My Year-End List

So, tomorrow's New Years Eve and I felt like it's about time I posted my year-end music list. But first, I want to make a disclaimer to all readers. I didn't hear every record or go to every show of '08, so I feel like it'd be really improper of me to call any of these lists "best of" lists. I feel this way about all the year end lists that everyone puts out. So, for right now, let's call these the "Max's Favorite Things That He Was Exposed To In '08" lists, k? Ok. Here they come.

Ten Favorite Records of '08 [In No Particular Order]:


Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls




Alot of hype around this band, and in my opinion, they lived up to it.

Pwrfl Power - Pwrfl Power




So, this wasn't that well received, but I love Kaz. I saw him play with the Vonneguts almost a year ago at a show that only me and one other guy showed up to besides the promoter and the other band.

Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08




A poppier side of Jay Reatard in a year I got really into poppier sounds? Perfect match.

Lemuria - Get Better




This gets my vote for "cutest record of '08."

The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride




John Darnielle's return to non-autobiographical albums marks a return to form for The Mountain Goats. I love every second of this album just like I love every second of everything he's ever done. No-brainer.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light



Not my favorite Bonnie record, but that's like saying The Darjeeling Limited wasn't my favorite Wes Anderson film. It's still better than 90% of what other people are coming out with.

Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel




I'm not sure what it is about this album, but I just like this so much more than Deerhunter.

Boris - Smile



Every album Boris has released has been pretty radically different than the last, and in no way is that a bad thing.

Andrew Jackson Jihad - Only God Can Judge Me



These guys caught me so off guard when I saw them in Wilkes-Barre in the summer. This is their darkest release yet, but somehow they still always manage to put a smile on my jaded face.

Darkthrone - Dark Thrones and Black Flags



C'mon. You really though I wasn't gonna slip a black metal album in here? Over the last couple releases, these guys have gotten progressively more punk sounding, but they are still the biggest nerds in metal. Nothing they do is going to top A Blaze in the Northern Sky, but damn is this record good.


3 Favorite Live Sets of '08:


Birth Control @ 46 Madison


Every now and then, there's a set that reminds me why I love punk so much. This was that set. See them as soon as you can.

Boris @ The First U


This was the first time I saw Boris and it was soooooooo good. Boris and Michio Kurihara performing more than just the stuff off rainbow together. The only way this could've been better would have been if Wolves in the Throne Room hadn't canceled.

The Catalyst @ 198 Madison


So good. Why isn't this band bigger? Now maybe my memory is skewed because I was utterly and drunk, but maybe that made it that much better.

Best Record I Didn't Hear Until '08:

Kamikaze - Destroy Everything You Think You Know

Not anything unusal for a hardcore release, but I love it all the same.

Best Find Of '08:

I found the original French pressing of Dead Boys - Younger, Louder, and Snottyer from Necrophilia Records on pink vinyl in Repo Records on South St. in perfect condition.

Record That I'm Most Upset That I Didn't Get To Hear In '08:

Dillinger Four - Civil War



Something keeps getting in the way of me getting this album.

Favorite New Band Of '08:

Ba-Durr! (Newark, DE)

Ok, it's my friend's band, but dammit are they good. Great pop-punk in the vein of The Ergs!

Best Discovery of '08:

Putting Cinnamon in my Coffee

It doesn't really change the taste, but it smells good.

Goodbye 2008! I won't miss you!

Take care all,
Max