I recently read an article concerning the highly anticipated, upcoming U2 album called No Line on the Horizon.  Within the article, Bono makes mention that this could be U2’s greatest album.  And I started to wonder…what does make a great album?  Naturally, it isn’t an artist’s assumption that a completed work could be the band’s greatest or we’d be awash in extraordinary music.  Rather, great albums are awarded the assignation by fans, and years of testing.  The quality of the music, how it holds up over time, and how it compares to the complete works of a band, even how much of the album is compelling repeat listening are the ultimate barometers of what makes a great album. 

Readers must bear in mind that this is in no way a knock against U2, their music, the upcoming album, or any preceding albums.  Like all fans of the band, I have my favourites, and I have my dislikes.  And like many fans, especially where U2 is concerned, these choices vary by individuals.  It matters not whether you are an uber-fan, or appreciative of the band in their finer moments, or just like good music, you have your choices on what works, and what doesn’t.  I have not heard the album and thus cannot make a judgment on the music within No Line on the Horizon.  And so I won’t comment on it now.  However, with Bono’s assertion that this album may supplant albums like The Joshua Tree, War, Achtung Baby, or The Unforgettable Fire as the album that U2 gets remembered for caused me to wonder what really makes an album so great.  Not to mention, you have to wonder if this was a subliminal effort by Bono to “market” the album more fully.  As it is, there are no bands today that command fan’s attention greater than U2.  They may be the only band in this time to sell multiple millions of units, where everyone else struggles to sell Gold (500,000). 

Now, I open this forum up to readers to chime in with your discussions on what makes a record great.  If you want to throw in your 2 cents on whether this could be the best thing that U2 has ever produced, feel free.  Personally, I have increasingly found it harder to listen to U2 since The Joshua Tree, but I’ve fairly listened to every release.  I give great credit to the band in their quest and success to remain relevant with new music when everyone else have only been able to do the ‘greatest hits’ tours (no need to mention names).

Send your piece here at this link.

We have a few reviews for you today that include the excellent Just Another Night by Michael Stanley as reviewed by Mark Squirek. I contribute two that include just released Peel Sessions for Nebula, and the US release (with two bonus tracks) of Fantasy Black Channel by UK's Late of the Pier. We'll check back in on Friday.

We have several things to kick-off the New Year with. The first is our Annual Reader's Choice 'Best of 20xx' picks. In this case, you'll be picking the Best of 2008. i always look forward to these picks because it gives me a fast way to check up on things that I have missed over the year. I have always made new gains to my library with the arrival of these lists and I'm sure to do so again. You guys know the rules by now. Just send a list of the Best that graced our players over the course of 2008. We'll run this through January and then post results in February. Send them here at The Best Albums of 2008.

Also, we haven't forgot the fun Poll that picks the best album from a band's career. We're gpoing to kick off this new year with one for Aerosmith. Now Aerosmith is a band that rose to peak, crashed and burned, redefined, rose to another peak before silently fading away. Yes, the band still exists and still make recordings but not to the same degree of popularity that we have seen from them...twice. I suspect that we're going to see several schools of opinion here. Those that love the albums that began their career, those that love the second period of their revival, and those that just loved the band no matter what they did. I have a favourite. It is easily their second album, Get Your Wings. Full of high-energy bluesy rock, it was very hard for me to get back on track to anything that have done since then. However, I did love their works afterward, it was all measured against the power of that second album. So send us your choice for the Best Album for Aerosmith. You are invited to add commentary as to why you think your choice is the right one. Send them to the Best Album of Aerosmith at this easy-to-use email link. We'll post results in two weeks on January 19.

