2008 Music Journals

[murlough23]

What the hey, I'll start this one off this time, since I know a few of us are already hearing pre-releases of albums that will hit store shelves in 2008. I'll borrow Josh's boilerplate from the last one:

As always, record whatever 2008 albums you hear, link to your reviews, assign ratings or rankings, etc. Please don't make a bunch of separate threads for updates; just update your original post. Keep discussion of individual albums to separate, album-specific threads. And have fun!

[murlough23]

Top 20:
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes A
2. Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends A
3. Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. III & IV - Air & Earth A-
4. The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise A-
5. Anathallo - Canopy Glow A-
6. House of Heroes - The End Is Not the End A-
7. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid B+
8. The Reign of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord & Melody B+
9. Copeland - You Are My Sunshine B+
10. Jon Foreman - Spring & Summer B+
12. Cool Hand Luke - The Sleeping House B+
13. Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other B
11. Edison Glass - Time Is Fiction B
14. Katie Herzig - Apple Tree B
15. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend B
16. TV on the Radio - Dear Science B
17. Yoav - Charmed & Strange B
18. Delirious? - Kingdom of Comfort B
19. Capital Lights - This Is an Outrage! B
20. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark B

Honorable Mention:
21. Andrew Peterson - Resurrection Letters, Volume II B
22. Anberlin - New Surrender B
23. Calexico - Carried to Dust B
24. Jon Foreman - Fall & Winter B
25. Annie Moses Band - This Glorious Christmas B
26. Thrice - Live at the House of Blues B-
27. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges B-
28. Alanis Morissette - Flavors of Entanglement B-
29. Sixpence None the Richer - The Dawn of Grace B-
30. Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime! B-

The Rest:
R.E.M. - Accelerate B-
Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts - Temporary People B-
Blitzen Trapper - Furr B-
The Killers - Day & Age C+
Jaci Velasquez - Love Out Loud C+
Downhere - Ending Is Beginning C+
Olivia the Band - Where We Come From It Never Snows C+
P.O.D. - When Angels and Serpents Dance C+
Cindy Morgan - Beautiful Bird C+
Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust C+
After Edmund - Hello C+
Ron Sexsmith - Exit Strategy of the Soul C+
Leeland - Opposite Way C+
The Welcome Wagon - Welcome to the Welcome Wagon C+
Code of Ethics - Lost in Egypt C+
Phil Joel - The New Normal C+
Ivoryline - There Came a Lion C
Peter Bradley Adams - Leavetaking C
Third Day - Revelation C
Family Force 5 - Dance or Die C
Starfield - I Will Go C
Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things C
Charlie Hall - The Bright Sadness C
Nevertheless - In the Making... C
Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static C
Bebo Norman - Bebo Norman C

Dishonorable Mention:
18. Kutless - To Know that You're Alive C-
17. Chris Tomlin - Hello Love C-
16. Michael W. Smith - A New Hallelujah C-
15. Krystal Meyers - Make Some Noise C-
14. Avalon - Another Time, Another Place: Timeless Classics C-
13. Various Artists - Billy: The Early Years Soundtrack C-
12. Brandon Heath - What If We C-
11. Pillar - For the Love of the Game D+
10. Punch Brothers - Punch D+
9. Superchic[k] - Rock What You Got D+
8. Tenth Avenue North - Over and Underneath D+
7. Matt Maher - Empty & Beautiful D+
6. Fireflight - Unbreakable D
5. Katy Perry - One of the Boys D
4. The Fiery Furnaces - Remember D
3. Warren Barfield - Worth Fighting For D
2. Various Artists - How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry D-
1. Brooke Barrettsmith - Brooke Barrettsmith F

Compilations/EPs/Singles:
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP A-
Future of Forestry - Advent Christmas EP B+
Sixpence None the Richer - My Dear Machine EP B+
Deas Vail - White Lights EP B+
Jars of Clay - Closer EP B
The Listening - Transmission 1 EP B-
Relient K - The Bird and the Bee-Sides B-
Five O'Clock People - Temper Temper B-
Jars of Clay - Greatest Hits C+
Coldplay - Prospekt's March EP C+
Kevin Max - Crashing Gates EP C-

Already Released, Need to Hear It:
Sarah Macintosh - The Waiters, The Watchers, The Listeners, The Keepers & Me
Ben Shive - The Ill-Tempered Klavier

Looking Back:
2007 Music Journal
2006 Music Journal
2005 Music Journal
2004 Music Journal
2003 Music Journal
1991-2002 Music Journals

(Last Update: 12/23/09)

[plvarona]

Updated: 7/26/2009

(* denotes an album I've heard in its entirety, but do not own.)
Top 10 (so far):
1.  House of Heroes: The End is Not the End (A)
2.  Cool Hand Luke: The Sleeping House (A)
3.  The Myriad: With Arrows, With Poise (A)
4.  Edison Glass: Time is Fiction (A-)
5.  The Reign of Kindo: Rhythm, Chord and Melody (A-)
6.  Brooke Waggoner: Heal For The Honey (A-)
7.  Justin McRoberts: Deconstruction (A-)
8.  downhere: Ending is Beginning (A-)
9.  Coldplay: Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends (A-)
10.  Jon Foreman: Spring and Summer EP's (A-)

Honorable Mention:
11.  Fleet Foxes: self-titled (A-)
12.  Matthew Perryman Jones: Swallow The Sea (A-)
13.  Andrew Peterson: Resurrection Letters, Vol. II (B+)
14.  Flogging Molly: Float (B+)
15.  Seabird: 'Til We See The Shore (B+)
16.  Thrice: The Alchemy Index, Vol. III and IV (B+)
17.  delirious?: Kingdom of Comfort (B+)
18.  Alli Rogers: You and the Evening Sky (B+)
19.  Gabe Dixon Band: self-titled (B+)
20.  Katie Herzig: Apple Tree (B+)
21.  We Shot The Moon: Fear and Love (B+)
22.  Jon Foreman: Fall and Winter EPs (B+)
23.  Capital Lights: This is an Outrage! (B )
24.  Denison Witmer: Carry The Weight (B )
25.  The Classic Crime: The Silver Cord (B )
26.  Dave Barnes: You & Me & The World (B )
27.  Ivoryline: There Came a Lion (B )
28.  Copeland: You Are My Sunshine (B )
29.  Children 18:3: self-titled (B )
30.  Anberlin: New Surrender (B )
31.  Marc Broussard: Keep Coming Back (B )
32.  Relient K: The Bird and the Bee Sides / The Nashville Tennis EP (B )
33.  Glenn Kaiser Band: Octane (B )
34.  Leeland: Opposite Way (*) (B )
35.  Chris Sligh: Running Back to You (B )
36.  R.E.M.: Accelerate (B )

Mild Recommendations:
Third Day: Revelation (C+)
Group 1 Crew: Ordinary Dreamers (*) (C+)

Nah:
Ruth: Anorak (*) (C )
Brandon Heath: What If We (*) (C )
Brooke Barrettsmith: self-titled (*) (C )
Remedy Drive: Daylight is Coming (*) (D+)
Fireflight: Unbreakable (*) (D )

Greatest Hits, Live CD's, EP's, etc.:
The Listening: Transmission 1 (A-)
Sixpence None The Richer: My Dear Machine EP (B+)
Jars of Clay: Closer EP (B+)
Deas Vail: White Lights EP (B+)

Currently Digesting:
Kevin Max: Crashing Gates EP

Current Releases I Plan to Check Out:
Andy Gullahorn: Reinventing The Wheel

Current Releases That Somewhat Intrigue Me:
After Edmund: Hello
Augustana: Can't Love, Can't Hurt
DecembeRadio: Satisfied
Jonezetta: Cruel to Be Young
Shawn McDonald: Roots
My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark's Teeth
Cindy Morgan: Beautiful Bird
Sanctus Real: We Need Each Other
Matthew West: Something to Say

Will Check Out - if I'm Feeling Particularly Masochistic:
Building 429: self-titled
Family Force 5: Dance or Die
Stellar Kart: Expect The Impossible (like not actually insult my intelligence for once.)
Krystal Meyers: Make Some Noise

[bloop]

Best of 2008
Buy It!
Dear Science,, TV on the Radio (10.0)
Microcastle & Weird Era Cont., Deerhunter (9.5)
Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, Sigur Rós (9.5)
Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket (9.5)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (9.0)
London Zoo, The Bug (9.0)
Third, Portishead (9.0)
Exit, Shugo Tokumaru (9.0)
Furr, Blitzen Trapper (9.0)
Invisible Baby, Marco Benevento (9.0)
Shallow Graves, The Tallest Man on Earth (9.0)
In Ear Park, Department of Eagles (9.0)
Lie Down in the Light, Bonnie "Prince" Billy (9.0)
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, Atlas Sound (9.0)
Phylactery Factory, White Hinterland (9.0)
Attack & Release, The Black Keys (8.5)
Brighter Than Creation's Dark, Drive-By Truckers (8.5)
The Stand-Ins, Okkervil River (8.5)
You & Me, The Walkmen (8.5)
Rhythm, Chord, and Melody, The Reign of Kindo (8.5)
Where You Go I Go Too, Lindstrøm (8.5)
A Certain Feeling, Bodies of Water (8.5)
April, Sun Kil Moon (8.5)
In Ghost Colours, Cut Copy (8.5)
Stay Positive, The Hold Steady (8.5)
Dig Lazarus Dig!!!, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (8.5)
Saturdays = Youth, M83 (8.5)
Visiter, The Dodos (8.5)
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, Coldplay (8.5)
Everything Is Borrowed, The Streets (8.5)
Arm's Way, Islands (8.5)
Songs in A&E, Spiritualized (8.5)
Another Country, Tift Merritt (8.5)
Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (8.5)
The Seldom Seen Kid, Elbow (8.0)
Apple Tree, Katie Herzig (8.0)
Airing of Grievances, Titus Andronicus (8.0)
Consolers of the Lonely, The Raconteurs (8.0)
Real Emotional Trash, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (8.0)
Sun Giant EP, Fleet Foxes (8.0)
Alegranza!, El Guincho (8.0)
The Alchemy Index, Vols. III & IV - Air & Earth, Thrice (8.0)
With Arrows, With Poise, The Myriad (8.0)
Time is Fiction, Edison Glass (8.0)

