mid-year in review

Top 20 Albums of 2008.5:
(Click links for full reviews)

20. The Dodos - Visiter
19. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster...
18. Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us
17. Islands - Arm's Way
16. No Age - Nouns
15. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
14. Beach House - Devotion
13. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
12. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
11. Ratatat - LP3
10. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
8. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
7. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
6. The Breeders - Mountain Battles
5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
--Ignore the backlash and take it for the silly, unassuming, and consistently catchy pop record it is. (Plus: Columbia!)
4. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
--Better than The Warning, actually.
3. Man Man - Rabbit Habits
2. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
1. Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
--Malkmus branches out into more guitar-centric work, and thankfully, instead of delivering a self-indulgent jam-fest, he delivers his sharpest batch of solo work yet.