Best Albums of 2008 (Mid-Year Edition)

Last Friday we unveiled our favorite albums of 2008 so far. Best of lists are an inexact science, and this one was no exception. I criminally neglected to include The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow in the list, so here 's an extra special shout out to Elbow and their brilliant new album, one of the best of 2008 so far.

We started doing this mid-year rating show a couple of years ago in part to help out with the year-end lists. When you listen to about 250 submissions a month, come December it's hard to remember what was exciting way back at the start of the year. The idea was a mid-year list would help keep track of the great things from the first half of the year, and in the process of being pragmatic we came up with a listener favorite show. People really dig it. It's such a favorite, in fact, that we are going to rebroadcast last Friday's show this Wednesday, June 4th, 2008, beginning at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. The list of the top 25 albums will get underway just after 11 a.m., during which you get to hear a song from each record.

Also this Wednesday June 4th, don't miss The Rumble, the monthly indie rock dance party. I will be DJing, along with 3 members of Minipop, plus an intimate live set by The May Fire. RSVP here for free admission and make sure to get there early to take advantage of the free vodka & Red Bulls from 8-9 p.m.

frm=lk_bagelradio

Anyway, here it is, the list of the best albums of 2008 so far:

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig
WHY? - Alopecia
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
They Heavy - Great Vengeance And Furious Fire
Kills - Midnight Boom
Portishead - Third
Love Is Chemicals - Song Of The Summer Youth Brigade
Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams
Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Los Campesino's - Hold On Now, Youngster
Magnetic Fields - Distortion
Battle Royale - Wake Up, Thunderbabe
Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
Subtle - ExitiingARM
Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust
Super Furry Animals-Hey Venus
Heavenly States - Delayer
Shackeltons - The Shackeltons
Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Momofuku
Say Hi - The Wishes And The Glitch
Working For A Nuclear Free City - Businessmen and Ghosts
Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
Black Francis-Svn Fngrs


A few more...
Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us
Tender Forever - Wider
Apes - Ghost Games
Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
Black Keys - Attack And Release
Julie Ocean - Long Gone Nearly There