Try It
Exit Strategy for the Soul, Ron Sexsmith (7.5)
Angels of Destruction, Marah (7.5)
At War with Walls & Mazes, Son Lux (7.5)
Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne (7.5)
Uproot, DJ/rupture (7.5)
Gossip in the Grain, Ray LaMontagne (7.5)
Snowflake Midnight, Mercury Rev (7.5)
@#%&! Smilers, Aimee Mann (7.5)
Soundtrack to a Vacant Life, The Flashbulb (7.5)
Devotion, Beach House (7.5)
Bake Sale, DeepSpace5 (7.5)
Nouns, No Age (7.5)
Heretic Pride, The Mountain Goats (7.5)
Rip It Off, Times New Viking (7.5)
The Bedlam in Goliath, The Mars Volta (7.5)
The Slip, Nine Inch Nails (7.0)
Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair (7.0)
Do You Like Rock Music?, British Sea Power (7.0)
Accelerate, R.E.M. (7.0)
Death Magnetic, Metallica (7.0)
Stainless Style, Neon Neon (7.0)
The Coral Sea, Patti Smith & Kevin Shields (7.0)
The Chemistry of Common Life, Fucked Up (7.0)
22 Dreams, Paul Weller (7.0)
Offend Maggie, Deerhoof (7.0)
Modern Guilt, Beck (7.0)
New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), Erykah Badu (7.0)
...And All the Dogs to Shark, Kingdom Shore (7.0)
Street Horrrsing, Fuck Buttons (7.0)
Quaristice, Autechre (7.0)
The Hawk is Howling, Mogwai (7.0)
Walk It Off, Tapes 'n Tapes (7.0)
There Came a Lion, Ivoryline (7.0)
Winter EP, Jon Foreman (7.0)
Hold On Now, Youngster, Los Campesinos! (7.0)
Harps & Angels, Randy Newman (7.0)
The Sleeping House, Cool Hand Luke (7.0)
Stop, Drop, and Roll!!!, Foxboro Hot Tubs (7.0)
Ghosts I-IV, Nine Inch Nails (7.0)
The End Is Not the End, House of Heroes (7.0)
Spring EP, Jon Foreman (7.0)
Closer EP, Jars of Clay (7.0)
Feed the Animals, Girl Talk (7.0)
Kingdom of Comfort, Delirious? (7.0)
Children 18:3, Children 18:3 (6.5)
The Odd Couple, Gnarls Barkley (6.5)
The Devil, You + Me, The Notwist (6.5)
Vivian Girls, Vivian Girls (6.5)
Weezer (The Red Album), Weezer (6.5)
Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, Counting Crows (6.5)
Narrow Stairs, Death Cab for Cutie (6.5)
Way To Normal, Ben Folds (6.5)
Heart On, Eagles of Death Metal (6.5)
Life...The Best Game In Town, Harvey Milk (6.5)
We Need Each Other, Sanctus Real (6.5)
Detours, Sheryl Crow (6.5)
Hard Candy, Madonna (6.5)
Opposite Way, Leeland (6.5)

Be Warned
Black Ice, AC/DC (6.0)
Where We Come From It Never Snows, Olivia the Band (6.0)
Chinese Democracy, Guns N Roses (6.0)
Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette (6.0)
Circus, Britney Spears (5.5)
Along Came a Spider, Alice Cooper (5.5)
Untitled, Nas (5.5)
Day and Age, The Killers (5.5)
808s & Heartbreak, Kanye West (5.5)
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, Jason Mraz (5.5)
American Gothic EP, Smashing Pumpkins (5.5)
Revelation, Third Day (5.0)
When Angels and Serpents Dance, P.O.D. (5.0)
Breakout, Miley Cyrus (5.0)

Don't Even Bother
E=MC², Mariah Carey (4.0)
One of the Boys, Katy Perry (4.0)
Enjoyed:  A Tribute to Bjork's Post, Various Artists (3.5)
For the Love of the Game, Pillar (3.0)
The Block, New Kids on the Block (2.0)
Dark Horse, Nickelback (1.0)

Hey, You Cheated! (Live albums, cover albums, compilations and such)
What Does It All Mean?  1983-2006 Retrospective, Steinski (9.5)
Tell-Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8, Bob Dylan (9.0)
Live From Nowhere Vol. 3, Over the Rhine (8.5)
Just a Little Lovin', Shelby Lynne (8.0)
Soldier On EP, Andrew Bird (7.5)
Dark End of the Street, Cat Power (7.0)

Digesting
Ice Cream Spiritual, Ponytail
Dwell, The Envy Corps
Welcome to the Night Sky, Wintersleep
Partie Traumatic, Black Kids
Thing of the Past, Vetiver
Laulu Laakson Kukista, Paavoharju
Deathconsciousness, Have A Nice Life
New Surrender, Anberlin
Skeletal Lamping, Of Montreal
Don't Stop, Annie
Only By the Night, Kings of Leon
Los Angeles, Flying Lotus
Lightbulbs, Fujiya & Miyagi
Missiles, The Dears
To Survive, Joan as Police Woman
Dig Out Your Soul, Oasis
Intimacy, Bloc Party
They Shoot, We Score, Yo La Tengo
The Clash: Live at Shea Stadium, The Clash
Maelstrom From Drift, Lee Ranaldo
Soft Airplane, Chad VanGaalen
You Are My Sunshine, Copeland
We Brave Bee Stings and All, Thao with the Get Down and Stay Down
Little Honey, Lucinda Williams
Dark Developments, Elf Power, The Amorphous Strums, and Vic Chesnutt
Back to the Cat, Barry Adamson
The Living and the Dead, Jolie Holland
Cardinology, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
4:13 Dream, The Cure
A Hundred Million Suns, Snow Patrol
Dial M, Starflyer 59
Eccentric Soul: The Young Disciples, Various Artists
Smile, Boris
My Grandfather, The Cubist, Joy Electric
WLIB AM: King of the Wigflips, Madlib the Beat Konducta
Parallax Error Beheads You, Max Tundra
Canopy Glow, Anathallo
Universal Mind Control, Common
Volume 1, She & Him
The Midnight Organ Fight, Frightened Rabbit

DON'T EVEN BOTHER:
0.0: Not one redeeming characteristic (F)
0.5-1.5: Painful (F)
2.0-2.5: Terrible (F)
3.0-3.5: Poor  (F)
4.0-4.5: Nearing average (D)

BE WARNED:
5.0: Average  (C-)
5.5: Slightly above average (C )
6.0: Pretty Good; serious flaws (C+)

TRY IT:
6.5: Solid; detracting problems (B-)
7.0: Good; well above average (B )
7.5: Impressive; few major reservations (B+)

BUY IT:
8.0: Excellent; repeated listens suggested (A-)
8.5: Exceptional; repeated listens demanded (A)
9.0-9.5: Great; Very few, if any, notable flaws (A+)
10.0: Essential; Among the best of all time (A++)

[Brenden]

Top 10:
1. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive - A
2. TV On The Radio - Dear Science - A-
3. Various Artists - Forgetting Sarah Marshall Soundtrack - A-
4. Ben Shive - The Ill-Tempered Klavier - A-
5. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely - A-
6. Cool Hand Luke - The Sleeping House - A-
7. Starflyer 59 - Dial M, Dial In - A-
8. Sun Kil Moon - April - A-
9. M83 - Saturdays = Youth - A-
10. House Of Heroes - The End Is Not The End - B+

The Good:
Brave Saint Saturn - Anti-Meridian - B+
Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - Not Animal - B+
The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise - B+
Coldplay - Viva La Vida, Or, Death And All His Friends - B+
Aimee Mann - Smilers - B+
Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark - B+
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - B+
Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords - B
Listener Project - Return To Struggleville - B
Secret & Whisper - Great White Whale - B

The Decent:
Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - Animal - B-
Anberlin - New Surrender - B-
Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime! - B-

The Ugly:
10. Tree63 - Blessed Be Your Name: The Hits - C
9. Augustana - Can't Love, Can't Hurt - C-
8. Jason Mraz - We Sang, We Dance, We Steal Things - C-
7. Punch Brothers - Punch - C-
6. Ten Shekel Shirt - Jubilee - D+
5. Inhabited - Love - D-
4. Pillar - For The Love Of The Game - D-
3. Various Artists - X Christmas - D-

Assorted:
Auld Lang Syne - Where My Fortune Lies 7" - A
Sixpence None the Richer - My Dear Machine EP - B+
Colin Melloy Sings Live - B+
Paper Route - Are We All Forgotten? EP - B+
Randall Goodgame - Bluebird EP - B
Jars Of Clay - Closer EP - B
Jon Foreman - Winter EP - B
Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken - Ampersand EP - C+
Since Forever - Welcome To The Nightmare EP - C-

Digesting:

[ajyouthguy]

Liked It:
1. Cool Hand Luke--The Sleeping House
2. Coldplay--Viva La Vida
3. Justin McRoberts--Deconstruction
4. Fleet Foxes
5. The Reign of Kindo--Rhythm, Chord and Melody
6. The Gabe Dixon Band--The Gabe Dixon Band
7. Dave Barnes--Me and You and the World
8. Jon Foreman--Spring and Summer
9.  The Myriad--With Arrows, With Poise
10. House of Heroes--The End is the End
11. The Welcome Wagon--Welcome to the Welcome Wagon
12. Thrice--Alchemy Index Volume III and IV
13. Anberlin--New Surrender
14. Andrew Peterson--Resurrection Letters II
15. Downhere--Ending is Beginning
16. Red Umbrella--Living and Surviving
17. Edison Glass--Time is Fiction
18. Copeland--You are My Sunshine
19. Judd and Maggie--Kingdom of Noise
20. Michael Gungor Band--Ancient Skies
21. Katie Herzig--Apple Tree
22. Seabird--Til We See the Shore
23.Delirious? - Kingdom of Comfort
24. Third Day--Revelation
25. Children18:3--Children18:3
26 Joy Whitlock--God and a Girl
27. Ivoryline--There Came a Lion
28. K.S. Rhoads--Dead Language
29. Group 1 Crew--Ordinary Dreamers
30. Andy Gullahorn--Reinventing the Wheel
 
