lists of 08
no particular order.
1. thrice - alchemy index 3/4
2. nin - ghosts
3. caspian/constants split.
4. god is an astronaught - s/t
5. this town needs guns - animals
6. meshuggah -obzen
7. celebrity - ep
8. Russian Circles - Station
9. roma 79 - praise the divide
10. mogwai - the hawk is howling
honorable mention:
sigur ros- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
death cab - narrow stairs
mock orange - captain love
city and colour - bring me your love
- how does a 2 song split make a top 10 list?
1. 100% of the songs kick ass. better than most of the other cds on the list.
2. it was a shitty year for releases.
that brings me to the next list.....
- non 08 records that received the most spins -
#1 HANDS DOWN MOST PLAYED
- Oceansize - Frames
somehow, this record slipped my radar in 07, despite me loving the shit out of 05's 'everyone into position'.
when i sat down with frames, i knew then and there that i could survive through the music drought of 08, by celebrating this band's catalog.
....and boy, i have. so when i say Frames is the most played record, i mean that it barely edges out their other lp's/ep's.
if i could put frames as #1 on the 08 list, i would.
2. shiner - the egg
3. nin - the fragile / with teeth / year zero
4. the dear hunter - act I / act II
5. failure - fantastic planet
6. jatun - s/t
7. the life and times - hymns/the magician
8. hum - downward is heavenward
9. thrice - alchemy index 1/2
10. swervedriver - mezcalhead
-top shows-
1. Swervedriver/ life and times @ metro (tlat's set was mediocre to a shitty live mix)
2. my bloody valentine @ aragon
3. the dear hunter @ the beat kitchen
4. thrice @ metro
5. sigur ros @ chicago theater
2009 is shaping up to be sweet though.
records from:
- autolux
- the dear hunter
- the life and times!
- jatun
and for a frame of reference, a few old lists.....
===
Lists of 2007
In no particular order…..
Except for number 1.
Best records of the Year.
1. The Dear Hunter - Act 2.
Simply the best music I have heard in a long, long time.
2. Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
A Proggy pop gem.
3. The End - Elementary
Metal album of the year, no doubt.
4. Thrice – The Alchemy Index
Fire is awesome, but water is amazing.
5. Ken Andrews - Secret of the Lost Satellite.
What it lacks in song quality, it makes up for with Production.
6. 6. Tie.
-National Skyline – Last Day EP.
Just awesome. Itunes only. Bastards.
- As Cities Burn - Come now Sleep
At the drive in meets shoegaze. wonderful.
7. Coheed – No World for Tomorrow
Just a killer rock record. A bit of a vocal show case, but still solid.
8. Battles – Mirrored
Avant-garde, and awesome.
9. Radiohead – In Rainbows
Just about anything they do will likely make my list ☺
10. 10. Tie:
- Wilco – Sky Blue Sky.
- Futures of Forestry - Twilight.
Both records are only about 1/2 good....it was a slow year for music!
Honorable Mention:
- Adam Franklin – Bolts of Melody.
- Circa Survive – On Letting Go
- The Fucking Champs – VI
- Jesu – Pale Sketches
Albums that failed to meet meager expectations:
1. Hopesfall – Magnetic North.
The band needs to break up, now.
2. Pelican – City of Echos.
Good riffs do not make a good record.
3. Receiving End of Sirens – The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi.
They booted all the talent in that band. The difference in the 2 records
Scream they made the wrong decision.
Non 2007 Records that got the most play.
1. Shiner- the egg
2. Failure- fantastic planet
3. celebrity- lovesick
4. Cave In- Antenna
5. Isis- Panopticon/Oceanic
6. Clint Mansell – The Fountain Soundtrack
7. Mkshft- Caterwaul Effect
8. Ava- Music of Chance
9. houston- bottom of the curve
10. actors and actresses - we love our enemies
11. swervedriver - mezcalhead
12. life and times – hymns/the magician
13. hum- Downward
14. Dredg – El Cielo
15. Dear Hunter – Act 1
16. Brand New- The Devil and God are raging inside me.
Best Shows of 2007
1. Dear Hunter/Culpa @ Chubby Rain
2. The End @ the Beat Kitchen
3. Caspian/Constants @ The Note
4. The Fucking Champs @ the Bottle
5. Open Hand @ Double Door
6. Isis/Jesu @ Metro (Jesu dropped the ball, isis made up for it).
=====
Lists Of The Year 2006
in no particular order.....
