Best of 2008 (So Far)

Get out your noisemakers and grab a glass of champagne because it is time to celebrate happy halfway year!

A lot has happened in music for 2008 and we’re only halfway through the year. That’s why we thought it would be a good idea to check in with the staff here at PopWreckoning to see what album releases they’re loving from the year, what the best show has been so far and finally what they are most looking forward to in the rest of the year to come for album releases.

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Jessica McGinley | Editor-in-Chief | Philadelphia
*Five Favorites:
1. Man Man – Rabbit Habits review
2. Mr. Gnome – Deliver This Creature review
3. Quitzow – Art College review
4. Estelle – Shine
5. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell review
*Most Anticipated:
1. Beck – Modern Guilt
2. Black Kids – Partie Traumatic review
*Best Show:
The Roots Picnic: The Roots, Esperanza Spalding, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Gnarls Barkley, Deerhoof, Diplo, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Cool Kids
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Joshua Neal | Associate Editor | Kansas City
*Five Favorites:
1. Grand Ole Party – Humanimals
2. The Whigs – Mission Control
3. Duffy – Rockferry review
4. The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
5. She and Him – Volume One review
*Most Anticipated:
1. Dr. Dre – Detox
2. Kevin Devine – TBA
3. Rachel Yamagata – TBA
*Best Show:
Hotel Cafe Tour: Ingrid Michaelson, Dan Wilson, Cary Brothers, Meiko, Jim Bianco
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Sara Bellum | Staff Writer | Pittsburgh
*Five Favorites:
1. The New Frontiers – Mending review
2. Jim Bianco - Sing review
3. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City (was a 2007 release)
4. Jason Mraz – We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
5. Murder By Death – Red of Tooth and Claw
*Most Anticipated:
1. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (since released)
2. Jack’s Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
3. Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
4. Imogen Heap – TBA
5. Rachel Yamagata – TBA
*Best Show:
Jim Bianco, Brooke Waggoner, Jeremy Fisher tied with Martin Royale, Stars
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Nick Davis | Photographer | Kansas City
*Five Favorites:
1. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
2. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely
3. She and Him – Volume One review
4. Tilly and the Wall – O review
5. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes review
*Most Anticipated:
1. Ben Kweller – Changing Horses
*Best Show:
Not applicable
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Hanna Marie Pageau | Staff Writer | Orlando
*Five Favorites:
The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues review
Phantom Planet – Raise the Dead
The Cab – Whisper War review
The Audition – Champion
Automatic Loveletter – Recover EP
*Most Anticipated:
Gym Class Heroes – The Quilt
Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
Automatic Loveletter - TBA
*Best Show:
Really Really Ridiculously Good Looking Tour: Cobra Starship, Metro Station, The Cab, We The Kings
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Jimmy Newborg | Staff Writer | Boston
*Five Favorites:
Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer review
Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us review
Why? – Alopecia
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend review
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
*Most Anticipated:
Beck – Modern Guilt
*Best Show:
Robyn, DJ Die Young
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Bethany Smith | Staff Writer | Kansas City
*Five Favorites:
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Motion City Soundtrack – Acoustic EP review
Republic Tigers – Keep Color
Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs review
*Most Anticipated:
Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
Black Kids – Partie Traumatic review
The Faint – Fasciination
*Best Show:
Obama Rally: Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Jim Ward (Sparta, Sleepercar, At the Drive-In), Secret Life of Sparrows
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Ed Roper | Writer/Photographer | Philadelphia
*Five Favorites:
Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead review
Pattern Is Movement – All Together
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
The Fashion – Like Knives
Quitzow - Art College review
*Most Anticipated:
Aderbat – We Belong to the Sea
Albert Hammond Jr. – ¿Cómo Te Llama? review
Dr. Dog – Fate
Calexico – Carried to Dust
Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul
*Best Show:
Helio Sequence
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Molly | Contributor | Atlanta
*Five Favorites:
Kay Hanley – Weaponize
Crash Moderns – Good Night Glamour, Good Morning Disaster
Eisley – Combinations
B-52’s – Funplex
1969 – Maya
*Most Anticipated:
Butch Walker – Sycamore Meadows
American Hi-Fi – TBA
Jill Sobule – TBA
Mitch Allen – Foreverpromised,butneverdeliverednewalbum
No Doubt – Foreverpromised,butneverdeliverednewalbum
*Best Show:
Not applicable
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Carina | Contributor | Nashville
*Five Favorites:
The Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride review
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Perishing
Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Forest City Lovers – Haunting Moon Sinking review
Xiu Xiu – Women As Lovers review
*Most Anticipated:
Black Kids – Partie Traumatic review
Beck - Modern Guilt
¡Forward, Russia! – Life Processes review
*Best Show:
Not applicable
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Melissa | Contributor | Kansas City
*Five Favorites:
Not applicable
*Most Anticipated:
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Jonezetta – Cruel To Be Young
Ben Folds – TBA
*Best Show:
As Cities Burn (opened for Emery and Mayday Parade)