The best albums of 2008

(Tie) NINE INCH NAILS, "GHOSTs"; Ida, "Lovers Prayers" Nine inch Nails, "Ghosts ":

Nine inch Nails, "Ghosts": This is nearly two hours of instrumental music from one of the most brilliant and progressive minds of our generation, Trent Reznor. "Ghosts" is a headphone masterpiece and an electronic music lover's dream. The variety of the 36 songs on this double-album is beautiful: You'll hear ambient music, piano-based songs, hints of bluegrass and, of course, aggressive guitar songs.

Ida, "Lover's prayers": Ida is the most consistent and underrated band of modern music. Its sound, a warm blend of folk and indie rock, is best suited for late-night, quiet moments. "Lover's Prayers" has some of the most hauntingly melodic songs I've ever heard. Also check out the accompanying EP, "My Fair, My Dark."

2) Erykah Badu, "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)": "New Amerykah" finds Erykah Badu going further into avant-garde music. Not for the mainstream at all, it's the kind of album that reveals its beauty slowly through trip-hop-influenced political songs and heart-pounding beats. You'll hear something new every time you listen to it, I promise.

3) Metallica, "Death Magnetic": It's impossible to listen to this album out of context — Metallica will always be measured by the early albums. Almost surprisingly, though, "Death Magnetic" matches, and sometimes surpasses, Metallica's classic material. If "All Nightmare Long" doesn't renew your faith in the band, then nothing will.

4) Marnie Stern, "This is It and I Am It ...": This album shoots out of a cannon from the first note and never lets up. "This is It and I Am It ..." is a raw punk album from a guitar goddess. All noise and musically schizophrenic. Absolutely brilliant.

Honorable mentions: Tape Loop, "1945"; William Fitzsimmons, "The Sparrow and the Crow"; Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago"; Flying Lotus, "Los Angeles"; Mogwai, "The Hawk is Howling"; Q-Tip, "The Renaissance"; Portishead, "Third"; Mount Eerie, "Lost Wisdom."

Reviewed by: Marcus Amaker - Age: 32 he is a: Poet, lover, artist, Jedi, graphic designer, Joni Mitchell fanatic, bike rider

Ane Brun, 'Changing of the Seasons'

This album blends her affecting sound and unusual songwriting style perfectly. There are occasional hints of Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and even Dolly Parton. She tells a story with her voice, and a highlight is her ode to Gillian Welch on Track 11.

2) Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago": The outcome of Justin Vernon sequestering himself in a remote cabin for four snowy months is an unbelievable and truly beautiful work. He has such a strong sense of loneliness and raw emotion. I love every song on this album.

3) Laura Marling, "Alas I Cannot Swim": This is not your party record but more for those introspective moments. It's not sad by any means, but rather deep and disarming. The songwriting has intense soul, and the album has a simple style that I listen to over and over.

Honorable Mentions: Fleet Foxes, "Fleet Foxes"; Beach House, "Devotion"; Portishead, "Third"; Sigur Ros, "Med Sud I Eyrun Vid Spilum Endalaust"; My Morning Jacket, "Evil Urges."

Reviewed by: Holly Thorpe - Age: 29 She is a: Vespa lover, live musicgoer, old soul, creative type who loves to be inspired

The Wood Brothers, "Loaded"

"Loaded" is folksy, bluesy and beautiful. Oliver Wood's voice is Bob Dylan with perfect pitch mixed with Ben Harper in 15 years. Younger brother Chris Wood adds the perfect amount of backup and harmony without overcrowding this mostly acoustic duo.

2) Ray LaMontagne, "Gossip in the Grain": LaMontagne's voice is raspy and addictive. The lyrics burn their way into your memory like a heartbroken love letter or sad lullaby. "Gossip in the Grain" has a desperation that is compelling and sweet with a few lively surprises.

3) Death Cab for Cutie, "Narrow Stairs": Narrow Stairs is upbeat and gritty. This album is heavy, louder and has more of a rock feel to it compared with "Plans." The music is energetic, the lyrics are catchy and the overall sound is dissonant harmony.

Honorable Mentions: Radiohead, "In Rainbows"; Xavier Rudd, "Shades of Blue"; Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet, "Self Titled"; Ben Taylor, "Kung Folk."

Reviewed by: Vikki Mats - is Age: 23 SHE IS a: Bikeriding, singing, lion girl.

Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago"

Many people are familiar with the story. Man's life goes to hell. Man loses band, girlfriend and health, then goes to the wilds of Wisconsin to compose an epic album in Thoreau- like solitude. The results are stunning. Best album of the year by a wide margin.

2) The Kills, "Midnight Boom": No one I've spoken to has had anything but praise for this release. One man, one woman, one drum machine. Fanastic! Gritty, funky and sexy. If CBGB were a strip club, this would be playing in the champagne room.

3) Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, "Cardinology": Upon first listen, I wasn't overwhelmed. I thought to myself, "This is OK." Then I put it in my car CD player, and there it stayed for four weeks straight. There were no forays into industrial metal or world beat. Just Adams, over and over again. I'm still not tired of it. That never happens. Is it a great album? You can't argue with the facts.

Honorable Mentions: Q-Tip, "The Renaissance"; Metallica, "Death Magnetic"; Scott Weiland, "Happy in Galoshes."

Reviewed by: Matthew Weyers - Age: 40 He is a: Writer, basketball player, Upper Deck enthusiast.

Kings of Leon, "Only By the Night"

Ethereal, blissful, rowdy and painful, the latest release from these Tennessean garage-rock revivalists departs from the vintage sound of its past for a more mature and thoughtful outing.

2.) Rafael Anton Irisarri , "Hopes and Past Desires": This Seattle-based composer and musician takes his one-man-symphony to new heights on this album. The elusive songwriter welds the technology and intricacies of electronica to the subtle and enveloping power of classical in a way that is so entrancing you become more like a zombie than a listener.

3.) Crowfield , "Goodbye, Goodnight, So Long Midwestern": It's not just because these guys are locals that I like them so much but rather the band's ability to stir the soul. Vocalist Tyler Mechem's lyrics are insightful, poignant and poetic yet humble and void of pretension.

Honorable Mentions: The Kooks, "Konk"; Sharleen Spiteri, "Melody"; MGMT, "Oracular Spectacular"; Frank Hoier, "Lovers & Dollars."

Reviewed by: Matthew Godbey - Age: 25 He is a: Wanderer/ wonderer, laugher, drinker, writer, oversleeper

Hayes Carll, "Trouble in Mind"

Hayes Carll's song, "She Left Me for Jesus," in which the song's protagonist laments the loss of his girlfriend after she finds religion, is the year's best country tune. Other songs, including "Drunken Poet's Dream" and "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart," demonstrate Carll's range as a performer. After a couple of albums of great material that somehow never got noticed, it is good to see genuinely great songwriting finally get recognized.

2) Crowfield, "Goodbye, Goodnight, So Long Midwestern": Yep, a local release is one of my top CD picks. Sounding like a cross between The Band and the Black Crowes, Tyler Mechem and Joe Giant are a songwriting team to be reckoned with. Thanks to catchy Americana rockers such as "Hay Ride," "Love is Hell on the Lonely" and "Mississippi (Hard Road Lately)," this CD hasn't left my player since it landed in my mailbox back in June.

3) Raphael Saadiq, "The Way I See It: Former Tony! Toni! Tone! lead singer Saadiq always has had an ear for a good R&B melody, but he has outdone even his own previous work with this near-perfect album of original songs reminiscent of Motown's golden years. Most of the tracks sound like they were written in 1965, dropped into a time machine and transported to 2008. As a result, songs such as "Sure Hope You Mean It," "100 Yard Dash" and "Just One Kiss" sound like old songs you're rediscovering.

Honorable Mentions: The Ting Tings, "We Started Nothing"; Gary Louris, "Vagabonds"; Love Psychedelico, "This Is Love Psychedelico"; Santogold, "Santogold."

Reviewed by: Devin Grant - Age: 38 HE IS a: Father, husband, live music fan, film enthusiast, Star Wars geek.

Wolf Parade, "At Mount Zoomer"

I think Wolf Parade, along with Arcade Fire, are leading the charge of intelligent, complex indie pop. I can't decide whether I like this one or its first album more. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

2) Deerhunter, "Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.": I definitely liked its last album "Cryptograms," but I thought it had too much noise and not enough songs. That certainly isn't a problem on this album. The band's show at the Village Tavern was one of the best I saw this year.

3) Mount Eerie, "Lost Wisdom": My favorite song on here is called "Voices in Headphones." It is a cover of Bjork's "Undo." It is one of those rare occasions where I think the cover might be better than the original. As a huge Bjork fan, I don't say that lightly.

Honorable Mentions: Sigur Ros, "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust"; Okkervil River, "The Stand-Ins"; British Sea Power, "Do You Like Rock Music?"; M83, "Saturdays=Youth."

Reviewed by: Nick Bowman - Age: 27 HE IS a: Guitarist, night owl, procrastinator, underachiever and wanna-be music critic.

Rachael Yamagata, "El ephants : Teeth Sinking Into Heart"

This is the German-Italian-Japanese singer/songwriter's second full-length album. The double-disc is a beautiful, mature evolution, which incorporates various strings, the piano and her sultry voice. Disc one showcases Yamagata's slower ballads, while disc two contains her edgier songs.

2) Erykah Badu, "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)": Ms. Badu's album is filled with a sound that rings true to her usual, but a lot rawer, in a good way. With stronger beats, she spits lyrics about hip-hop, the government and the world without losing that neo-soul sound.

