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Top 10 for 2008

 

SHADY – Top Ten Reasons Boston Rock is Alive and Well

1. There are more good places to play than anytime in the past 10 years.
2. More mutual respect and camaraderie among local bands.
3. A higher level of local music everywhere that you look.
4. People are still going out despite the horrific economy.
5. If the smoking ban didn’t kill it, nothing will.
6. Alcohol—who doesn’t like alcohol?
7. 18-plus shows are increasing.
8. More cheap places to record.
9. Facebook, Myspace, and other social networking sites.
10. Internet radio stations and shows geared toward Boston rock.

FRANCIS DIMENNO – Eclectia: 2008 Top Ten Releases (plus 5 compilations)

1. The Vital Might: Red Planet
2. The Doom Buggies: The Doom Buggies
3. Dave Aaronoff & the Protagonists: Dead Bird for Dinner
4. Pariah Beat:  Presents…  Pariah Beat Radio
5. Uke of Spaces Corner County: So Far on the Way
6. Sarah Rabdau & Self Employed  Assassins: Sarah Rabdau & Self-Employed Assassins
7. Grey Milk: City Parks After Dark
8. Emergency Music: You’ll Be the Death of Us All, Honey
9. Andy Santospago: Tiny Problems
10. The Ressurrectionists: Here Hope Flows Like Blood From the Nose
THE COMPILATIONS:
1. Birdsongs of the Mesozoic: Dawn of the Cycads
2. Big Dipper: Supercluster
3. The Atlantics: Big City Rock
4. Preacher Jack: Pictures From Life’s Other Side
5. Ball & Pivot: Heart in the Sky

KIER BYRNES – Top Ten Places I Spend My Time When I’m Not On the Road
1. Atwoods (the best BLT I’ve ever had)
2. Toad/Christophers (the yuppie nachos rock as good as the music there)
3. Precinct (though its hard to replace the Nog)
4. Plough & Stars (because their Cuban sandwiches rule)
5. Joe’s Sent Me (Good food, hot waitresses, awesome people)
6. Redbones (yummmmmm)
7. Matt Murphys (so good)
8. Jam Spot (where I can make all the noise I want)
9. The Publick House/The Monk’s Cell (closest thing New England has to a Belgian Brewpub)
10 Cisco Brewery on Nantucket (great beer if you can get it)
Honorable Mention:
The Farragut House in Southie

FRANK STROM – Top Ten Reasons for Suicide/Life in 2008
10. World’s Greatest Sinners disband (Suicide)
9. Muck, Triple Thick, The Curses, Corolla DeVille, and the Allrighters don’t (Life)
8.  Too many DJ nights (Suicide)
7. Sprained Ankles and Ghouls Night Out promise new albums (Life)
6. Coffin Lids didn’t play every week (Suicide)
5. Black Mosettes resurface (Life)
4. Nancy Neon goes low profile (Suicide)
3. Downbeat 5 play on my birthday (Life)
2. Abbey Lounge closes… (Suicide)
1. …but Andrea Gillis’s striped halter may return any day now (LIFE!!!)

SLIMEDOG -Top Ten Things I Miss About Boston

1. Abbey Lounge (guess everyone can miss that now.)
2. Midway Café (and their booking has greatly improved.)
3. College stations (WMBR, WZBC etc.—really great local radio.)
4. The punk scene (nicest group of music people I’ve known.)
5. Central Square (from the Cantab to the many clubs—what Kenmore Square was decades ago.)
6. The Spoiler Girls (Chrissy and Cindy—good music from great dames.)
7. Kara Jeanne (the queen of the rock ’n’ roll scene.)
8. T Max (he said if I didn’t pick him he wouldn’t print this.)
9. Coughlin, DiMenno, Frank Strom (writers who help me make me look a little less eccentric.)
10. The whole music scene of Boston (one of the best in America for decades, never forget that.)

JOEL SIMCHES – Top Ten Bands to Eat Rodent By

10. The Sneaks (chipmunk, smothered in grilled mushrooms, served with an
Australian Merlot)
9. The Death of the Cool (Cardassian voles with Yammok Sauce and a glass of Kanar)
8. Eski Esko (chinchilla with a garlic/white wine sauce with a chilled pinot)
7. Girls, Guns and Glory (beaver drowned in A-1—because it’s THAT important)
6. Doom Buggies (fancy Hairless Rat served with Strawberry Tart—because it’s got some rat in it—well a lot, really)
5.  Bang Camaro (any kind of rodential roadkill as long as it’s washed down by PBR)
4. The Lights Out (squirrel, served with any good microbrew)
3.  Clawjob (guinea Pig with Saffron Rice and a glass of fine Chardonnay)
2.  Three Day Threshold (white tailed prairie dog with a shot of Jack)
1. The Fatal Flaw (carpincho, served with sangria)

KEVIN FINN – Top Ten Bands I Enjoyed Seeing Play Live in 2008
1. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
2. The New Alibis
3. The Have Nots
4. Darkbuster
5. Jason Bennett & the Resistance
6. The Downbeat 5
7. Jenny Dee & the Deelinquents
8. The Ducky Boys
9. Amanda Palmer
10. Letters to Cleo

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