Here they are, the best of the best of 2008 according to our highly skilled, fabulously opinionated staff. If there's something here that intrigues you, be sure to ask to check it out next time you stop in.

Best Reissue
1. Various Artists: Love Train-Sound of Philadelphia
2. Various Artists: Eccentric Soul 21-Soul Messages From Dimona
3. Replacements- Tim

Best Live Show
Joe Jackson

Best In-Store
Lisa Hannigan

Most Welcome Comeback
Al Green

Guilty Pleasure
Buddy Greco

Best Artwork/Packaging
Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary

Misc. Fav’s
Brotherhood
Life & Times of Tim
Avocados

Best Reissue
1. Love- Forever Changes
2. Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland
3. Deltron 3030- S/T

Best Live Show
1. Portishead- Mayan
2. Entrance- Low End Theory
3. Radiohead- Hollywood Bowl

Best In-Store
Shearwater

Most Welcome Comeback
Wu Tang

Best Artwork/Packaging
Nobody Presents Blank Blue- Western Water Music II

Misc. Fav’s
Jedi Mind Tricks
Dexter
History Of Violence
Kids Meals (From Lucilles)

Best Reissue
1. Otis Redding
2. New Order
3. Jesus & Mary Chain

Best Live Show
1. My Bloody Valentine- Santa Monica Civic
2. Nick Cave/Cat Power/Spiritualized- Hollywood Bowl
3. Liars/ No Age- El Rey

Best In-Store
Cold War Kids

Most Welcome Comeback
Portishead/MBV

Guilty Pleasure
MGMT

Best Artwork/Packaging
School of Seven Bells/Thievery Corporation

Misc. Fav’s
ANP Quarterly
IceCreamMan.com
Fido Trust Records
C Salt Gourmet Chocolates
DDR Projects Gallery

Best Reissue
1. Rodriguez- Cold Fact
2. Eccentric Soul #21- Soul Messages From Dimona
3. Carcass- Reek of Putrefaction

Best Live Show
1. Patti Smith- Orpheum
2. Prince/Portishead/Kraftwerk- Coachella
3. Boredoms w/ 88 Drummers- Fonda & Tar Pits

Best In-Store
People Under The Stairs

Most Welcome Comeback
Portishead

Guilty Pleasure
MGMT

Best Artwork/Packaging
Earth

Misc. Fav’s
Everyone, but Larry
Upright Citizens Brigade
Kid Robot-Simpsons
Playing Pool @ Ferns
Working @Fingerprints
Movie Night

Best Reissue
1. David Bowie- Live Santa Monica ‘72
2. Rodriguez- Cold Fact
3. Kinks- Picture Book

Best Live Show
1. Last Shadow Puppets- Mayan
2. Oasis- Staples Center

Best In-Store
People Under The Stairs

Guilty Pleasure
Frank

Best Artwork/Packaging
Oasis

Misc. Fav’s
Cheap Trick
Budokau DVD
My Cat “Candy”

Best Reissue
1. David Bowie- Live In Santa Monica ‘72
2. Rodriguez- Cold Fact
3. Symarip (Deluxe Ed) – Skinhead Moonstomp

Best Live Show
1. Leslie Hall- Glasshouse
2. Gogol Bordello- Detour Fest
3. See Spot- CD Release Party

Best In-Store
Rivers Cuomo

Most Welcome Comeback
Portishead

Guilty Pleasure
Metallica

Best Artwork/Packaging
Flight Of the Conchords

Misc. Fav’s
Peskimo’s Bamboo Zoo- Kid Robot Toy
E Pluribus Venom by Shepard Fairey
Venture Brothers- Season 3

Best Reissue
1. Beck Odelay
2. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030
3. Graham Nash- Songs For Beginners

Best Live Show
1. Radiohead- Hollywood Bowl
2. Mars Volta- Brea Events Center
3. Portishead- Mayan

Best In-Store
Grand Old Party

Most Welcome Comeback
Potishead

Guilty Pleasure
NERD- Seeing Sounds

Best Artwork/Packaging
Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quintet

Misc. Fav’s
Banksy & Dangermouse’s Paris Hilton CD
Erykah Badu’s Gramaphone Reproductive System
“The Nightman Cometh”

Best Reissue
1. Rodriguez- Cold Fact
2. My Bloody Valentine- Loveless
3. Nigeria70- Lagos Jump

