2008 Albums: Individual Writer's Lists

As promised earlier in the week, here are the 2008 album lists from our individual writers. The majority of these were used to compile our overall list, however it is worth noting that a few were submitted (or changed) after the deadline, so those trying to work out the validity of our final 50 will struggle to make these fit!

A lot of people have commented on how the selections in the higher reaches of our list - particularly #50 to #26 - were arguably more interesting than the top 25, which tended to focus on the more widely acknowledged albums of 2008. I think our writers' individual lists possess a similar charm; there are some unusual and unexpected picks here, and collectively they provide an intriguing insight into how we all saw 2008 as music fans.

. . .

Ben Bollig

1.  Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes"
2.  M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
3.  Hauschka - "Ferndorf"
4.  Elbow - "Seldom Seen Kid"
5.  Portishead - "Third"
6.  Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
7.  Juana Molina - "Un dia"
8.  TV on the Radio - "Dear Science"
9.  Sigur Ros - "Með suð i eyrum við spilum endalaust"
10. Bajofondo - "Mar Dulce"

George Booker

1. Steinski - "What Does It All Mean?"
2. Neon Neon - "Stainless Style"
3. Portishead - "Third"
4. The Bug - "London Zoo"
5. Koushik - "Out My Window"
6. Girl Talk - "Feed The Animals"
7. Raphael Saadiq - "The Way I See It"
8. Hercules and Love Affair - "Hercules and Love Affair"
9. James Pants - "Welcome"
10. Ratatat - "LP3"
11. Al Green - "Lay It Down"
12. Gnarls Barkley - "The Odd Couple"
13. Lil Wayne - "Tha Carter III"
14. GZA - "ProTools"
15. Flying Lotus - "Los Angeles"
16. N*E*R*D - "Seeing Sounds"
17. Snoop Dogg - "Ego Trippin'"
18. David Byrne and Brian Eno - "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today"
19. Del The Funky Homosapien - "Eleventh Hour"
20. Murs - "Murs For President"
21. Spiritualized - "Songs in A+E"
22. Goldfrapp - "Seventh Tree"
23. RZA as Bobby Digital - "Digi Snacks"
24. Dizzee Rascal - "Maths + English" (US release)

Sean Caldwell

1. Marnie Stern - "This Is It"
2. Triclops! - "Out Of Africa"
3. Deerhoof - "Offend Maggie"
4. Sic Alps - "U.S. EZ"
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!"
6. Bauhaus - "Go Away White"
7. Dub Trio - "Another Sound Is Dying"
8. The Grails - "Doomsdayer’s Holiday"
9. Ten Kens – "Ten Kens"
10. Mike Patton - "A Perfect Place"
11. Wire - "Object 47"
12. The Black Angels - "Directions To See A Ghost"
13. Eagles Of Death Metal - "Heart On"
14. Boris- "Smile"
15. Beck - "Modern Guilt"
16. Fucked Up - "The Chemistry Of Common Life"
17. The Gutter Twins – "Saturnalia"
18. The Black Keys - "Attack & Release"
19. Foals – "Antidotes"
20. TV On The Radio - "Dear Science"

Tara Campbell

1.  Ellen Allien – "SOOL"
2.  Azeda Booth – "In Flesh Tones"
3.  Fuck Buttons – "Street Horrrsing"
4.  Portishead – "Third"
5.  Women – "Women"
6.  Sascha Funke – "Mango"
7.  Spiritualized – "Songs in A & E"
8.  M83 – "Saturdays = Youth"
9.  No Age – "Nouns"
10. Atlas Sound – "Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel"
11. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – "Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!"
12. Paul Kalkbrenner – "Berlin Calling (OST)"
13. Ponytail – "Ice Cream Spiritual"
14. Chad VanGaalen – "Soft Airplane"
15. Deerhunter – "Microcastle"
16. Gang Gang Dance – "Saint Dymphna"
17. Benoit Pioulard – "Temper"
18. Byetone – "Death of a Typographer"
19. Eleanoora Rosenholm – "Älä Kysy Kuolleilta, He Sanoivat"
20. Studio – "Yearbook 2"
21. MGMT – "Oracular Spectacular"
22. Peter Bjorn and John – "Seaside Rock"
23. The Lord Dog Bird – "The Lord Dog Bird"
24. Max Richter – "24 Postcards in Full Colour"
25. Bruno Prunsato – "Why Can’t We Be Like Us?"

