Sábado 17 Jan 2009, 9h:18
2008 saw me continue my drift towards heavier and more diverse music, and I think I've found my musical home: the slow, sludgy, low and heavy stylings of grunge. Perhaps I've come full circle back to the genre that burst onto the music scene in the early to mid 1990s, as I was becoming acquainted with music. In fact, I've been drawn to a lot more older music this year: from 1970s Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, the 70s and 80s progressive rock of Rush, the 70s and 80s heavy metal of Judas Priest, 70s and 80s punk from Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys, indie rock forefathers Pixies, the grunginess of Alice In Chains (and re-introducing myself to Soundgarden and Nirvana) and the greatest of all discoveries: the 90s sludge metal of Kyuss.
Part of this stems from listening to the least amount of radio in years. My beautiful Subaru Liberty, acquired November 2007, always has an MP3 DVD with stuff on it. Maybe the hip-hop and RnB on Triple J was too much for me. It seems like I get most of my tip-offs from friends and Guitar Hero/Rock Band. I should be embarrassed, but there's no easier way to get to know a lot of music diverse in styles and age than rocking out to a video game.
Apologies for including some 1 or 2 year old releases, but there's no way I can keep my eye on recent releases as astudiously as many other music fans. So I concede it's not a true best of 2008 list, just what I picked up during 2008.
And of course, 2008 was the year I started using last.fm properly, and it's been a source of obsession and happiness ever since.
Albums
1. Saosin - Saosin
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A near-flawless album of post-hardcore angst, with remarkable composition and performance. They can rock at any tempo, using chunky chords, nifty riffs and harmonics, all punctuated by high vocals and screams. This album has the depth and completeness to be a long time favourite of mine. Every instrument, vocals and lyrics all work on every song. I'd be hard pressed to suggest an improvement to a single song. How did it take me two years to hear this? Cove Reber sings like he's shedding the guilt from his conscience and emerging with a new identity - much like I expect Saosin did when Anthony Green left to create Circa Survive.
2. The Futureheads - This Is Not The World
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After The Futureheads' "critically misunderstood" second album led them to be harshly dropped from their record label, this independent release is a stellar return to form. Their jagged sound remains intact, full of stop-starts, but This Is Not The World has a much fuller rhythm section and the album is more cohesive than their debut, where songs were a bit hit-and-miss for me. Those delightful Sunderland accents work in tandem for harmonies and rotating vocal duties as usual, and still hit their straps. Their songwriting and composition has improved as well, with the sound of each track standing out, while also working well together in the album. Despite the serious sound of the single The Beginning Of The Twist, there's a few good laughs from the lyrics. A great indie rock album.
3. The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
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I only looked up The Cribs because they were supporting Franz Ferdinand. By the time I'd learned that they cancelled their support slot, I was devastated. These guys were such a find. Produced by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, this album is exactly what I think indie music should sound like. Accessible but quirky, boppy and upbeat but not afraid to distort, scream or shout. The whole album is chock-full of brilliant riffs and ditties; each song is there for a reason. "Be Safe" is the first time I noticed the combination of spoken-word mixed with a sung chorus really clicking, with Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo's urban poetry emanating far louder than you'd expect his soft words to.
4. Birds of Tokyo - Universes
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There's good reason that Universes was Birds of Tokyo's breakout release, and I'd like to think it was more than Nova airplay. The songs are exquisitely composed with excellent use of dynamics. It feels like each lyric is a sing-a-long crowd pleaser. As rockin' as the work is by the other members of this supergroup, it's all about Ian Kenny. Oh Ian, I love your melodies. And I can't get them outta my, my head I…
5. Shihad - Beautiful Machine
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Shihad returned in 2008 with some good honest alternative rock. It does get a bit "beautiful" with a recurring strain of optimism, but hey, they know how to write a chorus. With that bellowingly prominent rhythm section, it's so likable I'm amazed they're not bigger in Australia. There's opportunity for some reflection and questioning in the lyrics, with some little condemnations towards religion (Waiting Round For God, The Bible And The Gun, The Prophet) and other jerks and shapeshifters (Chameleon, Rule The World). The electronic backing of When You Coming Home is a departure from anything I've heard from Shihad, but it seems to work. Beautiful Machine doesn't have the balls of Love Is The New Hate, but it proves to me that Shihad have a lot left to give.
