To say 2008 was one hell of a year is, to put it lightly, one of the biggest understatements anyone could make. In just 365 days, we witnessed a global economic crisis, China’s rise to power through the summer Olympics, increased tensions between Russia and the United States, and one of the most historic campaigns in all of politics – culminating in the election of America’s first black President. And we saw quite a lot in the music world as well. Bands came and went, drama increased among former friends, we had an almost ridiculous amount of reunion albums and tours (everyone from My Bloody Valentine to Limp Bizkit decided to make amends and get back together!) and we witnessed the comeback of some of the most legendary and influential bands ever. While it would be a bit too much to talk about every single great or noteworthy album that was released this year, I’d like to pay special attention to some of this year’s greats.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
I know this was technically released in 2007, but if the Grammys think it’s a 2008 record I do too. This was a brilliant album in a long series of brilliant Radiohead albums, not just for its unique release but for the band’s new stripped-down, introspective sound. Songs like “Nude”, “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”, and “House of Cards” are among the best the band has ever written, and Thom Yorke’s vocals and lyrics remain as moving now as they were ten years ago. Although the record was a bit short for some people’s tastes, the band’s amazing sense of dynamics and songcraft make you want to savor every minute.
Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends
This album turned four soft-rock balladeers into the biggest band in the world. After the somewhat lackluster X&Y, it was hard to know what direction Coldplay would take next, and fans held their breath until the very end. With Brian Eno in the producer’s chair, the band drove themselves to experiment constantly and always look for a new song or style. And it worked: from the sweeping opener “Life in Technicolor” all the way to the majestic ending of “Death and All His Friends”, Viva La Vida… is beautiful, deep, and epic in every sense of the word. It’s got arena-ready anthems, orchestral pop, dark piano tunes, and the thrilling confidence of a band that knows they’re on top of the world.
Metallica – Death Magnetic
This record wasn’t particularly innovative, and it didn’t break any new ground. What made Death Magnetic so special is how it totally redeemed Metallica from the mess that was St. Anger and returned the band to their old glory. Littered with 8, 9, and 10-minute songs with killer riffs and Kirk Hammet’s face-melting solos, this album was meant to reaffirm Metallica’s status as the gods of thrash metal. You can almost see James Hetfield’s sneer as the band launches into rockers like “That Was Just Your Life” or the epic outro of “The Day That Never Comes”. But the biggest surprise of all is “Suicide & Redemption”, an epic instrumental that Cliff Burton would have loved to hear.
Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak
Nobody expected an album like 808s & Heartbreak to come out from a musician like Kanye West. After the release of 2007’s Graduation, the world just expected Kanye to continue his winning streak of school-related rap albums and release a record called A Good-Ass Job. But things turned out very differently: his fiancée left him, his mother died, and he decided to make an introspective, minimalistic electronic record sung with the aid of a little program called Auto-Tune. It was a huge gamble, but, in the end, Kanye made the right decision. Rather than using Auto-Tune as a crutch like so many other Top 40 artists, he used it to create a cold, isolating feeling. And he enhanced the melancholy feeling with tinny beats in “Heartless” , haunting piano in “Love Lockdown”, and a string section that turns “Robocop” into a work of art.
Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy
As if to try to top off all of the incredible things that happened this year, Axl Rose and company turned off all the thermostats in Hell and finally released Chinese Democracy. The story of how this record came to be is so convoluted as to be ridiculous, but on November 23, we all held our breaths. And it was *almost* worth the wait, because Chinese Democracy is a brilliant record filled with irresistable rockers, heart-wrenching ballads, and (of course) mind-blowing guitar solos from Buckethead, Bumblefoot and Robin Finck. Even without the aid of his old band members, Axl managed to create an epic, sprawling album with amazing melodies and that same voice that sent chills up your spine so many years ago. It might not live up to the hype, and the absurd length hurts the record a bit, but with gems like “There Was a Time” and “Shackler’s Revenge”, Chinese Democracy exceeded *almost* all expectations.
Honorable Mentions:
The Foxboro Hot Tubs – Stop, Drop, and Roll!!! - An exciting throwback to 60’s garage rock with spunky guitars and irresistible hooks. They may be Green Day in disguise, but the Hot Tubs sound so fresh you’d think they were a brand new band.
R.E.M. – Accelerate - A fantastic comeback for a band whose future was uncertain after the abysmal Around the Sun. The name says it all, really: this is a blistering, no-nonsense record with literate songs and punk-rock energy. It’s so exciting to see a veteran band crank up their amps and learn how to rock again.
Nine Inch Nails – The Slip – Ghosts I-IV may have gotten more press, but it was NIN’s free giveaway album that got blasted in my car stereo time and time again. A short, sweet industrial-rock record filled with crunchy riffs and killer hooks, it’s easy to see that Trent Reznor’s songwriting is still top-notch. Probably the best free album ever.
Well, that’s it for this year. See you in 2009, and let’s hope for another awesome year in music!
