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Blake Solomon

Written by: Blake Solomon (12/01/07)
Just a quick, teary-eyed introduction to start things off: I have only been a staff member of this site since June, but my involvement here lasts much longer. I owe this site and its members a lot and now that I'm in a position of power (*cringe*), I hope to represent the readers even better in 2008. I can't wait to hear all of your new favorite records and, hopefully, tell y'all about some of mine. I wish you all the best in this holiday season and in the new year. May all of your dreams (musical and otherwise) come true.

Love, Blake


Favorite Albums of 2007

30. Family Force 5 - Business Up Front / Party In The Back (Diamond Edition)
29. The Gena Rowlands Band - Flesh And Spirits
28. Menomena - Friend And Foe
27. Flobots - Fight With Tools
26. The Gaslight Anthem - Sink Or Swim
25. The Wonder Years - Get Stoked On It!
24. An Angle - The Truth Is That You Are Alive
23. Biffy Clyro - Puzzle
22. Followed By Ghosts - The Entire City Was Silent
21. A Day To Remember - For Those Who Have Heart
20. Daggermouth - Turf Wars
19. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
18. Stephen Fretwell - Man On The Roof
17. Ruiner - Prepare To Be Let Down
16. A.A. Bondy - American Hearts
15. Todd Martin - Mont Clare
14. Bayside - The Walking Wounded
13. The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
12. Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death
11. Benzos - Branches
10. Crime In Stereo - Is Dead
09. Pela - Anytown Graffiti
08. The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
07. Deer Tick - War Elephant
06. Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
05. A Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide
04. David Shultz and The Skyline - Sinner's Gold
03. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
02. Moving Mountains - Pneuma
01. Anberlin - Cities

Just Missed The Cut!: (These are great albums that didn't quite make the above list. Please still check them out!)

American Steel - Destroy Their Future
Tunturia - Maps
The Bees - Octopus
Chris Bathgate - A Cork Tale Wake
You Say Party! We Say Die! - Lose All Time
Explosions In The Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Small Leaks Sink Ships - Until The World Is Happy; Wake Up You Sleepyhead Sun
*Shels - Sea Of The Dying Dhow
Giants - They, The Undeserving
Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers - Glassjaw Boxer

Favorite EPs of 2007

10. Stella, Wake Up! - The Shark And The Ghost
09. At Cliffs End - The City
08. Brave Citizens - Revolutions
07. Flies Are Spies From Hell - Mountain Language
06. Nightmare Of You - Bang
05. Lipona - Urbi Et Orbi
04. Alberta Cross - The Thief & The Heartbreaker
03. Dropout Year - Best Friends For Never
02. Novice - Novice
01. Angel Eyes - ...And For A Roof A Sky Full Of Stars

Favorite Songs of 2007

Anberlin - "Dismantle.Repair"
Todd Martin - "Runaway"
The Wonder Years - "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong"
Deer Tick - "Ashamed"
A Wilhelm Scream - "Check Request Denied"
Flies Are Spies From Hell - "Next Hour"
David Shultz - "Albino Crow"
Bayside - "Carry On"
The Tough Alliance - "First Class Riot"
Ruiner - "Kiss That Motherfucker Goodnight"
Jimmy Eat World - "Let It Happen"
The Junior Varsity - "The SKY!"
Dropout Year - "As You Wish"
Paramore - "Misery Business"
As Tall As Lions - "Blacked Out"
Biffy Clyro - "Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies"
Ryan Adams - "I Taught Myself How To Grow Old"
Flobots - "Anne Braden"
Crime In Stereo - "Unfortunate Tourists"
Four Year Strong - "Maniac (R.O.D.)"
James Morrison - "Undiscovered"
A06 - "Into Shadow Forest"
The Avett Brothers - "Will You Return"
Tunturia - "Cast Shadows On Clouds"
A.A. Bondy - "American Hearts"
Octoberman - "Chasing Ambulances"

Most Mesmerizing Song of 2008

Moving Mountains - "8105"

ExplanacionPerhaps the most beautiful, lush, emotional 8+ minutes you'll sit through all year. I can't say enough about the imagery, the love story, and the rising, triumphant climaxes. Every part fits into what was, for me at least, the greatest puzzle of the year. What were they saying? What did it all mean? I got my answers; I challenge you to find yours. Get a pair of headphones, dim the lights and live through music for once.


Albums I Wanted To Love But Couldn't

05. The Junior Varsity - Cinematographic
04. Relient K -5 Score... (Truly pains me to put that here)
03. The Fall Of Troy - Manipulator
02. The Academy Is... - Santi
01. Emery - I'm Only A Man

I Can't Wait To Spend More Time With... (I.E. My Late Bloomers of 2007)

The Swellers - My Everest
Octoberman - Run From Safety
Timber Timbre - Medicinals
Two Gallants - Two Gallants
Cocoon - My Friends All Died In A Plane Crash
As Tall As Lions - Into The Flood
The Holloways - So This Is Great Britain?

