Album Review: Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (4.5 / 5)

Oasis are an institution in Britain. They were in the '90s what Nirvana was to America--a driving force that helped reshaped the sound of rock. Back then they were leaders of the Britpop movement, Britain's answer to grunge that hearkened back to the guitar and melody based rock of the late '60s. They were like the new Beatles, and their first two albums, Definitely Maybe and What's the Story Morning Glory were met with almost universal acclaim.

Then things took a bit of a bad turn. Be Here Now, their third album, saw the band go too over the top, and although it sold very well, was not as well regarded. Their fourth and fifth albums fell into a similar vein (but with fewer sales)--fine, but not their best. Still, they managed to continue scoring #1 hits, so they were never far from the limelight, and the hope was always that the next one would return them to form. Their last, 2005's Don't Believe the Truth, was largely heralded as a step in that direction, giving us stomping hits like "Lyla" and the gorgeous winter ballad "Let There Be Love."

Dig Out Your Soul finds the band continuing to reclaim their lost ground, putting forth a great set of rocking tunes. There are a few ballads here, but most of the songs are charging rock numbers that retain a mostly standard simple formula. "Bag It Up" is a great opening track--simple, driving and melodic, with a proper emphasis on the guitar, the occasional harmonized vocal and the big orchestra-backed finish. "The Turning" starts a bit quieter, but ends up just as satisfying, tinged with hints of psychedelia and big choruses.

Stomping "Waiting for the Rapture" turns the electric and bass guitars way up, especially after the first chorus. Noel Gallagher sings on this one, and really, it's shame he doesn't do it more, although then I guess the band would have to be called Noel Gallagher's Oasis, given that he is the band's principal songwriter. His voice has more heft but less personality than brother Liam's. It's a nice contrast. Liam returns then on "The Shock of the Lightning," the pulsing first single that sadly missed #1 a couple of weeks ago. The lyrics don't make much sense ("love is a time machine up on the silver screen") but who cares, this is great toe-tapping head-nodding rock.

"I'm Outta Time" is the first and best of three tracks penned by Liam, and it's one of the best slow songs Oasis have ever done--up there with "Don't Look Back in Anger" and "Let There Be Love" from their last album. The always-present Beatles influence is particularly strong here. Piano, guitar, bass, and Liam's voice blend together like the smoothest dessert cocktail--dark and delicious. It's the last of the brilliant five-track opening to Dig Out Your Soul.

And the good news is that the rest of album is good too, although it loses a little steam toward the end. "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" plods forth with a strutting bass line borrowed from the Old West. Noel shows up for vocal duty again on "Falling Down," the dark and charging track that was offered on iTunes as an early download for buying the album. Ominous piano chords underpin the strong bass and guitar and the downer lyrics ("We live a dying dream...it's all that I've ever known"). Don't let it get you down too much though, as it's really good.

Like the Beatles, whose songwriting was dominated by Lennon and McCartney, the Gallagher brothers continue to outshine their bandmates' efforts. Guitarist Gem Archer offers up "To Be Where There's Life." That it has a bit of Middle Eastern flavor is interesting, but this is not as good as anything to preceded it. I like bassist Andy Bell's "The Nature of Reality" better. No surprise, the bass is really prominent here, giving it a swaggering stomp not unlike "High Horse Lady." Liam's other two songs are buried here near the end, although that's really fine. "Ain't Got Nothin'" is loud, but unremarkable. Better is closing track "Soldier On," which finds Liam's vocals so reverbed as to constitute a self duet.

Until now I've been a pretty casual Oasis fan (this is only my third album from them, after Definitely Maybe and Morning Glory), but this has really piqued my interest in exploring the band further. I'm happy to report that I like Dig Out Your Soul quite a bit.

Best: I'm Outta Time, The Shock of the Lightning, Falling Down, Bag It Up, The Turning, Waiting for the Rapture, The Nature of Reality

Album Reviews: Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

We all know what it looks like when a major band dismantles--sometimes messy press, always sense of loss. But what does it sound like? The 2009 breakup of Oasis led to two acts that released albums this year, each fronted by one of the Gallagher brothers.

Three-fourths of Oasis formed Beady Eye, comprised of its vocalist (Liam Gallagher), guitarist (Gem Archer), bassist (Andy Bell) and drummer (Chris Sharrock, who joined Oasis for their Dig Out Your Soul tour). The last fourth, its lead guitarist and songwriter (Noel Gallagher), formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds with support from other musicians.

As splits go, this is an interesting one. Beady Eye has most of the band's tools, but High Flying Birds has its songs. As such, I'd expect Beady Eye to have inherited Oasis' sound and High Flying Birds its soul, and in listening to these two albums, I think that holds true.

Of the two, Different Gear, Still Speeding is bolder and more upbeat with a definite retro feel. Jacked up "Four Letter Word" and mellower, twangy "Millionaire" both sound like like the '70s, while "The Roller" proves Beady Eye has inherited Oasis's love of The Beatles. As does "Beatles and Stones," quite literally, which has a kicky rhythm a nice guitar-driven, piano-kissed tune. "For Anyone" is a mellower '60s-flavored love song, while "Bring the Light" reaches even further back to early '50s and really pushes up the energy. I can't recall an Oasis tune that was ever this joyous.

