BEST ALBUMS of 2008

Here we go the big reveal:

Honorable Mentions: Anthony Green - Avalon, The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound, Russian Circles - Station, Thrice - The Alchemy Index Volumes 3 & 4: Air & Earth, United Nations - United Nations

10. Once Nothing - First Came The Law
9. Copeland - You Are My Sunshine
8. Dance Gavin Dance - Dance Gavin Dance
7. Good Old War - Only Way To Be Alone
6. Bayside - Shudder

5. Underøath - Lost In The Sound of Separation
Unquestionably my favorite UO record to date. I can't think of a single complaint about it.

4. Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, and Curse
Every time I listen to this record I find a new song to love.

3. City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love
The beauty of this one lies in it's sheer simplicity.

2. La Dispute - Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair
One of the most emotional records I've ever heard in my life. Legitimate screamo is still alive and kicking.

1. Lydia - ...Illuminate
Some of the most beautiful sounds ever put to record. This has been my number one since January, and nothing has been able to come close.



Again, if I'm missing any lists you'd like to see, please let me know. Also, read these on my Myspace, the formatting is better there. This list also may change as soon as next week, with every listen I find something new to love in all of these albums. Please, give these artists a chance.

Best EPs of 2008

10. La Dispute - Untitled 7"/Here, Hear I/Here, Hear II
9. Jon Foreman - Winter EP/Spring EP/Summer EP
8. The Narrative - Just Say Yes EP
7. Deas Vail - White Lights EP
6. All Get Out - All Get Out EP
5. The Glass Ocean - Put On the Wooden Overcoat EP
4. Manchester Orchestra - Let My Pride Be EP
3. Eye Alaska - Yellow & Elephant EP
2. You, Me, and Everyone We Know - So Young, So Insane EP
1. Person L - Initial EP

Note:
There's a very good chance that unless you follow what I type very closely, you haven't heard all of these artists. Well I would very strongly recommend give every single one of them a chance, they're all outstanding and hardworking people.

Best Albums of 2007 in Retrospect

10. Thrice - The Alchemy Index Volumes 1 & 2: Fire & Water
9. Shad - The Old Prince
8. Dance Gavin Dance - Downtown Battle Mountain
7. The Receiving End of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
6. Bayside - The Walking Wounded
5. Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty
4. Dashboard Confessional - The Shade of Poison Trees
3. Circa Survive - On Letting Go
2. Big D and the Kids Table - Strictly Rude
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Best Live Bands I Saw in 2008

Honorable Mentions: Alkaline Trio, Bayside, The Dear Hunter, Norma Jean

10. Chiodos
9. Eye Alaska
8. Person L
7. Manchester Orchestra
6. Lydia
5. All Get Out
4. Circa Survive
3. Once Nothing
2. Kevin Devine
1. Thrice

Do yourself a favor and go pick up Thrice's Live at the House of Blues DVD

Bands I Don't Dig in 2008

These are all bands that have received generally positive promotion from people whose opinions I respect, thus I expect to enjoy the band, yet I don't. Not saying they're bad.

Anberlin
Bon Iver
Closure In Moscow
Fleet Foxes
Foxy Shazam
The Hold Steady
House of Heroes
Love You Moon
The Matches
These Arms Are Snakes

Most Disappointing Albums of 2008

5. Norma Jean - The Anti-Mother
4. The Sound of Animals Fighting - The Ocean and the Sun
3. Dear and the Headlights - Drunk Like Bible Times
2. Bring Me the Horizon - Suicide Season
1. Fear Before - Fear Before

Note:
All of these albums followed my personal favorite releases from these bands. I don't like a single one of these albums, but every album (i.e. Redeemer, Lover..., Small Steps Heavy Hooves, Count Your Blessings, The Always Open Mouth) that preceded it are personal favorites.

Best Guest Appearances of 2008

5. "I Can Get Back Up Now" - You, Me , and Everyone We Know
Featuring Max Bemis of Say Anything

4. "Hospital" - Lydia
Featuring Aaron Marsh of Copeland

3. "Weak Man" - Good Old War
Featuring Anthony Green of Circa Survive

2. "Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most" - Dance Gavin Dance
Featuring Nic Newsham of Gatsbys American Dream

1. All of Razia's Shadow: A Musical as performed by Forgive Durden
Featuring Casey Crecenzo of The Dear Hunter, John Gourley of Portugal. The Man, Kris Anaya of An Angle, Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou, Danny Stevens of theAUDITION, Chris Conley of Saves the Day, Daniel Young of This Providence, Max Bemis of Say Anything, Greta Salpeter of The Hush Sound, Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco, Nic Newsham of Gatsbys American Dream, Shawn Harris of The Matches, and Lizzie Huffman of Man in the Blue Van

Best Songs of 2008

10. "The Dust of a Town" - Once Nothing - First Came the Law
9. "Storms" - Person L - Initial EP
8. "Wolves At Night (Live on WBRU-FM)" - Manchester Orchestra - Let My Pride Be EP
7. "You've Already Been (iTunes Bonus Track)" - Bayside - Shudder
6. "Breathing In A New Mentality" - Underøath - Lost In The Sound of Separation
5. "One More Day" - Lydia - ...Illuminate
4. "New Storms For Older Lovers" - La Dispute - Somewhere At the Bottom of The River
Between Vega and Altair
3. "Moses of The South" - Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, and Curse
2. "Water and God" - All Get Out - All Get Out EP
1. "I, The Swan" - The Sound of Animals Fighting - The Ocean and the Sun

Unfortunately I couldn't find all of these songs on Myspace, otherwise I'd have a playlist of them. Just a few notes:
"Wolves at Night (WBRU-FM)" is VERY different from the version featured on I'm Like A
Virgin Losing a Child. It's worth buying though. "You've Already Been" is the iTunes bonus track to Shudder, but would have been the best song on the record. "I, the Swan" just makes me dance.

Most Anticipated of 2009

Well, being it's the last three days of 2008 I figure I should post all of my end of the year lists. Rather than overload you with one mega-post, I'll post all my lists in several separate posts.

Here's what I'm most excited for next year:
Brand New
Kevin Devine (expecting this to be AOTY, but who's to say)
Manchester Orchestra
As Tall As Lions
Gallows
Lupe Fiasco
Radiohead
Say Anything
mewithoutYou
Circa Survive (probably most anticipated)
Taking Back Sunday
Two Tongues
Saves The Day
The Snake The Cross The Crown
Silverstein
Thursday
Deas Veil
All Get Out (also going to be VERY good)
You, Me, and Everyone We Know
Envy On The Coast
The Dear Hunter
.moneen.
Circle Takes The Square
Wale
Every Time I Die
glassJAw (in my dreams)
Once Nothing
Cassino
Arcade Fire
Person L
Isles & Glaciers
Dashboard Confessional
Portugal. The Man
Alexisonfire
Minus The Bear

Needless to say, it should be a good year.