Musically speaking, 2008 was all about nostalgia for me. Not only did my all-time favorite album get the reissue treatment, largely-forgotten genres like synth-pop and power-pop crept their way back onto my playlists. So in that spirit, I’ve compiled a year-end list with my top choices in 10 separate categories. Now if 2009 could only bring back hair-metal, I’d be A-okay.

Scar Symmetry: Holographic Universe
As out-of-control great as Scar Symmetry’s songwriting and musicianship proves to be on Holographic Universe, the jewel in their crown is without question vocalist Christian Alvestam. His death-metal vocal attack is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Its deep tonality and razorblade-kissed harshness drives the heavier sections with brute force. But what really makes Alvestam’s appearance a revelation are his cleaner vocals. It’s the kind of powerhouse voice that is usually reserved for AOR bands like Survivor, Toto, and Journey; not in a Swedish death-metal band. It definitely doesn’t sound like a great idea on paper, but when you hear the mixture of his melodic crooning and piercing guitars coming out of your speakers, your doubts swiftly fall by the wayside. Alvestam’s performance on the album is nothing less than a tour-de-force that should get praise from both the heavy metal and more mainstream hard rock/AOR communities.

The Foxglove Hunt: Stop Heartbeat
If you’re as devout a synth-pop fan as I am, you’ll know about the lack of quality groups releasing records these days. Throughout the late 1980s, it seemed like every major and indie label had at least two or three synth-pop acts on their rosters. Outside of die-hards like Depeche Mode and a handful of other groups (on the A Different Drum label), the genre has been relatively quiet. The Foxglove Hunt is comprised of Ronnie Martin (Joy Electric, The Brothers Martin) and Rob Withem (ex-Fine China) and the duo’s list of influences reads like a KROQ playlist from 1987. The dramatic Giorgio Moroder-styled keyboard melodies and Neil Tennant-worthy vocal performances make Stop Heartbeat feel like it comes from an entirely different era. “The Life Highrise” could have been on Dare while the fluid bass lines on “That’s Getting Personal” have Peter Hook written all over them. From start to finish Martin and Withem get it right. Even when they take on the Psychedelic Furs’ haunting “Love My Way,” the duo hits the mark.

Mudcrutch: Mudcrutch
After releasing an unsuccessful single in the mid-’70s, Florida jangle-rockers Mudcrutch went their separate ways. This, of course, wouldn’t be more than a mere footnote in the annals of rock-n-roll if the band’s singer/bassist wasn’t none other than a young Tom Petty. Now we all know how things turned out for Petty and his fellow Mudcrutch guitarist Mike Campbell, but most of us had only read about their former band’s work through the years. When it was announced that the Gainesville, FL rockers were reuniting for an album and tour, record geeks waited with bated breath. Mudcrutch didn’t disappoint. Reflecting the band’s love of southern and country-rock, the record is filled with ample amounts of lush vocal harmonies and twangy guitars. If the band would have released “Scare Easy” back when they were originally together, there might have never been the Heartbreakers.

Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow’s first three albums were all top 10 list contenders in the years they were released. But The Seldom Seen Kid is “album of the year” material from top to bottom. For one second just picture Peter Gabriel fronting Radiohead and you’ll have a good idea of what this British quintet is going for. Like the Gabrial in his Genesis days, vocalist Guy Garvey’s lyrical muse is suburban England. The songwriter shines a light on the every day tedium of life in the burbs on songs like “The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver” and “Grounds for Divorce” proving his work here is worthy to all the hype it’s been showered with lately. In “One Day Like This,” Garvey and Elbow have the song that Chris Martin wishes he wrote for Viva La Vida.

Gentleman Jesse & His Men: Gentleman Jesse & His Men
There’s something magical about the sound of a Rickenbacker busting out an open A chord. This 12-track collection of energetic power-pop is bursting with bubblegum sweet vocal hooks and the kind of guitars Chris Stamey and Tommy Keene championed back in their heydays. GJ & HM have every power-pop trick mastered, but everything is funneled through with garage-rock charm. Unlike the Raspberries, who had the majestic flair of Eric Carmen, the Georgia band’s rough and tumble performances instantly makes them attainable to the lo-fi and punk crowds. This stuff is strictly for fans of the Replacements, Big Star, and the Exploding Hearts.

The Mary Onettes: The Mary Onettes
From the look of my list this year, it seems like everything that was old is new again. Maybe it’s because I’m in my mid-30’s now or perhaps it’s a genuine disconnect with the palette a lot of newer bands are working off of, 2008 had me falling for the albums that looked backwards in terms of musical style. Sweden’s Mary Onettes must feel the same way I do lately. The glistening guitars, ringing bass runs, and melancholic choruses wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the soundtrack to a John Hughes film. Philip Ekstrom’s vocals quake and quiver on earwigs like “Pleasure Songs” and the completely addicting “Lost” making him a frontman to keep an eye on. Hopefully the band can find a label with a stronger presence in the States because I have a feeling these lads would be huge if more people had a chance to hear their hooky guitar-pop, they’d be huge.

