BEST OF 2008

Okay kids, as anybody who's been reading this little slice of web buffoonery can tell you...AMBFAD has so not been a 'music blog' for a long while now. Actually, one could challenge it never really was. That said, I still do love me some good music and, as you know, I really love to share my opinions.

So, w/out any further fanfare and the returning disclaimer this is more of a 'Best of the Stuff I Actually Got Around to Listening To' than an all-encompassing list of Pitchfork proportions, here are my favorite albums of 2008:

1. Paul Westerberg - '49:00'

2. Bob Mould - 'District Line'

3. Beck - 'Modern Guilt'

4. M83 - 'Saturdays = Youth'

5. R.E.M. - 'Accelerate'

6. Helio Sequence - 'Keep Your Eyes Ahead'

7. Sloan - 'Parallel Play'

8. The Duke Spirit - 'Neptune'

9. Ra Ra Riot - 'The Rhumb Line'

10. The Verve - 'Forth'

No really big surprises, most of these showed up on here at some point during the year. Also no big surprise that the two top spots went to two of my favorite artists EVER, but both Westy and Bob earned it w/ stellar releases. Nice to see R.E.M. back on my list for the first time in, well, forever. Perhaps not w/ an album on par w/ earlier classics...but a nice body of work nonetheless.

The Duke Spirit was a late addition and the only album that didn't get a full review on here earlier. Totally worth checking out if you like beautiful vocals over the scuzzy (yet polished) buzz of rock'n'roll. You can go back and read the earlier reviews of the others, but each comes w/ the all-important 'AMBFAD Seal of Approval'...guaranteed sweet sounds for your ear goggles.

As I always say, here's hoping that we're treated w/ more good music in 2009! Oh, for those of you wondering where 'Chinese Democracy' ended up ranking...somewhere after #10 and on someone else's list. Good lord did that suck. Thanks for the Dr. Pepper, Axl.