1. Jeff Buckley - Grace (435) 2. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (342) 3. Smolik - 3 (337) 4. Syd Matters - A Whisper & A Sigh (316) 5. Syd Matters - Someday We Will Foresee Obstacles (275) 6. The Arcade Fire - Funeral (256) 7. Sõpruse Puiestee - Mustale Merele (241) 8. Alumiinium - Garaažide taga (239) 9. Cmy - Eclipse (238) 10. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (230) 11. Ned Collette - Jokes and Trials (226) 12. Run To Safety - We As Monsters (224) 13. Eels - Beautiful Freak (219) 14. Gus Black - Autumn Days (217) 15. Beirut - The Gulag Orkestar (207) 16. David Poe - Love Is Red (206) 17. Pastacas - Tsaca Tsap (193) 18. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (175) 19. Martha Wainwright - I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too (170) 20. Strawbs - Painted Sky (169) 21. Koop - Waltz for Koop (167) 22. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (161) 23. Jim Major - One Blue Eye (161) 24. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues (159) 25. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head (159)

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (Cover)



Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah (Original)

1. What are you listening to right now?
No One's Gonna Love You

2. What song makes you sad?
Lover, You Should've Come Over

3. What is the most annoying song in the world?
At the moment that awful version of Hallelujah bu Alexandra Burke :S

4. Your all time favourite band?
pfff, erm between Kings of Leon or Arctic Monkeys

5. Your newly discovered band is?
Modest Mouse FTW!

6. Best female voice?
Hayley Williams (Paramore), Pip (Ladyhawke), Jemina (BYOP)

7. Best male voice?
Caleb Followhill (Kings Of Leon), Jeff Buckley, Alex/Miles(AM,LSP,Rascals) Doherty (Babyshambles/Libertines)

8. Music type you find yourself listening to most?
I reckon you'd just class it Alternative

9. What do you listen to hype you up?
Pendulum would help haha, but on general something heavier in my libary like Black Rebel Motorcycle club, Subways, Nickelback

10. What do you listen to when you want to calm down?
Death Cab for Cutie The Shins Band of Horses Jeff Buckley

11. Last gig/concert you went to?
erm Leeds Festival was like music event, but actual gig was Supergrass

12. Band you find yourself listening to the most right now?
Modest Mouse The Shins Ladyhawke

13. Most hated band?
The Fratellis Scounting for Girls or anyone else who sounds exactly the same..

14. Song that makes you think?
Hallelujah

15. Band that you think the world should love as much as you do?
I wouldnt really want everyone else liking the same band, but erm i'd say Nine Black Alps could do with more fans, there far too underated, also the amount of stick Nickelback is abit unfair.

16. Coolest music video?
You HAVE to see the D.A.N.C.E video by Justice (ed banger) is awesome!



17. What do you play/would you play in the bedroom to spice things up?
Depends, you want romantic or raw energy? lol

18. Can you play a musical instrument?
Guitar :)

19. Last song that you heard on the radio?
Listening to the xmas no.1 hopefully Jeff had beaten that crappy Alex version, nevermind, no.2 is good enough!
Hallelujah

20. Last BIG band that you saw live?
The Killers closed Leeds Fest, that was pretty cool.

22. Do you listen to music in foreign languages?
Not really, when im on holiday in France lol, and i have the FIFA08 soundtrack which has loads of random music from aorund the world, listen to that ocasionally

23. Do you listen to the radio?
Nah, xmas was first time in ages! XFM and Radio 1 in the car sometimes

24. Do you watch music TV?
MTV2

25. Have you meet any famous musicians?
I met singer and bassist of Hot Hot Heat after there gig, pretty cool guys, got piccie too

26. Song that best describes your feelings right now?
Oh Yeah

27. Do you know the names of all the band members that you listen to?
Just the top ones

28. Does a musician’s physical attractiveness play a role in the music that you listen to?
I dont really see the band before i listen to them, plus theres like 5 or 6 girls in my libary haha, tbf most of them are attractive, Hayley Williams and Laura Mary (Blood Red Shoes) :]

29. Favourite movie sound track?
dont really listen to them

30. What are you listening to right NOW?
Dashboard

Back to basics. It was a very long year. And, in music, it was the return to classic rock and a dive into country music. Here we go with my 20 best songs for the year (note that songs can be from any year):

