NG Presents: NG's Top 30 Albums of 2008 (#15-13)
15. Lykke Li - Youth Novel
Released: August 19, 2008.
Best Tracks: Little Bit, I'm Good, I'm Gone, Dance, Dance, Dance, Let It Fall
The voice that captures me at the end of 2007 was Lykke Li in her debut single, "Little Bit." The track proves that the 'act of love' is delivered in a girly voice in the most emotional lyrics. With a resemblance to Peter, Bjorn & John's Bjorn twiddling the production dials, there are other similarly infectious moments as well as stacks of ambition too. In
Youth Novel, there are many endearing tracks, like the assertive standout "I'm Good, I'm Gone" which gets by on little more than hand claps, driving drums, a bit of vibraphone doubling, and a simple bass line pounded out hyping listeners to move to the signature beats. Another one is "Let It Fall", the sparsely funky track that has repetitive simplicity. The tracks just get cuter and cuter by the second, but still maintains an overall message of what Lykke Li wants to succeed in
Youth Novel, message of love.
14. Beyonce - I Am...Sasha Fierce
Released: November 12, 2008.
Best Tracks: Broken-Hearted Girl, Halo, Sweet Dreams, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Diva
Back in 2006, B'Day reached the top spot on my album list, but this year her double disc,
I Am...Sasha Fierce falls short due to the simple fact that Beyonce has overdone herself. The whole concept of splitting her personality in two is cool, but if you're going to do it, at least make every songs on both disc anthem worthy like the B'Day enterprise. The first two singles are horrible at first listen, but "Single Ladies" shines through with the video and its catchy chorus. However, "If I Were a Boy" did not grow on me and I'd still say it is the most boring thing Beyonce has ever done. In the album, the Sasha Fierce side shows big attitude and prefers to be a better disc; however some of the tracks in the Beyonce disc are amazing. She has a real flair for grandeur, and the big, wide melodies of "Broken-Hearted Girl" and "Halo" give her enough to work with that it's easy to forgive a line like "Baby, I can feel your halo." <3 Sasha Fierce FTW!
13. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
Released: September 23, 2008.
Best Tracks: Revelry, Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, Closer
With the highly anticipated fourth Kings of Leon album, this quartet of Tennessee good old boys have finally created the album they were always destined to make. In
Only By the Night, the guys prove to stay lo-fi, but make sure their music is rougher. My favorite track on the album has to be "Revelry", the track has some nice lovelorn lyrics and an incredible bass hook in the chorus that after a few listens seems like genius. Talking on the album, the first choice single" Sex on Fire" was a bingo choice due to its glorious fame starting with punchy bass from Jared and syncopated guitars its very 'indie' until the juggernaut, life-affirming chorus. The guys are definitely more relax on
Only By the Night, but still maintain the effort to give the listeners indie hooks that would sink down in your head.
