Female singers dominate this top 10

By Kyle Ridley/For the News & Messenger
Published: December 25, 2008

I knew my "Best of '08" music chart would be female-dominated as I scanned my iPod and compiled a list of CDs purchased this year. I've always been drawn to female songwriters, lyrically and vocally, but always have a good chunk of male albums that resonate as well. Not the case this year. Believe me, some gentlemen fought hard to make the final cut, such as Jakob Dylan's beautifully-mellow solo debut "Seeing Things" and R.E.M.'s excitingly energized "Accelerate," but in the end, 2008 belonged to the ladies.

1. "19,"Adele. It's no surprise this London-born powerhouse is taking the states by storm with her incredible debut CD, "19." She was recently nominated for four Grammys, including Best New Artist and Best Song, and is embarking on a nearly sold-out tour in January. This 20-year-old soul singer has a voice beyond her years and a style that takes listeners to a simpler time, when music was actually about music, not image or marketing. "19" is a beautiful collection of golden tunes, from the orchestra-driven hit single "Chasing Pavements," to the bare, solo acoustic "Crazy for You." It's one of those timeless discs that sets a mood upon first notes … almost a dreamlike listen. Standout tracks: "Crazy for You," "Hometown Glory," "Cold Shoulder."

2. "Flavors of Entanglement," Alanis Morissette. Morissette's dynamic fifth album is a no-holds-barred marathon chronicling the devastating demise of her engagement to actor Ryan Reynolds and the hopeful resurrection, post rock bottom. A one-two punch of wrench-ing breakup ballads is scattered throughout the mix. The heartbreaking trio of "Not as We," "Torch" and "Tapes" perhaps contain Morissette's most vulnerable lyrics, and the raw vocals delicately capture the open-wounded sentiment. Though Morissette is no stranger to laying it all on the table, this supreme new disc takes the cake in terms of personal revelations and unrestrained release. Standout tracks: "Not As We," Citizen of the Planet," "Incomplete."

3. "Rockferry," Duffy. It's easy for some people to lump Duffy and Adele into a soulful "British invasion" category, with the likes of Amy Winehouse and Estelle, but they all stand separate and tall in my book. Duffy's remarkable debut, "Rockferry," is certainly influenced by old school Motown, but with a modern twist, which is undeniably addictive. Much of the CD deals with the trials of romance and the unraveling of love. Hit single "Mercy" is an upbeat R&B number about the chains of infatuation, while "Syrup and Honey" offers a quieted plea for a lover to show her attention. "I'm Scared" is a heartbreaking study of the painful silence one experiences in the wake of a lover's goodbye. Standout Tracks: "I'm Scared," "Rockferry," "Warwick Avenue."

4. "Lantana," Caroline Herring. Herring balances her songwriting between personal experience and a storytel-ling approach. The new tracks cover her first year of marriage ("Stone Cold World"), death and the afterlife ("Lay My Burden Down") and motherhood ("Lover Girl"). On "Paper Gown," Herring explores the life of Susan Smith, who drowned her two sons in 1994 after her boyfriend rejected her ready-made family. Herring sings the role of Smith, recounting the night of her children's death and the days leading to her confession. She considers the crime to be "the most horrifying tale there is," but gained empathy for Smith after researching her childhood and learning that her father committed suicide and her stepfather molested her. Standout Tracks: "Stone Cold World," "Paper Gown."

5. "Acid Tongue," Jenny Lewis. The genius of a Jenny Lewis album lies in the inability to label it. Without boundaries, the Rilo Kiley frontwoman stretches the musical limit and refuses to play inside the lines of formulaic sounds. Rock. Country. Soul. Folk. Blues. Pop. Gospel. Disco. Lewis does it all; and her new solo CD, "Acid Tongue," is no exception. The 47-minute disc pushes the flame-haired trouba-dour to the head of today's elite class of singer-songwriters. Aside from Lewis' paramount songwriting, "Acid Tongue's" raw recordings are the key factor in its success. The vocals were tracked live, leaving room for muddy imperfections and grainy studio sound, which all benefit the end product. The unpolished approach is reminiscent of Liz Phair's classic 1993 debut, "Exile in Guyville," and is a stimulating shift from the glossy standards of today's music industry. Standout tracks: "Jack Killed Mom," "Acid Tongue," "Fernando."

Rounding out the top 10:

6. "Shotgun Singer," Kris Delmhorst

7. "Funhouse," Pink

8. "Accelerate," R.E.M.

9. "Made of Bricks," Kate Nash

10. "Seeing Things," Jakob Dyla

Kyle Ridley can be reached at .