2008 Top 10 Albums

It's that time of year when we look back at what has passed and pick out our favourite moments. Looking back at things with a musical slant, 2008 has proven to be rather disappointing compared to other years. Most years I add over 100 hours worth of music to my library. This year I managed a paltry 69 hours. I think it reflects the lack of quality music that was released.

That said, where there was quality, it was definitely high quality. And I'm pleased to say that half of the top 10 list are Australian albums.

Just remember that this is my album list, not a best guitar album list. I listen to too much music to just make a guitar album list. Mind you, most of these albums feature awesome guitar work.

10. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone (Special Edition CD/DVD)

While I'm sure "old school" Slipknot fans are probably throwing up in their rubber masks because of their hatred of this album, I really like it. Maybe not as much as Subliminal Verses, but I definitely dig it. Lots of grooves, lots of bone crushing guitar tones, and some fantastic song writing. If you like the heavier Stone Sour songs, then you will like this Slipknot album.

9. The Living End - White Noise

The first Australian album in the list. I've never been a great fan of The Living End, but this album is rock solid. It's a real departure for them, with a much more in your face rock and roll feel, this album will go down as an Aussie classic for sure. Chris Cheney is surely one of the most versatile and talented Australian guitarists of all time. No wonder he has a Gretch endorsement deal!

8. The Saboteurs / The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely

Jack White will go down as the most important songwriter of this generation. This album is even more of a testament to that fact. What I love most about this band is that with a talented rhythm section behind him, White's take on the blues is a powerful beast that cannot be stopped. Even if you are not a White Stripes fan you should check this out.

7. The Butterfly Effect - Final Conversation of Kings

Another Aussie band. This is their third album and they just keep getting better and better. The growth between albums is amazing, with the bombastic arrangements replaced by subtle dynamics and atmospherics, all pinned together by some great guitar work and an awesome rhythm section.

6. Scars On Broadway - Scars On Broadway CD & DVD

Now this is an album I didn't expect to get into. I know the underlying tones of this album are political, and it's meant to be "metal", but hot-diggity-damn if it doesn't put a smile on my face every time I hear it! It really is that fun, and will surely be a metal summer party album for years to come.

5. Ash Grunwald - Fish Out Of Water
A great Australian singer/songwriter that is just about to break huge. This album is a great slab of roots/blues, soulful singing, infused with a healthy dose of electronic and hip hot beats. Trust me, it works, and it works brilliantly. This was my soundtrack while travelling through Cambodia during November.

4. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night

I've never been a big fan of Kings Of Leon, but this is a great album. Anthemic stadium rock with huge sounding guitars swirling in reverb and chorus, with some great vocal performances and huge amounts of energy. I've heard longtime fans would be disappointed by this album, but as a newcomer to the band I found this album to be very special indeed.

3. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Australian musical royalty, even if he does live in the UK and has so for years. Nick Cave and some of the members of the Bad Seeds have definitely been affected by their other incarnation Grinderman. Much more raw rock with gutteral performances that leaving you wanting more. Cave again shows just what a genius he is on this album.

2. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

I have to admit, I was a little bewildered by Ghosts I-IV. A massive collection of soundscapes inspired by artworks? OK, I'll let it slid because the follow up to Year Zero is a masterpiece. In my opinion, it is the best thing Reznor has released since The Fragile. Yep, I know that is comment bait so start flaming me now. I love this album.

1. Birds Of Tokyo - Universes

Yep. They've done it again. The best band in Australia today have taken out the top spot again in my yearly list. You thought their first album Day One was good? Then wait till you hear this. The album is full of songs that have you singing along with the chorus after the first repeat, and has expanded their sonic landscape while focusing their songwriting abilities. No hook goes missed, no melody is wasted. Well and truely Album of the Year.

Honourable Mentions

Two more Australian acts in this list, being Cog an The Presets. For those who don't know Cog are pretty much the Australian answer to Tool, and The Presets are the kings of dark wave electro. Metallica and Guns N' Roses make this list too. Ignore all the hater and have a listen to the albums. They are not perfect, but are still much more enjoyable to listen to than most of the other junk that was released this year.

A very special note goes out to Kane. I grabbed this album off the cuff and have not seen it anywhere since. It is some of the best pop rock I have heard in years. It very nearly made it into the top 10, it is that good.

Kane - Everything You Want
Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
Black Keys - Attack and Release
Cog - Sharing Space
Extreme - Saudades de Rock
Joe Satriani - Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock
Metallica - Death Magnetic
The Presets - Apocalypso

Biggest Disappointments

These were two albums I was really looking forward to, and unfortunately found to be less than enjoyable. The Black Crowes album just lumbers along mid tempo for most of the album, and just isn't the "fun" they normaly are. Counting Crows new album just sounds like a band trying to sound like the Counting Crows. I couldn't tell you why I think that, it just feels very forced to me, like they are reigning in their songwriting and performances to kkep that Counting Crows sound.

