Rock Is Life

BEST OF 2008

by Jay Roberts
(click album title for review)

I haven’t been able to catch up with all the music that I would’ve liked to listen to this year. My reviews have been fewer and farther between. I’m sure that albums from GMT, Disturbed, Jimi Jamison and Helloween to this list. However, since I haven’t heard them yet, we’ll never know if they would’ve made the list and where. I guess we’ll just have to include them on next year’s list if they qualify.

You’ll notice that some of the CDs listed here were actually released in 2007. However, they came out after our deadline for the Best of 2007 list had passed. So they get included in the listing for this year.

So how was your 2008 in regards to listening to music? For me, I’ve been listening to music a lot, just not reviewing it as often. Mainly because it was older material, stuff in my collection as opposed to newly arrived review material.

One of the discs I had received a while back but never got to review was the Domain CD Stardawn. I wish I had been able to get a review out back in 2006 when it originally came out because it was a really good album. I also got to finally listen to the Warren Zevon compilation Preludes, March Cohn’s Join The Parade, and Melissa Etheridge’s The Awakening. They all got write ups on the site but aren’t eligible for the best of list.

Of all the stuff I listened to this past year, the two albums that stood out to me as the ones I’d least like to listen to again are Squealer A.D.’s Confrontation Street and the rather abysmal In Search Of Cleo from actress Gina Gershon.

I even got the chance to do a concert review this year with my attendance at the Iron Maiden show this summer. You can read about that here

The most recent musical adventure I’ve undertaken is Irish and Celtic music thanks to a rather awesome podcast I came across called The Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. There’s some pretty good stuff out there, including some rather stand out Celtic rock music.

And now on with the shortened Best of 2008!

#6– PAGAN’S MIND – GOD’S CREATION

I did a brief review for the site about this disc, in case people missed it, I’ve included the text of that review here.

"The progressive and power metal mix put forth by Pagan’s Mind was previously unheard by me, but I was quite taken with their approach after listening to this disc. The two instrumentals on the album were decent. “The Conception” opens the album and “Farewell” conveys a finely constructed example of mood as the album preps to close out. The vocal work from Nils K. Rue is superb overall. I did think the pronounced delivery on “Hallo Spaceboy” seemed a bit forced. Otherwise, the guy is a vocal powerhouse.

As for the rest of the songs on the disc, you really can’t find much to fault with the material. “United Alliance” is a simply great tune that shines a light on each member of the band. I really got into the pounding rhythms of “Atomic Firelight” which ended up as my own favorite track. “Alien Kamikaze” and “Evolution Exceed” also burn and shred with their aggressive tempos. If you want to know how the band sounds when they slow down their aural assault, “Painted Skies” is the track you are looking for. The closing track “Osiris’ Triumphant Return” is a galloping burst of energy.

The band has over the course of their five albums carved out a place in the progressive metal pantheon with their tight songwriting and vibrant performances…I’m just sorry that I haven’t been onboard until now."

The site may be Rock oriented but over the years we’ve reviewed a wide variety of musical genres. For me, Sugarland is the best country act out there right now. They’ve released three musically superior discs while simultaneously getting better with each album.

He gave Poison musical credibility and has constantly set himself on an ever expanding musical course in his solo work. The bluesy beauty of this album is sadly unappreciated by the musical mainstream and deserves listing in far better publicized best of list than mine!

#3 – METALLICA – DEATH MAGNETIC

The album that gave Metallica their testicles back. Read my review via the link for what I thought, I can’t say it better here than I did in the review.

#2 – ROBERT PLANT / ALISON KRAUSS – RAISING SAND

The unlikeliest of music collaborations provided one of the most successful CDs of the year. They’ll be doing another project together and for fans of pure musical enjoyment, you will find no disappointment here.

It’s never a sure thing when you change a band member, even less sure when said band member is your most high profile one. Nightwish made the right call in selecting Anette Olzon as their new singer and then went out and turned in an absolutely amazing CD. I loved the band before, but holy cow do I love them that much more now.