The Best Albums In Dallas Music, 2008: Sarah Jaffe's Even Born Again EP Hits No. 6

Editor's Note: Over the next 10 days, I'll be presenting my favorite local records of the year, counting down from No. 10 to No. 1, one album a day. Keep checking back to see how the list pans out, and, in the meantime, click after the jump to see albums...

By Pete Freedman

December 26, 2008

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18855504",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17105533",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105532",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105535",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Editor's Note: Over the next 10 days, I'll be presenting my favorite local records of the year, counting down from No. 10 to No. 1, one album a day. Keep checking back to see how the list pans out, and, in the meantime, click after the jump to see albums No. 20-11 in the Top 20 list that will update as the it grows...

No. 6: Sarah Jaffe -- Even Born Again EP

A powerhouse of a talent, Sarah Jaffe's music is compelling because it so craftily stradles the line between the delicate and the confident. And here, on her first official release (even if it is just a six-track EP), Jaffe uses those intricate songwriting talents to announce her arrival in a big way.

It's the album of a 22-year-old who doesn't know she's 22; it's as if she's bottled up her emotions, sent them 10 years into the future, and asked her future self to write the score for her life. Only, well, that 22-year-old clearly has things under control on her own.

Although heavily reliant on Jaffe's vocals and acoustic guitar playing, Even Born Again is more than just another folk record: The title track is a sweeping, almost bombastic affair, and the surprisingly raucous "Under" utilizes a fuzzed out electric guitar and a plodding drum beat to great, almost Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-like effect.

Bonus mp3:

Sarah Jaffe -- "Even Born Again"

It's a phenomenal debut. So much so that it's almost scary to acknowledge that this is, in fact, only the very, very beginning. --Pete Freedman

The Top 20 Local Releases Of 2008
20. Collin Herring - Past Life Crashing
19. Stumptone - Gravity Suddenly Released
18. Dove Hunter - The Southern Unknown
17. Febrifuge - A Short Instance Of Separation
16. Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights - Hot Trottin'
15. Toadies - No Deliverance
14. Record Hop - Record Hop
13. The New Frontiers - Mending
12. Fight Bite - Emerald Eyes
11. Lil Wil - Dolla$, TX
10. Dem Southernfolkz - The Message
9. True Widow - True Widow
8. The Theater Fire - Matter and Light
7. Centro-matic/South San Gabriel - Dual Hawks
6. Sarah Jaffe - Even Born Again EP
5. ??????
4. ??????
3. ??????
2. ??????
1. ??????

...and keep checking back, as this list will update daily.

KEEP THE OBSERVER FREE... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.