Top 10 new releases of 2008

With 2009 nearly here, state law dictates I can wait no longer to reveal any Best of 2008 lists. And looking back on this year, we had a lot of things worth celebrating tonight -- mainly the new music from our favorite '80s acts.

I'd be shocked if 2009 brought as many good new discs from bands we've worshiped for nearly 30 years now. Are you listening, Bono and Thomas Dolby? Please consider that a formal challenge.

So here are my top 10 favorite new discs from '80s acts released in 2008. I've heard each of these start to finish, but see if you can guess which one CD I gave to music critic Sean Daly and said I never wanted to hear again.

TOP 10 NEW RELEASES OF 2008:

10. BLACK ICE (AC/DC): Those hard-rocking Aussies pride themselves on every album sounding the same. Still, they could have at least picked a better album of theirs to parody. But hard-core fans are happy, and that means something too. (Read review)

9. LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM (The Clash): This would be a top-five contender, except it's basically just an unreleased concert CD from the early '80s. Still, it's brilliant in nearly every way. Just avoid Rock the Casbah. (Read review)

8. SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE (Def Leppard): Old school, baby. O-L-D school. And we dig that about these guys. Please break out the Union Jack T-shirts on the next tour!

7. CHINESE DEMOCRACY (Guns N' Roses): The album everyone wanted to hate, but can't. It's better than expected, but not as good as it should be. (Read review)

6. VENUS IN OVERDRIVE (Rick Springfield): Rick takes his time on new releases and doesn't over-think the lyrics and melodies. That's right ... KISS (Keep it simple, Springfield). And it pays off big for him again on this completely likable album. (Read review)

5. TRAFFIC (ABC): Martin Fry considers himself an elder statesman of pop. But anyone who bought this album or caught them this summer on the Regeneration Tour is ready to lobby to land him a better job title. Prime Minister of the New Romantics maybe? (Hear interview)

4. FUNPLEX (The B-52's): All the time away from the recording studio didn't cause our favorite Athenians to lose their libidos when it comes to writing sexy, playful dance tracks. And give them credit for inventing my favorite word of 2008: Booty-bots! (Read review)

3. ACCELERATE (R.E.M.): Finally an album by R.E.M. (our second-fave group from Athens, Ga.) that we're not ashamed to add to our CD libraries. Crank it for Supernatural Superserious. (Read review)

2. REVELATION (Journey): What more can be said about new singer Arnel Pineda? After all these years, his face and vocals resurrected the Journey franchise. (Read review)

1. 4:13 DREAM (The Cure): A surprise pick for No. 1, but Robert Smith and gang turned out an album that rivals any in their deep collection. Lyrically poignant, musically breathtaking and emotionally nourishing. (Read review)

I'm leaving out: The Greatest Songs of the Eighties (Barry Manilow), Phoenix (Asia), Hole in the Sun (Night Ranger), Twentyfive (George Michael), Bring Ya To The Brink (Cyndi Lauper), Hard Candy (Madonna).

Comments

[Let there be rock!]

Yay for Revelation!!

[Paul Butler]

Yeah, "Phoenix" was actually good. I don't care what you say. It made #3 on my year-end list (of ANY new CDs.)

I can't believe Spears dissed Asia. What is this world coming to?

[Yeah]

The underrated Revelation (Journey), deserves its place, thanks to you. Kudos!

[CHAD]

well, neil, i dont own one metallica cd. i do like some of their tunes, but just never bought any. maybe someday they'll put out a compilation.

[Kaldorlon]

Yes...I still have your Asia disk and have been playing it in the car again lately. We still agree there are 2 strong songs off it too.

[Former Producer Dave, aka Maestro]

Happy New Year, Steve, from you old buddy. Here's to a better one.

[Bassnote]

I have all but ABC & GnR. I'll probably get ABC, but not Axl & The Posers.

[Spears]

Re. the late Bryan Adams -- there's no interview. Very long story. It's on the latest podcast if you want to hear me rant.

[don in tulsa]

just click on my name to see what i thought was good and bad although i know i overlooked some things. if you don't want to see, well then don't click. chad and i agree on a few of them and disagree on a few more but that's okay.

supposedly (patty smyth and) scandal were to put out a new ep in the fall but still no word about when it will come out. i'll get that with some new devo and billy squier and it'll make for a good year.

[Cat]

Hi Spearsy,

I think it's cool you picked The Cure album for # 1, It's AWESOME! I saw them `LIVE` this year. I like all phases of The Cure, past & present, & every obsessive Robert Love Song.

& I especially liked the video where they played amongst the stalactites & stalagmites.

[Neil]

Hey Chad, you forgot about Metallica. One of their better efforts in years.

[Dennis]

The Cure No1??? I am a fan for almost 20 years or so, but this album is the biggest cr*p they ever put out... utterly dreadful, no real melodies, horrible production, and Robert Smith's singing is the worst ever, don't even want to call it singing - to me easily the worst album of the year - ditching Perry+Roger was such a big mistake, poor Simon Gallup, what has he done so he has to suffer this lineup...
anyway, have a good start into 2009 - which is almost round the corner here in Germany - and hopefully many great podcasts still to come (ahem, is 2009 prepared for a podcast on A Flock Of Seagulls, finally???)
cheers Dennis

[Scott Payne]

I must have missed something w/ Bryan Adams. Is the interview w/ him available or did he no show ?

