Mike Damante
Another Hallmark holiday is on the way and while people are giving thanks for food, Roshan and I would like to give thanks for and show love to our favorite bands.
It is great news to hear in the wake of Travis Barker’s plane crash that Barker, Mark Hoppus and Tom Delonge are talking again. It is way too early to even speculate about a blink-182 reunion and any real fan would appreciate the fact they are all trying to mend their friendships.
Reunited and it feels so good – The Get Up Kids are coming back. Just in time for the 10-year anniversary of Something To Write Home About, let’s all hope for a reunion tour that makes a stop in Houston.
All previous negative thoughts and comments about Kanye West have been thrown out the window with 808s ‘ Heartbreak. The album is a stroke of genius and a genre-transcending triumph. Roshan, you were right about Kanye all along.
While on the subject of hip-hop, who else is ecstatic about the news of Eminem finishing up a new album? Hip-hop has been severely lacking without Eminem, and his return should make for an interesting 2009.
For all the bands making real music, for the right reasons; thank you. The All Time Lows and Forever the Sickest Kids of the world please put down your Guitar Hero and have your parents pick you up from the mall.
Where have you been all my life Tegan and Sara? Better late than never to discover this talented Canadian duo that makes listeners forget about past exports such as Rush.
I’m thankful for the tremendous interview opportunities with Delonge, Matt Skiba and The Gaslight Anthem.
We hope to bring you continued coverage of the best in music next semester.
Roshan Bhatt
In respect to the happy vibe of the holiday seasons, I’m just going to get the negativity out of the way before getting to the good stuff. I am NOT thankful for 99 percent of the bands that are played on alternative and rock radio. It’s almost as if there is no creativity anymore. I’m also not thankful for these flavor-of-the-week one-hit-wonder rappers like Plies and V.I.C. Nobody wants "to get silly."
I am definitely thankful for Kanye West, as you’ll see in my review. The man slides off of peoples’ radars and is written off due to his immensely inflated ego, but there is a true genius behind the insanity. The Glow in the Dark tour was one of the best things I’ve personally witnessed, and an overall spectacle for modern music.
This was a great year for hip-hop as we were introduced to Kid Cudi and Wale. These two are the future of hip-hop, as they put emphasis into lyrical talent, while maintaining mainstream appeal. Kid Cudi’s A Kid Named Cudi mixtape and Wale’s The Mixtape About Nothing were both better than 90 percent of official studio releases, respectively.
There were also great mainstream releases from a lot of big names like T.I., whose album Paper Trail is incredible. Nas, The Game, Ludacris and Young Jeezy all had stellar releases as well. Generally speaking, you could say I’m thankful for anything that has made my feet move or head bob in 2008.
Last but definitely not least is The Alkaline Trio, Thrice and The Gaslight Anthem tour, which was one for the books as well. As one of the most cohesive lineups in a long time, it was a good reminder of what music is really about to those in attendance. Alkaline Trio and Thrice did a fine job of taking everyone down memory lane and giving fans an unforgettable performance.
I’m also thankful for Sound Check. It’s always a good thing to be able to write whatever you want in an outlet that reaches an audience.
