Music Under Fire

19) Jeniferever - A Ghost In The Corner Of Your Eye

This is one of those bands that nobody knows and will rarely be talked about. The reason for this may lie in either the fact that shoegaze is not too big in the U.S., or that they're simply from Sweden. Nevertheless, their sound is truly unique and their sounds beautifully entrancing. Not only is "A Ghost In The Corner Of Your Eye" a remarkable song, filled with drama, overloaded with layers of plush atmospheric ambience, but the whole album flows in the same true manner. If you're looking for a slower change of pace, this song is fantastic.

18) Saosin - Voices

The pop punk scene always thrives with over-the-top bands and at times seems overbearing when you hear too many songs that sound alike. Of course, Saosin is not pop, like Fall Out Boy and doesn't come off like it was made for MTV. "Voices" is a great song to play loud and appreciate what these guys have done for the punk rock scene last year and will carry into 2008.

17) Teddybears - Punkrocker (Feat. Iggy Pop)

If you've seen the movie "Jay and Silent Bob Strick Back" you might know what I'm talking about. It may even help if you listened to the soundtrack, which featured "Hiphopper" by Thomas Rusiak. "Punkrocker" is an altered version of this song, sung by Iggy Pop. It plays like many rock remixes of songs are, however this one sounds like Willie Nelson decided to turn a hiphop song into a techno/folk ballad. Peppy and quite interesting. Couldn't leave this one off the list.


16) Matt Mays and El Torpedo - On The Hood

If I could picture myself driving a car in slow motion, hanging out the window egging houses in mid-daylight, this would be the song I would play. Although I don't egg houses, this song would still makes for a great driving song, with the Tom Petty likenesses and the harboring feelings of just hanging out with your friends. Perhaps this song would have fit into Dazed and Confused had it come out 30 years earlier.


15) Heavens - Dead End Girl

I had no idea who this was at first until I realized it was Matt Skiba of the Alkaline Trio. Off his "Patent Pending" album in 2006, "Dead End Girl" really masks who the Alkaline Trio are, showing no likenesses of the bands previous music, but hey, that's what side projects are for, right? Skiba does his thing here and breaks it down nicely here. I especially enjoyed the "Noooooh, ooh ooooooh oh!"s



14) I Am Kloot - Over My Shoulder

Granted, this is a 'best of' list', "Over My Shoulder", is one of those songs that is the only reason you will ever know this band. Not only does their album Gods and Monsters not live up to the epic name of the album, but this song is the rose in the midst of thorns. Sometimes this is the best way to catch a single: when the album is no good, but, wait!, there's something worth listening to. Not only is it worth listening to, but you may find yourself going back to this song more than just once a day. Songs like this are the reasons fans get into the rest of the album, and in this case, I Am Kloot has done just that.

13) Trespassers William - Lie In The Sound

Harmoniious, depressing, moving and elevating are only a few words to describe Trespassers William. Whether the mood is enlightning or the vocals saddening, one thing for sure is that these guys (and gals) do what they do, spot on. It would be an understatement to say Anna-Lynn Williams, the lead vocalist for TW, has a 'pretty good' voice. In fact, it would be safe for me to say she's one of the best female vocalists I can actually sit down and listen to. That narrows the field greatly, but coming from an alt/rock fan, that is quite a compliment. Trespassers William are considered indie rock/dream pop, which isn't a popular genre by they way, so this is why you haven't heard about them yet. If you have, then you're already appreciating them.

12) My Morning Jacket - Off The Record

Everyone knows My Morning Jacket, especially after their breakthrough release of It Still Moves in 2003. Their dreamy, indie rock style made them a popular show to see and catapulted them into making another album, Z, to cap things off from making music since the 90s. Having listened to It Still Moves and falling in love with their style, I had no doubts, nothing could be done better. Unfortunately, Z was a bit of a letdown, but the path that My Morning Jacket laid for me from the beginning led me to this song. Of course, once you've learned to love one album from a band, and one only, you have to be curious, right? "Off The Record" is fitting to their style from ISM and is constantly in the rotation of songs I can listen to at any given moment.

11) Mat Kearney - Undeniable

What most people don't know is Mat's been doing his thing for a while. As most singer/songwriters do, Mat has been working his tail off to get into the business. There are millions of one-man-band guys who boast, "All I need is a group of guys to play with me" and they'll make it. In the singer/songwriter world, its a grueling one. The large majority of these guys can't do their own thing forever, so they do eventually pick up a bunch of guys to play with them. So it went for Mat, and although this year may have been the first time you've heard of Mat, "Undeniable" was actually out last year. For once, there's a singer/songwriter I can stand, no thanks to Howie Day, Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson - you know what I mean, those guys who do it more for the girls than the music.

10) Nine Black Alps - Unsatisfied

After releasing Love/Hate this year, I had to go back to see who these guys were. There was no dissapointment going back in time as I stumbled across "Unsatisfied". Nine Black Alps are no stranger to the UK either, particularly Manchester, and their music shows it. With the modern Brit-rock appeal and a swoon of heavy hitting tricks up their sleeves, Nine Black Alps are turning into a soon favorite of mine. Every step they've taken is refreshing, turning over a new leaf as they move into different directions with each album. "Unsatisfied" is actually my second favorite song they have to date, "Bitter End" from Love/Hate being my first.

