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COPYING JARED!!!!
My "Tops" of the Year:
This took some deliberation, but here's the important one... (i didn't have time for album arts)
Top 15 Albums:
15. Hit the lights- This is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder
14. Head Automatica- Popaganda
13. Ben Folds- Supersunnyspeedgraphic, The LP
12. Boys Like Girls- Boys Like Girls
11. Matchbook Romance- Voices
10. Over It- Step Outside Yourself
9. Brand New- The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
8. Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat
7. The Hush Sound- Like Vines
6. Saosin- Saosin
5. This Providence- This Providence
-With an album that I listened to a few times before I even understood what the band wanted themselves to sound like, This Providence has an interesting marriage of lyrics and unusual rhythms that, overall, makes a very good listen .
4. Billy Talent- Billy Talent II
-After their self-titled album, Billy Talent disappeared for something like 4 years, and the Canadian quartet returned this year with a bang; the CD, though less relentless in its hard rock-edness as the first album, still has the same power and musicality... with some of the most insane vocals in a punk band today.
3. New Found Glory- Coming Home
-After all but disappearing from the scene after the release of Catalyst in 2004, New Found Glory's newest album is what their dwindling fans were hoping for; the music took a turn for the better, straying from the pop punk nonsense that they were headed for, Jordan dropped his voice about an octave to make it at least more tolerable, but kept the same vibe that I've always loved about NFG.
2. Less Than Jake- In With the Out Crowd
The 2nd-place award this year goes to a band to whom I pretty much stopped listening to a few years back because of how much I overplayed their older albums. They've been laying low (not hard to do when you're a ska band) since they released Anthem, and came back this year with an album that actually is a lot more punk than I would have imagined; they've still kept the ska aspect, and some of the songs sound like they could be straight off of one of LTJ's first few albums. Definitely belongs this high in my list.
1. The Living End- State of Emergency
The Australian punk trio came back to the American scene this year after a few-year hiatus with State of Emergency. The music, as usual, is some of the most impressive on this entire list, and good God, can they put on a live show. Chris Cheney and is Gretsch White Falcon make arguably some of the most impressive guitar work in the whole punk scene today, and the lyrics and melodies make this an album that I'd recommend be in everyone's playlist.
Guilty Pleasures:
5. Muse- Black Holes and Revelations
4. My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade
3. Over It- Step Outside Yourself
2. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes- Love Their Country
1. Boys Like Girls- Boys Like Girls
Best Movies
3. The Omen
-Took the original, ousted the ridiculous Gregory Peck attempt at horror, and made it scene-for-scene into a legit scare.
2. V for Vendetta
-I couldn't believe my reaction to this movie... it's very rare for me to come out of a movie that amazed, especially since it was an original movie idea and not a fucking sequel or remake.
1. Casino Royale
-Saw it three times in the span of 4 weeks, and I was never bored with it. I actually want to go see it again. Brought back the total-fucking-badass connotation that the 007 franchise was screaming for.
TV Shows
3. South Park
-I know, it's not really a "show" like the others, but few programs on TV make me laugh as hard as I do at South Park. After 10 seasons, it's a relief to see that the show isn't in a perpetual decline (like the Simpsons has been in for several years).
2. The Office
-I had my doubts about the return of this show after they broke open the Pandora's box of Jim and Pam in the finale last year... and they definitely proved me wrong. Bringing in a new set of cast members via another "office" (especially Ed Helms, omg) was a genius move. Definitely the burst of energy this show kinda-sorta,not really needed to keep itself going for several more seasons.
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
-Thanks again for the pick on this one, Jared. Definitely the best-written show of the year, hands down.
My "Tops" of the Year:
This took some deliberation, but here's the important one... (i didn't have time for album arts)
Top 15 Albums:
15. Hit the lights- This is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder
14. Head Automatica- Popaganda
13. Ben Folds- Supersunnyspeedgraphic, The LP
12. Boys Like Girls- Boys Like Girls
11. Matchbook Romance- Voices
10. Over It- Step Outside Yourself
9. Brand New- The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
8. Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat
7. The Hush Sound- Like Vines
6. Saosin- Saosin
5. This Providence- This Providence
-With an album that I listened to a few times before I even understood what the band wanted themselves to sound like, This Providence has an interesting marriage of lyrics and unusual rhythms that, overall, makes a very good listen .
4. Billy Talent- Billy Talent II
-After their self-titled album, Billy Talent disappeared for something like 4 years, and the Canadian quartet returned this year with a bang; the CD, though less relentless in its hard rock-edness as the first album, still has the same power and musicality... with some of the most insane vocals in a punk band today.
3. New Found Glory- Coming Home
-After all but disappearing from the scene after the release of Catalyst in 2004, New Found Glory's newest album is what their dwindling fans were hoping for; the music took a turn for the better, straying from the pop punk nonsense that they were headed for, Jordan dropped his voice about an octave to make it at least more tolerable, but kept the same vibe that I've always loved about NFG.
2. Less Than Jake- In With the Out Crowd
The 2nd-place award this year goes to a band to whom I pretty much stopped listening to a few years back because of how much I overplayed their older albums. They've been laying low (not hard to do when you're a ska band) since they released Anthem, and came back this year with an album that actually is a lot more punk than I would have imagined; they've still kept the ska aspect, and some of the songs sound like they could be straight off of one of LTJ's first few albums. Definitely belongs this high in my list.
1. The Living End- State of Emergency
The Australian punk trio came back to the American scene this year after a few-year hiatus with State of Emergency. The music, as usual, is some of the most impressive on this entire list, and good God, can they put on a live show. Chris Cheney and is Gretsch White Falcon make arguably some of the most impressive guitar work in the whole punk scene today, and the lyrics and melodies make this an album that I'd recommend be in everyone's playlist.
Guilty Pleasures:
5. Muse- Black Holes and Revelations
4. My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade
3. Over It- Step Outside Yourself
2. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes- Love Their Country
1. Boys Like Girls- Boys Like Girls
Best Movies
3. The Omen
-Took the original, ousted the ridiculous Gregory Peck attempt at horror, and made it scene-for-scene into a legit scare.
2. V for Vendetta
-I couldn't believe my reaction to this movie... it's very rare for me to come out of a movie that amazed, especially since it was an original movie idea and not a fucking sequel or remake.
1. Casino Royale
-Saw it three times in the span of 4 weeks, and I was never bored with it. I actually want to go see it again. Brought back the total-fucking-badass connotation that the 007 franchise was screaming for.
TV Shows
3. South Park
-I know, it's not really a "show" like the others, but few programs on TV make me laugh as hard as I do at South Park. After 10 seasons, it's a relief to see that the show isn't in a perpetual decline (like the Simpsons has been in for several years).
2. The Office
-I had my doubts about the return of this show after they broke open the Pandora's box of Jim and Pam in the finale last year... and they definitely proved me wrong. Bringing in a new set of cast members via another "office" (especially Ed Helms, omg) was a genius move. Definitely the burst of energy this show kinda-sorta,not really needed to keep itself going for several more seasons.
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
-Thanks again for the pick on this one, Jared. Definitely the best-written show of the year, hands down.