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Tomorrow in Davos: Niall Ferguson, Robert Schiller, & Nassim Nicholas Taleb… I wish I could be at that World Economic Forum roundtable.

The top 10 albums of 2008, by Spencer Ross. I welcome comments/feedback, although I’m quite satisfied with my current list.

First of all, this was a difficult year, as the recession started to hit, affecting an already decreasing my music spending capacity.  However, in spite of Sasha Fierce or the pop drivel of someone like Katy Perry (who cares if you kissed a girl? Isn’t that so 1999 teenage curiosity?) real music came through once again.  Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III seemed to have a hold on the charts, but I failed to see where there was sufficient musical prowess, other than to show an extreme ability to commercialize hip-hop.

I’m convinced that the Napsterization of music ran two tracks: mainstream (commercial) and alternative (artistic).  2008 showed the burring of blurring line between the commercial and the artistic, as the fragmentation of musical genres and business models brought everyone to the table.

1. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Sometimes when an album comes out, you just know it’s the album of your year’s list–even if the album comes out early in the year.  The buzz surrounding the Vampire Weekend album was early and pervasive, but the Brooklyn quartet pulled through with its debut.  There was something short and sweet about Vampire Weekend. It didn’t dawdle and was upbeat the whole way through, which is a nice feeling to have.  Even the slow songs are peppy.  Top marks for originality of sound.

2. The Rhumb Line – Ra Ra Riot
Several reviews put this album akin to Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie.  Perhaps there is a similarity in the ‘alternative’ ness.  But there’s also some Andrew Bird (“Each Year”), The National (“Winter ’05″), and a tinge of Decemberists (“Oh, La”). Regardless, the songs are sweet and endearing, even if tragic.

3. The Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow
One music critic at a major publication called this album a snore.  Other publications have found this a good one, and after winning the Mercury Prize, why shouldn’t Elbow get its due?  Cast of Thousands was polished, Asleep in the Back was raw, Leaders of the Free World was forgotten… The band took tragedy to a higher level and came in with a complete album.  ”One Day Like This” is soaring string anthem at its best, “Mirrorball” is exactly the melodic 4/4 waltz it needs to be.  Additionally, the band has fought the loudness war by showcasing versatility in volume dynamic on some songs by ascribing to Turn Me Up! Hopefully this bodes well for the much anticipated Doves album in 2009.

4. Santogold – Santogold 
Another artist who found the key to exposure as selling songs to commercials (read: “Lights Out” to BudLight Lime).  It’s jungle-y and electric, sort of like M.I.A.  It’s fusion, it’s reggae, sort of like Mirwais.  It’s punk, sort of like Debbie Harry and Chryssie Hynde.  Figuring out what genre this album is, is an unnecessary feat; the album tells its own story (“Fit in so good the hope is/That you cannot see me later/You don’t know me /I am an introvert, an excavator”).

5. Only by the Night - Kings of Leon
I’m not quite sure what it is about the Followhills, but they’ve yet to put out an album that disappoints me.  Night was supposedly the product of some drugs and thunderstorms — which I think is irrelevant to the simplicity of this album.  KoL have a grand ability to write the southern rock that defines their style, move greater towards arena rock, yet still retain a uniqueness that surpasses Caleb’s yelping.  The sliding bassline of “Notion” is grandiose, yet kept in check by the guitars.  The same can be said for “Crawl.”  If it has to be said, this album is commercial delight.

6. Evil  Urges – My Morning Jacket
Some would say that this album should place higher on a top 10 list than #6.  Some would say that this album will define the direction of MMJ for future albums.  Perhaps the people are right, but “I’m amazed at the tv stations/I’m amazed what they want me to believe”.  Comparisons to Prince aside, the stemming loss of reverb has changed the way the band sounds.  The sad, yet melodic tunes like “Sec Walkin” and “Look at You” miss out on something, standing in bizarre contrast to harder songs like the title track and “Remnants.”  Jim James brings it all back though on “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2″.  It will be interesting to see how they follow this one up.

7. Everything is Borrowed – The Streets
Mike Skinner has something special about him; it is unfortunate that he is not only exiting the game in one more album, but will likely never get his credit due in the U.S.  The British Invasion never seemed to catch on in hip-hop.  Skinner is now 30, but already moved from the fast pace of 2002′s Original Pirate Material and its juvenile subversiveness to the chippyness of “Heaven for the Weather” and the Lily Allen-soundalike on “I Love You More (Than You Like Me)”.  Skinner has grown up in sound and in lyrical content.  Album closer “The Escapist” is melodic and extreme British garage introspection: “Every year ‘til yesterday/I see the eternal setting sea/I compare all this to me/It’s all fleeting momentary me/I blink my eyes, this is reminding me/Life lies in the blink of an eye”.

8. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - Sigur Rós
I would have loved to have placed this album higher on my top 10 list, but the fact is, it is still no Takk…  Though the music evokes some of the ethereal spirit of Sigur Rós albums past (“Góðan daginn” and “Suð í eyrum”),  songs like “Fljótavík” and the English “All Alright” bring a stripped-down presence that brings a different definition to the group.  Bringing in producer Flood seemed to help break what could have been the band’s downfall.  ”Festival” is typical, phenomenal Jonsí Birgisson Hopelandic verse, followed by pause, and then soaring drums (that’s right) and the London Oratory Boys Choir.

9. Rockferry – Duffy
In my opinion, there is something about Duffy that set her apart from the other British soulstresses of ’08.  Her voice is infectious almost sounding like Brenda Lee/Shirley Owens (of the Shirelles).  ”Rain On Your Parade,” for instance, hits some notes in a seemingly contradictory female falsetto.  Despite its overproduction, there’s still something “independent” sounding in its quality.  Where the album lacks is in its upbeat demeanor.  ”Autobiographical” in soul doesn’t have to necessitate “sad and mopey”.

10.Remind Me in 3 Days – The Knux
Comparisons of this album to Outkast are over-rated.  While there is a southern freneticism to this duo’s debut album (“Bang Bang”, “The Train”), I hear a shade of Ludacris’s tenor vocals, combined with the old school hip-hop flavors of the Fat Boys, Run-DMC, and De La Soul. Just listen to “F!RE (Put It In The Air)”.  The extensive use of guitar riffs enables better melody retention, almost sounding like Krispy Kream and Rah Al Millio are throwing verse over a Strokes/Oakenfold album.  The single “Cappuccino” has an inspiring beat and catchy electronic melody, sure to keep these guys in business, at least with the underground scene.

Runners-up: Modern Guilt- Beck, Strength in Numbers- The Music, For Emma, Forever Ago- Bon Iver, Maths+English- Dizzee Rascal, Narrow Stairs- Death Cab for Cutie.