Dillinger Four: Civil War
Dillinger Four are one of the few bands that most punk fans can agree on. The more fickle traditionalists go absolutely gaga for the Minnesota act’s streamlined and high-energy approach. But even listeners who take their punk with two helpings of melody in it adore D4’s hooky choruses. The road that led to the release of Civil War was a bumpy one. The album was mired by studio delays, day-job hassles, and even an internet leak. But boy, was it worth the wait. The filthy power-chords that kick off opening track “A Jingle for the Product” gets your blood boiling and it’s all butt-kicking from there on. Erik Funk’s vocals never sounded as snotty. His singing style embodies the same rebel spirit that made punk icons like Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks) and Milo Aukerman (Descendents) so irresistible to listen to so many years back. In Lane Pederson the combo have one of the more exciting, tough-as-nails drummers going today. His relentless attack anchors fast-movers like “Like Eye Contact In An Elevator” perfectly while he holds back just enough on “Fruity Pebbles” to give the song enough breathing room for Funk’s melodies to creep in.

Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles
On Crystal Castles’ debut full-length, old Atari sound effects pierce through the mix, synthesizers are abused, and frontwoman Alice Glass shrieks over the top of everything with menacing punk-rock attitude yet they’ve somehow constructed the dance album of the year. The tracks comfortably jump from techno to house to synth-pop sometimes even doing it within the span of one song. Ethan Kath is the master audio manipulator here dismantling Glass’ vocals, bending and tweaking them so much that they almost become unrecognizable in moments. But the soundscapes are king here. The keyboard melodies on “Crimewave” and “Vanished” are instantly memorable, almost haunting at times. There’s a timeless quality to everything here. For once, the hipsters were right.

“Black and Gold,” Sam Sparro
It sounds like a long-lost Gamble & Huff gem produced by Prince and then remixed by Afrika Bambaataa circa 1982, yet “Black and Gold” feels more vital than 98% of the singles released in 2008. Written and sung by Australian newcomer Sam Sparro, “Black and Gold” was a smash throughout Europe but it barely made a dent here in the U.S. when it was released during the spring. A bank of frothy keyboards pad the track but it’s the pulsating bass and percussion that drive the song. Sparro obviously studied the great American soul singers of the ’70s because every line is pushed through with a brilliant balance of sensuality and macho bravado. I guarantee if Justin Timberlake would have released this track it would have been a Number One single.

Billy Joel: The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition
The original 1977 version of The Stranger is probably my favorite album of all time. That said, I wasn’t expecting more than a remastering job and new liner notes when Legacy Recordings announced that they would be releasing a 30-year anniversary edition of the classic recording. So you could imagine my surprise when news leaked that a live 1977 concert from Carnegie Hall would also be included as a second disc PLUS a DVD of promo videos, an appearance on the “Old Grey Whistle Test” and a 30-minute documentary about the making of the record would also be included! This is the kind of treatment an album this important deserves. The Carnegie Hall performance had mythical status on the Billy Joel fan boards for years, and rightfully so. It’s the kind of career-making show that most fans only dream about attending, so having it here is really a treat. The documentary is ripe with all kinds of behind-the-scenes information and compelling interviews with Joel and producer Phil Ramone so even the most devout fans have something to salivate over. Hopefully Legacy does the same thing for the rest of his late 70’s work.

1. Fucked Up: The Chemistry of Common Life
Are they hardcore? Post-hardcore? Experimental? Post-experimental? Is that last one even a genre? Maybe it is now. Describing Fucked Up is as impossible as saying their name on the radio. Who else has combined flute solos with Black Flag-style hardcore vocals, ambient keyboards and just about everything else you can possibly imagine? It’s NOFX meets Hüsker Dü meets Fugazi meets everything awesome, dangerous and exciting about rock and roll. Also winner of the best cover of 2008.

2. Marnie Stern: This Is It…
Sleater-Kinney style riot-grrl rock by a guitar-playing chick who seems to base all of her chords off of Van Halen’s “Eruption.” It’s like someone randomly looked up two musical subgenres on Wikipedia (indie-rock and guitar virtuoso) and decided to mix them together. Marnie Stern is a guitar goddess whose unearthly ability at fingertapping and shredding her axe will one day be uncovered by future archaeologists, who will be in awe.

3. Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles
By combining the bleeping bloops from the soundchip of an old Atari with the frightening howls of petite lead singer’s Alice Glass’ powerful voice, Crystal Castles have taken the punk/dance thing to new and exciting places and shown us that the Chiptune scene is more than just a novelty scene capitalizing off of twentysomethings’ nostalgia for 8-bit video games. Also winner of the worst cover of 2008.

4. Portishead: Third
Wow, 11 years was worth the wait, who knew? Third goes to show that when you invent a genre (trip-hop), you can take as damn well long as you please to re-invent it. Third is a minimalist masterpiece that proves sometimes all you need is a drum machine and haunting vocals to make a dance track work.

5. Girl Talk: Feed the Animals
If Third is minimalism, then Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals is maximalism, hyperbolic remixing gone horribly right. Girl Talk (Gregg Gillis) took over 170 different songs to craft his journey though the pop music landscape, making unlikely collaborations like Lil’ Mama and Metallica, Outkast and Roy Orbison, and Souja Boy and Thin Lizzy in the process. Gilis also proved himself to be a musical alchemist with Feed the Animals, turning shit like Arvil Lavinge’s “Girlfriend” and Fergie’s “XX” into pop gold by crafty remixing and moshing.

6. Be Your Own Pet: Get Awkward
Needless censoring by brain-dead American record labels couldn’t hamper this great follow-up to BYOP’s self-titled debut. Their subsequent break-up sure did, though. A bummer, but they sure went out with a bang. Black Flag reincarnated as a hot nearly-underage girl and her three best friends. Here’s hoping we hear more from them in future in some form or another.

7. Does It Offend You, Yeah?: You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
LCD Soundsytem and their DFA label ilk may be responsible for the rebirth of dance-punk, but the British have been taking it to a whole other level, first with Hot Chip and now with this horribly-named foursome from Reading. DIOYY combine the bombastic arena-rock majesty of Britpop groups like Muse with undeniably catchy electronic hooks better than anyone has in recent memory. Doesn’t change the fact that their name still sucks.

8. TV on the Radio: Dear Science
When are they going to release a bad album? Seriously, it’s getting rather annoying because there’s nothing more to say about them. Dear Science is as good as Return to Cookie Mountain which was in turn as good as Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. They’re giving us cynical bastards nothing to work with here, nothing! How selfish is that?

9. Santogold: Santogold
The best indie-pop/new wave.punk/synthpop/electronic/rap record of the year. And yes, thanks to MIA, there was competition.

10. Kaiser Chiefs: Off With Their Heads
Remember when all those post-punk revival bands broke out? The Hives, the Strokes, the Vines, the Killers and these guys – who weren’t team players and willing to get behind the whole The Somethings name structure? Who had them pegged to be going three albums strong while the rest of the lot have either vanished or become washed up? “Never Miss a Beat” also wins for best single of the year.

Another year in music has come and gone. As I compiled this annual list of my favorite albums, I felt the cynicism creeping over me. Man, the music industry has really gone down the crapper but good. I don’t feel as bad for artists waxing nostalgic about the “good old days” as I might have a few short years back. I’m turning into one of those dudes who “can’t relate” to all the music the kids are digging these days, though I suspect that has more to do with my not being a Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana fan than anything else. In the meantime, Metallica released a new one whose regular CD mix apparently sounded shitty compared to the “Guitar Hero” edition of the same album, and Axl Rose finally got around to releasing Chinese Democracy, which may have been overshadowed more by Dr. Pepper making good on their promise to give everyone a free bottle of their product if the album was released this year. Yeah, things are a bit of a mess. But here are a nice batch of albums to keep you entertained in this day and age of music biz misery,

1. Kingen: Ride with Me
As soon as I had played this album straight through for the tenth time after shortly receiving it, I figured there wouldn’t be anything else to change my mind about what album would be topping my list this year, and there wasn’t. Sweden’s Kingen created a great brew of real R&B, soul, and rock and roll with a little Louisiana swagger thrown in. The best thing about this album is it isn’t a tribute or nostalgia trip for the artist, but the real deal. Where else are you gonna find that these days?

2. Starfucker: Starfucker
This odd and wondrous pop gem blends strange vocals, goofy synth hooks, and a whole lot of catchy melodies. Their randy name aside, Starfucker have already made some great headway on the indie circuit thanks to this fun and engaging release. Listen to “German Love” once and you’ll never get it out of your head. Sort of like a great Air track, only not so full of itself. The rest of the album goes off in all sorts of directions but never gets too weird for its own good. Pure sugary fun.

3. Earlimart: Hymn and Her
Now stripped down to its two original and essential members, Earlimart continue forth with this hypnotic collection of tunes that goes down the street of the Velvet Underground’s third album, mixing the blissful with the melancholic. Yet it’s all very much more uplifting than downbeat, furthering the proof that this group is still one of the best around. When you’re doing your own thing this well, you never have to look back.