Liam begin writing songs for Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and was responsible for writing later singles "Songbird" and "I'm Outta Time," both of which had definite retro flavor. While he lacks his brother's head for lyrics, he does come up with some good ones, like this zinger on the moodier "Wind Up Dream" ("If tonight is all we have, then make the bed with sheets of glass").

The album sags a little in the middle. "Kill for a Dream" has the ingredients to be a killer rock ballad, but feels undercooked, losing steam when its hits the chorus instead of kicking into higher gear. "Standing on the Edge of the Noise" isn't very interesting. "Wigwam" is a little too tie-dyed for my taste.

But then things pick up toward the end. "Three Ring Circus" is classic Oasis, which is fine, but the last two tracks are among the album's best. "The Beat Goes On" updates a Beatles in ballad mode sound as well as any Oasis song has with a rich production layered with horns and piano. But they save the best for last in "Morning Son," a touching guitar ballad that Liam clearly penned about him and his big brother Noel ("You go your way, and I'll go mine"). The first time the strings break through at about 2:35 is quite good.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is a more elegant affair and, although the energy of Beady Eye is fun, the superior songcraft on Birds makes it the better album, even if it does basically nothing to distance Noel from the sound of his former band. It's apparent right from the start with the slow build to grandeur of "Everybody's on the Run," a perfect opening track. "Dream On" is simpler and instantly recognizable as the kind of song Oasis would have released as a single (something akin to "Lyla" but with horns). Really easy to get into and sing along with--in short, a great pop song.

"If I Had a Gun...," the strongest of the album's strong opening trio, is a ballad, also along the lines of what we've heard before from Oasis (I'd note "I'm Outta Time," except Liam wrote that one). Its electric guitar production, touched here and there with a slight country twang, grounds its lovelorn lyrics ("If I had a gun, I'd shoot a hole into the sun, and love would burn this city down for you").

"The Death of You and Me" was the album's first single, and although a lot of people really like it, it's actually a low point for me. After the richness of production on the first three tracks, its simpler sound feels a bit lacking. "(I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine" sounds exactly like Oasis, since, well, it really is an Oasis song that, along with "Stop the Clocks," has existed in demo form for years (Oasis's 2006 retrospective was even titled "Stop the Clocks," although curiously the song was left off the setlist).

If people still bought vinyl albums, this one would work great, since "Record Machine" being the perfect soft ending to Side A and "AKA...What a Life!" the propulsive opening to Side B. It's as upbeat as this album gets and it's another definite highlight with a muscular piano and guitar melody. I'm not sure what the connection is supposed to be between it and "AKA...Broken Arrow" but there must be some reason for that common "AKA." It sounds a lot like Dig Out Your Soul's "Falling Down." "Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks" shuffles along nicely with prominent bass (think "The Importance of Being Idle" with a little less staccato).

Despite apparently different vibe on these albums, neither strays too far from what made Oasis great and its good that both succeed, particularly High Flying Birds. Dump the tracks from these two albums together in a playlist with tracks from Dig Out Your Soul and I'd doubt you'd really notice much difference.

Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding (3.5/5). Best: The Morning Son, The Beat Goes On, Bring the Light, Beatles and Stones.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (4/5). Best: If I Had a Gun..., AKA...What a Life!, Dream On, Everybody's on the Run, Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks, Stop the Clocks

Q names Kings of Leon best of '08

Q Magazine has named their annual 50 best albums of 2008. Kings of Leon topped the list with Only By the Night, a bit of a surprise. The band appeared on last year's list at #7 with Because of the Times. Here's a look at the top 10:
01. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night.
02. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes. This would appear to be the album I missed this year. I'll have to check it out in the next few weeks.

03. Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends. No surprise to see Coldplay faring prominently, although this is actually the first time they haven't topped the list outright. Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head won the "reader's choice" in 2000 and 2002 (before they started the ranked list in 2003) and X&Y was #1 in 2005.

04. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend. I know this album has its fans, but I didn't care for it. Overrated, didn't like it, but I know others did.

05. Glasvegas - Glasvegas. This is a great album, deserves to be here.

06. Duffy - Rockferry. I'm very happy to see Duffy made it into the top 10. Fantastic pop album.

07. TV On The Radio - Dear Science. This is okay. I think this was the only album Q gave 5 stars to this year (although, shouldn't it be #1 then?)

08. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid. The Mercury Prize winner. Pretty good album. It will probably land on my top 25 of the year list, but not in the top 10.

09. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely. Good album, although I didn't listen to it much after I reviewed it.

10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! I really didn't like this album, but again, I know the critics loved it, so I'm not surprised to see it here.