3) Ray LaMontagne — "Gossip in the Grain": When the horns come in on the first track, this album became one of the best of the year. LaMontagne really kept true to the style his fans love, but gave us a little more with this smooth flowing album.

Honorable Mentions: Raphael Saadiq, "The Way I See It"; Vampire Weekend "Vampire Weekend"; Sigur Ros, "Med Sud I Eyrun Vid Spilum Endalaust"; Jack Johnson, "Sleep Through Static."

Reviewed by: Simone Monet-Williams - Age: 26 She is a: Writer, poet, friend, Cincinnatian, Gemini.

MGMT, "Oracular Spectacular"

This debut infusion of dance punk, psychedelic pop and lyrics that express the nonconfined party spirit of Generation Y was an easy sweep for most energetic release of the year. Aptly mentioned in Rolling Stone's "Artist to Watch" in 2007, the trendy Brooklyn duo, sporting high tops and neon-framed Ray-Bans, took indie clubs, iPods, prime-time television and CMJ by storm in 2008.

2) TV On the Radio, "Dear Science": Some were surprised that the fourth studio recording from an avant-garde, experimental rock band topped the biggest lists of the year's best albums, beating out old legends such as Bob Dylan, Metallica and Beck. Regardless, this astute brew of innovation and style establishes 2008 as a year of fresh starts and forward-thinking.

3) Girl Talk, "Feed the Animals": DJ Gregg Gillis is the inventor of instant disco for the ADD population. The follow-up to the 2006 album "Night Ripper," Gillis' latest mashup strings together snippets from a palette of artists, including The Velvet Underground, UGK, Journey and Li'l Wayne. The result is 50-plus minutes of nonstop, motion-fueled chaos.

Honorable Mentions: Wolf Parade, "At Mount Zoomer"; Jenny Lewis, "Acid Tongue"; T.I., "Paper Trail"; The Kills, "Midnight Boom"; Friendly Fires, "Friendly Fires"

Reviewed by: Melanie Caduhada - Age: 21 She is a: Writer, student, pedestrian, javaholic, magazine junkie, BlackBerry addict.

Autechre, "Quaristice"

"Quaristice" contains 20 bursts of electronic bleeps, beats, glitches and ambience. It's well worth the listen just to hear all the sounds this English duo has created. "Quaristice versions" and "Quadrange.ep" were released later to accompany the album.

2) grails, "doomsdayer's holiday": These Portland, Ore., multi-instrumentalists release a darker album this year; heavily layered with Tibetan influences, back masking and pre-recorded sound effects. If Pink Floyd had evil twins and released a record, it would sound something like this.

3) the kills, "Midnight boom": A girl/boy duo and their drum machine perfectly programming danceable beats, this album has distorted guitars and sexy vocals throughout. Anyone can rock out to "Midnight Boom."

Honorable Mentions: Nine Inch Nails, "Ghosts"; Flying Lotus, "Los Angeles"; These Arms Are Snakes, "Tail Swallower and Dove"; One Day As a Lion, "One Day As a Lion."

Reviewed by: Jason Layne - Age: 30 HE IS: an insomniac, photographer, daydreamer, designer, introvert.

Deerhunter, "Microcastle/ Weird Era Cont."

I only listened to Deerhunter on a song-by-song basis before; but this third album makes you pay attention. Headman Bradford Cox is a real experience in, and of, himself; and he's taking us along on the ride. Songs ooze post-punk poetry. "Little Kids" is like a whispered nightmare; the juxtaposition of lyrics with a delicate, almost celebratory melody seems to suggest that death, even murder, is just a great part of the life cycle. Kinda creepy, but kinda cool.

2) Fleet Foxes, "Fleet Foxes": One of my very talented friends gave me this album. I recently gave it to my niece as a 13th birthday present (she's mature for her age). My point is that this is a great album. Every song is beautiful. I love bands that don't feel they have to stick to a genre; old and new, rock and folk are melded together nicely on this one. The hauntingly poetic "White Winter Hymnal" stayed in my head for days.

3) Girl Talk, "Feed the Animals": This is my guilty pleasure. Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, slashes thousands of tracks together to create what he calls "illegal art" (often described as a "lawsuit waiting to happen," since he uses samples without permission from the original recording artists). And in listening to any of Girl Talk's music, you can sort of understand why he doesn't bother with permission slips. Each of his songs are often compilations of a dozen or more samples. Girl Talk fuses together unthinkable combinations; resulting in a butt-shakin' album great for parties or a game of "Name that Band."

Honorable Mentions: Wolf Parade, "At Mount Zoomer"; Portishead, "Third"; TV on the Radio, "Dear Science"; Hold Steady, "Stay Positive"; Of Montreal, "Skeletal Lamping."

Reviewed by: KIM THOMAS - Age: 30 sHE IS: A graphic artist, fortune teller, nanny, poet, barfly