6. The Living End - White Noise
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I knew this album was going to be something special since I heard it previewed at the Croydon Festival back in February, under the pseudonym The Longnecks. From the first listen, just like the album's opening riff of How Do We Know?, your attention is captured. With short, fast, loud tracks with little squealing solos and conventional rock tracks like White Noise, The Living End show their accomplished abilities. Even from the songs I didn't hear live, Moment In The Sun stood out as a perfectly written radio hit from the first time I heard it, with driving double bass and subtle piano tinkles. I didn't hear all of the Living End's last album State of Emergency, but I reckon this album is as good as any since their self-titled debut that I scored for Christmas in 1999.
7. Gyroscope - Breed Obsession
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Another great album I heard previewed live, close to the front of the stage, lapping up tracks like the ominous These Days, the screamingly apologetic All In On One and the delightfully evil O.K. Gyroscope hit all the usual right notes, with grungy quiet-loud dynamics and noisy punk influences. It's a highly commendable effort, but it falls away a little in the second half. That said, it took me months of listens for all the greatness of "Are You Involved?" to sink in. After the recognition of Snakeskin last year and the undoubtedly anthemic Australia (which I was a bit ho-hum on until I heard it live with a bunch of Aussies belting it out), Gyroscope's deserved rise continues. Has anyone still not heard them yet? Get on board.
8. The Matches - A Band In Hope
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The Matches return with another punky and exploratory record. They use a jarringly schizophrenic change in Darkness Rising and to close AM Tilts, lace harmonics over the pop number Wake The Sun and move to what I consider a massive glam rock riff for Point Me Towards The Morning. Indeed, the band seems to highlight the dual messages of optimism and chaos through the album title, which can also be read as Abandon Hope. It's just a small example of the simple, yet brilliant lyricism of The Matches. They move into quiet territory with pianos and synthesisers, but the hidden surprise in the experimentation on A Band In Hope was the wonderfully Queen-esque sing-respond harmonies on Between Halloweens. Another good follow-up from a ripper band.
9. ¡Forward, Russia! - Give Me A Wall
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I'm not sure how ¡Forward, Russia! cram hardcore punk, indie rock, disco-like funk and the odd synthesiser into something coherent, but they did. It's about as listenable as the pained screaming vocals that litter the album, so I don't expect many of my mates to flock to it, but it immediately reminded me of Bloc Party's Silent Alarm days. Yet, it's more than that. It's crazier, it's more frenzied, it moves with an even greater sense of urgency. Like Bloc Party, that explosiveness is tempered on their follow-up, 2008's Life Processes, and it feels comparably weak. So, despite this being a best of 2008, I'm selecting the 2006 release that I heard and fell in love with around May 2008. It's uniquely brilliant if your ears and sensibilities can withhold the noise.
10. Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission
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Lostprophets' previous album "Start Something" was a go-between of hardcore punk, sometimes bordering on metal, and indie rock. It was a mix I particularly appreciated. The sound softened considerably for this record, but it grew on me, even though there's few elements worth singling out for creative acclaim. Since Lostprophets have probably just drifted towards radio-friendliness, they still produce some pretty heavy stuff (Everyday Combat), while pulling off neat little pop-rock songs like A Town Called Hypocrisy. The clincher for me was actually the lyrics, depicting the modern struggle for freedom against all sides, in a year when I took great interest in libertarianism. The strength of the opening four tracks makes the album; it weakens when the lyrics move back to dorm-room love letter territory.
Recommended
Mastodon - Blood Mountain (metal)
The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns (indie rock)
The Photo Atlas - The Photo Atlas (indie/hardcore)
Paramore - Riot (pop punk)
Billy Talent - Billy Talent II (post-hardcore)
Trial Kennedy - New Manic Art (alternative rock)
Disco Ensemble - First Aid Kit (post-hardcore)
Cut Off Your Hands - You And I (indie rock)
Seether - Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces (post-grunge)
Sparkadia - Postcards (indie pop)
Tracks
1.Birds Of Tokyo - Broken Bones
2.Coldplay - Violet Hill
3.Lostprophets - Everyday Combat
4.The Bravery - Believe
5.The Futureheads - The Beginning Of The Twist
6.The Matches - Point Me Toward The Morning
7.Cut Off Your Hands - Expectations
8.Shihad - One Will Hear The Other
9.The Living End - How Do We Know?
