Dim's Favorite Discs of 2008, Part 2 (The Top 10)

10. Cardinology - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals (Lost Highway)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Magick, Born Into A Light, Stop

What could very well be Adams' swansong, at least for a little while (he recently has commented on a sabbatical from music), Cardinology is a perfect synopsis of Adams' prolific career. You have the alt-country standards, the delicate piano ballad, and the bratty, unabashed pop. What you also have, inexplicably, is Ryan near-fatally overdosing on vibrato and falsetto in his vocals. But that doesn't even come close to dragging down Cardinology. If this is, in fact, the end, it is sad because the Cardinals have become a truly amazing backing band and one that has pushed Adams even further in his musicianship and songwriting. And Cardinology reflects that symbiotic relationship perfectly.

Previous list appearances: Cold Roses (#6 in 2005), Jacksonville City Nights (#11 in 2005)

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9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Blue Ridge Mountains, White Winter Hymnal, He Doesn't Know Why

Back in the 70s an enigmatic group called Klaatu put out a record that sounded very Beatle-esque. There was pretty much nothing known about this group publicly, including their names. People thought it was the Beatles actually recording under a different name. It wasn't. That said, I swear this record is actually an older, unearthed My Morning Jacket record. And that is not a criticism. While I don't find Fleet Foxes particularly inventive or groundbreaking, this release is undeniably beautiful and impressive, even if it sounds like others out there. The textured background vocals add a level of brightness to the fun sounding songs and some spookiness to the heavier-themed numbers. While this is largely a mellow affair, it never becomes boring. Original? No. Still a really great listen? Yes.

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8. Fate - Dr. Dog (Park the Van Records)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: The Breeze, 100 Years, My Friend

I think the reason why I like this disc so much is because I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this band I like so much. Almost every piece of press categorizes them as a modern psychedelic rock collage of the Beatles, the Band, and the Beach Boys. And those sounds can all definitely be heard here, but the group does have originality and I think that's what makes the disc special. There are some vague blues numbers, piano-driven tunes, and over-the-top orchestrations with horns, strings, and mandolins. In this day of the "shuffle brain" of which I am admittedly afflicted, it is refreshing to be able to play a disc from beginning to end and enjoy each, strange step along the way as you are apt to do with Fate.

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7. Attack & Release - the Black Keys (Nonesuch)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Strange Times, All You Ever Wanted, Psychotic Girl

One criticism of this low-fi bluesy garage rock duo was that all their songs sound the same. And while there are still elements of that fuzzed out sound on Attack & Release, the Black Keys have forged ahead with an incredibly dynamic record...one that even utilizes seldom-heard instruments in their catalog, like banjos and flutes. The result is one that shows that this band is far from a one-trick pony. The key is always Dan Auerbach and his amazing guitar work and his soulful, blues-drenched vocals. While Black Keys purists might shudder at the growth here, it's undoubtedly the Keys' most versatile and pleasing effort.

Previous list appearances: Magic Potion (#22 in 2006)

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6. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Anti)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Jesus Of The Moon, Today's Lesson, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

The latest from Cave and the boys seems to have a little more in common with Cave's side-project, Grinderman, than with recent Bad Seeds offerings and that's not a bad thing. A lot of the music is fuzzed-out rock with Cave providing every brilliant narrative in his own, unique slyly evil style. There's even a dirty feel to the softer tunes here, which speaks volumes to the music mood created. And Cave puts as much energy into his lyric-writing as he does the music, which translates to this being one of the better lyrical Cave discs in memory. There's not a lot of radio-friendly material here, but anyone familiar with what Cave and the Seeds can do won't care as this is as strong an studio offering as any since Let Love In.

Previous list appearances: No More Shall We Part (#16 in 2001), Nocturama (#12 in 2003), Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (#11 in 2004)

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5. Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket (Ato Records)Put these three songs on your iPod right now: I'm Amazed, Evil Urges, Remnants

I won't go as far as to say this record approaches the flawlessness of Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but I will say that My Morning Jacket appears to be on the same growth arc as that band. MMJ just keeps getting better and singer Jim James further refines his underrated vocals. Gone, thankfully, is the reverb-drenched sound in favor of one more crisp and while the band doesn't really rock out too much on Evil Urges, the cool funky grooves more than make up for it. This is definitely a band on the upswing and I wouldn't be surprised if their next offering supersedes this one. And just a sidenote, "I'm Amazed" is probably my favorite single of the year by any band.

Previous list appearances: It Still Moves (#16 in 2003), Z (#9 in 2005)

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4. Accelerate - R.E.M. (Warner Bros.)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Living Well Is The Best Revenge, Houston, Supernatural Superserious

Simply put, this is the best R.E.M. offering in over 15 years. Think about that for a minute. I am amazed at the consistency here...each song is excellent in its own way. Peter Buck's playing is reinvigorated. Michael Stipe's vocals are strong. Mike Mills' bass and background vocals are better than ever. The album RAWKS. And there are the standard couple of ballads as well, each of which beats the ever-loving hell out of "Everybody Hurts". Accelerate is an impressive triumph and worthy of many repeated listens, each one offering a bit more of a reward than the last. As someone who has lost a little faith in the Athens, GA band over the years (save for Reveal, which I actually liked), the music here isn't the only thing that is reinvigorated. My interest in the band is as well.

Previous list appearances: Reveal (#12 in 2001)

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3. Furr - Blitzen Trapper (Sub Pop)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Sleepytime in the Western World, Furr, Five and Fast Bullets

Usually, when I get a disc right before I make my list, I regrettably have to leave it off because I need more time with it before I can properly evaluate its place in the pantheon of my music collection. Not so with this one. Imagine if the Beatles, Wilco, the Minus 5, and the Jayhawks got together and decided to make a psychedelic folky roots rock Americana alt-country record. And that record kicked ass. Voila. You have Furr. There are creepy murderous acoustic numbers, tunes that sound like there are a million instruments being played, and rocking bits as well. Each song benefits from the band's outstanding musicianship, attentiveness to the concept of "the song", and embracing of pop sensibilities. Pretty sure that fans of all music will find at least one song on here they dig.

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2. Saturnalia - the Gutter Twins (Sub Pop)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: Circle the Fringes, The Stations, All Misery/Flowers

While Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) have often appeared on each other's albums, they never made an entire one together. Let's hope this is the first of many. The debut album of this supergroup of sorts is a dirty, humid, whiskey- and cigarette-fueled alterna-rock disc that you would expect to hear blaring out of some dark-windowed bar in the heat-soaked New Orleans summer. And while the sinister vocals of Lanegan meld fantastically with the gravelly Dulli, this is a full band effort and the musicians here weave an amazing musical tapestry.

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1. Consolers of the Lonely - the Raconteurs (Warner Bros.)

Put these three songs on your iPod right now: These Stones Will Shout, Many Shades of Black, Top Yourself

Add the smoothness of Brendan Benson to Jack White's edge and mix it up with one of rock's greatest rhythm sections (Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence) and you get a tremendous record. You get some garage grunge, countrified Americana rock, and even a horn-infused epic ("The Switch and the Spur"). There's something for everyone on Consolers of the Lonely, but most importantly, this quartet has mastered having the whole living up to the sum of their amazing individual parts. Putting equal emphasis on catchy melodies and impressive harmonies, the songwriting here is near-flawless.

Previous list appearances: Broken Boy Soldier (#2 in 2006)

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