SIS The Best of 2008 Guest List: G. Antonaccio

Ever since this blog was started almost two years ago, the one person from my non-blogosphere life who always got a nearly once a month mention was my best friend, Gianni Antonaccio. Whether it was giving him flak for things we disagree on, or plotting and mapping out our plans for Lollapalooza, it was always nice to integrate him in to this little slice of daily life.

This year, I've upped the best friend's ante by asking for him to not only provide me his Top 30 albums of 2008, but also to write out his reasons for his Top 10. Now that I've gotten him to write two whole posts on his own for the blog, I really hope I can convince him to start up his own column in 2009.

Isn't that picture of him so dreamy? Anyway, here's his list:

Guest List: G. Antonaccio
30. Portishead / Third / Island
29. The Gaslight Anthem / The ’59 Sound / Side One Dummy
28. Plus/Minus / Xs On Your Eyes / Absolutely Kosher
27. The Hold Steady / Stay Positive / Vagrant
26. TV On The Radio / Dear Science / Interscope
25. Lil’ Wayne / Tha Carter III / Cash Money/Universal
24. Oasis / Dig Out Your Soul / Big Brother/Warner Bros.
23. R.E.M. / Accelerate / Warner Bros.
22. Panic At The Disco / Pretty. Odd. / Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen
21. Anberlin / New Surrender / Universal Republic
20. Lovedrug / The Sucker Punch Show / The Militia Group
19. Fools & Horses / I Am The Ghost / Self-Released
18. MGMT / Oracular Spectacular / Sony/Columbia
17. Does It Offend You, Yeah? / You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into / Virgin
16. My Morning Jacket / Evil Urges / ATO
15. Kanye West / 808s & Heartbreak / Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
14. Nine Inch Nails / The Slip / Null Corporation
13. Beck / Modern Guilt / DGC
12. Snow Patrol / A Hundred Million Suns / Polydor/A&M
11. Nada Surf / Lucky / Barsuk

10. Death Cab For Cutie / Narrow Stairs / Atlantic/Barsuk

Ben Gibbard & Co. open their second release on Atlantic records with two tracks that run nearly 14 minutes combined. A bit of a risky move for this type of band, but it works, particularly on the epic first single, “I Will Possess Your Heart”. Things get a little more predictable after that, but Narrow Stairs is a strong collection of songs, and one that for me sounds even better in the late fall/winter than it did during the summer immediately following its release.

09. Portugal. The Man / Censored Colors / Approaching AIRBalloons

I can thank none other than Stranded's own Rusty Roberts for turning me on to this album earlier this fall. This album definitely went under the radar, if it wasn't for Rusty, I'm sure I would have never even heard about it. These guys remind me of Brand New and Thrice in the sense that they are traditionally an alternative/rock band, but are really pushing the envelope with experimentation of different sounds and styles. And the flow of the “suite” that is the entire backside of the record is just perfect.

08. Copeland / You Are My Sunshine / Tooth & Nail

Emo? Maybe. Actually, since 2006's Eat, Sleep, Repeat, these guys have been writing mellow, sometimes moody, but still catchy tunes that are perfect for a snowy or dreary day. Aaron Marsh's angelic falsetto (which at times is so high that I could probably convince people it was a girl's voice) complements their sound perfectly here though, and I foresee myself enjoying this album more and more as the cold weather approaches.

07. What Made Milwaukee Famous / What Doesn't Kill Us / Barsuk

This was my summer album of the year, plain and simple. It was another album that went under the radar, and I was quite surprised that it didn't fare better actually. Sure it's just straightforward pop-rock at times, but the hooks and melodies are infectious, and they also put on a really good live show. Hopefully these guys will get a little more recognition next time around, but for now check out “Sultan” and “For The Birds”.

06. Vampire Weekend / Vampire Weekend / XL

Yes, the most 'overhyped' band of the year. Out of nowhere back in January, I read about this little band out of New York and decided to check out their MySpace page. After checking out and enjoying “Oxford Comma” and “A-Punk”, it seemed like the very next day VW was everywhere. The cover of Spin, front pages of music blogs, and even MTV's Band of the Week. But what a lot of people are forgetting in brushing VW off as just another “flavor of the month” band is that this self-titled debut holds up quite well in its quirky catchiness and is just as fun to listen to as it was early in 08.

05. Coldplay / Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends / Capitol

What really needs to be said about Coldplay that hasn't already been said? You either love 'em or you hate 'em. With Brian Eno aboard to co-produce, the band easily trumps 2005's X & Y, and continue to cement their status among rock and pop's elite. Of course, everyone knows the big hits, but “Strawberry Swing” and “Lovers In Japan” are the real standouts in my opinion. The band also treated us to some of the outtakes from the Eno sessions in the form of the “Prospekt's March” EP, which was quite good as well.

04. Fleet Foxes / Fleet Foxes / Bella Union/Sub Pop

Normally I have stayed away from the indie folk genre, as I always had a hard time getting into it, but the songwriting and vocal performance on this self-titled debut is just undeniable. I have had a few friends and relatives say that it lifts almost directly from some Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young songs, but that hasn't seemed to bother the critics too much, has it? On the contrary, this is a record that I believe will stand the test of time, and has some of the most beautiful harmonies I have heard on an album released during my lifetime.

03. Foals / Antidotes / Sub Pop/Transgressive

Easily one of the most underrated records of the year. Yet another band that I thoroughly enjoyed at Lollapalooza this summer. While the music itself reminds me of a slightly more danceable version of Minus The Bear, lead singer Yannis Phillappakis has an obvious British accent in his vocals that at times sound like Bloc Party or Oasis. But even with the comparisons, this band has a unique sound of their own, and the repetition of their usually non-sensical lyrics results in ridiculously catchy and fun songs that should definitely make you want to shake your ass.

02. Thrice / The Alchemy Index Vol. 3 & 4: Air & Earth / Vagrant

This is the album that I had the hardest time ranking. Unfortunately, Thrice's The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 & 2: Fire & Water was released in 2007, or else I can say with confidence that the entire Alchemy Index set would be my #1 release of the year. Nevertheless, “Air & Earth” stand out as some of the bands most creative work, with harmonies soaring through Air's “The Sky Is Falling” and “Silver Wings”, and stripped down acoustic guitars plucking through Earth's “Moving Mountains”. This band never ceases to impress me, and I am left wondering what direction they could possibly go from here.

01. Kings Of Leon / Only By The Night / RCA

The Followill crew seems to get more and more flak from the critics with each subsequent release. Building off their success in the UK, KoL clearly is aiming to hit it big back here in the States, as Only By The Night is their biggest and most epic record yet. Personally, I love the direction they have been heading in, showing their maturation as a band, and disregard for what kind of music the critics things they should make. If Kings Of Leon continue to release albums as good as this, I believe that they can help save the total crap that has become mainstream and modern rock radio.