20 - The Beatles - If You've Got Trouble A great track that remained unreleased for many years, in favour of Act Naturally.
19 - Bee Gees - Claustrophobia Another obscure song from a very known artist. A very good and simple song with funny lyrics
18 - Teixeirinha - Coração de Luto A sad traditional song widely known as "Churrasquinho de mãe"(something like bbq made of my mom) because of the subject of the lyrics.
17 - David Guetta - Baby When the Light Since 2004, there is always some house songs in the list. This is one of them
16 - Dan W. Quinn - Ain't Dat A Shame Extremely old song, you can also hear white noise in the recording. But it sounds good and has a good piano instrumental par
15 - Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah Very good and sad song. The singer seems to be crying the lyrics
14 - Coconut Records - It's Not You It's Me It seems to be a happy song, but when you pay attention to the lyrics you discover it's not
13 - James Blunt - Same Mistake The best song that radio and television forced me to listen. Actually I like it (otherwise it wouldn't be here), despite being too cliché
12 - Paul McCartney - The World Tonight A song that I've forgotten for 10 years and re-discovered. It's an example that the good and old Macca still can make very good stuff
11 - Johnny Cash - Guess Things Happen That Way Cash was my "artist of the year" and this song shows a different point of view about a relationship's end
10 - The Rutles - Let's Be Natural The Rutles is a parody band, who imitates The Beatles. And their songs have the same level of quality of the originals. This Dear Prudence "lookalike" is their best song in my opinion.
09 - Komodor - 1988 This Komodor is a Turkish electronic music project. They've created a bunch of nice songs (using an old computer/videogame, if I understood it correctly) and this one talking about how life was 20 years ago is the best song of theirs.
08 - Frankie Laine - Bowie Knife A fantastic western song from Frankie. It has very good lyrics and is full of energy.
07 - Ten Years After - Working on the Road Pure classic rock song. Nice riffs, nice solo, nice voices, nice everything.
06 - Genesis - The Carpet Crawlers Although Genesis is not among my favourite bands, they have some songs I like very much. And, in 2008, I found this one, that is simply brilliant
05 - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Searchin' Wind They are a band I used to dislike, because of their cliché songs (such as Can't Take My Eyes Off You) but since I discovered Beggin' last year, I've been liking their music more and more, including the cliché ones
04 - R.I.O. - Shine On Another House song. This is a very cool and enjoyable one and was a big hit for me, specially during the third quarter of the year
03 - Griffin - I Am The Noise In Your Head A very obscure psychedelic rock song that I discovered via Pandora while it was still possible to use it in my country
02 - Johnny Cash - (Ghost) Riders in the Sky I've already listened to some versions of this song, but Cash's is by far the best. It was also the song that opened my ears to Johnny Cash's work
01 - Camel - Lady Fantasy For a long year, a long song. Although long songs tend to be boring, it does not happen to this one. So good, so incredible that its almost 13 minutes pass like they were only 3. And it was also the main song of the year.

A little late but... To close 2008 properly, I've decided to try and pick ten most important discoveries (albums) of the year and build a playlist made up of most memorable songs that occurred to me these last twelve months. So, here it goes. ;)


(random order)



1. Cat Power - You Are Free



2. Rachael Yamagata - Happenstance



3. Jeff Buckley - Grace



4. Various Artists - Songs in the key of X



5. Aimee Mann - Lost in Space



6. Vienna Teng - Dreaming Through the Noise



7. A Fine Frenzy - One Cell In The Sea



8. Imogen Heap - Speak for Yourself



9. Yann Tiersen - Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain



10. Coldplay - Parachutes





1) Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis
2) Catatonia - Road Rage
3) Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek
4) Rachael Yamagata - Paper Doll
5) Sia - Breathe Me
6) Porcupine Tree - Collapse the Light Into Earth
7) Noel Gallagher - Teotihuacan
8) Heather Nova - I Miss My Sky (Amelia Earhart's Last Days)
9) Nick Drake - Pink Moon
10) Beth Orton - Feel to Believe
11) Three Dog Night - Joy to the World
12) Fiona Apple - Sullen Girl
13) The Church - Under The Milky Way
14) Nick Cave & the Dirty Three - Zero Is Also A Number
15) Echo & the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
16) UNKLE - Broken
17) Glen Hansard - Leave
18) Sigur Rós - The Nothing Song
19) Andy McKee - Drifting
20) Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love
21) Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
22) Vienna Teng - I Don't Feel So Well
23) Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains
24) Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
25) Bernice Johnson Reagon - Come and go with me to that land

