Julia Conny

[Julia Conny]

Welcome to my End of the Year list. Cupcakes are on the coffee table. Tell me what you agree with and what you think I'm nuts for listing. I'll tell you how to make a mean pastry, how Baltimore became my city, and why 2007 was one incredible year. Most importantly, I'll tell you that your opinion is the only thing you have in this industry, and if you sell that out, it's not worth anything anymore. Your gut is your daily planner, your keys are your Ouija board, and your ears are the map to whichever destination life takes you.


Best Albums of 2007:
1. Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child (re-released nationally in 2007)*
2. Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre
3. Right Away, Great Captain! - The Bitter End
4. Annuals - Be He Me *
5. The Graduate - Anhedonia
6. Weatherbox - American Art
7. The Starting Line - Direction
8. The Gay Blades - Ghosts
9. Matt Pond PA - Last Light
10. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
11. Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty
12. My American Heart - Hiding Inside The Horrible Weather
13. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
14. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
15. A Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide
16. Down to Earth Approach - Come Back to You
17. Dashboard Confessional - The Shade of Poison Trees
18. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
19. Piebald - Accidental Gentlemen
20. Georgie James - Places
21. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
22. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
23. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
24. Saves the Day - Under the Boards
25. Coconut Records - Nighttiming
26. Blonde Redhead - 23
27. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
28. Ted Leo - Living With The Living
29. Everybody Else - Everybody Else
30. Kiss Kiss - Reality vs. The Optimist

* I know, I know ... It's not fair to list an album that came out in 2006. Fine, whatever. But Manchester Orchestra was a late bloomer for me and technically the album still saw a 2007 release date. As per Annuals ... well, I just love it to much to not rank it up there with the rest of the year's masterpieces.

Honorable Mentions:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Tegan & Sara - The Con
Feist - Reminder
The Dance Party - The Dance Party
Self Against City - Telling Secrets to Strangers
Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me

Biggest Disappointments:
Hot Rod Circuit - The Underground Is A Dying Breed
The Spill Canvas - No Really, I'm Fine

Top EPs of 2007:
1. Matt Pond PA - If You Want Blood EP
2. The Appreciation Post - Brighter Sides EP
3. Ra Ra Riot - Ra Ra Riot EP
4. Shining Through - Man Vs. Wild EP
5. All Get Out - Spitting EP

Saddest Break-Ups of 2007:
1. Hot Rod Circuit
2. Adelphi
3. Spitalfield
4. Piebald
5. Down To Earth Approach
6. The Blood Brothers

Most Anticipated of 2008:
1. Death Cab For Cutie
2. The Jealous Sound
3. Kevin Devine
4. The Format
5. Pompeii
6. Ra Ra Riot
7. Person L
8. Punchline

Top Songs of 2007:
1. Brand New - "Fork and Knife"
2. Right Away, Great Captain - "Badges and Badges"
3. The Graduate - "The City That Reads"
4. Weatherbox - "The Drugs"
5. The Starting Line - "21"
6. Every Time I Die - "Rendez-Voodoo"
7. Animal Collective - "Reverend Green"
8. Jimmy Eat World - "Here It Goes"
9. Coconut Records - "Nighttiming"
10. Georgie James - "Cake Parade"
11. The Spill Canvas - "All Over You"
12. Say Anything - "Sorry Dudes. My Bad."
13. Down to Earth Approach - "See You"

Favorite Shows of 2007:
1. Manchester Orchestra & Annuals @ Rock and Roll Hotel
2. Spitalfield Farewell Tour with The Forecast, & The Graduate @ The Ottobar
3. GWAR!!!! @ 930
3. Scranton, PA Warped Tour
4. Bamboozle @ Giants Stadium
5. Jimmy Eat World @ Sonar
6. Ted Leo @ 930
7. I Am the Avalanche, Four Year Strong, Daggermouth, and You Me and Everyone We Know @ Ottobar
8. All Time Low CD Release @ Recher
9. Downtown Singapore Reunion @ Ottobar
10. The Gay Blades @ Kyber Cafe

