Our top 5 albums of 2008

After big names dominated the Bands Only favourite singles of 2008, we're happy that the album countdown is predominantly a breakthrough act affair:

1. Johnny Foreigner – Waited Up Til It Was Light

Birmingham, to be frank, has a poor record of big selling bands. Sure there was Sabbath, and yes, there was... erm... Ocean Colour Scene? Oh dear. So, can Johnny Foreigner (JoFo to their friends) change all that?

In a word – no. And it's not because a lack of talent or originality (they have that in Rotunda-sized spades), it's just that on first hearing this record, their music won't be to many peoples tastes. And yet, those prepared to sample a second helping of the Brummie band's punk/rock/emo/electronic banquet, will be gorging for months.

WUTIWL offers fast, frenetic and frenzied punk with enough underlying melodies took hook you in and let you explore. The musicianship and production is impressive. And in a year for combined male/female vocalists (Los Campesinos, Black Kids, Ting Tings) JoFo feature duelling vocals to devastating effect.

Then there's the slower moments too. The (relatively) mid-paced Eyes Wide Terrified is an obvious single, a unexpected singalong treat. DJs Get Doubts is also a welcome, and beautiful, change of pace. And lest we forget the step up in gear at the end of the seemingly-minimal Salt, Pepa and Spinderella, which is both surprising and exhilarating.

Like the second city itself, Waited Up Til It Was Light is a exciting mix of unexpected treats. Visit now.

Check out: Eyes Wide Terrified
Preview / buy album from iTunes

2. Pete & The Pirates – Little Death

One of those albums where anyone who's heard it loves it but unfortunately that doesn't appear to be very many people...

Heaven knows why it hasn't taken off like a 2008 unemployment statistic, as the debut effort by the Reading quintet is a fine slice of quaint English guitar pop. Each of the 13 perfectly crafted songs could be a single its own right – from the beautifully sung Moving to the guitar-dance masterclass that is Come On Feet. And like The Pigeon Detectives last year, they've even kept most songs at an ADHD-pleasing 3 minutes or under.

A record that whilst accessible to all, hints of Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes manage to keep PATP just the right side of cool to keep the indie kids happy too.

Check out: Mr Understanding
Preview / buy album from iTunes

3. Foals – Antidotes

Leaving out your two best-known and best-loved songs on your debut album means one of two things:

1) You have loads of good songs so it doesn't really matter.
2) You're mad. You're mad. You're madder than Mad Jack McMad, the winner of this year's Mr Madman competition. (Thank you Blackadder)

But in eschewing Hummer and Mathletics, that's exactly what Foals did. Luckily however, the Oxford boys fall also into the former category, and made an album that easily matched the hype that surrounded them in early 2008.

In a year where beats met rock in many different ways (start at MGMT, visit Bloc Party and finish at Pendulum), Antidotes stood out as a shining example of how exciting a mash up of styles can be. From the reggae groove intro on opener The French Open to the electronic bleepery on closer Tron, via the off-beats of Two Steps Twice and the piercing snare drum of Red Socks Pugie, this is an aural journey to pleasure both the head and the feet.

Check out: Balloons
Preview / buy album from iTunes

4. British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?

10-foot fighting bear? Check. Audience hidden by waving foliage? Check. Band-brewed ale on sale at the merch stand? Why, yes.

BSP are as English as Stephen Fry's shed, and with that comes the famous eccentricity. Their lyrics have always reflected this, and their unique indie rock has always hinted at greatness without quite making it. Until this year that is, when the Brighton outfit took all the good bits from debut The Decline Of and follow-up Open Season – and took it to a whole new level. Suddenly, the songs were grander, bolder and yet managed to retain the BSP charm that has built their reputation. For example, No Lucifer is built around a Big Daddy wrestling chant (“Easy! Easy!”) and Atom references matters such as, er, matter.

And despite the album's title, it's not all loud bombast – there's soaring strings on Waving Flags and a choir on All In It. Indeed, the spot-on production even charmed the Mercury panel into awarding the LP an award nomination.

Do You Like Rock Music? Then get this album.*

Check out: No Lucifer
Preview / buy album from iTunes

5. Fighting with Wire – Man vs Monster

It's a medical fact that, every new and then, people need some stoopid, shouty rock. Like a piss in the morning, it's... well... necessary.

Enter Northern Ireland's Fighting With Wire. In Man vs Monster, they've made 2008's finest all-out indie rock album. Fronted by Jetplane Landing (and part-time Seafood) man Cahir O'Doherty, their sound is nothing particularly new (think Reuben meets Lostprophets) yet this is an LP that has quality stamped throughout.

All killer, no filler as a Canadian punk-pop outfit once lied.

Check out: Cut The Transmission
Preview / buy album from iTunes

*Sorry.