Top 5 Vocals

1. Robert Plant
2. Nick Cave
3. Jeff Buckley
4. Halford - Chuck Schuldiner
5. David Surkamp

Top 5 Guitarists

1. David Gilmour
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Chuck Schuldiner
4. Jimmy Page
5. John Fogerty

Top 5 Bass Guitar Players

1. Roger Waters
2. Lemmy Kilmister
3. Mick Harvey
4. John Paul Jones
5. Phil Lynott

Top 5 Drummers

1. John Bonham
2. Nick Mason
3. Richard Christy
4. Dave Lombardo
5. Jon Theodore

Top 5 Singer-Songwriters

1. Nick Cave
2. Leonard Cohen
3. Tom Waits
4. Bob Dylan
5. Jim Morrison

2008 led to many important discoveries for me. The majority and most important of which are as follows, in no particular order.

Bands: -
Public Enemy
Strapping Young Lad
Devin Townsend
The Haunted
At the Gates
Death
Opeth
Catherine (the 1990's alternative band)
Dr. Dre
Megadeth
One Day as a Lion
Judas Priest

Albums: -
The Downward Spiral
Light Into Dark: A Chicago Music Compilation #1
Tenacious D - The Complete Masterworks 2 DVD

Gigs: -
The Smashing Pumpkins; Hordern Pavilion, March 27.
Angus & Julia Stone; Newcastle City Hall, June 19

Releases from 2008 that I actually liked and listen to...

One Day As A Lion

In my opinion the best release of 2008, and just a damn good record, period. This brief number really brings Zack back into his element with a new twist on a familiar style. His lyrics are as thought-provoking as ever and his flow is BETTER than ever. VERY much looking forward to the upcoming LP!


A summary of my top 15 for the past 12 months.

15. Sepultura
Now, I've had Seps sitting around in my library for a long time, and mainly focused on the wonder that is Roots. I'd listened through the albums maybe once each, and then ignored them. I have some expectations, probably unrealistic ones, when it comes to production standards. So I still barely listen to Schizophrenia. But I thrash the fuck out to Beneath the Remains and Arise much more often now, and love every minute of it. Max's monotone voice is amazingly powerful, and the riffs and drumming are just amazing. Enter Chaos A.D., where the drumming mutates into something even more primal and powerful, and the guitars slowly chug MASSIVE tones with awesome power. That album has taken a place in the pantheon.

14. Death
Death is one of those bands that's just truly remarkable. Consistently astounding, improving and evolving with each album. Chuck Schuldiner is a true genius. It's hard to pick individual tracks or pieces of them as highlights, because each album seems to flow together as a whole. None of them seem pieced together, shuffling them doesn't seem right. I loved every track I've heard from the start of Scream Bloody Gore to the glorious Painkiller at the climax of The Sound Of Perseverance. I shall be listening more, and regularly

13. Tool
Ahhh, Tool. One of the very best live acts I've ever seen. Creators of music that can be equally transcendent, furious and just fucking powerful. Few bands have so perfect a discography. Each of the members is amazing and talented, and the band would not work with any of them missing. Oh, and Danny Carey is the best drummer ever. I love you guys heaps ^_^

12. Soundgarden
An act I've consistently enjoyed listening to. Another band with a seriously solid output. I love all of the albums, but Louder Than Love has been growing on me like mad lately. Big Dumb Sex and Full On Kevin's Mom are simply classics. And the One Minute of Silence cover? Genius. Pure genius.

11. Jeff Buckley
Oh my science. What a voice. What a personality. What chemistry. The man was amazing, and he was backed by an under-appreciated band of great musicians that helped him make his live shows so spectacular. I've been listening to Sketches more often than Grace, lately. It just seems to be more like him; it's rockier, more lo-fi, humorous at points. He seems to be relaxed rather than floating in an ethereal haze like he is in Grace. The unfinished edge of the production (which still sounds AMAZING) makes the album even better.

10. - The Haunted
Umm, so... I have listened to rEVOLVEr a LOT in the last three months or so. God. fucking. DAMN, what a great album. My review/orgasm about it is in my previous entry; see for the tremendous love I give it. I've loved listening to all of the band's records, loved how the chemistry of both different vocalists manages to mesh so well with the bands onslaught of noise and riffs. Oh how I have loved the riffs. And the lyrics. And the drums. I love it.