4. Eivind Opsvik: Overseas III
What do you get when you make an album that mixes jazz with a bit of rock and it doesn’t suck? Why, you get this album, of course. Over the course of its extended tracks, Eivind Opsvik throws down the jazz-whathaveyou lead in New York City and lets everyone else follow. This is highly enjoyable stuff without getting too cerebral for those who don’t like too much math in their jazz, or without just sucking all over the place (Spyro Gyra, Kenny G., the rest of the gang). This is almost tranquil listening, with a good groove underneath to keep the heads bobbing.

5.XX Teens: Welcome to Goon Island
If you like your rock to sound like it’s coming straight out of that late ‘70s CBGB’s atmosphere without sounding like wannabes such as the Strokes, then you’ve come to the right place. XX Teens have all the attitude and the musical prowess to put them over with the caffeinated, pilled-up crowd. Razor-thin guitar riffs, crunchy rhythms, and semi-scary lyrics make this a fun trip for everyone who’s sick of the whole doldrums that modern rock has become.

6. Charlatans: You Cross My Path
I honestly hadn’t listened to a Charlatans album in a long time – at least, not a new one. But these guys were one of the very few Manchester groups of the early ‘90s to keep things going, and usually at a critically acclaimed pace. This album can only continue that trend as there’s hardly a miss to be heard in it. For those still spinning the grooves out of Some Friendly from all those years ago and promptly forgot about them, you’d find a lot to like out of this new Charlatans disc as it’s all of that plus a whole lot more, and a whole lot better, stuff.

7. Tal M. Klein: Plastic Starfish
I’ve been grooving to Tal M. Klein since he was calling himself “Trancenden” (a name that he finally shed as he was sick of people assuming that he was a trance music artist). On his latest nautically-themed release, Klein keeps up the good funk and danceable grooves mixing live instruments with sampled vinyl and whatever else he likes. Basically, it’s another slam dunk for Tal. I dunno how the guy finds the time, seeing as how he’s always grooving up some party and writing up restaurant reviews on Facebook, but he’s the man with the master plan and I am but his adoring fan.

8. Feed The Need: Feed The Need
This album was pitched to me by the group’s manager and turned out to be a very enjoyable listen. This group of teenage musicians has pretty much done the impossible. That is, they created an album of mostly original tunes whose lyrics didn’t sound whiny or tried to come off as “older.” These guys sing what they know about, and do it in a way that at times sounds like groups such as Steely Dan in its earlier years. Now what other teenage group is gonna give you that?

9. Heap: Oddball
Heap came back from a little break after their great debut On the Cheap with this second studio set (a live album occurred in there as well) that pretty much continues the fun grooves of the first album. They’re a rockin’ bar band with a love for the Replacements and they mix their strengths well. One can almost imagine them being the band the ‘Mats would have become if perhaps Bob Stinson had got his shit together and Paul Westerberg didn’t get so sentimental. If you love straight-up rock, this is the band for you.

10. Hills Rolling: Something Delicious
To put it simply, Hill Rolling does a great less-is-more thing, mixing Beatles pop sensibilities with Lou Reed-style guitar playing and arranging. Two of my favorite acts rolled out as one new one. I can’t argue with that, and neither should you.

1. Nick Lowe: Jesus of Cool
One of the greatest albums ever finally gets the deluxe treatment and everyone can once again hear what the fuss was all about. This is exactly how a great pop rock album should be made. It’s important yet disposable, witty yet touching, sarcastic and trashy. Okay, Nick, it’s time to finally make the proper sequel to this. I know you have to have a few more tunes as great as “So it Goes” up your sleeve these days.

2. Billy Joel: The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition
This was the album that made me a music lover back in 1977 when I was five years old and my older brother brought it home. This new edition features a superior remastered sound by original producer Phil Ramone, a live CD, and a DVD, not to mention the token booklet and other goodies. It’s till the music that matters, though, and anyone who can’t instantly get into the first few bars of “Movin’ Out” has no soul. And on “Vienna,” Billy created one of his greatest album tracks of all time.

3. The Jacksons: Triumph
A far more enjoyable album (to my ears) than Michael Jackson’s breakthrough Off the Wall, this was the last stop before Thriller and found the Jackson boys grooving all over the damn place. “Can You Feel It?” is still great disco, while “Lovely One” funks harder than anything any of thse guys did before or since. The newly remastered edition sounds fantastic, though its three bonus tracks are complete throwaways. Still, if you truly want to hear a moment in time when Michael and his siblings were unstoppable, then check this out.

Abraham Simpson once succinctly explained about how he used to be “with it,” but then they changed what “it” was. Suddenly what he was “with” wasn’t “it,” and what was “it” seemed weird and scary to him. He then pointed a bony finger at his son Homer and said, “It’ll happen to you.”

