Best Listens of 2008...So Far

Listening to the world demands listening to musicians. The power of music is unmistakable and sometimes lyric and melody combine for an extraordinary effect. I love music for the way it inspires and challenges, the way it relates and befuddles me. Though there a few more albums I’m looking forward to hearing this year (ie, U2, The Windupdeads and Damien Jurado’s newest effort that just released last week), here is my list of top 5 albums I have heard this year. Let me know what you think and if you have an album from 2008 to add to the list, leave it in the comment section.

Sigur Ros Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust: The boys from Iceland lose their pants for some regrettable reason (at least on the album cover) but find their up tempo groove. This album features a bit more of a cheery disposition, though there is plenty of raw emotion fused into their offering here. As far as post-rock instrumentalism goes, Sigur Ros is hard to top. This album is strong and Sigur Ros is legend, man. BTW, the album title translates, "With a Buzz in our Ears, We Play Endlessly."

Sun Kil Moon April: Mark Kozelek’s band offers a bit more rock-edge to their sound but manage to maintain plenty of muse as Kozelek meandering lyrics carry the album. Even though it’s titled April, this double disc is a stroll on an autumn afternoon.

Joseph Arthur Could We Survive EP: Joseph Arthur writes songs in prolific fashion. This musician/artist released a series of EP’s this spring on the heels of several full length albums in 2007. The obligatory anti-war song aside- this is my favorite of his EP efforts this past spring and summer.

Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes: This debut album from this Sub Pop Seattle band is strong and confident. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the strength of this album is the vocal prowess of this crew, fronted by Robin Pecknold. In the way that the great S&G could sing circles around a lyric, Fleet Foxes brings back the pure vocal.

Coldplay Viva Lavida: Back when Coldplay was just releasing A Rush of Blood to the Head in 2002, they were the darlings of the “musical underground elites.” They were considered pure musical genius. Now that they are a household name, many critics have abandoned the good ship Coldplay. If the measure of an album is how much you enjoy listening to a record, then I say this is a pretty good effort.