We hate half-baked countdowns just as much as the next cynic. That said, self-titled couldn’t help but stare in horror as good but not great (Fleet Foxes at No. 1 and 2? Really?) albums top the lists of other publications. Here’s one of 30 selections from our rundown of wholly recommended 2008 records …
While we don’t quite get their name, Fight Bite‘s gorgeous but gloomy debut speaks for itself, casting a soft, constant glow through hushed, haunted harmonies and weightless 4AD-isms that bring to mind a post-mortem Cocteau Twins. Like Palms’ It’s Midnight in Honolulu–another recommended record from 2008–this is music that’s meant for late nights and fine red wine. And as depressing/debilitating as it can be for you sensitive types, Emerald Eyes is also one of the most beautiful listens you’ll lose yourself in this year. That said, it’s dark as hell, offering lyrics about death and destruction that drift on by oh-so-innocently–like storm clouds that just started to form on the horizon. How this duo is unsigned while the similarly-minded Beach House remains an (overrated) critical darling is beyond us.
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