Here we are folks: I’ve finally gotten off my festively-enlarged ass (seriously, between Mom’s holiday treats and Dad’s beer I gained about 8 pounds) and finished my top albums of 2008. As per usual, these are all Canadian releases, as that’s where the ground is closest to my ears.

Here they are roughly arranged in descending order (very roughly):

The Olympic Symphonium - More in Sorrow Than in Anger (Forward Music Group)

I was a huge supporter of The Olympic Symphonium’s 2007 debut, Chapter 1, so it’s no surprise that I’m all over the follow up. Warm and thoughtful, More in Sorrow Than in Anger is a somber, but engaging album brimming with grace.

The Olympc Symphonium - Intentions Alone

Fall Horsie - Devil(e)durge (Youth Club)

Having been a fan of Fall Horsie’s sparse 2007 debut, From the Seam of Doors, a Cone of Light, I was taken a back by the full and largely piano based sound of this sophomore effort. Of course, that’s not a bad thing at all and I quickly began to appreciate the richer production of Devil(e)durge, not to mention its theatrical and emoted nature.

Fall Horsie - The Devil’s Performance

Contrived - Blank, Blank, Blank (Hand Drawn Dracula)

Lush and sprawling, but with hooks in all the right places, this third release from Contrived (made up of members of both Holy Fuck and Wintersleep) is an engaging listen from start to finish that seamlessly blends pop/rock sensibilities with rich instrumental lanscapes.

Contrived - Celebrate

Tricot Machine - Tricot Machine (Grosse Boite)

“Lighthearted and fun, with witty and endearing lyrics Tricot Machine’s piano driven folk-pop is just what I needed to get my French on. In fact, as if a tuneful album full of addictive songs like “L’ours” (which won the ECHO songwriting prize) and “Pas Fait en Chocolat” wasn’t enough, Tricot Machine’s comprehensive liner notes actually include the chords required to play the songs on the album as well (previously posted here)!”

Tricot Machine - Super Ordinaire

Sleepless Nights - Turn Into Vapour (Forward Music Group)

“when it comes to Turn Into Vapour I have to admit that I was sold immediately upon having heard the first two tracks. What can I say, the one-two punch of the bouncy romp “Allyson Got Robbed” and the riff-tastic “Got Caught” (previously featured here) gives you everything you need to know to get on board with this release: the songs are upbeat and well-crafted, the backup vocals are endearing, and the guitar is explosive and melodic (all of which can be heard on “All Andrews Friends”)—that’s a pretty damn good formula for tuneful indie rock success in my book (previously posted here).”

Sleepless Nights - Allyson Got Robbed

The Bicycles - Oh No, It’s Love (Fuzzy Logic)

“Listening to Oh No, It’s Love is the equivalent of having your ears attend the biggest party of the year—it’s frantic, fun and ridiculously intoxicating. Just when you think you’ve got one song’s awesome melody in your head the next one is upon you and wreaking mental havoc. Of course, the tunes aren’t just quick throwaways. They each represent a diverse and expertly crafted dose of melodic pop and no two of which are exactly alike (previously posted here).”

The Bicycles - Won’t She Be Surprised

Castlemusic - You Can’t Take Anyone (Blue Fog)

Warm, soothing and intimate, this album from Toronto’s Jennifer Castle is pure sobriety of thought.  While other bands are heralded for their ability to intoxicate with upbeat melodies and send your consciousness into a fit, Castlemusic’s You Can’t Take Anyone, with its sparse arrangements and confidently understated vocals, is the embodiment of an album that should be lauded for the exact opposite: the humbling ability to keep you grounded in appreciation.

Castlemusic - We Always Change

Forest City Lovers - Haunting Moon Sinking (Out of This Spark)

Blissful and moving, the sophomore album from Toronto’s Forest City Lovers can just as easily lull you into vegetative satisfaction as it can invigorate. A lazy river at one bend and a driving current at another, the destination in either case the same: hands down appreciation for the effortless and intoxicating vocals, carried by charming and perfectly tempered arrangements.

Forest City Lovers - Orphans

Culture Reject - Culture Reject (White Whale)

“Lush, layered and hypnotizing, this self-titled debut from Toronto’s Culture Reject had me thinking big things from the very first time I pressed play. Think Plants & Animals meets Apostle of Hustle, but without having to try so hard (previously posted here).”

