I can’t believe it’s almost that time of year again. Before I finalize my favorite albums of 2009 list, I thought I should revisit my 2008 list. Last December I listed my 50 favorite albums of the 2008, but (like every year) it is an inexact art/science. There are bound to be omissions and also albums that fade. Here’s the original 2008 best of lists if you’d like to compare.
50. Helios – Caesura (Type)
Originally #50 on the list.
49. Bound Stems – The Family Afloat (Flameshovel)
Originally #48 on the list.
48. The Tim Version – Decline Of The Southern Gentleman (No Idea)
Originally #47 on the list. Read more…
47. Sigur Rís – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (XL)
Originally #42 on the list. Read more…
46. The Weight – Are Men (The Colonel)
Originally #46 on the list. Read more…
45. The Riot Before – Fists Buried In Pockets (Say-10)
Originally #44 on the list. Read more…
44. William Fitzsimmons – The Sparrow And The Crow (Self-Released)
Originally #41 on the list. Read more…
43. The Heavenly States – Delayer (Rebel Group)
Originally #39 on the list. Read more…
42. Graham Lindsey – We Are All Alone In This Together (Spacebar)
Originally #38 on the list. Read more…
41. Teenage Bottlerocket – Warning Device (Red Scare)
Originally #37 on the list. Read more…
40. Dosh – Wolves And Wishes (Anticon)
Originally #36 on the list. Read more…
39. Algernon Cadwallader – Some Kind Of Cadwallader (Self-Released)
Originally #35 on the list. Read more…
38. How Dare You – Comfort Road (Fail Safe)
Not originally on the list. Read more
37. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
Originally #31 on the list. Read more…
36. The War On Drugs – Wagonwheel Blues (Secretly Canadian)
Not originally on the list. Read more…
35. Girl Talk – Feed The Animals (Illegal Art)
Originally #40 on the list. Read more…
34. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
Originally #25 on the list.
33. Parts & Labor – Receivers (Jagjaguwar)
Originally #29 on the list. Read more…
32. Able Baker Fox – Voices (Second Nature)
Originally #28 on the list. Read more…
31. Carpenter – Law Of The Land (Smallman)
Originally #33 on the list. Read more…
30. Sun Kil Moon – April (Caldo Verde)
Originally #32 on the list. Read more…
29. .357 String Band – Fire & Hail (Self-Released)
Originally #24 on the list. Read more…
28. Dillinger Four – Civil War (Fat Wreck)
Originally #30 on the list. Read more…
27. The Loved Ones – Build And Burn (Fat Wreck)
Originally #23 on the list. Read more…
26. Smoking Popes – Stay Down (Appeal)
Originally #20 on the list. Read more…
25. Good Luck – Into Lake Griffy (Self-Released)
Originally #19 on the list. Read more…
24. Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas – Bristle Ridge (Ten Four)
Originally #18 on the list. Read more…
23. JJ Grey & Mofro – Orange Blossoms (Alligator)
Originally #34 on the list. Read more…
22. Old Crow Medicine Show – Tennessee Pusher (Nettwerk)
Originally #8 on the list.
21. Polar Bear Club – Sometimes Things Just Disappear (Red Leader)
Originally #26 on the list. Read more…
20. Ben Nichols – Last Pale Light In The West (Liberty & Lament)
Originally #22 on the list. Read more…
19. Left Lane Cruiser – Bring Yo’ Ass To The Table (Alive Naturalsound)
Originally #16 on the list. Read more…
18. Torche – Meanderthal (Hydra Head)
Originally #12 on the list. Read more…
17. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (XL)
Originally #17 on the list. Read more…
16. Vietnam Werewolf – Ohio’s City (Self-Released)
Originally #10 on the list. Read more…
15. The State Lottery – Cities We’re Not From (Salinas)
Originally #11 on the list. Read more…
14. Ida – Lovers Prayers (Polyvinyl)
Originally #13 on the list. Read more…
13. Two Cow Garage – Speaking In Cursive (Suburban Home)
Originally #21 on the list. Read more…
12. Cheap Girls – Find Me A Drink Home (Quote Unquote)
Originally #14 on the list. Read more…
11. Good Old War – Only Way To Be Alone (Sargent House)
Not originally on the list. Read more…
10. The Tallest Man On Earth – Shallow Grave (Gravitation)
Originally #6 on the list. Read more…
09. Ninja Gun – Restless Rubes (Suburban Home)
Originally #9 on the list. Read more…
08. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
Originally #15 on the list. Read more…
07. Lemuria – Get Better (Asian Man)
Originally #5 on the list. Read more…
06. Off With Their Heads – From The Bottom (No Idea)
Originally #27 on the list. Read more…
05. The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound (Side One Dummy)
Originally #4 on the list. Read more…
04. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive (Vagrant)
Originally #7 on the list. Read more…
03. Banner Pilot – Resignation Day (Go Kart)
Originally #3 on the list. Read more…
02. Tim Barry – Manchester (Suburban Home)
Originally #1 on the list. Read more…
01. Mates Of State – Re-Arange Us (Barsuk)
Originally #2 on the list. Read more…






Re-Arrange Us finally showed a maturation for Mates of State. Not that I didn’t enjoy their previous material, but they really caught me off guard with Re-Arrange, heading to uncharted territory for them.