Honorable mentions:

Starflyer 59 - Dial M
Good to have a new record from SF59. It just so happens its good too…

Protest The Hero – Fortress
Proof that Ryan Adams isn’t all Canada is good for…

Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter: III
“OK you’re a goon… but what’s a goon to a gobblin?” Yes, I drank the kool-aid.

Avishai Cohen Trio – Gently Disturbed
Best jazz record I’ve heard in a long time…

Ferras – Aliens & Rainbows
A modern day Elton John, minus the butt sex with men… and yes, my girlfriend got me into this guy…

Living Sacrifice – Death Machine Digital Sampler
So what if it’s only 2 songs? IT’S LIVING SACRIFICE!

10. Underoath – Lost In The Sound Of Separation
While, no, this is not your big brother’s Underoath – this album hit me like a 2 ton gorilla (whose name is “Fancy”).

9.  From A Second Story Window – Conversations
This band captured my attention in the summer of 2003 with their live show that is nothing short of breath taking – a complete disregard for the safety of themselves and the audience. While they have suffered through lineup changes and the eventual break up, this album came out swinging. A wonderfully discerning blend of melody and pure chaos.

8.  The Famine – The Raven And The Reaping
It’s good to have Embodyment back. This album picks right back up from where they left off and does nothing but kick ass and take names. Mark Garza has some of the most brutal drumming known to man.

7.  N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds
I wont lie, I’m a Pharrell Williams fanboy. This award winning producer knows his way around a studio and it seems like everything he touches turns to gold. This album is an ecclectic blend of trip-hop beats, rock melodies, and dance grooves.

6.  The Mars Volta – The Bedlam In Goliath
This record is a VAST improvement over Frances the Mute and Amputechture. I had many flashbacks to De-Loused in the Comatorium, induced by what? I’ll never tell.

5.  Meshuggah – obZen
This album flat-out tore me to pieces. Meshuggah makes a strong return to the roots that made them the leaders of their genre.

4.  Does It Offend You, Yeah? – You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
I have Josh Mock to thank for this one. He introduced this band to me and I was skeptical. Who wouldn’t be? The guy LOVES Project 86, but I digress… This album is up-tempo, a hell of a lot of fun, and you can dance to it. Nuff said.

3.  Trenches – The Tide Will Swallow Us Whole
This album is brutal in a different kind of way. It’s warm chord progressions, throbbing tempo, and eviscerating vocals entranced me for over a month solid. One of the best metal records to be released by Solid State in probably 10 years.

2.  John Mayer – Where The Light Is (Live CD/DVD)
Yes, I just wanted an excuse to put Mr. Mayer on a Top 10 list. It just so happens that this album is one of the best live recordings I’ve ever heard. You get all 3 sides of John on this one: acoustic John, John Mayer Trio (his jazz/blues side project), and the crew from the Continuum sessions.

1.  Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
This album did not automatically get #1 because it was 100% free. Okay, maybe it did, but it’s still easily one of the best efforts from Reznor… ever.

Here’s a true look of what I listened to the past 12 months.

6 Responses to “Ben’s Top 10 Album List of 2008”

1. On 12/21/08 4:45 PM, Cool dude said:

   

   I’m glad you put UNDERØATH on your list. Best album of 2008 !

2. On 12/21/08 10:05 PM, Josh Mock said:

   

   You realize Ryan Adams is the American alt-country guy and Brian Adams is the Canadian pop star right? Not the same person.

   And no making fun of me for pointing out the obvious or I’ll just tell you that you suck at Internet sarcasm.

3. On 12/21/08 10:37 PM, Ben Pike said:

   

   @Josh

   Brian/Ryan… same thing… not really, my bad peepz. Thanks Josh – had to make fun of SOMEONE and Jess would have been too easy.

4. On 12/22/08 1:18 AM, joe said:

   

   good to see some Trenches up there.

5. On 12/22/08 2:03 AM, jesstaylor said:

   

   thx.

6. On 12/23/08 7:31 PM, jeff.s said:

   

   Well this is the best list Ive seen so far… Living Sacrifice, yes just two of their songs is easily worth a dozen of most other people’s, Trenches, the Famine (yes the drums rock). Good job

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