It happened to me this year.

The thing is, I’m okay with it. Pop is a young man’s game, and I just turned 40, so the vast majority of songs climbing the charts are not aimed at me. In fact, I feel sorry for anyone who feels compelled to remain hip and cool as they hit their late 30s. It’s hard work, and you will invariably find yourself on the other side of the fence from the hordes of people who think (insert indie band of the week here) are the saviors of rock and roll. Don’t fight it: embrace it. Circle of life, etc.

Having said that, I made a concerted effort this year to give a listen to the music that was being aimed at our impressionable youth and see if I could hear what they hear. After trolling through the muck that is Rocco’s ”Umma Do Me” and contemplating whether I wanted to live on the same planet with people who gave Rocco their hard-earned money, I found a few pop singers that I quite liked. The problem is that no one bought their records, which sums up my CD collection – and my favorite songs and albums from 2008 – better than anything: pop music that isn’t popular. Sigh.

1. Midnight Juggernauts: Dystopia
A little Goth rock, a little Daft Punk dance, a little Muse-ish paranoia, and a whole lot awesome.

2. Panic at the Disco: Pretty. Odd
The kids, apparently, were furious with Panic at the Disco’s decision to make a, ahem, more traditional pop album. To that I say: fuck the kids, Panic. I’ll take this over the needlessly wordy songs from your first album any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

3. Airborne Toxic Event: Airborne Toxic Event
I still haven’t read Pitchfork’s brutal 1.6-rated review of this album. Just knowing that they would do such a thing to an album so completely undeserving – their song “Sometime Around Midnight” is worthy of three or four points all by itself – is confirmation that I need not worry what their opinion is about anything, ever.

4. Attic Lights: Friday Night Lights
Odds are the debut album by this Scottish quintet will never see the light of day in the States. The reason? It’s filled with smart, sunny, harmony-laden pop songs that aren’t produced within an inch of their lives, which fell out of favor with Stateside radio programmers about ten years ago. Still, I’m willing to bet that more people are listening to this album ten years from now than anything Akon ever does.

5. Republic Tigers: Keep Color
Much like the Attic Lights, though the Tigers were lucky enough to get their fabulous debut album released on this side of the pond. Being American certainly had a lot to do with that, though it didn’t help them much with getting on the radio. I guess that spot on the “Gossip Girl” soundtrack will have to suffice.

6. Raphael Saadiq: The Way I See It
Again, showing my age here, but this is my idea of R&B. Saadiq’s slavish attention to detail results in the finest Smokey Robinson album in decades. Could have done without the drop-in by Jay-Z, though.

7. They Might Be Giants: Here Come the 123s
So maybe I am into music aimed at the kids, if the kids happen to be my two-year-old. They Might Be Giants’ follow-up to their wildly popular Here Come the ABCs is even better; “Seven” was produced by the Dust Brothers, for crying out loud, and the kids’ screams of “We want cake! Where’s our cake!” will stick in your head for days. The videos on the accompanying DVD are awesome as well. Anyone with a toddler should buy this, stat.

8. Joe Jackson: Rain
At long last, a proper follow-up to Ben Folds Five’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.

9. Sunny Day Sets Fire: Summer Palace
Think New Pornographers, on a global scale.

10. Benji Hughes: A Love Extreme
Occasionally juvenile, yes, but hot damn, is Hughes hard to beat when he’s on his game. Look for Beck to cover half of the songs here before long.

Honorable Mentions
Coldplay: Viva La Vida
Keane: Perfect Symmetry
R.E.M.: Accelerate
Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken: Ampersand EP
James Hunter: The Hard Way
Flight of the Conchords: Flight of the Conchords
Army Navy: Army Navy
We Are Scientists: Brain Thrust Mastery
Foxboro Hot Tubs: Foxboro Hot Tubs

“Never Miss a Beat,” Kaiser Chiefs
Instant classic, this one. All bands should be challenged to write a catchier melody using five notes or less, like the verse here.

“Shut Up and Let Me Go,” The Ting Tings
You just know that Debbie Harry loves this.

“Chasing Pavements,” Adele
This song went Top 10 in eight countries. In the States, it peaked at #82. Jesus, people.

“You Don’t Know Me,” Ben Folds w/ Regina Spektor
The one truly brilliant moment on his most recent album, though once you’ve been married four times, you should by law lose the right to complain about how it’s your ex’s fault.

“A-Punk,” Vampire Weekend
Ey! Ey! Ey! Ey!

“Wow,” Kylie Minogue
Meow, meow, meow, meow!

“I Will Possess Your Heart,” Death Cab for Cutie
Eight and a half minutes of delusional stalkerism disguised as bold determination. We’re used to the former from them, but not the latter. Bravo.