Special Albums (EP's, live, Christmas, etc.) that I liked:
1. Shane and Shane--Glory in the Highest
2. Sixpence NTR--The Dawn of Grace
3. TobyMac--Alive and Transported
4. Sara Groves--O Holy Night
5. David Crowder Band--Remedy Club Tour

Decent, but not listworthy:

Leeland--Opposite Way
Demon Hunter--Storm the Gates of Hell
P.O.D.--When Angels and Serpents Dance
Sanctus Real--We Need Each Other
The Khrusty Brothers--The Khrusty Brothers
Remedy Drive
After Edmund--Hello
Hawk Nelson--Hawk Nelson is My Friend
Ruth--Anorak

Didn't Personally Care For:
Stellar Kart--Expect the Impossible
Pillar--For the Love of the Game
Phanatik--Crime and Consequences
Flame--The World: Redeemed
Number One Gun--The North Pole Project
Dizmas--Tension

[dgp11776]

Top 30
1.  The Reign of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord, and Melody  9.75
2.  Cool Hand Luke - The Sleeping House  9.75
3.  Deepspace5 - BakeSale  9.75
4.  Katie Herzig - Apple Tree  9.50
5.  My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges  9.50
6.  The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise  9.50
7.  Beat Rabbi & Deepspace5 - Deepspace5soul  9.50
8.  House of Heroes - The End Is Not the End  9.25
9.  Delirious? - Kingdom of Comfort  9.25 
10.  Edison Glass - Time Is Fiction  9.25
11.  Children 18:3 - Children 18:3  9.25
12.  Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends  9.25
13.  Tyler Burkum - Darling, Maybe Someday  9.25
14.  Braille - The IV Edition  9.00
15.  The Classic Crime - The Silver Cord  9.00
16.  Sev Statik - Shotgun  9.00
17.  Chris Taylor - Take Me Anywhere  9.00
18.  Thrice - The Alchemy Index Volumes III and IV  9.00
19.  Abandon Kansas - You Build a Wall, I'll Build a Ladder  9.00
20.  Jose James - The Dreamer  9.00
21.  Leeland - Opposite Way  9.00
22.  Anberlin - New Surrender  8.75
23.  We Shot the Moon - Fear and Love  8.75
24.  Ivoryline - There Came a Lion  8.75
25.  Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other  8.75
26.  Relient K - The Nashville Tennis EP  8.75
27.  Seabird - 'Til We See the Shore  8.50
28.  Bon Voyage - Lies  8.50
29.  Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, and Curse  8.50
30.  The Afters - Never Going Back To OK  8.50

Also Recommended
Chris Sligh - Running Back To You  8.50
White Hinterland - Phylactery Factory  8.50
Third Day - Revelation  8.50
Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater  8.50
theBREAX - When theBREAX Sold Out  8.50
Dave Barnes - Me and You and the World  8.50
This Beautiful Republic - Perceptions  8.50
Foolish Things - Even Now  8.50
Search the City - A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See It  8.50
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes  8.25
downhere - Ending is Beginning  8.25
Brooke Fraser - Albertine  8.25
Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust  8.25
Underoath - Lost in the Sound of Separation  8.25
Matthew West - Something To Say  8.25
Judd and Maggie - Kingdom of Noise  8.00
The Human Flight Committee - Oh, When the Animals Unionize  8.00
Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt - In Christ Alone  8.00
Various Artists - Night Owls 4: A Shot In the Dark  8.00
P.O.D. - When Serpents and Angels Dance  7.75
Michael English - The Prodigal Comes Home  7.75
Remedy Drive - Daylight Is Coming  7.50
Olivia the Band - Where We Come From It Never Snows  7.50 
Esterlyn - Lamps  7.50
Shawn McDonald - Roots  7.50
Josh Wilson - Trying To Fit the Ocean Into a Cup  7.50
Kutless - To Know That You're Alive  7.25
Pomegranates - Everything Is Alive  7.25
The New Frontiers - Mending  7.25
NewWorldSon - Salvation Station  7.25
Run Kid Run - Love At the Core  7.25
Listener Project - Return To Struggleville  7.25
Justin McRoberts - Deconstruction  7.25
Charlie Hall - The Bright Sadness  7.00
Worth Dying For - Worth Dying For  7.00
Paul Wright - Diego's Diary  7.00
Telecast - Quiet Revolution  6.50
Secret and Whisper - Great White Whale  6.50
Chris Tomlin - Hello, Love  6.50
Passion Band - God of This City  6.50
Family Force 5 - Dance or Die  6.25
Salvador - Aware  6.25
Ronnie Freeman - God Speaking  6.25
Out of Ruin - What I Can't See  6.25
Hello Kelly - "Hello Kelly"  6.25
Jaci Velasquez - Love Out Loud  6.25
Hawk Nelson - Hawk Nelson Is My Friend  6.25
Kessler - I Know Your Voice  6.25

Not Recommended
Number One Gun - The North Pole Project  6.00
Ever Stays Red - On the Brink of it All  5.75
Tenth Avenue North - Over and Underneath  5.50
Starfield - I Will Go  5.50
Brooke Barrettsmith - Brooke Barrettsmith  5.50
Fireflight - Unbreakable  5.25
Article One - Colors and Sounds  5.25
Re:Zound - Abandoned To You  5.25
Addison Road - Addison Road  5.25
Capital Lights - This Is An Outrage  5.00
Since October - This Is My Heart  5.00
Cadia - Cadia  4.50
Gaither Vocal Band - Lovin' Life  4.25
Chasen - Shine Through the Stars  4.00
Pillar - For the Love of the Game  4.00
Superchick - Rock What You Got  3.50
Eowyn - Silent Screams  3.00
Quimi - Quimi  2.00

EP's, Live Albums, Greatest Hits, etc.
Deas Vail - White Lights EP  9.25
Jon Foreman - Summer EP  9.00
Jon Foreman - Spring EP  9.00
Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere, Volume 3  9.00
Darkroom - Jets That Fly EP  9.00
Jars of Clay - Closer EP  8.75
Jon Foreman - Winter EP  8.75
Phil Wickham - Singalong  8.50
Sixpence None the Richer - My Dear Machine EP  8.50
Ocean Is Theory - Into the Mouths of Lions EP  8.50
Relient K - The Bird and the Bee Sides  8.25
The Apathy Eulogy - Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits EP  8.00
The Wedding - The Sound, The Steel EP  7.75
Abandon - Abandon EP  7.00
Pine Cones & Polar Bears - Songs and Cigarettes EP  7.00
Family Force 5 - Do Or Die EP  6.25
Grits - 5 For $5 EP  5.00

Digesting
Sam Ashworth - Say What You Want To EP
Colour Academy - Move With the Tide EP
Miley Cyrus - Breakout
Christine Evans - Standing On the Edge EP
The Fold - Stargazer EP
Group1Crew - Ordinary Dreamers
Harrison Hudson - Blood, Sweat, and Sweat
Phil Joel - The New Normal
Lovedrug - The Sucker Punch Show
Krystal Meyers - Make Some Noise
Nevertheless - In the Making...
Ten Shekel Shirt - Jubilee
33Miles - One Life

Want to Hear - Released
DecembeRadio - Satisfied
Julie Lee - Will There Really Be a Morning?
Bart Millard - Hymned Again
David Phelps - The Voice
Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun

Want to Hear - Future Releases
BarlowGirl - Home For Christmas (9/23)
Tony Bennett - A Swinging Christmas with the Count Basie Big Band (10/14)
Lincoln Brewster - Today Is the Day (9/23)
Casting Crowns - Peace on Earth (10/7)
Harry Connick, Jr. - What a Night!  A Christmas Album (11/4)
Copeland - You Are My Sunshine (11/20)
Corey Crowder - Gold and the Sand (2008)
Emery - When Broken Hearts Prevail EP  (9/30)
Fiction Family - Betrayal (2008)
Gaither Vocal Band - Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style  (9/30)
Grits - Reiterate (9/16)
Sara Groves - The Christmas Story (10/14)
Faith Hill - Joy To the World (9/23)
Jaymes Reunion - Everything You've Been Looking For (Fall)
Jonezetta - Cruel To Be Young (9/16)
Keane - Perfect Symmetry (10/13)
Jon McLaughlin - OK, Now (10/14)
Red - Innocence & Instinct (11/4)
Red Umbrella - Living & Surviving (10/14)
Ruth - Anorak (10/28)
Shane & Shane - Glory In the Highest (10/14)
Sixpence None the Richer - The Dawn of Grace (10/14)
Michael W. Smith - A New Hallelujah (10/28)
Starflyer 59 - Dial M, Dial In (10/28)
Vedera - Stages (2008)
Joy Whitlock - God and a Girl (9/16)

Last Updated:  9/12/08 (Graded Charlie Hall and Remedy Drive)

Grading Scale
9.00 - 10.00 (A- to A+)
7.50 - 8.75 (B- to B+)
6.25 - 7.25 (C to C+)
5.25 - 6.00 (C- to C)
4.00 - 5.00 (D- to D+)
0.00 - 3.75 (F)

[Josh]

The Top Fifteen...
1. TV on the Radio-- Dear Science, (9.5)
2. Barry Adamson-- Back to the Cat (9.5)
3. Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band-- Seasons of Changes (9.5)
4. The Tallest Man on Earth-- Shallow Grave (9.5)
5. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-- Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (9.5)
6. Jolie Holland-- The Living and the Dead (9.5)
7. Jenny Lewis-- Acid Tongue (9.5)
8. David Byrne and Brian Eno-- Everything That Will Happen will Happen Today (9.0)
9. Elvis Costello-- Momfuku (9.0)
10. Joan as Police Woman-- To Survive (9.0)
11. Loudon Wainwright III-- Recovery (9.0)
12. Coldplay-- Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (9.0)
13. Marco Benevento-- Invisible Baby (9.0)
14. The Fireman-- Electric Arguments (9.0)
15. Vetiver-- Thing of the Past (9.0)

