Anton Djamoos
12/01/07, 06:45 AM
Top Thirty Albums of the Year
30. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home (EP)
29. Band of Thieves - Band of Thieves (EP)
28. Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
27. Saves the Day - Under the Boards
26. Armor for Sleep - Smile for Them
25. Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me
24. Radiohead - In Rainbows
23. As Tall As Lions - Into the Flood (EP)
22. Bayside - The Walking Wounded
21. Paramore - Riot!
20. The Reign of Kindo - The Reign of Kindo (EP)
19. Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
18. We Shot the Moon - The Polar Bear and Cougar
17. Yellowcard - Paper Walls
16. National Product - Luna
15. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
14. The Starting Line - Direction
13. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
12. Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. I
11. Thursday - Kill the House Lights
10. The Graduate - Anhedonia
09. Mae - Singularity
08. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
07. Coheed and Cambria - No World For Tomorrow
06. Anberlin - Cities
05. Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre
04. Fightstar - One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours
03. Four Year Strong - Rise or Die Trying
02. Hanson - The Walk
01. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading
The Dear Hunter's album is my favorite album that came out this year by a long shot, as it really was just completely different from anything else released and really clicked with me. I love the story, and I get swept away in the music every time I listen to it. Casey Crescenzo, you've done it again. Please keep making more music. Hanson may be surprising to see on this list for some of you, but if you've been paying attention to the music I've liked this year, you'd know that I have shown a lot of love for this band. Give them a chance, maybe you'll be doubly surprised at how much you like their new album. Four Year Strong rocked and was fun. Fightstar was my biggest surprise of the year as I hadn't listened to any of their music prior to 2007 and they just hooked me right in. I'll need to get their back catalog. Say Anything was epic in scope and well-done in execution, but a bit too long to get repeated listens; for as good as it is, it requires a lot of work. Anberlin had great music, Coheed kicked it up a notch from their previous effort, Jimmy was lower than my expectations but it's Jimmy so you know it's going to be good. I didn't like Mae at first but then I began to appreciate it for what I was and The Graduate was a heck of a recommendation from the AP Staff. The rest of my top twenty is a somewhat random collection but, hey, I even managed to get Radiohead in there. That must give my list some credibility, right?
Top Twenty Songs of 2007
20. Fall Out Boy - The Take Over, The Break's Over
19. Cartel - The Fortunate
18. The Graduate - Anhedonia
17. Dustin Kensrue - I Knew You Before
16. The Receiving End of Sirens - Saturnus
15. The Starting Line - Direction
14. Comeback Kid - Broadcasting...
13. Mae - Home
12. Relient K - Deathbed
11. Say Anything - Plea
10. Thursday - Ladies and Gentlemen: My Brother the Failure
09. Jimmy Eat World - Electable (Give It Up)
08. Four Year Strong - If We're Here, Who's Running Hell?
07. Band of Thieves - Woman
06. Thrice - Open Water
05. Coheed and Cambria - Gravemakers and Gunslingers
04. Fightstar - 99
03. Hanson - Georgia
02. Anberlin - Dismantle. Repair.
01. The Dear Hunter -
Wow, what a cop out. As you can see, my number one song of the year is by The Dear Hunter, though there is no title. I couldn't decide. There are just too many songs on that album that are fantastic that picking one album over the other is like choosing between children. I'd list my favorite tracks on that album as "Where the Road Parts", "Red Hands", "Dear Ms. Leading", and "Smiling Swine", but everything on that album is just so so so good. Listening to it now and trying to pick a song over another so this paragraph doesn't have to exist just further cements how I can't decide. Anberlin's "Dismantle. Repair." is easily the best song that they have written and one that I can listen to over and over again without getting tired of it. Stephen Christian's voice in it is literally perfect and the song is just incredible. Hanson's "Georgia" is powerful for a simple song and Fightstar's "99" is everything that I want in a song. It rocks while remaining atmospheric. "Gravemakers and Gunslingers" is the highlight of No World for Tomorrow and it hooked me from the first second I heard the song (thanks, Garett!). I'm a sucker for a good chorus and something that's fun to sing along to ("Direction", "Broadcasting...", "The Fortunate"), but I also like something that's broad in scope and tells a story ("Deathbed", "Plea", "Ladies and Gentlemen: My Brother the Failure") so that explains the rest of my choices. This list would be quite different but I did not want to list the same artist over and over again as it would lead to a complete lack of diversity on my list. Enjoy!
