Albums of 2008

The year has almost drawn to a close, which can only mean one thing... it's time for Sonic Contact to pitch in with it's Top Ten Albums of 2008! Here's the rundown....



10) Fleet Foxes- 'Fleet Foxes'

Seattle has been responsible for producing a lot of awesome music and Fleet Foxes are no exception. The band, who describe their music as ‘baroque-folk jams’, have made an astonishingly original debut, overflowing with deft musicianship, lush harmonies and evocative lyrics.




9) The Gaslight Anthem- 'The '59 Sound'

The News Jersey band’s second album was, as their name suggests, chock-full of stirring rock anthems delivered with a genuine punk spirit. All the usual tales of love, loss, being young and growing old are infused with an honesty and passion that makes this album truly great.


8) Coldplay- 'Viva La Vida'

From the instrumental beauty of ‘Life in Technicolour’ right through to glorious conclusion of ‘Death and All His Friends’ this was Coldplay’s most well-rounded album, and probably their best.




7) REM- 'Accelerate'

It was the return to form we’ve been waited for: stripped-down, rocked-up and energized by Stipe’s rage against the Bush administration. Incidentally, REM are still one of the most incendiary live acts you’ll ever see.

6) TV On The Radio- 'Dear Science'

This album topped many an end-of-year poll, and it’s not hard to see why. TV on the Radio may be experimental, but their songs retain a directness and accessibility that many band’s lack.



5) Radiohead- 'In Rainbows'

Many prominent publications seemed to overlook this album on their end-of-year polls. Maybe they thought it was too obvious a choice, and wanted to give the push to more underground acts. Whatever the reason, ‘In Rainbows’ might well be Radiohead’s best album yet. And as anyone who caught one of their gigs this year can testify, the ‘head are still a force to be reckoned with live.


4) The Hold Steady- ‘Stay Positive’

Craig Finn hasn't quite learned to sing yet, when your songs are as good as The Hold Steady’s, that’s not really a problem. They’re like your favorite pub-rock band, only with anthems to rival Bruce Springsteen.

3) Glasvegas- 'Glasvegas'

The hype surrounding the band’s debut could well have backfired, but it turns out that Glasvegas really are something special. While James Allen writes about the harsh, gloomy realities of life, he does so with a warmth and sincerity that is ultimately uplifting.



2) Frightened Rabbit- 'Midnight Organ Fight'

Many people took this album to their hearts this year. Scott Hutchison's songs take you on a journey with honesty, emotion and humour and leave you with a goofy smile on your face. Any band that can incite a sing-a-long with the line “I’ll get my hole” deserves to be treasured!



1) Vampire Weekend- 'Vampire Weekend'

The album was released back in January, but the sheer verve, excitement and joy of songs like 'Mansard Roof', 'A-Punk' and 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' have lost none of their appeal. A small minority have scoffed at the way they have incorporated African influences into their pop sound, but the rest of us have just enjoyed it. What's more, they're even better live than they are on record.