10.Lostprophets - A Town Called Hypocrisy
11.Saosin - Collapse
12.Mastodon - The Wolf Is Loose
13.Gyroscope - All In On One
14.Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning
15.The Cribs - Our Bovine Public
16.Birds Of Tokyo - Silhouettic
17.Mastodon - Cut You Up with a Linoleum Knife
18.Paramore - Misery Business
19.The Photo Atlas - Red Orange Yellow
20.Army of Me - Going Through Changes
21.Avenged Sevenfold - Crossroads
22.Coldplay - Yes
23.Billy Talent - Devil In A Midnight Mass
24.The Getaway Plan - Where The City Meets The Sea
25.The Enemy - Pressure
26.The Living End - Moment In The Sun
27.Bloc Party - Talons
28.The Pigeon Detectives - I'm Not Sorry
29.Dragonforce - Revolution Deathsquad
30.Seether - Fake It
31.The Futureheads - Think Tonight
32.Gyroscope - These Days
33.The Matches - Yankee In A Chip Shop
34.The Pigeon Detectives - This Is An Emergency
35.¡Forward, Russia! - Fifteen Pt. 1
36.The Cribs - Ancient History
37.Saosin - It's So Simple
38.Rise Against - Re-Education (Through Labor)
39.The Pigeon Detectives - Romantic Type
40.The Wombats - Kill the Director
41.The Cribs - Men's Needs
42.The Matches - Their City
43.Paramore - For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic
44.Teräsbetoni - Missä miehet ratsastaa
45.Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat
46.Cut Off Your Hands - Happy As Can Be
47.¡Forward, Russia! - A Prospector Can Dream
48.Seether - Like Suicide
49.The Enemy - Aggro
50.The Cribs - I've Tried Everything
51.Paramore - Let The Flames Begin
52.Mastodon - Sleeping Giant
53.Saosin - I Never Wanted To
54.Shihad - Chameleon
55.The Photo Atlas - Electric Shock
56.Sleep Parade - Carry On
57.The Getaway Plan - Sleep Spindles
58.Lostprophets - 4am Forever
59.Shihad - Beautiful Machine
60.Disco Ensemble - This Is My Head Exploding
61.Trial Kennedy - Neighbours
62.The Cribs - Be Safe
63.¡Forward, Russia! - Nine
64.Seether - Breakdown
65.Lostprophets - For All These Times Son For All These Times
66.The Photo Atlas - She Was A Matador
67.Gyroscope - 1981
68.Disco Ensemble - Drop Dead, Casanova
69.Flyleaf - All Around Me
70.Sevendust - The Past
71.Birds Of Tokyo - Armour For Liars
72.The Futureheads - Walking Backwards
73.¡Forward, Russia! - Welcome to the Moment (the rest of your life)
74.Sparkadia - Too Much To Do
75.The Living End - White Noise
76.Birds Of Tokyo - White Witch
77.Bloc Party - Halo
78.The Matches - AM Tilts
79.The Futureheads - Radio Heart
80.Coldplay - Lost!
81.The Living End - Make The Call
82.The Getaway Plan - Streetlight
83.Saosin - Some Sense Of Security
84.Trial Kennedy - Colour Day Tours
85.Gyroscope - Weapon
86.DragonForce - Heroes of Our Time
87.Innerpartysystem - Heart Of Fire
88.The Futureheads - Broke Up The Time
89.Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams
90.The Dirty Secrets - Lighthouse
91.Kaiser Chiefs - Spanish Metal
92.Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
93.The Fratellis - My Friend John
94.Story of the Year - Wake Up
95.Trial Kennedy - Hollowood
96.Oasis - Bag It Up
97.The Pigeon Detectives - I'm Not Gonna Take This
98.Operator - Soulcrusher
99.Sparkadia - Up In The Air
100.Boris - My Neighbour Satan
Gigs
1. Queens of the Stone Age, Smashing Pumpkins, Hot Hot Heat, Modest Mouse, V Festival, Showgrounds
2. Gyroscope and Shihad, Billboard
3. Gyroscope, Ruby's Lounge
4. The Futureheads, Corner Hotel
5. The Matches, Corner Hotel
6. The Hives, The Forum
7. The Living End and British India, Maroondah (but we all know it's the Croydon) Festival
8. Faker and Sparkadia, The Forum
9. DragonForce, The Forum
10. Kisschasy, Palace (formerly Metro)