David Coleman (Updated List)

1.  Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes"
2.  Fleet Foxes - "Sun Giant EP"
3.  The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"
4.  Okkervil River - "The Stand Ins"
5.  Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
6.  Of Montreal - "Skeletal Lamping"
7.  Bowerbirds - "Hymns for a Dark Horse" (UK re-release)
8.  Shearwater - "Rook"
9.  Jay Reatard -"Matador Singles '08"
10. The Mountain Goats - "Heretic Pride"
11. Vetiver - "Thing of the Past"
12. Deerhunter - "Microcastle"
13. M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
14. Vampire Weekend - "Vampire Weekend"
15. The Sea and Cake - "Car Alarm"
16. Evangelicals - "The Evening Descends"
17. Wire - "Object 47"
18. Whatfor - "Sooner Later Than Never"
19. The Last Shadow Puppets - "The Age of the Understatement"
20. Ladyhawk - "Shots"
21. Circus Animals’ Desertion - "Circus Animals’ Desertion"
22. Dodos - "Visiter"
23. Fucked Up - "The Chemistry of Common Life"
24. Magnetic Fields - "Distortion"
25. Amadou & Mariam - "Welcome To Mali"
26. Pale Young Gentlemen - "Black Forest (Tra La La)"
27. Hercules & Love Affair - "Hercules & Love Affair"
28. Melodium - "My Mind Is Falling To Pieces"
29. Girl Talk - "Feed The Animals"
30. White Hinterland - "Phylactery Factory"
31. Fuck Buttons - "Street Horrrsing"
32. Bersarin Quartett - "Bersarin Quartett"

Alan Garner

1. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"
2. Amanda Palmer - "Who Killed Amanda Palmer"
3. Sigur Ros - "Med Sud I Eyrum Wid Spilum Endalaust"
4. Veda Hille - "This Riot Life"
5. Half Man Half Biscuit - "CSI: Ambleside"
6. Shearwater - "Rook"
7. TV On The Radio - "Dear Science"
8. Marnie Stern - "This Is It..."
9. David Byrne & Brian Eno - "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today"
10. Headlights - "Some Racing, Some Stopping"
11. Elbow - "The Seldom Seen Kid"
12. M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
13. Frightened Rabbit - "The Midnight Organ Fight"
14. Deerhunter - "Microcastle / Weird Era Cont."
15. Mercury Rev - "Snowflake Midnight"
16. Dreamend - "The Long Forgotten Friend"
17. Windy & Carl - "Songs For The Broken Hearted"
18. Dark Captain Light Captain - "Miracle Kicker"
19. Adem - "Takes"
20. Jolie Holland - "The Living And The Dead"
21. Silver Jews - "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea"
22. Blue Sky Black Death - "Slow Burning Lights"
23. Helios - "Caesura"
24. Guns 'N' Roses - "Chinese Democracy"
25. Titus Andronicus - "The Airing Of Grievances"
26. Nick Cave - "Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!"
27. Son Lux - "At War With Walls And Mazes"
28. Horse Feathers - "House With No Name"
29. Ratatat - "LP3"
30. Winterpills - "Central Chambers"

Neil Insh

1. Atlas Sound - "Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel"
2. High Places - "High Places"
3. Deerhunter - "Microcastle / Weird Era Cont."
4. Samamidon - "All is Well"
5. Windy & Carl - "Songs for the Broken Hearted"
6. Au - "Verbs"
7. Fennesz - "Black Sea"
8. Tim Hecker and Aidan Baker - "Fantasma Parastasie"
9. Autechre - "Quaristice"
10. M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
11. Ruby Suns - "Sea Lion"
12. The National - "Virginia"
13. Department of Eagles - "In Ear Park"
14. Fuck Buttons - "Street Horrrsing"
15. Magnetic Fields - "Distortion"
16. No Age - "Nouns"

Alejandro Martinez

1. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
2. Fennesz - "Black Sea"
3. Scott Tuma - "Not For Nobody"
4. Department of Eagles - "In Ear Park"
5. 2562 - "Aerial"
6. Portishead- "Third"
7. No Age - "Nouns"
8. The New Year - "The New Year"
9. Mount Eerie - "Lost Wisdom"
10. Deerhunter - "Microcastle / Weird Era Cont."
11. Karl Blau - "Nature's Got Away"
12. Xiu Xiu - "Women As Lovers"
13. Deerhoof - "Offend Maggie"
14. Titus Andronicus - "The Airing of Grievances"
15. The Music Tapes - "Music Tapes For Clouds and Tornados"
16. Pyramids - "Pyramids"
17. Fuck Buttons - "Street Horrrsing"
18. Dan Friel - "Ghost Town"
19. Clark - "Turning Dragon"
20. Lindstrom - "Where You Go I Go Too"
21. Sea and Cake - "Car Alarm"
22. Beach House - "Devotion"
23. El Guincho - "Remembranza!"
24. Shearwater - "Rook"
25. The Bug - "London Zoo"

