'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love, Pt. 1

Stay tuned for the next 2 sections: "Love More" and "Love More Than Music." They'll be up in the next five or so days. Then, after they're up, a post describing my favorite album of the year will be up. Hurray!

Love (<)
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Town Topic EP
Basically anything that Owen Ashworth touches turns to gold. As far as my opinion is considered, that is. This EP is no different. I absolutely adored it. I only wish there was more to it. But next year there shall be! (his next full length is coming out next yr).
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Ice Cream Truck

Dragonforce - Ultra Beatdown
one could not forgive such a title for an album unless one understood that the band that named their album such was a band such as Dragonforce (i.e. the rebirth of Power Metal.). I honestly think that there will be few bands to follow in the footsteps of Dragonforce in terms of popularity (I'm certain bands like HammerFall are currently scratching their heads asking what exactly they're doing wrong), but that aside, Dragonforce is a damn good band. I'm certain I would have liked the album more if I like the singer more (I believe him to be the weakest member of the group, as good as he is).
Dragonforce - The Fire Still Burns

Aaron Jerome - Time To Rearrange
A very eclectic release, to say the least. Some songs are jazzy, some are straight up Hip-Hop, others are ambient and soothing, others are energetic and rocking. Mr. Jerome is a fantastic DJ/Producer, and this is evident in the fact that, despite the fact that these songs span so many genres, each song just sounds awesome. He knows music.
Aaron Jerome - Reel Time (feat. Voice)

The Roots - Rising Down
Sometimes listening to Black Thought spit rhymes is a little uncomfortable, because he doesn't do things that are stereotypical ... sometimes. He still uses a lot of the stereotypical words, but I can only imagine that's his upbringing coming out. If he were to be completely stereotypical or vice versa, it wouldn't be uncomfortable, but the switching puts me a little on edge. The Roots will always be a great band in my mind because they truly are a hip-hop band, and that's rare, and I think we need to cherish rare jewels like The Roots. This is a Roots album, and it sounds like them, so if you like them, you'll like this.
The Roots - Rising Down

Say Hi - The Wishes and the Glitch
With a name change came a change in how the group approaches music ... at least that's how I saw it. Some people didn't like the new album, some people absolutely adored it. I did enjoy it quite a bit, but it was not an album of the year. the live show was particularly confusing when they didn't appear to be able to get the emotions that were portrayed in the album across. Still, a very touching and great album.
Say Hi - Northwestern Girls

"It Must Be In The Air Here"

Say Hi - The Wishes and the Glitch
Verdict: Love More (<3)

Every once and a while I'll come across an album that it seems like I've been listening to all year, and I'll realize that I've not mentioned it on the blog yet. I wish my blog was as up to date with what I'm listening to right now, but that sadly cannot be the case. I'm going to blast you cool kids with as many of the albums I've just adored recently, some new, some old, all amazing.

The first is this album. Say Hi, formerly Say Hi To Your Mom, has had the potential to write this album for quite a while. It is truly a triumph for all of music. Greatest album ever? Some actually may say yes. I have no idea, honestly, but I do know that my body treats this album like water; it flows in and satiates a certain part of me in ways I didn't even know I needed. It has the same effect that last year's albums Boxer and The Broken String had on me, and that, my friends, is a very good thing. Say Hi is true at the top of their game on this album, but that's not to say they can't wow us with the next one. But enough talk about the next album, because, for now, I just can't seem to get enough of this album:

Say Hi - Northwestern Girls (one of my absolute favorite songs of the year)
Say Hi - Zero To Love
Say Hi - Magic Beans and Truth Machines