Now, a list of music in the past year that has inspired me to do better as a musician, songwriter, or was just really freaking catchy and good.

I'm going in alphabetical order by artist, since that's how my media player is showing me the albums of 2008. Sorry if I miss something because the year is mislabeled in my MP3's. Feel free to love/hate/share my opinion!

Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony: Hand claps! ALK3 manages to make a pop record with that good gloomy style. In recent years, I haven't known what to think about their move to production. I was always a fan of the gritty, unrecognizable stuff, but this album they found their recording studio stride.

Amber Pacific - Acoustic Connects Set EP: Every Amber Pacific fan has been waiting for this. It's strange I was still disappointed with this EP, but love it enough to suggest it. Some of the speed metal does not transition well, but it's nice to hear them try, I guess. Gone so Young is even better acoustic.

Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious: Always love Mike's stuff, and this album is just more of his solo career. I Got the Drop on You and Wednesday surprised me and became some of my favorite Doughty songs ever.

Every Avenue - Where Were You? : Alright, this is just a song, but it's one of the catchiest I've heard in a long time. It's fun, it makes you dance, and it makes you sing along. A gift among singles this year.

Goldfinger - Hello Destiny: They're back. I don't know if Feldman is just done experimenting, or if Charlie really does make the band, but this is good ol' fashioned Goldfinger.

Honor Bright - If This Was a Movie: Go to their MySpace page and look at who plays what instrument. If everyone is on Vocals, isn't it like no one is on vocals? Pop-punk with some lasting quality. Layers (due to all the singing) are present. Nice.

International Superheroes of Hardcore - Takin' it Ova': Like I'm not going to like something New Found Glory does. I brushed it off at first, but I listened to it and had a good laugh, which is the point. Superhero Sellouts is definitely worth checking out.

Promise of Redemption - When the Flowers Bloom: Incredible. Similar to what I would like to accomplish as a solo artist.

The Sound of Summer Sampler Vol. 2 (Sleepless Records) This was a free album! It also introduced me to: Automatic Loveletter, Four Year Strong, The Thief, Honor Bright, National Product, Thee Armada, Robot Love Story, The Morning Light, The Lives of Famous Men, and Every Avenue! You can't beat that!

You, Me, and Everyone We Know - Party for the Grown and Sexy: Free download of the album, and some killer songs about being a man-slut. I generally don't like lyrics about sex (sorry, Say Anything), but these guys I do like.

Dissapointments:
Hawk Nelson - ...Is My Friend!: I feel like this album is having an identity crisis. Pop-punk, or pop-rap? They can't decide, the album suffers.

Hit the Lights - Skip School, Start Fights: ...and it was still better than I thought it would be. I guess I miss Colin. Their immense catchiness misses the mark every song, due to poor choice in lyrics and cliches. The first album, I loved them. This album, I don't know why they bug me.

Plain White T's - Big Bad World: No surprise there. Can I just say how much I love the album Stop? Go back to the way you were! Of course, if they didn't change, we would have never gotten Hey There, Delilah, but it's time to return to basics.

Socratic - Spread the Rumors: I keep trying to love this album, but I just can't. Sophomore slump, much?

Honorable Mentions:
Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!!: I'll take any Green Day I can get. Even Psuedo-Surf Green Day.

Jet Lag Gemini - Fire the Cannons: I really wanted to like this album more than I did. It just wore on me a little too quick. Great album the first couple times, but I never really found anything deeper than the first listen.

Zebrahead - Phoenix: I have come around to Matty. The Juggernauts is my favorite song on the album.

Haven't Gotten to Yet (but Heard Good Things):
Danger Radio - Used and Abused (didn't like)
Fall Out Boy - Folie a Duex
Fandangle - Fly Away (loved)
The Gaslight Anthem - The 59 Sound (liked)
Good Old War - Only Way to be Alone (LOVED)
Houston Calls - End of an Error (liked)
Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger (didn't like)
Less Than Jake - GNV FLA (loved)
The Living End - White Noise (LOVED)
Ludo - You're Awful, I Love You (liked)
The Maine - Can't Stop Won't Stop (disappointing)
The Mile After - Armada (disappointing)
Panic(!) at the Disco - Pretty. Odd. (liked one song: Northern Downpour)
Phantom Planet - Raise the Dead (disappoiting)
Punchline - Just Say Yes
Quietdrive - Deliverance
There for Tomorrow - There for Tomorrow (LOVED)
Valencia - We All Need a Reason to Believe
The Years Gone by - Forever Comes too Soon (disappointed)

Feel free to talk to me about this! Especially if you've already listened to something in the section I haven't gotten to yet. Tell me what I should think!

Let's hope for shit to get real in '09.