Some more good stuff...
The Bug-- London Zoo (9.0)
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson-- Rattlin' Bones (9.0)
Paul Weller-- 22 Dreams (9.0)
Q-Tip-- The Renaissance (9.0)
Rodney Crowell-- Sex and Gasoline (9.0)
Randy Newman-- Harps and Angels (9.0)
Various artists-- Miles from India (9.0)
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons-- Inside the Human Body (9.0)
The Hold Steady-- Stay Positive (9.0)
B.B. King-- One Kind Favor (9.0)
Shearwater-- Rook (9.0)
Susan Tedeschi-- Back to the River (8.5)
Patty Loveless-- Sleepless Nights (8.5)
My Morning Jacket-- Evil Urges (8.5)
Lindsey Buckingham-- Gift of Screws (8.5)
Ron Sexsmith-- Exit Strategy of the Soul (9.0)
Alejandro Escavado-- Real Animal (9.0)
The Black Keys-- Attack and Release (8.5)
Sam Phillips-- Don't Do Anything (8.5)
Ray Lamontagne-- Gossip in the Grain (8.5)
Islands-- Arm's Way (8.5)
Kaiser Chiefs-- Off With Their Heads (8.5)
Glen Campbell-- Meet Glen Campbell (8.5)
Weezer-- Weezer (The Red Album) (8.0)
Frightened Rabbit-- The Midnight Organ Fight (8.5)
Portishead-- Third (8.0)
Bonnie "Prince" Billy-- Lie Down in the Light (8.0)
White Hinterland-- Phylactery Factory (8.0)
Tift Merritt-- Another Country (8.0)
Robyn-- Robyn (8.0)
Aaron Parks-- Invisible Cinema (8.0)
Rivers Cuomo-- Alone II (8.0)
The Broken West-- Now or Heaven (8.0)
Aimee Mann-- @#%&! Smilers (8.0)
Son Lux-- At War With Walls and Mazes (8.0)
She and Him-- Volume 1 (8.0)
Dave Douglas & Keystone-- Moonshine (8.0)
The Raconteurs-- Consolers of the Lonely (8.0)
Neon Neon-- Stainless Style (8.0)
Foxboro Hot Tubs-- Stop, Drop, and Roll!!! (8.0)
Sun Kil Moon-- April (8.0)
Jose James-- The Dreamer (8.0)
Drive-by Truckers-- Brighter than Creation's Darkness (8.0)
Ryan Adams-- Cardinology (8.0)
Wovenhand-- Ten Stones (8.0)
Michael Franti and Spearhead-- All Rebel Rockers (7.5)
Kathy Mattea-- Coal (7.5)
Blitzen Trapper-- Furr (7.5)
Okkervil River-- The Stand Ins (7.5)
Fleet Foxes-- Fleet Foxes (7.5)
The Dodos-- Visiter (7.5)
Bill Frisell-- History, Mystery (7.5)
Horse Feathers-- House with no Home (7.5)
Jon Foreman-- Fall and Winter (7.5)
Man Man-- Rabbit Habits (7.5)
R.E.M.-- Accelerate (7.5)
The Duke Spirit-- Neptune (7.5)
Joan Osborne-- Little Wild One (7.5)
Firewater-- The Golden Hour (7.5)
Morley-- Seen (7.5)
Kathleen Edwards-- Asking for Flowers (7.5)
Shelby Lynne-- Just a Little Lovin' (7.5)
Lizz Wright-- The Orchard (7.5)
Los Campesinos!-- Hold On, Now, Youngster... (7.5)
Johnny Flynn-- Alarum (7.0)
Ray Davies-- Working Man's Cafe (7.0)
Los Campesinos!-- We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (7.0)
Juliana Hatfield-- How to Walk Away (7.0)
Conner Oberst-- Conner Oberst (7.0)
Rebecca Lynn Howard-- No Rules (7.0)
Hayes Carll-- Trouble in Mind (7.0)
Sigur Ros-- Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (7.0)
Titus Andronicus-- The Airing of Grievances (7.0)
Bon Iver-- For Emma, Forever Ago (7.0)
JJ Grey and Mofro-- Orange Blossoms (7.0)
Silver Jews-- Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (7.0)
Peter Gabriel and Friends-- Big Blue Ball (7.0)
The Roots-- Rising Down (7.0)
Robert Forster-- The Evangelist (7.0)
The Walkmen-- You & Me (7.0)
Beck-- Modern Guilt (7.0)
Phantom Planet-- Raise the Dead (7.0)
Jazzanova-- Of All the Things (7.0)
My Brightest Diamond-- A Thousand Shark's Teeth (7.0)
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsailles-- Two Men with the Blues (7.0)
Emmylou Harris-- All I Intended to Be (7.0)
Peter Moren-- The Last Tycoon (7.0)
Panic at the Disco-- Pretty.Odd (7.0)
Old 97s-- Blame it on Gravity (7.0)
Mudcrutch-- Mudcrutch (7.0)
Matthew Ryan-- Matthew Ryan vs. Silver State (7.0)
Eliza Gilkyson-- Beautiful World (7.0)
Steve Winwood-- Nine Lives (7.0)
Supergrass-- Diamond Hoo Ha (7.0)
Billy Bragg-- Mr. Love and Justice (7.0)
Elbow-- The Seldom Seen Kid (7.0)
Jamey Johnson-- That Lonesome Song (7.0)
Sloan-- Parallel Play (7.0)
Nas-- Untitled (7.0)
Martha Wainwright-- I Know You're Married But I Have Feelings Too (7.0)
Jakob Dylan-- Seeing Things (7.0)
Last Shadow Puppets-- The Age of Understatement (7.0)
Santogold-- Santogold (7.0)
Snowman-- The Horse, the Rat, and the Swan (7.0)
Dido-- Safe Trip Home (7.0)
The Killers-- Day & Age (6.5)
DJ /rupture-- Uproot (6.5)
Gang Gang Dance-- Saint Dympha (6.5)
Lucinda Williams-- Little Honey (6.5)
The Bellrays-- Hard, Sweet and Sticky (6.5)
Murder by Death-- Red of Tooth and Claw (6.5)
Gutter Twins-- Saturnalia (6.5)
Gnarls Barkley-- The Odd Couple (6.5)
The Felice Brothers-- The Felice Brothers (6.5)
Sons and Daughters-- This Gift (6.5)
Marah-- Angels of Destruction! (6.5)
Duffy-- Rockferry (6.5)
Sonya Kitchell-- This Storm (6.5)
Eagles of Death Metal-- Heart On (6.5)
Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid-- NYC (6.5)
The Myriad-- With Arrows, With Poise (6.5)
Night Marchers-- See You in Magic (6.5)
Rachael Yamagata-- Elephants... Teeth Sinking into Heart (6.5)
Black Crowes-- Warpaint (6.5)
Allison Moorer-- Mockingbird (6.5)
Vampire Weekend-- Vampire Weekend (6.5)
Department of Eagles-- In Ear Park (6.5)
Wayne Brady-- A Long Time Coming (6.5)
Lil' Wayne-- Tha Carter III (6.5)
Tapes 'n' Tapes-- Walk it Off (6.5)
Jamie Lidell-- Jim (6.5)
Mavis Staples-- Live: Hope at the Hideout (6.5)
Patricia Barber-- The Cole Porter Mix (6.0)
The Pretenders-- Break the Concrete (6.0)
Giant Sand-- proVISIONS (6.0)
T-Bone Burnett-- Tooth of Crime (6.0)
Counting Crows-- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings (6.0)
Of Montreal-- Skeletal Lamping (6.0)
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson-- self-titled (6.0)
Caroline Herring-- Lantana (6.0)
We Are Scientists-- Brain Thrust Mastery (6.0)
Death Cab for Cutie-- Narrow Stairs (6.0)
Sheryl Crow-- Detours (6.0)
Cat Power-- Jukebox (6.0)
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks-- Real Emotional Trash (6.0)
Santogold and Diplo-- Top Ranking (6.0)
Tricky-- Knowle West Boy (6.0)
Black Milk-- Tronica (6.0)
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs-- Dirt Don't Hurt (6.0)
Willard Grant Conspiracy-- Pilgrim Road (6.0)
Beach House-- Devotion (6.0)
Adele-- 19 (6.0)
Kris Delmhorst-- Shotgun Singer (6.0)
John Matthias-- Stories from the Watercooler (6.0)
Catherine Russell-- Sentimental Streak (6.0)
Bell XI-- Flock (6.0)
Jacob Golden-- Revenge Songs (6.0)
James Blackshaw-- Litany of Echoes (6.0)
No Age-- Nouns (6.0)
Al Green-- Lay it Down (6.0)
Dosh-- Wolves and Wishes (6.0)
Earth-- The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (6.0)

Some not-so-good stuff...
Marnie Stern-- This is... (5.5)
Benji Hughes-- A Love Extreme (5.5)
Eric Chenaux-- Sloppy Ground (5.5)
Mates of State-- Re-Arrange Us (5.5)
Russian Red-- I Love Your Glasses (5.5)
Ferras-- Aliens and Rainbows (5.5)
Punch Brothers-- Punch (5.5)
Jim Bianco-- Sing (5.5)
Gary Louris-- Vagabonds (5.5)
Lyrics Born-- Everywhere at Once (5.5)
Liam Finn-- I'll Be Lightning (5.5)
Chatham County Line-- IV (5.5)
Black Mountain-- It's the Future (5.5)
Destroyer-- Trouble in Dreams (5.5)
Matt Wertz-- Under Summer Sun (5.0)
Jason Collett-- Here's to Being Here (5.0)
Times New Viking-- Rip It Off (5.0)
Bob Mould-- District Line (4.5)
Collin Herring-- Past Life Crashing (4.5)
The Breeders-- Mountain Battles (4.5)
Scarlett Johansson-- Anywhere I Lay My Head (4.0)
Kanye West-- 808s and Heartbreak (4.0)
Brooke Fraser-- Albertine (3.5)
Nada Surf-- Lucky (3.5)
El Madmo-- El Madmo (2.0)

Some old stuff (re-issues, etc.)...
Bob Dylan-- The Bootleg Series Volume 8: Tell Tale Signs (10.0)
The Smiths-- The Sound of the Smiths (9.5)
Dennis Wilson-- Pacific Ocean Blue (Legacy Edition) (9.5)
Steinski-- What Does it All Mean? (9.0)
Nick Lowe-- Jesus of Cool: 30th Anniversary Edition (8.5)
Buddy Miller-- Best of the Hightone Years (8.0)
Disco Not Disco: Post-Punk, Electro, and Left-field Disco Classics, 1974-1986 (8.0)
King Khan and the Shrines-- The Supreme Genius of... (7.5)
Charlie Pickett-- Bar Band Americanus (6.0)

Some short stuff (EPs)...
Fleet Foxes-- Sun Giant EP (7.5)
Jon Foreman-- Spring EP (7.5)
Jon Foreman-- Summer EP (7.0)

Digesting:
Sixpence None the Richer-- The Dawn of Grace
Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby-- self-titled

Eagerly Anticipating:
Hmmmm... just about done for the year, aren't we?

