hey... this is volume two of my top 100 albums list, compiled in september of 2008. volume one of the list had a 3 albums per artist maximum... this year i've brought the limit down to two (with the goal of eventually reducing it to one album per artist). the number in parenthesis next to each album name represents its change in position since last year, with (--) meaning no change and (*) being new to the list this year.

if you'd like to check out a pdf version of the list with album artwork, click here (pdf, 3.8mb).

1. Silver Jews - The Natural Bridge (--)
2. Pixies - Doolittle (--)
3. Pavement - Wowee Zowee (--)
4. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (--)
5. Fiona Apple - When the Pawn (+2)
6. The Beatles - Abbey Road (+7)
7. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (+1)
8. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - The Blue Trees (-2)
9. Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets (--)
10. Smog - Knock Knock (-5)

11. Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender (+1)
12. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies (+8)
13. Frank Black - Teenager of the Year (+1)
14. The Halo Benders - God Don't Make No Junk (+16)
15. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (+2)
16. Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life (+13)
17. Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love (+23)
18.Violent Femmes - Add It Up (-3)
19. Neil Young - After The Goldrush (+3)
20. Silver Jews - American Water (+4)

21. Ugly Casanova - Sharpen Your Teeth (+2)
22. Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (-4)
23. Pixies - Surfer Rosa (-4)
24. The Presidents of the United States of America - The Presidents of the United States of America (-14)
25. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (+20)
26. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (+2)
27. Led Zeppelin - IV (+28)
28. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe as Milk (+3)
29. The Halo Benders - Don't Tell Me Now (-13)
30. Holopaw - Holopaw (+6)

31. Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West (+6)
32. Beck - Sea Change (+10)
33. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (+13)
34. Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power (*)
35. Arcade Fire - Funeral (--)
36. Sparklehorse - Good Morning Spider (+20)
37. The Beatles - The White Album (+4)
38. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (+5)
39. The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? (-7)
40. Spoon - Girls Can Tell (+12)

41. The National - Alligator (+10)
42. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (+15)
43. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (+10)
44. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (+14)
45. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (-6)
46. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (Special Edition) (+14)
47. At the Drive-In - Vaya (-46)
48. Blur - Blur (-1)
49. The Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society (-5)
50. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Pig Lib (-16)

51. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (-25)
52. Radiohead - Amnesiac (-3)
53. Radiohead - Kid A (-3)
54. Frank Black - Frank Black (-6)
55. Soltero - Defrocked And Kicking The Habit (-28)
56. Blonde Redhead - Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (+32)
57. Television - Marquee Moon (*)
58. The Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed (+11)
59. Mercury Rev - All Is Dream (--)
60. Ted Leo and The Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak (+3)

61. Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast (+5)
62. Destroyer - Streethawk: A Seduction (*)
63. Joanna Newsom - Ys (*)
64. Frank Zappa - We're Only in It for the Money (+16)
65. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (*)
66. Beck - Odelay (-2)
67. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (+18)
68. East River Pipe - The Gasoline Age (*)
69. David Bowie - Low (+5)
70. The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage: Animation Music (+5)

71. Lou Reed - Transformer (*)
72. Smog - A River Aint Too Much To Love (-51)
73. Cat Power - Moon Pix (+3)
74. Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding (-9)
75. The Black Heart Procession - Amore del Tropico (*)
76. Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (+14)
77. Soul Coughing - Ruby Vroom (+2)
78. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (*)
79. Slint - Spiderland(-8)
80. Air - Moon Safari(-8)

81. Nada Surf - Let Go (-43)
82. The Cure - Disintegration (--)
83. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (*)
84. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (*)
85. Eels - Souljacker (-17)
86. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (-3)
87. Built to Spill - Keep It Like a Secret (+7)
88. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming (-57)
89. Belle and Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress (+2)
90. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (-20)

91. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf (-10)
92. Grateful Dead - American Beauty (+6)
93. El Guapo - Super/System (*)
94. Dinosaur Jr. - Bug (*)
95. Black Sabbath - Paranoid (-11)
96. Nirvana - In Utero (-7)
97. Pedro the Lion - Control (-1)
98. Primus - The Brown Album (+1)
99. The Marlboro Chorus - Entangled (-66)
100. Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album) (--)

