I promise I will someday get around to finishing my 2008 list, but right now I feel like it’s better to stop tormenting myself with that (it’s almost February!) and discuss the more pressing matter of Ladyhawke. Yes, her self-titled album was released in September, but in my defense it’s just in WUOG’s rotation now.

Ladyhawke, not to be confused with Ladyhawk who also put out an album last year, is a solo electropop artist from New Zealand. She was born with Asperger’s Syndrome, and from what I’ve read she doesn’t have the best stage presense. Her 80s synthy style did not immediately strike me as anything special, as it was so ridiculously overdone in the past year, and was better done by M83, Cut Copy, and the like. About half of the album was pleasant, though, particularly the single “Paris Is Burning.”

Catchy as that track is, what struck me most about Ladyhawke was just how poor some of the songs are. “Crazy World” sounds like it belongs on the Disney Channel, and is accordingly the worst song I’ve heard outside of Top 40 radio or my sisters’ bedrooms in quite a long time. I genuinely do like her songs such as “Paris is Burning” and “Magic” — the latter makes an enticing intro to the album, and the former is hopelessly fun; however, the songwriting is so atrociously inconsistent that I don’t feel as though I could recommend the album. The 80s motif is far overdone in tracks like “Morning Dreams”; Paula Abdul was much more respected for her dancing than her singing. There is absolutely no need to rehash her sound two decades past her prime.

Electropop is probably not a genre to be taken particularly seriously, but Ladyhawke’s trite and derivative songs destroy the listenability of an otherwise potentially good album.

Picking 10 albums was too hard. Picking 15 was almost too hard (what can I say, it’s been a good year), but I struggled on, nobly overcoming any difficulties which I faced. Dragons, and so forth. However, I couldn’t bring myself to actually rank them, as my order just kept changing wildly and with little rhyme or reason. When it got to the stage where I was promoting records based on factors such as an amusing surname, or the fact that I want to go to Australia, it all seemed to hit the ridiculous. So I surrendered to alphabetism.

Lastly, I don’t claim that these are the BEST albums of 2008, that would be pretentious, pointless, and in any case a bit silly, as despite my best efforts, I couldn’t have listened to every release even if I had nothing else to do. They are purely and simply the 15 albums which I’ve liked the best, and which I’ve spent most time listening to and enjoying. Which, after all, is the whole point anyway. Right? Right.

Here goes:

1) Sheryl Crow - Detours

I love Sheryl Crow. In fact, were it not for the fact that I don’t like rejection very much, and am a poor student, I might just have to offer to father her children for her. Detours has some of her best work on it, certainly the best lyrics since her eponymous 1996 classic, and she once again has shown off her knack for taking the personal and political and making them utterly relatable, and utterly entertaining. Keep ‘em coming.

Picks to Click: Motivation, Gasoline

2) The Dodos - Visiter

One of the signs of a great album is when it seems to add up to much more than the sum of the individual tracks, and grows into a cohesive whole. Long’s African-inspired drumming achieves that here, ensuring that while each track is great alone, the whole thing can make for one long sonic delight if taken in all together. Gem.

Picks to click: Fools, Ashley

3) Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

A triumph for great lyricism. I’m not going to lie, I don’t really rate the overall sound of the terrified bunny brigade as highly as many others seem to; their instrumentals don’t really pop to me. BUT I’ve always been a lyric man at heart, a sucker for great songwriting, and that’s what this album offers. Poetry, innit.

Pick to Click: The Modern Leper

4) The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won

Everyone needs fun in their life, and The Grates pretty much give just that, and claim no more. It is something where no matter which track I hear from this record, it pretty much puts me in a good mood whenever my iPod throws one up, and for that I am GRATEful. Thank you, I’ll be here all night.

Pick to Click: Carve your Name

5) Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night

I keep kind of expecting to get tired of Kings Of Leon, for some reason. Possibly because so many other ‘cool’ bands have failed to amount to anything after their first album (I’m still bitter about Franz Ferdinand), but in the case of the Followill clan, I’ve been happily proven wrong. I do have to admit to a particular soft-spot this particular album, and a certain single thereon, but bias aside, it’s still well worth being a fan.

