Remember 2008?

I do, too, despite my best efforts. (Kidding.) It was a strange year. Anyway, here are my favorite albums from a pretty solid year for music (and a mostly atrocious one for the cinemaplex).

10. Spiritualized: Songs in A&E

I've never been a drug addict, but this album makes it sound, uh, unpleasant. But also: rockin'.

9. King Khan & the Shrines: The Supreme Genius Of

The title pretty much says it all. I'll admit that it wasn't the record itself that I loved, though I liked it. But really, I was just happy to discover this guy—"Waddlin' Around" is the best song in its genre (songs about waddlin'), and he puts on a hell of a live show. See below.

8. Santogold: s/t

Sure, she is to M.I.A. what jarred salsa is to the fresh stuff. But sometimes you need jarred salsa, like when you're looking for something hooky to put on a party playlist (or whatever). The point is, this is a hell of a debut, and is dynamic enough to suggest she could churn out anything—seductive New Order-style synth jams ("Lights Out"), wacky cut-and-paste funk ("Starstruck"), or, you know, something else.

7. Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue

The more I listened, the more I liked, and it's hard to explain why. I think it's the refreshing lack of pretense, even in eight-minute medley-rific jams like "The Next Messiah." For once, J-Lew seemed like she was just being herself. More, please. (Contradicting all this a bit: The weird promo video below.)

6. TV on the Radio: Dear Science

Another case of dropping pretense (well, relatively speaking—this is TV on the Radio). Coherent, fun, at times almost a party record—provided it's the kind of party where the uptight kids wear cardigans and ties and eat gruyere. See you there?

5. Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak

Once you get past the initial WTF of a hyper-minimalist breakup album comprised almost entirely of songs sung through Autotune, you get … well, you get that, but a really good version of that. I'm not sure I get why this was so controversial, but maybe people were expecting "Gold Digger II: Still Whining"? (In the vide below around 1:40: does he compare Obama to the iPod? I think he does, and I think that's genius.)

4. R.E.M.: Accelerate

For a bit of All That You Can't Leave Behind-style stab at reclaiming their rep, this album holds up remarkably well. Basically, it's a marriage of vintage Buck/Mills/Stipe songwriting (jangle, jangle!) with Monster-style sound (fuzzy jangle, jangle!). Hard to complain, really, given the anemic sound of the past few records. Still, a small part of me is heartbroken at the thought of these guys now being the world's best R.E.M. cover band.

3. Fleet Foxes: s/t

If I were the type to use cliched blender metaphors, I'd describe this as a country-fied Shins meets a less bombastic Band of Horses, using Beach Boys-style harmonies (for cred) that are really more like Eagles-style harmonies (don't tell The Dude). But I'm not.

2. Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend 2008:The Strokes 2001::boat shoes and cable knit:skinny ties and skinnier jeans. But who's complaining about a totally derivative (and yet totally left-field) 30 minutes of catchy tunes? Not me.

1. Portishead

I can't imagine why a distressed epic about loneliness and despair would have topped my 2008 list. (Er.) But it's kind of amazing how un-2008 this album sounds—in the year of Hope and Change, it's dark and paranoid, but not lifeless or anything. In other words: Not a bummer to listen to, but cleansing. Which, I suppose, is more 2008 than I realized.

Live version of the best song, "The Rip"

Extra special bonus Radiohead version:

So good

WTF is this S?

Evidently my beloved Twins(TM) have traded Johan Santana for a bucket of balls. Well, not literally--but what a disappointing haul. (I had really looked forward to seeing Jacoby Ellsbury man centerfield.)

That said, what's everyone doing April 8? That should be the best pitcher in baseball's first home start for his new team. See you there.

(For better coverage, check out MetsBlog, Gleeman, and the incomparable LEN 3.)

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Election roundup: Rudy sounds done, McCain goes by Mac now, and Romney just referred to "countries like Asia." (Looks like I'm not the only one who heard it.) I won't tell you how to vote, but you should vote for this guy.

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Also, tonight this guy dug my beard.

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And look who's posting again. Welcome back, champ. (The Shins? Really?!)

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Finally, new Yacht Rock! (Via Stereogum.)

"You weasel!": The new "I drink your milkshake"?

Probably not, but the first short film from Rick and Adam of MagneticMediaFed is pretty brilliant, in spite of my cameo. Check it below, then give them their propers here.

Trophy time!

Back by popular (?) demand, it's my guaranteed, 100-percent accurate picks for the Oscar nominations. I'm pretty much in line with conventional wisdom, except I don't think The Diving Bell and the Butterfly will do as well as some do. (Best Picture? Really?)

I guess we'll find out tomorrow morning, or you can take what follows as gospel. (I recommend option two.) Oh, and my tentative picks for winners are in bold.

