Best of 2008

Best of 2008: OverDefined's picksOverDefined's picks (2008)
staff picks

Reviewer Rating: 5

Contributed by: OverDefinedOverDefined
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 26th 2008.gh-artwork { background: url('/images/icons/albumborder.gif'); padding: 5px; float: left; margin-right: 0px; border: none} .gh-name { font-variant: small-caps; border-bottom: 1px solid #C5C5C5; width: 400px; padding: 1em 0 0em 7em; } .gh-label { font-variant: small-caps; padding-left: 7e.

Scott Brown is a staff reviewer here at Punknews.org. Check back next week for year end lists from the Punknews editorial, and soon after the lists decided by your votes. - ed

Introduction

I'm one of the newer reviewers here and a law student in the Midwest. I've been a devoted reader of the 'Org since the beginning and am excited and honored to share my list with you. Personally, I had a good year made only better by this year's music.

Like a lot of people, I get excited about the year-end swarm of best of the year lists, but I have to admit that "best of" lists of are getting out of control. From the pure lies of the big magazines like Rolling Stone (look at that list -- no one thinks those are the best records of the year) to the absurdity of Pitchfork (no parenthetical side note necessary), and everybody and their mother publishing a list (and taking it way too seriously), the whole thing is losing meaning. The only thing I really ever got out of it was discovering new music I hadn't heard. Hopefully by you reading my list, you might give something a shot you wouldn't have otherwise. Case in point -- did you know that the Dismemberment Plan's Change and System of a Down's Toxicity -- were Spin's top two records of the year in 2001? I subsequently bought both and guess what...one became one of my all-time favorite records and the other is a nü-metal record.

So, remember, a personal list is just that: a personal list. These may not be the "best" records (what does that mean anyway?) or the "most important" records (how can you measure importance just months after release?), but these are the records I enjoyed the most in 2008. If something I write piques your interest then by all means check it out. If you disagree, remember -- it's just like, my opinion, man.

Lastly, as a law student I spend most of time experiencing the time-suck of law books. Because of that I've begun an appreciation and search for the best study music. I've included a list of my favorites in the past year and why they help studying. School is punk rock.

Top 20 Albums

20. Facing New York - Get Hot

Five One, Inc.

Too-smart-for-their-own-good genre-jumpers put out half an amazing album. Sounds like an updated Steely Dan after catching a Dismemberment Plan show.

19. Zozobra - Bird of Prey

Hydra Head

Caleb Scofield has never made a misstep from Cave In to Old Man Gloom, which ultimately morphed into Zozobra. This is where the heavy side of Cave In came from and this dude has an awesome voice as well.

18. RZL DZL - Strictly Saucers

Lockin' Out

This record isn't fooling anyone. They're a joke and most of the songs are about partying or the after-effects of partying. The title track is all about food shaped in a circle for god's sake. The verse to that track is a list of round foods ("pizza, bagels, chips, pie") but they make up for it in the chorus: "When we meal, we keep it real." This should be terrible, but it's got great riffs and I love it.

17. Final Fight - Half Head, Full Shred

self-released / Gobias Industries

This just came out and is a last-minute addition to my list. There's a ton of great hardcore riffs and it sounds like a band that doesn't give a shit what you think, just playing what they want.

16. Fall Out Boy - Folie à Deux

Island / Def Jam

I love Elvis Costello, and besides his guest spot later in the record, when I put this on I thought I was listening an EC record. Hate Pete Wentz and his band all you want but Patrick Stump is a great singer and you have their songs in your head. Really though, I hate them too, but I listen anyway.

15. Defeater - Travels

Topshelf

Tight hardcore with a serious literary bent. In many ways they're taking the Modern Life Is War template in a new direction. Also, they tour in a veggie oil van, which if you aren't into you probably voted for McCain/Palin.

14. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

Matador

I'm no Fucked Up superfan, but this is another difficult yet somehow totally accessible record from these Canadians. There's a lot that's been written about this band and it's mostly garbage. Check it out for yourself and see what you think.

13. Boris - Smile

Diwphalanx / Southern Lord

A more mainstream (as much as they get) record from this Japanese noise-drone-stoner-whatever trio. They have some of the best tones of any band I can think of.

12. Black Mountain - In the Future

Jagjaguwar

This band is kind of popular with the hipsters but still worth a listen. It reminds me of a stoner band that all of a sudden got really good.

11. For Science - Tomorrow's Just Another Day

Insubordination

Too bad this band broke up, as every release just got better and better. This one features some great lyrics and always catchy songs with a frontman that sounds like he's going to lose it any second.