Most Disappointing Albums of 2007
4. Cobra Starship - Viva La Cobra!
3. Straylight Run - The Needles The Space
2. Cartel - Cartel
1.The Receiving End of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
The Receiving End of Sirens put out one of my top ten favorite albums of all-time with Between the Heart and the Synapse and their latest lost everything that I was originally charmed with. Cartel didn't release Chroma 2, which is what most of us wanted and the album lacked most of the punch that came with their EP and Chroma. Straylight Run made the album that they wanted to make and I hadn't listened to it until I got tons of recommendations to check it out and, based on the hype, I was disappointed. It's a decent album, but not what I expected. Cobra Starship is a mixed bag because I was not initially impressed but after listening to it several times, I have come to appreciate it for what it is, even if that means having to endure the VIP Party Boys.
Best New Band of 2007
Band of Thieves
The Reign of Kindo
Lannen Fall
We Shot the Moon
Search/Rescue
The Sequence
Forever The Sickest Kids
Best Lyrics of 2007
5. Taylor Hanson
4. Kenny Vasoli
3. Stephen Christian
2. Max Bemis
1. Casey Crescenzo
Kenny Vasoli? Since when has he written lyrics that deserve to get him on a list like this? The Starting Line is a pop band! Well, when he decided to put his life into Direction, what emerged was a great portrait of an artist who has found his direction in life (oh man, direction) and finally sounds comfortable in exposing his life outside of relationships and tearing asses up.
Best Vocals of 2007
6. Jim Atkins
5. Patrick Stump
4. Dustin Kensrue
3. Stephen Christian
2. Taylor Hanson
1. Casey Crescenzo
Best Live Band
As Tall As Lions
Hanson
Thrice
Muse
My Chemical Romance
Thursday
Not in any particular order, these are just the best live acts I saw this year. If you have the opportunity to see any of these bands live, do it.
Biggest Sellouts
1. All Time Low!!!
Default #1 for everyone: Cartel
Nah, just kidding about All Time Low. Haha, did anyone really sell out this year? Fall Out Boy did with their "Thnks fr the Mmrs" video but did it in a light-hearted manner, poking fun at themselves and Cartel had the bubble. People accused All Time Low about it and they responded with a video blog. Do we even care about selling out anymore? As long as it's ethical and it doesn't compromise the music (Cartel?), I'm cool with it. Just make good music and play shows and don't forget about who got you where you are.
Most Overrated Band
1. RADIOHEAD
As good as they are, they are not Jesus via airwaves.
Most Underrated Bands
3. Mute Math
2. Mae
1. Hanson
Best (Catchiest Song) Single
5. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face Down
4. Fall Out Boy - Thnks fr th Mmrs
3. Jimmy Eat World - Big Casino
2. Paramore - Misery Business
1. The Starting Line - Island
"Island" should have been the big song of the summer. Someone really f'd that one up. Gotta give it up to Red Jumpsuit as that song really penetrated them and catapulted them to huge success out of relative obscurity. Good for them.
Worst Single
2. Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car
1. Mae - Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone
What screw-ups of choices these were. "Dismantle. Repair." and "Brink of Disaster" would have been much, much better.
Best 'Other' Zine Website
There are other websites on the Internet?
Band(s) Most Pimped By AP.net
5. Anberlin
4. Thrice
3. The Graduate
2. Four Year Strong
1. Say Anything
We may have pimped them exhaustively, but I think that they were all worthy of extra exposure. If you didn't, blame Adrian. Why not?
Best Movies of 2007
I don't even know most of the movies I saw this year.
Best TV Shows of 2007
4. Ninja Warrior
3. Heroes
2. Scrubs
1. LOST
LOST always kicks ass and this past season was no exception. Scrubs, hilarious as always, had a fantastic season even if we weren't sure if they were done with it at the end of the season or not during much of the season. Heroes ended season one on a low note with a terrible finale, started season two off weak, but it all came together nicely in the end. And, well, Ninja Warrior is probably the only other show that I saw this year more than twice, as it's on G4 all the time. Why not watch it? It's hilarious and MXC is hardly found.
Bands I Probably Should Have Listened To Before 2007
Manchester Orchestra
Mute Math
Name Taken
Fightstar
Forgive Durden
Sense Field
Set Your Goals
This Day and Age
The Next Big Thing(s) of 2008
2. Forever the Sickest Kids
1. Inept
If Inept get signed (which they most certainly should based on their new album), all they need is the right marketing behind them and there's no stopping the potential of this band. Forever the Sickest Kids' EP was such a good dance-pop release and, with the music world the way it is, there is no reason this band shouldn't be big next year with a new label and a major label backing them.