9) Minus the Bear - Pachuca Sunrise

Rumored that the band performed on stage with a bear in a cage in their early days, just to get the crowd hyped up, the band had a bad incident in which the bear escaped and later had to change their name. If you believe this, then Minus the Bear may make sense to you more so than any of their song titles such as
"Thanks For The Killer Game of Crisco Twister" or "I Lost All My Money At The Cockfights". Aside from their song names and band name rumors, Minus The Bear puts out some pretty decent music. I can't say that I'm enthralled by a whole album, since my favorite songs span over more than three albums. "Pachuca Sunrise" was my gateway song to the rest of the band's work, which I later realized have a total of eight albums going back to 2001. "Pachuca Sunrise" is conveniently my favorite and the first song I discovered by them.

8) Neverending White Lights - The Grace (ft. Dallas Green)

Now remember, this is a list of songs and not full albums. In this case, I'm not sure I could put Neverending White Lights all the way up there on the album list, but I could definitely put this song up there as far as singles go, and I just did. The reason being, aside from the eerie calmness of this album is the vocals and guitar of the very talented Dallas Green. Dallas Green's vocals shimmer in this slowed down track, bringing out a quieter side to the Alexisonfire guitarist, who, turns out to have a softer side. If this song hits you just right, you may want to seriously consider checking out City & Colour, which is Dallas' solo shot at putting together an acoustic album. Although a fine display of his talents, I can't say City & Colour works out as well as this song did for him, but his talent is undeniable.

7) Matt Pond PA - So Much Trouble

Matt Pond PA has one of those rustic, friendly voices that sticks the first time you hear it. The same goes for "So Much Trouble", as the song starts "Did you go to Monteal or hide behind the package store...". Pond made his mark through his writing skills which may have been the reason I was turned on to this song to begin with. Surely Matt Pond has talent in his writing skills as many of his songs are wordy, with philosophical meanings and descriptive feelings placed nicely into song. Althogh I still haven't figured out what Pond could be in so much trouble for, I still have enjoyed this song for the majority of this past year, and even taken a liking to his latest album, Last Light.

6) Band of Horses - The First Song

Band of Horses easlily fall into my top artists of the year. There's no reason to not enjoy these guys. From the earnest feeling you get when you listen to Ben Bridwell singing to the southern rock style they carry, their sound is unlike any other band out today. This all makes it fitting as to why I discovered these guys early this year. Not only was I introduced to an outstanding album, one of the best of last year, Everything All The Time, but they released their much anticipated album, Cease To Begin this year. Now the band's popularity is growing like wildfire, and there are a hundred and one reasons to fall into them. "The First Song" is fitting enough, since it was the first song I learned to crave and was also Band of Horses first song off of their last album.

5) The Shore - Hold On

Inspired by bands of the 60s and earlier such as The Beach Boys, the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, The Shore holds a mix of these sounds and diversified themselves in the modern rock aspect as well. Lead singer Ben Ashley's ability to hold the long notes and contaminate your brain for weeks with "Hold On" was enough for me to put The Shore so highly regarded on this list. This song should by no means put down the rest of the album as any lesser than this song either. So many songs have made finding these guys even more worth it. Song such as "Hard Road" and "Waiting For The Sun" are equally as impressive. It goes without a doubt this band may be the most unknown band that people continuously pass on, even after their downtime after releasing their self-titled album in 2004. The Shore announced they will begin working on a new album due out this year.

4) Immoor - Chemical Feelings

Immoor is actually the last name of the solo producer of The Thievery of Your Own Things, whose full name is Casey Immoor. Casey created the most useful album I've heard in years, which had been completed by use of his own recording studio. Sure, other bands have done this, the crappy techno-pop bands, the electro-punk bands, such as Hellogoodbye, Panic! At The Disco and many more. But Casey has done something different here. The album isn't overloaded with hooks or like-minded guitar, but each element is neatly laid into an extremely well-liked and progressive album. "Chemical Feelings" hit me like a brick the first time I discovered Immoor. I was making immediate comparisons to The Postal Service, a group which revolves the deep, warm synths with beautiful lyrics. Immoor is currently working on putting together performances and adding members to his band, but surely none of this would have started without this song.

3) Paulson - Window Frames

If you could throw 311 and System of a Down in a blender, you would have a Paulson smoothie for dessert. The attractive part of Paulson is that they sound like so many likable bands, there aren't enough blenders in the world to mix all of those band into one. "Window Frames" may not be the most striking song you've heard in years, but give it a few listens to sink in. Whether you're looking for something upbeat or something to relax and have a drink with, Paulson's best attribute is they are available for any situation you may find yourself in.

2) Mute Math - Noticed

If you picture a band blowing up one million times the size they could have ever imagined, that would be what describes Mute Math's current position. Collecting members from across the US, but claiming their homestead in New Orleans, LA, Mute Math is not Southern Blues by any means. The band prides themselves in their destructive stage performances and their high-octane electro-rock instrumentals. With lead singer, Paul Meany's vocals resounding like that of Sting and enough driven force behind drummer Darren King. In Mute Math's case, its difficult to find what not to like in a band. Afterall, who doesn't love a keytar? All of these elements combined will have you singing "Noticed" around the house.

1) Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye

Its hard to nail down what exactly makes Silversun Pickups as good as they are. Their hard rock style makes them appeal to most men, their melodic professionalism attracts most girls, and their album, Carnavas, is perfection. "Lazy Eye" represents all of Silversun Pickups most envious audible attributes. The low basslines drift right along with Brian Aubert's unique vocals. Not only can Aubert yell at the top of his lungs and still leave you shocked you actually liked it, the buzzing guitar solo and snapping drum forefronts will have you locked in. In layman's terms, this song, this band, is truly amazing.