2008 in music. • Page 3

Definitely some adjustments to be made from when I made this list in 2008, but not a ton I would change. I think Lil Wayne & Kanye both would make it toward the middle of the list if I did a full re-do

1. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
2. Good Old War - Only Way To Be Alone
3. Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground - Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground
4. The Matches - A Band In Hope
5. Copeland You - Are My Sunshine
6. Anathallo - Canopy Glow
7. Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd
8. Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
9. Foxy Shazam - Introducing
10. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
11. Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony
12. Anberlin - New Surrender
13. The Audition - Champion
14. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
15. Weezer - Weezer
16. Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt
17. Forgive Durden - Razia's Shadow
18. Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors
19. Jet Lag Gemini - Fire The Cannons
20. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

 

1. The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Grave
2. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
3. Why? - Alopecia
4. James McMurtry - Just Us Kids
5. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
6. Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, & Curse
7. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
8. Shearwater - Rook
9. Damien Jurado - Caught in the Trees
10. Jamey Johnson - The Lonesome Song
11. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers

 

2008 mix, just missing Alkaline Trio - Burned In The House

 

1. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
2. killer Mike - I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II

 

man I really was the only one how gave a crap about FOB back then. No wonder why you all hated me, lol.

 

Just listened to this and this was pretty wild! Not sure I've heard many bands do that kind of jazz piano with ludicrously high tempo and aggressive hardcore. Something certainly very different anyway, loads of energy here - the second track was wonderfully unhinged.

Could have done with a different album cover though, felt kind of skeevy pressing play initially ha.

 

1. The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound
2. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
3. City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love

 

1. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
3. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster

The '59 Sound and The Midnight Organ Fight stand amongst the best of the decade and its almost impossible to choose which I prefer for different reasons. The first is a romantic ode to escapism in the form of some of the best punk rock songs of the decade. The second is a very sad record that has resonated throughout the last 14 years (fuck!) in some of the hardest moments of my life, with it's ultimately hopeful message helping me remain optimistic in rough times.

Hold On Now Youngster is definitely Los Campesinos!' most inconsistent album. A spazzy ambitious mess, which contains some of their catchiest songs, (Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats, You! Me! Dancing!) alongside others that haven't aged as well (Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s)). I still love every twee soaked minute of it though.

 

Listened to both The '59 Sound and Stay Positive on a bike ride this afternoon. Both immediately felt like I rated them too low on my list. Talk about two consistently great bands firing on all cylinders. You love to see it.

 

This is going to be an unbelievably hard year to rank the top 3. Too many that are neck-and-neck

 

1. Panic! at the Disco - Pretty Odd.
2. The Gaslight Anthem - The 59 Sound
3. Metallica - Death Magnetic

Pretty odd is one of the most underrated albums I've heard in my entire life. It has nothing to do with their first album, which I loved, too. Absolutely different, very Beatles-esque, with great melodies and really great songs (When the day met the night is justo gorgeous). An absolute gem.

59 sound could have been my number 1, but I guess TGA will take the top spot with American Slang. Great, great record.

Death Magnetic was a nice surprise. I love All nightmare long, Broken beat and scarred, and a couple more. The were back.

I like the Red Album from Weezer, and I can say without shame that The Greatest Man That Ever Lived is one of their best 3 songs. Also like The Alchemy Index III and IV, and enjoyed Only by the Night, by Kings of Leon.

 

Cheers man - great list and note.

This is a statement IMO - no offense to the FOB fans here, but pastiche or not, Panic truly knocked it out of the park with this album, and to my ears, hit way higher highs than Fall Out Boy ever did. I couldn't believe it when I first heard it - and even as a fan of the first album, I was shocked at their ambition on Pretty. Odd. Again, I probably rated it too low.

The way their career arc progressed after this, with Ross leaving the band, and Urie continuing to make them more mainstream successful just makes this album look even better in retrospect, at least to me. Such an enjoyable listen.

 

Pretty Odd is their best album. Fever is also their best album. But just those two.

 

so fucking true lol

 

Love the Panic albums after the first two (except Death of a Bachelor), but it's pretty obvious the lyrics take a nosedive

 

1. Less than Jake - GNV FLA

- LTJ has been my favorite band since High School. I remember listening to this record a ton when me and my girlfriend (now wife) went on our first vacation together to Disney World.