Other highlights on the list:

12. Keane - Perfect Symmetry. Q didn't place them as high as in 2004 with Hopes and Fears (#2) or in 2006 with Under the Iron Sea (#6). Still, #12 is awfully generous, given that I thought this album, while good, was not as good as their others, and its singles' chart prospects have been disastrous.
13. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular. Nice to see them here. They had a great breakthrough year.
14. Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads. This was a great album that seems to be escaping the attention of the public. They were #13 last year with Yours Truly Angry Mob and #3 in 2005 with Employment.
22. The Killers - Day & Age. First time The Killers landed outside the top 10. Interesting. I haven't passed judgement on this album yet (will be soon).

24. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement. I'd have thought this would have been in the top 10. Arctic Monkeys had the #1 album of 2006 and #3 of 2007.
32. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul. This is rather low too. I thought Dig Out Your Souls was really good. Don't Beleive the Truth was #4 in 2005.

50. Dido - Safe Trip Home. Safe Trip Home makes the list but Life for Rent didn't in 2003? C'mon.

Essential Albums of the Decade: 41 to 60

41. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (2008). An all-around great rock album, Dig Out Your Soul finds Oasis continuing to demonstrate its excellence years past the Britpop heyday. Although they've mined the Beatles' sound extensively in the past, John Lennon's had no more fitting a tribute than "I'm Outta Time." Best: I'm Outta Time.

42. U2 - No Line on the Horizon (2009). Probably the least popular of U2's albums released this decade, but it was my favorite. In fact, I never really connected with a U2 album until I heard this one. Best: Magnificent.


43. Will Young - Let It Go (2008). Will Young continued to create infectious, soulful pop music on his fourth album, his most personal work to date. The mood get a bit on boisterous pop productions like "Love" and "Grace," but this album's best moments are its quiet, tender ballads like "Tell Me the Worst," "Disconnected," "You Don't Know" and the title track. Best: You Don't Know.

44. Robbie Williams - Reality Killed the Video Star (2009). Robbie Williams excels at making grand, sweeping pop songs, the kind that few male pop stars seem able to pull off. On Reality Killed the Video Star, he delivered the best set of them that he's done in many years. Best: Bodies.

45. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose (2004). White Stripes' Jack White produced this album for Loretta Lynn, giving her the biggest hit she'd had in years and one of the decade's most acclaimed country albums. It also gets bonus points for giving my hometown a worthy anthem. Best: Portland, Oregon.

46. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (2007). The Chicago-based alternative band Wilco is best known for their 2002 album, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, but I much prefer this softer, later album, beautifully scored with long guitar, strings and piano passages. Best: Impossible Germany.

47. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand (2007). British Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and American bluegrass singer Alison Krauss teamed up to make this bluesy pop album. Much acclaim ensued, including last year's Album of the Year Grammy Award. Best: Please Read the Letter.

48. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). Best: Umbrella. On her third album, Barbadian pop singer Rihanna made the transition to international pop star, with a mostly dance pop set that also showed her effectively tackling R&B and pop ballads. Best: Umbrella.

49. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (2007). The Arcade Fire's 2004 debut, Funeral, received a lot of acclaim, but didn't impress me. I much prefer this second album, which has better songs and a bigger sound, particularly on songs like "Black Mirror" and "Intervention," as well as the jolly "Keep the Car Running." Best: Black Mirror.

50. Dido - Life for Rent (2003). On her second album, Dido Armstrong continued in the same vein as her surprisingly successful debut, No Angel, giving us sing-songwriter pop with a lush, modern production. And anyone who dismisses Dido as too "sleepy" should check out "Stoned" and anyone who thinks "Don't Leave Home" is a sappy love song hasn't listened to the lyrics carefully. Best: White Flag.

51. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas (2006). Another winning trans-Atlantic male/female pairing, This time two former members of prominent alternative bands--the Scottish Isobel Campbell and American Mark Lanegan. They joined forces to deliver this lovely pop album, with shades of brooding country and folk. Best: The False Husband.

52. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (2006). Between the lush, but unvaried Final Straw and the uneven A Hundred Million Suns, Snow Patrol released this amazing album, bristling with confidence, diversity and quality songcraft. The band proves itself as adept at upbeat rock on the driving hit single "You're All I Have" as they do at rock balladry on their international smash, "Chasing Cars." Best: Chasing Cars.

53. Kanye West - Late Registration (2005). For the first-half of the decade, hip-hop was dominated by thug-rap a la 50 Cent, party rap a la Nelly, tuneless crunk and whatever it is Eminem does. Then Kanye West came along with his tuneful, ambitious and pointedly mainstream take on the genre. Late Registration is my favorite of his works, imbuing tracks like "Heard 'Em Say" and "Touch the Sky" with an old-school feel and masterfully sampling Shirley Bassey's Bond theme "Diamonds Are Forever" into two versions of "Diamonds from Sierra Leone"--the remix, which explores the problems of African conflict diamonds issue, and the original, which is just a fun song. Best: Gold Digger.

54. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak (2008). Kanye West's fourth album, his first to not be nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy Award, was controversial for its lack of rap, overuse of auto-tune and overall dark mood. I loved it. After the showiness of Graduation, this album felt much more intimate, exploring heartbreak from the loss of his mother and the end of a romantic relationship. Best: Paranoid.