Coming NEXT Year:
Lily Allen-- It's Not Me, It's You (Feb. 9)
Arctic Monkeys
Art Brut
Dan Auerbach-- Keep it Hid (Feb. 20)
Andrew Bird-- Noble Beast (January 27)
Camera Obscura
Neko Case
Jarvis Cocker
The Decemberists-- Hazards of Love (Aprill)
Derek Trucks Band (January)
Ramblin' Jack Elliot (April)
Grinderman
Joe Henry
Jars of Clay
Lyle Lovett
Nick Lowe?
Matchbox 20
Midlake
Buddy & Julie Miller-- Written in Chalk (March)
New Pornographers
Carl Newman-- Get Guilty (January)
No Doubt
Outkast
Pearl Jam
Queens of the Stone Age
Radiohead?
Robert Randolph
She & Him-- Volume 2
The Shins
Sixpence None the Richer
Bruce Springsteen-- Workin' on a Dream (January 27)
Steely Dan
Allen Toussaint
U2
M. Ward (February)
Gillian Welch
Wilco (March)
Amy Winehouse
Various Artists-- Untitled Hank Williams project (Bob Dylan, Jack White, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Alan Jackson, etc.)

Last Update: 12/1 (Graded The Killers and Rachael Yamagata)

[RedcoatJones]

The Top 25:
1. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark... 9
2. Jon Foreman - Fall/Winter EP... 9
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend... 9
4. After Edmund - Hello... 9
5. Delirious? - Kingdom of Comfort... 9
6. Ever Stays Red - On the Brink of It All...9
7. Leeland - Opposite Way... 9
8. Coldplay - Viva la Vida... 8
9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes... 8
10. Jon Foreman - Spring/Summer... 8
11. Edison Glass - Time is Fiction... 8
12. Third Day - Revelation... 8
13. Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid... 8
14. Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other... 8
15. Classic Crime - Silver Cord... 7
16. Children 18:3 - Children 18:3... 7
17. Matthew West - Something to Say... 6
18. Chris Sligh - Arise... 6
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

The Rest:

Digesting:
Capital Lights - This is an Outrage
House of Heroes - The End is Not the End
Ivoryline - There Came a Lion
Justin McRoberts - Deconstruction
The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise
Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. 3&4

[worldofcm]

Updated 10/24/08

The Running Top 10
1.  Cindy Morgan, Beautiful Bird - A+
2.  Andrew Peterson, The Resurrection Letters, Vol. 2 - A+
3.  Downhere, Ending Is Beginning - A
4.  The Myriad, With Arrows, With Poise - A
5.  After Edmund, Hello - A
6.  Steven Delopoulos, Straightjacket - A
7.  Family Force 5, Dance or Die - A
8.  Newworldson, Salvation Station - A
9.  Mary Mary, The Sound - A
10.  Third Day, Revelation - A

Still Lovin' It
Brandon Heath, What If We - A
Josh Wilson, Trying to Fit the Ocean In a Cup - A
Mike & Kelly Bowling, Faith to Believe - A
Bart Millard, Hymned Again - A
CeCe Winans, Thy Kingdom Come - A
Leeland, Opposite Way - A
Shawn McDonald, Roots - A
Mike LeFevre Quartet, Nothin' But Good - A
Trevor Davis, Nothing Ringing True - A
Delirious?, Kingdom of Comfort - A
Article One, Colors & Sounds - A
The Afters, Never Going Back to OK - A
Jon Foreman, Spring & Summer EPs - A
Jon Foreman, Fall & Winter EPs - A-
Gold City, Moment of Truth - A-
Karen Peck & New River, Ephesians One - A-
Ronnie Freeman, God Speaking - A-
Andy Hunter, Colors - B+
Number One Gun, The North Pole Project - B+
Francesca Battiestelli, My Paper Heart - B+
Natalie Grant, Relentless - B+
Ayiesha Woods, Love Like This - B+
Matthew West, Something to Say - B+
Bebo Norman, Bebo Norman - B+
Run Kid Run, Live at the Core - B+
Dove Brothers Quartet, Life - B+
Relient K, The Birds & the Bee Sides - B+
Sandi Patty, Songs For the Journey - B+
Michael Gungor Band, Ancient Skies - B+
Seabird, Til We See the Shore - B
DecembeRadio, Satisfied - B
Lincoln Brewster, Today Is the Day - B
Children 18:3, Children 18:3 - B
Remedy Drive, Remedy Drive - B
Hello Kelly, "Hello Kelly" - B
Disciple, Southern Hospitality - B
Booth Brothers, Room For More - B
Jared Anderson, Where Faith Comes From - B
Chris Taylor, Take Me Anywhere - B
Various Artists, Your Name
Warren Barfield, Worth Fighting For - B
Sanctus Real, We Need Each Other - B
33Miles, One Life to Love - B
Krystal Meyers, Make Some Noise - B
Jonezetta, Cruel to Be Young - B
Margaret Becker, Air - B
Cheri Keaggy, Because He First Loved Us - B
Lanae' Hale, Lanae' Hale EP - B
Sarah Kelly, Born to Worship - B
Chris Sligh, Running Back to You - B
Group 1 Crew, Ordinary Dreamers - B-
Chasen, Shine Through the Stars - B-
Newsboys, Houston We Are Go Live - B-
Ever Stays Red, On the Brink of It All - B-
Jadon Lavik, Roots Run Deep - B-
Charlie Hall, The Bright Sadness - B-
Hawk Nelson, Hawk Nelson Is Your Friend - B-
P.O.D., When Angels & Serpents Dance - B-
Sarah MacIntosh, The Waiters, The Watchers, The Listeners, The Keepers, and Me - B-
Michael English, The Prodigal Comes Home - B-
Paul Alan, Drive It Home - B-
Laura Story, Mighty to Save - B-
Jimmy Needham, Not Without Love - B-
Phil Stacey, Phil Stacey - B-
Bryan Brown, Shine - B-
Capital Lights, This Is An Outrage - B-

Take It or Leave It
Tenth Avenue North, Over & Underneath - C+
Matt Brouwer, Where's Our Revolution - C+
Above the Golden State, Above the Golden State - C+
Addison Road, Addison Road - C+
Out of Ruin, What I Can't See - C+
Stephanie Smith, Not Afraid - C+
Meredith Andrews, The Invitation - C+
Shawn McDonald, Roots Remixed EP - C+
Gaither Vocal Band, Lovin' Life - C+
Carmen D'Arcy, A Place Called Grace - C+
Kathleen Carnali, Dangerous Prayer - C+
Passion, God of This City - C
Chris Tomlin, Hello Love - C
David Phelps, The Voice - C
The Classic Crime, The Silver Cord - C
tobyMac, Alive & Transported - C
Starfield, I Will Go - C
Joel Auge, On the Blue - C
Joy Whitlock, God & a Girl - C
Re:Zound, Redemption - C
Salvador, Aware - C
Dizmas, Dizmas - C
Nevertheless, In the Making - C
Nicole C. Mullen, A Dream to Believe In, Vol. 2 - C
Jaci Velasquez, Love Out Loud - C
Daniel Doss Band, Greater Than Us All - C
Fireflight, Unbreakable - C
This Beautiful Republic, Perceptions - C
Inhabited, Love - C-
Brooke Barrettsmith, Brooke Barrettsmith - C-
Pillar, For the Love of the Game - C-
Ashmont Hill, Ashmont Hill - C-
Anadara, A Little Closer - C-
Brian Bates, Worlds Collide - C-

Let's Not Go There...
Building 429, Building 429 - D
Rush of Fools, Wonder of the World - D
Big Daddy Weave, What Life Would Be Like - D
Sonicflood, A Heart Like Yours - D
Ten Shekel Shirt, Jubilee - D
Superchick, Rock What You Got! - D
Matt Maher, Empty & Beautiful - D
Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt, In Christ Alone: Modern Hymns of Faith & Redemption - D
Since October, This Is My Heart - D
Telecast, Quiet Revolution - D
Anthony Evans, The Bridge - D
Cadia, Cadia - D
Avalon, Another Time...Another Place - D
Kutless, To Know That You're Alive - D
The Rubyz, The Rubyz - D-
The Katinas, Still - D-
Stellar Kart, Expect the Impossible - D-
Worth Dying For, Worth Dying For - F

Currently Digesting
Adam McInnis, Beautiful Glow
Amy Grant, The Christmas Collection
Annie Moses Band, The Glorious Christmas
Brian Doerksen, It's Time
Casting Crowns, Peace on Earth
Cool Hand Luke, The Sleeping House
Deitrick Haddon, Revealed
Faith Hill, Joy to the World
Kelly Mack, Complete
Mandisa, It's Christmas
Michael W. Smith, A New Hallelujah
Parachute Band, Technicolor
Point of Grace, Tennessee Christmas
pureNRG, A pureNRG Christmas
Ruth, Anorak
Sara Groves, O Holy Night
Shane & Shane, Glory In the Highest (A Christmas Record
Sixpence None the Richer, The Dawn of Grace
The Wrecking, A New Abolition
Various Artists, Billy: The Early Years
VIP Mass Choir featuring John P. Kee, Live In Miami

Anticipating
Anberlin, New Surrender
Bethany Dillon, So Far: Acoustic Sessions
Bon Voyage, Lies
Casting Crowns, The Altar & The Door Live
Edison Glass, Time Is Fiction
GRITS, Reiterate
Inhale Exhale, I Swear
Ivoryline, Then Came a Lion
Jaymes Reunion, Everything You've Been Looking For
Jeremy Camp, Speaking Louder Than Before
John Waller, John Waller
Jon McLaughlin, OK Now
Joy Electric, My Grandfather, The Cubist
Julian Drive, My Day Coming
Kierra KiKi Sheard, Bold! Right! Life!
Red, Red
Search the City, A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See
Yolanda Adams, Yolanda Adams

[ajyouthguy]

The Running Top 10
1.  After Edmund, Hello - A

i've had that album since July of 2007, has it not come out yet?

