( Spoiler Alert! Don't read unless you've read Final Crisis #6 or don't care about comic stories. )

i don't wanna type this all again, so here's the link:

http://nobodyreadsyourblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/2008-year-in-review-music/

Alone in a crowd, but we're still standing strong
With X'ed up fists and sing alongs
Times like these are what we live for
These days are more than we'd ever hoped for

We're still here, and we'll never forget the words we said
Time flies by, and the promises made will stay with us
Through our lives

We're not finished yet, that's right

They tried to break the best of us
But still our hearts are true to promises kept

-

Am I the the fool for holding in all these words and their value
Taken to heart lessons learned I always felt it was sacred

Understand our directions face separate ways
You just be the critic and I'll set the example by setting my rules

Stuck between expectations that I set and the set backs
In this perspective I can see I was given a chance to speak up

I have to follow what's in myself

-

Ambitions fail, complications hail
All my insecurities all fucking prevail
Do I turn to a drink or into what I want to be?
Is a substance gonna be the crutch that's going to set me fucking free?
The pressure rises and I feel the strain
The doubt begins and confusions reign
Directionless, where do I turn?
Don't fail me know, the one thing that I've learned

I've learned the fucking strength to fucking push it aside

We know, we know, I got the strength inside
You know I got it and I know it so I'll show it
To live with pain
The choice is in my hands
That's just an anchor that'll drown you man
We know, we know, you got the strength inside to defeat the problems of our lives without the crutch cause we all know that life is hard enough as it is

-

Because I will be here tomorrow and I will be here next year
Just like this X on the back of my hand, I’m not going nowhere

"The Flame Deluge"
I feel that I was meant for something more;
My curse, this awful power to unmake.
And ever since you found your taste for war,
You've forced me onto those whose lives you take.

While Guernica in peaceful valley lay,
And Dresden dreamed of anything but death,
The day was turned to night, and night to day;
You let me loose upon their fragile flesh.

And so I hid among the smallest things;
You found me there and ferried me above.
The flame deluge is waiting in the wings;
The smallest thread holds back the second flood.

And who will stand to greet the blinding light;
It's lonely when there's no one left to fight.


"Kings Upon The Main"
This lesson you'd do well not to forget.
Your life could be the one it's wisdom saves,
At sea, when you're beleaguered and beset,
On every side by strife of wind and waves.

Despite the best of maps and bravest men,
For all their mighty names and massive forms,
There'll never be and there has never been
A ship or fleet secure against the storm.

When kings upon the main have clung to pride,
And held themselves as masters of the sea,
I've held them down beneath the crushing tide
Till they have learned that no one masters me.

But grace can still be found within the gale;
With fear and reverence, raise your ragged sail.


"Silver Wings"
From tender years you took me for granted.
But still I deigned to wander through your lungs.
While you were sleeping soundly in your bed,
(Your drapes were silver wings, your shutters flung)

I drew the poison from the summer's sting,
And eased the fire out your fevered skin.
I moved in you and stirred your soul to sing;
And if you'd let me I would move again.

I've danced 'tween sunlit strands of lover's hair;
Helped from the final words before your death.
I've pitied you and plied your sails with air;
Gave blessing when you rose upon my breath.

And after all of this I am amazed,
That I am cursed far more than I am praised.


"Child Of Dust"
Dear prodigal, you are my son and I
Supplied you not your spirit, but your shape.
All Eden's wealth arrayed before your eyes;
I fathomed not you wanted to escape.

And though I only ever gave you love,
Like every child you've chosen to rebel.
Uprooted flow'rs and filled the holes with blood;
Ask not for whom they toll, the solemn bells.

A child of dust, to mother now return;
For every seed must die before it grows.
And though above the world may toil and turn,
No prying spades will find you here below.

Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet,
Here I will teach you truly how to sleep.

Current Music: Thrice - The Alchemy Index

we move for all mankind, a million miles from everything we've ever known
and we're on their hearts and minds, a million heads are bowed to bring us safely home
hemmed in by emptiness, a million ways that everything could be undone
this hollow in my chest is filled with reasons not to sing but i found one, i know

we are not alone, we feel an unseen love
we are sons and heirs of grace
we are children of a light that never dims
a love that never dies, keep your chin up child
and wipe the tears from your eyes

in sleep we saw ourselves, a million years we had been waiting there it seems
while someone weaves a spell, a million stars look on in witness to our dreams

we feel an unseen love
we are children of light
stand ready and tall, reflect the light

