Best albums of 2008

The immediateness of Nick Cave's Grinderman carried over to this Bad Seeds album, with excellent results. Every song on Lazarus leaps out of the speakers, grabs me by the throat, and pleases my ears from start to finish. It inspired me to get back into the habit of buying the Bad Seeds albums I don't already own, which is a good thing, and I think it's safe to say I'll still be listening to this album on a regular basis many years from now.
Favorite song: "We Call Upon the Author to Explain"

Favorite song: "Threads"

Favorite song: "Poor Jackie"

...choosing a favorite song off this album was very difficult for me as I love them all. So I put it to a vote, and "Poor Jackie" won out.

So much passion on display here. Bummer CWK traded it in in favor of broader appeal after this album. There's no heart & soul in the albums that followed, which was really disappointing.
Favorite song: "Golden Gate Jumpers"

The best R.E.M. album in YEARS. And the last solid album they'd record, as it turns out. I wasn't crazy about the album that followed this one & rather wish they'd broken up without releasing it. Ah well.
Favorite song: "Sing for the Submarine"

Favorite song: "Beat of the Double"

2008 saw a pair of self-released experimental albums from NIN, and this was the best one (the other, The Slip, was the first NIN release to have a song I flat out hate on it). Trent Reznor described Ghosts I-IV as a "soundtrack for daydreams" which is pretty apt. I also describe it as 2 discs of instrumental sonic bliss, perfect background music for virtually anything. It's not something I listen to all the time, but I throw it on whenever I need it & it maintains a permanent spot in my mp3 player (whereas The Slip wound up deleted from my collection & never replaced).
For a taste:

Favorite song: "Broadripple Is Burning"