2008 - JULY
🥇The Bug - London Zoo
Following an extremely well contested June, July had a lot to live up to, and although it didn’t possess as many big name releases, that’s not to say it didn’t have it’s fair share of top quality albums. The best of which was the third album from UK producer Kevin Martin under his alias The Bug; London Zoo. Kevin’s intoxicating mix of techno, dancehall & dubstep, combined with righteous vocals and spoken word made for a hugely compelling listen, certainly unlike anything else that had been put out in 2008. This was club music with a purpose and a message, pulled off brilliantly by a producer in his prime. (Top Track - Angry)
🥈The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Next onto the podium are prolific Brooklyn rockers The Hold Steady, who claim another Album Olympics medal for album number four; Stay Positive. Two years on from the brilliant Girls and Boys in America, the band came through with yet another solid, largely uplifting set of tracks, with many considering it their strongest offering yet. It’s certainly close between Stay Positive and it’s predecessor, and whichever you prefer, it was evidence that this was a band operating at the height of their abilities; breathing new life into rock’n’roll when so many were turning their back on it. (Top Track - One for the Cutters)
🥉Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
The final prize for July belongs to L.A. punk collective Abe Vigoda, for their third studio album; Skeleton. Just two months after No Age came through with one of the most interesting punk releases of the year, Abe Vigoda followed suit with a playful, vibrant and more accessible contribution to the genre, blending punk-rock sensibilities with surf-rock & tropical world rhythms that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Vampire Weekend’s debut released six months prior. Not many tracks truly stood out on this album, and it’s a completely chaotic listen, but this was organised chaos you could wiggle a bum to. (Top Track - The Garden)
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