The Best Of 2008: Matthew

Before I get into all this rabble rousing nonsense, I want to personally thank you for reading and visiting Late Night Wallflower this year. It’s been a great year for the site and we have some big things in store so please stick with us and continue being awesome. Onward!

Impending doom, failing economy, soaring unemployment rates and all, 2008 was a pretty awesome year in my mind. How so you ask? Well, first and most importantly, the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series and I went into a state of europhia that I’m not sure I have left yet. The United States came to their senses and elected Barack Obama to replace Dubya. The Dark Knight slayed and owned the eyeballs of the world. The “pencil trick” scene; that’s all I gotta say about that. If Heath Ledger isn’t nominated for an Oscar, I’m declaring a full-on protest of the show. What else? Oh, of course, and there were a ton of great records released. So cheer up! Sure, there are plenty of reasons to feel depressed. Hell, with bands like Nickelback or All Time Low in existance, it’s hard not to want to break windows sometimes. Just read The Zombie Survival Guide and turn the volume up on some of these records. The end of the world might be a hoot after all.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds– Dig, Lazarus, Dig !!! (Anti-)
Going into this year, I was just a casual Nick Cave fan. Now at year’s end, I’m full-on obsessed with the man’s work. Hell, I think I have even mastered my impression of his voice. I think Lazarus is Cave’s masterpiece and his most complete and satisfying record. Like his Grinderman record from ’07, Cave continued on his cockrockin’ machismo kick, with ballsy tunes like “Today’s Lesson,” “We Call Upon The Author,” and “More News From Nowhere.” All of these songs just sweat bravado and unprecedented cool.

Read more after the jump.

OTHER NOMINEES:
Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
Fucked Up continues to reinvent punk with every single piece of music they record. Back in 2006, I praised their first full-length Hidden World as a landmark album. Chemistry surpasses that record by leaps and bounds. I think I’ll probably be saying this about every record they release in the future though. Their in-store performance at Generation Records was definitely one of the more surreal and amazing moments of the year.

Paint It Black – New Lexicon (Jade Tree)
New Lexicon is one of the most provocative and progressive punk records to come out in the last ten years. It’s inspired a lot of talk and debate and that’s what a great record should do. Somewhere, somebody, is putting on this record for the first time and deciding they want to be in a band.

No Age – Nouns (Sub Pop)
I gotta admit, it took me a while to get into this band. I can’t really say why though at this point. People told me to give Nouns a chance and I’m grateful I did. There’s just something about this record that gets better with every listen. No Age are bridging the gap between the indie and punk worlds and it should be exciting to see where they go from here.

AND THE REST OF THE BEST:
Titus Andronicus – The Airing Of Grievances
The Hold Steady –Stay Positive
The Night Marchers – See You In Magic
Man Man – Rabbit Habits
Jay Reatard – Singles ‘06-‘07 + ‘08 collections
The Muslims (now known as The Soft Pack) – Self-Titled
Portishead – Third
Torche – Meanderthal
Dillinger Four – Civilwar
Vivian Girls – Self-Titled
The Measure [SA] – Songs About People…and Fruit N’ Shit

7-INCHES/EPs:
Dead To Me – Little Brother EP
Sakes Alive!!! – “Act I” 7-inch
The Obits – “One Cross Apiece/Put It In Writing” 7-inch
Tom Gabel – “Anna Is A Stool Pigeon” 7-inch
Amateur Party – “Public Utility Complaint” (Fest 7 Edition) 7-inch

FAVORITE CONCERTS/SHOWS

Radiohead @ All Points West – Jersey City, NJ. Second night
Dear Radiohead,
I apologize for neglecting your incredible album In Rainbows until this year. I also forgot that you are one of the greatest bands alive. Your performance at All Points West this year almost brought me to tears it was so good. Tell me all your secrets. Beers soon?

Love,

Matthew

ALSO:
Tom Gabel – In-store at Generation Records/Knitting Factory, NYC.
Paint It Black – In-store at Generation Records, NYC.
Obits/Titus Androncius – Live at the East River Amphitheater, NYC.
Dillinger Four/Paint It Black/Matt & Kim – Fuck Yeah Fest – Brooklyn, NY.
Hot Water Music/Paint It Black/Thursday – Terminal 5, NYC.
Underground Railroad to Candyland/This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb – Fest 7, Gainesville, Fl.
Black Lips/King Khan & The Shrines/Deerhunter – McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NY.
My Bloody Valentine – Roseland Ballroom, NYC
Mission of Burma – Performing Signals, Calls and Marches at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
Night Marchers/Obits – Santos Party House, NYC.
Rival Schools, Trail of Dead at Rebel/Syndicate CMJ 2008 Party.

ALL THOSE YESTERDAYS: Albums from the past that I was obsessed with at various points this year:
The Pogues – Hell’s Ditch
Radiohead – Kid A
The JB’s – Pass The Peas
Fugazi – The Argument/In On The Kill Taker
Elliott Smith – Figure 8
The Cramps – Gravest Hits
Reigning Sound – Too Much Guitar
Cold Heat – Heavy Funk Rarities Compliation
PJ Harvey – White Chalk
Talking Heads – Fear Of Music

MOST ANTICIPATED!
The Obits – Their album needs to come out now. The live shows and the 7-inches are not quenching my thirst for what should be one of my favorite records of 2009.

Also: Thorns of Life – Blake Schwarzenbach and Aaron Cometbus together in a band…duh.
The Black Lips, The Marked Men, Ted Leo, Against Me!, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, Rival Schools, and Thursday.

So there you have it. I hope all of you out there have a healthy and happy 2009!