2007 Shows I'm Pissed I Missed:
1. Hey Mercedes Midwest Reunion Shows
2. Piebald & The Format @ 930 Club
3. Ace Enders, Steel Train & Kevin Devine @ The Ottobar
4. Mute Math & Eisley @ Sonar
5. Morrissey @ Rams Head Live

Favorite Movies of 2007:
1. The Kingdom
2. Across the Universe
3. Mr. Brooks

Next Big Things of 2008:
1. The Maine
2. Foxy Shazam
3. Jet Lag Gemini
4. Team Goldie
5. Down For The Count

Best Unsigned Bands of 2007:
1. The Appreciation Post
2. The Gay Blades
3. The Dance Party

Biggest/Most Influential Music-Related Moments of 2007:
1. Radiohead's In Rainbows stunt
2. OiNK and other P2P sites shut down
3. 360 deals "outed;" Madonna signs with Live Nation
4. Amazon and iTunes go head to head with DRM-free catalog
5. All the majors now recognizing/considering digital releases
6. RIAA goes to trial and wins
7. Major labels majorly downsize
8. Copyright Royalty Board locks down on online radio
9. Bloggers get legal recognition as professional journalists
10. Writer's Strike; television gets painfully boring to watch

Favorite "Other" Webzines:
1. Wired Blog
2. Ars Technica
3. Pitchfork Media

Best Record Labels of 2007:
1. Eyeball Records
2. Favorite Gentlemen
3. Doghouse Records

2008 Predictions:
Under-prepared and fully-aware of the potential damage, the music industry - specifically the major labels - is headed into the mouth of the giant of the beast of the hurricane that won't stop. They say that before you succeed, you must taste the ground first, and that's just where the labels are headed. Business savvy bands will search for traditional record deal substitutes, and a sample platter of new business models will pop up. Some will see success, some will fail miserably.

The Radiohead model will backlash onto other bands that only wish they could succeed like Thom and crew, and ad-supported music technology/social networking communities might be the only model that is providing consistency (even though it does have some flaws). At least two indie labels will go all-digital. Another one or two will fold, and there will be a small rallying cry from surviving, homebody indies to their fans for support.

The RIAA will go into major attack mode, and no one with any evidence of illegal downloading will be safe. All major torrent tracking websites will go down too, which will ignite a small and relatively popular push of underground leaking blogs. Illegal downloading will not go away - nor will it ever, that is unless it is no longer illegal - but it will become harder to procure and more "dangerous." That won't stop anything. Physical music sales won't increase but live music revenue will.

Apple will roll out with something to solidify iTunes as the leading digital music distributor - lossless files, perhaps? Amazon will try to keep up but they won't, even though more people will try to cross over the other side. This may be a stretch, but I'm going to go there anyway - all iTunes music will be DRM-free.

AP.net will grow and grow and grow, and something HUGE will happen in 2008 to push us into heights we never knew we could reach. We will gain traffic rank significantly on Pitchfork Media. Brand New will either call it quits or release another album that is absolutely genius. The Movielife will reunite, and I will finally get the chance to meet Ian MacKaye/see Hey Mercedes. Bamboozle 2008 will be EPIC and in full definition of the word. I'll finally go on tour, in some form or another, and my roommate and I will pick up the pace with our baby, Passed Out Promotions. Life will be good, and I'll graduate college. I'll finish one chapter of that book I've always wanted to write.

2008 is great. Already.

[Julia Conny]

Thank you guys for reading this, and thank all of your for making AP.net my favorite place to spend time, shooting around some BS.

<3

[Adrian Villagomez]

* I know, I know ... It's not fair to list an album that came out in 2006. Fine, whatever. But Manchester Orchestra was a late bloomer for me and technically the album still saw a 2007 release date. As per Annuals ... well, I just love it to much to not rank it up there with the rest of the year's masterpieces.Manchester Orchestra would be number one for me as well (it's beautiful, isn't it?), but I'm not a cheater. :-p

[Anton Djamoos]

Manchester Orchestra would have been quite high on my list too but it was a 2006 album.

