5. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
I must admit, I wasn't a fan of the band before this. I had sampled them since they exploded on the indie scene with Aha Shake Heartbreak, but I couldn't get into the music. The style and Nathan Followill's strange vocals made it hard to appreciate. But Kings Of Leon finally broke through the mainstream barrier with Only By The Night, a much more radio friendly album, with smash hit "Sex On Fire". I admit, I was hooked by the song the first time I heard it. I have heard people say that Kings Of Leon are impossible to classify as a band as their style changes with every album but on this album the sound more mainstream rock.
Key Tracks:
Sex On Fire - Duh
Revelry - Also released as a single. Catchy.
Manhattan - Relatively underrated song I think.
4. The Killers - Day & Age
I was really into the Killers when Hot Fuss came out in 2004. Everyone knows Mr Brightside and All These Things You've Done but I really liked Somebody Told Me and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. Somehow I didn't get into Sam's Town and didn't buy the album. I liked When We Were Young but wasn't impressed by Bones and other songs. Maybe I didn't give it enough of a listen. But when reviews of Day & Age said their style was more like Hot Fuss again, I took notice. I first heard Human in my housemate Kelv's room, and since then I proceeded to listen to the rest of the songs and buy the album. The first half of the album is much stronger than the second half though.
Key Tracks:
Losing Touch - Fill my crown with rumours of impending doom (Track 1)
Human - Are we human, or are we dancer? (Track 2)
Spaceman - Spaceman said everybody look down! (Track 3)
3. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Definitely not as good as Transatlanticism (best Death Cab album of all time) or even Plans but its still a good offering to keep fans like me happy. However, I think they don't break significant ground or push the band to greater heights with this album. Something like the new U2 album (No Line On The Horizon). Good enough to please fans but not good enough to break new ground. I did see them in concert last month and they were awesome!!! Thankfully, they like many bands seem to like Australia and keep coming back year after year.
Key Tracks:
1. Bixby Canyon Bridge - Great track to start off the album with
2. I Will Possess Your Heart - Awesome 8 minute track with a 4 minute build up before the lyrics come in. Obviously, the radio edit version cuts this out.
3. Grapevine Fires - Timely and apt song to perform at the concert with Victoria burning. Gibbard called it a 'song of hope' and the crowd assented.
2. Bloc Party - Intimacy
Strangely enough, for the top two albums of 2008, I didn't like the first track from the album at all. With Intimacy, it was Mercury, which I found really odd and experimental. Which is how critics labelled the whole album. So amazingly, before going to the Bloc Party concert in November 2008, I hadn't heard any of the album except for Mercury and Flux (which wasn't even part of the album. It was some EP released earlier). Thankfully my man David the Chang had heard a bit more than me. I liked Flux but not Mercury. I was there for all the Silent Alarm songs anyways. Amazingly the set list that day was packed with Silent Alarm songs, to my delight! But being at the concert exposed me to the other Intimacy songs which didn't sound as weird as Mercury at all! I went back, downloaded the rest of the songs, and later bought the album back in Singapore! TALONS is my favourite song of the album and if Viva La Vida wasn't so good, it would be my song of the year. Strangely enough, Talons was released AFTER the whole album was already released. Some kinda gimmick. If I was a fan and had bought the album on release date, I would've been pissed as.
Key Tracks:
Talons - Best song!!! 'And when it comes, it will feel like a kiss'
One Month Off - Loved it when I heard it at the concert. I went home and hunted it down immediately.
Your Visits Are Getting Shorter - Ares and Ion Square are also very good tracks and are fan favourites but incredibly I liked Your Visits Are Getting Shorter which is some techno-electronica-ish type of song which is very unlike me.
1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Without a doubt the album of the year!!! Which they should have won at the Grammys as well. But rather predictably, they lost it to some oldies... Robert "A Whole Lotta Love" Plant singing COUNTRY with some random chick, Alison Krauss! What's new. The most random people win the big one. Anyways, I downloaded Violet Hill when it came out for free online but I couldn't get into it. But being a massive Coldplay fan I bought Viva La Vida the day it came out (first album I bought all year actually. And it was already the second half of the year. Amazing). Amazingly, I loved it! I didn't have high expectations thanks to Violet Hill, but the new Coldplay were awesome! This is what breaking new ground looks like! This is what the biggest band in the world looks like!!!!! Favourite song as I've mentioned a gazillion times is Lost. I went for the concert in Sydney and it was hands down the best concert I've ever been to. Period. The first time I actually knew ALL the songs in the concert and could sing along to all of them. Only going for U2 could possibly top this. Prospekt's March, the EP released after Viva La VIda is good as well. Problem was I couldn't buy it alone! I had to re-buy Viva La Vida to get my hands on Prospekt's March. Oh well, the price of being a true fan.
Key Tracks:
Lost! - There's the Lost piano version which is awesome as well as the Lost+ with Jay-Z which actually works!
Life In Technicolor - Even British bands spell 'color' the American way. The most incredible instrumental track ever. They added words and made it Life In Technicolor II. You have to YouTube the video for that. Cutest thing ever. There are kids in it.
Lovers In Japan - I don't think I've liked a song this much without knowing the lyrics well. Really odd.
Well, here's hoping 2009 will be a greater year for music! 2008 was looking really bad till Coldplay saved the day!
Thanks to Chang, I've found a new indie love. Swedish singer-songwriter who resides in Melbourne!!! Wat da heck! I just missed his Melbourne show though. Who in the world is JENS LEKMAN!!! Sounds a lot like Germany's No 1 keeper but looks and sounds nothing like him. I already paid full price to buy one of his albums but this one is the best. I absolutely love virtually the whole album. No weak tracks in here at all. I can't recall the last time I heard a new album and loved song after song after song. Especially of a random artist that I've never heard before.
2009 has to produce some awesome stuff to top this. Some of the catchiest songs you will ever hear. Each song is an eccentric but interesting story. Is it just me or do all these European singers sing really well. Reminds me a lot of Kings Of Convenience.
Key Tracks:
1. The Opposite Of Hallelujah
2. A Postcard To Nina
3. I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You
4. Your Arms Around Me
5. Into Eternity