55. Pet Shop Boys - Yes (2009). After delivering a mixed bag of albums for the last 10 years or so, Pet Shop Boys went back to the quirky dance pop of their landmark 1993 album Very on this, their 10th studio album. Best: Beautiful People.


56. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night (2008). Kings of Leon flew under the radar until last year, generating some buzz and a few hits in the UK, but little interest in their native US. That all changed with this album, particularly hits massive international hits "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody," taking this set of traditional but quality guitar rock songs to the top. Best: Sex on Fire.

57. Sugababes - Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). This was the best and biggest the Sugababes ever were. Having traded out early member Siobhan Donaghy for Heidi Range, the 'Babes sharpened both the quality of their vocal harmony and their songs, particularly on the innovative mash-up/remake of "Freak Like Me" (which was half Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric") and the gorgeously dark "Stronger," which borrows the sultry downbeat vibe of Massive Attacks's "Unfinished Sympathy." Best: Stronger.

58. The Editors - The Back Room (2005). The Editors made gorgeous guitar rock on their debut, tinged slightly with the synths of Depeche Mode and the beauty of Interpol. Highlights include the rousing opening track "Lights," bracing hit single "Munich" (which really reminds me of the best of Interpol's debut), and the plaintive "All Sparks." Best: Munich.

59. Dannii Minogue - Neon Nights (2003). Kylie Minogue made an electro-pop album in 2003, but her little sister made a better one with Neon Nights, the album which demanded that Dannii Minogue's musical career be taken seriously. Although she's too busy being an X Factor judge to make another album, Neon Nights at least proved she could do it right, delivering down-and-dirty electro-pop songs like "Creep," "I Begin to Wonder," and "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" (which was later brilliantly mashed up with Madonna's "Into the Groove"). Best: I Begin to Wonder.

60. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment (2005). This fivesome from Leeds delivered a charged debut, full of promise, energy and hooks, employing new wave touches on songs like the pulsing "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" and racing hit single "I Predict a Riot." Best: I Predict a Riot.

UK Singles Chart, 10/11/2008

1. So What - Pink

Fall, the season of great chart battles, has definitely arrived. This was a very competitive week, seeing the release of new singles from Pink, Oasis and the return of Boyzone. In the end, Pink is triumphant, scoring her third UK #1, first since "Just Like a Pill," the third single from her second album Missundaztood, hit #1 in September 2002. "So What" is quickly proving to be another career high water mark for the 29 year-old singer, having hit #1 recently also in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It's from her forthcoming fifth album Funhouse, out at the end of the month.

3. The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis

Trailing behind at #3 is British rock band Oasis. During the '90s, they ruled Britain, more or less as heir-apparent to the Beatles, being heavily influenced by the Fab Four, while also honing their own modern sound as head of the Britpop pack. Tomorrow they put out their seventh album, Dig Out Your Soul, which is already garnering positive reviews about them maintaining their "comeback" momentum from 2005's Don't Believe the Truth. "The Shock of the Lightning" delivers a chart shock this week by not hitting #1, and in doing so, becomes the first time that a first single from an Oasis album (other than their very first before they made it big) is not a #1 hit. "Some Might Say," "D'You What I Mean," "Go Let It Out," "The Hindu Times," and "Lyla" all made it to the top.

4. Girls - Sugababes

The Sugababes climb four spots to #4, still selling on downloads in advance of this single's physical release tomorrow. It's a strong contender for #1 next week.

5. Love You Anyway - Boyzone

Following in the footsteps of the tremendously successful comeback of Take That from 2 years ago, Irish boyband Boyzone have now also reunited to give it a go. Theirs is modeled more off the Spice Girls comeback attempt of last year, the reunion being centered around a tour and greatest hits collection. Didn't Boyzone already release a greatest hits collection? Of course, and this collection offers very little new besides this new single recorded for the ocasion. The boys have certainly fared a lot better than the Spice Girls on the singles chart, landing at #5 to maintain their perfect striking record of having every one of their now 17 singles land in the top 5 (Spice Girls saw their perfect record of top 2 hits shattered when "Headlines" peaked at an embarassing #11). While they never quite achieved the level of success of Take That, or their own successors Westlife, they did score a respectable six #1 hits between 1996 and 1999.

14. Angel in the Night - Basshunter

Despite hovering in the 20s on pre-release downloads, the fully released "Angel in the Night" fails to catapult Basshunter into the top 10, making his third single to miss out on the honor.

20. Love Shy (Thinking About You) - Platnum

Dance act Platnum made a name for themselves earlier this year, when they were featured on H Two O's "What's It Gonna Be," which spent 3 weeks at #2 in March. Now they're back with their own single, selling this week on downloads, out in full next week.

39. Kids - MGMT

Finally, a quick mention of MGMT, who score their third UK top 40 with "Kids."

Next week Sugababes will challenge Pink for the top spot, while new singles from Kaiser Chiefs and Platnum hope to land in the top 10.

