Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Report Card: Class Act 3.9's

-Everyone has been doing their best of 2008 lists and were a little late (although Sydney did hers in a timely manner,) but at least it's still January so here are my picks. I would have to agree with Tim's choices of Copeland's latest and the Neil release so I replaced them on my list with other notable 08' discs.

-Underoath, Lost in the Sound of Separation:
This is the first Underoath album I've liked since They're Only Chasing Safety, but I can't really put my finger on why. I think Aaron Gillespie's experience making his own album aided their structuring. "Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear" is pure genius.

-The Knux, Remind me in Three Days:
I was a little late hearing about The Knux, but better late than never. With off-the-wall beats that are a little less refined and a little more rock-influenced than The Cool Kids and other hipster-rap duos, this was easily the best hip-hop album of 2008. Nas, Lil' Wayne and The Game all could have made this list though.

-The Classic Crime, The Silver Cord:
You might find this to be an odd choice but I am standing by it. The Classic Crime's first release, 2006's Albatross, was hit or miss but it contained two tracks that I rarely skip in shuffle. The new album is a much more complete and refined offering. This band could easily be on mainstream radio.

-Kanye West, 808s and Heartbreak:
Although a lot of bands have been doing similar music for a couple years, Kanye is a badass for bringing it to the mainstream and facing all the critics with a genuine fuck you album.

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