2008: The Year in Rock

As far as rock buffs like me go, 2008 was an exciting year because so many of my favorite artists were releasing new studio albums. I started the year in great expectation of the new releases by Keane, The Verve, The Vines, Poets of the Fall…

The year is nearly over, and it’s time to take account of what happened to the greats. Remember, I can’t cover everyone (don’t ask me about Guns n’ Roses, I’m not exactly their fan) and a few albums didn’t reach me in time.

Notable absences from this list

• R.E.M.: Accelerate
• 3 Doors Down: 3 Doors Down

That’s it, lets begin.

Exceeded/Met Expectations

1. ColdPlay: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

This was easily the best new album of the year. Coldplay continues to demonstrate perfect mastery over it’s sounds, and reasserts the fact that their competitors are after all, just Coldplay clones. I’d be hard pressed to pick one bad track out of their repertoire. The album rules.

2. Weezer: The Red Album

Weezer is one of those highly over-rated bands from which you enjoy a few tracks and detest the rest. I discarded Pinkerton wholesale, despite being considered one of the greatest albums ever made. The Blue album was decent, Make Believe was good and the other albums were almost entirely crap with a few hidden jewels.

The Red album is surprisingly good, and the album is no disappointment. “Pork and Beans” has a great sound (Although Weezer still have that same disgusting riff in many songs which they just can’t seem to get rid of) and the album has a great cover of “The Weight” in a very uplifting rendition which brings back fond memories of the old classic. The other tracks are no disappointment either. In all, a good album and a deserving follow-up to Make Believe.

3. The Vines: Melodia

Old review of the Vines available here.

I never expected the Vines to disappoint me and they never did. Melodia continues on The Vines’ trademark sounds and delivers a great performance. The album is lazy, fast paced fun. No other words for it.

4. Counting Crows: Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

The album does meet expectations and continues the trademark style but is a forgettable piece of work. Worth a listen if you’re a Crows fan but won’t impress a newcomer.

5. Keane: Perfect Symmetry

Keane’s third album barely manages to meet expectations from it’s first and second albums. Perfect Symmetry is good, but maybe a departure from their signature unique style is not what Keane should be doing. “Spiralling” is great, and “Lovers are Losing” is reminiscent of Under the Iron Sea. The rest of the tracks are OK, but overall, the album is a bit of a disappointment.

Going the wrong way

1. The Verve: Forth

Old review of The Verve available here.

Did I wait so long for this bullshit? Where went the sounds of greatness? A clear disappointment, and unworthy successor to Urban Hymns. Don’t bother looking this up.

2. Poets of The Fall: Revolution Roulette

How the greats have fallen. POTF try to change their poetic lyrical style to a harder rock feel and f#ck up their album big-time. The new POTF album is no different from dozens of me-too rock bands which rise and fall every day. The only good thing about it is the album art, and you can look at that here for free! There, I just saved you a shitload of money.

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