Year End Top Ten Lists

It's that time of year where all of us music nerds take a look back at the past twelve months and agonize over what records made our top ten list. This can be difficult for two reasons...for some the difficulty may lie in narrowing it down to just ten releases, but for others it could be simply thinking of ten things they liked that came out this year. Some lists may be in order, some may not. Some may have descriptions, some may not. Heck, some don't even have ten records. But here goes nothing....

Greg Polard (Zine guy / father of the year)

Fall Out Boy "Infinity On High" (Island/Def Jam) - What can I say? When this band first burst onto the scene I absolutely despised them, but in recent times I have to say I've become somewhat obsessed with this band, but especially this record. Fourteen extremely well crafted pop songs. Cameos from Jay-Z, Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) and Ryan Ross (Panic! At The Disco). Solid drumming. Great lyrics. The soulfullness in Patrick Stump's voice blows me away every time. This is going to be tough to top. Nothing else on this list is in any particular order, but I can safely say that this is my #1 record of 2007.

Jay-Z "American Gangster" (Roc-A-Fella Records) - The rap record that everyone is talking about. You already know the story...Jay-Z saw an advance screening of "American Gangster" and it reminded him so much of his hustling days that he wrote a bunch of songs and put out a record that's so good it almost makes you forget what a bumout "Kingdom Come" was.

Bitter End "Climate Of Fear" (Malfunction / Deathwish Inc.) - I won't write much about this record, since I already review it below, but I will say that this is the best hardcore full length LP of 2007. The more I listen to it, the more I love it. I dare you to listen to the part in "Terrified Eyes" when singer Daniel Rosen says "pretend to be...fearlessssssahhhhhhh" and try not to get siked. You can't.

Blacklisted "Peace On Earth, War On Stage" (Deathwish Inc.) [tied with] Ceremony "Scared People" (Bridge 9) - Ok, so I cheated a bit, but since both of these 7"s combined total probably about twelve minutes, I figured I was allowed to do so. Plus, it's my zine, so I can do whatever I want, right? Anyhow, I think both of these records deserve to go together because they both come from already solid bands who are just now hitting their stride. Both of these bands will have full lengths out in 2008 and I'm positive that both of those records will be on this list next year.

Lifetime "Lifetime" (Fueled By Ramen / Decaydance) - A new Lifetime album in 2007? Get the fuck out of here! But it's true, and it's every bit as great as their last LP was that came out in 1997, if not better.

Type O Negative "Dead Again" (SPV Records) - Their first album after their contract with Roadrunner Records ran out. This thing absolutely rules. Some of the hardest songs they've had since the first LP, and really great lyrics too. Still waiting for them to put out a bad record.

Bayside "The Walking Wounded" (Victory Records) - It's an absolute shame that Bayside are lumped in with all of those shitty Victory Records screamo / emo / garbage bands because they are so much better than that. A triumphant record coming from a band that has gone through so much in the past year that it's incredible that they can still put out great music.

Coheed & Cambria "Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World For Tomorrow" (Columbia Records) - Another band who went through a lot of stuff in the past year comes back as strong as ever with this final chapter in their crazy sci-fi saga. I think this album is a little more straight forward than 2005's "Vol. 1" and it makes it a more digestable listen for people who might not be fans of the band's other material.

Bruce Springsteen "Magic" (Columbia Records) - I don't know much about this guy, but I hear he has a fairly decent following in New Jersey? Hopefully he'll play a show at Middlesex soon because this guy is definitely one to watch out for.

Ringworm "The Venomous Grand Design (Victory) - Finally, a Ringworm record that we didn't have to wait half a decade for. This thing absolutely pummels you from start to finish, and I think it's a great way to finish off this list.


John Sharkey III (Clockcleaner)

Lamps "Lamps Lamps"
Homostupids "The Intern"
Psychedelic Horseshit "Magic Flowers Droned"
Blues Control "s/t"
Neil Young "Chrome Dreams II"
Circle Of Ouroborous "Shores"
Madball "Infiltrate The System"
Pink Reason "Cleaning The Mirror"
Teenage Panzer Korps "Harmful Emotions"
Daily Void "LP"


Jon Barthmus (The A-Sides)

Radiohead "In Rainbows"
Jens Lekman "Night Falls Over Kortedala"
The National "Boxer"
Animal Collective "Strawberry Jam"
Of Montreal "Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?"
Panda Bear "Person Pitch"
Battles "Mirrored"
Feist "The Reminder"
The Arcade Fire "Neon Bible"
Dr. Dog "We All Belong"


Tru Pray (Malfunction Records)

Meltdown "Demolition"
Internal Affairs "Deadly Visions"
Bitter End "Climate Of Fear"
Pressure Beasts "EP"
Jay-Z "American Gangster"
Trash Talk / Reign Supreme new EP's
Soul Control "Involution"
Sex Vid
Shipwreck a.d. "Abyss"


