Best Vinyl of 2008

This is a bit different than the usual posts about the vinyl I find. I've decided it might be fun to figure out what the best vinyl album of each year was and put it up. So I'm going to start at 2008 and work my way back in time (No 2009 yet because there is still half a year left). Lets see what I have first. Remember, I'm only going to put an album on this if it's on vinyl. This is the best vinyl of each year.

2008

2008 wasn't the greatest year of all time in music. Sure some of my favorite bands put out records (AC/DC, Weezer, The Presidents of the USA, etc.) but all in all I could only find a handful of albums I'd want to listen to at all, let alone buy on vinyl. However, the band I consider to be the best currently recording group in music right now, did put out an album.

Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

This is one of my favorite albums period. I love the classic rock sound that Jack White and Co manage to lay down (which makes sense hearing The White Stripes and Greenhornes albums that came from these members). Seeing them live just cements their status. All of the tracks are great but the real winners are the ones featuring Jack White. "Top Yourself" is a great bluesy tune that really kicks into gear midway, "Carolina Drama" is a great country/blues/folk tune that tells an interesting story, and "These Stones Will Shout" has a lovely melody that builds into a furiously wonderful ending. Check it out. It's amazing.

Also Available:

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - This was the next best thing in 2008 and probably would have won some other years. The critics love these guys which usually kills a band for me, but they're too good. This has a very nice Paul Simon feel to it and is definitely worth owning. I just hope the follow up can live up to the expectations created by the debut.

Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces - Ok I'm kind of a sucker for this type of music sometimes and I saw him live before I had ever heard of him and he impressed me with his simplicity. It's a nice album. If you're a guy you could use it to get a girl. If you're a girl you could listen to it and be girly. Either way I'm not that emberassed to admit I enjoy it.

Jakob Dylan - Seeing Things - I saw The Wallflowers live in Spokane one year and they impressed the hell out of me by doing an encore of only classic rock covers. From then on Jakob Dylan gets the benefit of the doubt in my book. This album is softer than The Wallflowers but still has his raspy gravely voice. Not too bad, not too great.

Weezer - Weezer (The Red Album) - Ok I'll admit that the first time through this I was pissed off. Why? Rivers raps. The lyrics suck. "Heart Songs." But it is still Weezer and I love them. "Troublemaker" has dumb lyrics but it's a catchy tune. Same goes for "Pork and Beans." "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" is so odd that you can't help but enjoy it. Anyway it's the worst Weezer album yet but still maybe worth checking out because come on, it's Weezer!

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue - While not near as good as her solo self-titled debut, this is still a pretty cool album. Taking a but more of her rock influence this time around to go with her country twang she manages to belt out some enjoyable tunes. But find the debut first.