[Ian]

The Top Ten

Shugo Tokumaru - Exit - 9.4
Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness - 9.2
Chris Wood - Trespasser - 9.0
Helios - Caesura - 9.0
TV on the Radio - Dear Science, - 9.0
White Hinterland - Phylactery Factory - 8.9
Balmorhea - River Arms - 8.8
Sigur Rós - með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - 8.7
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs - 8.7
Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood - 8.6

The Rest

Gregor Samsa - Rest - 8.6
Heidi Talbot - In Love And Light - 8.6
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges - 8.5
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago - 8.5
The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Graves - 8.5
Jade - Analogic - 8.5
Declan de Barra - A Fire to Scare the Sun - 8.5
Sam Shalabi - EID - 8.5
Tickley Feather - Tickley Feather - 8.4
Matthew Robert Cooper - Miniatures - 8.4
The Bug - London Zoo - 8.4
Aaron Martin - River Water - 8.4
The Mars Volta - The Bedlam In Goliath - 8.4
The Envy Corps - Dwell - 8.4
Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim - 8.4
Copeland - You Are My Sunshine - 8.4
Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires - 8.3
Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts - 8.3
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping - 8.3
Sun Kill Moon - April - 8.2
Omar Rodríguez-López - Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fungus - 8.2
Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair - 8.2
aus - Antwarps -8.2
Why? - Alopecia - 8.2
M83 - Saturdays = Youth - 8.2
Becoming the Archetype - Dichtonomy - 8.2
Costa Music - Lighter Subjects - 8.2
The Dodos - Visiter - 8.2
Boris - Smile - 8.2
Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista - 8.1
Glasvegas - Glasvegas - 8.1
The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely - 8.1
Jukebox The Ghost - Let Live and Let Ghosts - 8.1
Phantom Planet - Raise the Dead - 8.1
The Walkmen - You & Me - 8.1
Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements - 8.1
Love Is All - A Hundred Things Keep Me up at Night - 8.1
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles - 8.1
Blitzen Trapper - Furr - 8.1
Broken Iris - The Eyes Of Tomorrow - 8.1
Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing - 8.1
Gong Gong - Mary's Spring - 8.1
Portishead - Third - 8.0
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive - 8.0
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life - 8.0
Apes & Androids - Blood Moon - 8.0
We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery - 8.0
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid - 8.0
Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue - 8.0
Coldplay - Viva la Vida - 8.0
The Drift - Memory Drawings - 8.0
Kings of Leon - Only By the Night - 8.0
Yoav - Charmed & Strange - 8.0
LabField - Fishforms - 8.0
Sleepmakeswaves - In Today Already Walks Tomorrow - 8.0
Cool Hand Luke - The Sleeping House - 7.9
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors - 7.9
Kaki King - Dreaming of Revenge - 7.9
Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song - 7.9
Frightened Rabbits - The Midnight Organ Fight - 7.9
Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams - 7.9
Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling - 7.9
Islands - Arm's Way - 7.9
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia - 7.9
Danava - UnonoU - 7.9
The Cancer Conspiracy - Omega - 7.9
Ulaan Khol - I - 7.9
Adem - Takes - 7.9
Duels - The Barbarians Move In - 7.9
Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who See But Cannot Feel - 7.9
Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns - 7.8
Wye Oak - If Children - 7.8
The LK - Vs. The Snow - 7.8
Ruby Suns - Sea Lion - 7.8
Twilight Hotel - Highway Prayer - 7.8
Black Mountain - In the Future - 7.8
Earth - The Bees Made Honey In the Lion's Skull - 7.8
Ours - Mercy -7.8
Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell - 7.8
Foals - Antidotes - 7.8
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular - 7.8
Margareds' - Kingdom of Patience - 7.8
Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw - 7.8
Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst - 7.8
Lucksmiths - First Frost - 7.8
This is Your Captain Speaking - Eternal Return  - 7.8
A Weather - Cove - 7.8
Kyte - Kyte - 7.8
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - 7.8
The Killers - Day & Age - 7.8
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree - 7.7
Gerry Mitchell and Little Sparta - The Ragged Garden - 7.7
A.J. Roach - Revelation - 7.7
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Älä Kysy Kuolleilta, He Sanoivat - 7.7
Ben Folds - Way to Normal - 7.7
The Verve - Forth - 7.7
The D’Urbervilles - We Are The Hunters - 7.7
Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, & Curse - 7.7
The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead - 7.7
Angel - Kalmukia - 7.7
Spiritualized - Songs in A&E - 7.6
Bloc Party - Intimacy - 7.6
A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons - 7.6
City and Color - Bring Me Your Love - 7.5
Punch Brothers - Punch - 7.5
Sarah Slean - The Baroness - 7.5
Man Man - Rabbit Habits - 7.5
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - 7.5
Son Lux - At War With Walls And Mazes - 7.4
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me - 7.4
Experimental Aircraft - Third Transmission Meet Me On Echo Terrace - 7.4
Norma Jean - The Anti Mother - 7.3
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue - 7.3
Ulysses Campbell - Color It All - 7.2
Vetiver - A Thing of the Past - 7.2
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III - 7.2
Beck - Modern Guilt - 7.2
Edison Glass - Time is Fiction - 7.2
Mystery Jets - 21 - 7.2
Grand Ole Party - Humanimals - 7.2
Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth - 7.2
Matmos - Supreme Balloon - 7.2
Barbara Carlotti - L'ideal - 7.2
The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride - 7.1
The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise - 7.1
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplanes - 7.1
Big Strides - Cry it All Out - 7.1
Sera Cahoone - Only As the Day Is Long -7.1
John Charlton - Walking the Red Road - 7.1
Sam Amidon - All Is Well - 7.0
Sons & Daughters - This Gift - 7.0
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? - 7.0
John Zorn - The Dreamers - 7.0
The Dress Whites - My God, The Shame! - 7.0
Morley - Seen - 7.0
This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You - 7.0
What Made Milwaukee Famous - What Doesnt Kill Us - 6.9
Sia - Some People Have Real Problems - 6.9
Possessed By Paul James - Cool And Blind - 6.9
A Silent Express - Get It Right - 6.9
Chris Walla - Field Manual - 6.9
Ham Sandwich - Carry The Meek - 6.9
Phoebe Killdeer and the Short Straws - Weathers Coming - 6.9
Neon Neon - Stainless Steel - 6.9
She & Him - Volume 1 - 6.9
Beyonce - I Am... Sasha Fierce - 6.9
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Minor Cuts And Scrapes In The Bushes Ahead - 6.8
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple - 6.8
Thao Nguyen - Like the Linen - 6.8
Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off the Lavender Bridge - 6.8
Lykke Li – Youth Novels - 6.8
N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds - 6.8
Jason Collett - Here's to Being Here - 6.8
Them, Roaring Twenties - Future Sandwich - 6.8
Kelley Polar - I Need You to Hold on While the Sky Is Falling - 6.8
Sam Amidon - All is Well - 6.7
Beach House - Devotion - 6.7
Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other - 6.7
Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak - 6.7
Arsenal - Lotuk - 6.7
House of Heroes - The End Is Not the End - 6.6
Cat Power - Jukebox - 6.6
Phil Joel - The New Normal - 6.6
The Dø - A Mouthful - 6.6
The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side - 6.6
The Accidental - There Were Wolves - 6.6
Woodhands - Heart Attack - 6.5
Colourmusic - F, Monday, Orange, February, Venus, Lunatic, 1 or 13 - 6.5
Cloudland Canyon - Lie In the Light - 6.4
Leeland - Opposite Way - 6.4
Keane - Perfect Symmetry - 6.3
Baltic Fleet - Baltic Fleet - 6.3
Ratatat - LP3 - 6.3
Mock Orange - Captain Love  - 6.3
Karl Blau - Am - 6.3
Pacific! - Reveries - 6.2
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles - 6.2
Bobby and Blumm - Everybody Loves - 6.2
Interstellar Pirates - Plastic Soul-Man - 6.2
Clinic - Do It! - 6.2
Andrea Belfi - Knots - 6.2
Racoon - Before You Leave - 6.2
Cryptacize - Dig That Treasure - 6.2
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin - Pershing - 6.2
Lupen Crook And The Murderbirds - Iscariot The Ladder - 6.2
Tapes N' Tapes - Walk it Off - 6.2
The Submarines - Honeysuckle Weeks - 6.1
The Magnetic Fields - Distortion - 6.1
Bullship - Is Was - 6.1
Fosca - The Painted Side of the Rocket - 6.1
The Mae Shi - Hlllyh - 6.0
Louis XIV - Slick Dogs and Ponies - 6.0
Elliot Lipp - The Outside - 6.0
The Long Blondes - Couples - 6.0
Lupen Crook and The Murderbirds - Iscariot The Ladder - 6.0
Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers - 5.9
Mahjogg - Kontpab - 5.9
The Kills - Midnight Boom - 5.9
Firefox AK - If I Were A Melody - 5.9
The Photographic - Pictures of a Changing World - 5.9
Zita Swoon - Big Blueville - 5.9
Lindstrom - Where You Go I Go Too - 5.9
The Breeders - Mountain Battles - 5.8
Blood on the Wall - Liferz - 5.8
Ramona Cordova - The Boy Who Floated Freely - 5.8
Caesars - Strawberry Weed - 5.8
Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea - 5.8
The Afters - Never Going Back to OK - 5.8
Yellow Swans - At All Ends - 5.7
Ivoryline - Then Came a Lion - 5.7
Mostly Bears - The Ed Mitchell Clinic  - 5.7
Eyes Like Saucers - Still Living in the Desert - 5.5
The Roots - Rising Down - 5.5
Mount Eerie - Black Wooden Cieling Opening - 5.4
The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever - 5.4
The Glimmers - Are Gee Gee Fazzi - 5.4
Gentle Touch - In Memory Of Savannah - 5.3
Elf Power - In A Cave - 5.3
Boxcutter - Balancing Lakes - 5.2
Red I Clan - Killohead - 5.2
The Young Knives - Superabundance - 5.2
Machinae Supremacy - Overworld - 5.1
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip - 5.0
Boy Kill Boy - Stars and the Sea - 5.0
The Getaway Plan - Other Voices, Other Rooms - 4.9
Nada Surf - Lucky - 4.9
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into - 4.7
Machinefabriek - Ranonkel - 4.5
Retribution Gospel Choir - Retribution Gospel Choir - 4.3
We Should Be Dead - Forget Romance Lets Dance - 4.1
Angelas Dish - War On Time - 4.0
Le Le - Flage - 3.9
Codaphonic - The Ballad of Codaphonic - 3.9
Times New Viking - Rip It Off - 3.7
The Teenagers - Reality Check - 3.5
JayTram - Only A Season - 3.4
Vendetta Vallentine - There's Nothing Safe - 2.8