Most Anticipated Releases of 2008
The Mars Volta
Thursday
Glassjaw
Anberlin
Sparta
The Dear Hunter
Finch
Forgive Durden
Inept
Senses Fail
Thrice
Millencolin
Moneen
Muse
My Chemical Romance
Panic! at the Disco
Taking Back Sunday
TRUSTcompany
...and I thought 2007 was a good year for music.
2008 Predictions
- Panic! at the Disco releases an album that everyone loves to hate. It will end up being not that bad of an album, but the AP crowd will take every chance to bash it.
- Senses Fail releases an awesome album that surprises most people.
- Final Midtown show...big announcement of sorts to coincide.
- Anberlin goes mainstream.
- The Mars Volta gets radio play.
- Drew Beringer declares an album of the year in January.
- Major labels will not wisen up but will try to extort in new ways.
- 360 deals become standard.
- Major Internet company buys AP.net, Jason pays staff millions of dollars.
- Cartel goes the Yellowcard route (most likely in 2009 though).
2007 Reflection
2007 was one heck of a year for me. I graduated college, jumped into the real world and got a real job, started working for AP.net, continued my relationship with my girlfriend, and much more. I have thoroughly loved every second with AbsolutePunk, as it has allowed me not only to lend some sort of helping hand to my favorite bands in the world, but to also help in bringing new music to thousands of people. I know I'm just a small volunteer for this website, but AP really transcends music and is a community; I'm extremely thankful to be a part of it. I've met so many great people through this site and being put on staff earlier this year is an honor. I feel so blessed to be able to do something that I truly enjoy doing and being able to ban people is pretty cool too. Banton. So I thank every one of you that is reading this and all of you that decided not to for making my year awesome and one of the best for me. I truly appreciate every single one of you. To the staff of AP, thank you, each and every one of you, for making me feel welcome and not picking on me too bad when I first started and for accepting me. We're a great team and there's more greatness to come in 2008. Jason, thanks for putting aside our video game differences (by the way...Wii - 13,177,485; PS3 - 5,453,701) and for giving me a chance to give back to my favorite website.
I wish you all the best in 2008...may it be an even better year than 2007.
30. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home (EP)
29. Band of Thieves - Band of Thieves (EP)
28. Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
27. Saves the Day - Under the Boards
26. Armor for Sleep - Smile for Them
25. Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me
24. Radiohead - In Rainbows
23. As Tall As Lions - Into the Flood (EP)
22. Bayside - The Walking Wounded
21. Paramore - Riot!
20. The Reign of Kindo - The Reign of Kindo (EP)
19. Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
18. We Shot the Moon - The Polar Bear and Cougar
17. Yellowcard - Paper Walls
16. National Product - Luna
15. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
14. The Starting Line - Direction
13. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
12. Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. I
11. Thursday - Kill the House Lights
10. The Graduate - Anhedonia
09. Mae - Singularity
08. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
07. Coheed and Cambria - No World For Tomorrow
06. Anberlin - Cities
05. Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre
04. Fightstar - One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours
03. Four Year Strong - Rise or Die Trying
02. Hanson - The Walk
01. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading
The Dear Hunter's album is my favorite album that came out this year by a long shot, as it really was just completely different from anything else released and really clicked with me. I love the story, and I get swept away in the music every time I listen to it. Casey Crescenzo, you've done it again. Please keep making more music. Hanson may be surprising to see on this list for some of you, but if you've been paying attention to the music I've liked this year, you'd know that I have shown a lot of love for this band. Give them a chance, maybe you'll be doubly surprised at how much you like their new album. Four Year Strong rocked and was fun. Fightstar was my biggest surprise of the year as I hadn't listened to any of their music prior to 2007 and they just hooked me right in. I'll need to get their back catalog. Say Anything was epic in scope and well-done in execution, but a bit too long to get repeated listens; for as good as it is, it requires a lot of work. Anberlin had great music, Coheed kicked it up a notch from their previous effort, Jimmy was lower than my expectations but it's Jimmy so you know it's going to be good. I didn't like Mae at first but then I began to appreciate it for what I was and The Graduate was a heck of a recommendation from the AP Staff. The rest of my top twenty is a somewhat random collection but, hey, I even managed to get Radiohead in there. That must give my list some credibility, right?