Best Live Show
Portishead- Mayan

Best In-Store
mine

Most Welcome Comeback
1. Rogriguez
2. My Bloody Valentine
3. Portishead

Guilty Pleasure
MGMT-Oracular Spectacular

Best Artwork/Packaging
Flying Lotus- Los Angeles

Misc. Fav’s
Gaslamp Killer- I Spit On Your Grave
DEXTER!
The Nightman Cometh
Josh Teagues Cooking

Best Reissue
1. Nerves- One Way Ticket
2. Magazine- Peel Sessions
3. Curtis Fuller- Opener

Best Live Show
1. Negative Approach- Pomona Eagles Club
2. Night Marchers- Belly Up Tavern
3. Gutter Twins- Avalon

Best In-Store
Tom Brosseau

Most Welcome Comeback
Jesus Lizard, Verve

Guilty Pleasure
TV On The Radio

Best Artwork/Packaging
Tegan & Sarah Live @ Fingerprints

Misc. Fav’s
Starr Sink
Bolognes
Raiders

Best Reissue
1. Rodriguez-Cold Fact
2. New Order- Low Life
3. New Order- Technique

Best Live Show
1. Digitalism- El Rey
2. Cut Copy- Echoplex/Glasshouse
3. Radiohead- Cricket Wireless Amp

Best In-Store
Ed Harcourt’s Bassist

Most Welcome Comeback
My Bloody Valentine

Guilty Pleasure
Hair Metal

Best Artwork/Packaging
Dark Night Joker- Why So Serious?

Misc. Fav’s
Allan Bloom’s- Closing Of American Minds
La Strada-Lasagna and NY Upper Crust Pizza
Kundera’s- Unbearable Lightness of Being

Best Reissue
1. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030
2. Jurassic 5- Jurassic 5
3. Rodriguez- Cold Fact

Best Live Show
1. Portishead- Mayan
2. Daedelus- Low End Theory
3. Entrance Band- Low End Theory

Best In-Store
People Under The Stairs

Most Welcome Comeback
QTip

Guilty Pleasure
Santogold

Best Artwork/Packaging
Atmosphere

Misc. Fav’s
Greyboy night at the Pike
Wednesdays at Low End Theory
DubStep

Best Reissue
1. Rodriguez- Cold Fact
2. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030
3. New Order- Power Corruption & Lies

Best In Store
Silversun Pickups

Most Welcome Comeback
Terry Reid

Guilty Pleasure
Weezer

Best Artwork/Packaging
Big Lebowski Bowling Ball

Misc. Fav’s
Rockband 2 for Xbox
My cat peeing off Starr's porch roof, and almost hitting Thad
Biter Bierce

Hi there! My name is Thad, I work here at the ‘Prints. I really enjoy the new album from Jolie Holland, titled The Living and the Dead put out by the wonderful folks at ANTI Records, and think you might want to give it a listen. Sure am glad I did. Have been a fan of Ms. Holland’s work after being exposed to her previous solo effort, released a couple of years ago, and have since dug into her back catalog and work in various projects. Jolie has a genuine feel to her vocal delivery, refreshing to me personally in our fast-paced day-to-day pushed onward by bright lights and plastic. A gentle smoky tone (think Lucinda Williams, only not so aggressive) to her voice along with a round Texan accent (which I find delightful) shaping some of her words, making her phrasing more expressive with respect to the lyrical content and mood of the songs on this record. The music is undoubtedly American, in the best way. Songs of loss, hope and travel. A consistent mellow feel throughout this one, and I have found it great for my quiet times, of which there are unfortunately few. The cast backing her up on this record is nothing less than phenome al, too. M. Ward is all over this thing, along with his usual drummer and Marc Ribot playing some intriguing and tasteful lead guitar. If you are unfamiliar with either Marc or M., I highly suggest digging into their work after you give The Living and the Dead a listen. Here’s the deal, if you listen to 3 minutes of the opening track of this CD (“Mexico City”) and don’t like the hell out of it, then I won’t ask you to listen any further. This record is not for you. Which would not make you a bad person, just thought I’d give you my two cents on new music I like. If you DO sit down with The Living and the Dead and DO like it, allow me to suggest these albums you might dig, too:
    - Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
    - Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
    - Willie Nelson (w/ Daniel Lanois) - Teatro
    - Ryan Adams - Cardinology

Three albums in and Ray still isn’t a household name...it’s just wrong. If you don’t know Ray, you just click right here right now. It’s breathy, introspective, emotional, and about as real as music comes (think a bit of an Otis Redding meets Van Morrison, if you aren’t reading this near a computer). He’s playing The Wiltern on the 30th, and yes, it would be great if he’d come back here, but it’s probably unlikely at this point - his lack of a household name not-withstanding. This one gets our highest recommendation. Also available on vinyl.