Without further ado...

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2008

1) Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes / Sun Giant

Sweeping folk melodies, dynamic harmonies, and Pecknold’s crooning, captivating vocals make this the most beautiful album of the decade. A timeless classic.

2) Deerhunter – Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.

An atmospherical double-masterpiece that echoes off your eardrums long after the final track fades away.

3) Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping

Wildly unpredictable, often hilarious, and occasionally melancholy, Kevin Barnes’—excuse me, Georgie Fruit’s—perplexing experiment may not inspire many others to do the same, but it’s the most fun listening experience of 2008.

4) Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight

Desperation never sounded so catchy.

5) Hot Chip – Made in the Dark

Only those “Ready for the Floor” deserve to dance to these infectious tunes.

6) M83 – Saturdays = Youth

French duo brings back the 80s in a brash and beautiful way.

7) Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Justin Vernon produces captivating music born out of an experiment in total isolation.

8) Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer

It’s good, but the final track propels the album into unexpected greatness.

9) Blitzen Trapper – Furr

Nothing else on the album compares to the title track, but then again, not much from ANYONE this year compared to this title track.

10) Portishead – Third

It’s weird…but the kind of “weird” that makes me want these repetitive songs to go on for forever…

11) The Dodos – Visiter

The first five songs rival the Fleet Foxes in their musical craftsmanship.

12) Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair

Antony Hegarty’s voice alone makes this a fabulous record.

13) My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

No, it isn’t as good as “Z.” And there’s one too many songs on this record. But what the hell, I couldn’t stay away from it over the summer—even the slower numbers had me hooked.

14) Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours

Delicious dance music with a pulse that would obliterate even a Kenyan marathoner.

15) Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

It’s good.

16) The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

What the Smashing Pumpkins would sound like if Billy Corgan grew up in Alberta.

17) Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

Maintain this indie-pop juiciness while avoiding clunkers like “One (Blake’s Got a New Face),” and this band is destined for great things. Of course, how the hell are they supposed to do that?

18) Santogold – Santogold

The first song is a little too “ghost” for comfort, but skip past it and you’ll find a vast array of dynamic pop arrangements and songs bursting with M.I.A.-like exhilaration.

19) The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement

More polished than an Arctic Monkeys record, but no less intriguing.

20) The Decemberists – Always the Bridesmaid: a Singles Series

Colin Meloy continues to make my home state proud.

Just Missed (21-30):

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park

Kaiser Chiefs – Off With Their Heads

Coldplay – Viva la Vida

Lindstrom – Where You Go I Go Too

TV On the Radio – Dear Science

First Aid Kit – Drunken Trees

Magnetic Fields – Distortion

Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreak

Beach House – Devotion

No Age – Nouns

THE BEST SONGS OF 2008

1) Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains

2) Blitzen Trapper – Furr

3) Wolf Parade – Kissing the Beehive

4) Of Montreal – An Eluardian Instance

5) Deerhunter – Little Kids

6) Portishead – Hunter

7) Santogold – Lights Out

8) Bon Iver – The Wolves (Act 1 and 2)

9) Hot Chip – Hold On

10) Kanye West – Love Lockdown

11) The Decemberists – Raincoat Song

12) Fleet Foxes – Oliver James

13) The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank, AB

14) Frightened Rabbit – Poke

15) Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules Theme

16) Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat

17) M83 – Couleurs

18) My Morning Jacket – Touch Me I’m Going to Scream (Part 1)

19) First Aid Kit – Tangerine

20) The Dodos – Walking

21) Cut Copy – Lights & Music

22) TV On the Radio – Crying

23) Derby – All or Nothing

24) Coldplay – Lost!

25) MGMT – Kids

26) Sleep Station – Brownstone Mill

27) Okkervil River – Starry Stairs

28) Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)

29) Beck – Chemtrails

30) Newton Faulkner – Dream Catch Me