Oh One - Nuuro
Magic Says - Dabrye
Sjutton - Dungen
Shisheido - Fennesz
The Illking - Mouse on Mars
Abyss - Schneider TM
NR17 - Syclops
From Top To Bottom - Kornel Lemon
At Home I'm A Tourist - Bruno Pronsato
Political Science - Pedro the Lion
11. - nsi.
Vose In - Autechre
Corn Mouth - Aphex Twin
Astronomy Glance - Onur Özer
August Passed Away Unnoticed - Epic45
Soft Atlas - 13 & God
Air (Featuring Doom) - Dabrye
Untitled - C - So
take4 - Bumbar
Electric Fence - Califone
Subsequence - Mouse on Mars
nelson's back - Syclops
Solanum, Zombie Virus - Primm And Propeller
The Work of Art in the Age of Cultural Overproduction - Tim Hecker
October Language - Belong
Hit My Country - aMute
Secret - Nuuro
A Little Secret - Khonnor
Innocence - Björk
"Vibes From The Tribe" Nobody - Phil Ranelin
Money Folder - Madvillain
Baby I'm a Star - Prince
Your Retro Career Melted - The Faint (remix)
Chartreuse Cactus - I, Cactus
Cha - Nil
San Cristobal de Las Casas - The Swirlies

1. How did you get into 31?
Landon Pigg
Came across him through Tyler James. Also heard Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop a commercial and fell in love with it.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?
Sullivan
I don't know, I don't really listen to them anymore.

3. What's your favorite lyric by 29?
David Bazan
"I know it's hard to be original/In fact, nothing scares me more"

4. What is your favorite album by 49?
Burden of a Day
Pilots and Paper Planes

5. How many albums by 13 do you own?
Brand New
Only The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. Love. It.

6. What is your favorite song by 50?
Teitur
One and Only

7. Is there a song by 4 that makes you sad?
Pedro the Lion
Bad Diary Days

8. What is your favorite song by 15?
mewithoutYou
that's TOUGH. probably The Dryness and The Rain or Wolf Am I! (And Shadow).

9. What is your favorite song by 5?
Brightwood
Swan Song, probably. Or! Conversations with Stars!

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?
AA Bondy
ah! yes! almost all of them do. but if i had to choose off the top of my head, i'd say VICE RAG

11. What is your favorite album by 40?
Surrogate
Love Is For The Rich

12. What is your favorite song by 10?
Fionn Regan
Put A Penny In The Slot is such a classic.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 33?
The Anchor Fellowship
indeed. Some really vulnerable moments.

14. What is your favorite song by 37?
All Smiles
I Know It's Wrong

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?
Oh, Sleeper
Definitely Charlatan's Host.

16. How many times have you seen 24 live?
Whiskeytown
Never! D:

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23?
Jordan Taylor
some untitled beauty.

18. What is your favorite album by 11?
As Tall as Lions
As Tall As Lions, though I'm digging Lafcadio right now.

19. Who is a favorite member of 1?
Ryan Adams
Mr. David Ryan Adams himself, of course.

20. Have you ever seen 14 live?
Death Cab for Cutie
never.

21. What is a good memory involving 45?
Lorien
The LOST song!! And the show with Josh at Exit/In

22. What is your favorite song by 16?
The Arcade Fire
My Body Is a Cage, probably.

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47?
Class of '98
probably Christy's Wedding.

24. What is your favorite album by 21?
Dashboard Confessional
The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most

25. What is your favorite song by 18?
Plain White T's
Hate (I Really Don't Like You)

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 38?
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Falling Slowly, I think.

27. What is your favorite lyric by 3?
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
there are so many... how about "I wanna be the one who walks you home/who walks you home tonight/Stare into your eyes and try to explain/It was written in a language that was meant to fuck you up/And I could never get close enough to you" Cherry Lane

28. What is you favourite song by 2?
Copeland
oh, gosh... Coffee? or Love Affair.. or a number of other really good'uns, haha.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32?
Kaiser Chiefs
Ruby, of course. Ironically, it's the only one of theirs I like.

30. What is your favorite song by 8?
Andrew Bird
Plasticities

31. How many times have you seen 17 live?
House of Heroes
ONCE. and it was epic.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy?
The National
I can't think of one off the top of my head... but all of Boxer reminds me of Matt, so..

33. What is you favorite album by 12?
Lovedrug
Everything Starts Where It Ends

34. What is the worst song by 46?
Fixed Til Tuesday
there's no such thing as "worst song" by Fixed Til Tuesday.

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34?
Further Seems Forever
probably Light Up Ahead

36. What is your favorite album by 42?
Relient K
either Mmhmm or Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do

37. How many times have you seen 39 live?
The Reign Of Kindo
unfortunately, I haven't.

38. What is your favorite album by 36?
This Providence
This Providence

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28?
Deas Vail
I really don't remember... but I'm glad I did.