9. - Angus & Julia Stone
A band I haven't given anywhere near as much attention as they deserve (and yet they still have a spot this far up the list!). Simple, pure melodies that can lift the heart or break it. A wonderful connection between the two siblings both on and off stage; brilliant production of their entire output; charming music videos... These two have it all (including a great backing ensemble). A Book Like This is simply perfect. If you don't have it, get it. Tell everyone you meet about their amazing music.

8. - Nirvana
Ahhh, nostalgia. Takes me back to the days of year ten music class, discussing the tracks on Nevermind by number because neither Noo nor I actually knew their names. Cranking Bleach as loud as I can stand in the car and screaming my head off to School and Negative Creep. Spinning my In Utero vinyl when my parents are out and letting the emotion of the music just slam into me. They have such a wonderful vibe and energy that constantly enthralls me.

7. - Nine Inch Nails
Almost entirely made of plays of The Downward Spiral, an album that enrances me and then scares the living shit out of me. I've never identified with an album to such an extent before. It's simply incredible emotional music, that digs deep into the blackest parts of the mind and brings it to the surface.

6. Eminem
I think just about everyone went through the phase of loving Eminem in early high school, then realising how fucking terrible rap was and discarding anything you might have owned of his and vowing never to listen to it again. But, finding myself rapping the entirety of The Real Slim Shady one day, years after I'd last heard the song, I decided I'd give The Marshall Mathers LP another go. (My tentative branching into rap and hip-hop can be laid squarely at the feet of Rage Against the Machine, by the way). I rode a huge nostalgia wave to a beach of new appreciation for Em's lyrics. Alternately hilarious, disturbing, and always intricately powerful. High hopes for the new album, I hope I don't see them dashed.

5. Devin Townsend
Holy shit. I'm so very glad I have found this man. He's an insane musical genius. Listening to his music is always like being enveloped in a holy aura of sound, something very, VERY few other musicians have been able to make me feel. Yet he manages to slam brutal riffs into the mix; the devastating percussive accompaniment of the ever-dependable Gene Hoglan; weird, noisy passages of sound that confuse the mind before sliding back into place in perfect harmonic symphony; and alternately dark and brilliant humour. I don't think I'll ever get tired of Infinity. Blows my mind every time.

4. The White Stripes
My love for this band has increased exponentially over the past 12 months. And it was pretty high to begin with. The two of them work so brilliantly together. As much as Meg is derided for her amateurish playing style, the band simply wouldn't work with anyone else (and she was the one who originally carried the surname "White", so it would be a bit rude for the band to carry that name if she left). Her sweet demeanour and voice add something extra to the band when she really stands out. Jack's guitar work is simply fantastic, his lyrics thoughtful and soulful, and his voice unique. The combination is breathtaking. Every record is essential, but the first two especially.

3. - Marilyn Manson
Usually in second place, now relegated to third by my obsession with the brilliance and power of Devin Townsend. His first four records are simply astounding artworks of rage, groove, and humour. Can't find words.

3. - Strapping Young Lad
Thank you SO MUCH Full Metal Racket for showing me the true power of this band. The first track I ever heard was Shitstorm, and to be honest... it scared the shit out of me. I could barely stand to listen to it. But on a whim one day I decided to listen to Alien in its entirety, and while I couldn't immediately identify with it, I was struck by the enormous power of Devin's voice, and the depth of the production. And then I started to listen to Skeksis multiple times on a daily basis. Then I decided I'd better get absolutely everything the band has ever released. Simply put, Strapping is up there with the most powerful music I've ever heard. All of the albums are as astounding on repeat listens as they are the first time I went "Holy SHIT this is good". Sheer, raw rage and power in musical form, with the band's trademark insane humour subtly interwoven amongst the lyrics and music. Devin's lyrics can touch the soul, touch the funny bone, or touch nothing at all, and always flow perfectly.

1. The Smashing Pumpkins
My beloved Pumpkins. Their music has made me so very happy, sad, comforted and lonely. However it affects me, it always makes me feel at home, and right.

So, I was reading Kerrang the other day, and they always have some band member say what songs that changed their lives, so I thought, hey I wanna do that!
So here goes...in no order


Avril Lavigne - Complicated
I must have been about 10 when Avril first came about. She was such a role model to me in terms of her individuality and I just loved her! Complicated was the first song I heard by her and I liked it as well as her whole Let Go album because it was a bit different at the time and she wasn't just a straight forward pop singer.
It saddens me listening to Girlfriend now though, because she's lost her uniqueness about her, and with that song she is a straight forward pop singer!

