Best of 2008 – Matt Poindexter

Note: all of the Vinyl Press writers will be posting their “Best of 2008″ lists sometime in the next week. Matt Poindexter kicks it off.

2008 was a surprising year for my music listening. Of what I considered the the top five albums, three were straight out of left field – Fleet Foxes and She & Him had no releases to speak of at the end of 2007, and the Microphones/Julie Doiron collaboration seemed to happen on a whim. On the other end of the spectrum, the artists on my “Most Disappointing” list were ones I expected to have top-ranking albums, but ended up failing, with Mr. Ben Folds claiming the biggest disappointment. However, the high expectations I have for great live music were met in 2008. That usually happens when living in this area, but any time Radiohead comes around, it is a special year. Here’s what I thought.

Best Albums of 2008

1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
2. Mount Eerie f. Julie Doiron – Lost Wisdom
3. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
4. She & Him – Volume One
5. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals

Best Songs of 2008

1. M83 – “Couleurs”
2. Beyonce – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
3. Fleet Foxes – “Ragged Wood”
4. Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
5. The Mountain Goats – “Lovecraft in Brooklyn”

Best Live Shows of 2008

1. The Weakerthans @ Cat’s Cradle, Spring
2. Radiohead @ Alltel Pavilion, Summer
3. Andrew Bird @ Memorial Hall, Fall
4. The Mountain Goats (John Darnielle solo set) @ Cat’s Cradle, Spring
5. Girl Talk @ Cat’s Cradle, Fall

Biggest Disappointments of 2008

1. Ben Folds – Way to Normal
2. Islands – Arm’s Way
3. Old Crow Medicine Show – Tennessee Pusher
4. Okkervil River – The Stand-Ins
5. Cat Power – Jukebox

Highest Expectations for 2009

1. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
2. Grizzly Bear – [TBA]
3. Kanye West – [TBA]
4. Gillian Welch – [TBA]
5. Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You