A few months into this year I couldn't shake the feeling that 2008 just wasn't going to be the great year for new music that 2007 was.  And so here I am, about a week away from 2009, and I still feel the same way.  It wasn't a total wash mind you, as there was definitely some quality to be enjoyed.  So here's my take on the 2008 music year - good, bad, and ugly. The Best of the Best (Albums) Fleet Foxes - ... Read on, Daddy-O

Here's the dirty little secret that both fans and detractors of Metallica seem to forget from time to time.  Rather than being a faceless musical entity, they're really just four human beings who have grown and changed a great deal since 1983.  And don't tell anyone, but so have their fans (well, most of them)! I was just shy of 13 years old when ...And Justice for All came out in 1988.  Imagine if I conducted my daily affairs as if I were ... Read on, Daddy-O

The buzz behind Metallica's new album, Death Magnetic, continues to build prior to its September 12 worldwide release.  This is easily the most hyped Metallica released since, well, St. Anger.  The stream represents 60% of the final 10-song product, an unexpected amount of accessibility for the band.  Here's what you'll hear when you visit their site: "The Day That Never Comes" - Decent for the first 4 minutes, then it gets much better.  And hey, a Kirk Hammett solo! "My Apocalypse" - Pretty kickass ... Read on, Daddy-O

In retrospect, it seems pretty obvious that Down on the Upside was a signal that Soundgarden was at a musical crossroad, and might not be long for the world.  While there were quite a few good songs on the album, it was not nearly as focused or unified as previous efforts.  In fact, less than one year after releasing the album in May 1996, Soundgarden called it quits. And while Down on the Upside does show the band slipping from the creative and ... Read on, Daddy-O

A live version of "Cyanide", from the Metallica's upcoming album Death Magnetic, was uploaded to YouTube yesterday.  It's from the band's recent performance at OzzFest in Dallas.  To my ears it sounds like the Black Album era, with a bit more complexity in the songwriting.  The short clip of another song at the beginning actually sounds pretty cool.  Check it out: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkENCKPiUFU[/youtube] Sounds like it could be a good sign for the rest of the album, but I don't yet by into the ... Read on, Daddy-O

From the chilly depths of the ocean comes an album so fierce, so metal, that only an exquisitely kickass piece of artwork could do it justice.  While not a strict concept album, Mastodon's 2004 metal opus Leviathan is loosely based on the story of Moby Dick.  Of course that much should be obvious, as one of the songs is entitled "I Am Ahab".  I took a chance on this album when I bought it a few years ago (I don't care for ... Read on, Daddy-O