We've passed the halfway point of 2008. The year is already half over, and what do we have to show for it? A rhetorical question certainly, but I'll elaborate... I've come up with a list of what I think are the top five albums of 2008 thus far. Why a top five instead of a top ten list? Because we're only halfway through 2008, dummy. Full details after the break.
First, some honorable mentions. These are the releases that were good, but not great. Each one was worth the trouble of listening to it, but not worthy of a top five spot. So here they are in no particular order:
Not the best albums of 2008
Portishead - Third This album was a victim of over-expectation. Portishead took a decade long break between albums and then releases Third after much hype. People, myself included, were expecting a lot more out of this album. After ten years away, you better have a good reason for coming back like, I dunno, a stellar album. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed listening to this record, but it isn't my favorite Portishead release.
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs A pretty mediocre album from a pretty mediocre band. If I had it my way Ben Gibbard would kill of Death Cab and make more Postal Service music. It should be said that I never really liked Death Cab, and I didn't really expect that to change with this album.
Notwist - The Devil, You + Me Again, not a bad album, but not something that I'll listen to too much going forward. Notwist used to a hardcore punk band but changed their tune (OMG LITERALLY!!!) and now they play mellow, ambient music. I didn't like the artwork for this album, it reminded me too much of the new Death Cab for Cutie album. More importantly it reminded me of how much I didn't care for that album.Top Five Albums of 2008 (so far)
Zeigeist - Jade Hotel Nearly all of the songs on this album were downloadable last fall. While that doesn't make those songs any less enjoyable it does lessen the impact of the album as a whole for someone that had been listening to the tracks for a couple months... Still a good album nonetheless. I'd rank it at the bottom of my top five for '08 because it almost sounds recycled. 
Murder By Death - Red of Tooth and Claw I'm a big Murder By Death fan, but this album just didn't do it for me. It's probably my least favorite album by Murder By Death, not counting 'Like the Exorcist...' There are plenty of good songs on this album but it doesn't seem to go anywhere that the 'In Boca al Lupo' didn't. It almost sounds as if the songs for these two albums were recorded at the same time and just spun off to another album. My favorite track on this album is Spring Break 1899, I think these slower brooding tracks are what make Murder By Death a great band.
Olafur Arnalds - Variations of Static I've already written [1] about what I like about this guy's music. This album has fewer songs than his previous release but it's still pretty damn good. This album is more of the 'neoclassical' orchestral style that drew me to the first album. There is a bit more synth in this record though, which is fine by me.
The Dodos - Visiter This album surprised me. I'd never heard of the Dodos before so I wasn't sure what to expect. After a couple of tracks I thought they really sounded like the Dismemberment Plan, who I liked six or seven years ago. As the album progresses my opinion of their style changed. I enjoyed this album because it's lighthearted, easy to listen to, and fun. My favorite track on this album is probably 'Walking' or 'Red and Purple' which were pretty different that most of what I'd heard this year.
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust It shouldn't come as a surprise that this is the best album so far this year. Sigur Rós did a great job on this record and I can't find much to gripe about. At first I wasn't sure this would hold up to 'Takk' but as more time passes the more I like this album. The tracks are almost broken up into two groups, the early songs are much more boisterous than the later ones. After Festival the album becomes much more laid back and get into the signature Sigur Rós song style. I really enjoy this album and I wouldn't be surprised if this is my choice for album of the year when all is said and done.Think I've got it all wrong? Leave a comment about how you don't like the type of music that I like and come up with your own top 5 for the first half of 2008. I dares ya.
I guess I'll have to make a top 5 so far post, though I don't dislike your picks, surprised lykke li isn't on here...