Culture Reject - Fireflies Are Fading

FemBots - Calling Out (Weewerk)

Admittedly, I wasn’t immediately struck by Calling Out, the fourth full-length from FemBots. However, compelled by my fondness for their earlier albums and spurred by fantastic live performances, when I finally came around it hit like a ton of bricks. Seductive and raucous, full of trademark unorthodox instrumentation and sing-alongs, and bleeding an amalgamation of blues and roots rock, this is a damn sexy album.

Fembots - Good Days

Snailhouse - LIes on the Prize (Unfamiliar)

I knew from the first listen that Lies on the Prize was good, but I’m ashamed to say that it took a few months for just how good it actually is to sink in. That latency is likely due to the trademark humility inherent in all Snailhouse releases. His music is just so effortless that it doesn’t have to demand attention—good music for good music’s sake—as though it’s of no consequence who listens. Unlike the attention starved, in your face cries for adulation of pop/rock, Lies on the Prize is full of the sort of laid-back, graceful and undemanding songs that you can imagine still thriving when your back is turned.

Snailhouse - (Not) Superstitious

Bruce Peninsula - A Mountain Is a Mouth (Independent)

The simplest testament to the greatness of Bruce Peninsula’s debut full-length that I can offer is the fact that it has made it on to this list after only being released (digitally) a few weeks go. Rife with anthemic choir-folk, A Mountain Is a Mouth manages to be undeniably epic, while still remaining humbly down to Earth.  Add to that a driving sense of urgency and the result is simply invigorating.

Bruce Peninsula - Steamroller

The Violet Archers - Sunshine At Night (Zunior)

I missed out on The Violet Archers debut, but was all over Sunshine At Night when it came out. In fact, at one point I had listened to the title track so many times that I had to take a breather.  In the end Sunshine At Night became the audio equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet, as I gorged myself until sick, but couldn’t help going back for more.  With each trip I’ve become further and further incensed by the album’s subtle and sweet dynamic. This is endearing folk-pop at its finest: blissfully effortless and undeniably tuneful.

The Violet Archers - Listening

Plants & Animals - Parc Avenue (Secret City)

My pick for the 2008 Polaris Prize upon seeing the short list (for what it’s worth), the debut full-length from Montreal’s Plants & Animals was the first album in a long time to give me tingles on first listen. It’s a wonderfully diverse blend of jam and roots rock that is just as content to jam-out for a while as it is to intoxicate with irresistible melodies (of which there are many).

Plants & Animals - Faerie Dance

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (Independent)

Hot damn this album is fantastic! Diverse and unorthodox, yet accessible and intoxicating, The Rural Alberta Advantage have crafted an enviable debut of indie folk/pop that is tireless and far too easy to recommend.  Simple as that.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Air

Entire Cities - Deep River (Independent)

“Deep River is the epitome of energy and rootsy charm. I can play this album ad nauseum without a single complaint (previously posted here).”

That pretty much sums it up. Deep River has easily been among my top listened-to albums of the year which is a simple testament to how enjoyable it is from start to finish. Loose and raw at times while endearing and sweet at others, Entire Cities have made one hell of a debut.

Entire Cities - Coffee

Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane (Flemish Eye)

No surprises here, as Chad VanGaalen’s latest is getting the nod all over the place. Of course, that’s not so much a reflection of the blog hive-mind as it is that Soft Airplane is just damn good.  There’s definitely a particular aesthetic to VanGaalen’s tunes, as they are often fascinatingly morbid and eerie, but are usually also firmly planted in upbeat melodies and quirkily uplifting instrumentation.  Life and death, horror and science-fiction all collide at every turn and on Soft Airplane those dynamics are pushed even further. Diverse and challenging, but always enjoyable, this is the sort of album that makes me proud to stand up for Canadian music when onlookers berate our Celines, Avrils and Nickelbacks.

Chad VanGaalen - City of Electric Light

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Once again, most of these (all but The RAA, in fact) are available from Zunior.com, so show some support for these excellent Canadian bands.

There you have it, my top Canadian albums of the year. On that note, I’m off to a farmhouse near Kingston for New Year’s Eve, so enjoy giving 2008 it’s severance package and remember to get a good breakfast on January 1st. There’s nothing worse than starting the new year with a bad meal.