1.  Warpaint- The Black Crowes

It is imposssible for the Black Crowes to make a bad album.  They have added Luther Dickinson from The North Mississippi Allstars to the band and it paid off.  Great mix of Rock, Country, Americana, and Blues.

Feature Track: Locust Street

2. The Raconteurs- Consolers Of The Lonely

The second album from Jack White’s “side project”.  Great album full of huge riffs courtesy of Jack White.  It is great to hear him in a full band setting with a second guitar player(Brendan Benson).  I suggest listening to this album at a very high volume.

Feature Track-Consoler Of The Lonely

3. The Black Keys- Catch and Release

This is the first album that the Black Keys have actually recorded in a real studio not to mention it was produced by Danger Mouse.  Their is definitelty a lot more production done on this album compared to their past albums, you even get some banjo on a track, but they still kick out the jams as only they can do.

Feature Track- I Got Mine

4. Mudcrutch-Mudcrutch

Before the Heartbreakers Tom Petty had a band called Mudcrutch.  They broke up in the 70′s and never actually made an album until now.  Well worth the wait.  Imagine a mix of The Heartbreakers with The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Feature Track- The Wrong Thing To Do

5. R.E.M.- Accelerate

I have been waiting for this band to make this album for about 10 years.  They finally made a rock record.  It is great to hear them make an album that does not put you to sleep by the 3rd song.

Feature Track- Supernatural Superserious

6. Shine A Light- The Rolling Stones

Go ahead and make your jokes about the Stones being 100 years old.  They are better at 100 than 95% of the bands out today.  This live album proves that they really are the greatest rock band ever.

Feature Track- Loving Cup featuring Jack White

7. North Mississippi Allstars- Hernando

When Luther Dickinson is not playing guitar for The Black Crowes he is the leader of The North Allstars. Hernando was released in January and it finds the Allstars doing what they do best which is creating authentic blues music featuring Luther’s phenomenal slide guitar along with his brother Cody on drums, and Chris Chew’s funky bass.

Featured Track- Shake

8. Gary Louris- Vagabonds

Gary Louris is one of the founding members of the recently dispanded Jayhawks. Gary released his first solo album in February with friend and Black Crowes frontman acting as producer. This album is a sparse acoustic album with great vocals and harmomies.  Chris Robinson and Susanna Hoffs(from the Bangles) even  provide back up vocals on the title track.

Feature Track- Vagabonds

9. My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges

MMJ has been critically acclaimed for years but I have never really been in love with the stuff they have put out until now.  They are all over the place on this album and it all sounds good.  One minute they sound like Neil Young and Crazy Horse and the next they sound like Prince.  There are huge guitar sounds all over this album.  Sounds even better when you listen to the album through headphones.

Featured Track- I Believe

10. Counting Crows- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

I know they wrote the them song from Shrek but I cannot hold that against them.  I have always liked this band.  They make 3 minute pop songs that are get stuck in your head and you cant get them out.  This album is no different.  I know that Adam Duritz’s lyrics are a little over the top and he tries to make being a pop star sound like he is digging ditches but I always seem to like the music they put out.  This album is a good listen that has everything from the guitar haevy opener “1492″ to the made for radio “You Can Count On Me”.

Featured Track- You Can Count On Me

Those are my top ten albums from the first half of 2008.  I highly reccomend checking them out and even adding them to your collection.  I look forward to updating this list in December, especially with new releases by The Kings of Leon, Ray Lamontagne, and John Mellencamp in the second half of the year.

Later,

Nick

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