40. What is you favorite album by 7?
A Cities Burn
Are you kidding? Both albums are nothing less than excellent.

How did you get into 31? (John Vanderslice)
they opened for pedro the lion

What was the first song you ever heard by 22?(Menomena)
wet and rusting

What is your favorite lyric that 41 has sung?(Elliott Smith)
"don't let me get carried away"

What is your favorite album by 48?(Neutral Milk Hotel)
on avery island

How many albums by 13 do you own?(Final Fantasy)
different songs from different albums

What is your favorite song by 57?(Owen)
bed abuse

Is there a song by 4 that makes you sad?(Death Cab for Cutie)
not really anymore.

What is your favorite song by 15?(Sufjan Stevens)
flint

What is your favorite song by 5?(Ratatat)
crips

Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?(Pedro the Lion)
no

What is your favorite album by 40?(Iron & Wine)
our endless numbered days

What is your favorite song by 11?(The American Analog Set)
born on the cusp / sharp briar

What is a memory you have involving 35? (Rocky Votolato)
singing goldfield really loud while driving my moms car

What is your favorite song by 36?(The Decemberists)
shiny

Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (Xiu Xiu)
pox

How many times have you seen 24 live?(BSS Presents: Kevin Drew)
once!

What was the first song you heard by 23?(Beirut)
white whales

What is your favorite album by 28?(Mogwai)
come on die young

Who is your favorite member of 1?(Broken Social Scene)
k drew!

How many time have you seen 14 live?(BSS Presents: Brendan Canning)
once as of august 23

What is a good memory you have involving 43?(Windsor for the Derby)
finding their cds

What is your favorite song by 17? (Households)
tecumseh, names like land / a dog named tomorrow

What was the first song you heard by 47?(Chin Up Chin Up)
collide the tide

What is your favorite album by 3?(Radiohead)
it used to be kid a. but i think now hail to the thief

What is your favorite song by 18?(Peter Adams)
ghost in the fen / the observatory

What was the first song you heard by 32?(Annuals)
brother

What is your favorite lyric that 21 has sung?(The Books)
"take time take time take time"

What is your favorite song by 2?(The Microphones)
i'll not contain you / i want to be cold

What was the first song you heard by 32?(The Most Serene Republic)
phages

What is your favorite song by 8?(My Morning Jacket)
dondante / touch me im going to scream part 2

How many time have you seen 17 live? (Households)
nevr

Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy?(Charlene)
rip off

What is your favorite album of 12?(Caribou)
the milk of human kindness

What is the worst song that 26 has ever recorded?(AIH)
the faubion stomp

What was the first song you ever heard by 62?(Modest Mouse)
dirty fingernails

What is your favorite album of 42?(The Appleseed Cast)
peregrine

How many times have you seen 89 live?(The Helio Sequence)
twice!

What is your favorite album by 36?(M83)
dead cities, red seas and lost ghosts

What was the first song you heard by 28?(José González)
crosses

What is your favorite album by 36?(James Orr Complex)
chori's bundle

Chasing Lions (formerly Puddlegum)- is a new blog label, combining aspects of both a music blog and record label. The blog label is proud to announce a new partnership with The Soft Drugs from Boston, MA. The band is led by former Pedro the Lion member T.W. Walsh and features percussionist Jason Cammarata, bass player Ken Maiuri, guitar player Mike Murray, and guitar/keyboard player John Beck, blending their American indie roots with traditional rock ‘n roll.

The Soft Drugs happily offer Side A of their new record Get Back as a FREE DOWNLOAD - due out this fall on Chasing Lions. A limited pressing of 100 copies of Side A is currently available in the store, so be sure to snatch one up before they’re gone!

Get Back tracklisting: Borrow My Vibe / I Need Space / Kill My Dragon / Let It Be

To download Get Back (side a), visit chasinglions.com.

...because a pointeless, time wasting search-by-country on my top 50 meme listed in alphabetical order is just what I needed right now. :)

Canada
Death From Above 1979
The Arcade Fire

Iceland
Sigur Rós

Ireland
Snow Patrol

United Kingdom
Bloc Party
Doves
Floodline
Interpol
Joy Division
Led Zeppelin
Oasis
Radiohead
Razorlight
The Beatles
The Beta Band
the northern coast
The Rakes
The Stone Roses
Thom Yorke

