Top 3 (And yes they are all from Sweden):
1. Zeigeist - The Jade Motel
2. Juvelen - 1
3. Firefox AK - If I Were A Melody

Quite liked these as well:
Crystal Castles - S/T
Sons & Daughters - This Gift

Kayo Dot- Blue Lambency Downward

Bored me very much.

I just got Vivian Girls' self titled, its in my top 5. Although I still need to get these before I can make an informed opinion.

TV on The Radio- "Dear Science"
M83- "Saturdays=Youth"
Girl Talk- "Feed the Animals"

Three albums Ive heard a few songs off that I like, but for whatever reason haven't gotten around to purchasing.

These are the albums that have been mentioned more than once. It seems that MB is just as generic as all those lists that we love to berate :D

Kayo Dot - Blue Lambency Downward
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds- Dig, Lazarus , Dig
Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
of Montreal- "Skeletal Lamping"
No Age- "Nouns"
Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
TV On The Radio- Dear Science
Portishead - Third
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Opeth - Watershed
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
Modern Guilt - Beck

Well none of mine appear on 2+ list, though I do own four of them (DC4C, Portishead, Cut Copy & Opeth):

My updated list:

1. Zeigeist - The Jade Motel (SWEDEN)
2. Firefox AK - If I Were A Melody (SWEDEN)
3. Juvelen - 1 (SWEDEN)
4. Crystal Castles - S/T (CANADA)
5. Sons & Daughters - This Gift (UK)
6. Lunascape - Innerside (BELGIUM)
7. Temposhark - The Invisible Line (UK)
8. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster … (UK)
9. Ayria - Hearts For Bullets (CANADA)
10 Van She - V (AUSTRALIA)

For now, considering I've been out of the loop since forever with the 2008 releases after being very much with it at the start of the year, here's my top 5:
1. The Mars Volta - Bedlam on Goliath
This goes without saying will no doubt remain here now and forever
2. Cor Scorpii - Monument
Many people fail to call this anything better than mediocre, but I felt a connection to this album that was quite profound.
3. Mirrorthrone - Gangrene
My god, this is like a great rollercoaster, it's been ages since I've listened to it though and I should definitely be rectifying that.
4. Opeth - Watershed
Needs no introduction, finally a great Opeth album that doesn't sound stale and mechanical.
5. Meshuggah - obZen
This rapes, once I listen to everything this year has to offer however I don't think it will stay in this list, but I can definitely say it should be on a lot of others.

EDIT: Apparantly Opeth didn't release an album called Bedlamn in Goliath.

PM!




I don't think I've posted mine yet, so...

1. Opeth "Watershed"
2. Cancer Bats "Hail Destroyer"
3. The Mars Volta "The Bedlam In Goliath"
4. Fleet Foxes "Fleet Foxes"
5. Genghis Tron "Board Up The House"
6. Thursday/Envy
7. City and Colour "Bring Me Your Love"
8. Underoath "Lost In The Sound Of Separation"
9. Teenage Bottlerocket "Warning Device"
10. Coldplay "Viva La Vida"

Watershed is quite possibly the worst Opeth album. I don't get the love at all. It's bland and unimaginative and the production is far too polished.

I got the absolute opposite impression, it felt far more organic and less polished than the previous Opeth albums.

My updated:
TVOTR-Dear Science
Semi Precious Weapons-We Love You
Katy Perry-One Of The Boys
The Mars Volta-Bedlamn In Goliath

...and that's what it's all about. Different strokes and all that.

Funny how that works out...Pretty good list though.

i thought the new raconteurs was incredibly mediocre

I'll admit it hasn't gotten a lot of plays here either; but I am still hopeful overall for the band.

1. Air France - No Way Down
2. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Tough Alliance - New Chance
5. The Islands - Arm's Way

yea i liked their first album a lot more. the new one is so bland.

I still haven't heard Sigur Ros or Bon Iver.

Easy,

The Punch Brothers- Punch
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
The Accidental- There Were Wolves
Calexico- Carried to Dust
Joshua Radin- Simple Times

but. the fleet foxes, death cab, and of montreal were all real close for me

Stay Positive was the biggest dissapointment of 2008.

no way! real different from The Hold Steady's other stuff but i thought it had an awesome sound.

With about 6 hours to go i'm fairly sure this is my definitive top 5 of the year...

5. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

All killer no filler, a ballsy yet fresh blues album that carried on where Grinderman left off. Dudes still got it.

4. Santogold - Santogold
http://www.independent.ie/multimedia...ld_181408t.jpg

About a dozen genres thrown into one yet still a beautifully accessible pop album. Hyped by nearly everyone everywhere with good reason.

3. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold.
http://www.scenepointblank.com/reviews/covers/02026.jpg

The most soulful music of the year for me. Fine lyrics, a wry delivery and a ton of tunes. Best album name by a mile too.

2. The Kills - Midnight Boom
http://funkysouls.com/img/The_Kills-..._Boom-2008.jpg

More Velvets style rock n' roll but in the form of an easily digestable album, which i've been dying for them to do. Attitude and hooks by the handful.

1. Fucked Up - The Chemisty Of Common Life.
http://www.matadorrecords.com/phpThu...jpg&w=250&q=90

Like a breath of fresh air. All the best punk bands broke free from the stereotypes and did something new and Fucked Up are no exception. An album packed full of heavy riffs, ambient interludes, bongos, shoegaze breakdowns... you name it. It works and it all forms into an album that deserves all the praise in the world in my eyes.

The best of 2008 for me
 

Alicia Keys, No one
Madonna, Give it to me
Nelly Furtado, Manea
Korn, Coming Updone
Audio Slave, Like Stone