[Praetor]

What?!?!?! I thought MCS was a top-ten shoe-in, haha. Good list.

[themostdeplete]

you are a CHEATER.

[bduke13]

I couldn't agree with you more about Adelphi

[Rich Duncan]

Awesome list, and I too am anticipating The Jealous Sound hopefully releasing something this year

[Steve Henderson]

Hottest AP staff member of 2007
02) Steve Henderson
01) Julia Conny



Good list, and always a pleasure writing alongside you for another year!

[Poochemist]

Don't worry about cheating, I put Gallows in my top 10.

I love the intro paragraph. I might have to plagiarize you at some point.

[Adrian Villagomez]

Wow, that's a great intro. Julia, I'd like to hear more about this book you're working on.

That's a rad picture you used, too.

[itaketoberlin]

if the movielife reunites, amazing.
Brand New for best song, definatly.
but HRC as biggest dissapointment? comeee on!!!! listen to it again!

[mycuban]

i agree with the right away great captain and manchester orchestra, i love both dearly. i was wondering is right away great captain was gonna appear on someone's list.

[Julia Conny]

Manchester Orchestra would be number one for me as well (it's beautiful, isn't it?), but I'm not a cheater. :-p

Manchester Orchestra would have been quite high on my list too but it was a 2006 album.

you are a CHEATER.

Psssh. Normal rules don't apply to me!!

I know, I know. I cheated, but oh wellz.

[Julia Conny]

What?!?!?! I thought MCS was a top-ten shoe-in, haha. Good list.

Nooo, it just didn't last the way I thought it would :-(

you are a CHEATER.

PS - I check your blog regularly. I've been meaning to mention that to you.

I couldn't agree with you more about Adelphi

They will be missed. :bluesad:

[Julia Conny]

Awesome list, and I too am anticipating The Jealous Sound hopefully releasing something this year

Thanks! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Hottest AP staff member of 2007
02) Steve Henderson
01) Julia Conny



Good list, and always a pleasure writing alongside you for another year!

Went to the Downtown Singapore reunion show tonight and going to another one tomorrow. Expect a little present in the mail very soon. ;-)

Don't worry about cheating, I put Gallows in my top 10.

I love the intro paragraph. I might have to plagiarize you at some point.

Thanks :)

Wow, that's a great intro. Julia, I'd like to hear more about this book you're working on.

That's a rad picture you used, too.

It's basically a cupcake cookbook. Hehe.

[Julia Conny]

if the movielife reunites, amazing.
Brand New for best song, definatly.
but HRC as biggest dissapointment? comeee on!!!! listen to it again!

I've tried so hard!! The HRC album just doesn't do it for me.

i agree with the right away great captain and manchester orchestra, i love both dearly. i was wondering is right away great captain was gonna appear on someone's list.

Mmmm, soo good.

[active_health]

Great List- I love that Andrew Bird made your list. I don't think he got enough love this year for putting out an incredible album. Andy Hull completes my life, so I'm okay with your cheating.

[Julia Conny]

Great List- I love that Andrew Bird made your list. I don't think he got enough love this year for putting out an incredible album. Andy Hull completes my life, so I'm okay with your cheating.

You and I should be friends.

[active_health]

You and I should be friends.

haha-We should spread the word- there is life beyond pop-punk. I've seen the future...and it is Andrew Bird

[atticusfinch]

Manchester Orchestra would be #1 for me too. Ah well. Silly re-releases.

[SwishMX48]

Possibly my favorite list on here so far...

Matt Pond PA :thumbup:

[average_jane]

I need to check out the whole Right Away Great Captain album. Great list!

[Julia Conny]

haha-We should spread the word- there is life beyond pop-punk. I've seen the future...and it is Andrew Bird

Have you ever seen him before? I missed him when he came through town and I was really upset that I did.

Manchester Orchestra would be #1 for me too. Ah well. Silly re-releases.

I like to evade the system.