Fall Music Preview - October

Album of the Month: Keane - Perfect Symmetry (10/13) They've been around since just 2004 and already Keane are poised to release their third album. They fell prey a bit to the dreaded sophomore slump for Under the Iron Sea--great album, but not as successful as the band's debut Hopes and Fears, the UK's second best-selling album of 2004. Known for their piano-backed guitarless pop/rock, the first singles from this album, "Spiralling" and "The Lovers Are Losing," already point to a new and exciting direction, heavy with synths and even featuring electric guitar.

Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (10/6) Oasis's career has been a bit rollercoaster. Lately its been on the up though, so I'm hopeful this, their seventh album, will be really great. Last album, Don't Believe the Truth, gave us the great singles "Lyla," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Let There Be Love," and this new album has already produced an upbeat first single, "The Shock of the Lightning" and the dark album cut currently offered by iTunes "Falling Down."

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (10/27) Until 2004, Snow Patrol were a little-known band. Then their third album Final Straw produced a major UK hit, "Run," and then their fourth album Eyes Open, which was the best-selling album in the UK in 2006, produced an even bigger international smash, "Chasing Cars." The album's first single, "Take Back the City," gets its UK radio premiere next week.

Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads (10/13) Another band that had a bit of a sophomore slump (although they did hit #1 with "Ruby") is back for album number three. This time they've enlisted hot retro soul producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) to steer their sound in a new direction. First single "Never Miss a Beat" is a great start.

Pink - Funhouse (10/27) Pink is back with her fifth album. It's first single "So What" finds the singer in her usual punkish pop/rock vein, and already it's a massive hit, debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian ARIA chart this week. Max Martin, who helmed her last album's two major hits "U + UR Hand" and "Who Knew" produces the track.

Chris Cornell - Scream (10/14) Timbaland produced--no joke. First single "Long Gone" is, as expected, a bit reminiscent of OneRepublic's "Apologize" from last year. From Nelly Furtado, to Justin Timberlake, to Madonna, Timbaland is positively the hottest producer in popular music right now, if not this whole decade. Struggling has-beens everywhere are selling their souls to have him produce their next hit, although he doesn't seem to be as good at launching new artists (see Nicole Scherzinger).

Bloc Party - Intimacy (10/27) The British indie band offers their third album. Already available as a download, the CD gets its release in late October with a few bonus tracks. First track "Mercury" sounds a lot like their previous stuff.

High School Musical 3 Soundtrack (10/20) With the Disney gang hitting the big screen for outing #3, this is sure to be one of the best-sellers of the year, considering that HSM1 was the best-selling album in the US for 2006 and HSM2 was #2 for 2007.

Sugababes - TBD (10/20) The 'babes stumbled a bit with their fifth album Change, which scored only one major hit (the #1 "About You Now") and became their first album not to have a fourth single. The jury's still out on first single "Girls," which features a lot of horns.

John Legend - Evolver (10/28) Soulful R&B singer John Legend puts out his third album. First single "Green Light" finds him teamed with Outkast's Andre 3000, exploring a more modern sound than we've heard from him before. Then there's the more traditional "If You're Out There," which he performed at the Democratic National Convention.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - TBD (10/27) Her fourth album, with songs produced by Calvin Harris (including the Cathy Dennis-penned first single "Off and On," which is on her myspace page) and Freemasons. After the underwhelming performance of her third album, Sophie needs a hit.

Peter Bjorn & John - Seaside Rock (10/6) Swedish Indie band that had a hit last year with "Young Folks" offers their fourth album.

Razorlight - TBD (10/27) Not much info on this yet, other than it's possibly coming in October.

Other:

Anastacia - Heavy Rotation (10/27)
Ludacris - Theater of the Mind (10/21)
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (10/6)
Hoobastank - Untitled (10/14)
Boyzone - Greatest Hits (10/13)
Jennifer Lopez - Greatest Hits (10/27)
Sarah McLachlan - Closer (greatest hits) (10/7)
Katie Melua - The Collection (10/27)

Best Albums of 2008

I reviewed an even 50 new albums this year. Here are my 25 favorites, plus other recommendations, others I reviewed, and the 5 worst. Click on the title to read my original review; click on the album cover to link to an on-line store where you can buy the album.

1. Duffy - Rockferry
Once again, my favorite album of the year is by a female British singer. Rockferry came out early in the year, and I loved it all year long. Duffy's soulful, '60s-tinged pop was like the tonic to Amy Winehouse's gin. "Mercy" was the standout track, but her affecting ballads like "Warwick Avenue" and "Stepping Stone" were almost as unforgettable. What I said: "a gorgeous and swinging piece of retro pop." Essential track: Mercy

2. Madonna - Hard Candy
Madonna and Timbaland and Pharrell could have been a disaster, or at least just a retread of Nelly Furtado's Loose. Thankfully, it turned out to be a lot of fun, imbuing Madonna's sound with a contemporary freshness missing from Confessions on a Dancefloor. It's the year's best dance pop album. What I said: "double entendres, naughty lyrics, and delicious hooks permeate throughout." Essential track: 4 Minutes

3. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
The new class of alternative/indie/'80s-worshiping pop/rock acts churned out a lot of great moments this year. Taking the cake are this Floridian band's upbeat, fun-loving debut. There were a lot of '80s-aping discs released this year, and none were better than this. Like Duffy's Rockferry, this was produced by Bernard Butler, two very different but both brilliant albums. What I said: "this is joyful, upbeat modern pop music, perfectly timed for summer." Essential track: Hurricane Jane

4. Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Coldplay continued to prove why they are the world's greatest rock band this decade. Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends saw the band stretch their safety zone more than on previous albums, most notably in restraining their stadium rock pretensions. What I said: "Coldplay delivers the sort of lovely pop/rock we've come to expect from them tweaked with little surprises here and there." Essential track: Viva la Vida

5. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
I know I'm late to the party, but this was the year I finally became an Oasis fan. While not a popular choice, I loved Dig Out Your Soul. It's the kind of (at this point) old school rock album that's hard to hate from rockers like "The Shock of the Lightning" to gentle piano ballad "I'm Outta Time." What I said: "There are a few ballads here, but most of the songs are charging rock numbers that retain a mostly standard simple formula." Essential track: I'm Outta Time

6. Will Young - Let It Go
Breaking up is hard to do, but it makes great music. Will's breakup album--and Pink's divorce album further down my list--finds the young artist doing his most personal work yet, ever much as tuneful as everything he's given us before. What I said: "a brilliant exercise in retro soul-drenched modern pop that is at times uplifting, at time sad, and genuinely affecting." Essential track: You Don't Know

7. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
This was the year's biggest surprise. The decade's biggest hip-hop artist, who just last year released the acclaimed Graduation, abandoned rap and started singing the blues (the breakup blues yet again), albeit blues drenched in electronic synths and manufactured Roland 808 beats. What I said: "The sad songs are quite lovely and feel genuine; the few upbeat numbers, especially 'Paranoid,' are a lot of fun." Essential track: Paranoid

8. Beyoncé - I Am ... Sasha Fierce
The world's biggest female pop artist released her third hit album. Look past the silly alternate identity and double-album marketing ploys and you'll find Beyoncé's best collection yet, a remarkable blend of high-class ballads and upbeat fluff. What I said: "She sounds as good belting out 'If I Were a Boy' as she does on the lightly breathy 'Disappear,' the soaring 'Ave Maria,' and the restrained 'Satellites.'" Essential track: If I Were a Boy

9. Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads
The British rock band brought in big-name Amy Winehouse producer Mark Ronson for their third album, who helped steer this upbeat set in a less serious direction than last year's, Yours Truly Angry Mob. What I said: "There's a pleasing amount of warmth to this album, particularly from the rich strings arrangement of 'Like It Too Much' and the acoustic guitar melody of 'Remember You're a Girl.'" Essential track: Never Miss a Beat

10. Glasvegas
This Glaswegian band's debut was a good counterpoint to the Mancunian party scene overworked by Arctic Monkeys. They exude a similarly raw and youthful sound, but use their music to tell meaningful stories about social problems. What I said: "The band's earnestness sets it apart from the popular pack of current indie rockers (as does having a female drummer, Caroline McKay)." Essential track: Daddy's Gone

11. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
Speaking of Arctic Monkeys, lead singer Alex Turner's side project (with Rascals member Alex Kane) blended the gritty rock of the 'Monkeys with '60s pop influences. A nice stopgap before the band's next album. What I said: "'Like taking the Arctic Monkeys and parading them through Amy Winehouse and Duffy's recording studios, with a little dose of John Barry for inspiration." Essential track: Standing Next to Me

12. Estelle - Shine
With guidance from John Legend and a turn in American recording studios, Estelle's second album was an upbeat, soulful mix of old and new sounds that snagged her a Mercury Prize nomination. And it's big single--the Kanye West collaboration "American Boy" made her an international star. What I said: "Old school-flavored modern soul is what a lot of this album has on its mind." Essential track: American Boy

13. Take That - The Circus
While the sea of recent pop group reunions have seen many acts appear past their prime, Take That have proved they're still at the top of their game. This surprisingly good second album from the Take That reboot (their fifth overall) showed more range and better songs than their last, Beautiful World; a great mix of pop songs from the understated title track to the top-tapping "How Did It Come to This?" What I said: "The Circus proves that Take That's reunion isn't a novelty or quick cash grab, but the real deal." Essential Track: The Circus

14. Pink - Funhouse
After a commercial misstep with her third album, Pink has made a remarkable comeback that started with "U + Ur Hand" and continued this year with the international #1 hit "So What." The album is no less disappointing than that great single--a biting yet also vulnerable mix of emotions in the wake of her recent divorce. What I said: "(the 'So What') antics are a foil for the darker side Pink sometimes unveils throughout this 12-song set that chronicles her recent divorce from Carey Hart." Essential track: So What

15. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Just a few of years ago Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden were cocky college kids playing gigs at Wesleyan University. Then they had an EP and toured with Of Montreal. Now they are have NME's best album of 2008. That's quite a rise, but with a confident debut album as good as this, the best may be yet to come. What I said: "a modern, poppy set that shows its '70s and '80s influences on its sleeve." Essential track: Kids