United States
16 Horsepower
Band of Horses
Beck
Blackball False, Truth!
Built to Spill
Cheyenne Medders
Dabney Morris
Death Cab for Cutie
Iron & Wine
John Vanderslice
Lake Trout
Menomena
mewithoutYou
Midlake
Minus the Bear
MK Ultra
Nine Inch Nails
Nirvana
Pavement
Pedro the Lion
Pixies
Ratatat
Rogue Wave
Sufjan Stevens
The Album Leaf
The Decemberists
The Postal Service
The Shins
The Smashing Pumpkins
TV on the Radio
Wilco

1. How did you get into 31? (Underoath)
i don't remember actually.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22 (From First to Last)?
either "Ride The Wings" or "Note to Self"

3. What's your favourite lyric by 29 (Scary Kids Scaring Kids)?
"Star crossed lovers, they say we're not meant to be
'Cause the stars in the sky, and the fashion that they are aligned.

4. What is your favourite album by 49 (Beck)?
can't say.

5. What is your favourite song by 25 (Blink-182)?
"Every Time I Look for You"

6. What is your favourite song by 50 (Pedro the Lion)?
"A Mind of Her Own"

7. Is there a song by 4 (Say Anything) that makes you sad?
not really, but many make me feel righteous, haha.

8. What is your favourite song by 5 (Paramore)?
"Emergency"

9. What is your favourite song by 15 (Motion City Soundtrack)?
"Hold Me Down" and "My Favorite Accident"

10. Is there a song by 6 (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) that makes you happy?
"Tick"/"Date With the Night"

11. What is your favourite album by 40 (Red Hot Chili Peppers)?
By the Way

12. What is your favourite song by 10 (My Chemical Romance)?
"The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You"

13. What is a good memory you have involving 33 (The Clash)?
unfortunately i don't have a good story to go with this one.

14. What is your favourite song by 37 (Radiohead)?
"Pyramid Song"

15. Is there a song by 19 (Thursday) that makes you happy?
not particularly.

16. How many times have you seen 24 (Saves the Day) live?
once my second Warped Tour from extreme distance cause eh long story.
BUT i will see them for real one day.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23 (The Starting Line)?
"Best of Me"

18. What is your favourite album by 11 (Chiodos)?
All's Well That Ends Well, but Bone Palace Ballet is so fantastic as well.

19. Who is a favourite member of 1 (Taking Back Sunday)?
i'm going to go with the obvious answer, but i do love all of them.

20. Have you ever seen 14 (Bob Dylan) live?
no :(

21. What is a good memory involving 45 (The Hives)?
seeing them at Terminal 5, holding up Pelle.

22. What is your favourite song by 16 (The Beatles)?
"Eleanor Rigby"/"Blackbird"

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47 (Death Cab for Cutie)?
"Title and Registration"

24. What is your favourite album by 21 (Cursive)?
i don't have one.

25. What is your favourite song by 18 (Arctic Monkeys)?
"Old Yellow Bricks"

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 38 (Northstar)?
"The Pornographer's Daughter"

27. What is your favourite lyric by 3 (Brand New)?
that's a pretty impossible question.

28. What is you favourite song by 2 (Interpol)?
Obstacle 1

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32 (The Cure)?
uhh "Friday I'm In Love"

30. What is you favourite song by 8 (The Strokes)?
"Reptilia"

31. How many times have you seen 17 (Cat Power) live?
twice :)

32. Is there a song by 44 (Boys Like Girls) that makes you happy?
"The Great Escape"

33. What is you favourite album by 12 (Circa Survive)?
Juturna

34. What is the worst song by 46 (Thrice)?
shutyomouth.

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34 (Cute Is What We Aim For)?
"There's A Class For This"

36. What is you favourite album by 42 (Fall Out Boy)?
Take This to Your Grave

37. How many times have you seen 39 (Northstar) live?
if it counts i almost saw Cassino once.

38. What is your favourite album by 36 (Kings of Leon)?
Aha Shake Heartbreak

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28 (The White Stripes)?
"Fell in Love With a Girl"

40. What is you favourite album by 13 (The Used)?
The Used

Mogwai x2
Mars Volta
DJ Shadow
DJ Shadow + Cut Chemist x2
Minus the Bear x4
Pleasureboaters
Radiohead x2
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Blue Scholars x2
Common Market
Mos Def
Mix Master Mike
CKY
Tortoise
Daniel Lanois
Death Cab for Cutie x2
MF DOOM x2
Swollen Members x2
Sweatshop Union
The Appleseed Cast
Sigur Rós
Earth
Native Guns
Macklemore x3
Lateef The Truthspeaker
Wolfmother
Silversun Pickups
The Translucents x7
Pickwick
Grand Archives x2
Sera Cahoone
S
Explosions in the Sky