Conor McKay

1. Vampire Weekend - "Vampire Weekend"
2. Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes"
3. Shearwater - "Rook"
4. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
5. Girl Talk - "Feed the Animals"
6. Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - "We Brave Bee Stings and All"
7. Cut Copy - "In Ghost Colours"
8. Sigur Rós - "Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust"
9. T.I. - "Paper Trail"
10. Flight of the Conchords - "Flight of the Conchords"
11. MGMT - "Oracular Spectacular"
12. Santogold - "Santogold"
13. Okkervil River - "The Stand Ins"
14. The Ting Tings - "We Started Nothing"
15. Lil Wayne - "Tha Carter III"
16. Hot Chip - "Made In The Dark"
17. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"
18. TV On the Radio - "Dear Science"
19. Death Cab for Cutie - "Narrow Stairs"
20. Of Montreal - "Skeletal Lamping"

Iain Moffat

1.  Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - "Angles"
2.  Elbow - "The Seldom Seen Kid"
3.  Aidan John Moffat - "I Can Hear Your Heart"
4.  Los Campesinos! - "Hold On Now, Youngster..."
5.  Wild Beasts - "Limbo, Panto"
6.  Portishead - "Third"
7.  The Week That Was - "The Week That Was"
8.  Heroes Of Switzerland - "Comfort In Fear"
9.  The Wave Pictures - "Instant Coffee Baby"
10. Max Tundra - "Parallax Error Beheads You"
11. Mercury Rev - "Snowflake Midnight"
12. Crystal Castles - "Crystal Castles"
13. Late Of The Pier - "Fantasy Black Channel"
14. Alphabeat - "This Is Alphabeat"
15. Grace Jones - "Hurricane"
16. Midnight Juggernauts - "Dystopia"
17. Manda Rin - "My DNA"
18. Girls Aloud - "Out Of Control"
19. A Place to Bury Strangers - "A Place To Bury Strangers"
20. Donna Summer - "Crayons"
21. Neon Neon - "Stainless Style"
22. Je Suis Animal - "Self Taught Magic From A Book"
23. Keane - "Perfect Symmetry"
24. Black Affair - "Pleasure Pressure Point"
25. Mystery Jets - "21"
26. Lightspeed Champion - "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge"
27. The Whip - "X Marks Destination"
28. Kanye West - "808s And Heartbreaks"
29. M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
30. The Presets - "Apocalypso"

Miguel Morelli

1. The Mars Volta - "The Bedlam in Goliath"
2. Madlib - "WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip"
3. Jamie Lidell - "Jim"
4. Elephant9 - "Dodovoodoo"
5. Buraka Som Sistema - "Black Diamond"
6. Radiohead - "The Best of"
7. Autechre - "Quaristice"
8. Kaki King - "Dreaming Of Revenge"
9. The Faint - "Fasciination"
10. Mogwai - "The Hawk Is Howling"
11. Nightwatchmen - "The Fabled City"
12. Deerhunter - "Microcastle / Weird Era Cont."
13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!"
14. Portishead - "Third"
15. Four Tet - "Ringer"
16. Flight of the Conchords - "Flight of the Conchords"

Brett Oronzio

1. The Dodos - "Visiter"
2. Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - "We Brave Bee Stings and All"
3. Beach House - "Devotion"
4. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
5. Conor Oberst - "Conor Oberst"
6. Okkervil River - "The Stand Ins"
7. She & Him - "Volume 1"
8. Magnetic Fields - "Distortion"
9. Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes"
10. Vampire Weekend - "Vampire Weekend"

Angela Power

1. Chad Vangaalen - "Soft Airplane"
2. Cloudcult - "Feel Good Ghosts"
3. My Morning Jacket - "Evil Urges"
4. Peter Broderick - "Home"
5. B. Fleischmann - "Angst is Not A Weltanschauung"
6. Bon Iver- "For Emma, Forever Ago"
7. Horse Feathers - "House With No Name"
8. Gemma Hayes - "The Hollow of Morning"
9. Adem - "Takes"
10. Fleet Foxes - "Sun Giant EP" / "Fleet Foxes"
11. Hot Chip - "Made in the dark"
12. MGMT - "Oracular Spectacular"
13. Andrew Bird - "Noble Beast"
14. Max Richter – "24 Postcards in Full Colour"
15. Santogold - "Santogold"
16. Headlights- "Some Racing Some Stopping"
17. Sigur Rós - "Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust"
18. Sun Kil Moon - "April"
19. Four Tet - "Ringer"
20. Brendan Canning - "Something for all of us"

