Useless Entertainment

I've decided to start posting on here whenever I feel like I need to tell people about a band or movie or something else that I think is awesome. The first installment will be about the band Look Mexico. I've seen them a few times at shows around here and I absolutely love that they make it a point to stop in Delaware every summer. They sound similar to Minus the Bear but a little more melodic. Here are a few videos:



Look Mexico - You're Not Afraid Of The Dark, Are You? from Punknews.org on Vimeo




Look Mexico - You Ever Get Punched In the Face for Talking Too Much? from If You Make It on Vimeo

It has been a great year for music and the fact that I had 50 albums I loved this year should prove that. Find those albums below:

#50 Bloc Party - Intimacy

This album calls back to Silent Alarm era Bloc Party but also tries to incorporate the band’s love of electronic music. The result is an album that is better than their last effort but lacks cohesiveness. The album is a collection of mediocre/good songs and includes high points such as Halo, Trojan Horse and Ion Square which are enough to make me come back to the album for repeat listens.

#49 Chuck Ragan and Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge

The discovery of Chuck Ragan’s solo career was one of the highlights of my year, musically. I went to one of his shows just to see Ben Nichols (Lucero) open. I decided to stick around and watch some of Chuck’s set and was blown away by Chuck, accompanied by fiddle player Jon Gaunt who also plays on this record. Between this album, his back catalogue of solo material and the hot water music discography, I have had a lot of Chuck in my life this year. He writes honest songs and his gravelly voice is one of my favorites. I’m unfamiliar with Austin Lucas’ material but this collaboration is a great folk/alt country/bluegrass album and would probably be higher on the list if I had listened to it more (this will be a theme for this list; I had a lot of albums to listen to this year).

#48 Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - Animal

I was happy to see another release from this band (two actually) this year. They manage to craft beautiful, yet catchy indie songs using a myriad of instruments and a sincere voice. Stream the album at their myspace page.

#47 Tim Barry - Manchester

Here’s another musician of the alt-country variety that I have welcomed into my life this year. Tim was the lead singer of punk band Avail before starting his stripped down solo project which consists of songs for the working class that tell the truth and don’t sugar coat anything. Most songs could lead to a drunken sing-a-long in any working class bar. Stream the album here.

#46 Drag the River - You Can't Live This Way

Another release from my new favorite record label, Suburban Home Records (also see Tim Barry above). Drag the River play country influenced rock that could keep any party going. It’s crazy how many bands I’ve gotten into this year that are perfect bands to listen to while having some drinks with some friends, and these guys may be the best. I think that’s a pretty good endorsement considering I don’t drink. Stream the album here.

#45 Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll

Green Day’s 60’s garage rock side project. They should have just released this under the Green Day name because it rocks.

#44 Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Look Out Sea

It took me a while to get into this band. They sound a lot like if Johnny Cash sang for The Shins. If you like either, check this album out.

#43 The Felice Brothers - The Felice Brothers

I saw these guys open for Bright Eyes last year and they were everything you could ask for in an opening band. I didn’t once think “are these guys done yet?” They have a Bob Dylan/The Band like bluesy folk rock sound and their lyrics sound like they could have been written anywhere from 40 years ago to the present. They claim that their demo was recorded in a chicken coup on a farm and I think that pretty much sums up this band.

#42 The Bronx - The Bronx III

They bring the same old Bronx sound that I’ve grown to love over the past 2 albums. The album is filled with raw, straight ahead rock with vocals that are borderline singing/yelling. This is a great album if you just want to rock out. Stream the song "Six Days A Week" here.

#41 Nas - Nas

This is the best rap album of the year. Nas just has a way with words and seems to be able to come up with a rhyme for anything. The beats on the album are also really good and are a refreshing change from the garbage that gets played on MTV and the radio.

#40 Right Away, Great Captain - The Eventually Home

This is the side project of Andy Hull (singer/guitarist for Manchester Orchestra). He puts his amazing lyrical skills on display with this album of stripped down tunes. The songs consist of vulnerable vocals on top of acoustic guitars with the occasional piano. If you are familiar with Manchester Orchestra, then imagine an entire album more like the softer/slower songs on their album. If you are not familiar with Manchester Orchestra, check them out.

#39 Kay Kay and His Weather Underground - Kay Kay and His Weather Underground

I don’t really know how to describe this band. It’s a few guys from Gatsby’s American Dream and that influence is definitely apparent. This album has a ton of instruments on it and manages to mix them all really well. There are sprinkles of jazz, blues and ragtime thrown into the mix along with pop and 60’s rock. This is one of the more ambitious releases I’ve listened to this year. I can’t wait to hear more from this band.

#38 Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

Conor sheds the Bright Eyes moniker on this release and what we get is a group of songs that are a bit looser and more straight ahead folk-rock than most Bright Eyes releases. This album also does away with any ambient noise and other things leaning toward the strange side of Bright Eyes. As you can see above, the cover is Conor passed out on a hammock, which is a perfect image to accompany this collection of songs. Stream the full album here.

#37 Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

I recorded this band’s set for the hell of it, when they were opening for Cold War Kids last year. I found myself listening to it a lot more than I expected. After releasing a couple of promising EPs, Tokyo Police Club finally put out a full length this year. It delivers the same great indie rock but is more polished than the EPs. They dish out pop-rock with keyboards in short bursts, usually between 2 to 3 minutes.

Tokyo Police Club-In a Cave
by SaddleCreekRecords

#36 Joey Cape - Bridge

I will listen to anything that is graced with Joey Cape’s voice. There’s something about it that just sits well with me. This stripped down acoustic album is perfect for showcasing his voice and songwriting abilities. His punk routes still show through even if it is just an acoustic album. Stream the album here.

#35 Local H - Twelve Angry Months

A roller coaster ride of 12 break-up songs, this album has as many mood swings as someone who just got a divorce. Songs about splitting up record collections and hating your ex’s new love. If you just went through a rough break-up, this is the album for you.