“Money, It’s Pure Evil,” Bigelf
I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison yet, but I’m pretty sure a chunk of the guitar solo here is taken note-for-note from “Comfortably Numb.”

“Cantaloupe,” Carlon
Hollies, Hollies, Hollies, get your vocals here.

“Join with Us,” The Feeling
For being a bunch of pop boys, they freaking bring it at the end. As of press date, their second album (this is the title track) has no US release date. D’oh.

“This Is Only,” Charlotte Sometimes
‘She’s Half My Age,’ Crush #1. I am positively smitten with this girl. Cute as a button, sassy lyricist and with one of the most unique voices in pop, I can’t believe a major actually signed her. And that’s part of the hypocrisy with the music press: had this been an indie release, and not as slickly produced, people would be lining up with Liz Phair-style rapture for the girl. Ugh.

“Fragile,” Kerli
‘She’s Half My Age,’ Crush #2. Here’s another one that would be better served positioning herself as a modern rock goddess than a Goth-tinged popster, and this song’s the proof. Oh, and don’t ever use the ‘G’ word in her presence, if you don’t want your eyes gouged out.

“Slave to the Rhythm,” Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey covering Grace Jones, with Primal Scream’s “Loaded” serving as the drum track. Does it get any cooler than that?

“Girls,” Walter Meego
Daft Punk, crossed with David Cassidy.

“They Live,” Evil Nine
Daft Punk, crossed with zombies.

“Sensual Seduction“/”My Medicine,” Snoop Dogg
Pity Marvin Gaye isn’t still alive to cover the former. Pity Johnny Cash isn’t still alive to cover the latter.

Aimee Mann: @#%&*! Smilers
She may have hated making albums for the majors, but they sure were better when she did.

B-52’s: Funplex
Better than Good Stuff, but that’s not exactly saying much.

Gary Louris: Vagabonds
I still think he has one of the finest voices in music, but this record could have used a couple shifts in tempo.

Jack’s Mannequin: The Glass Passenger
Want a little cheese with that whine?

Are all of the good band names truly gone? You’d certainly think so, judging from some of the releases we saw this year. Even good bands - including two bands in my Top 10 - gave themselves bad names. Here is a small list of the ones I found to be particularly bad.

Unicycle Loves You
Biography of Ferns
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
Airborne Toxic Event
Sunny Day Sets Fire
Uh Huh Her
The Sound of Animals Fighting
What Laura Says
The Number Twelve Looks Like You
Dancer vs. Politician
We Landed on the Moon

Katy Perry. “I Kissed a Girl” and “Ur So Gay” are such manufactured controversy that even Madonna blushed.

Junior Senior has called it quits. Damn.

Morel is an acclaimed remix artist who as worked with Pink, Depeche Mode, Cyndi Lauper and about a dozen or so other platinum artists. He’s also well known in house music circles for his club singles and his work with the dance music duo Deep Dish. But his career as a solo artist has been noticeably less successful, and The Death of the Paperboy probably isn’t going to change that. Too much of this album has Morel going away from his strengths, and experimenting with ballads and rock-driven pop songs. It occasionally works; “Anymore, Anymore” sounds like some fabulous combination of Erasure and Oasis, and the upbeat “Flawed” sounds like Hot Fuss-era Killers with a dozen or more synthesizers plugged in, but for the most part it all straddles the line into either generic dance music or down-tempo electronic pop. But let’s be honest, Morel makes music predominately for (gay) club play, and there are a few songs here that work great in that regard. But if that doesn’t interest you, then there is no reason to even glance at The Death of the Paperboy. (Outsider Music 2008)

Morel’s MySpace Page

It started as a simple “can you believe this?” post and soon morphed into a battle cry. Billboard announced their all-time songs of the Billboard era, and Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” topped the list (the song actually topped Billboard’s singles chart twice), followed by such timeless classics as “Smooth,” “How Do I Live,” “Macarena,” “We Belong Together” and “Un-Break My Heart.”

The Popdose staff, needless to say, was not amused.

And so, we (ESD writers David Medsker, Will Harris, Jeff Giles, Michael Fortes and Mojo Flucke, PhD are all Popdose contributors) set off to create our own list, one that would surely be just as flawed as Billboard’s list – women and non-whites are woefully underrepresented – but would have infinitely better taste. In the end, I think our list is a grand example of our extreme whiteness, but also a damned fine list. I’m still pissed that “The Air That I Breathe” didn’t make the cut, though.

To view Popdose’s Top 100 songs of the past 50 years, click here.

