2008 sure was a fantastic year for music. For context, the mythical griffin of rock ’n’ roll, “Chinese Democracy” by Guns N’ Roses, finally came out, and it wasn’t the best album of the year. In fact, it wasn’t even the best album released that week.

That’d be Kanye West, but we’ll get to that later.

Perhaps the best way for me to demonstrate the strength of the year in music would be for me to list my 10 favorite albums of the year.

Yes, perhaps.

10. We Are Scientists — “Brain Thrust Mastery”

We Are Scientists go all Bloc Party on this one, settling in from their post-punk dance thrash past, and concentrating on pure pop appeal. “Brain Thrust Mastery” didn’t make half the impact of the band’s debut, “With Love and Squalor,” but it is still wholly satisfying. Also, the bass player grows the best mustache. No. 10, with ye.

9. Wolf Parade — “At Mount Zoomer”

Let’s pretend Wolf Parade CDs are Hollywood starlets with weird names. Their first disc, “Apologies to the Queen Mary,” is Scarlett Johansson. First time you ever did see her in “Ghost World,” you knew right off that a near-criminal obsession was born.

Wolf Parade’s second disc, “At Mount Zoomer,” is Zooey Deschanel. You took only slight notice of her as the sister in “Almost Famous,” your interest was piqued further when you saw her in “Elf,” and after repeated appearances in films,you finally figure out Zooey, much like Wolf Parade’s new album, puts your former obsession to shame. It just took some time.

8. My Morning Jacket — “Evil Urges”

You’re walking into a crowded bar this holiday season, and all your senses are on overload, what with the stench of cigarettes, sights of humanity spinning all around you and the sounds of strangers screaming at each other.

There’s a band playing in the corner. They’re all scraggly and bearded, dressed in flannel shirts and ripped jeans, like they just finished a day at the sawmill. Based just on their appearance, you’d assume that they’re playing a cover of the Allman Brothers, right?

Wrong. It’s “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man” by Prince. Your ears and your eyes are locked in a struggle to the death. You stagger to the bar and ask the bartender for a stiff shot of context. Nothing makes sense, but you love it.

That’s kind of what this album is like. Except it doesn’t smell like cigarettes.

7. Kanye West — “808s and Heartbreaks”

Kanye West isn’t real. He’s a superstar, a megalomaniac who wants every music award, every accolade, every acknowledgement that he is the greatest musical mind of our generation. No one can relate with him.

And then he releases “808s and Heartbreaks,” which on its face sounds like the most ridiculous concept possible — No rapping? Just him singing, all jacked up on Auto-Tunes? Really? — and it ends up being a purely authentic, painful expression of breakup and remorse. It’s sad. It’s universal.

It’s almost as if, underneath the gargantuan persona, there’s a real person inside Kanye.

6. Vampire Weekend — “Vampire Weekend”

“Who gives a (Blagojevich) about an Oxford comma?” Vampire Weekend asks, and I say, “Me, myself and I.”

I have to. It’s my occupation. But, praise Bill Gates, I finally have a band as nerdy as I am. It’s light, inoffensive indie rock with world music influences that makes me feel all book smart.

5. Bloc Party — “Intimacy”

Bloc Party combine the frantic energy of their breakout, “Silent Alarm” with the musicianship of their second, “A Weekend in the City,” in an underappreciated, fragile, and insular look at mortality and how easily faith can be lost in this world. If you’ve lost anyone near and dear to you, be sure to check out the song, “Signs.” It’ll make you melt.

4. Murder By Death — “Red of Tooth and Claw”

Why do I love this band so much? Is it the cello on every song? Yes. Is it the lead singer’s Johnny Cash baritone? Yes. Is it the literary themes? The concept albums? The visage of “B” movie westerns and film noir? Yes, yes and yes. On “Red of Tooth and Claw,” the songs rumble and chug, sharp like a razor, steady as a train. And there’s never any lack for details in a Murder By Death disc. Rich instrumentation. Rich songwriting. Best of all, it’s a bloody, horrific ordeal.

Once again, it seems no one bares their guts quite like Murder By Death.

3. Paul Westerberg — “49:00”

Paul Westerberg, former lead singer of the Replacements, could read classified ads out of the City Pages for 49 minutes, and I’d put it in my Top Ten, so don’t anyone look surprised.

“49:00,” stylistically, sounds very close to the loose, first-take style of his past decade in music. I call them delightfully amateurish. The difference this time is that all the songs are blended together into one nearly 45-minute track, and were made available for download online for a mere 49 cents. Excited? Don’t be; it’s not available anymore, due to copyright issues.

Like the running dialogue in your head during any 49 minutes of your day, the songs shift tones and subject at the drop of a hat, sometimes two different songs play in opposite speakers, everything moves along a distinguishable string of logic, but the string is tied in knots. If you’re lucky enough to have gotten this album, just hit play and let your mind wander.

2. The Gaslight Anthem — “The ’59 Sound”

The Gaslight Anthem picked the perfect time to put out a punk album that feels and sounds like something out of Bruce Springsteen’s catalogue. Complete with Jersey accent and insular lyrical themes, this band and this album strike a chord for the working man, just like The Boss does.

If the economic meltdown has got you down, the contagious spirit, unforgettable hooks, reverence for rock’s roots and absolute sincerity of “The ’59 Sound” is your bailout.

1. TV on the Radio — “Dear Science”

Music critics all get that this band is two or three planes of existence above the rest of us. So, yeah, their first two albums are brilliant works of art.

But can you enjoy either disc all that much? Not really. Appreciate, yes. Enjoy? Except for impossibly catchy “Wolf Like Me” on “Cookie Mountain,” not as much.

But, here it is, third time and they put it together. Genius songwriting, exquisite layering, art that will last a generation, and you can pop it on at your next party without feeling stupid. No one will even look up from the bowl of Cheez-Its to notice you took MGMT out of the rotation. Equal parts literature, politics and foot-tapping. It’s literally perfect.

Also, it’s pretty apparent that they can never follow this up. Where can they possibly go from here? Can’t get higher than the mountaintop.

Goodbye forever, TV on the Radio. I love you.

(Reach columnist Kelly Hagen at 250-8259 or kelly.hagen@bismarcktribune.com.)