10. The Loved Ones - Build & Burn

Fat Wreck Chords

Sure, this doesn't have "Jane" on it, but I like it better than Keep Your Heart. I like when bands branch out and take chances, and how many bands could pull off a track like "Louisiana"?

9. Trap Them - Seizures in Barren Praise

Deathwish, Inc.

I just wrote the review of this record a few weeks ago (where I compared its effect on the listener to Rambo) and don't have much more to say. This record is heavy with great riffs and never cliché.

8. Lemuria - Get Better

Asian Man

What a cute record. I just want to grab this band and cuddle them while I watch reruns of "The Golden Girls." Seriously though, some great indie pop songs with great guitar playing and occasionally profound lyrics. Lemuria, thank you for being a friend.

7. Thursday/Envy - Split [12"]

Temporary Residence

I lost faith in Thursday a long time ago, so the quality of this material blew me away. As far as Envy, I think these tracks are some of the best stuff they've ever done. Bonus: the packaging on the LP/CD is awesome.

6. Paint It Black - New Lexicon

Jade Tree

Another winner from PIB. Dan Yemin is in his thirties and still sounds more urgent that 99% of the frontmen younger than him. I think he has played in other bands too.

5. Delay - ...Don't Laugh

Plan-It-X

This three-piece Ohio band is a direct descendent of Lookout!-era Green Day and is fronted by two identical twins that both sing all the time. Every song is a hit and the lyrics are great. They're too hip to have a MySpace page but can be tracked down on the internet. Totally worth it.

4. Life Long Tragedy - Runaways

Deathwish, Inc.

Another band that broke up this year. This record is probably the best-kept secret of the year in hardcore and is one of the most desperate sounding albums I've ever heard.

3. Dillinger Four - C I V I L W A R

Fat Wreck Chords

I guess I wasn't expecting it to be this good. They always wrote catchy hooks but they stepped it up into straight-up amazing songs that can stand on their own against anyone. It's nice to actually see a band (and people for that matter) age gracefully; check the lyrics to "A Jingle for the Product" for proof.

2. Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God

Deathwish, Inc.

I will admit I went overboard on the review for this record, but it really is a profound piece of heavy music. They are hands down the best hardcore band out right now. If you don't like the record at first, catch them live and they will win you over.

1. Polar Bear Club - Sometimes Things Just Disappear

Red Leader

This one was a grower for me after the EP, The Redder, The Better, featured five tracks that were all classics. With the longer format they took some chances with subtlety that paid off in the end. This is the record of the year for me. I highly recommend checking out this record and seeing them live.

Top EPs and 7"s

5. Brainworms - Split [7"] w/ Dynamite Arrows

Rorschach

This is really on here for the Brainworms side. The singer writes the best stream-of-consciousness post-adolescent musings on punk rock and life experiences that I've ever read. Plus, a cool Fugazi-ish sound from the band doesn't hurt.

4. War Pigs - No Hope, No Faith, No Point

Leave 'Em

This band hits a lot of different styles without sounding forced or corny. I'm interested to see what they do next to see if they stick it out as a hardcore band or just let loose and go crazy with it.

3. Sabertooth Zombie - Dent Face

Twelve Gauge

This is really punk for a hardcore band. The lyrics were either written by a genius or a deranged lunatic…maybe both. This is one of the few modern bands that actually has something to say about the world.

2. Envy - Abyssal

Temporary Residence

I like Envy for their heavy parts, but I love them for their atmospheric parts. This is just another entry in their already amazing catalog.

1. Trapped Under Ice - Stay Cold

Reaper

Oh man this has a lot of great riffs. I almost want them to break up and never release anything else because this is so good. Really smart and tough grooving hardcore with zero chug bullshit.

Best Compilations

2. Crime in Stereo - Selective Wreckage

Bridge Nine

This is kind of a collections record of never-released material, and is so good would've made my proper list if the rules allowed it. A lot of this shows a bit of a `90s emo influence not readily apparent on their proper full-lengths. I listened to nothing but this for weeks after it came out.

1. The Ergs! - Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend

Dirtnap

This band should have been the biggest band in the world instead of Joey Erg having to sending out MySpace bulletins looking for a roommate. Seriously, so many classics on this including some new material. I've had "Introducing Morrissey" in my head for months now. Their break-up is the biggest loss of the year. Wah.