Local H - "24 Hour Break-Up Session" on Carson Daly

#34 The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

This band came out of nowhere this year and just as I was getting into their last album, released this gem. Being from New Jersey, they obviously are influenced by Springsteen and it shows. They music sounds a lot like Springsteen if he had more of a punkier edge. This is a great album for riding around in the summer with the windows down and no destination in particular. Stream the album at their myspace page.

#33 The Matches - A Band In Hope

I had high hopes for this album. Their last album was my #1 album two years ago. This album is slightly more cohesive than the last but it just didn’t keep me hooked all year like the last one did. There are a lot of great pop punk songs on this disc. The lyrics are great as usual and the choruses are very catchy. I expect more good things on their next release.


The Matches - Yankee in a Chip Shop

#32 Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Like all of their albums before, it took me a while after the first listen to fully get into this album. I would occasionally listen to it at work on my iPod but that was it. The use of Bixby Canyon Bridge (possibly my favorite song on the album) in an episode of Friday Night Lights really made me go back to the album and give it another shot. This album is pretty much what everyone has come to expect from Death Cab; beautiful but catchy songs with heartfelt and honest lyrics. Chris Walla’s production is great (you’ll here more from him later in the list), he doesn’t do anything too crazy and just makes the recording sound clean but not overproduced. Stream the album here.

#31 Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light In the West

My favorite vocalist, Ben Nichols of Lucero, decided to put out an EP this year. I had no idea until it was released. It was a pleasant surprise. This is a great acoustic solo album, which is based on Cormac McCarthy's book "Blood Meridian, Or the Evening Redness in the West." I haven’t read the book so I can’t say how well it follows the plot. The songs are all acoustic and have a country feel to them. They make you feel like you are out in the Midwest in the middle of nowhere. Stream the title track here.

#30 Chris Walla - Field Manual

I mentioned above that Chris Walla would turn up later in the list. I was a little late getting around to this album but I’m glad I finally did. The music is what Death Cab would sound like if more electronic elements were involved and the production was a little more prevalent. I feel like this album was Chris getting some production techniques out of his system that wouldn’t fit on a Death Cab album. He has a surprisingly good voice and writes above average lyrics. Most of the songs have an electronic sounding rhythm section but Chris also steps away from the board and rocks out on songs such as The Score (my favorite on the album). Listen to the full album here.

#29 Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves - Roll With You

I saw these guys open for Robert Randolph this summer. I walked in and thought it was a band covering James Brown or some other soul song. Turns out they are a soul band, complete with a horn section and background singers. Their frontman, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, puts on a great show and it translates well to the recording. The record is full of soul songs (fast and slow). This is a great album when you are looking for something fun to listen to.

#28 Fake Problems - How Far Our Bodies Go

I'm counting this album as 2008 even though it was released originally in 2007, because it was re-released this year and I had no knowledge of it before then. These guys describe themselves as "roots-punk" and I think that's better than any description I can come up with. It's melodic punk that calls on the Replacements as a major influence. The gruff vocals seem to be something I really like lately, so it has that going for it as well. I really like the song "Born & Raised." I highly recommend you check it out along with the rest of the album here.

#27 The Gay Blades - Ghosts

This self-proclaimed “nefarious trash pop duo” came to my attention at the beginning of the year. I can’t exactly remember the circumstances but I’m glad I found them. Although they self released the album in 2007, I’m counting it as 2008 since it just recently got a proper release on a label. These guys put on a killer live show, full of energy and hilarious banter. I’ve only seen them once but I am hoping to see them again soon. I talked to them after the show and they seemed like really nice guys. Their music ranges from dance-y rock songs to slow ballads and have extremely underrated lyrics. Check out the video below for a taste of their live show.

#26 Ninja Gun - Restless Rubes

Ninja Gun is another band of the punk/southern rock/alt country variety that I fell in love with this year. They are also on my new favorite record label, Suburban Home Records. Most of the songs on the album revolve around the theme of being stuck in a place and wanting to get out and see something different. The song “Red State Blues” tells a story of someone stuck in the South and feeling like they belong anywhere but where they are. This is the perfect album for anyone that feels like they don’t belong in their current station in life, but have hope that they belong somewhere. I think I'm going to find myself coming back to this album a lot. You can stream the album here.

#25 The Supreme Genius of King Khan & the Shrines

This album is a compilation of scattered tracks and album tracks from previous releases that actual flows really well. King Khan is a blast of garage rock, soul and funk. It combines some of my favorite genres to create an amazing listening experience. Khan’s humorous lyrics such as “she’s fat, she’s ugly, she’s fat and she’s ugly, but I love her, I need her, yes I do” also help out his cause and make for the most fun you will have listening to a record this year. Stream the album at his myspace page.

#24 She & Him - Volume 1

She & Him consists of actress/singer Zooey Deschanel and musician M. Ward. I was familiar with M. Ward’s music and was a fan of Zooey Deschanel’s eyes ever since I saw Almost Famous, but I had no idea what to expect from the duo’s first album “Volume One.” I was dragging my feet on checking this album for some reason but one day I finally put it on my Ipod to listen to at work. It turned out to be a great album full of stripped down soul/folk songs. Zooey has a great voice and M. Ward does a great job on guitar and backing vocals. Check out their video below:

She and Him - New Music - More Music Videos

#23 Sleepercar - West Texas

Sleepercar is Jim Ward of Sparta/At the Drive-In’s side project. It’s being used as an outlet for songs he writes that don’t sounds like Sparta songs. This is a much more laid back sound than his previous bands. The distorted guitars and semi-screaming have been traded in for acoustic and clean sounding electric guitars along with softer yet still just as emotional vocals. This album is like a documentary of Jim’s home of West Texas. This was one of my most anticipated releases of early '08 and it did not disappoint. Check out the video for “Broken Promise” below:


Sleepercar "A Broken Promise"

#22 Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP

I was pretty late getting into this band. They have a folk sound with beautiful, soaring vocal harmonies, reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash. This is a great album to just put on and tune out the rest of the world. The vocals also remind me of the softer My Morning Jacket songs. I feel like my parents might enjoy the folk/bluegrass feel of this album. Check out their video below:

#21 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals – Cardinology

This is the same old Ryan Adams. If you are unfamiliar with him, just pick up one of the 8000 albums he has released in the last few years. This one is just as enjoyable as the last few. I feel like he may never get back to the greatness he showed us on “Heartbreaker” but he hasn’t really released a bad album since then either. He still bounces around from folk to alt country to rock but they all feel right when he’s playing them.

