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I have been approached multiple times within the last week, about my "Top 10 Albums of the Year" and I was never prepared. I've never had one, but was told I must. So I thought about it and came up with my ten favorite albums of the year, but not necessarily the best. I also came up with one sentence for each.


(1)A Wilhelm Scream :: Mute Print
There is not a single song on this album that does not rock, nor is there a dude in this band that doesn't rock.

(2)Rise Against :: Siren Song of the Counter Culture
I believe that this would have been the next Rise Against record, no matter what label it came out on.

(3)Break the Silence :: Near Life Experience
We had to wait a long time for this album after it was completed and it was totally worth the wait, it shreds.

(4)Atreyu :: The Curse
This album gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it because it is 2004's Motley Crue.

(5)OneLife :: EP
Ok, this band was awesome, then they fell apart, released this EP online for downloading, and is disgustingly disappointing to know that they aren't making this music anymore.

(6)Bayside :: Sirens and Condolences
These guys have such a cool sound, and this album just is a great mix of heavy and meaningful.

(7)Tony Sly/Joey Cape :: Acoustic Split EP
One half of this record made this list of 10, and it wasn't the Joey Cape half.

(8)15 Minutes Late :: Is This How You Feel?
Weeks upon weeks went by went I didn't at least listen to one track off of this album, plus the hidden track is the coolest.

(9)David Cross :: It's Not Funny
He did most of this act at SXSW, so it reminds me of one of the best experiences of my life, plus he is a sarcastic dick.

(10)Preacher Gone to Texas :: From the Heartland
Again, another band that didn't make it much past their best work, but this album just sounds awesome.

Worth Mentioning=
Green Day :: American Idiot
Lots of hype, most warranted, and I was lucky enough to be at the live listening party where they played the whole album live from start to finish, it was magical.

Underoath :: They Are Only Chasing Safety
I didn't like this album at first, but after seeing them live, the songs are way better.

We're Never Going Home

I was talking to my friend Sean a few weeks ago and he declared that I must check out the Against Me DVD that had just recently come out. I was aware that it had come out, but had a low interest in even trying to get my hands on it. My first experience with Against Me was a bad one, so I always had my reservations about them.

It was like 2 years ago, at the Fireside, and I was there with some friends to see the now defunct, but one of my favorite bands of all-time, Jinxpack. They (Jinxpack) were in the middle of a mediocre bill and we had plans of just heading in, seeing their set and bolting, which we did. We, along with all but maybe 6 other people in the room, had no idea who Against Me was and frankly, no one really cared. No one cared because the fans that were actually there to see Against Me were the biggest pricks in the entire world. They looked like hippies with bull ring piercings and they were obnoxious. They taunted and heckled every other band that took the stage that wasn't Against Me and they were relentless, so naturally everyone was pissed and it became an uncomfortable situation. So without ever hearing or seeing the band, I had already formed an opinion about them that I would later regret.

When their first album on FAT came out last spring, Eternal Cowboy, I was hesitent to even waste my time on it. In fact, I did listen to it maybe once or twice, but I only listened to find a track or two to play on All Ages, rather than for my own enjoyment. I never really gave it a chance, but it managed to always find it's way onto our show at least once a month.

I managed to see them a few times here in Chicago and when we were down in Austin for SXSW. Their live shows were awesome, but I still never really listened to them.

A month or two ago, I had one of their songs stuck in my head for days, so I grabbed the disc and listened to it on my way to work one day and something just clicked. I completely fell in love with all of it. So within days, I managed to get my hands on everything they have released and just recently I got my hands on a demo of their upcoming split with Lucero that was stolen from a Lucero show. It is so rad.

Long story short, Sean got me a copy of the DVD and it is one of the best band DVDs that I have ever seen. It chronicles a tour of theirs where they were approached by every single major label, let the bigshots take them out and get them drunk on the labels money, and then Against Me would say "no thanks" and move on. It is just so refreshing to see a punk band out there today that is doing it for what the music was intended. At one point, they were offered a million dollars to record an album. A fucking MILLION DOLLARS! They politely declined.

I swear to you that this DVD is worth watching a least once. Even if you have no idea who this band is, you should watch it and be impressed.