Top local albums of 2008

January 1, 2009 at 5:50PM

TOP LOCAL ALBUMS - 2008

1. Atmosphere, "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That [Expletive] Gold"158

2. Jeremy Messersmith, "The Silver City"136

3. Haley Bonar, "Big Star"128

4. Solid Gold, "Bodies of Water"116

5. Vampire Hands, "Me and You Cherry Red"100

6. Doomtree, "Doomtree"98

7. Muja Messiah, "Thee Adventures of a B-Boy D-Boy"70

8. Ben Weaver, "The Ax in the Oak"64

9. Heiruspecs, "Heiruspecs"60

10. Gary Louris, "Vagabonds"58

11. Dillinger Four, "CIVIL WAR"54

12. (tie) Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak, "Hand Over Fist"50

Tapes 'N Tapes, "Walk It Off"50

14. City on the Make, "$1,000,000"46

15. (tie) Chris Koza, "The Dark, Delirious Morning"42

Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, "Orange Peels & Rattlesnakes"42

Paul Westerberg, "49:00"42

18. The Absent Arch, "Keep Calm and Carry On"38

19. Kid Dakota, "A Winner's Shadow"34

20. (tie) Cecil Otter, "Rebel Yellow"32

Private Dancer, "Trouble Eyes"32

How the tally works: Critics rank their top albums, songs and live acts. For albums, 20 points are awarded for a No. 1 pick, 18 for No. 2, etc. Songs and live acts start at 10 points. For unranked lists, each album gets 10 points, songs and live acts get 5.

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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