#20 Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue

Jenny returns without the Watson twins but more than makes up for it with guest vocalists. She bounces back and forth between folk and indie rock on this record. There are guest vocals from Zooey Deschanel, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and Elvis Costello to name a few. This album is a lot of fun to listen to and even inspired Elvis Costello to record his new album after going in to the studio to record the song “Carpet Baggers” for Jenny’s album.

#19 Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

These guys are Peter Gabriel inspired hipster music that was the buzz of every blog at the end of last year. Once the buzz wore off, what was left was an easily accessible hipster album that I’m still listening to almost a year later. It’s sort of a college educated rich boy’s take on the indie genre, with songs about Cape Cod and Oxford Commas.

#18 Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

I finally gave this band a chance earlier this year with their previous release. It was a pleasant surprise when I learned they released an album this year. Very good indie rock with great vocals and lyrics. The perfect follow up to last year's "Stage Names." There’s a good mix of styles on display here, such as piano ballads, acoustic folk tunes and straight ahead indie rock to name a few. The album is very textured folk pop at its best. Stream the album at the band’s myspace page.

#17 Q-Tip – The Renaissance

This album has helped solidify Q-Tip as my favorite rapper. My cousin got me into A Tribe Called Quest back when I was in high school and I’ve been a fan of Q-Tip ever since. I was sad to see his last album get shelved and then have no releases for almost a decade. I was very surprised to see a new album out this year. The beats on this album are amazing as usual and the lyrics are top notch. Q-Tip definitely put his 10 year forced hiatus to use. This man could rhyme “orange.” Stream the album here.

#16 Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty

I saw these guys almost 2 years ago and they played some new songs and I got really excited for this album. Since then I had forgotten about it. I randomly heard their first single off of the album and got excited again. They are back with the same soulful rock with slightly mumbled lyrics and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love the piano in most of the songs, which I’m sure will be awesome live. I really need to see these guys again. I somehow doubt it will be in the basement of a church this time. Stream the album here.

#15 Andrew Morgan – Andrew Morgan/EPs

I fell in love with Andrew’s last album “Misadventures in Radiology” but I got it long after it was released. I’m glad to finally be able to put one of his albums on my list. This album was multiple years and locations in the making. It was interesting to follow the progress on his blog. The album was released along with numerous EPs, so I’m counting them all as one release. The arrangements on these songs are full of strings and horns, and the vocal harmonies remind me of the Beach Boys. With songs about the first snow of the year and the autumn/winter months in Kansas, this album and some of the EPs are perfect music for frozen precipitation and shorter days. Please check out Andrew’s music at his website.

#14 Deer Tick – War Elephant

I saw these guys open for Jenny Lewis and was really impressed. I had never heard of them and they managed to hold my attention for their entire set to the point where I wanted them to keep playing at the end of their set. The songs are a country/folk/rock blend with unique vocals that may turn some people off due to their raspy, almost weathered sound. The lyrical content of this album is outstanding. One of my favorite lyrics is, "and you cried all night till you created a stream/ and it flows forever, it's made of dreams/ that didn't come true and I'm sorry but there's nothing more that I can do." There are quite a few songs about love and failed love, which are some of the best on the album. Download a few songs for free here.

#13 Thrice – Alchemy Index, Vol. 3 & 4: Air and Earth

I wrote about the first 2 volumes of this release last year. I decided to keep these as one release rather than 2 separate releases because I like them both equally and also it allowed me to slip Q-Tip into the list at the last minute. Once again, Thrice has done an amazing job conveying the elements of Air and Earth with the music and lyrics of this release. The Air disc has a spacious sound and it almost feels as though you are floating and the lyrics deal a lot with flying. The Earth disc has a very organic, stripped down sound, with the use of acoustic guitars with a lot of picking of the strings and also use of piano and sparse drumming. I’m not sure how to explain how these aspects are synonymous with Earth but it definitely works.

#12 My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

I got into these guys with their last release “Z.” I was a little late to the party but I’m glad I found them in time to enjoy their most recent release “Evil Urges.” Some people weren’t happy with Jim James singing in a falsetto on some of these songs but I think that it gives these songs a hint of vulnerability, which I like. With the exception of the song “Highly Suspicious,” this album is very similar to “Z.” This album is a great roots rock album that has some rocking songs on it along with some more chilled out songs. This band definitely still knows how to rock but they also know when to hold back and give us a beautiful song.

#11 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus Dig

I never really new what Nick Cave’s music sounded like. I have been aware of its existence for some time but never got around to checking it out. That all changed when I saw “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” and fell in love with his score of the film. I then decided to check out his website which is wear I found the video for “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!” which can be seen below. Nick brings the rock on this album along with a funky/soul sound added to the mix. His vocals range from singing to half singing/talking. If the video below doesn’t make you want to check out the album then I don’t know what will.

#10 Dr. Dog – Fate

I have been hearing about this Philly band for a while now but never gave them a shot. I don’t know if it’s because I think their name is ridiculous or something else. I saw their set at Lollapalooza this year which brought about two great things. The first being that I finally gave them a chance and have been listening to the record constantly, and second being that I watched the set with Randy from season 4 of The Wire. Their sound is reminiscent of 60’s pop/rock with obvious inspiration from the Beatles and the Zombies. The lyrics are fantastic, which plays well with me because I always like a band with great lyrics. Listen to the album here.

#9 Glossary – The Better Angels of Our Nature

This is one of my favorite new bands that I discovered this year. Their slide guitar player played with Lucero on a few of their recent tours and then Glossary finally toured with Lucero this year. I was lucky enough to see them twice and instantly fell in love with their alt country, bluesy sound. They remind me of The Band, especially their vocals. The lyrics are top notch and I hope to hear more from this band in the future. You can download the album for free from the band’s website here. I think this was released in 2007 as a digital release and then in 2008 as a physical cd, so I'm counting it as this year.

