Two Bears in a Record Store

Here is my top 5 albums of 2008:

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
4. Sparkadia – Postcards
3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night

A lot has been said about this album and about this band since Only by the Night was released in late September, but the success of the singles ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Use Somebody’ truly speak for themselves.

I have been a fan of this band since Aha Shake Heartbreak, and I think that album will always hold a special place in my heart but I am not afraid of change. A lot of long terms fans have dismissed this latest offering as a commercial sellout, a grab for mass appeal, and a push for unnecessary stadium filling power but I can’t blame a band for trying to broaden its fan base, and when they make music as infectious as the tracks on this album it isn’t hard to see why this has truly been the break-through year for Kings. Apart from the obvious top tracks, I think ‘Cold Desert’ is a brilliant final track that makes me want to see the live show more every time I listen to it.

4. Sparkadia – Postcards

Postcards is a fantastic album, and Sparkadia have proven themselves as one of the bright up and coming bands in Australia, backed by exposure in the US and Europe.

Postcards is full of songs that make you want to sing along because they manage to capture so well the challenges of everyday life, and particularly relationships. Highlights for me are ‘Jealousy’, and the softer, slower ‘Connected’.

3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

While labels of being preppy, sweater wearing, University educated might have impeded a lesser rock act, Vampire Weekend have risen to the hype that started at Columbia University to become world conquerors in the space of a year.

The self titled album that has introduced the masses to Vampire Weekend combines clever lyrics, afro beats, beautiful string accompaniments, all tied together by an unerring sense of fun and an abundance of confidence. The entire album flows in a is strong, with songs such as ‘M79’, ‘Oxford Comma’, and ‘Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa’ standing out as my highlights – if only for the combination of infectious melodies and creative lyrics in each of these.

2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

With a Metacritic rating of 88 out of 100, and with almost universal acclaim, Dear Science goes a long way in shifting the perception of TV on the Radio from being indie darlings to their rightful position as rulers of the alternative music scene.

The most exciting this about TV on the Radio from the outset was the incredible amounts of talent pouring from each member of the band, and this new album looks to further exploit this talent, exploring a range of musical influences and genres and harnessing all that has been good about previous releases, particularly the breakthrough record, Return to Cookie Mountain. The highlight of the album is also the biggest surprise – Family Tree. The song reminds me of Coldplay in the emotion and inspiration it conveys, and the lyrics help to paint an incredibly vivid picture.

1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

If you haven’t heard of these guys, it is your loss – seriously. Get aboard the Little Red train. This young Melbourne quintet has had a steady rise in popularity over the past year, and the release of their debut has helped them become a standard on the Australian music festival scene.
The sound of Little Red harkens back to the simpler, younger days of rock, with the band utilising beautiful harmonies and catchy tunes to best effect. This is an album with no swearing, and no reference to the seedier underbelly of life – a happy escape from the stark reality we are otherwise faced with. The album has great variety, but the highlight for me is still undoubtedly the crowd pleaser ‘Coca Cola’.