Compilations/EPs
Animal Collective - Water Curses EP - 9.0
Jon Foreman - Fall EP - 8.5
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant - 8.5
Stars - Sad Robot EP - 8.0
Jon Foreman - Winter EP - 8.0
Muse - HAARP - 8.0
Andrew Bird - Soldier On EP - 7.0
Jon Foreman - Spring EP - 6.5
Jon Foreman - Summer EP - 6.0

[NinjaRob17]

Top 10
1. The Reign of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord, and Melody (A)
2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (A)
3. Shugo Tokumaru - Exit (A)
4. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (A)
5. Cool Hand Luke - The Sleeping House (A-)
6. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (A-)
7. Katie Herzig - Apple Tree (A-)
8. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (A-)
9. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely (A-)
10. Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (A-)

I Liked It
Showbread - Nervosa (A-)
Anathallo - Canopy Glow (B+)
Brave Saint Saturn - Anti-Meridian (B+)
Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. III & IV - Air & Earth (B+)
House of Heroes - The End Is Not the End (B+)
Andy Hunter - Colour (B+)
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip (B+)
Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (B+)
Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (B+)
The Myriad - With Arrows, With Poise (B+)
Deepspace 5 - Bakesale (B+)
M83 - Saturdays = Youth (B+)
Children 18:3 - Children 18:3 (B+)
No Age - Nouns (B+)
Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors (B+)
Copeland - You Are My Sunshine (B+)

I Was Okay With It
Starflyer 59 - Dial M (B)
Becoming the Archetype - Dichotomy (B)
Underoath - Lost In the Sound Of Separation (B)
The Human Flight Committee - Oh, When The Animals Unionize (B)
Showbread - Anorexia (B)
Kings of Leon - Only By the Night (B)
The 77's - Holy Ghost Building (B)
Weezer - Weezer (The Red Album) (B)
Girl Talk - Feed the Animals (B)
Listener Project - Return To Struggleville (B)
Metallica - Death Magnetic (B)
Foxy Shazam - Introducing (B)
The Mars Volta - The Bedlam In Goliath (B)
Beat Rabbi & Deepspace 5 - Deepspace5oul (B)
Annuals - Such Fun (B)
Capital Lights - This Is An Outrage! (B)
R.E.M. - Accelerate (B)
The Foxglove Hunt - Stop Heartbeat (B)
The Classic Crime - The Silver Cord (B)
The Black Keys - Attack & Release (B)
Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop And Roll!!! (B)
Bon Voyage - Lies (B)
Hammock - Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow (B)
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (B)
The Sword - Gods of the Earth (B)
Portishead - Third (B)
Toro Y Moi - My Touch (B)
Search the City - A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See It (B)
Beck - Modern Guilt (B)
Flogging Molly - Float (B)
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV (B)
Edison Glass - Time Is Fiction (B)
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (B)
Rise Against - Appeal To Reason (B)
Anberlin - New Surrender (B)
Less Than Jake - GNV FLA (B)
Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (B)
Jonezetta - Cruel To Be Young (B)
Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux (B-)
Electric Six - Flashy (B-)
Radius System - Escape / Restart (B-)
Joy Electric - My Grandfather, The Cubist (B-)
The Showdown - Back Breaker (B-)
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple (B-)
The Nightwatchman - The Fabled City (B-)
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (B-)
Sunfold - Toy Tugboats (B-)
The Killers - Day & Age (B-)
Cook & Uno - The Overflow (B-)
Mojo & the Info. - Doctorate In Cold Rockin' It (B-)
The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (C+)
The Black Mages - The Black Mages III - Darkness And Starlight (C+)
The All-American Rejects - When The World Comes Down (C+)
Family Force 5 - Dance Or Die (C+)
P.O.D. - When Angels & Serpents Dance (C+)

I Did Not Like It
Disturbed - Indestructible (C)
Disciple - Southern Hospitality (C)
Swimfail - Extreme Disappointment (C)
Moya - Die Hard (C)
Brad Paisley - Play (C-)
Hawk Nelson - Hawk Nelson Is My Friend (C-)
Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater (D+)
Katy Perry - One Of The Boys (D)
I KILL PXLS - Press Start (F)

EPs, Live Albums, Cover Albums, etc.
Jon Foreman - Summer EP (B+)
Deas Vail - White Lights EP (B+)
Jon Foreman - Winter EP (B)
Relient K - The Bird and the Bee Sides (B)
Jon Foreman - Spring EP (B-)
Emery - While Broken Hearts Prevail EP (B-)
Andrew Osenga - Letters To The Editor, Vol. 2 (B-)
Ocean Is Theory - Into the Mouths of Lions EP (B-)
The Bigger Lights - Fiction Fever (C+)

Digesting
Super Mash Bros. - Fuck Bitches. Get Euros.
Milkman - Lactose and THC
Opeth - Watershed
Secret And Whisper - Great White Whale
That Handsome Devil - A City Dressed In Dynamite
Wax Audio - Mashopolos II - The Mashening
Jonathan Coulton - JoCo Looks Back
Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd.
Pretty Lights - Filling Up The City Skies
Terakaft - Akh Issudar
TobyMac - Alive and Transported
This Town Needs Guns - Animals
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs - Mass of the Fermenting Dregs
Vota - Vota
33Miles - One Life
Laura Story - Great God Who Saves
Addison Road - Addison Road
Bart Millard - Hymned Again
The Violet Burning - Divine
Torpeedoh - Play the Game
Project 86 - This Time of Year E.P.
Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas
Swimfail - Invisible Stray

[worldofcm]

i've had that album since July of 2007, has it not come out yet?

It was supposed to be released in the summer of 2007 but got pushed back to 2008 - February 26 I believe is the release date.

[danny316]

It's been difficult, but I've managed to not listen to any full-length albums that came out this year. I'm now full convinced that the total of everything released before will be better than the total of everything releasing in 2008. So I'll probably only really pursue OtR and stuff that gets amazing reviews everywhere at this point.
I don't have my spreadsheet handy, but off the top of my head, I'd like to try out the following:


Haven't properly updated my spreadsheet in months - here's an attempt of summing up the things I've heard:

Repeat listens demanded:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Steven Delopoulos - Straightjacket
Portishead - Third

Pretty good:
REM - Accelerate
Tift Merritt - Another Country
Elvis Costellu - Momofuku

Must-Get:
Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere III

Should-Try:
Vampire Weekend
Jon Foreman's EPs
Sixpence's Christmas album
Nickel Creek solo stuff

5/19

[TheWanderer]

It's been difficult, but I've managed to not listen to any full-length albums that came out this year. I'm now full convinced that the total of everything released before will be better than the total of everything releasing in 2008. So I'll probably only really pursue OtR and stuff that gets amazing reviews everywhere at this point.

I don't have my spreadsheet handy, but off the top of my head, I'd like to try out the following:

Must-Get:
Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere III

Should-Try:
Vampire Weekend
REM - Accelerate
Portishead - Third
Jon Foreman's EPs
Tift Merritt - Another Country (Josh, what's so great about this one? I like Tift and I saw her preview a few of these songs earlier this year, but an A-! Whoa!)
Sixpence's reunion record (?!?)
Nickel Creek solo stuff

Relying on "amazing reviews" to determine whether you get an album or not is faulty reasoning.  With all the technology available to us, we can listen to stuff for ourselves instead of relying on poorly written reviews.

[murlough23]

Relying on "amazing reviews" to determine whether you get an album or not is faulty reasoning.  With all the technology available to us, we can listen to stuff for ourselves instead of relying on poorly written reviews.

It still helps to know what another person found/didn't find in an album after giving it a good listen, though. There's so much music out there to listen to that I do sometimes need a little help prioritizing what I make the effort to go hear first. It generally won't decide what I buy, but I've been turned on to several artists I would have otherwise never heard of due to reviews from a rather diverse group of people, or less formalized comments about certain albums/artists on this board.

It's not about letting someone else make the decisions for me. It's just that the best albums in the world aren't gonna get heard if they're not getting the exposure (and the worst ones will consequently get too much because nobody will stop and think before buying them). Sure, rabid fans can spread the word, but ultimately you need a third party to get the word out beyond the expected circle of friends.

NP: "Stronger", Skillet

[TheWanderer]

It still helps to know what another person found/didn't find in an album after giving it a good listen, though. There's so much music out there to listen to that I do sometimes need a little help prioritizing what I make the effort to go hear first. It generally won't decide what I buy, but I've been turned on to several artists I would have otherwise never heard of due to reviews from a rather diverse group of people, or less formalized comments about certain albums/artists on this board.

It's not about letting someone else make the decisions for me. It's just that the best albums in the world aren't gonna get heard if they're not getting the exposure (and the worst ones will consequently get too much because nobody will stop and think before buying them). Sure, rabid fans can spread the word, but ultimately you need a third party to get the word out beyond the expected circle of friends.

NP: "Stronger", Skillet

I understand your opinion.  I just really can't trust reviews anymore.  I've seen too many poorly written reviews by unqualified people and not enough good, solid rational reviews.  That's why I've basically written off waiting to read what someone writes about an album and prefer to listen to it and make a judgement that way.  Sure, I look at the music journals here and if I see a grade given to an album I haven't heard and that grade is intriguing, I'll listen to it because of how that person rated the album. 

I don't really expect people to agree with my stance but at least people know why I am hyper critical of music reviews and don't put much stock in them.

[murlough23]

I don't really expect people to agree with my stance but at least people know why I am hyper critical of music reviews and don't put much stock in them.

I understand where you're coming from. You use the methods that you find to be most reliable. There really is no substitute for hearing something for yourself.

