB ballad. It features a star-studded (or should I say Decaydance-studded) list of collaborators and perhaps a bit too much ego-stroking toward the end, but it's songs like this that show the amazing range of music FOB is capable of making.

3. Weezer - Weezer (The Red Album)

For the band's sixth studio album, they promised a return to their The Blue Album and Pinkerton-era sound. I was skeptical until I heard the single "Pork and Beans" and realized this just may be the best Weezer album since The Blue Album. From the name-dropping "Heart Songs" to the seemingly self-inspired "Troublemaker" (compare it to "The Good Life" and you'll see what I mean), this album flat out kicks ass. Even when the rest of the band members take turns singing lead vocals on the last few tracks, I think it works. If Weezer's status as immortal was ever in jeopardy, I think this album just saved them.

2. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

From the moment you press "play" on this album, you will be entranced. The synth-pop, indie rock band out of Jacksonville, FL, could easily be confused for the kind of band that could only have come from the UK. Boasting an amazing singer (Reggie Youngblood) and female backup singer (Dawn Watley), and one of the grooviest bassists I've heard in a long time (Owen Holmes), this band won't only catch your attention with their name, but also with their music. From their ode to lonely Friday nights on "Hurricane Jane" to their Cure-esque single "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You", every song is jam-packed with original ideas and novelty. I can't think of another band who could write a song about a cheating girlfriend creeping around with a best friend ("Love Me Already") and have it be so upbeat. This is a must-own for anyone who loves 80's music... or anyone who loves good music.

1. The Killers - Day & Age

Speaking of 80's music, this is probably the best representation of 80's music in the new millennium that we have seen or will see. I've always wanted to be a fan of The Killers, but I never could get into them. I always liked their singles, but I thought their albums always seemed to lack cohesion. This album breaks the cycle of unfocused ideas. Singer Brandon Flowers's voice seems better than ever, the lyrics are thought-provoking and the music is hypnotic. Many criticized the lyrics of The Killers first single "Human" as being "dumb", but I think the critics might be missing Flower's message. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I think Flowers is making a statement about the music scene lately and how every band is trying to make "dance" songs. So he asks, "Are we human or are we dancer?" Are bands making music for mindless robots to dance to, or are they making music that human beings can relate to and be inspired by? I think Flowers' answer is to offer music that is the best of both worlds. It's danceable, yes, but it is also music that you can relate to... even if he's singing about alien abductions ("Spaceman"). Regardless of what the band is trying to achieve on Day & Age, they have made a great record here, perhaps even their best record. Just make sure to download the two bonus tracks with the album, "Tidal Wave" and "Forget About What I Said", as they are two of the better songs the band has to offer.