Philip Leone (Deep Sleep clothing boutique)

Trapped Under Ice "Demo 7 inch"
The Mongoloids "Time Trials"
The White Stripes "Icky Thump"
Pulling Teeth "Martyr Immortal"
Ryan Adams "Easy Tiger"
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals "Follow The Lights"
Pissed Jeans "Hope For Men"
Wilco "Sky Blue Sky"
Interpol "Our Love To Admire"
Arctic Monkeys "Favorite Worst Nightmare"


Larry Epstein (Crumbler)

Lifetime "Lifetime"
Bruce Springsteen "Magic"
Blacklisted "Peace On Earth, War On Stage"
Dinosaur Jr "Beyond"
Clockcleaner "Babylon Rules"
The Unloveables "Heartsickle"
Invader "Raw Dog"
Cloak/Dagger "We Are"
Pissed Jeans "Hope For Men"
Superbad DVD


Lee McGinnis (Dude in every hardcore live shot from the mid/late 90s)

The Mongoloids "Time Trials" (I see big things for this band)
Tim Armstrong "A Poets Life" (My daughters favorite album this year)
The Porters "Anywhere But Home" (I love to listen to this album on night work, good Irish drinking music)
Bracewar "Juggernaut" (Short songs, but to the point)
Shipwreck a.d. "Abyss" (Sounds like Integrity, never a bad thing)
The Aggrolites "Reggae Hit LA" (Northern Soul at it's finest, amazing musicians)
108 "A New Beat From A Dead Heart" (Very progressive sound from these veterans, still heavy as fuck)
Bitter End "Climate Of Fear" (Some Texas kids doing classic New York hardcore right)
Down To Nothing "The Most" (Richmond VA's heavy hitters)
Lifetime "Lifetime" (It's fucking LIFETIME)


Matt Jimino (former Philadelphia / current New Hampshire resident)

The Cult "Born Into This"
Coheed & Cambria "No World For Tomorrow"
HIM "Venus Doom"
Ween "La Cucaracha"
Neurosis "Given To The Rising"
Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgest"
69 Eyes "Angels"
Prince "Planet Earth"


Bob (Let Down)

Shipwreck a.d. "Abyss"
War Hungry "Return To Earth"
Bitter End "Climate Of Fear"
Justice "Escapades"
Blacklisted "Peace On Earth, War On Stage"
86 Mentality "Last Exit"
Rival Mob "Demo"
War Pigs "Demo"
New Lows "Demo"
Dead Black "Demo"


Mike Scondotto (Inhuman)

Watain "Sworn to the Dark" - Sweden's Watain are the future of Black Metal. I caught them live in May at BB Kings in NYC and I will never forget it. The smell of DEATH in the air, literally, as the band used real animal blood as part of their stage show. Standing towards the front I got the chills as I was reminded me of some 10+ years earlier seeing another Swedish band making their NYC debut, Dissection. Let's hope Watain’s future is much more positive.

Turnobegro "Retox" - Another winner from Hank and Co.I played this cd 10 times the day I got it and still throw it on. “I took my band way across the land, but too much ass can destroy a man.”

Danzig "The Lost Tracks" - Some of GD's best songs he ever wrote are on this 2 cd set, an absolute must have for fans. Fave tracks include "Cold Cold Rain","Crawl Across Your Killing Floor", "Pain is Like an Animal", "Bound By Blood".

Marduk "Rom 5:12" - Not sure how Sweden's Marduk made one of the best cd's of their career at some 15 years in the game, but they sure did. Looking forward to their return to the USA in 2008!

Type O Negative "Dead Again" - TON finally wrote some fast Carnivore-esque songs for the first time since 1990! They also wrote some of their best songs ever too on this one like "September Sun".

Mayhem "Ordo Ad Chao" - Creepy, disturbing, unpleasant = how I like my Mayhem to sound! Atilla’s voice and these riffs are the stuff nightmares are made of.

Wolves in the Throne Room "Two Hunters" - This cd blew me away on first listen. American Black Metal that sounds nothing like it's peers. WITTR remind me of LYCIA meets early ULVER.

Entombed "Serpent Saints" - Entombed's last 3 cds have all KILLED! Forgive their foray into "Rock" and get back into the Masters of Death! Tons of great riffs and mosh parts on this one.

Villians "Drenched in the Poison" - Awesome debut cd from the best band playing metal in NYC.Dirty, violent Black Metal. Buy this and see them live!

Immolation "Shadows in the Light" - An awesome cd from NY's DM legends. Possibly the best since their debut or best ever, no joke.



I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit their lists to me. Here's to hoping that 2008 brings just as many great tunes to us all! Happy New Year and keep your eyes open for some new interviews to start off 2008 strong.