Best Of Vinyl Reissues and Packaging

I'm a vinyl nerd and 2008 was a great year for vinyl reissues. I was introduced to vinyl rather young so to see a lot of my favorites released, especially ones I never got ahold of myself, was awesome. Top vinyl reissues for me were:

Alkaline Trio - Goddammit, Maybe I'll Catch Fire, Alkaline Trio
Megadeth - Rust in Peace, Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?
Crime in Stereo - The Troubled Stateside
The Ergs! - Dorkrockcorkrod, Jersey's Best Prancers EP

Inherent in my love of vinyl is a love for the packaging. Labels have been putting more effort into vinyl this year and enhanced detail in packaging makes owning a physical product that much more enticing, something that the industry can capitalize on. There were three releases that stood out to me just in a packaging sense. I'm sure there were more, but these were the ones I liked:

Trap Them - Seizures in Barren Praise; a triple gatefold that folds out into one huge image plus a vinyl pressed on matching colors.
Thursday/Envy split; putting a CD in the LP is nice, but they actually work it into the art and packaging. The 180 gram record with straight-cut edges is gorgeous.
J. Bannon - The Blood of Thine Enemies; one-sided 7" with a beautiful etching on the other side. Then inserted inside, a hand-assembled custom envelope featuring more of Bannon's striking artwork.

Most Anticipated Of 2009

Converge - new full-length and DVD
The final Ergs! releases
Propagandhi
Cursive

Study Music Section

Study music can be a huge aid when you're just sick of it and don't want to do it anymore, or any time for that matter. After spending so much time at the library this year, this became a big part of my listening regimen. For me, there are two types I like: light and atmospheric background music, but also high-energy intelligence-inducing abstract stuff that can keep my energy up.

Miles Davis electric-era releases -- especially Bitches Brew, Dark Magus, and Live Evil. This is my go-to to spark my mind into overdrive.
Chick Corea - ECM Best Of; Chick Corea is one of the great jazz piano players and this collection is mostly him playing electric keyboards -- not cheesy synths but the real kind from the `70s. I swear listening to this makes you smarter.
Max Richter - The Blue Notebooks; modern minimal classical music. It's really simple and really well-done. Very relaxing.
Phillip Glass - The Hours Soundtrack; Phillip Glass is the king of modern minimalism and this one is the best for studying.
Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else; this is a really low-key jazz album from when jazz meant something to the world.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

soapyhandrecords (January 6, 2009)

i guess this was the best list, because of for science and the ergs... but still, pretty poor

kingofsuck (January 5, 2009)

I'm 99% sure I bought that Delay record at Used Kids in the summer of 2007.

That's all I have to contribute.

Jelone (December 29, 2008)

props for facing new york. just got a promo a few weeks ago and i really dig it.

The rest o' your list is pretty too.

NewKid (December 28, 2008)

I saw them at the new Grog. It was like the first month after they made the switch. You from the land?

Eric

android (December 28, 2008)

really nice to see For Science make the list.

mikexdude (December 28, 2008)

Scott, you also rule. PBC is incredible. I can't get over it.

xIxKilledxJesusx (December 27, 2008)

i think i overlooked this list before. i obviously dont agree with all of it, but its now one of TWO decent lists. props to you as well

skankin_in_the_pit (December 27, 2008)

I like how you listed Black Mountain, Boris, Fucked Up, and For Science 14-11. However following those up with the incredibly boring Loved Ones is quite questionable.

Good list.

overdefined (December 27, 2008)

Columbus...

salsashark (December 27, 2008)

Scott, what part of OH are you in/from?

xote (December 27, 2008)

Very awesome list... like that this focused more on the heavier side of punk rock. That Boris album ruled. Trap Them are fucking great and yeah awesome.

HOISTDATRAG (December 27, 2008)

Live Evil is one of my favorite live albums ever.

chrisafi (December 27, 2008)

Kudos for Loved Ones. Bad Kudos for FOB

eazyd2 (December 27, 2008)

who are you cunt? thats right, no one. go suck a fuck.

alpod4 (December 27, 2008)

final fight ruuuuules

Bipedcasserole (December 27, 2008)

Eric: the old Grog or the new one?

Always awesome to know there are other punkers in the rust belt.

NewKid (December 27, 2008)

I like the inclusion of Fall Out Boy on the list. While I do not think the record would make my top ten list, Fall Out Boy is a band that I started off seeing opening up for Ultimate Fakebook at the Grog Shop years ago. It has been fun to see how their career has evolved into mega pop stars. I think with the new record they are more comfortable in their pop star shoes.

-Eric

IanIsSuperRad (December 27, 2008)

Stoked to see Delay get a spot (let alone such high spot) on someones list.

dev (December 26, 2008)

I like how you described Black Mountain. Hit the nail on the head.