Check this out from Silversuit!

Hey! One of my favorite readers and a great frienf of PPO, "Silversuit" has waded in with his top 10 list for this year and it is excellent! Thanks "Suit"!!

10. Deep Sea Arcade – Crouch End

Sydney’s Deep Sea Arcade haven’t release an album yet, however this band has to get a mention in my top 10 list for 2008. Since hearing it for the first time in July I have played this tune over and over and over again. It’s like someone has got The Beatles, Elliott Smith and I am Kloot all together, in some awesome alternate reality, and they’ve wrote the best ever spooky song to freak out your ex – ‘Nobody knows, Nobody knows that my grave is under your house’. That’s right up there with John Bramwell’s ‘There’s blood on your legs. I love you’ for me. Hunt them down and see them play live! Hopefully we hear a lot more from these guys in 2009.

9. Julie Ocean – Long Gone and Nearly There

This is a quality power pop record from the Washington DC combo who (going by their myspace site) is unfortunately, already history. It’s a shame really – this short ten track set is a pearler. Packing in the Velvet Crush, Undertones, Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub, Silversun, the album is over before its barely started– clocking in at just over 25 minutes. It is short, snappy, uncomplicated and to the point. Ten Lonely Words is so catchy it kept me from sleeping for 3 nights straight. A gem - Here Comes Danny unfortunately pushes it further down my list.

Key Tracks: Ten Lonely Words, My Revenge

8. Pete & the Pirates – Little Death

Pete & The Pirates are popsters from Reading and this debut album has had some serious repeated listens earlier this year. They are a like a mix between the Mystery Jets, The Shins and The Arctic Monkeys with similar angular guitar hooks to The Cribs. It’s a great pop-indie album which doesn’t get boring, ‘heavy’ or complicated. There’s loads of fun to be had with this, a definite top 10er for 2008.

Track Picks: - She Doesn’t Belong To Me, Bright Lights

7. The Orchid Highway – The Orchid Highway

The Orchid Highway from Vancouver released this nugget back in May. Its mid period Beatles, Brian Wilson, Love and all the best bits from your favourite mid 90s Britpop bands. There are some really clever lyrics in here. “She asked me if I want to lose this crowd. She said you know that I'd make love to you here, but I don't think it's allowed” – great stuff. Some awesome vocal harmonies, psychedelic guitars, flutes, and Hammond organs; it’s all here. In a ‘just’ world this album would be over commercial radio like a rash.

Track Picks: - Sofa Surfer Girl, Pop Tart Girl

6. Even – Even

Even, ah my beloved Even. They just pip the Ice Cream Hands at the post as my favourite Australian band. ‘Less is More’ and ‘Come Again’, their first and second albums respectively would have to be in the top discs ever pressed. Their self titled fifth album, while nowhere near reaching the heights of those first two, is still an amazing record by Ash, Matthew and Wally. ‘I Am The Light’, ‘Walk on’ and ‘Rainbows’ could stand proudly alongside ‘Stop and Go Man’ and ‘Tell me How” on an Even ‘Best of’. As much as I love Ashley Naylor the choice of (the appalling) ‘Sister Rock’ as a single from this album was a very poor decision. Still, easily in the top 10 for 2008. ‘I know what im worth and you can never afford me’. Keep on burning boys.

Track Picks: - Rainbows, Walk On

5. The Young Knives – Superabundance

Superabundance is the Leicestershire band’s second album and after taking several weeks to grow on me, this has become a staple in the cd-player. Just like their debut –the anger, cynicism, hip-indie-kid pleasing chops and hand-claps are there. But this time there are added tunes and nicer production. Overall, it’s the lyrics that do it for here in a big way. "Sitting in the front seat. Turning on the motor. Sucking on the hosepipe. Keep it turning over". Its all dreary, desperation and distain (and its great). “I got dressed up, up to the nines. I took a look in the mirror, I wish I was thinner then everything would be fine”. Play it at maximum volume on a Friday night when you’re drunk, at home, alone and your copy of ‘Hatful of Hollow’ has worn out. Love it.

Track Picks:- Counters, Up All Night

4. Junipers – Cut Your Key

I have only heard this album in its entirety just recently – thanks to our favourite webmaster ;-) Though it has had such a profound effect on me I had to add it into the top 10 – top 5 no less. It’s a beautiful album which reminds me a lot of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s 90’s masterpiece Barafundle. Its early Bee Gees, McCartney, Emmit Rhodes – packed full of hooks and summer time bliss. With more listens this could have easily been my 2008 number 2. It’s an incredible record.

Track Picks:- Song That Fades Away, Out My Pocket

3. Cheeksters – Movers and Shakers

This is a really fun album with lots of hipster, mod 60s and 70s style brit-pop and girl- group style tunes rolled up into your best summertime record ever. Movers and Shakers are the husband and wife union of Mark Casson and Shannon Hines. It’s the happiest, positive and most upbeat record I’ve heard since The Grapes (Ashley Naylor / Sherry Rich) released their self-titled record back in the late 90s. The title track ‘Movers and Shakers’ is a gorgeous, honky-tonkish, rag-time gem. “Cut my hair cut down at the barber shop. It looks good but I think that they cut too much off” – its the best Herman’s Hermits song you’ve never heard.

Key Tracks: What the Pretty Girl Did, Movers and Shakers

2. Everyone Loves a Villain – Captain Wilberforce

How this guy isn’t top of the UK singles and album charts in 2008 is beyond me. Anyway, Captain Wilberforce is the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Simon Bristoll from Leeds. Forget your Kaiser Chiefs rubbish, Captain W. is the business and the 11 songs on this lp are of incredible quality. The tunes are kind of hard to describe – dark, melodic, poppy, polished but cynical and very intelligent. There is a hint of Ian Broudie and Neil Finn about his vocal delivery too which is great. Perfect song writing throughout, superb guitar lines, sweet expansive production and a hint of something seedy makes this a modern classic for me. An easy number 2 for my 2008 list.

Key Tracks: No Strings or Ties, Confetti, Champagne and Roses

1. Arms and Legs – Everything Is Gonna Be Okay

Turn up the sirens and bang your drums as loud as you can for this. This is a ‘proper’ record. It is just incredible. Im not even sure if this was ‘actually’ released in 2008 or late 2007 as there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information readily available on this record. Anyway it’s easily my favourite album of 2008 and definitely (not maybe) in my top ten of the ‘naughties’. As far as I know a certain ‘Scott Daly’ makes up Arms and Legs in its entirety and on this fantastic record he is channelling ‘The Zombies’ visa-vi Elliott Smith. From what I have read certain naysayers say this album is too much of an Elliott rip-off to be taken seriously. Granted, on tunes such as ‘Bars All Closed’ and ‘Alright.Okay’ you can convince yourself you are listening to ‘Either/Or’, though there is way more to this album than Elliott worship (which there is nothing wrong with by the way). ‘Loser (In Love)’ is possibly the greatest break-up song that you will ever hear. ‘Alright.Okay’, ‘Let Go’, ‘Lye Around’ are all genius. It’s a heartbreaker of an album which will have your staring into your pint glass in tears. A genuine five stars. ‘Anna Marie – one day you’ll be mine”.

Track Picks: Loser (In Love), Lye Around

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