Possibly my favorite list on here so far...

Matt Pond PA :thumbup:

Thanks! mpPA does not get enough love and that is pure fact. I still play the If You Want Blood EP at least once every couple days.

[Julia Conny]

I need to check out the whole Right Away Great Captain album. Great list!

Why thank you. Yes you absolutely do. You'll fall in love.

[Julia Conny]

Now that I look back on my list, I realize there is so much more I'd like to add to it.

[cajuncork]

you are magic.

[Eurotrash Drock]

good list julia, i gotta take some time and go through the rest, i miss you! im sweating my ass off in fl, its wack. the draft and set your goals are two 2006 albums i realllly got into this year. piebalds breakup was sadder than ours! see you soon, happy new year!

[jrtbighurt]

I was thinking of a way of putting Manchester on my list as well, only to find out it actually was released last year. If you did it, I'm doing it as well, ha.

And finally, someone with Weatherbox on their list!

[Adeniz19]

i REALLY REALLY hope you are right about the movielife.

[Julia Conny]

i REALLY REALLY hope you are right about the movielife.

Oh god I really hope so too.

[Adeniz19]

Oh god I really hope so too.IATA and NOY have been really quiet lately.... hhmmmm

[InaGreendase]

Personally, my favorite album this year was London Calling (126th pressing).

[shtjames]

man i wish i was this amped off life

[tm decomposer]

I wish I had time to compile something like this.

Great list to one of my favorite staffers.

[saving jonathan]

great intro Julia. I just love the way you write.
I would have thought Weatherbox was a top 5 for sure on your list. boo.
Your top songs list top 5 is purty darn good.

[Clark]

I can't see Brand New breaking up. I could before the release of TDAGARIM, but I can't now.
If they do, though, my entire world will be shattered into tiny pieces.
So...let's hope they release another genius album, instead.

Keep up the fantastic work. You & Steve are great.

[Julia Conny]

you are magic.

:wave:

good list julia, i gotta take some time and go through the rest, i miss you! im sweating my ass off in fl, its wack. the draft and set your goals are two 2006 albums i realllly got into this year. piebalds breakup was sadder than ours! see you soon, happy new year!

Thanks ... I'm sure it's not as punk rock as your list though. I'll have to work on that. Are you going to be back for New Years?

I was thinking of a way of putting Manchester on my list as well, only to find out it actually was released last year. If you did it, I'm doing it as well, ha.

And finally, someone with Weatherbox on their list!

Brian Warren is a god with words. Have you seen them live before?

IATA and NOY have been really quiet lately.... hhmmmm

Hmmmm....

I feel like I am just hoping too much. Then again, Hey Mercedes reunited and I never thought that would happen.

[Julia Conny]

Personally, my favorite album this year was London Calling (126th pressing).

Still counts...

man i wish i was this amped off life

Haha. I'm really not this positive in real life.

I wish I had time to compile something like this.

Great list to one of my favorite staffers.

Thanks yous. The thing that sucks about making a list is I always second guess what I have once it's done.

[Julia Conny]

great intro Julia. I just love the way you write.
I would have thought Weatherbox was a top 5 for sure on your list. boo.
Your top songs list top 5 is purty darn good.

That really means a lot to me. :-)

I've been listening to Weatherbox a lot lately ... maybe I would have rated them a bit higher. I dunno. I do know that Brian Warren is my favorite lyricist this year.

I can't see Brand New breaking up. I could before the release of TDAGARIM, but I can't now.
If they do, though, my entire world will be shattered into tiny pieces.
So...let's hope they release another genius album, instead.

Keep up the fantastic work. You & Steve are great.

I love Steve. He got me hired here. I owe a lot to him.

My world would be shattered too, but after their whole set-list debacle, part of me thinks that they don't enjoy being in this band/being on the road with this band anymore. That's just a little inking of a feeling I had.

[jrtbighurt]

Brian Warren is a god with words. Have you seen them live before?