The Black Crowes - Warpaint
Counting Crows - Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

So there you have it.

I'd love to hear what you all think, and why I'm wrong, and anything that I've missed that I should check out.

Birds Of Tokyo – Universes

I know this is my "guitar" blog, but if I can introduce some more people to this band then I think I am making the world a better place.

Birds Of Tokyo hail from Perth, Western Australia, and are my favourite band at the moment. Their new album "universes" has just come out today and it is absolutely brilliant. Above is the video for the first two singles (yes, two singles, one video clip). I hope you enjoy.

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Wookie’s 2007 Albums of the Year

I know it's late but my webhost has finally sorted out the issues I was having. So now I can finally bring to you my list of 2007. According to my Windows Media Player library, I added 100 hours of music to my collection this year. So you would think that I should find maybe 10 albums that can make up the list. Well, it's not easy. My rough draft came up with 19 albums, so here is my Top 10, and some brief comments, followed by a list of Honourable Mentions.

Day One - Birds Of Tokyo
No album this year has gotten close to the amount of play time the one received. This band from Perth, Australia has produced a gem of a debut album. Solid all the ay through, with no weak songs at all, they back up the song writing with amazing live performances which I have had the pleasure of witnessing for myself.

Carry On - Chris Cornell
This is what I think Chris Cornell does best. Euphoria Morning was one of the best albums of the year when it came out, and so is this. Here Cornell feels comfortable in his own skin writing music for him, not writing music to conform to what a bunch of hypocritical, money grabbing, self-righteous wankers want to hear.

Year Zero - Nine Inch Nails
Trent got out of his head, got political, and created an ARG to go with the album. Forget about all that and just listen to it. It is the most aggressive, angry, disturbing release from NIN in a long time and is absolutely brilliant.

Libertad - Velvet Revolver
A much more solid album, sounding like a band that has found the gel, and not just bringing in someone to sing over the top of already written and recorded tracks. Some people don't rate this album but I played the hell out of it. Plus, one word - Slash.

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters
The Foo Fighters just keep getting better and better. I'm the first to admit to not being a huge fan, but the last two albums, and this one in particular are simple phenomenal. Dave Grohl may well be looked and in 20 years ti9me as the greatest wock songwriter of this generation.

Infinity On High - Fall Out Boy
There are very few bands labled "emo" that I like. And this is one of them. A great rocking album, with one of the best songs of the year in "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs". This album has surprised me with the replay value. Even if you don't look twice at emo, this is worth checking out.

Close As You Get - Gary Moore
I don't remember the last Gary Moore album that hasn't been brilliant. This is one of the best sounding albums her has done. Raw, guttural, but then sweet and mournful. A brilliant album. he just keeps getting better with age and it's another british blues album that is a must have.

Puzzle - Biffy Clyro
I found these Welsh guys via a small article in a guitar magazine. They got a rave review there and I'll give them here now. A few patchy songs mar this album, but if any band can get close to out Foo Fightering the Foo Fighters, it's Biffy Clyro.

Minutes To Midnight - Linkin Park
So many people hate them, but most of these people still think of Linkin Park as the Nu-Metal band everyone loves to hate. Ignore all that and listen to this album. It is a great body of work, no weak tracks, varied in style and substance. Forget what you know of Linkin Park and give it a go.

In Rainbows - Radiohead
I'm a huge radiohead fan, but not so biased as to think that their shit is made of solid gold. This is a a very very good album. It is one of the best of the year. Is it another OK Computer, or Kid A? No. But is the best thing they have done since those releases. The guitars are back and the electronic stuff subdued. The songwriting is brilliant and their is a definite energy, a restlessness about the music that makes it all work.

Honourable Mentions

Stolen Apples - Paul Kelly
Fear of A Blank Planet - Porcupine Tree
Young Modern - Silverchair
Blackbird - Alter Bridge
Come On Like The Fast Lane - The Silos
Drastic Fantastic - KT Tunstall
Grinderman - Grinderman
Icky Thump - The White Stripes
Sloe Gin - Joe Bonamassa
Unplugged - Korn
War Stories - U.N.K.L.E.

You may notice that is not a GUITAR albums of the year. I listen to too much music and too much variety to pick just guitar music.

Birds Of Tokyo – “Day One”

This Perth, Australia band has released what is possible the best album of the last few years. Amazing vocal, great songwriting, very good production. If you like good solid rock with a bit more cerebral content than usual, but not enough to send it into the prog zone, then this is for you.