Top Twenty Songs of 2007
20. Fall Out Boy - The Take Over, The Break's Over
19. Cartel - The Fortunate
18. The Graduate - Anhedonia
17. Dustin Kensrue - I Knew You Before
16. The Receiving End of Sirens - Saturnus
15. The Starting Line - Direction
14. Comeback Kid - Broadcasting...
13. Mae - Home
12. Relient K - Deathbed
11. Say Anything - Plea
10. Thursday - Ladies and Gentlemen: My Brother the Failure
09. Jimmy Eat World - Electable (Give It Up)
08. Four Year Strong - If We're Here, Who's Running Hell?
07. Band of Thieves - Woman
06. Thrice - Open Water
05. Coheed and Cambria - Gravemakers and Gunslingers
04. Fightstar - 99
03. Hanson - Georgia
02. Anberlin - Dismantle. Repair.
01. The Dear Hunter -
Wow, what a cop out. As you can see, my number one song of the year is by The Dear Hunter, though there is no title. I couldn't decide. There are just too many songs on that album that are fantastic that picking one album over the other is like choosing between children. I'd list my favorite tracks on that album as "Where the Road Parts", "Red Hands", "Dear Ms. Leading", and "Smiling Swine", but everything on that album is just so so so good. Listening to it now and trying to pick a song over another so this paragraph doesn't have to exist just further cements how I can't decide. Anberlin's "Dismantle. Repair." is easily the best song that they have written and one that I can listen to over and over again without getting tired of it. Stephen Christian's voice in it is literally perfect and the song is just incredible. Hanson's "Georgia" is powerful for a simple song and Fightstar's "99" is everything that I want in a song. It rocks while remaining atmospheric. "Gravemakers and Gunslingers" is the highlight of No World for Tomorrow and it hooked me from the first second I heard the song (thanks, Garett!). I'm a sucker for a good chorus and something that's fun to sing along to ("Direction", "Broadcasting...", "The Fortunate"), but I also like something that's broad in scope and tells a story ("Deathbed", "Plea", "Ladies and Gentlemen: My Brother the Failure") so that explains the rest of my choices. This list would be quite different but I did not want to list the same artist over and over again as it would lead to a complete lack of diversity on my list. Enjoy!
Most Disappointing Albums of 2007
4. Cobra Starship - Viva La Cobra!
3. Straylight Run - The Needles The Space
2. Cartel - Cartel
1.The Receiving End of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
The Receiving End of Sirens put out one of my top ten favorite albums of all-time with Between the Heart and the Synapse and their latest lost everything that I was originally charmed with. Cartel didn't release Chroma 2, which is what most of us wanted and the album lacked most of the punch that came with their EP and Chroma. Straylight Run made the album that they wanted to make and I hadn't listened to it until I got tons of recommendations to check it out and, based on the hype, I was disappointed. It's a decent album, but not what I expected. Cobra Starship is a mixed bag because I was not initially impressed but after listening to it several times, I have come to appreciate it for what it is, even if that means having to endure the VIP Party Boys.
Best New Band of 2007
Band of Thieves
The Reign of Kindo
Lannen Fall
We Shot the Moon
Search/Rescue
The Sequence
Forever The Sickest Kids
Best Lyrics of 2007
5. Taylor Hanson
4. Kenny Vasoli
3. Stephen Christian
2. Max Bemis
1. Casey Crescenzo
Kenny Vasoli? Since when has he written lyrics that deserve to get him on a list like this? The Starting Line is a pop band! Well, when he decided to put his life into Direction, what emerged was a great portrait of an artist who has found his direction in life (oh man, direction) and finally sounds comfortable in exposing his life outside of relationships and tearing asses up.
Best Vocals of 2007
6. Jim Atkins
5. Patrick Stump
4. Dustin Kensrue
3. Stephen Christian
2. Taylor Hanson
1. Casey Crescenzo
Best Live Band
As Tall As Lions
Hanson
Thrice
Muse
My Chemical Romance
Thursday
Not in any particular order, these are just the best live acts I saw this year. If you have the opportunity to see any of these bands live, do it.
Biggest Sellouts
1. All Time Low!!!
Default #1 for everyone: Cartel
Nah, just kidding about All Time Low. Haha, did anyone really sell out this year? Fall Out Boy did with their "Thnks fr the Mmrs" video but did it in a light-hearted manner, poking fun at themselves and Cartel had the bubble. People accused All Time Low about it and they responded with a video blog. Do we even care about selling out anymore? As long as it's ethical and it doesn't compromise the music (Cartel?), I'm cool with it. Just make good music and play shows and don't forget about who got you where you are.
