thirty albums from 2008's first third

Once April ends, we'll be a third done with 2008 (already!) and so far it's been a pretty good year in music. I've narrowed down the best releases to thirty essentials, I now present them to you in no particular order:

Boris: Smile
Never a wanting to do remotely the same thing twice, Japanese trio Boris has once again shifted their style, abandoning for the most part the hard-hitting guitar rock of Pink and, with the help of former collaborators Michio Kurihara and Stephen O'Malley, embracing a more abstract, beat centered psych-metal.
Listen ("Message")

Hercules and Love Affair
They're being called this years Justice, and if any dance album is going to be a crossover hit, this will likely be it. The duo mix progressive dance techniques and classic disco with ease, while guests, most notably Antony Hegarty, whose is featured on several tracks, provide the vocals.
Listen (Myspace)

Brethren of the Free Spirit: All Things Are From Him, Through Him and in Him
A collaboration between 12-string guitarist James Blackshaw and lute player Jozef van Wissem, Brethren of the Free Spirit sounds a lot like Blackshaw's other work, but with a little more medeval sound, courtesy of van Wissem.
Listen ("Garden")

Flight of the Conchords
Though the words "comedy music" may fill you with thoughts of horror and Weird Al, Flight of the Conchords are actually funny, as well as skilled musicians who, except for "Innercity Pressure", don't simply steal music from other and re-write it, unfunnily. It's probably because they're not American, unfunny and unoriginal are American trademarks.
Listen (Myspace)

Kelley Polar: I Need You to Hold On While the Sky is Falling
Though they're vastly different, Kelley Polar and Patrick Wolf both share a love for electronics and classical music. And while Wolf's love manifests itself as folktronica, Polar's comes off as a sort of electro-disco with string touches used to bring a groove to the songs, though he does get a little more ambitious with his arrangements as the album goes on.
Listen ("Entropy Reigns in the Celestial City")

The Tallest Man On Earth: Shallow Graves
First full-length from a very Dylanesque folk singer from Sweden. His lyrics are full of imagery and he's a pretty proficient finger-picker on guitar and banjo. His voice might not be for everyone, as it's a sort of cross between Dylan and Tom Verlaine, but if his voice doesn't bother you, there's plenty for folk lovers to enjoy here.
Listen ("Pistol Dreams")

Leandra: Metamorphine
A truly chilling combination of electro and gothic classical, that, even when the arrangements fall fall flat, is carried by Leandra's powerful and compelling vocals. She can blow you away with strong strains, or seduce you with soft whispers. Sometimes the music borders on cheesy, but if you're feeling melodramatic, you won't really notice.
Listen(Myspace)

The Mountain Goats: Heretic Pride
This album really should be titled, Heretic Pride or How Darnielle Got His Groove Back because this album marks John Darnielle's breakthrough from albums that were startlingly average. His lyrics have never been stronger (and for those of you who have listened to older Mountain Goats' albums, you know that's no mean feat) and the arrangements surrounding them find a comfortable place between the band's early lo-fi and later hyper-produced sound.
Listen ("San Bernardino")

Retribution Gospel Choir
Fan of the guitar who know enough about the instrument to know exactly how great of a guitarist Alan Sparhawk is, have been waiting for years to hear him break out and play some good old fashioned rock music. Retribution Gospel Choir is your chance and, with Mark Kozelek, a master of the guitar jam himself, producing, you know the results will be amazing.
Listen ("Breaker")

Sun Kil Moon: April
Back with his first new material since 2005, Mark Kozelek's third full-length under the Sun Kil Moon moniker (and ninth overall) takes things back more to his Red House Painters days, slowing down and extending songs and focusing more than ever on his songwriting, which was already some of the best ever. Not as immediately appealing as past Sun Kil Moon albums, April is someone of a grower, yet still a masterpiece.
Listen (Myspace)

She & Him: Volume One
Most people by now should know that She & Him is a collaboration between actress/singer Zooey Deschanel and folk artist M. Ward. Deschanel provides the vocals (and does she have a set of pipes) and a little piano while Ward does the music. Together they create an album with a timeless sound that's sure to please music fans of all ages. Hopefully Deschanel won't be the only successful actress/singer crossover this year... (Scarlet Johansson here we come!)
Listen (Myspace)

Black Mountain: In the Future
Black Mountain's self-titled debut was a fun album, but it lacked depth and didn't entertain you for very long, but with their sophomore release they've fixed all that. In the Future is still as retro psych-rock as their debut, but it's now infused with higher level of energy, passion, and creativity. As well as some seriously epic jams, those always help.
Listen (Myspace)

British Sea Power: Do You Like Rock Music?
If you answered yes to the question above, then you very well may enjoy British Sea Power's third album. It's not quite as good as their first two (both of which were certified classics) and the band has dropped some of post-punk Joy Division in their sound and gone with more straight-forward, well, rock music. Even then, a band like British Sea Power can only be so straight-forward...
Listen ("No Lucifer")

Clinic: Do It!
Clinic has never been able to top their debut Internal Wrangler but they come close on their fifth full-length album. The band's signature vintage keyboard obsessed sound and their rotating male and female vocal duties are still the foundation of the band, but a new heavier use of guitars, both guitar and acoustic, are enough to breathe life into the band and give them the second best album of their career.
Listen (Myspace)

Destroyer: Trouble in Dreams
Dan Bejar's eagerly anticipated follow-up to Destroyer's Rubies fails to disappoint in any way except that it fails to disappoint in any way. Bejar seems to have found a formula he likes and decided to stick with it. There's no major changes, no real risks, just Bejar's bizarrely awesome lyrics and the same indie blues sound that he used on Rubies perhaps it's a stupid quibble, but coming from a guy who followed up a distortion soaked album with one that wasn't much more than acoustic guitar and MIDI strings, it's kinda disappointing.
Listen ("Dark Leaves Form a Thread")