When he’s not busy freaking people out with industrial explosions in Skinny Puppy, starring in rock operas with Paris Hilton (”Repo! The Genetic Opera”) or doing heroin, Nivek Orge (or Kevin Orgre when he’s feeling less dyslexic) is the frontman of ohGr. Unlike the ultra-abrasive sound of Skinny Puppy, ohGr has traditionally been slightly more accessible than that group of industrial pioneers. Welt, their first album, incorporated electro and even some synth-pop into the mix, while the ingeniously named follow-up Sunny PsyOp did the same. But on their third album, Devil in My Details, there’s nary a synth riff or electro beat to be found. This is nearly as industrial and frightening as a Skinny Puppy record, which is weird considering that this is the first release by ohGr since Skinny Puppy got back together, maybe Orge can’t turn the industrial side of him off now that’s it’s been turned back on. It’s also not nearly as good as either of those two records or anything Skinny Puppy’s done since their reunion, losing steam quickly after the first two strong tracks (“Shhh” and “Eyecandy”). There are a lot of ideas on Devil in My Details; Ogre goes off on rants about government conspiracies, the evils of eating meat and other assorted topics, but there isn’t a lot of music. For hardcore fans of Ogre and his assorted side-projects only. (Synthetic Symphony 2008)

ohGr MySpace Page

Kyle Andrews spins a sound that’s decidedly left of center, a sonic surge marked by giddy melodies, techno-tinged rhythms and an effusive enthusiasm that freely tugs at the parameters. Recorded, produced and played almost entirely under his own aegis, Real Blasty, Andrews’ sophomore set, delivers on all its name implies, an all-out, go-for-broke, no-holds-barred slab of indie invention. Opening track “Sushi” ups the ante from the get-go, an ebullient shout-out that provides perfect incentive for a dalliance on the dance floor. That breathless, kinetic pace is sustained throughout, but it’s especially pervasive on songs like “Polar Bear,” “Tennessee Torture Dream” and “Put Your Hands Up,” the latter a standout by virtue of its elated call to arms. There are occasional moments of reflection as well – the appropriately dubbed “Take it to Heart” being the most notable – but overall, it’s Andrews’ insistent approach that leaves the most emphatic impression, a dizzying collision of rock, racket and weirdness. Next time around Andrews may want to consider reigning himself in, at least to allow his listeners to catch a collective breath. Suffice it to say, Real Blasty is positively explosive.

Kyle Andrews MySpace page

pH10 is pretty much just Robert Betts, who was previously in a group called LD50, which is science-speak for the median lethal dose of a toxic substance or radiation. pH is how the acidity or alkalinity of a solution is measured, and pH10 is has the alkalinity of soap. So if names are anything to go by, pH10 is probably a lot less abrasive than LD50 was. Maybe not though, since pH10’s debut Well Connected is a collection of hardcore drum ‘n’ bass/jungle tracks with bass lines so loud they’ll knock your neighbor’s fillings out. Betts knows what he’s doing here, and when pH10 sticks to basic drum ‘n’ bass, they can do no wrong. “Space Baby,” “Yiggplant” and “Serious Delirium” all rely almost solely on killer beats and rhythms, keeping the vocals relegated to the occasional sample. It’s dated and not exactly original, other acts have been doing this (and doing it better) since the early ’90s, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining and energetic. Things only go sour when the occasional MC shows up to rap over the already perfect beats. The worst of the bunch is Pete Miser, who on “BK United” proclaims he is so good that “even masturbating to me you can’t come close.” What the hell does that even mean? (Never mind, we don’t want to know.) Betts takes a step back stylistically on that tune too, trying an old-school rap style that just doesn’t work. Regardless, when ph10 sticks to the beats and bass they can’t lose, and thankfully that’s most of the album. This is a solid pick up for any DnB fan. (Helmutplex 2008)

pH10 MySpace Page

On Written in Flesh Wunderbugg has created an electronic mix of impressive proportions. A little electroclash here, a smidgen of ambient there, some dance and house beats sprinkled throughout. “3 Molecules Away” opens the album on a fuzzy, jagged note where the sublime mixes with the crunch of synths whirring away. “Infected with Hope” sounds like its title might suggest; an ethereal space-age sort of breezy groove with a bit of a dark undertone running down the middle. “Heartworm” approaches the New Age side of the yard, and “Overdose No. 5” features raging beats that would please any of those 140-BPM-and-higher fans. Like many electronic-based groups, Wunderbugg’s repertoire doesn’t come off entirely clean over the course of this album, but what’s good here is very solid, indeed. It just seems a little faceless at times. (Self-released)