16. The Killers - Day & Age
After the Springsteen-esque Americana of last album Sam's Town, The Killers returned to the less serious new wave sound that made them a hit with Hot Fuss, even expanding their musical palette to include world music-type sounds. This time with dance producer Stuart Price on board, the band delivered a third solid album. What I said: "The first three songs are instantly likeable--the rest of the album had to grow on me, but thankfully it has." Essential track: Spaceman

17. Mariah Carey - E=MC²
As its title implies, Mariah Carey's 10th album adheres closely to the formula of her last album, The Emancipation of Mimi, which brought her back to the spotlight after two albums that found her career in decline. E=MC² didn't land the singer as many hits as Mimi, but I actually prefer this album's more modern and upbeat sound. What I said: "E=MC² is a soundtrack for driving in the sun and going out with friends, despite some of its surprisingly personal more serious moments." Essential track: Migrate

18. Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman
Over the last few years, singer/songwriter/producer Ne-Yo has been steadily securing his status as one of the most influential rising stars of pop and R&B. This year he released his most accomplished album yet and landed a Grammy Album of the Year nomination for it. His winning mix of pop, R&B, and dance sounds, as well as his message about treating women as equals rather than sex objects, made him stand out. What I said: "he's the whole package." Essential track: Miss Independent

19. Adele - 19
British singer Adele Adkins got about as good a launch this year as a singer could hope for, being named the BBC Sounds of 2008 top new artist, getting strong promotion in both the UK and the US, and starting off with an amazing hit single, "Chasing Pavements." What I said: "19 is a soulful creation, showcasing Adele's powerful voice. It's not a magnum opus--most of the songs are about a young woman pining after boys--but why should it be?" Essential track: Chasing Pavements

20. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Jack White sound best when he's jamming with ex-wife/sometimes sister Meg in The White Stripes, but this second album with his other band wasn't bad. It actually sounds a lot like a White Stripes album but with more instruments and a greater classic rock influence. What I said: "It's strength is its simplicity, built on great rhythms, guitar riffs and rock strut." Essential track: Consoler of the Lonely

21. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp's fourth album toned down the sexy electro-pop of their last two albums. As such, it has more in common with atmospheric Felt Mountain than stompers Black Cherry or Supernature. It's also a step down from those fantastic two albums, but still pretty good. What I said: "First track 'Clowns' and first single 'A&E' are perhaps the two loveliest songs Goldfrapp has ever crafted." Essential track: Clowns

22. Keane - Perfect Symmetry
Also taking a step down from their previous albums but still good enough to land in my top 25 is the third album from Keane. Credit the band for breaking out of their piano-based rock comfort zone to incorporate guitar and new wave. Just too bad the melodies weren't as strong this time. What I said: "Despite their experimentation, which I applaud, much of this feels very familiar without being as interesting as what they've done before." Essential track: Spiralling

23. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
There's nothing wrong with making upbeat fluffy pop/rock as long as it's done well. Not everyone's cut out to be U2, but just because an album may lack substance doesn't mean it can't exude melody, charm and fun, which The Ting Tings did quite successfully on their debut disc. What I said: "This isn't a serious work and it's not meant to be. The Ting Tings are clearly having a good time and so are we." Essential track: Shut Up and Let Me Go

24. Foxboro Hottubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!!
Green Day took a break from being Green Day, masquerading as the Foxboro Hottubs to deliver a quick and dirty set of fun jams far away from the social commentary of their epic 2004 award-winning album American Idiot. Like many of the year's best albums, the '60s and '70s were strong influences. What I said: "None of this is very substantive, but that's the point. It's just short, enjoyable bursts of '60s-flavored rock." Essential track: Mother Mary

25. Sheryl Crow - Detours
I associate this rather impressive and personal set from Sheryl Crow with a day last February when one weekend day I walked the two miles home from downtown through a cold but sunny DC winter's day. It was the perfect backdrop. What I said: "Sheryl draws on these life-changing events (her divorce, cancer and son's adoption) to give Detours a particularly personal depth, but she turns to the outside world too to give it political depth as well, touching on the war, the environment and our thirst for oil." Essential track: Shine Over Babylon


Also Recommended:
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
Girls Aloud - Out of Control
Delta Goodrem - Delta
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
The Script
Sugababes - Catfights and Spotlights

Also Reviewed:
Dido - Safe Trip Home
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Ladytron - Velocifero
Mêlée - Devils & Angels
Moby - Last Night
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
R.E.M. - Accelerate
Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
Solange - Sol-Angel & the Hadley St. Dreams
Sam Sparro
Britney Spears - Circus
TV on the Radio - Dear Science,


Five worst of the year:

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns Snow Patrol released a sleepy retread of their fantastic 2006 album Eyes Open. A real disappointment.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Dirt Devil This dark and too folksy follow-up didn't hold a candle to the duo's 2006 Mercury Prize nominee, Ballad of the Broken Seas.

Vampire Weekend This has shown up on every music magazine's year-end best list. Yet, I'm not changing my opinion that I thought it was pretentious, meaningless and boring.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! Here's another critics favorite--"storyteller" rock that just doesn't appeal to me.