#8 The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of Understatement

I was really excited when I heard that Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys had a side project coming out. It was not at all what I expected and managed to exceed my expectations. It’s essentially Alex Turner singing over amazing arrangements of strings, horns, drums and guitar. The arrangements are done by Miles Kane, who I am not previously familiar with. The songs have a 60’s vibe that I find myself drawn to lately. I’m also a fan of the album art which you can check out above. It blows my mind that both of the band members are 3 years younger than I am.

#7 Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

I slept on this band for way too long. I finally got into them on their last release. This album has been getting a lot of playing time from me lately and it all started with the song “Sex on Fire.” The album is similar to their last release, which was a bit cleaner and pop oriented than their first 2 releases but I think it’s just the band growing and it sounds great. I don’t know if you can still call this indie rock but if it is, they are doing it just as well as anyone else in the genre. Stream the album here.

#6 Portugal. The Man – Censored Colors

I saw these guys open for Minus the Bear and was very surprised with how good they were. I had listened to their first full length album and was not impressed. Seeing them live made me pick up their previous release which was a solid album. I decided to give this release a shot and it is a major step in the right direction for the band. They are maturing with each album and have created a great album that I see myself listening to for years. The album is a mix of 60’s pop and 60’s psychedelic rock. Check out their video below.

#5 TV on the Radio – Dear Science

These guys release solid album after solid album. This may be their best one yet. The vocals still sound a lot like Peter Gabriel but the music is distinctly their own. Dave Sitek creates such a noisy background with his guitar work and production. Then catchy melodies are layered on top of the noise. The songs are infectious and make you dance even if you don’t want to. They slow it down on a few songs, one of which is my favorite on the album (Family Tree). Stream the album on the band's myspace page.

#4 The Hold Steady – Stay Positive

I will admit that I thought this band was extremely overrated when the internet had a collective orgasm over their last release. I have since come to love them and wish I had enjoyed them sooner. They often get compared to Springsteen but I feel like they are a little more of a party band than that. This album is all about staying positive, even when you are down on your luck. Ben Nichols (see #31) contributes backing vocals to numerous songs, so that makes the album even better. Stream the album at the band's myspace page.

#3 The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely

I’m really glad these dudes decided to make another album together. I was afraid it would be one and done. They play the perfect mix of bluesy rock that I go wild for. I really like Brendan Benson’s voice and it creates a great balance with Jack White’s vocals. This album, like the last, has a good mix of rocking songs and slow ballads. They do both styles very well. They were one of the best sets I saw at Lollapalooza, see video evidence below:

#2 The Black Keys – Attack and Release

Speaking of bluesy rock and great Lollapalooza sets, this band satisfies both categories. These guys put on the best set I saw at Lollapalooza. For just two guys, they manage to make a lot of noise. The Danger Mouse production on this album is clean but not too clean considering they are playing blues influenced distorted rock. This album brings the rock and was probably the second most played album of the year in my car, with my #1 album being the most played. Stream the album here.


And without further procrastination, here is my favorite album of 2008:

#1 The Danger O's – Nineteen Ninety Four

I know what you are thinking. You've never heard of this band. I highly recommend you give them a listen. This was, without a doubt, the release I listened to the most this year. These guys obviously listened to a lot of 90's indie/college rock like the Pixies and Archers of Loaf, 90's pop/rock like the Refreshments and Toad the Wet Sprocket, and 70's punk like the Clash and the Ramones. They mix their influences well to create a great rock record that deserves to reach a much larger audience. The lyrics are top notch and contain some of my favorite chorus's of the year such as "New York City ain't no disco, We've been hanging on a dream, New York City's got nothing for you or me, All the kids are hands in pockets, All the kids are eyes on feet, New York City's got nothing for you or me," from the song "No Metro." The last two songs see the band slow things down and go in a direction I hadn’t heard from them before on their EPs or live, and it’s a great way to end the album. The band went through some line-up changes and I think they’ve come out on the other side a lot better than they were before. I can’t wait to hear what these guys have in store in the new year.






If you end up giving some of these albums a try and like them, please let me know in the comments. I enjoy the feedback and it helps motivate me to make another list next year.

As you can see above, I bought a lot of vinyl this year. I'm currently listening to them all again and figuring out my top albums of the year. I hope to start posting soon. I think I might do my top 50 and just post 50-21 without write ups and then do write ups for the remaining 20. We'll see how it goes. -Steve

Here's the track listing for the mix I made for Hayley's Summer Mix Exchange:

Disc One:

1 Art Brut - Sound of Summer
2 Ted Leo - La Costa Brava
3 Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer
4 The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
5 The Ziggens - Have A Bitchin' Summer
6 The Format - Oceans
7 The Danger O's - No Metro
8 As Tall As Lions - Song for Luna
9 Lucero - Last Night In Town
10 Houston Calls - Einstein On the Beach
11 The Roots - Birthday Girl
12 Long Beach Shortbus - Take It Slow
13 The Decemberists - Summersong
14 Regina Spektor - Summer in the City
15 The Starting Line - The Drama Summer
16 Onelinedrawing - Smile
17 Jets To Brazil - One Summer Last Fall
18 Sundowner - Midsummer Classic
19 The Fire Theft - Summertime

Disc Two:

1 Atmosphere - Sunshine
2 Jonah Matranga - Not About A Girl or A Place
3 Wilco - Summer Teeth
4 Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
5 Jets to Brazil - In the Summer's When You Really Know
6 Pepper - Tradewinds
7 G Love - Cold Beverage
8 Sublime - Badfish
9 My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed
10 Minus the Bear - The Fix
11 Billy Bragg - The Beach is Free
12 Radiohead - Electioneering
13 Spoon - June's Foreign Spell
14 Manchester Orchestra - Golden Ticket
15 Rx Bandits - Apparition
16 Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
17 Dave Elkins - Summertime
18 Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - The Ocean
19 Death Cab for Cutie - Summer Skin
20 Brandtson - The Bottle and the Sea

I'm ashamed to admit I hadn't listened to Wilco until this was released. I was missing out big time. Something about this album just struck a chord with me. I actually started paying attention to VW commercials. I had to go out and start buying all of their albums. This was another simple, laid back album like Spoon that just felt right. Little did I know that this was actually a departure from the experimental direction the band had been going. Jeff Tweedy writes awesome songs and deserves more credit than he gets. There's a sense of hope through out this album and it's nice to hear it. Sometimes that's all you need from music. This is a great album to listen to in the fall when the leaves are turning and you just want to sit back and relax. I really need to see this band live. If you only check out one album on this list then I suggest this. I realize that should be obvious but it's an album that I think anyone can fall in love with.