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: Thrice - Music Box

you wrestle yourself to the ground
you springboard and kick yourself in the mouth
cause all of that drama, that embarrassed charade
couldn't stop you or settle you down

so you got back with your black hole
and you don't care who's out there or who knows
cause you're spent and you're sad
cause you've bronzed it, it's your badge
and you've fixed it to all your clothes

every t-shirt and overcoat
so it's with you through hot or cold
but i would tear it from the cloth
yeah, i would tear it from the cloth
grow up and knock it off

cause there's a world awake outside
with injustice and music and july, july
with history's arc,
with your family,
with art.
but it don't mean nothing
not to you, not tonight

you can't see past the length of your nose
the biggest problems, well you're sure they're your own
that girl you cut loose
those two friends that cursed you
and all that powder that you can't leave alone

and you say, you know, you know, you know
but i know that you don't, you don't, you don't
cause if you did, you'd really try
if you did, you'd really try to let all that die

so marry yourself to your work
and crowd your confusion with words
then round out your life with some records you like
while you bury your love in the dirt

cause it's endless, the ditch you can dig
you're stubborn, and you're prideful, and you're all over it
so i suggest you make sense of the time you've got left
so you don't end up back where you've been

and you say you won't, you won't, you won't
and i hope that you don't, you don't, you don't
but if you mean it, then stand up and fight
but if you mean it, then stand up and fight
cause i mean, it's only your life

i mean it's only your life
to fix or ruin
to figure what to do with
it's only your life
to fix or ruin
cause no one else is going to do it
cause it's only your life

Current Music: Kevin Devine - It's Only Your Life

Top Albums of 2007
30) Fall Out  Boy - Infinity On High
29) Capital - Homefront
28) The Receiving End Of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
27) Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me
26) Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
25) Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight
24) Four Year Strong - Rise Or Die Trying
23) The Starting Line - Direction
22) Eisley - Combinations
21) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
20) Tegan & Sara - The Con
19) Chuck Ragan - Feast Or Famine
18) Sundowner - Four One Five Two
17) Saves The Day - Under The Boards
16) Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
15) Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
14) Dashboard Confessional - The Shade Of Poison Trees
13) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
12) Iron & Wine - The Shepard's Dog
11) Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home
10) The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
9)  Lifetime - Lifetime
8) Steel Train - Trampoline
7) The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
6) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
5) Straylight Run - The Needles The Space
4) Radiohead - In Rainbows
3) Crime In Stereo - Is Dead
2) Say Anything - In Defense Of The Genre
1) Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. I & II

Top Full Length Non-Albums
The Format - B-Sides & Rarities
A New Found Glory - From Your Screen To Your Stereo Part II
Thursday - Kill The House Lights
Alkaline Trio - Remains

Top EPs
5) Therefore I Am - Escape
4) This Time Next Year - A Place For You
3) Offsides - Demo
2) Kevin Devine - 2007 Tour EP
1) Last Of The Believers - Paper Ships Under A Burning Bridge

Albums Released in 2007 That I Haven't Really Listened To Yet (Thus Keeping Off My Top Albums List)
A Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide
Circa Survive - On Letting Go
Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice
Page France - ...And The Family Telephone
The Dear Hunter - Act II:  The Meaning Of...
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Jay-Z - American Gangster

Most Dissappointing Albums
Against Me! - New Wave
Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Funeral For A Friend - Tales Don't Tell Themselves
The Receiving End Of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
Note:  These are by no means bad albums.  I just expected to like these more.  For the most part, these are good albums, I probably just need more time with them, but my lack of desire to want to listen to these enough to "get" them is part of the disappointment.

Best New Bands
3) The Graduate
2) Offsides
1) Last Of The Believers

Best Lyrics
5) John/Michelle Nolan (Straylight Run)
4) Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)
3) Ari Katz (Lifetime)
2) Max Bemis (Say Anything)
1) Dustin Kensrue (Thrice)

Best Vocals
5) Stacy/Sherri Dupree (Eisley)
4) James Mercer (The Shins)
3) Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
2) Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)
1) Dustin Kensrue (Thrice)

Best Music DVDs
3) Champion - Different Directions
2) Thursday - Kill The House Lights
1)  The Format - Live At The Mayan Theater

Best Shows I Attended
10) Straylight Run @ The ICC
9) Steel Train/Ace Enders/Kevin Devine @ T.T. The Bear's
8) Morrissey @ The Orpheum
7) Cold War Kids/Delta Spirit @ The Middle East
6) Say Anything/Saves The Day (+ Acoustic Set at BC) @ The Avalon
5) Lifetime @ The Axis
4) .moneen. @ The ICC
3) The Format/Piebald/Limbeck/Steel Train @ The Avalon
2) Brand New/Kevin Devine/Manchester Orchestra @ The Avalon
1) Brand New/Thrice/mewithoutYou @ Tsongas Arena