I've seen them once before, at the 930 club, on that crappy Cartel tour. It was an early show, so like only 50 kids were there when Weatherbox took the stage. I'm 100% positive I was the only person there who actually knew who they were. Oh well, still sang along to every song. Too bad they are in CA and don't tour much on the east coast.

[saving jonathan]

[quote=Julia Conny;8302560]That really means a lot to me. :-)

I've been listening to Weatherbox a lot lately ... maybe I would have rated them a bit higher. I dunno. I do know that Brian Warren is my favorite lyricist this year.


Yeah, you're bio in your profile always makes me cry.

And yes Brian's lyrics really hit the spot. That record is so amazing.

[tragedyco]

Honorable Mentions:Self Against City - Telling Secrets to Strangers

<3

didn't see this enough on these lists, i like.

[JonathanDTEA]

come and stay with me in nyc so we can get hammered again.

ps- thanks for the mentions. i blushed a little

[maxrabkin]

YES. Someone read my mind and put up Annuals. I discovered them this past summer and was simply floored. I love that band dearly. The fact that I discovered them this year means they're sort of a 2007 band for me, so its really not cheating in my eyes anyway.

And RIP Piebald. A truly fun band.

[PassedOut]

that is a HILARIOUS picture of us. hxc @ hamilton all the way baby

[Julia Conny]

I've seen them once before, at the 930 club, on that crappy Cartel tour. It was an early show, so like only 50 kids were there when Weatherbox took the stage. I'm 100% positive I was the only person there who actually knew who they were. Oh well, still sang along to every song. Too bad they are in CA and don't tour much on the east coast.

Same here, I saw them at Sonar. The crowd looked so lost and unknowning during their set, and there I was, all excited because they were finally on the East Coast and I could sing every word, haha. Why did it have to be Cartel?? I could think of so many more bands that they could open for that would yield a much more appreciative crowd.

Yeah, you're bio in your profile always makes me cry.

And yes Brian's lyrics really hit the spot. That record is so amazing.

:blush:

I am so thrilled there are other Weatherboxers out there.

<3

didn't see this enough on these lists, i like.

It was released Jan. 07, right? I bet a lot of people forgot about it.

[kendall.chaos]

the blood brothers was my saddest break-up, and adelphi a tie i think :[. and i totally agree with manchester orchestra, i was just suprised the gay blades werent higher then the starting line, i enjoyed their's much more :].

[Julia Conny]

come and stay with me in nyc so we can get hammered again.

ps- thanks for the mentions. i blushed a little

No problemo. I actually am going up to visit some friends in the city in a couple weeks. I'll hit you up.

YES. Someone read my mind and put up Annuals. I discovered them this past summer and was simply floored. I love that band dearly. The fact that I discovered them this year means they're sort of a 2007 band for me, so its really not cheating in my eyes anyway.

And RIP Piebald. A truly fun band.

Piebald left, but we got the gift of Annuals. Ahh, life's little wonders.

that is a HILARIOUS picture of us. hxc @ hamilton all the way baby

We're so badass.

[ManchesterOrch8]

My world would be shattered too, but after their whole set-list debacle, part of me thinks that they don't enjoy being in this band/being on the road with this band anymore. That's just a little inking of a feeling I had.

If they do indeed break up,

I will blame it all on, my personal hero, Jesse Lacey.

He will destroy that band if he keeps getting trashed everynight. The rest of the band doesn't know what to do, and have given up somewhat. After the last show I saw them at, I was hangin' out with the guys, and Jesse ran out of the bus with a full bottle of JD, Vin turns to me and Brian and says "I don't even wanna touch that anymore." I believe he was reffering to Jesse, not the bottle. I think the drinking is a bigger problem then anyone realizes.


Amazing list, BTW.

[JackSlapFear]

i think i agree with your lists overall more than anybody else

[hellotoyou789]

Brand New will either call it quits or release another album that is absolutely genius.

I agree. good call! and great lists happy new year!!

[tragedyco]

It was released Jan. 07, right? I bet a lot of people forgot about it.

Yeah, thats quite possible.