Highlights:
Either Way
Shake It Off
Impossible Germany

Favorite Lyrics:
“Maybe you still love me maybe you don't
Either you will or you won't
Maybe you just need some time alone
I will try to understand
Everything has its plan
Either way I'm going to stay right for you”

“With the sky blue sky, this rotten time
Wouldn't seem so bad to me now
Oh, if I didn't die I should be satisfied I survived
It's good enough for now”

One of my favorite bands FINALLY releases another album after roughly 3 years of touring. I can't believe I have another album ranked above this but this has been a great year for music. JK Samson is quite possibly the best lyricist I have ever heard. He can take an everyday situation and pick a random person out of it and have them tell an amazing story, such as the bus driver in Civil Twilight. He has also written multiple songs from the point of view of a cat named Virtute and the one on this album is an amazing example of what JK is capable of. I could have just filled in the favorite quotes section of this entry with the lyrics to the whole album. The music on the other hand isn't quite up to par with what I had come to expect from The Weakerthans. Not to say it's bad but it just didn't hit me as fast and took some time to grow. Luckily those lyrics were there to always keep me interested. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys live again and it was one of the best shows I went to all year. Listen to the lyrics of "Utilities" and try to tell me Samson isn't a gifted song writer.

Highlights:
Civil Twilight
Relative Surplus Value
Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure

Favorite Lyrics:
“Every other hour I pass that house,
Where you told me that you had to go
I wonder if the landlord has fixed the crack,
That I stared at, instead of staring back at you;
My chance to say something seemed so brief, but it wasn't.
Now I know I had plenty of time
Between the sunset and certified darkness
Dusk comes on and I follow the exhaust from memory up to the end
The civil twilight”

“And the pause feels like an extra year
of high school
The CEO takes me aside
I'm down 12 points
and they're selling.
The graphs in the board room show
by the time that the market
opens in Tokyo
I'll be worthless
So, what I'm trying to say,
I mean what I'm asking is,
I know we haven't talked in a while
but could you come get me?”

This album and the 2 that follow should all just be tied for #1. I have changed them around numerous times while making this list. Spoon was off my radar until the release of "Gimme Fiction" and I quickly became a fan. This was another highly anticipated album. There is something really simplistic about the album and it's what takes what would have been a good album and makes it great. They didn't use fancy bells and whistles or strange production techniques that I know of. It's just a straight ahead album full of great songs. Britt Daniel's voice is another one of my favorites and he uses it well. The album has a 60's/70's feel to it and I can't pick out why; it may be the production and the background horn section on some songs. I like every song on this album a lot and really hope their next release is just as good, if not better. There's another former Get Up Kid sighting in bassist Ryan Pope on this album and his bass lines are what really make this album get into a groove. This release also has my favorite album art on this list.

Highlights:
The Underdog
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Don't You Evah

Favorite Lyrics:
“You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive”

“I believed that someone'd take care of me tonight
As I'm lookin' out at you, can you see that in...
In my eyes, on the mend, now they could lead me home
Street tar in summer will play a trick on your soul”

Now here's a band that can do no wrong. Minus the Bear is one of the few bands I listen to that I can honestly say have an original sound that I never hear anywhere else. It's technical and catchy at the same time and they use an array of effects pedals to set themselves apart from their peers. The amazing thing is that the songs translate perfectly to their live show, I didn't think they could do it. This album has a more experimental, pink floyd sound to it compared to their earlier releases. Their lyrics used to tell simple stories but now they seem a little more sexual and a little more abstract. They also ditched the funny and sometimes long song titles for normal titles. I don't know if I would have suggested that they make all the changes because they were fine the way they were but as you've noticed in this list, bands maturing is a theme. I just wish some of these songs were on rock band.

Highlights:
Throwin' Shapes
Burying Luck
Knights

Favorite Lyrics:
“In the nightmare desert stood a building.
Outside someone was diggin' a hole in the ground.
They were burying my luck.”

“Her body's under the covers
And there's nothing wrong with a single inch and then we change positions
She's got me on my back losing common sense
Lay on the bright lights
You can't hear the music but we're playing the same tune
Each beat, every note played perfectly by you”

Finally, a buzz band that avoids the sophomore slump. I'm sure there have been others but probably not 2 albums as solid as these. Alex Turner's slightly slurred British delivery is still there and I love it. The only thing that has changed is that the band sounds a little tighter and some of the songs rock a little harder than the first album. They also continue the trend of ending the album with the strongest song of the bunch; if you haven't heard "505" please do so now. The double time feel of the songs mixed with the dancy bass lines makes this a great party album. I hope these guys have a long career full of fun albums ahead of them.

Edit: While listening to the album after I wrote this, this line really hit me:
"I hope you're holding hands by New Year's Eve
They made it far too easy to believe
That true romance can't be achieved these days"

Highlights:
505
D is for Dangerous
Brianstorm

Favorite Lyrics:
“Stop and wait a sec
When you look at me like that
My darling, what did you expect?
I probably still adore you
With your hands around my neck
Or I did last time I checked”

“As she walked away
Well her shoes were untied
And the eyes were all red
You could see that we'd cried
And I watched and I waited until she was inside
Forcing a smile and waving goodbye
Curiosity becomes a heavy load
Too heavy to hold”

The second part of the 2 EP release by Thrice. For the other half, see #10. I remember complaining that Thrice was too soft when Vheissu was released. It's funny how time changes things. I now prefer the more mellow Thrice songs like the ones present on this disc. It is amazing how each song makes you feel as though you are floating in the sea or under water. The use of the sonar sound from a submarine is really creative. All of the imagery created by the lyrics is nothing short of breathtaking. I can't imagine trying to write a collection of songs that all tie together one element but somehow Thrice has done it perfectly twice, with 2 more to come. I did not think these songs would translate well to the live show but I was wrong. Seeing these songs performed live was great and I can't wait to catch them on a headlining tour.

