Monday, January 12, 2009

David Bash's Top 125 of 2008.

One of the most eagerly awaited lists in the power pop community is David Bash's exhaustive year-end list of the top 125 albums of the year, and I'm proud to be bringing you David's 2008 list. Today I will post the Top 125 proper, and tomorrow I will post his ancillary lists (top EPs, reissues, compilations, tributes, etc.)

So without further ado, here is David's top 125 of 2008:

1. Roger Joseph Manning Jr.-Catnip Dynamite (Pony Canyon)
2. The Doll Test-Mosque Alarm Clock (Unsmashable)
3. The Madd-Ongeneeslijk Beat (Excelsior)
4. The Junipers-Cut Your Key (San Remo)
5. Josh Fix-Free At Last (1650 Entertainment)
6. Adrian Whitehead-One Small Stepping Man (Popboomerang)
7. Three Hour Tour-B Side Oblivion (Martian)
8. The Resonars-That Evil Drone (Burger)
9. The General Store-Mountain Rescue (Brewery)
10. The Lackloves-Cathedral Square Park (Rainbow Quartz)
11. Big Kid-Big Kid III (Self-Released)
12. The Telepathic Butterflies-Breakfast In Suburbia (Rainbow Quartz)
13. Cliff Hillis-The Long Now (Tallboy)
14. Rob Bonfiglio-Bring On The Happy (Damask)
15. The Pop Project-Stars Of Stage And Screen (Suburban Sprawl)
16. Jeremy-Pop Explosion (Jam)
17. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears-Flight Of The Knife (Black & Greene)
18. The Hi Risers-Once We Get Started (Spinout)
19. The Dress Whites-My God, The Shame! (Self-Released)
20. The 88-Not Only…But Also (Island)
21. The Handcuffs-Electroluv (OOFL)
22. Greg Pope-Popmonster (Octoberville)
23. The Feeling-Join With Us (Universal)
24. The Royal Purple-The Time Element (Umbrella)
25. Tim Morrow-Back To Delton (Self-Released)
26. Pugwash-Eleven Modern Antiquities (1969)
27. The Gurus-Now (Rock Indiana/Rainbow Quartz)
28. Graham Day & The Gaolers-Triple Distilled (Damaged Goods)
29. The Galaxies-Here We Go! (Self-Released)
30. Mari Wilson-Emotional Glamour (Beehive)
31. Rob Smith-Trick Of The Light (Zip)
32. The Goldbergs-Under The Radar (Kool Kat)
33. Kelly Jones-SheBANG! (Good Morning Monkey)
34. Beat Hotel-Move On (Self-Released)
35. The Well Wishers-Jigsaw Days (Thatwasmyskull)
36. Brent Cash-How Will I Know If I’m Awake (Marina)
37. The Respectables-Sibley Gardens (Self-Released)
38. Smash Fashion-A Gentlemen’s Guide… (ElectricPudding)
39. The Afternoons-Sweet Action (Self-Released)
40. Lindsay Buckingham-Gift Of Screws (Reprise)
41. Paul Starling-Doors & Windows (Rockshot)
42. Foxboro Hot Tubs-Stop Drop and Roll!!! (Jingle Town)
43. Garfield’s Birthday-Let Them Eat Cake (Pink Hedgehog)
44. Marmalade Army-Johnny Cake and Moonpies (Modern Artists)
45. Laurie Biagini-Ridin’ The Wave (Self-Released)
46. The Wellingtons-Heading North For The Winter (Zip)
47. Andy Reed-Fast Forward (Kool Kat)
48. Alan Bernhoft-Beatlesque One (Jaxalon)
49. Chewy Marble-Modulations (SideB)
50. The Bye Bye Blackbirds-Houses & Homes (American Dust)
51. Daisy-It’s About Time (Elements)
52. Stratocruiser-Egg Shells (New Atlas)
53. Private Jets-Jet Sounds (Sparkplug)
54. The Sunshine-I Heard A Rumour About You Boy (Self-Released)
55. The Mop Tops-Ground Floor Man (Sound Asleep)
56. The Breakdowns-Heartbreak Radio (Rock Indiana)
57. Leave-On A Happy Note…(Self-Released)
58. The Parties-Can’t Come Down (Rainbow Quartz)
59. The Explorers Club-Freedom Wind (Dead Oceans)
60. Kaiser Chiefs-Off With Their Heads (Universal)
61. The Pleasure-Travel Inside (Rookie)
62. Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles-Diamonds In The Dark (Sugar Hill)
63. The Rhinos-In Rhi-Fi (Rainbow Quartz)
64. We Should Be Dead-Forget Romance, Let’s Dance! (Pop4pop)
65. The Simple Carnival-Girls Aliens Food (Sundrift)
66. Kai Reiner-Kai Reiner (Self-Released)
67. Service Group-Principles Of Electronic Circuitry (Squid Vs. Whale)
68. The Temponauts-A Million Year Picnic (Teen Sound)
69. Dave Dill-Follow The Summer (Self-Released)
70. The Pete Best Band-Haymans Green (EMI)
71. All Day Sucker-The Big Pretend (Self-Released)
72. Deleted Waveform Gatherings-Baby Warfare (Rainbow Quartz)
73. Pinto-Hook Me Up (Self-Released)
74. The Cheeksters-Movers and Shakers (Caterina Sounds)
75. Andy Bopp-This Guitar Kills Singer Songwriters (Rainbow Quartz)
76. Poplord-Full/Filled (Self-Released)
77. The Jellybricks-Goodnight To Everyone (Primitive)
78. Adrian Bourgeois-Adrian Bourgeois (C Side)
79. Hundred Million Martians-Marseille (Plastic Passion)
80. Your Gracious Host-Your Gracious Host (Self-Released)
81. The Human Statues-The Human Statues (Self-Released)
82. Philip Vandermost-Automatic August (Self-Released)
83. Panic At The Disco-Welcome To The Sound Of Pretty Odd (Fueled By Ramen)
84. Pris-The Kiss Off (Thistime)
85. Dropkick-Dot The I-(Taylored)
86. Dimebox-Five And Dime Waltz (Avebury)
87. Young Sportsmen-If You Want It (Unsmashable)
88. Sextus-Stranger Than Fiction (Dramapants)
89. Junebug-Fifth (Planet 8)
90. Monkeeman-Life In The Backseat (Cargo)
91. Captain Wilberforce-Everyone Loves A Villain (Blue Tuxedo)
92. The Pillbugs-Everybody Wants A Way Out (Rainbow Quartz)
93. Rinaldi Sings-Bingo (Tangerine)
94. The Higher Elevations-The Protestant Work Ethic (Time For Action)
95. Derby-Posters Fade (Green Submarine)
96. Norman Kelsey-A Talent For Loving (Self-Released)
97. The Eisenhowers-Film Your Own Atrocities (Serali)
98. The Brigadier-The Rise & Fall Of Responsibility (Self-Released)
99. Baby Scream-Ups And Downs (Recorded Recordings)
100. Lund Bros-Songbook IV (Self-Released)
101. Sloan-Parallel Play (Murderecords)
102. The Stems-Heads Up (Invisible)
103. The Spongetones-Too Clever By Half (Loaded Goat)
104. Class Three Overbite-Horses For Courses (Self-Released)
105. Peter Colours-Welcome To The Show (Bip Bip)
106. Only Make Believe-Message From A Mockingbird (GreenTree)
107. The Powerchords-..Think I’m Gonna (Screaming Apple)
108. Starling Electric-Clouded Staircase (Bar None)
109. Do The Undo-Do The Undo (Excelsior)
110. *The Ringles-Rickenbacker Ballet (Jam)
111. Readymade Breakup-Alive On The Vine (Self-Released)
112. Black Hollies-Casting Shadows (Ernest Jenning)
113. Frank Barajas-Better Times (Operation Big Beat)
114. Epicycle-Jingle Jangle (Self-Released)
115. Triggers-Smoke Show (Self-Released)
116. The Pranks-Modern Communication (Screaming Apple)
117. Michael Mazzarella-Folk Songs For The Curious Few (Self-Released)
118. The Major Labels-Aquavia (Self-Released)
119. The Smith Bros.-Restless (Toin Coss)
120. The Top Drawers-You’re So Fine (Indiepool)
121. The Spring Collection-In Between (Blindspot)
122. Sugar High-Let The Sunshine Out (Thousandaire)
123. Brown Line Fiasco-Superstar (Self-Released)
124. Khalid Hanifi-Pamplemousse Presse (Cerberus)
125. Gigantic-Gigantaphonic Sounds (Zip)
**The Orchid Highway-The Orchid Highway (Rainbow Quartz)
**Vibeke-The World Famous Hat Trip (Pop Detective)

