1. Portishead ““ “Third”
To call this record mature would be to (falsely) imply the immaturity of Portishead’s earlier works. Nevertheless, the trip-hop staple’s first output in 11 years finds the band commendably more restrained and less glitchy, letting its tribal, minor-key ballads form a dusky playground for vocalist Beth Gibbons’ haunting flirtation with time and key. “Third” is both darker and more challenging than “Dummy” or “Portishead,” but not at the expense of accessibility. Both immediate and poignant, tracks such as “Nylon Smile,” “Machine Gun” and “Magic Doors” will please longtime fans and new listeners alike, showing off the band’s penchant for mood-making and illustrating why Portishead’s “Third” deserves the top spot in this year’s countdown.
““ Christie McCollum
2. Fleet Foxes ““ “Fleet Foxes”
Fleet Foxes’ stunning debut LP begs an inversion of the age-old proverb: Here, in the safety of the album’s snowy dreamworld, every word is worth a thousand pictures. Each of the 11 songs conjures a mood, a bout of déjà vu, a distant memory, from the mournful eulogy of the hauntingly beautiful “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” to the buoyant childlike revelry of “White Winter Hymnal.” Stunningly visual and submersed in layers of harmony, the album gently arranges translucent guitars, subdued, rounded percussion, and delicate bells and flutes as if designing a snowglobe’s tranquil forest scene, ready to be shaken anew with every listen.
““ Christie McCollum
3. Cut Copy ““ “In Ghost Colours”
As it turns out, 2008 was not a particularly inspired year for innovative music. Vampire Weekend ripped Paul Simon, Fleet Foxes were Seattle’s Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Beach House plundered Mazzy Star. Cut Copy, perhaps, is the most egregious proponent of the anti-innovation that 2008 fostered. “In Ghost Colours” is merely an exercise in genre pastiche: sun-soaked indie-pop dressed in New Wave garb and electro beats. But despite its aesthetic posturing, Cut Copy created one of 2008’s most imminently fun albums, reifying its music’s crowd-pleasing euphoria with songs about nothing more than the crowd-pleasing euphoria generated by great pop music. And when Cut Copy actually strived for meaningfulness, the result was “Strangers in the Wind,” a song about the elusive promises of urban life every bit as good as, and derivative of, LCD Soundsystem’s acclaimed “All My Friends.”
““ Ross Rinehart
4. TV on the Radio ““ “Dear Science”
With “Dear Science, TVOTR returns with another enrapturing set of tunes driven by an even catchier edge. As expected, Dave Sitek’s production is unmistakable, forming the jagged texture upon which the songs find their direction. The single “Golden Age” illustrates how the band has tweaked their characteristic sound to a new, even slicker, dimension. The mysterious mix of synth-pop, melodious strings and tight horns creates an eclectic backdrop for vocalist Tunde Adebimpe to enter upon. His lyrics are carefully crafted, vocals acutely judged, and the chorus he plucks out is, like the whole album, irresistible.
– Robert Lines
5. Bon Iver ““ “For Emma, Forever Ago”
After a break-up of a relationship and band, Bon Iver a.k.a. Julian Vernon retreated to a log cabin in Wisconsin where he wrote and recorded the songs that would become “For Emma, Forever Ago.” The album is largely hushed and intimate, but as Vernon breaks from his delicate falsetto into a grainier soulfulness, the album switches into overdrive at just the right moments. The result is a pitch-perfect synthesis of swelling alt-folk instrumentation and wistful meditations on lost love and life.
– Robert Lines
6. The Walkmen ““ “You & Me”
This is the Walkmen we wanted. Peel off the layers of reverb and thick, hazy garage pop, and underneath you’ll find a kind of genre minimalism that manages to emphasize rather than underwrite. It’s all here, and it all comes together to produce something that sounds like Christmas in Central Park circa 1955: the organ’s antique luster, the creative tapping and bumping of drums and bass, the warmth of the horns, and the charm of singer Hamilton Leithauser’s five o’clock-shadow of a tenor. A well-rounded album and a welcome revival of a well-rounded band.
““ Christie McCollum
7. No Age ““ “Nouns”
Compared to its debut album “Weirdo Rippers,” No Age’s second album “Nouns” presents a slightly less experimental divergence, delivering a more cohesive, but nonetheless noise-driven pop aesthetic. The pulsating opener “Miner” sets the tone ““ the thick humdrum of distorted guitar and throbbing percussion envelops the listener. Before Dean Spunt’s cavernous vocals have had enough time to fully realize their place within the fuzzy expanse, the second track is upon us. As the album evolves naturally we are plunged into a thrilling and momentous collection of songs.
““ Robert Lines
8. Hercules & Love Affair ““ “Hercules & Love Affair”
On paper, “Hercules & Love Affair” is a mess: an album steeped in disco revivalism and Greek mythology, 70s cliches caterwauled by a histrionic chanteuse, and prominently featured slap-bass. Instead, “Hercules & Love Affair” is a confection of classic disco, early house and modern electro envisioned by Andy Butler and DFA knob-turner Tim Goldsworthy. More than a sum of its influences, “Hercules & Love Affair” forges a singular, cohesive aesthetic through Butler’s layered arrangements: octave-jumping bass balanced by rousing strings and horns, programmed 4/4 beats augmented with congas, and hand percussion. Melismatic vocal acrobat Antony Hegarty (moonlighting as a disco diva) provides the cathartic hooks that register the soundscapes as distinctly human. Recontextualizing authentic disco without sacrificing its dramatic force, “Hercules & Love Affair” is a triumph worthy of the Greek hero of its namesake.
““ Ross Rinehart
9. Beach House ““ “Devotion”
Listening to “Devotion” by Baltimore duo Beach House is like dreaming a lush, misty dream, but one in which you can anticipate the melancholy you’ll feel when you wake from it. The lo-fi production effortlessly merges soft percussion, lofty vocals, and glamorous organ and guitar melodies to create a rich, intimate listening experience. From the simple romance of “Heart of Chambers” to the utterly gorgeous and classically heartbreaking “Gila,” the album’s eerie luxury makes it one of the best of the year.
““ Devon McReynolds
10. Lil Wayne ““ “Tha Carter III”
Lil Wayne is a poet. Shakespeare with dreadlocks. His inspired and seemingly ad-libbed lines flow seamlessly through his sixth album, “Tha Carter III.” With tracks produced by names such as Kanye West and collaborations with Jay-Z and Babyface among others, the album’s success is merited by its star power alone. This celebrity supplement is only enhanced by Carter’s brilliantly clever lyrics spit out by the gravelly rasp that is his voice. Infectious 808 beats and looped samples serve as the canvas of his art and are more than worthy of a steady head bob. Lil Weezyana is at the peak of his game, and is certainly flyer than Betelgeuse.
““ Rob Kadivar
E-mail Kadivar at rkadivar@media.ucla.edu, Lines at rlines@media.ucla.edu, McCollum at cmccollum@media.ucla.edu, McReynolds at dmcreynolds@media.ucla.edu and Rinehart at rrinehart@media.ucla.edu.