JACKS MANNEQUIN / everything in transit
WEEZER / make believe
THE STARTING LINE / based on a true story
COHEED & CAMBRIA / good apollo...
# 10. DROPKICK MURPHY'S / the warrior's code
I have only recently gotten into these guys from Boston and have yet to check out their old stuff. But their latest album is a great punk album. I especially like the bag pipes, mainly in the ballad “The Green Fields of France”, one of my favourite songs of the year. This album is full of energy, great lyrics and a great beat.
# 9. MAE / the everglow
This album is the only thing I have heard from this band, but I love it. It’s set up like a story with a spoken introduction and conclusion. The song lyrics tell the story. A great concept album with a beautiful sound of piano, guitars and drums. Shouldn’t be missed, regardless of your musical taste.
# 8. ACCEPTANCE / phantoms
A great debut album and a breath of fresh air to the emo/pop punk genre. Jason Vena’s voice is one of the best in the genre. The band is clearly talented and you can feel their emotion in each and every song, even in the cool interlude. “Getting Over You” has been described as the summer anthem, but this band is far from an one hit wonder. In fact, I don’t have a single favourite song on the album because they all are amazing.
# 7. MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK / commit this to memory
The band with the craziest hair can make some serious kick ass music. Building on the success and genuis of the first album, they came back with another awesome album. It is only a touch below the first album, but it is still incredible. The songs are catchy, full of emotion and well written. On a sidenote, they put on a hell of a show live.
# 6. CARTEL / chroma
These guys burst onto the scene this year with catchy and poppy songs. Building on a stellar EP, they were among the best debuts this year. But they stand alone when it comes to their talent. Similar to Acceptance, they put their hearts into each song and connect with the listener. I can’t wait to see what they do next, but first I sill need to catch them live.
# 5. THE ACADEMY IS... / almost here
This band was higher up, but I worn them out. However, after listening to them again, I realized this how great this album really is. Will Buckett is a great front man and can sing with the best of them. The album is well written, especially “Black Mamba”, where they stick it to the music scene. Singing that they don’t care who likes them, they’re going to continue to do what they want to. “Mr. Magazine, I never wrote a single thing for you!”
# 4. PANIC AT THE DISCO! / a fever you can't sweat out
Believe me, I would be the first to say that there would never be a dance or techno album on my list. But this album is just brilliant. A great mix of pop punk, emo, dance and even a bit techno. These guys are the best thing to come out of Nevada and are one of the most talented bands out there. This outstanding debut is nothing short of amazing.
# 3. ANBERLIN / never take friendships personal
The best blind buy of the year. A great upbeat, catchy and well written album from these guys that I had never heard of before this past summer. Right from the get-go, this album is full of energy, starting with the title track, which one hell of a song. It takes the listener on a great ride of catchy tunes with great sing-along lyrics. One of the best songs in my mind is “Audrey, Start the Revolution”, which has one of the best choruses. “If this isn’t love, this is the closest I’ve ever been.” Great stuff.
# 2. WAKING ASHLAND / composure
One of the most underrated bands out there. These guys deserve a lot more credit for creating one of the best piano-rock albums ever. Forget Something Corporate, Mae or any other paino pop band. Waking Ashland is the best. Jonathan Jones’ vocals are soothing and powerful at the same time. The rest of the band are very talented playing their respective instruments. The album is full of great songs, with“Overjoyed” and “October Skies” being my personal favourites. I strongly recommend you check this band out.
# 1. FALL OUT BOY / from under the cork tree
Now, a lot of people have this album atop of their list, but the majority of them are under the age of 16 and can’t name a single song off FOB’s first album. No, not Take This to Your Grave, but An Evening Out With Your Girlfriend. Why am I saying this? I want it to be known that I have been a fan of these wacky guys from Chicago for about 3 years now. I remember when nobody had heard of them. They were my favourite unknown band for the longest time. Now that they’re huge and get a lot play on MTV, they’re getting a lot of fake fans. But enough of that, let me talk about the greatness of the album. Pete Wentz is my hero and wrote a great album. He actually gets to sing more this time around. Patrick Stump is a great vocalist and plays a great guitar. Andy Hurley is a madman on the drums and Joe Trohman is a treat to listen to on guitar. The album is full of some of the best written lyrics and one hell of a great beat filled with the band’s emotion and talent. There is not one bad song or one track that stands out; all 13 tracks are among the best songs of the year. Hands down, the best album of the year.