The following four indie rock albums were released in 2008. In the last 18 years, a couple of these bands have broken up or gone on hiatus. But their albums, many of them second or third releases, remain important landmarks in the avant garde math rock undefinable indie scene.
‘Alopecia’ by WHY?
WHY? released their third album Alopecia in March 2008 and continued the trend of being hard to categorize. A blend of avant hip-hop beats, vocalist Yoni Wolf alternating between singing and spoken word, and standard indie folk-rock instrumentation made WHY? a delightful conundrum. At least, for listeners who wanted an album that fit neatly into genre boxes.
Alopecia has a solid frame to it that comes through in Wolf’s vocals, equally nasally as they are opaque. Often abrasive vocals and always clever writing that bends and flows like unexpected poetry over slick beats and jangly percussion. That’s what makes Alopecia enjoyable in its amorphousness.
‘Microcastle’ by Deerhunter
Deerhunter released their third album, Microcastle, in August 2008 after it was initially leaked online. Physical copies dropped in October. The previous year, they’d released the album Cryptograms, which was heavy on the effects. But for Microcastle, all the indie rock pomp and circumstance was stripped away. Frontman Bradford Cox was interested in shortening everything and focusing on “micro-structure.”
The result was one of the most highly praised indie rock albums of the year, with Pitchfork awarding it a lofty 9.2 at the time. Even as they dabbled with a different approach, Deerhunter never lost their dreamy curiosity, then or since.
‘Ice Cream Spiritual’ by Ponytail
Ponytail released their second album, Ice Cream Spiritual, in June 2008. This album took an indie math rock approach with its guitars and bright percussion, while the vocals from Willy Siegel earned both praise and criticism. In interviews, Siegel was often asked about their unconventional vocal approach.
Right away, Ice Cream Spiritual opens with joyous trilling and nonsensical vocalizations. There’s something ceremonial about it, something Yoko Ono-esque. Siegel’s vocals often mirrored the instrumentation swirling at the heart of Ponytail. Like a call and response, but a little more loosey goosey. “I don’t really know how else I could sing in this band,” Siegel said in 2009. “There’s no other way that would go with this music.”
‘At Mount Zoomer’ by Wolf Parade
Indie rock staple Wolf Parade released their second album, At Mount Zoomer, in June 2008. Three years before, they debuted with Apologies to the Queen Mary, and this time around the band returned with a renewed sense of self. In the interim, songwriters Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner worked on other projects. When Wolf Parade gathered again, their songwriting was much more elevated.
Critics found the album had a certain maturity to it. There seemed to be a conscious effort not to remake the same album from 2005. Where Queen Mary was frenetic and wild, Mount Zoomer possessed a cool control in the way it worked a synth. The sound was cleaner, but at the same time had more texture. Lyrically, this album seemed more confident and in tune with its end product. Even though it went through several title changes, At Mount Zoomer presented a cohesive and exciting sophomore turn for Wolf Parade.
Photo by Brigitte Engl/Redferns)
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