(well, maybe a rough order)
1. the life and times - the magician
2. tool - 10000 days
3. mastodon - blood mountain
4. celebrity - mining for twilight
5. jesu - silver
6. isis - in the absence of truth (and/or Fishtank ep)
7. Constants - the murder of tom fitzgerril
8. Don Cab - World Class Listening Problem
9. of the opera - study natural law
10. tie: 2 mediocre records...... KSE and Incubus
(review below)
---------
Albums i wish i liked more. To be fair, it is not that i don't like these records.....they just weren't what i had expected.....which kills me, because i hate to put high expectations on a record.
Russian Circles -
Enter ---
its the EP, with 2 extra songs, that imo, don't hold up with the other tracks on the disc.
Mars Volta-
Amputecture---
i get into the other albums, but this just doesn't do it for me. songwriting and jamming both lack.
Muse-
Blackholes and Revelations
--- i think it is a hair to brit pop for me. less pop, more rock, thats my motto.
Incubus - Light Grenades
--- it is at least consistent.......in the sense that each album has progressively gotten worse since SCIENCE. Although, to be fair, id rate science at a 10.01, and make yourself at a 10.0........
Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies.
---- Sounds like a batch of killer songs......that didn't make it on to The End of Heartache........the songs aren't bad......but the record is very vanilla......has all the parts: killer guitars, awesome drums, huge vox........just didn't bring it overall. it has potential to grow on me.
-------------------
a few worth mentioning....
del rey - a pyramid for the living (2 drummer inst. indie band)
your black star - sound from the ground (ex elliot.....poppy space rock sounds)
the octave museum- s't_ (stephen brodsky from cave in.....indie pop cd)
En-masse - the alarm_ _(ex further seems forever, moments in grace....poppy space rock
(i have a type, i know))
Irreversible - Age (awesome doom metal meets hopesfall rawk)
---------------
non 06 albums that got the most play
1. Shiner- the egg
2. Failure- fantastic planet
3. celebrity- lovesick
4. Cave In- Antenna
5. Isis- Panopticon
6. Minus the Bear- pirates
7. Mkshft- Caterwaul Effect
8. Ava- Music of Chance
9. houston- bottom of the curve
10. actors and actresses - we love our enemies
11. swervedriver - mezcalhead
12. life and times - hymns
13. hum- ypaa
14. year of the rabbit - st
------
shows of 06
1. mastodon @ metro
2. life and times @ subt.
3. minus the bear/circles @ logan square/mirmar
4. isis @ beat kitchen
5. pelican/circles @ empty bottle
6. rock in the park_ ;D
7. actors&actresses/caspian
8. pelican/tlat @ metro
9. poison the well @ metro
10. tool/isis @ allstate
----------
lists of the year 2005.....
[U]top 10 cds[/U]
released this year (rough order, changes daily)
1. life and times- suburban hymns
2. coheed- good apollo
3. circa survive- juturna
4. pelican- fire in our throats
5. thrice- vheissu
6. the recieving ends of sirens- between the heart..
7. dredg- catch without arms
8. tmv- frances the mute
9. [B]TIE[/B] open hand- you and me[]minus the bear- menos el oso
10. Theta- tone poems
[U]honorable mention[/U]
death cab for cutie- plans
riddle of steel- got this feelin'
Finch- Say Hello to Sunshinet
[U]biggest disappointment[/U]
avenged sevenfold- city of evil
[U]Top 5 Shows[/U]
1. Pelican/Russian Circles/Red Sparrowes @ Metro
2. Coheed @ Metro
3. Dredg/Circa Survive @ the Rave Bar
4. [B]TIE[/B] Mastodon/Cult of Luna @ Bottom Lounge[]The Life and Times @ Bottom Lounge
5. Open Hand @ Rave Bar (me and 8 people got to see open hand perform, and they rocked as hard as if there were 1000)
[U]Top 5 Local Shows[/U]
1. A Promise Made/Constants/Piglet@ Venetian
2. Braille/Anathello @ Abby
3. Owen/Anathallo/Bullet Conscience @ LFC
4. Mondays Hero/Braille/Ammi/Culpa @ Venetian
5. 24frames/bleeding martyr/protosaur @ Rock and Rack
[U]Non 05 discs that got the most play[/U]
1. Shiner- the egg
2. Failure- fantastic planet
3. hopesfall- the satellite years
4. Cave In- Antenna
5. Isis- Panopticon
6. Minus the Bear- Beer Commercials
7. Mkshft- Caterwaul Effect
8. Ava- Music of Chance
9. Dredg- El Cielo
10.[B]TIE[/B]Year of the Rabbit- S/T[] Incubus- A Crow
Left of the Murder
