2008 Albums List

here's a semi-update on my list:

9/10
Ours - Mercy...Dancing for the death of an imaginary enemy

see the blog..but it still holds as the closest to a classic record this year. But I've also said it before and will hold to if this ends up the top dog come late December, 2008 will be regarded as a disappointing year. dredg, Pure Reason Revolution, Marillion, Mew among many others are gonna take some cracks at knocking it off I imagine.

8.5/10
King's X - XV

see the blog as well.i dunno how much it'll go up, but I am quite pleased with this album. very likely top 10 candidate.

8/10
Sculptured - EMBODIMENT
the 1st solid album out of the gates. But that's it, it's *just solid*..the closing 10min title piece is goosebumpy, and there is no material here I ever skip. less-is-more..progressive Metal done well..with some black/death hints. But at the same time, it's not one I foresee going any further..save for maybe trying to get familiar with their backcatlog a bit.

Arsis - WE ARE THE NIGHTMARE ...the other "less-is-more" Metal album..this certainly has got better and better over repeated play. I can't say anything bad about it..catchy, melodic, tight..they did nothing wrong here. And maybe best, totally caught me offguard since I was a bit sour on this group after the concert I saw the blastbeats drowned out their sound, but not at all on this 1.


7.5/10
Protest the Hero - FORTRESS ..good..a couple of tracks are impressive..and had I not fallen in love with KEZIA or even heard it more than the 2 or 3 times back in '06..I might have really been more into this one...but I did and KEZIA remains a slightly superior record. Still..it's 1 of the better albums out this year, just not really a breakthrough that it was anticipated to be.

The Gutter Twins - SATURNALIA..impressive..a lot of well-written songs..pretty popular as well. Didn't know the Screaming Trees history with Lanegan going-in. I suppose it's fair to say I need to play it a bit more to get a full idea of where it stands. It feels like a top 20-30 album, but not a classic really.

tbc..later...

7/10
Opeth - WATERSHED
Darla Farmer - REWIRING THE ELECTRIC FOREST
Hills Like White Elephants - HIMALAYA
Apes and Androids - BLOOD MOON
Gloria Morti - ERYX
Black Mountain - IN THE FUTURE
Cloud Cult - FEEL GOOD GHOSTS

6.5/10
The Mars Volta - THE BEDLAM IN GOLIATH
Foals - ANTIDOTES
Panic at the Disco - PRETTY. ODD.
Agalloch - THE WHITE
Russian Circles - STATION
Genghis Tron - BOARD UP THE HOUSE
Ebu Gogo - WORLDS
Textures - SILHOUETTES
The Jealous Girlfriends - THE JEALOUS GIRLFRIENDS (re-release)
dEUS - VANTAGE POINT

6/10
The Big Sleep - SLEEP FOREVER
The Helio Sequence - KEEP YOUR EYES AHEAD
!Forward, Russia - LIFE PROCESSES
Porcupine Tree - WE LOST THE SKYLINE
Muse - HAARP

5.5/10
Blowing Trees - BLOWING TREES
Youthmovies - GOOD NATURE
Monolith Deathcult - TRIUMVIRATE

5/10
Colin Meloy - COLIN SINGS LIVE
In Ruin - A GHOST TO BE FORGOTTEN
This Will Detroy You - THIS WILL DESTROY YOU
Mt.Helium - FACES
Fleet Foxes - SUN GIANT (EP)
The Sword - GODS OF THE EARTH
Brain Drill - APOCALYPTIC FEASTING

4.5/10
Grand Archives - THE GRAND ARCHIVES
Kayo Dot - BLUE LAMENCY DOWNWARD
Murder By Death - RED OF TOOTH AND CLAW

.5/10 - 4/10
Elbow - THE SELDOM SEEN KID
Island - ORAKEL
White Hinderland - PHYLACTERY FACTORY
Klimt - KLIMT
Idiot Pilot - WOLVES
Tiles - FLY PAPER
RPWL - THE RPWL EXPERIENCE

Unrated
Eluveitie - SLANIA
Ihsahn - ang L
Hate - MORPHOSIS
Meshuggah - obZen
Zero Hour - DARK DECEIVER
Vampire Weekend - VAMPIRE WEEKEND
The National Bank - COME ON OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE
Pat Metheny - DAY TRIP
Annuals/Sunfold - WET ZOO (EP)
Hate Eternal - FURY AND FLAMES
The Dresden Dolls - NO, VIRGINIA
Secret Chiefs 3 - XAPHAN: BOOK OF ANGELS VOLUME 9