Pros
Frontmen releasing solo albums (Dustin Kensrue, Chuck Ragan, Sundowner)
Bands taking chances (Thrice concept EPs, Say Anything double album, Radiohead digital release)
Pat Kelliher making/playing music
Chris Carrabba comes to his senses and realizes what makes Dashboard Confessional good
Package tours with lots of good bands
Cons
Angels and Airwaves still existing
Curfew at The ICC cutting Moneen and Straylight Run sets short
Shows not in Boston (and instead in Worcester or Lowell)
No Postal Service album
Jesse Lacey's artsy weirdness hurting Brand New's live show

Most Anticipated Albums of 2008
15) Have Heart
14) Morrissey
13) Taking Back Sunday
12) New Found Glory
11) Jack's Mannequin
10) Set Your Goals
9) Cold War Kids
8) Kevin Devine
7) Glassjaw
6) Brand New
5) Thursday
4) .moneen.
3) Death Cab For Cutie (Postal Service? hopefully)
2) The Format
1) Thrice/Dustin Kensrue

Predictions for 2008
1.  2008 is the year of Death Cab and all things related (Postal Service, Chris Walla solo)
2.  Thrice's Earth is amazing, but Air is an opus
3.  The new Avalon/Axis club isn't as good as either previous club, but lessens the number of bands going to the Palladium
4.  Tome Delonge is still a pretentious asshole
5.  Hot Water Music record new music and exist similar to Lifetime
6.  Midtown reunion/final show finally happens, and gets ball rolling for a Movielife reunion
7.  Chinese Democracy still doesn't come out
8.  The #1 album of 2008 according to Pitchforkmedia doesn't get a rating higher than 8.0 when it's reviewed by them.
9.  Andy Jackson joining Taking Back Sunday is the key to them returning to a Tell All Your Friends level.
10.  Emo is the new goth/metal (scene for news to attack and blame for all of the world's problems)

Current Location: ABQ, NM
Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: Cobra Starship - The City Is At War

i finally got home this morning at 10am.  i'm glad i was able to get on that first flight and not the 8pm that i was booked for.  apparently it snowed in denver this afternoon.

but yeah, i'm home.  it's nice.  even though it's been a long time, it still has a home kinda feeling to it. 

sleep should probably happen since i onlly slept 2 hours last night.

thanks to all for the well wishes. i'm not dead (yay!)

ps go to www.deathcabforcutie.com.  i'm so excited for this.  2008 will be the year of death cab, but more on that when i write a wrap up of music in 07.

Current Location: Albuquerque, NM
Current Music: Home Alone

so i'm stuck in the denver airport for the night.  snow in boston delayed my flight to denver 4 hours, so i missed all the flights to albuquerque.  as of now, i have an 8pm flight tomorrow, but i'm on standby on the first flight tomorrow morning, so hopefully i can get on an earlier flight.  i thought about staying at a hotel, but it didn't seem worth the money since i'd have to be back early tomorrow to try to get on the first flight to abq anyway.  besides, this is a fun story i'll have to reflect on later in my life.

i'm debating how much sleep i want to try to get.  i'm tired, but i'm also a tad paranoid that if i go to sleep someone is gonna steal all of my stuff.  that would be the lame.  i'll probably be up another hour or so and then catch a couple hours of sleep to be up by 4 since the counters open at 4:45.

denver airport is cool coz it has free wifi.

if it seems like i'm rambling, it's because i am.  i've already checked all of my usual sites, so now i'm just sitting.  i'll probably try some online games, but the internet is kinda slow and choppy so i don't know how well it'd work.  i was gonna read some interesting articles online when i realized i don't want to read right now.  if only i had some dvds w/ me (they're all in my check-in bag).  or if i could remember the good sites where you can watch shows and what not.

i'm surprising not that angry or upset at the situation.  it's not really anyone's fault, so why get angry at united people for the weather.  they can't control it, and they were really nice and helpful in getting my shit figured out.  i got really annoyed at all of the people who were bitching a shitload.  i can't understand how people get this understand how people get so upset and angry and sad.  life sucks, deal with it.

oh well, that's it for now.  i'll probably get bored and type some more later.  i'll probabably be even more tired, so it should be a fun post.

happy holidays to all

Current Location: Denver International Airport

Thrice is unbelievably incredible.  Their set last night blew me away.  The music, lighting, sequence, everything was perfect.  They never disappoint, and always exceed expectations.

Listen to Thrice, see them live.  If you don't have any of their stuff, ask me, and I'll give it to you.

That being said, if you see them and do like them, go out and buy the actual cds (they put a lot of work into their packaging, so it's worth it) or go buy a shirt or some merch.  this band is the best band around, and they deserve a shitload of support.

Current Mood: in awe