Wunderbugg MySpace page

Does the world really need another greatest-hits package (this appears to be the thirteenth) from a guy whose output has been fairly sporadic (6 albums) over 21 years? Granted, the Playlist series does an excellent job of giving you a cross section of the artist’s work along with an essay, some pictures and credits. Astley had one ridiculously huge hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” and several other singles that charted, but his output and his career could only be categorized as an underachieving one, suggesting that the Playlist treatment may be unwarranted. The first nine tracks tend to blend together and sound like one soulless ’80s dance number. The man possesses an incredible set of pipes, but so much of his career was spent crooning bland dance songs. The production and music feels sterile; his voice is soulful, but the material and execution of it is not. Only on the balladry of “Hold Me in Your Arms” or “Cry for Help” can you trace some sincerity in Astley’s delivery. That material engages him becasue he isn’t selling the synthesizer dance floor thing. “When I Fall In Love,” the Nat King Cole staple, is another good track from the collection. His future as a balladeer is where he belongs as the end of the disc clearly proves, should he get around to making more music anytime soon. (RCA/Legacy)

Rick Astley My Space page

Jon Jacbos is Neverdie and his latest CD No Rock Unrolled (to hell with the actual wacky spelling of it on the cover) is a decent, if a little forced, collection of 14 tracks. Jacobs is more famous for being known as a virtual world avatar and big cheese in the Entropia online universe. Yeah, okay, now back to the music. Jacobs’ tunes sound exactly like the kind of RAWK that would be featured in some video game or online experience. It’s cheesy, energetic, and often features guest female vocalists like Cheri London, Tina Leiu, and Shon Drew. The collaboration with London entitled “Can You Reach the Button?” has a lot of silly double entendres and a good beat. On the other hand, “Elvis Porno Song” is just ridiculous to the point of exhaustion. “Gamer Chick” sounds like a relic from 1994, with its skittkish techno beats and almost brings to mind the Lords of Acid of yore. The vocal detuner employed is hokey as hell, though. It’s hard to guess what audience this CD was recorded for, if any particular one at that. Perhaps Jacobs just had some time and money to throw around and did this for fun. That’s what it seems like in the end, and while that’s admirable on some levels, No Rock Unrolled is undoubtedly going to go the way of all those faceless techno acts that this stuff sounds like. Viva 1994. (NEVERDIE)

John Jacobs’ Wikipedia page

There is a strong case to be made here for the importance of sequencing. The track listing for Partie Automatic, the debut album from Florida synth-rockers the Black Kids, paints the band into a corner before they’ve had a chance to spread their wings. Opening songs “Hit the Heartbreaks” and the title track are serviceable enough, but it’s the third track that throws everything out of whack: The weedier-than-weedy “Listen to Your Body Tonight” has no business whatsoever in the three-hole; that slot is tailor-made for lead single “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You,” which would have propped up everything on either side of it. Instead, “Boyfriend” is batting seventh, behind the girl group-ish “I’ve Underestimated My Charm (Again),” which feels like an answer record to the Pipettes. Granted, those two songs work really well together, but is anyone still listening by this point? Lead singer Reggie Youngblood has a few different speeds, but his strained Robert Smithisms dominate the front half, making the album a more laborious listen than it needs to be. Our suggestion: re-sequence the album, and replace “Listen to Your Body Tonight” with their cover of Sophie B. Hawkins’ “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.” Everyone loves a cover version, right? (Columbia)

The Black Kids MySpace page

Yes, his rhythmic style is little more than a combination of Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, but there is something charming about Kentucky white boy Kasper from the K (Timothy Hoggard to his mother). Maybe it’s the fact that he accepts that he’s a white boy, and forgoes the cliché hardcore gangsta scene in favor of sleazy club jams. And man, are these songs sleazy: there isn’t a moment on the Whatcha Gondo EP where Kasper isn’t talking or thinking about getting’ him some freaky. The super freak path is a slippery one, though; go too far, and you come off as a serial rapist, but Kasper is more fast-talking himbo than roofie-slipping perv. And with a calling card like the super-catchy, “Obsession”-cribbing title track, he is going to be up to his eyeballs in women for the foreseeable future. Isn’t that the primary reason why guys get into music in the first place? Sure, “Whatcha Gondo” might wind up as the “Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back to My Room)” of the new millennium, but as long as it helps him score women, we doubt Kasper will care much about his long-term legacy. (EO Music)

Kasper from the K MySpace page

It may sound like the ultimate insult to call an album a dance record for people who don’t dance anymore, but let’s face it; most of the people who went club hopping in the late ‘80s simply don’t dance anymore, but they’re going to love Hercules and Love Affair, the collective effort by Andrew Butler and a small army of friends. Ranging from Inner City-style house (“You Belong”) to brooding, Shriekback-ish dark grooves (“Easy”), the album has both Thievery Corporation cool and traditional dance pop sensibilities. “Blind” goes back even further in time, rocking a full-on disco groove, and the sincerity of the performance is as convincing an argument for the awesomeness of early disco as you’ll ever hear. Hercules and Love Affair is, quite literally, groovy stuff. More, please. (Mute)

Hercules and Love Affair MySpace page