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Ok, until I was about 11, I took no interest in music, I would listen to any crap that was on the radio, and I was a bit of a chav! (oh the shame...)
My dad is a big Lynyrd Skynyrd fan and I remember this was one of the only songs that he played which got my attention and stuck to my little 11 year old chav brain!
I mean dude, that guitar riff is legendary! This song made me want to learn to play guitar, and when I finally got a guitar at 13, this was the song I attempted to play!
I don't go a day these days without playing my guitar and I thank this song for it!

Diffuser - New High
So when you're younger, I don't think you can appreciate legendary music, and despite taking a liking to Lynyrd Skynyrd, I couldn't appreciate listening to 9 minute Pink Floyd songs which my dad played!
I can't remember how I heard of this band or song, but I heard it and fell in love with it! They sound like a lot of average pop punk bands these days, but I just love this song, probably because the only rock music I had heard before were long, and I just couldn't connect with Hendrix or Led Zeppelin, so I resorted to simpler, catchier music!

Bowling for Soup - Girl All the Bad Guys Want
I remember starting to talk to a girl at school, known to be a bit of a 'rocker' and she told me about Green Day, Good Charlotte & Bowling for Soup! At the time, these three bands were some of my favourites. I think it was because of the quick paced, crunchy sounding palm muted guitars, witty simple lyrics (which i believe is called pop punk) which got my attention.
This song stands out because I love the simplicity of the guitars, drums and everything, rather than long guitar solos by Hendrix!
I still love Bowling For Soup, they were one of the first bands I really liked!

New Found Glory - My Friend's Over You
New Found Glory are one of my favourite bands of all time. They're songs are so simply written, yet so powerful! This song is perfect to me, from that opening guitar riff to that hell of a chorus!
You were everything I wanted, but I just can't finish what I started
When I heard this song I was starting to realise that punk rock/pop punk was my thing, which I later started listening to Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy
NFG were the first band I saw live, at the Astoria in 2006 and they blew me away, they were so energetic! I loved them and have now seen them 4 times :)
So excited for Not Without A Fight!

Fall Out Boy - Dead on Arrival
I had heard of Fall Out Boy just a few months before From Under The Cork Tree was about to be released. My friend and I got a bit obsessed with them when we were about 14, and this was my favourite song. Take This To Your Grave i think is definately Fall Out Boy's best album and one of my favourite albums in terms of the music and style, and I have loved everything Fall Out Boy have done since!I hate hate hate how people critisise them, most of the time just because of Pete Wentz (who people hate just because he's got confidence, gosh every single boy i seem to meet these days have egos a million times worse than this dude)

Green Day - Hitchin' a Ride
This was one of the songs my old band played in a gig a while back! I had been playing guitar 2 months and a friend asked if I wanted to join and I said yes! I was 14 at the time, couldn't play guitar, and had to sing as well and we sucked big time! But it was fun, I can actually play guitar now, and I got to know the drummer who is now my best friend! I love our jam sessions :D

Anberlin - Naive Orleans
Anberlin have changed my life the most, for sure. Every song they write has so much depth and meaning to it and I love that. Most bands I listen to have quite average boring lyrics, but Anberlin lyrics are so different. Stephen Christian is an amazing writer, and an amazing guy, he truly wears his heart on his sleeve!
I heard Naive Orleans in 2006 and thought it was such a beautiful song:
Come and go now as you please
Your actions write the melodies
The rest is history! Anberlin have become a part of my life and seriously, they influence the way I see the world and people.
Go Anberlin!

Anberlin - (*Fin)
Ok, so I need to include another Anberlin song, because they are THAT good!
*Fin is just about the most amazing song I've ever heard in my life!
From lyrics to structure to vocals, it blows me away everytime I hear it. When this song comes on it's never skipped, I listen to all 9 minutes of it!
I just love everything about this song, it needs no explanation
Favourite song of all time.

Jack Johnson - Better Together
I'd never really listened to acoustic/folk music until I heard Jack Johnson. I loved this song and bought two of his albums!
I love acoustic and folk, it let me to hearing Damien Rice, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley etc...
I also bought an acoustic guitar shortly after and it's permantly by my side! It's so much more convenient to an electric (especially as my electric is crap!) and I just prefer the sound!
Me and my friend always have acoustic jam sessions singing Paramore (so good to play acoustic) and other random tunes