Favorite Singer of 2007

Isaac Brock

ExplanationI know you don't see this dude's record on the list, but damn if he isn't fantastic (We Were Dead... is still worth checking out). I really fleshed out my MM back catalogue this year and it's amazing how fierce and crazed Brock can get. And seeing him live didn't sway my opinion at all. He killed it, eyes wide and everything. Listen to "Bankrupt On Selling" sometime soon. Or, for something more recent, give "Spitting Venom" a go.


I Was Way Late To The Party:

Archer Avenue - When I Was An Astronaut
The Avett Brothers - The Gleam EP
Neutral Milk Hotel -In An Aeroplane Over The Sea
Beulah - Yoko
This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain EP
Youth Pictures Of Florence Henderson - Unnoticeable In A Tiny Town, Invisible In The City
Sick Of It All - Death To Tyrants
Hammock - Kenotic
The Format - Dog Problems
Cave In - Jupiter
Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come
Saves The Day - Stay What You Are

Best Webzine Not Named AbsolutePunk

Drowned In Sound

ExplanationDiS is a great portal into the British music scene. And more important than all that, they use funny slang (like wanker and codswallop). The reviews are usually spot on (though I liked Biffy Clyro wayyy more than them) and they do some really cool features. If you had to visit one other site to get a wordy critic's opinion, go to DiS.


Favorite TV Shows of 2007

30 Rock
Metalacolypse
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
The Mighty Boosh
The Office
The IT Crowd
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Lost (I watched all 3 seasons over the summer /nerd)
Heroes (this almost didn't make the list. Such a sad demise.)

ExplanationYou might see some shows on there that you don't recognize. Those shows come from the great United Kingdom, and, due to the lame studio executives hoarding all the cash, I was forced to look elsewhere for my daily doses of comedy. The strike actually turned out to be a good thing, for me at least. Richard Ayoade is a comic genius (whether he's playing sex fiend Dean Learner or a high Shaman). Noel Fielding has fantastic delivery and his ability to make inane storylines intriguing is a treat to watch (see Old Gregg or the "Charlie" short story). The British do things differently, relying less often on husband/wife/suburban regurgitations and focusing on being innovative with outlandish plots and clever wordplay/culture references. I, for one, appreciate it. I want a job at BBC Three. All that being said, though, 30 Rock still reigns supreme!


Favorite Reality Show

Kitchen Nightmares

10 (err, 11) Bands That Will Take '08 By Storm

Brave Citizens
Set Your Goals
Junius
Dropout Year
The Swellers
MOVING MOUNTAINS
So Long Forgotten
The Morning Of
Planets
Trophy Scars
This Will Destroy You
 
Displaying posts 1 - 15 of 42.
07:24 AM on 12/01/07
#2
Tom Good
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<3
11:33 PM on 12/01/07
#3
Adrian Villagomez
First Comes Boyhood
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30. Family Force 5 - Business Up Front / Party In The Back (Diamond Edition)

I was there when you discovered them.

09:52 PM on 12/24/07
#4
Blake Solomon
things like chemistry
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I spent a lot of time on this. I hope my mom is proud!
12:40 PM on 12/26/07
#5
andrewlterry
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Way to go Blakeman.

EDIT: Moving Mountains' album needs more love.
03:41 PM on 12/26/07
#6
matt_rawlings
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Great call on A06 and GM's "Darkplace" (one of the funniest shows ever
03:59 PM on 12/26/07
#7
Özgür Kurtoglu
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Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come


Jesus christ...9 years late, man...NINE years? Haha.
04:26 PM on 12/26/07
#8
ThisIsNotDan
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about time you got onto Cave In haha.

and good to see the new A Wilhelm Scream record so high
04:33 PM on 12/26/07
#9
Blake Solomon
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Originally Posted by Özgür Kurtoglu
Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come


Jesus christ...9 years late, man...NINE years? Haha.

I was too busy listeningn to eagle eye cherry!
04:43 PM on 12/26/07
Poochemist
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Best reviewer of 2007.

You are the musical equivalent of being well read (well listened?).

By the way I love that Ruiner is on there.
05:31 PM on 12/26/07
lauren<3s music
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03. The Fall Of Troy - Manipulator

wholeheartedly agree with this. it was sad.
05:40 PM on 12/26/07
James Johnson
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Nice list!
08:48 PM on 12/26/07
saysmydoctor
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Slss <3
10:01 PM on 12/26/07
Blake Solomon
things like chemistry
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Originally Posted by Poochemist
Best reviewer of 2007.

You are the musical equivalent of being well read (well listened?).

By the way I love that Ruiner is on there.



hahaha, thanks for the compliments! I'm gonna print this post out, show it to my mom, and hopefully get out of picking up dog poop tomorrow!
10:02 PM on 12/26/07
average_jane
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If you like the British comedies, try and check out the show Black Books. Dylan Moran is a brilliant comedian.
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