Our music photographer and resident gentleman Mr. Rusty Ralston recently posted a popular Top 10 elephant journal albums of 2008. And now here’s ele’s longtime columnist, Kirk Peterson‘s list…and he knows music, he lives and breathes it. Click links below for random good stuff, and album covers. ~ ed.

DR. DOG  “Fate”   Beatlesque dueling songwriters.

EL GUINCHO “Alegranza”  The Spanish PANDA BEAR.

FLEET FOXES “Fleet Foxes LP/Sun Giant EP”  Bucolic bliss, The Beach Boys of the Puget Sound.

JAMIE LIDELL “Jim”  Blue-eyed soul jukebox.

MAGNETIC FIELDS “Distortion”  Caustic witted shoegazing-chamber pop.

NICK CAVE and THE BAD SEEDS “Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!”  Deranged lounge singing Mad Max.

ROBERT PLANT and ALLISON KRAUSS “Raising Sand”  Classic Americana by a pair of legends.

SANTOGOLD/DIPLO  “Top Ranking”  Dub-heavy mixtape of the year!

THAO AND THE GET DOWN, STAY DOWN  “We Brave Bee Stings and All”  Youthful exuberance, grown up melodies.

TV ON THE RADIO “Dear Science”  NYC Rock and Soul.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND  “Vampire Weekend”  Ivy League meets Ivory Coast.

Kirk Peterson is a semi-retired line chef with a road cycling habit. He can’t seem to escape his day (and night) job as Talent Buyer/Program Director for the historic Boulder Theater: bouldertheater.com