The Razors Edge: Razors Top Ten Albums for 2008

Happy new year everyone.

Its been a great wee summer break and roadtrip- blurb and pics to follow on that in due course. However, I can't let last year disappear without posting my Top 10 new albums from last year.

Overall I have to say it was a disappointing year on the whole, probably only three of these albums would have made my Top Ten in 2007, so theres a few in here that may surprise people, but at the end of the day these are the ten I liked best this year, not yours :)

I had intended to embed a video clip single from each album, however the recent Youtube dispute with record companies means that you'll have to click the links attached yourself you lazy sods! If the links fall over I'm sure you can search them out easily enough as the dispute unfolds.

So without further ado Razors Top 10 from the 2008 is recommended as follows:

1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Dig Lazarus Dig

What a superb craftsman and sage Nick Cave is.

How I missed out on his material for so long continues to confound me, I always took a passing interest but until last year's Grinderman Project I hadn't really noticed this talented Australian had a major back catalogue of such stunning material. I know now!

Following on from the momentum gained from Grinderman it seems theres a tonne of life in the old dog, and Dig Lazurus Dig is simply the most riveting new album I heard in 2008. From laments for the decline of western civilisation to singing about "More News from Nowhere", Cave and the band wear their hearts on their sleeves on this record. Part punk, part goth, and even part Johnny Cash, mixed together as a huge slab of intellectual lolly scramble, Dig Lazurus Dig has remained on my MP3 playlist for the whole year.

Click here to view the video for More News From Nowhere

2. MGMT- Oracular Spectacular

MGMT were a genuine breath of fresh air in 2008.

Hard to define, part electronica, part indie rock, part completely off the planet. MGMT take you on a journey reminiscent of few others, maybe the Flaming Lips spring to mind (a band I must own more of).

Rarely has a new band leaped out and grabbed me so completely on the basis of one single. Guns n Roses did it with Sweet Child of Mine in 1987. Nirvana with Teen Spirit and the Manic Street Preachers with Motorcycle Emptiness did it in the early 1990's . And MGMT did it this year with the hedonistic fantasy of Time to Pretend.

I bought the album on a whim, based on this song and if you've heard the follow up singles Electric Feel and Kids you will know these guys are no one hit wonder.

Watch Time to Pretend here

3. Glasvegas

Hands Up if you have heard of Glasvegas?

I hadn't until around October, and they are simply outstanding. Its like the a new soundtrack for the movie Trainspotting (the old one wasn't bad either laddie), the album just crawls with unemployment, social workers, dirt, grime and life on the skids. Musically its primarily set in the Echo and the Bunnymen led charge from the darker side of the 80's, with a modern edge, not dissimilar to the early releases of Wales Manic Street Preachers.

Very highly recommended!

Watch the clip for Geraldine here

4. Guns N Roses- Chinese Democracy

One could write for hours about the 17 years, $30 million and endless procession of band members spent on this album. We never thought it would come out, but having seen Axl and his hired Guns last year live I was suitably satisfied that it would be a decent album. And in fact its very decent, almost - but not quite- a great album. Stuff, NZ Herald and Rolling Stone all gave it 4 out of 5 stars, and I' d give it the same.

The secret to Democracy is understanding its Axl going where he wanted to go, and could never have gone with his old bandmates. At times the album is disjointed, bloated, over the top and over produced, but isn't that what any truly legendary band puts out? Make no doubt about it, reclusive and media shy Axl is a musical genuis, and go no further than the tracks "Prostitute", "Better", "If The World" and "Sorry" to sample whats been cooking.

Reportedly there are 2 more albums completed for release this year and next. The wait was worth it, in the end, but only just!

Not a video, but listen to Prostitute, my favourate track

"It Seems Like Forever, and a Day" - Yes Axl, it certainly does....

5. Beck- Modern Guilt

Beck is one of those rare artists who defies classification and simply goes where he likes and welcomes you along of the ride if you choose. Modern Guilt is the most vital release in years from the self styled "loser". Theres plenty of influences and comparisons to my mind, Bowie and The Eels spring to attention for a start

Modern Guilt is an unshackled artist at the peak of his powers, a must own from a very smart musician.
Watch Gamma Ray here

6. The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely

"The only way to learn a thing is to admit you know absolutely nothing..." sings Jack White and the crew on "Old Enough". Consolers of the Lonely is a fantastic follow up to the groundbreaking debut album from the Raconteurs a couple of years back, Broken Boy Soldiers. And I thought it was going to be a one off....

This album really is a perfect synergy of its constituent parts, with The Greenhornes rhythm section really shine through on this full length and very listenable CD.

Ttile track Live with Jools here (with other cool links from it)

7. Metallica- Death Magnetic
Well I never. The biggest shock this year apart from Chinese Democracy actually coming out was the release of a decent Metallica album, after ten years of utterly turgid, terrible albums. The last one, St Anger, should have finished them for good.

Death Magnetic is a return to the roots founded in Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and Justice for All. True Metallica fans the world over rejoiced when the first single "The Day That Never Comes" came out.

Watch "The Day That Never Comes " Here

The rest of the album follows the same vein, Kirks guitars are raging again and the band sounds back on form. I will still never forgive them for the abomination that was St Anger though!

8. SJD- Dayglo Spectres

SJD should be a household name.
Come on, everyone knows an SJD song, just most of them don't realise it. Hands up who knows the Monteiths ad, or the Buy NZ Made ad- ahhh yes you get it now.

SJD is becoming more about the band- Sean James Donnelly, James Duncan, Paul McLaney, et al with each release. Dayglo Spectres builds nicely on the subtle platforms laid in Songs from a Dictophone in 2007, and Southern Lights before that. Theres almost a trance aspect to some of the material here- intelligence and deep thought have gone into this band. I've always thought theres a real Radiohead tinge to SJD and Dayglo Spectres intensifies that. And anyone who has seen James Duncan play live, either with SJD or Dimmer, will appreciate the genius he is on the instrument.

Dayglo Spectres takes a few listens, like all the great albums do, but its an enriching and rewarding tapestry

Superb video for No Telling Where here

9. The Verve- Forth

It really was a year for comebacks- and the Verve were a welcome entrant in this field. Picking up where Urban Hymns left off last century, its a return to form for Richard Ashcroft after his patchy solo efforts. A vital album, one that ebbs and flows between introspective and expansive- a fantastic Sunday afternoon sort of album.

It kicks the arse of Oasis' umpteenth comeback attempt!

Love is Noise here- I love this track!

10. The Cure- 4:13 Dream

Ah The Cure. I'm still humming from the 2007 concert! The long awaited 13th Cure album is as expected a varied affair, attempting to capture many of the elements that have made up Fat Bob and the lads since the late 70's.

Opening with "Underneath the Stars", which could the be sequel to Wish's "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea" this album goes on a journey, influenced mainly from the albums of the mid 80's through to the early 90's. Standout tracks for me include "The Perfect Boy" and "Sleep When I'm Dead".

Its quite a stripped back affair at times, but its yet another notch in the bedpost for Indie Rock's undisputed kings.

Watch The Perfect Boy here

Close and Worthy of Investigation: