Top 10 Albums of 2008 (in order)   

 

10. Off With Their Heads  From The Bottom-  Going from solid song writing to brilliant song writing is not something that often happens within the span of a single album. Diatribe was happy to be witness to this. OWTH have secured a seat at table with great new sophomore album From the Bottom. It feels good to not have to sit at the kiddies table anymore.

 

 9. The Loved Ones  Build Burn-  A little less punch and a tad more swagger ropes The Loved Ones Build Burn in as an admirable follow up LP. Diatribe learned first hand by talking to Dave Hause that it was the album that the entire band had always wanted to make. We sure are glad that you did Dave. I hope punknew.org bloggers didn’t think you tried 3% too hard on this one.

 

8.  Two Cow Garage  Speaking In Cursive-  The guys are not only a local favorite but, are good friends of Diatribe. All nepotism aside, TCG play with more passion then I’ve seen in a while. These boys have worked hard to be where they are, and in the words of Karen Carpenter, “It’s only just begun,” for these men.

 

7.  Dear and the Headlights  Drunk Like Bible Times- The favorite son of Equal Vision Records has managed not only to impress, but supersede their pervious full length. Catchy hooks, precision timing, and thoughtful lyrics are the equation that has always, and will always set Dear and the Headlight apart from others.

 

6. Ninja Gun  Restless Rubes  Suburban Home Records is just on a roll this year. Two Cow Garage (above), Joey Cape, and especially these Ninjas. Everything that was great about 90’s alt-rock fused with Get-Up Kids styles and dash of the deep south. Beat that!

Our interview with these guys reveals a lot of repressed energy thar makes these Georgian-rubes restless enough to trash up stages all over the country. Well done.

 

5. Death Cab for Cutie  Narrow Stairs-  Everyone’s favorite indie-loaner band has finally made it back on our charts and back into long-time fandom hearts.  After a disappointing 2005 release Plans, Death Cab is back in the saddle and in Diatribe’s good graces. They are doing what they do best again with a slightly new touch. However I believe the haircuts remain the same. Brilliant from cover to cover.

 

4. Jenny Lewis  Acid Tongue- The enchanting Indie Queen shows us once again that stylistic music is in the ear of the beholder. Lewis took us on a journey from Dixie to the West, and then back to the slums of California. I guess you could say that from bluegrass to jazz, and everything in between, Acid Tongue was quite the ‘trip’. Wow.

 

3. The Gaslight Anthem  The 59’ Sound-  These guys have successfully transformed 45’s into Compact Discs with their pre-punk sounds of the 1950’s. This is a true rarity in this year’s line up of great new albums and performers. The also put on one hell of an awesome show! Cheers Brian Fallon.

 

2. Hot Water Music  Till The Wheels Fall Off -  The Ghosts of Gainesville’s past have haunted us with a collection of rare songs, B-sides, comp tracks, outtakes, covers, and split releases. Included are songs from the out-of-print “Moonpies for Misfits” EP, their splits including Alkaline Trio covers. A must own.

 

 1. Polar Bear Club  Sometimes Things Just Disappear-  Being moved by an album is something of  rarity anymore, especially when you hear a new album almost daily. Polar Bear Club have all the elementals, rudimental, and instrumentals I’ve ever adored in punk rock music. Although I haven’t had the honor of meeting these New Yorkers, they did put on one hell of a live show I was fortunate to attend. This album is gold simply because I don’t believe in platinum.