2. No Use for a Name - The Feel Good Record of the Year

- My favorite NUFAN record. I think Tony Sly was only getting better as a song writer. A damn shame that we’ll never get a follow up. RIP

3. Millencolin - Machine 15

- 2008 was the year I moved out of my parents house and rented a house with 4 of my best friends. Millencolin has always been a favorite of mine and this record kinda comforted me with the change (even though I only moved about 10 minutes away from my parents) hahah

 

2008
1. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
2. Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
3. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

4. Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd.
5. Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight: Original Motion Picture Score
6. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam In Goliath
7. Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux
8. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
9. Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. 3 & 4: Air & Earth
10. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
11. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
12. Anberlin - New Surrender
13. Lady Gaga - The Fame

Honorable Mentions
Coldplay - Prospekt's March (EP)
Finch (EP)
Third Eye Blind - Red Star (EP)

Favorite songs from other 2008 albums
Thomas Newman - "Revolutionary Road (End Title)" (From Revolutionary Road)
James Newton Howard - "End Title Suite" (From The Happening)
Michael Giacchino - "Of Mice And Ben" (From LOST: Season 4)
Paramore - "Decode"
Fall Out Boy, John Mayer - "Beat It"
Kevin Rudolf, Lil Wayne - "Let It Rock"
Maroon 5, Rihanna - "If I Never See Your Face Again"
Rihanna - "Disturbia"
Estelle - "American Boy"
September - "Cry For You"
Britney Spears - "Womanizer"
3OH!3 - "STARSTRUKK"
Ida Maria - "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked"
Sigur Ros - "Gobbledigook"
Weezer - "Pork And Beans"
Nickelback - "Something In Your Mouth"
Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"
Katy Perry - "I Kissed A Girl"
The Pussycat Dolls - "When I Grow Up"
Natasha Bedingfield - "Pocketful Of Sunshine"

(A lot of good pop songs this year!)

The Slip is very special to me. Though it's my 3rd favorite NIN album behind The Downward Spiral and The Fragile, I find it to be more contained, simple and direct. It's more muscular but vulnerable too. The buzzsaw guitar riffs, the alien atmosphere.. just great stuff.

Viva La Vida is my favorite Coldplay album and it happened to come during a pretty emotional low point in my life so it was a soundtrack for healing to me.

Narrow Stairs is Death Cab For Cutie at their absolute peak IMO. Those longer instrumental passages, the more mature themes and just great hooks make a lot of these songs the best of their career and my favorite DCFC album.

 

Not a panic guy at all, I guess I like the early and recent singles a little bit in a fun way, but mostly I find them annoying. That said, Pretty Odd fucking rules. It’s too spotty to make my list, which I’ve still gotta get around to, but what an absolute level up (and subsequent level back down). Nine, green gentleman, and most of all northern downpour are all stunners. I was bummed when the second dude left the band, he really pushed them in a fun direction on PO and they nailed it more than not.

 

Loved fall out boy back then, just hated folie.

 

100%. Pretty Odd is the only Panic album I've ever enjoyed. That Jennifer's Body song that came after was also great, and then they lost me again.

 

can we fast forward to go down on me

 

Pretty Odd is the 1 Panic album I just don't enjoy

 

1. Taylor Swift: Fearless
2. Panic! At the Disco: Pretty. Odd.
3. Lady Gaga: The Fame

4. The Maine: Can't Stop, Won't Stop
5. Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak
6. Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III
7. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
8. Bayside: Shudder
9. Fall Out Boy: Folie a Deux
10. Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs
11. Ludo: You're Awful, I Love You

Others I like:
Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend
Beyonce: I Am... Sasha Fierce
The Academy Is...: Fast Times at Barrington High
Cage the Elephant: Cage the Elephant
Rise Against: Appeal To Reason
Miley Cyrus: Breakout
Weezer: Red Album
The Audition: Champion
Every Avenue: Shh, Just Go With It
The Morning Of: The World As We Know It

Albums that absolutely do not hold up but that I liked at the time:
Forever the Sickest Kids: Underdog Alma Matter
Sing It Loud: Come Around
A Skylit Drive: Wires... and the Concept of Breathing
Attack Attack!: Someday Came Suddenly
Bring Me the Horizon: Suicide Season
The Morning Light: The Sounds of Love - EP