1. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
I have loved Wilco forever. They will forever be one of my favorite bands. I thought all was lost when I heard Ghost Is Born, but I even that record has grown on me. Sometimes I wish they would return to the sounds of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Summerteeth but they will never likely be that band again. With the revolving cast Wilco has become you can never know what to expect. I think almost all the songs are something I can hear myself listening to for years to come. The song Hate It Here is one I felt like everytime I got in the car I needed it to be on my stereo for months. This record will also always make me think of the rental car I had this summer. I got the record right when I got it. It didn’t really leave the stereo the whole time I had it.

2. The National – Boxer
I had such high hopes for this record. I loved Alligator so much and at first this record didn’t live up to the hopes. This band is known for its slow burners. People say they sound like Interpol slowed down. But I don’t think Interpol has sounded this good in a few albums. Every time I turned around I felt like I saw another another piece of press talking about this record. But even still I think this record will always be underrated. 5 years ago I think this band would be a lot bigger then they are now.

3. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
This is another record I had during that rental car phase. And I seemed to alternate between it and Wilco. Its a great record with some of the catchiest pop songs of the year. Don’t Make Me A Target is another song that I always put on repeat.

4. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago
This is the total suprise record for the year. I found it way after it got on Pitchfork and I started seeing it on count blogs. I really think if anything needs to break out and be huge in 2008 it should be Bon Iver. Its makes me think of Elliot Smith meets TV on Radio. Sounds like a weird combination I know. He has a huge voice that matches up for sparsity of some songs.

5. The Winston Jazz Routine- Sospiri
Its really hard for me to be too detached from this record. Despite releasing this reocrd this isn’t just a vanity choice. I have never gotten sick of hearing this. I hope someday in retrospect it will get the attention it deserves. This record really makes sense in the winter. Its beautiful instrumentation and glacial speed is a perfect match.

6. Jens Lekman-  Night Falls Over Kortedala
Some records take me back to certain times and places. This record makes me think of my trip to Chicago this past fall. I listened to a few times on the megabus on the way there and back. I also purchased a few books while I was there and Jens was the perfect soundtrack for reading them.

7. St. Vincent – Marry Me
Few records do I look forward to so much by only hearing a few songs. I waited a good 8-10 months to hear Marry Me. I was so glad when I finally got to hear the full thing. Annie is a great young songwriter and guitar player. I am really excited to see her career unfold. I love the pop elements meshed with her technical playing.

8. Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
I listened to this record a whole lot when it came out earlier this year. I came back to it few times but even more recently it got stuck in my car CD player and I was able to fall in love with each track. Each song is wonderful and catchy and so well put together. Everytime I listen I feel like I find inspiration for my own electronic music and what I would need to achieve if I ever went back down that road.

9. Bruce Springsteen- Magic
Of course the best Springsteen record in years made my list. I think he kind of finding his stride again. Each record he has done since the Rising has been getter better and better. It feel like we hear a lot of the early Springsteen song types coming back out.

10. Beirut- The Flying Club Cup / Lon Gisland
Beirut was the only band I really traveled and vacationed to see. While Flying Club Cup might not be favorite record of the year that show was for sure. For such a young musician it is really interesting to see where he is already at. I feel like nothing is going to stop them from being a household name in the next few years.

Top 11 thru 20 in alphabetical order:

Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
When I first heard the glimpses of this record and first read about all the shows they were doing I was extremely excited. While I feel like this is an amazing record. It just didn’t have the stick em that some of the other records from the year did.

Band Of Horses – Cease to Begin
When I first heard the single off this record I thought Band of Horses would fall into the sophomore slump. But this record really was a grower on me.

Bodies of Water- Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink
I don’t know what it is, maybe its just my love of quirky pop songs. I love the child like excitement this band has in their songs.

Canon Blue- Colonies
I got this right before the year ended and only had 2 chances listen to it. I feel from just those few listens and the few more listens this is one of the best records I heard.

Dirty Projectors- Rise Above
When I first heard about how good the live show was I wanted to hear something new. I started getting really excited when I heard 4 songs done on Daytrotter. This is really that didn’t dissappoint and I feel like really pushed a lot of boundaries. Had I listened to it more it would have been a lot higher.

Menomena- Friend and Foe
Records that come out at the first of the year are always doomed on my list. I feel like they always seem to get lost in the shuffle. This record had the best packaging of the year. But my love didn’t stop there. I feel like this is just as good as any of the records in the later half of my top 10.

Okkervil River- The Stage Names
Great record and I really look forward to what is to come from this band. I feel like if every song would have been as good as Girl In Port this thing would super high on my list. Still a great record that doesn’t get enough attention

Page France- …and the Family Telephone
Up until the end of last year I just didn’t get Page France. Somehow the whimiscal songs just didn’t hit home. I felt like there was a lot of other stuff that wasn’t getting noticed that was similar. I am over that now for sure.

Panda Bear- Person Pitch
This record got tons of press and praise. And really it deserves it all. I feel like for me I loved it the first half of the year and then it kind of fell off. And I felt like my desire to listen to record wasn’t as much. I am still impressed and think it is a great record though.

Rogue Wave- Asleep At Heaven’s Gate
Thru repeat listens this record has gotten on here. I feel like as far as purely pop songwriting goes Rogue Wave is one of the tops.