1/ After long and hard consideration, the jury put Coldplay with Prospekt’s March on top of 2008’s releases. It is considered an unprecedented example of post-completion to an already genuinely great work, Viva La Vida (or Death and all His Friends).
The jury particularly appreciates the massive consistency. Personally I also love the guys for using the ghost title of the pre-release Viva.
2/ Not to be forgotten, to say the least, are:
- The Futureheads – This Is Not The World. Uplifting revelation
- Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts. Genius re-emerges beyond words
- The Last Shadow Puppets – The age of the Understatement. Daredevils produce past-rooted contemporary masterpiece
- British Sea Power – Do you like Rock music? Kings of Indie
- Brett Anderson – Wilderness. Former glam star contemplates (still)
- The Verve – Forth. Grinding comeback with beatle-esque dignity
- The Triffids – The Black Swan. Original intentions evilly reinstated
3/ The jury got used to the high performance level of Usual Suspects:
- Bloc Party – Intimacy.
- Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid.
- Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns.
- Kaiser Chiefs – Off With Their Heads.
4/ Unofficial commenting of the jury:
- CPeX – Verzameld. Schitterende wederkomst onder de zon
- Boeijen Hofstede Vrienten – Aardige Jongens. Méér dan aardig
- Bauhaus – Go Away White. Un-avoided relaxed quality
- Alanis Morissette – Flavors of Entanglement. Expanded scapes
