Top 10 Albums of 2008 and What I am looking forward to in 2009

Hello fellow music lovers,

WELOME ONE AND ALL...

This is a blog dedicated to the music that I love and want to review along with info on future releases and gig reviews. Also, I am new to the blogging world so can you please be patient as I want to make the layout prettier but will need time to work out what I want. Other than that if you have a music blog please drop me a line so I can read and follow your stuff too. I am hoping that later on I will have more than just me writing reviews so that there is a wide variety of genres and styles discussed as I may like music from every style but lets face it I have pretty specific taste within every genre. Ok...so now on to the important stuff.

2008 was actually a good year for music. I think there were much better albums as a whole. So I am going to give you my top 10 in no particular order and what I am excited for in the Big 09.

Top 10 Albums of 2008

1. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago. I thoroughly enjoyed this and to be honest I found this through a review show on tv so I can't take the credit for discovering this artist/album. It is so reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash in terms of its country-folk feel and feels like Sunday afternoon or train/tram music. This is in fact, the music that excites me the most as there is no over-production and you can just lay there letting the music wash over you with its melodies and harmonies. If you appreciate good songwriting this is for you! Standout tracks: "The Wolves (Act 1 & II)" & "Skinny Love".

2. The Killers- Day & Age. Many people will disagree with me but I loved "Sam's Town" and this is a return back to a "synth-sound" that gave them their commercial success. This album is much more experimental in their sound particularly within the album as songs like "Human" seem far from "Joy Ride", yet it feels right on the album. I adore this band and hopefully I will be seeing then Live at the V Festival. This is an awesome record and I think it has shown evolution whilst being catchy too. Standout tracks: " Losing Touch" & "Spaceman".

3. Fleet Foxes. This is an AMAZING, AMAZING ALBUM!! There are no words to express how much love I have for this. It once again has a country-folk feel like Bon Iver does and is so perfect that it is my most played album. It is so relaxing and honest as it's just good ole' fashioned music. Standout track: "White Winter Hymnal".

4. The Kooks- Konk. They just write the perfect little pop/rock songs. Although, this is not as good as their first one it has "Always Where I Need to Be" which I adore. I love the British music scene at the moment I think they are producing some amazing bands like the Kooks, Bloc Party and The Wombats.

5. Vampire Weekend. This is so infectious as record. I love its kind of bubbly pop sound but id does sound so different from anything I've heard. It is just a fun album to put on and dance to like a maniac. Standout track: "Oxford Comma".

6. Adele- 19. Admittedly I do have an appreciation for many of the female singers that have released albums in the last few years. I loved Amy Winehouse, appreciated Duffy and Lily Allen. Adele just tops it off. I think there is something incredibly soulful about her and the sound itself is very classic R&B with a bit of edgy rock & roll. I think she reminds of Regina Spektor who I also love to bits so that could explain a lot. Standout tracks: "Daydreamer" & "Cold Shoulder".

7. Little Red- Listen to Little Red. Aussie tunes at its best. This is a cool record. If I were in a band this is the sound I would go for with of course a mix of Arcade Fire and U2 in there too. Standout track: "Coca Cola".

8. The Verve- Forth. Their first studio release since 1997's "Urban Hymns" is a welcome return as I always believed they were great then and now they sound like an interesting combination of U2 and Radiohead which is not too bad at all. I appreciated Richard Ashcroft's solo stuff but this just reinforces just how good he is. I think I adore him and the band more and more as I listen to them. Standout track: "Sit and Wonder".

9. Estelle- Shine. Contrary to popular belief I enjoy a certain amount of modern R&B if its special and unique. I think classic R&B is amazing e.g. Aretha, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes and the list can go on and on. However, Estelle suprised me as I think I just found it to be different to everything in this genre and she gives me the same feeling as Macy Gray, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott do.

10. Kings of Leon-Only by the Night. This was a massive album here and I completely understandy why as they lost that sort of southern garage sound for a more stadium rock sound. I think this has a lot to do with touring with the likes of U2. This and "Because of the Times" see a change for the better. I must admit I was not a huge fan of their earlier stuff but I think it is a grower and I wish I had given it more time then. Standout track: "Sex on Fire".

Looking Ahead to 2009
I think the most exciting album that will come out for me personally is.....
No Line on the Horizon-U2. This is due out on March 2nd and today the album cover and tracklisting was released and from what I've heard it is going to be unbelievable. The band are back with Brian Eno and Danny Lanois who have helped U2 create Achtung Baby my fave U2 record, so much so that I have lyrics from "One" tattooed to me. I am so fricking excited for this one!

Also, Muse I hear are recording for a possible 2009/2010 release. I don't think they are rushing it which is a good thing because I would rather wait and get something great than mediocre. So who knows with this.

So that is it for my first real post here. I will try and keep you up-to-date with what I hear about new albums being released. I hope that will be a key feature here in the future.

Much love
Loz

Edit: Special mentions go to Sigur Rós- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, Duffy-Rockferry, Coldplay- Viva La Vida, The Last Shadow Puppets- The Age of the Understatement, MGMT- Oracular Spectacular, R.E.M.- Accelerate & The Fratellis- Here We Stand