Alan Shulman

1. Randy Newman - "Harps and Angels"
2. Bob Dylan - "Tell Tale Signs"
3. Spiritualized - "Songs in A&E"
4. Portishead - "Third"
5. Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes"
6. Apse - "Spirit"
7. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
8. Sun Kil Moon - "April"
9. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"
10. Drive-By Truckers - "Brighter Than Creations Dark"

Japie Stoppelenburg

1. Fleet Foxes - "Sun Giant EP" / "Fleet Foxes*
2. TV on the Radio - "Dear Science"
3. Ane Brun - "Changing of the Seasons"
4. Jamie Lidell - "Jim"
5. Portishead - "Third"
6. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
7. Vampire Weekend - "Vampire Weekend"
8. Cut Copy - "In Ghost Colours"
9. Black Kids - "Partie Traumatic"
10. Spiritualized - "Songs in A&E"
11. Klak Tik - "Pandangle Studio Sessions"
12. The Last Shadow Puppets - "The Age of the Understatement"
13. Hercules and Love Affair - "Hercules and Love Affair"
14. Cats in Paris - "Courtcase 2000"
15. Kanye West - "808s & Heartbreak"

Tom Whalen

1. Earth – "The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull"
2. James Blackshaw – "Litany of Echoes"
3. Grails – "Doomsdayer’s Holiday" / "Take Refuge in Clean Living EP"
4. Evangelicals – "The Evening Descends"
5. Parts and Labor – "Receivers"
6. The Hold Steady – "Stay Positive"
7. Valet – "Naked Acid"
8. Fuck Buttons – "Street Horrrsing"
9. Grouper - "Dragging a Dead Dear up a Hill"
10. Oneida – "Preteen Weaponry"
11. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – "Lie Down in the Light"
12. The No-Neck Blues Band - "Clomeim"
13. Brightblack Morning Light – "Motion to Rejoin"
14. Strategy - "Music for Lamping"
15. Motorpsycho – "Little Lucid Moments"
16. Sun Kil Moon - "April"
17. The Mountain Goats – "Heretic Pride"
18. Flying Lotus – "Los Angeles"
19. Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - "NYC"
20. Fennesz - "Black Sea"
21. Fucked Up - "The Chemistry of Common Life"
22. TV on the Radio - "Dear Science"
23. Oxford Collapse - "Bits"
24. Sigur Ros - "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust"
25- Deerhunter - "Microcastle / Weird Era Cont."
26. High Places - "High Places"
27. The Ruby Suns - "Sea Lion"
28- Ragliani - "Of Sirens Born"
29. Blood of the Wall – "Liferz"
30. Four Tet - "Ringer EP"


Jody White (Updated List)

1.  Vessels – "White Fields and Open Devices"
2.  Gang Gang Dance – "Saint Dymphna"
3.  Fleet Foxes – "Sun Giant EP"
4.  Portico Quartet – "Knee Deep In the North Sea"
5.  Bon Iver - "For Emma Forever Ago"
6.  M83 – "Saturdays = Youth"
7.  Monoceros – "I Feel Apocalyptic Today"
8.  Anders Ilar – "Sworn"
9.  Max Richter – "24 Postcards In Full Colour"
10. Emiliana Torrini – "Me and Armini"
11. Flying Lotus – "Los Angeles"
12. Kelli Ali – "Rocking Horse"
13. Sigur Rós - "Með suð i eyrum við spilum endalaust"
14. Praveen and Benoit - "Song Spun Simla"
15. Elbow – "Seldom Seen Kid"
16. Lindstrom – "Where You Go I Go Too"
17. The Bug – "London Zoo"
18. Mogwai – "The Hawk Is Howling"
19. Kaki King – "Dreaming of Revenge"
20. Fennesz - "Black Sea"
21. Mercury Rev - "Snowflake Midnight"
22. TV On The Radio – "Dear Science"
23. Johann Johansson – "Fordlandia"
24. Balmorhea – "Rivers Arms"
25. Shearwater - "Rook" 

. . .