[CHAD]

jeff, hole in the sun is a different sounding night ranger, to an extent. it has a modern sound to it, but there are still the melodies that night ranger is all about. is it as good as albums 1-4, not really, but there are some great songs on it. tell your vision, whatever happend, white knuckle ride, and drama queen are quality tracks. now do i wish they would have a blend of the classic sound and a modern sound, absolutely. maybe next time they make a record, it'll be a mix of hole in the sun and dawn patrol, or midnight madness, or 7 wishes, or big life. it's hard to compete with your legacy, and those first four records are flawless. i know technically, hole came out in 2008 in the us, but in actuality it came out in japan and europe in 2007.

[Jeff in Cuba]

After hanging out with Night Ranger last January, I REALLLLLLLLY wanted to like Hole in the Sun. But no matter what shade of rose-colored headphones I used, it just didn't hit me.

[Douglas Arthur]

I am looking farward to a few things if they happen.

Roxy Music has been working on a new album for several years now and if they ever finish it, that will be a highlight. It was supposed to be out in November, but that didn't happen, so we'll see if it turns up in '09, or if it will become the cool kid equivalent of Chinese Democracy.

Also, Devo dropped word after their Obama Benefit Concert back in October, that they had about 17 songs toward a new release completed, and were hoping to get that together soon. They are looking at having varying producers come in, including Snoop Dogg, and The Teddy Bears (Who did produce the awesome track Watch Us Work It that Devo did for Dell computer last year!) Imagine...a new Devo album! Their first since 1990's Smooth Noodle Maps! Now THAT would be uber-kewl!

I am interested in the upcoming Dolby album as well.

And just to put the dagger in the heart of this post, i am currently listening to the Crispin Glover album again, thanks for reminding me of its blessed existence!

[Miguel]

The Cure album at n.1!Yes Spears you did it well,although The Journey at n.2 becomes a turn off.Anyway...

Maybe one day you`ll move on and become stuck in the 90s,so you can speak with Mr.Adams.

[Spears]

I'm sure Bryan would love to talk about "11" ... if he can ever find a Stuck in the 90s podcast.

[Scott Payne]

I thought the Bryan Adams was a good one also.....................

[Marissa]

Happy New Year, kids!
Thanks to amazon and iTunes, I rarely buy CDs or download entire compilations anymore. I have a little bit of this, and a little bit of that.
I'm not a heavy rocker. That being said, I'm still stuck on the original GnR.
You know I love Rick Springfield, B-52s and ABC. As for the rest, I can take 'em or leave 'em. That's not saying it's a poopy list. Far from it.
Your reason for not including Bryan "I'm not an 80s act" Adams is completely understandable. Without "Summer of '69" he'd likely be just another pock faced goon walking amongst the Canadian population. We made him, damn it!

[80sfan]

I did like Richard Marx's Emotional Remains but it was not as upbeat as it was advertised. And I really like the first track on Sundown.

[CHAD]

well personally, i dig phoenix. sure it's not as good as the debut, but nothing could ever be. i'd stack never again against almost any song the band has previously done. sure the record could've used a few more up tempo tunes, but i think it's a highlight of 2008 and asia as a band.

[CHAD]

80s fan, did you like richard's other cd, emotional remains. i think it is the better of the two. i rather richard rocking, but sundown really shows off his great voice.

[80sfan]

I would have included Cyndi Lauper's Brink Ya to the Brink on my list (she did get a Grammy nomination for it after all) and Bryan Adam's 11. And having just received my Richard Marx CDs a few days ago, I would put Sundown on my list too.

And Venus in Overdrive would be at the very top.

[Spears]

I really thought Phoenix was a huge disappointment. Another omission was The Pretenders' new disc (just awful).

As for Bryan Adams, I enjoyed his "11" album, but since he doesn't consider himself an '80s act, he's off the list.

[CHAD]

a few omissions
asia-phoenix
whitesnake-good to be bad
motley crue-saints of los angeles
john mellencamp-life, death, love and freedom
bryan adams-11(i know he's dead to you)
richard marx-sundown and emotional remains(web only releases)
sammy hagar-cosmic universal fashion
tesla-forever more(best rock album of 2008)
dokken-lightning strikes again(return to form)

i agree that 2009 will not have to number or caliber of releases from 2008 of classic artists, but there are a few worthy of mentioning. here's a few that have been mentioned as coming this year, ace frehley, chickenfoot(sammy's new band with joe satriana, michael anthony, and chad smith), billy squier(check out his website, he states he's been writing and recording new music, hopefully with a tour to follow), bon jovi(rumored to be rocking and loud, according to ritchie sambora), cheap trick, zz top, ratt, and the return of KISS.

[Spears]

Oh, dear sweet Kaldorlon. You hated the new Asia album as much as I did. That's why you're using the disc as a drink coaster at your so-called "bachelor bunker."

[Kaldorlon]

uggh...make that Virgin...I need to lay off the kamikazee's this morning.

[Kaldorlon]

Blastphomy! Leaving out Asia, I revoked your charter membership in the 40 year old Vigin (gigilo for Spearsy) Club. Go back to your Wild Turkey and stick to kissing the VGF!