Here we go.... 1. SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN - Pershing www.myspace.com/boris From the fertile soils of Springfield, Missouri!! If the Shins made sunnier, more accessible pop and if Death Cab gave their overwrought sentiments a rest and focused more on good songs they might sound something like this band. There is not one dud on this debut album. Perfect uncomplicated, yet supremely well crafted. Just as good pop album should be. 2. FRIENDLY FOES - Born Radical www.myspace.com/friendlyfoes Wow! Straight outta left field comes this Detroit band with pure balls-to-the-wall melodic assault that recalls the New Pornographers and their most spastic ("Electric Version" era) and TSAR at the their most melodic. There's a lot to embrace here - the pure, unbridled energy of a brand new band getting their groove on and not holding back. 3. GREG POPE - Popmonster www.gregpope.net This former Edmunds Crown leader's solo debut is chock full of pure power pop bravado with absolutely no filler. I was floored! The Shazam, Badfinger, Matthew Sweet (at his best) are clear reference points, but all in all this is solid, original power pop of the highest order. 4. PETER ADAMS - I Woke With The Planets In My Face www.peteradamsmusic.com I touted the virtues of this Cincinnati kid's (he's still in his 20's so he's a kid to me!) debut "The Spiral Eyes" several years ago. He's outdone himself with this new one. A kaleidoscope of complex, orchestral pop...with delicate song structures, arrangements and orchestrations that would make the Beatles or Brian Wilson weep. Seriously...IT'S THAT GOOD. If this guy's stuff don't move you...check your pulse! 5. NADA SURF - Lucky www.myspace.com/nadasurf While not as strong as 2005's "The Weight Is a Gift" or 2002's phenomenal "Let Go", Nada Surf still has the bar set high when it comes to wonderfully calculated and dynamic songcraft. The album reels through dynamic chord and tempo changes and highlights the band's penchant for maximizing the sonic space with a rather minimalist approach. 6. THE WELL WISHERS - Jigsaw Days www.myspace.com/thewellwishers If you can't love yourself.who can you love? 7. FRANK CIAMPI - Big Top Woman www.myspace.com/frankciampi List-member Matt C. turned me on to this guy from Boston. A supremely talented pop songsmith in the truest classic tradition. Hints of the Beach Boys, Beatles, Jellyfish, Queen are all over this record. While his influences are obvious, Frank is careful not to be totally consumed by them. www.myspace.com/frankciampi 8. SLOAN - Parallel Play www.sloanmusic.com Even at their most mediocre, Sloan is better than most pop bands of their ilk. This is very average album by Sloan standards.but still damn good and great candy for the ears. 9. MATTHEW SWEET - Sunshine Lies www.matthewsweet.com While nowhere near the power pop greatness of "Girlfriend" or "100% Fun", this is easily Sweet's best album since the 90s. Stellar tracks like Byrdgirl, Let's Love and the title track give this album its unshaking melodic bite and remind us of what Sweet can do with a god song when he puts his heart and soul into it. 10. SANTOGOLD - Santogold www.myspace.com/santogold I was surprised how much I liked this album. Totally out of the power pop paradigm, but an engaging blend of new wave, dub, and electro-pop highlighted by Ms. S's sweetly soulful vocals. 11. R.E.M. - Accelerate www.remhq.com Easily the best album they've made in the last 15 years..maybe even 20! Simple, straightforward, emotive and powerful without being too pretentious. 12. BOB MOULD - District Line www.bobmould.com Bob's still got it! 13. LIAM FINN - I'll Be Lightning http://www.myspace.com/theliamfinn It's definitely in the genes! If young Liam is this good now.just wait another 10 or 15 years. Impressive debut! 14. SUPERGRASS - Diamond Hoo Ha www.myspace.com/supergrass As with most of their previous albums, Supergrass proudly displays their affection for 70s pop and glam - with piano and guitar laden romps that mine the best of Bowie and T. Rex. Not quite as memorable as "Life On Other Planets", but a good one. 15. OASIS - Dig Out Your Soul www.oasisinet.com Another great comeback from a band whose work the last 10 years has been spotty - at best. 16. MINIATURE TIGERS - Tell It To The Volcano The song Cannibal Queen alone is enough to qualify this album for a best of 2008 list. Best pop song of the year! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrUrv7CBbN4 17. ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JR. - Catnip Dynamite www.rogerjosephmanningjr.com While RJM's boyish vocals and uber-glammy song structures can be a bit kitschy there's no denying his talent at mining the best that 70s pop rock had to offer. 18. THE JELLYBRICKS - Goodnight To Everyone www.myspace.com/thejellybricks Glad this Philly-area band is still around making music. Warm, bright splashy and supremely catchy power pop of the highest caliber! 19. ROB BONFIGLIO - Bring On The Happy www.myspace.com/robbonfigliomusic Former Wanderlust/Skies of American virtuoso. A recent addition to my year-end list, but an impressive debut solo record. Classic 70's inspired pop textures laced with piano, guitar and sublime melodies. 20. CLASS THREE OVERBITE - Horses For Courses www.myspace.com/classthreeoverbite A supremely talented duo from the Detroit area. I was pleased to see NotLame touting this album as one of their fave releases for 2008. Uber-crafty 70's-inspired glam pop. If you liked the last L.E.O. album...as well as ELO, Queen, Jellyfish, Imperial Drag you have to dig this band **HONROABLE MENTIONS** THE JULIE OCEAN - Long Gone and Nearly There THE 88 - Not Only.But Also MGMT - Oracular Spectacular MIGHTY FAIRLY - Big Words and Power Chords PANIC AT THE DISCO - Pretty.Odd (pretty Beatle-esque if you ask me. Who knew the emo kids had it in 'em!) THE MARY ONETTES - s/t (Derivative beyond reproach, but beautifully sums up everything great about 80s post punk and modern rock (Echo & The Bunnymen, Chameleons, Joy Division/New Order, etc) www.myspace.com/themaryonettes THE DRESS WHITES - My God, The Shame ROCKFOUR - Memories of the Never Happened THE SUCCESSFUL FAILURES - Ripe For The Burning SLOW RUNNER - Mermaids TIM MYERS - The Good Life EP THE WHIGS - Mission Control BEN FOLDS - Way To Normal PINK SPIDERS - Sweat It Out TELEPATHIC BUTTERFLIES - Breakfast In Suburbia M83 - Saturdays = Youth JEREMY MESSERSMITH - The Silver City ** Most Disappointing ** WEEZER - Red Album Does anyone know what happened to Weezer? Like a fine wine - I was hoping they would grow better with age. This album is almost unbearable.salvaged only by the juvenile mediocrity of the single "Pork and Beans". THE DANDY WARHOLS - Earth To. The Dandys have always been a rather one-dimensional band - a group that tends to sacrifice songcraft for an aesthetic of neo-psychedelic soundscapes, trippy beats, and droning repetitive chord patterns. Most of this album is faceless, background noise for heshers and ravers looking for their next audio contact high. FLEET FOXES - This band is way too precious for their own good. I know every indie snob and scarf wearing blogger from Brooklyn to Berkeley is raving about this album. I tried. I gave it fair shake. I almost grew a beard and dusted off my Chuck Taylors - but in reality, this shit just made me want to go to sleep. VAMPIRE WEEKEND - s/t Afro-pop. Seriously? The Police and Paul Simon did it much better in the 80s!