Highlights:
Digital Sea
Open Water

Favorite Lyrics:
“I awoke, cold and alone
Adrift in the open sea
Caught up in regrets and tangled in nets
Instead of your arms wrapped around me
And I wept but my tears are anathema here
Just more water to fill my lungs
I hear someone scream
'God what is it we have done?'
I am drowning in a digital sea
I am slipping beneath the sound
Here my voice goes, to ones and zeroes
I'm slipping beneath the sound”

“I'm starting to
believe the ocean's
much like you,
because it gives
and it takes
away.
Between the devil
and the deep blue sea,
I stare into the abyss.
The open water
is an awful thing,
But I'm anxious till the anchor is
aweigh.”

Ted's last release came out of nowhere and just owned me. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. It may not be his strongest release to date but I was not disappointed one bit. Everything I love about Ted is present on this album. The lyrics are top notch as usual, touching on social issues but doing it in a somewhat subtle way (except on bomb, repeat, bomb.). The catchy songs are there, including reggae and mod influences that Ted's known for. I would say that Ted can do no wrong but then someone would point out his first record "Te(j) Leo" and I would be proven wrong. I'm just glad Ted got that experiment out of his system early. Anyone who randomly goes into "Dayman" from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia in the middle of his live show is nothing short of amazing. Ted always kicks it up a notch live and these songs are no exception. Ted and the pharmacists are one of those bands that I try to see whenever they are in town. I suggest you do the same.

Highlights:
Who Do You Love?
La Costa Brava
The Unwanted Things

Favorite Lyrics:
“Everyone needs a sunday some days, everyone needs to take some time away.
So come on home from the front lines, baby,
You know you've done more than your time there was supposed to have been.
A little time out could turn your head 'round,
A little time out could lift us our of the mess we're in.
And down by the beach there's a small cafe,
Where we'll hang on for Joan and drink Bonet all day.”

“And so goes the most of our freedom of speech: we live for the city, we work for the beach
And when the weekend seems to be just out of reach
Just make the most of what you’re paid, dear
Your love’s a ghost, and that’s why we’re delayed here”

Oh how my musical tastes have evolved. In college I probably would have hated this album. Now it just makes me want to dance around in my seat at work or in the car. I'm still not completely sold on the more repetitive, techno sounding songs but I don't dislike them. The lyrics on the rest of the songs are first rate and would probably be my favorite lyrics of the year if not for one of my favorite song writers releasing an album this year. The entire album with the exception of the closing track is upbeat musically even though the lyrics can be quite the opposite. The closing track is an amazing portrait of New York and why so many people love it and hate it for the same reasons. Song of the year candidate "All My Friends" was a song I could really relate to and deals with growing up and the twists and turns along the way. I had the privilege of seeing this band live at the Virgin Festival and was completely blown away. I had seen them live on Letterman before and was less than impressed so seeing them perform so well was a shock to the system. I don't think my foot stopped tapping the entire time.

Highlights:
North American Scum
All My Friends
New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down

Favorite Lyrics:
“And if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up
And I still don't wanna stagger home
Then it's the memory of our betters
That are keeping us on our feet
You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan
And the next five years trying to be with your friends again
You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can
Yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend
It comes apart
The way it does in bad films
Except in parts
When the moral kicks in”

“New York, I Love You
But you're freaking me out
There's a ton of the twist
But we're fresh out of shout
Like a death in the hall
That you hear through your wall
New York, I Love You
But you're freaking me out
New York, I Love You
But you're bringing me down
New York, I Love You
But you're bringing me down
Like a death of the heart
Jesus, where do I start?
But you're still the one pool
Where I'd happily drown”

It feels like this album came out a long time ago. I think I've had this longer than any other release on this list except maybe Lily Allen. When the year started I thought that nothing would be able to top this album. The fact that 8 albums have says a lot about the quality of music being released this year. The Shins continue doing what they do best. Catch pop songs that pick you up and then gently put you down when they are over. Sea Legs might be one of my favorite songs of the year. The use of bottle caps and a popping bag to make the beat for this song is genius. James Mercer's voice is amazing as usual; it was nice to hear it show up again on the Modest Mouse record. Sleeping Lessons is one of the best opening tracks I've heard in a while.

Highlights:
Sea Legs
Sleeping Lessons
Turn On Me

Favorite Lyrics:
“Of all the churning random hearts
Under the sun
Eventually fading into night,
These two are opening now
As we lie, I touch you
Under fuller light.
Girl, if you're a seascape
I'm a listing boat, for the thing carries every hope.
I invest in a single lie.
The choice is yours to be loved
Come away from an emptier boat.”

“Close your eyes to corral a virtue,
Is this fooling anyone else?
Never worked so long and hard,
To cement a failure”

Thrice just keeps maturing and getting better with each release. Fire was one part of a release of 2 EPs this year, with 2 more to follow next year. This was a very ambitious project. Every song on this album has it's roots in fire, both lyrically and musically. It's just a heavy, burning stretch of 6 songs. The album starts with the strike of a match and catches fire from there until it finally burns out. The conclusion to the EP is a sonnet from the point of view of fire and the lyrics are beautiful although you'll probably have to read them because it's hard to make them out through the screaming. People who wanted another heavy Thrice album should be very happy with this one. I can't wait to hear the next 2 EPS, Earth and Air.

Highlights:
Burn the Fleet
Firebreather

Favorite Lyrics:
“There are still good shepherds scattered,
but they're far between and few.
And the sheep's skin that the wolves all wear is so thin I see right through.
And I think maybe all that's need is some gas and open flame,
because I don't think that any one of them believes that fire can erase their names.
But I will see this city burn.”