The Verve - Forth Not necessarily the year's worst album, but the biggest disappointment for me. After an 11-year break, The Verve re-formed to deliver this somber set of overly long, listless songs. "Bittersweet Symphony," "The Drugs Don't Work," and "Sonnet" were such magic moments on their 1997 album Urban Hymns. I was really hoping for a repeat and didn't get it--not even close.

October New Releases

October is a very promising month of new releases--perhaps the best of the year. Lots of albums coming out that I'm excited about.

October 6
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul. Oasis's career has been a bit rollercoaster. Lately its been on the up though, so I'm hopeful this, their seventh album, will be really great. Last album, Don't Believe the Truth, gave us the great singles "Lyla," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Let There Be Love," and this new album has already produced an upbeat first single, "The Shock of the Lightning" and the dark album cut currently offered by iTunes "Falling Down."








Peter Bjorn & John - Seaside Rock. Swedish Indie band that had a hit last year with "Young Folks" offers their fourth album.

Sarah McLachlan – Closer: The Best Of. Sarah McLachlan isn't a major star, but she did have her moment with her 1997 album Surfacing, which included "Adia" and "Angel," both of which are here in a sequentially sequenced album.

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping.


October 13/14
Keane - Perfect Symmetry. They've been around since just 2004 and already Keane are poised to release their third album. They fell prey a bit to the dreaded sophomore slump for Under the Iron Sea--great album, but not as successful as the band's debut Hopes and Fears, the UK's second best-selling album of 2004. Known for their piano-backed guitarless pop/rock, the first singles from this album, "Spiralling" and "The Lovers Are Losing," already point to a new and exciting direction, heavy with synths and even featuring electric guitar.






Chris Cornell - Scream. Timbaland produced--no joke. First single "Long Gone" is, as expected, a bit reminiscent of OneRepublic's "Apologize" from last year. From Nelly Furtado, to Justin Timberlake, to Madonna, Timbaland is positively the hottest producer in popular music right now, if not this whole decade. Struggling has-beens everywhere are selling their souls to have him produce their next hit, although he doesn't seem to be as good at launching new artists (see Nicole Scherzinger).







Boyzone – Back Again... No Matter What: The Greatest Hits. Boyzone haven't had a hit in years, but since Backstreet Boys, Take That, and New Kids on the Block have reformed, it seems they didn't want to be left out. Sure, this includes new single "Love Me Anyway," but it excludes "So Good" and "Key to My Life." 1999's By Request did the job, and without more new material, this seems unnecessary.


October 20

Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads. Another band that had a bit of a sophomore slump (although they did hit #1 with "Ruby") is back for album number three. This time they've enlisted hot retro soul producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) to steer their sound in a new direction. First single "Never Miss a Beat" is a great start. This just got pushed back a week.









Sugababes - Catfights and Spotlights. The 'babes stumbled a bit with their fifth album Change, which scored only one major hit (the #1 "About You Now") and became their first album not to have a fourth single. First single "Girls" is currently #2 on the UK airplay chart, and looks set to enter the top 10 on downloads this week. Buzz is that they turned things around after the disappointment of Change.


High School Musical 3 Soundtrack (10/20) With the Disney gang hitting the big screen for outing #3, this is sure to be one of the best-sellers of the year, considering that HSM1 was the best-selling album in the US for 2006 and HSM2 was #2 for 2007.













October 27/28

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns. Until 2004, Snow Patrol were a little-known band. Then their third album Final Straw produced a major UK hit, "Run," and then their fourth album Eyes Open, which was the best-selling album in the UK in 2006, produced an even bigger international smash, "Chasing Cars." The album's first single, "Take Back the City," gets its UK radio premiere next week.









Pink - Funhouse. Pink is back with her fifth album. It's first single "So What" finds the singer in her usual punkish pop/rock vein, and already it's a massive hit, debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian ARIA chart this week. Max Martin, who helmed her last album's two major hits "U + UR Hand" and "Who Knew" produces the track.










John Legend - Evolver. Soulful R&B singer John Legend puts out his third album. Excellent first single "Green Light" finds him teamed with Outkast's Andre 3000, exploring a more modern sound than we've heard from him before. John Legend has been a critics' favorite, but not a mainstream success. "Green Light" could turn that around.










Bloc Party - Intimacy. The British indie band offers their third album. Already available as a download, the CD gets its release in late October with a few bonus tracks. First track "Mercury" sounds a lot like their previous stuff. Reviews are good, but not great.












Celine Dion - My Love: Essential Collection. Celine Dion releases her greatest hits collection, featuring first single "My Love," a slight reworking of the Taking Chances track. North America and Europe get different tracklists--The North American version is mostly chronologically sequenced, which is nice and includes "Where Does My Heart Beat Now," which wasn't on her 1999 hits release. 2 CD versions appear to be pretty comprehensive.

Anastacia - Heavy Rotation. Anastacia had great singles "Left Outside Alone" and "Sick and Tired" in 2004, so it's a bit puzzling why she's waited so long to release a follow-up. First single is "I Can Feel You," which I haven't heard yet.