[TheWanderer]

I understand where you're coming from. You use the methods that you find to be most reliable. There really is no substitute for hearing something for yourself.

Yeah, that's why I said at the beginning of the year that I would listen to just about everything I could get my hands on and just stop relying on others for music.  I don't work that way with everything, just music.  God forbid I was that way with movies, I'd give good grades to terrible movies.  I leave those things to the people who know movies.  I know music, sports, and useless jeopardy trivia.  That's about it.

[Ian]

Last year was the first year that I got into music much, so I pretty much relied on reviews to catch up on everything that had gone on during the year.  This year I've been tracking blogs and just grabbing anything that looks interesting.  Both ways work fine, but you're on a time budget, then reviews can be really helpful.  It's not that hard to find an unbiased opinion on something.

[murlough23]

It's not that hard to find an unbiased opinion on something.

I beg to differ; I think every opinion is biased. But that's allowable within reason, I think. it helps to have a clue of what the critic's biases are, though - it would make more of an impression on me if someone who was previously rather "meh" about Jars of Clay gave kudos to a new album of theirs; whereas when I rave about it, most folks who know me are probably like, "Yeah, what else is new?"

NP: "The Search", Iona

[Ian]

Well, yeah.  You know what I mean though; there are people who will consistently do their best to put aside whatever bias they may have.  And of course you should always have an idea of what that person has liked in the past.

[TheWanderer]

I have a question about Bon Iver.  Technically, For Emma, Forever Ago, was released in 2007.  What do people think?

[Ian]

I was a bit confused on that as well.  I included it in my list simply because most major sites such as Metacritic and rym have it in their 2008 lists.

EDIT:

Fire Escape Artists - Fire Escape Artists

Should this be Mellow Drum Addict & Shortop - Are Fire Escape Artists?

[murlough23]

I have a question about Bon Iver.  Technically, For Emma, Forever Ago, was released in 2007.  What do people think?

I say put it where you want it. A lot of us have In Rainbows in our 2007 lists even though the physical CD was released on January 1, 2008.

[bloop]

A lot of us have In Rainbows in our 2007 lists even though the physical CD was released on January 1, 2008.

Well, partly true.  There was a 2007 CD/Vinyl release for the big spender. 

If I were listening to the Bon Iver (which does sound very promising), I would either edit my 2007 list, or just enjoy the music and not worry about updating something no one but me will read.

[TheWanderer]

EDIT: Should this be Mellow Drum Addict & Shortop - Are Fire Escape Artists?

It's been listed differently on different sites..i basically went by their myspace but forgot to edit it in every aspect of my post.

[cowdude]

Great:
Underoath, Lost In The Sound Of Seperation (9.5)
Cloud Cult, Feel Good Ghosts (9.5)
The Tallest Man On Earth, Shallow Grave (9.5)
TV On The Radio, Dear Science, (9.0)
My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (9.0)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (9.0)
Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer (9.0)
The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (9.0)
Blitzen Trapper, Furr (9.0)
Of Montreal, Skeletal Lamping (8.5)
The Black Keys, Attack and Release (8.5)
The Dodos, Visitor (8.5)
Why?, Alopecia (8.5)
Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight (8.5)
Showbread, Anorexia Nervosa (8.5)
House of Heroes, The End Is Not The End (8.5)
Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (8.5)
Copeland, You Are My Sunshine (8.0)
Dr. Dog, Fate (8.0)
Born Ruffians, Red, Yellow & Blue (8.0)
Horse Feathers, House With No Name (8.0)
The Reign of Kindo, Rhythm, Chord & Melody (8.0)
Thrice, The Alchemy Index Vols. III And IV Air & Earth (8.0)
Sigur Rós, Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (8.0)
Joan As Police Woman, To Survive (8.0)
Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (8.0)
Man Man, Rabbit Habits (8.0)
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (8.0)
Beck, Modern Guilt (8.0)
Son Lux, At War With Walls And Mazes (8.0)
Edison Glass, Time Is Fiction (8.0)
Norma Jean, The Anti-Mother (8.0)

Good:
Anberlin, New Surrender (7.5)
The Classic Crime, The Silver Cord (7.5)
Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell (7.5)
Lydia, Illuminate (7.5)
Islands, Arm’s Way (7.5)
Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair (7.5)
Katie Herzig, Apple Tree (7.5)
The Raconteurs, Consolers Of The Lonely (7.5)
Sever Your Ties, Safety In The Sea (7.5)
Colour Revolt, Plunder, Beg, and Curse (7.5)
Foals, Antidotes (7.5)
Death Cab For Cutie, Narrow Stairs (7.5)
No Age, Nouns (7.5)
The Myriad, With Arrows, With Poise (7.5)
Weezer, Weezer (Red Album) (7.5)
Hot Chip, Made In The Dark (7.5)
Colin Meloy, Colin Meloy Sings Live! (7.5)
The Gutter Twins, Saturnalia (7.5)
Headlights, Some Racing, Some Stopping (7.0)
Ruby Suns, Sea Lion (7.0)
Xiu Xiu, Women As Lovers (7.0)
The Mountain Goats, Heretic Pride (7.0)
City And Colour, Bring Me Your Love (7.0)
Unwed Sailor, Little Wars (7.0)
Tapes ’n Tapes, Walk It Off (7.0)
Times New Viking, Rip It Off (7.0)
Search The City, A Fire So Big The Heavens Can See It (7.0)
Listener Project, Return To Struggleville (7.0)
Jon Foreman, Fall/Winter (7.0)
Jonezetta, Cruel To Be Young (7.0)
Elf Power, In A Cave (6.5)
Destroyer, Trouble In Dreams (6.5)

Average:
Scars On Broadway, Scars On Broadway (6.0)
Punch Brothers, Punch (6.0)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Pershing (6.0)
Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple (6.0)
Ivoryline, There Came A Lion (6.0)
CSS, Donkey (6.0)
PlayRadioPlay!, Texas (6.0)
Augustana, Can't Love, Can't Hurt (5.5)

Below Average:
Girl Talk, Feed The Animals (4.0)

Listening To:
Silver Jews, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
Evangelicals, The Evening Descends
Sun Kil Moon, April
White Hinterland, Phylactery Factory
Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours
M83, Saturdays = Youth
Nine Inch Nails, The Slip
Subtle, ExitingARM
My Brightest Diamond, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth
Cryptacize, Dig That Treasure
Spiritualized, Songs In A&E
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Lie Down In The Light
Titus Andronicus, The Airing Of Grievances
Okkervil River, The Stand-Ins
Portugal The Man, Censored Colors
Cold War Kids, Loyalty To Loyalty
I’m From Barcelona, Who Killed Harry Houdini?
Cool Hand Luke, The Sleeping House
Calexico, Carried To Dust
Deerhunter, Mircocastle
Lovedrug, The Sucker Punch Show
Starflyer 59, Dial M
Colourmusic, F, Monday, Orange, February, Venus, Lunatic, 1 or 13

[TheWanderer]

Just added about 30 more graded albums.

[danny316]

Relying on "amazing reviews" to determine whether you get an album or not is faulty reasoning.  With all the technology available to us, we can listen to stuff for ourselves instead of relying on poorly written reviews.

I don't have time to listen to everything that comes out, and there are plenty of recordings that I already know I like. Unless I hear a good reason to try seek something out, I'm not going out of my way for it at this point.

...and hey, some people here (and elsewhere) write pretty decent reviews that are helpful in determining if I'd agree with the author's views on an album. If Murlough thinks something is amazing and I'm excited at the end of his review, it's pretty much a sure thing that it'll be worth my time to try it out. I don't follow reviews to avoid thinking about things myself - I follow reviews from fairly reliable reviewers so that I don't inadvertently miss a great release. Where new releases are concerned, I do try to hear them before plunking down the cash, but there are plenty of great albums I wouldn't have found if I didn't rely on other people who highlight what they really like.

[valleycat]

okay. scored them.

Liked:
fleet foxes - s/t 10
TV On the Radio - Dear Science 10
deerhunter - microcastle 9.5
starflyer 59 - dial m, dial in 9.0
Ladytron - Velocifero 8.5
bon iver - for emma, forever ago 8.5
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer 8.0
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors 8.0
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive 8.0
fleet foxes - sungiant ep 8.0
No Age - Nouns 7.5
Joy Electric - My Grandfather, the Cubist 7.5
Portishead - Third 7.5
Sun Kil Moon - April 7.5
Coldplay - Viva La Vida 7.0
Third Day - Revelation 7.0

Hm/Meh..
Cat Power - Jukebox 6.5
The Foxglove Hunt - Stop Heartbeat 5.0

Didn't Like
my morning jacket - evil urges 3.5
Bon Voyage - Lies - 3.0

Still Deciding...

Interested in hearing....
nothing.

[Ian]

I just noticed that I had a couple songs in my journal that were actually from last year.  My music files don't have dates on them, so if you ever happen to notice another mistake like that, please let me know!

[ajyouthguy]

Dishonorable Mention:
18. Kutless - To Know that You're Alive C-

man, i'd almost swear you were becoming a fan...it's only your 18th most dishonorable mention of the year...progress for the Kutless guys! 

[murlough23]

man, i'd almost swear you were becoming a fan...it's only your 18th most dishonorable mention of the year...progress for the Kutless guys! 

Yes, Kutless is definitely the "Best of the Worst" this year. They probably aren't my #1 most hated band any more - I'll give credit where credit is due for vast improvement, even though they still have far to go. Everything else on my "Not Recommended" list, when I think about it, I'd honestly rather listen to Kutless. (Which has to hurt for artists like Chris Thile and The Fiery Furnaces who are otherwise very talented.)

[Ian]

Someone should tab up all these lists and see what the phorum's fav album turns out to be

I'd do it, but I'm not sure if everybody's done with their's, I know Wanderer's not.

[ajyouthguy]

Someone should tab up all these lists and see what the phorum's fav album turns out to be

I'd do it, but I'm not sure if everybody's done with their's, I know Wanderer's not.

i'm not...it takes me a few weeks after the turn of the year to process it all and rework and redo my lists.

[TheWanderer]

i may or may not actually get around to getting my done.  More likely the latter option.

[murlough23]

i may or may not actually get around to getting my done.  More likely the latter option.

You were in the process of trying to grade like 3 billion different albums... I just want to know about the ones you liked the most.