Picks to Click: Manhattan, Sex On Fire

6) Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster…

I was torn between which of the two ‘08 releases from Los Campesinos! To include in this selection. My need to cut down would not allow for both, despite each having their own charms. In the end, I was partly swung by the fitting title of ‘My Year In Lists’ on HONY, although either way, it’s been a good year for the band, and I’m excited for what comes next.

Pick to Click: My Year In Lists

7) Jesse Malin - On Your Sleeve

I was in two minds about whether or not to include a cover album in my selection, but then I realized, ‘fuck it, it’s a GOOD cover album!’ I make no pretence about the fact that Jesse Malin could sing me into bed with very little effort, which doesn’t hurt matters, and even if this isn’t original material, it’s still been way up on my play list, so why not, eh? Here’s rooting for another Ryan Adams collaboration as a Christmas present. Mhm?

Pick to Click: Me And Julio Down By The School Yard

8) Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head - Glistening Pleasure

You know when you first listen to a band because their name is funny? How often does it turn out to be worth the effort? Some of the tracks do have a bit of a samey vibe to them in all honesty, but it’s a sameyness I like enough to overlook this flaw, and my Summer wouldn’t have been quite the same without quite a few of these songs, so overall, totally worth a listen or three.

Picks to Click: Me + Yr Daughter, Slow Motion Tag Team

9) Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins

I almost feel that I don’t really have to explain this one at any length. It’s that good. Just listen.

Pick to Click: Calling And Not Calling My Ex

10) Santogold- Santogold

Santogold is really the ‘grower’ of this group for me. I’m not going to lie and pretend to be one of the millions who was instantly taken in by her, because at first I pretty much skimmed over this, and more fool me. It remained on the iPod, and every so often a track or two would shuffle up, and each time, I found myself listening that bit harder, and eventually, I was seeking it out. Perseverance pays off, kids.

Pick to Click: Creator

11) She & Him - Volume One

Who doesn’t want Zooey Deschanel? Anyone? No? Correct. Her voice is sonic hot chocolate, and this is a perfect autumn/winter album if ever I heard one. Makes me feel fuzzy. Plus, MEGA bonus points for Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

Picks to Click: Sentimental Heart, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

12) Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

Another kind of sleeper album on my list, I really only got into the Jews at all fairly recently, and then by way of randomly finding their tracks included in other blog posts and listening out of curiosity. Serendipity, because this album has something I can’t quite put my finger on, but that keeps the attention (in a good way, lol). Sometimes, that little bit of mystery is what‘s needed.

Pick To Click: Suffering Jukebox

13) Britney Spears - Circus

Yeah, OK, the girl eats her crazy flakes every morning, and doesn’t have a cool name about hairstyles, Messianic religions, or extinct birds, but hell, sometimes pop is just what you fucking need, and damn if she doesn’t deliver. OK, I’m probably cheating by putting this on my list, given that it’s really based on a love of certain tracks rather than the whole album, but I LIKE THOSE TRACKS. And when a set of songs gets as much play as these have on my iPod in the last two weeks, something is undeniably right. Long live Britney, I say!

Picks to Click: Circus, If U Seek Amy

14) Tokyo Polic Club - Elephant Shell

Wow, really lack of Canadians this year, no? Anyway, I kind of have a hard time explaining why this particular album is so dear to me, but you know when you hear something at EXACTLY the right moment for it’s particular style to endear itself to you? Well, enter Tokyo Police Club for James.

Pick to Click: Your English Is Good

15) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Ah, Vampire Weekend. I generally try to avoid music snobbery as a rule, but for some reason my brain decided that they were too bandwagon, and I didn’t want to like these guys. For a time, I was resolute, but then they just got in my brain and wouldn‘t go away until I converted. Let it be a testament to the joys of this album that I was worn down. Anyone who has ever tried to face me when I dig my heels in will tell you that that alone is a sign that you ought to give them a chance.

Picks to Click: Campus, M73

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So there we go. It’s been a good year as far as I’m concerned, and you can see what Nicki has to say in short order…

All I have left to add is bring on 2009!

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