**The last two would have been high on this list, but they were ranked in 2007 when they were released on their previous labels

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

does anyone really care anymore?

"pop is dead - bring yr shovel" - doug fieger

Anonymous said...

Pop is alive and well, but apparently someone's enthusiam for the genre has died. That's a shame.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, DB, I'm sure "anonymous" is you know who from NJ :-)

Anonymous said...

Nah, he doesn't know or care anything about contemporary music, and he wouldn't be caught dead writing "yr". :-)

Anonymous said...

You know, I just can't let this go. Comments like those from "anonymous" really irk me. A person who would make a comment like that is either:

a. someone who had once attained status in the business but had eventually lost his/her standing, and resents it.

b. someone who feels that he/she should have attained status in the industry, but didn't, and is extremely bitter about that.

c. someone who obviously hasn't heard any (or most) of the albums on my list.

Is pop "dead" because it's no longer hitting the charts with regularity? Is that the criterion that we really want to use? I would assume that "anonymous" is aware of this, but the model has changed over the years, and there is a lot of great music being released on indie labels, or by the artists themselves. This is definitely a good thing, and the idea of the artist taking things in his/her hands frankly should have been encouraged from the onset of rock 'n roll.

If you want to say "who cares what David Bash has in his list", that's totally fine, but if you attempt to dismiss a genre that's still thriving and brimming with good music, then that's an agenda which is born of ingorance and, most likely, resentment.

Come on, anonymous, put up your dukes!

Anonymous said...

Nice list - but isn't Vibeke's release titled "The World Famous Hat TRICK?"

Anonymous said...

With regard to Vibeke's CD, you are correct-sorry about that. I guess when you type enough names,you're bound to get one wrong. :-)

Anonymous said...

David Bash you are like Jesus Christ to the legions of Powerpop boys everywhere, may the Lord bless you and keep you as you continue on your Quest to own every album ever made by a White man. Your list is the Highlight of my life!

Anonymous said...

Why, thank you, sir! I'm probably missing, oh, at least 50,000 albums made by "White men", but I'll make sure to work on it.

Oh, while I'm doing that, is it ok if I purchase a few albums by Black people? Please, please, please. :-)

Anonymous said...

Interesting list.
Great albums this year by Roger Manning, Sextus, but my favourite is from The Breakdowns who totally blew me away when I saw them in the UK last year. Like a hard rock Everley Brothers!

Anonymous said...

Don't take the troll bait, David! Great list as usual, my wallet bleeds now.

Steve said...

I for one am always glad to see David's list - and I'm particularly glad to see the Lackloves rank. It seemed really overlooked in the Audities poll.

Anonymous said...

yeah! the resonars made it to #8! such a good album! but where's thee makeout party!'s play pretend album? wah.
-BRGR

Anonymous said...

I like Thee Makeout Party's album and it almost made the list. There were at least 200 albums released in 2008 that I liked, but didn't want to go past 125 so as not to overwhelm everyone who might be reading my list.

Anonymous said...

How could he miss my album? Doh...it's fucking great too.

www.myspace.com/danielwylie

:)
;)

Anonymous said...

David,
Great list, as usual. I'm wondering if IKE's "Where To Begin" was left off, or was it on your 2007 list? I think the date on the CD says 2008, but I got mine in December of 2007 at a release party.

Thanks,
Mike

Anonymous said...

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A Fan Wanting More from Pop, Rock!

Trevor