“Well the old flag,
Will burn with the sand,
And a new one,
Will fly if we fail.
But the fire,
Continues to rise,
And it shows not a hint,
Of any fear in our eyes.”

As you can see, there isn't much pop punk on this list. The combination of market saturation and good pop punk bands moving to a more mature sound have made it hard to find quality pop punk. If that's what you are looking for, you need this album. One of my favorite voices in music, Joey Cape, is involved so that's what initially put them on my radar. They are also on a great record label called Suburban Home Records which is where I first heard a few songs and immediately pre-ordered the vinyl. The band consists of a bunch of friends who just sat down and wrote some songs and recorded them. No label pressures or deadlines were involved. What resulted is a cohesive effort written by 4 people including Joey Cape from Lagwagon/Bad Astronaut/Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Marko Desantis from Sugarcult. I listened to the album at work on repeat for at least a week. The songs are just so catchy and energetic. It's a breath of fresh air in a genre that is spreading itself too thin. This is further proof that anything Joey Cape touches is worth a listen.

Highlights:
Leavingtown
Good Years
Waiting

Favorite Lyrics:
“So impressed with your wallet size
She'll overlook your hollow eyes
But I'm the one who gets to hear her cry on the phone.”

“I don't mind if I get strung out,
If she picks me up when I'm down
I need someone to love
And I think I might need a drug I can put my arms around”

Motion City Soundtrack rarely disappoints. Their last album was a bit on the weak side compared to their debut but it was still a great album. They came closer to the first album with this release and I don't think I can expect much more since it sounds as if they are moving away from the quirky things I loved so much about their debut. I can't complain about a band maturing though because this album is stellar. The songs are becoming poppier and poppier with each release. The one thing that keeps them rooted in their early material are the lyrics. Justin crafts witty and a lot of times self deprecating verses that stick in your mind long after the record stops. My favorite thing about MCS is the moog and there is plenty of it on this album. I saw them perform some of these songs live before the album came out and they were awesome. It's no secret that MCS is one of my favorite live bands and i feel these songs will translate well to the high energy shows they are known for putting on.

Highlights:
It Had To Be You
Even If It Kills Me
Fell In Love Without You

Favorite Lyrics:
“They say what doesn't kill us makes us who we are.
All this time and everything's changed
But I still feel the same.
All good things eventually end and get lost down the drain.
What a disaster it would be if you discovered that I cared
A little too much for friends, but not enough to share.”

“I wonder if I'll ever lose my mind
I tried hard for a while but then I kind of gave up
Winter is a killer when the sun goes down
'I'm really not as stubborn as I seem'
Said the knuckle to the concrete
But I'm too tired to go to sleep tonight
And I'm too weak to follow dreams tonight
For the first time in a long time I can say that I want to try
To get better and overcome each moment
In my own way”

I'm going to get a lot of shit for this being on my list but I don't care. I have never been much of a radiohead fan but the album was essentially free so I gave it a shot. This album really surprised me. It has a lot more structure and coherence than some of their recent releases. The album starts off with a great song and just keeps on churning out well crafted songs until the end. I can actually relate to some of the lyrics, which I was not expecting at all. Thom Yorke's voice is rather soothing on these songs rather than being annoying as I had come to expect in the past. It's impossible to talk about this release without touching on the way it was released. It was a very inventive way to cut out the labels and avoid an album leak. Of course we can't look at this as a new model because a band without the following of Radiohead would surely fail. I think the best part of this release was the fact that not even the blogs and press had copies until it came out so there was a fresh discussion online that everyone could take part in at the same time.

Highlights:
Bodysnatchers
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Reckoner

Favorite Lyrics:
“How come I end up where I started?
How come I end up where I went wrong?
Won't take my eyes off the ball again
You reel me out then you cut the string”

“In the deepest ocean
The bottom of the sea
Your eyes
They turn me
Why should I stay here?
Why should I stay?
I'd be crazy not to follow
Follow where you lead
Your eyes
They turn me
Turn me on to phantoms
I follow to the edge of the earth
And fall off
Everybody leaves
If they get the chance”

Around this time in 2005 I was wondering what the big deal was with their last release "Twin Cinema." I gave it a few tries back then and just could not get into it. I don't know what happened between then and now but their most recent release, "Challengers" grew on me instantly. The use of many different vocalists and the harmonies that result make for a fun listening experience. Lyrically, this is a great album and I notice more every time I listen. The variety of styles and instrumentation on the album also makes for an interesting listening experience. The songs range from rocking songs to softer female lead folky tunes. The female voices on the album are outstanding and really carry the album.

Highlights:
Challengers
All The Old Showstoppers
Unguided

Favorite Lyrics:
“Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts
Leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of
The unknown”

“Yes a heart will always go one step too far
Come the morning and the four corners I see
What the moral of the back story could be
Come with me, go places
And a heart will always stay one day too long
Always hoping for the hot flashes to come
For the glue to dry on our new creation
Come with me, go places
Come head on, full circle
Our arms fill with miracles
Play hearts, kid, they work well
Like classics play aces
Stay with me, go places
Once more for the ages
Yes a heart should always go one step too far
Come the morning and the day winding like dreams
Come the morning every blue shade of green
Come with me, go places”

Modest Mouse added guitarist Johnny Marr from the Smiths into the mix for this album. I was a little worried about it since I'm not a big Smiths fan. The finished product is another solid release by modest mouse that gets better with every listen. I hear a little bit of a funk influence on top of the countless influences they have already showcased on previous releases. The old modest mouse is in there; the sound has just been polished and may be a little harder to pick out. The addition of James Mercer of the Shins on backing vocals on multiple songs was also a great idea. I love his voice and it really fits in well with the music. One of the best shows I saw this year was Modest Mouse at the Virgin Music Festival in Baltimore. The fact that I saw them instead of watching the second half of the Police set should tell you how good they were.