Most Overrated Band
1. RADIOHEAD
As good as they are, they are not Jesus via airwaves.
Most Underrated Bands
3. Mute Math
2. Mae
1. Hanson
Best (Catchiest Song) Single
5. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face Down
4. Fall Out Boy - Thnks fr th Mmrs
3. Jimmy Eat World - Big Casino
2. Paramore - Misery Business
1. The Starting Line - Island
"Island" should have been the big song of the summer. Someone really f'd that one up. Gotta give it up to Red Jumpsuit as that song really penetrated them and catapulted them to huge success out of relative obscurity. Good for them.
Worst Single
2. Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car
1. Mae - Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone
What screw-ups of choices these were. "Dismantle. Repair." and "Brink of Disaster" would have been much, much better.
Best 'Other' Zine Website
There are other websites on the Internet?
Band(s) Most Pimped By AP.net
5. Anberlin
4. Thrice
3. The Graduate
2. Four Year Strong
1. Say Anything
We may have pimped them exhaustively, but I think that they were all worthy of extra exposure. If you didn't, blame Adrian. Why not?
Best Movies of 2007
I don't even know most of the movies I saw this year.
Best TV Shows of 2007
4. Ninja Warrior
3. Heroes
2. Scrubs
1. LOST
LOST always kicks ass and this past season was no exception. Scrubs, hilarious as always, had a fantastic season even if we weren't sure if they were done with it at the end of the season or not during much of the season. Heroes ended season one on a low note with a terrible finale, started season two off weak, but it all came together nicely in the end. And, well, Ninja Warrior is probably the only other show that I saw this year more than twice, as it's on G4 all the time. Why not watch it? It's hilarious and MXC is hardly found.
Bands I Probably Should Have Listened To Before 2007
Manchester Orchestra
Mute Math
Name Taken
Fightstar
Forgive Durden
Sense Field
Set Your Goals
This Day and Age
The Next Big Thing(s) of 2008
2. Forever the Sickest Kids
1. Inept
If Inept get signed (which they most certainly should based on their new album), all they need is the right marketing behind them and there's no stopping the potential of this band. Forever the Sickest Kids' EP was such a good dance-pop release and, with the music world the way it is, there is no reason this band shouldn't be big next year with a new label and a major label backing them.
Most Anticipated Releases of 2008
The Mars Volta
Thursday
Glassjaw
Anberlin
Sparta
The Dear Hunter
Finch
Forgive Durden
Inept
Senses Fail
Thrice
Millencolin
Moneen
Muse
My Chemical Romance
Panic! at the Disco
Taking Back Sunday
TRUSTcompany
...and I thought 2007 was a good year for music.
2008 Predictions
- Panic! at the Disco releases an album that everyone loves to hate. It will end up being not that bad of an album, but the AP crowd will take every chance to bash it.
- Senses Fail releases an awesome album that surprises most people.
- Final Midtown show...big announcement of sorts to coincide.
- Anberlin goes mainstream.
- The Mars Volta gets radio play.
- Drew Beringer declares an album of the year in January.
- Major labels will not wisen up but will try to extort in new ways.
- 360 deals become standard.
- Major Internet company buys AP.net, Jason pays staff millions of dollars.
- Cartel goes the Yellowcard route (most likely in 2009 though).
2007 Reflection
2007 was one heck of a year for me. I graduated college, jumped into the real world and got a real job, started working for AP.net, continued my relationship with my girlfriend, and much more. I have thoroughly loved every second with AbsolutePunk, as it has allowed me not only to lend some sort of helping hand to my favorite bands in the world, but to also help in bringing new music to thousands of people. I know I'm just a small volunteer for this website, but AP really transcends music and is a community; I'm extremely thankful to be a part of it. I've met so many great people through this site and being put on staff earlier this year is an honor. I feel so blessed to be able to do something that I truly enjoy doing and being able to ban people is pretty cool too. Banton. So I thank every one of you that is reading this and all of you that decided not to for making my year awesome and one of the best for me. I truly appreciate every single one of you. To the staff of AP, thank you, each and every one of you, for making me feel welcome and not picking on me too bad when I first started and for accepting me. We're a great team and there's more greatness to come in 2008. Jason, thanks for putting aside our video game differences (by the way...Wii - 13,177,485; PS3 - 5,453,701) and for giving me a chance to give back to my favorite website.
I wish you all the best in 2008...may it be an even better year than 2007.