A Retrospective
I think it’s safe to say that 2008 went really well – we completed two tours, made some great new friends and ended it all with an incredible show at Cafe Du Nord. But it wasn’t just awesome for us – I really think ‘08 saw some of the strongest releases from the local bay area music scene that I’ve come across in a long time. I’m positive there are a ton more that didn’t quite surface on my radar but I just wanted to go share with you a couple of my absolute favorites …
DownDownDown – Night Tonight
DownDownDown makes pop presentable, nay, respectable! They released not one, but TWO EPs in 08, Day To Day and the above mentioned Night Tonight. The whole affair reads as one big album but since they’re officially two releases I’m going to go ahead and give the nod to ‘Night Tonight’. Both EPs are incredibly strong and showcase the bands intricate songwriting style and musical ability flawlessly but I just can’t get enough of ‘Miles Away’, ‘Player Play On’ and title track ‘Night Tonight’. Then again, Geoff and I played the first EP to death on our first tour so it might just be that I dig it because it’s newer. Shit, screw it, buy both of them! P.S. If you haven’t seen these guys live you are missing out on one of the best looking bands in the bay area.
Element 94 – From Sunset To Sunrise
I remember being part of the local scene in 2003 and pop punk just being the thing and I was totally into it, specifically artists like Shafter, Mark B and The Matches. These days there aren’t many good bands continuing to hold up that flame. Actually, on reflection, E94 may be one of the only bands really keeping it alive. Their music is fun as crap and energetic – a great reflection of their live shows – but the songwriting absolutely does not suffer because of it. Great lyrics, great melodies, a great band and they’re giving the whole thing away for free over at their MySpace. Go get it! My votes go towards ‘Breathe California’, ‘After The Fact’ and ‘Pray for Rain’ which is Erins favorite.
I’m sorry, I can’t help but like Dizzy Balloon – they’re fun, laid back and infectious. On top of it all I don’t know that I’ve ever met a nicer more humble group of guys. I am almost certain every track on this CD has become lodged in my brain for days at a time at some point or another. They’re a band with very obvious influences but anyone can draw from The Beatles and the Beach Boys and create a song – the difference about Dizzy Balloon is that they do it very very very very well. My favorite tracks are “I’m Just Me”, “Crazy Jane”, “Chinatown” and, everyones favorite, “Raise A Glass”.
I hate to play favorites but I’m just going to come out and say it: Picture Atlantic’s “Kleos” was one of my favorite albums of 2008, period. Incredibly well produced, incredibly well written and bristling with some of the finest song-writing this side of Los Gatos, the album played frequently in Erin’s, Geoff’s and my car all year. The guys of Picture Atlantic are obviously influenced by the likes of Coldplay and Radiohead but manage to let that come across freely without limiting their own creativity and truly embracing their own sound. There are a lot of bands (local or not) that sound great and put on a fun live show but fall flat in the song-writing department – Picture Atlantic is one of the few that does not suffer from that problem at all. Nikolaus Bartuneks songwriting is top notch and really speaks without being condescending, contrived or too cheese ball. My personal favorite tracks are ‘Doves In The Clefts Of Rock’, ‘Wrapped Up’ and ‘Air’.
… so I’m sure each member of Please Do Not Fight would have their own CD’s to add to this list and I’m positive I’m overlooking some great stuff but this was what dominated my iPod through 2008. I do have to also give a nod out to Drone Hooligan who’s CD would have made my list had I not listened to it once and then promptly lost it. But I had a ton of fun watching them live when we toured with them and Sean Sullivan is up there with Nikolaus Bartunek as one of my all time favorite local songwriters.
In 09 I’m really looking forward to hearing the upcoming albums from Punchface, Super Adventure Club, Pericardium, Montana, 1948 and of course – yours truly! Summer 09 guys, the new Please Do Not Fight EP. We hope we’ll see you at the inevitable CD release party (if not sooner) and that it’ll end up making YOUR list at the end of the year.
-Zen