Highlights:
Dashboard
Florida
We've Got Everything

Favorite Lyrics:
“I'll be beating my heart's record for speeding
I'll be beating the record for hearts skipping in the dark
Our tails wagged and then fell off
But we just turned back, marched into the sea”

“While we're on the subject
Could we change the subject now?
I was knocking on your ears
Don't worry, you were always out
Looking towards the future
We were begging for the past
Well, we know we had the good things
But those never seemed to last
Oh, please just last”

Chris Simpson's (former singer of Mineral and The Gloria Record) new project hit me out of nowhere. I don't even recall how I found out about it a few years ago. The debut EP was released last year and flew under most people's radar. I thought it was a good jumping off point but did not expect the first full length to be this good. A lot of the songs are multi-layered, sometimes to the point of cacophony but mostly just enough to make the songs more interesting. This is a great album to listen to while driving in the rain. I'm not sure why that is, but I always seem to have it on at work when it's raining. Most of these songs just make me smile and I can't pinpoint why. The cover looking like the "I'm the Pope" picture we used to laugh at in college doesn't hurt either.

Highlights:
Snow in Berlin
Everyone's a DJ
Born With Things To Do

Favorite Lyrics:
“Been counting the days for most of our lives
And it looks like a pattern has begun to materialize
Yeah it looks like we're alive
But it looks like we're all eyes
And no ears to hear the trumpets so near
The trumpets so clear”

“But everyone's a DJ
Everyone's a critic today
We're all miracles, and maybes
Trading passion down for safety
It's a compromising world”

The One AM Radio is the brainchild of Hrishikesh Hirway. He programs most of the drums and ambient noise with his computer and his live show consists of a rotating cast of characters. I have seen him live 3 times and the instrumentation was drastically different each time. His songs can be extremely soothing even when they tough on subjects that would normally evoke the opposite reaction such as heartbreak and loneliness. His use of many different instruments makes for a very diverse album. I did not listen to this album enough this year and should probably be placing it higher (already moved up 4 spots while making my list). Hrishikesh writes some of the best lyrics I have ever heard and something about them seems to reach me on a personal level even when I don't necessarily relate to the lyrics. I highly recommend diving into the One AM Radio catalog. Go buy this album. You won't regret it. I know you don't have it, what are you waiting for?

Highlights:
Cast Away
The Echoing Airports
In the Time We've Got

Favorite Lyrics:
“I go to airports
and wait by the gate for arriving flights.
I go to airports
to watch the lovers reunite.
I go to airports.
In every city they're the same.
The lonely airports,
echoing with all the shouted names
of loves who've been caught sight of,
returned from miles away,
from tiny lights
receding into the night
at the end of the runway.”

“the sound of the hull against the waves is not around to lull you to sleep nowadays.
you just lie awake, listening to the gulls in the bay.
breathe in salt air as you stare at the ceiling,
trying to recapture the feeling of being married to the sea,
but your vision gets so watery.
every night you dream of the same underwater scene,
but safe beneath your sheets,
you'll never find your way back to that peace.”

It still annoys me that Conor feels the need to start every album with random noise or something else that usually isn't considered "music." Once you get through the nonsense at the beginning though, you have a great album. It's the same old country influenced sound that Bright Eyes is known for. It's funny how Digital Ash in a Digital Urn got me into them and now I prefer the sound of their other album that was released that year. Conor still writes songs about politics and religion but I don't feel like he's beating us over the head with it on this release, which is nice. I can't talk about this album without mentioning how cool the packaging is. There is a decoder thing that you move along the cover and everywhere else to find more art and messages. On top of a great release, Bright Eyes also blew me away live in Wilmington this year at the Grand Opera House. It was my first time seeing them and hopefully not my last.

Highlights:
Four Winds
If the Breakman Turns My Way
Soul Singer In a Session Band

Favorite Lyrics:
“When panic grips your body
And your heart's a hummingbird
Raven thoughts blacken your mind
'Til you're breathing in reverse
All your friends and sedatives mean well
But make it worse
Every reassurance just magnifies the doubt
Better find yourself a place to level out”

“Life is too short
Death doesn't ask
It don't owe you that
Some things you lose
You don't get back
So just know what you have
And make a plan to love me sometime soon”

This was the first band that Guitar Hero really got me into. I had heard there singles before and thought they were good but never really got into them. Then i heard 3's and 7's on Guitar Hero 3 and immediately bought the album. Sometimes you just need some straight ahead rock and this is the perfect album for that. I really like the drumming on this album, which is strange because it's not something that usually draws me to an album. The album isn't all straight ahead rock though; there are some slower songs and I feel those are where Josh Homme's voice really shines. I have to go back and check out their back catalog now.

Highlights:
3's and 7's
Turnin' On the Screw
Misfit Love

Favorite Lyrics:
“My generation’s for sale
Beats a steady job.
How much have you got?
My generation don’t trust no one
Its hard to blame
Not even ourselves
The thing that’s real for us is fortune and fame
All the rest seems like work.”

“I'm gonna suture up my future
I ain't jaded
I just hate it
See, I been down too long
It's kinda hard to explain
Done and buried
All I carried
All my evil
Through a needle
As it pull through the eye
What was and what will
They're all gone”

Matt Pryor has one of my favorite voices in music today. He also writes amazing songs and I'm glad to see he's back at it. Their last release, "Story Like a Star" was a bit lackluster but they've come back strong with this release. There's a song on this album called "Story Like a Star" that is better than anything on the album of the same name. The best thing about this album was that I didn't even know it was being released until a few weeks before it came out. My expectations weren't very high after the last album but I think I would have loved this album regardless. It's funny how Matt Pryor makes music for pretty much each age range he's lived so far. You've got the Terrible Twos for kids, the Get Up Kids for teens and early twenties and The New Amsterdams for everything after that. I can't wait to hear what's next. Now if only his partner in crime from the Get Up Kids would release another Blackpool Lights album...

Highlights:
Story Like a Scar
A Beacon in Beige
The Blood on the Floor

Favorite Lyrics:
“I'm just a fool who
you love to be cruel to
gravel under your wheels”

“life is too rich
to waste it waiting around for you
life is too rich
to waste it waiting around for you
whatever you wanna do”