Best Actor
Mathieu Amaric | The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
George Clooney | Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis | There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp | Sweeney Todd
Viggo Mortensen | Eastern Promises

Best Actress
Julie Christie | Away From Her
Marion Cotillard | La Vie en Rose
Angelina Jolie | A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley | Atonement
Ellen Page | Juno

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck | The Assassination of Blah Blah Blah
Javier Bardem | No Country for Old Men
Paul Dano | There Will Be Blood
Philip Seymour Hoffman | Charile Wilson's War
Tom Wilkinson | Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett | I'm Not There
Ruby Dee | American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan | Atonement
Amy Ryan | Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton | Michael Clayton

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson | There Will Be Blood
Ethan and Joel Coen | No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy | Michael Clayton
Sidney Lumet | Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Joe Wright | Atonement

Best Original Screenplay
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Juno
Knocked Up
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille

Best Adapted Screenplay
Charlie Wilson's War
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
There Will Be Blood

Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Mountaintop, etc.

An earnest post, but it's still relevant.

2007: That's how it starts

My final five are mostly predictable, but it was that kind of year. A few people were dropping some next-level shit, and it didn't take a genius to hear it. But in case you missed anything, here they are.

1. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver

Anchored by the best three-song sequence of the year ("North American Scum," "All My Friends," "Someone Great"), Sound of Silver serves as a rejoinder to anyone who thinks dance music can't have a soul (or vice versa). Basically, it's perfect for anyone who was waiting for a hip-shaker about getting older, dealing with stereotypes while abroad, or watching a loved one die. And, let's face it, we all were.



2. M.I.A.: Kala

I don't feel informed enough to say she's the only mainstream(-ish) musician who both reflects and embodies the way people consume music now, but, hey, why not. Not only that, it's is the best punk-rock album of the year, and not (only) because of the Clash samples. Girl knows how to get it done, as on "Paper Planes," which had the most exciting / frightening chorus, like, ever.



3. Radiohead: In Rainbows

And then, suddenly, it was on the Internet: A drop-dead gorgeous collection of ten songs from the era's best band. No bullshit*, just brilliance. Good to have ‘em back.

(*Okay, some bullshit, but their webcasts reward the patient and/or dedicated, as you can see below.)



4. PJ Harvey: White Chalk

My fondness for eccentric female singer-songwriters is pretty well documented, but I think PJ is the best writer of them all. (Sorry, Chan.) That's abundantly clear here, thanks to both PJ's charisma and the arrangements (or lack thereof), which match the intimate subject matter. (Family, loss, the usual.) How the hell she got on The Tonight Show with this stuff, I'll never now.

(Also: Big Love chic?)

5. The Arcade Fire: The Neon Bible

Well, they pulled it off: This one is both overhyped and underrated. But when you get past all the nonsense, you're left with an impressive, passionate set of songs – a more than worthy sequel to Funeral. Also, I thought Paul Dano was convincing as Win Butler in There Will Be Blood.

Oh, and this is the YouTube video of the year. "Oh my god," indeed, dude.

2007: A noun, a verb, and 9/11

Let's get to this: A not-at-all-overdue list of the best albums of 2007. Hey, some people still have their Christmas decorations up ...

Anyway, with apologies to Jens Lekman (whose record I haven't fully digested), Rilo Kiley (who made seven-tenths of a terrific album), Beirut (who do one thing very, very well), Grinderman (anyone want to hook a brother up?), and the White Stripes (who I might be taking for granted), here's part one of my YouTube-powered ten favorite records of the year.

6. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky

They tried to make him go to rehab, and Jeff Tweedy said "yes, yes, yes." And it must have worked: This easily ranks as the most optimistic set of tunes his band has ever recorded. But those who dismissed it as a song cycle about fresh sheets and clean dishes, missed how uneasy this supposed contentment is. "I survived," Tweedy says in the title track. "That's good enough for now." Sounds like the theme of 2007.

Oh, and what am I gonna do with all these Volkswagens?



7. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

On which a bedheaded wunderkind gets political, discovers Motown horns and economy (only ten songs! only a half-hour long!), records two stone-cold classics ("The Underdog," "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb"), and manages to make it all sound effortless. That Britt Daniel's one consistent dude.

Also: He makes robots dance.



8. Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam

I finally get it: Brian Wilson-y arrangements and harmonies wed to off-kilter sounds and screaming. Good for them, and good for us. (Hey, anyone want to send me that Panda Bear album?)



9. Kanye West: Graduation

The first Kanye album I haven't pretended to like. Okay, I'm kidding (kind of), but it's certainly 2007's best record to include a song about Barry Bonds. It also has the year's best tune (not the one about the Giants' slugger).




10. Amy Winehouse:Back to Black
Mark Ronson: Version
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights

Best trend of the year: The rediscovery of Holland-Dozier-Holland grooves and snappy brass sections, all paired with modern beats and fantastic vocals. The worst trend of the year: Female singers spiraling out of control.

Still, it's worth remembering that Amy's voice and Ronson's production go together like peas and carrots, and that his work also included a terrific solo album and a lesser-known wonder by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. (At least I assume it's good—I never picked it up. But the video below suggests as much.)