El Guincho: Alegranza
El Guincho has become known as the "Spanish Panda Bear" and while this comparison is valid because of both artists extensive use of samples and vocal samples, El Guincho has a lot more character than Panda Bear. I like Person Pitch, but I found it to be kind of bland and repetitive and times while El Guincho has a lot more personality and zest in his music, it's full of ethnic flavor and booty shaking rhythms; while Person Pitch is a sit and listen record, Alegranza is a get up and live album.
Listen ("Antillas")

Los Campesinos!: Hold On Now, Youngster...
The perfect combination of witty, sarcastic lyrics and catchy indie pop, Los Campesinos! first full-length album is a thing of beauty. Vastly orchestrated symphonic guitar-pop and lyrics that pick apart every little bit of ridicules indie culture and mock it. Not since If You're Feeling Sinister has indie pop been this intelligent and this fun.
Listen (Myspace)

The Magnetic Fields: Distortion
Stephin Merrit once again proves himself the songwriting genius that first showed itself on the classic 69 Love Songs and i, but here instead of the symphonic indie pop of before, The Magnetic Fields have adopted a distortion heavy lo-fi surfer rock album (hence the title) that brings about thoughts of the Beach Boys meets My Bloody Valentine.
Listen ("California Girls")

Subtle: ExitingARM
Subtle's albums always sound different, and ExitingArm is no different, instead of the upbeat and in-your-face electro hip-hop of For Hero: For Fool this time around the band has gone with a much mellower, spacey sound, that make a large use of effects and multi-tracked vocals. Doseone's bizarre lyrics and delivery have never been better, and the band has never been more creative with their arrangements.
Listen ("The Crow")

Supergrass: Diamond Hoo Ha
Supergrass is one of the most underrated bands in the last the history of music, while fellow 90s Brit bands like Radiohead, Oasis, and Blur have all gone on to have huge success, Supergrass barely makes a scratch in America, regardless of all the critical praise their delightful albums get. Diamond Hoo Ha forgos the intimate classic folk rock sound of Road to Ruin and returns to the bombastic riff-centric glam rock of their early albums.
Listen ("Bad Blood")

Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue
A very promising new band who have progressed dramatically from their early EPs which we're really not much more than instrumental folk, into a band the reminds me of an American folk version of Beirut. Both make complex indie rock with lots of instruments and plenty of string work and Warren Spicer shares a similar vocal style as Zach Condon, but with less melodrama.
Listen ("Good Friend")

The Ruby Suns: Sea Lion
If Akron/Family were a New Zealand indie pop band, they might sound something like this, but that's not being fair to The Ruby Suns, who are a incredible band in their own right. This is a really special little album, all the little rhythms and mass vocals singing in some other language come out beautifully. Every little detail on this album is perfect, it could not be improved on in any way.
Listen ("Tane Mahuta")

Silver Jews: Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
I'll routinely hear people refer to Silver Jews as a "Pavement side-project" which is complete bullcrap, and it's time that Silver Jews were given their own place in music. David Berman is the genius behind Silver Jews and he's one of the most underrated lyricists in music, he's also been living in the shadow of American Water for a long time, but with Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea I think he's at least come close to equaling that album, and anyone who's heard it knows that's a big, big deal.
Listen (Myspace)

Haale: No Ceiling
The debut album by Persian singer-songwriter Haale is an intriguing affair, a sort of dark rock album with tons of regional influences, think Patti Smith of Arabia. Swirling walls of guitar and tinkling percussion surround Haale's voice which is strong, but sounds disappointingly American.
Listen ("Middle of Fire")

Spritualized: Songs in A&E
It's Spiritualized and it rivals Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space. What more is there to say?
Listen ("Soul On Fire")

Genghis Tron: Board Up the House
Genghis Tron, all grown up. Well, not quite, but their sound certainly has grown. While the bands base is still grindcore mixed with electro, the band has a new prog element to their sound that really livens things up, it's not quite the crazy force that Dead Mountain Mouth is, but it's a more interesting listen for sure.
Listen ("Board Up the House")

Goldfrapp: Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp is one of only a handful or pop musicians who are true artists. They aren't satisfied with the norm and they don't rest on their laurels, they push each album in a new direction, and in the case of Seventh Tree they've taken their sound somewhere very new and different: folk. Well, folk influenced ambient pop anyways. Alison Goldfrapp's heavenly vocals are as strong as ever and the music swell and flows serenely with acoustic guitars and swaying over light-as-air beats.
Listen ("A&E")

Lykke Li: Youth Novels
Lykke Li is another one of the years most promising new artists, her brand of mellow indie pop with a just the minutest touch of African music and jazz is a breath of fresh air to the indie pop scene. Her breathy vocals at first don't seem to match the poly-rhythms, but after a bit it falls into place.
Listen ("Dance. Dance. Dance.")

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band: 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
If you've never heard A Silver Mt. Zion or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, then they're probably not for you. If you've disliked either of those bands in the past, this album isn't going to convert you. I love it though.
Listen ("blindblindblind")

Valet: Naked Acid
I don't know if this album's title is a suggestion of how best to enjoy this album, but I certainly seems like some kind of illicit narcotic were freely used in the creation of this album. This is one of the most trippy albums I've heard in a long time, it's one part slowcore, one part ambient, and all parts psychedelic.
Listen ("Kehaar")