In addition, and to start the New Year Out, we have several more things before moving on. The first is a new band introduction, found below in the reviews section. They are called The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Be sure to scroll down for that. the second is that we have (tried) to launch a Facebook set of pages. We have a button for you to click on and befriend us and we hope that you will. We have a personal TAP page (because Facebook insists). And we also have a Business page and a Group page. I know...complicated. And it is. But we'll figure which to use in the long run but until then, check them all out. They are a bit different in content. I do suspect that it will be the personal page that you'll want to frequent most often as it easily leads to both of the other pages. I'm still trying to make one singular page the most impactful but haven't figured how to do it yet. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. There's nothing worse than being a 'noob' trying to produce a bit of usefulness...and not succeeding very well at it. There are some new things that we can do with it. For example, there is plenty of room there to discuss in an open forum. For those that wanted this to happen, here's an opportunity to guage it. In addition, there may als obe extra content there, capsule-like reviews, etc. This is an experiment to see what happens. You might have to sign up to check us out...I don't know. Forgive any problems that might arise from this but we'll get it figured out somehow.

For the long promised Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! list (#29), I will be posting a letter each post until exhausted (there were only 17 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 emails).  Some were only a few titles, some only one.  But there were more than a few that were massive and a few extended, well-detailed lists.  I’ll post them as I received them.  For today's post, we have 21 selections that are good stuff. Thanks to Mark for his entry.

U2 "Achtung Baby"
The Cure "Pornography"
The Church "Starfish"
The Dave Brubeck Quartet "Time Out"
REM "Automatic for the People"
The Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band"
The Smiths "Meat is Murder"
Depeche Mode "Violator"
Bob Marley & The Wailers "Exodus"
The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"
Guns N' Roses "Appetite for Destruction"
INXS "Kick"
The Jimi Hendrix Experience "Are You Experienced?"
John Mellencamp "Scarecrow"
Led Zeppelin "IV"
Talking Heads "More Songs About Buildings And Food"
Nine Inch Nails "Pretty Hate Machine"
REM "Automatic for the People"
Radiohead "Kid A"
Pink Floyd "The Wall"
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds "Abbattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus"

We're going to keep the Best Album of ALL Time up for a long while as we continually update it. But I'll say this: The Beatles took the lead with not only The White Album but also the fact that they have been selected with two albums. Like The Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! run, which does not show signs of stopping (I'm still getting emails, which I have no problem with and encourage - Send Them In), I'm hoping that this new thing stays strong. Send in your selection (one only, please) for the album that is the ruler of all.

If you have missed the last As The Disc Spins (updated), check it out here.

To access the previous site and catch up, click here.

Virgin Records will release the 13-track Out of my Hands by Green River Ordinance on February 24.  You can hear them at their MySpace page.

Nat King Cole would have celebrated his 90th birthday on March 17.  Capitol Records highlights the date with an upcoming Various Artists remix set called Re:Generations.  It will contain 13 tracks that include remixes by will.i.am, TV on the Radio, Nas, Cee-Lo, even Natalie Cole.  The vinyl LP version of Re:Generations will precede the CD issue arriving on February 24.  The CD is expected on March 10.

The Alternate Routes will deliver their newest album since their debut recording (Good and Reckless and True) on February 24 via Vanguard Records.  This new album, with eleven new tracks, will be called A Sucker’s Dream.

Heroes is a Various Artists collection that will fund a charity known as War Child (designed to benefit children affected by war).  War Child, who runs the charity, fronts their name after securing the services of well known artists to record cover tunes.  Examples of available songs include “Heroes” by David Bowie, and recorded by TV on the Radio; “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen, and recorded by The Hold Steady; “Straight to Hell” popularized by The Clash, is recorded by Lily Allen, who teams with Mick Jones; “Call Me” a Blondie tune recorded by Franz Ferdinand; and “Live and Let Die,” the James Bond tune originally recorded by Paul McCartney gets the treatment by Duffy.  Of course, there are a few more tasty morsels here, all of which makes Heroes look like a grand album to pick up.  It arrives on February 24 from Astralwerks Records.

Metal and Hard Core gets a 7-track outtakes album from the band August Burns Red.  These outtakes emanate from the Messengers sessions and will include two previously unheard demo selections including their “Carol of the Bells” take.  Lost Messengers: The Outtakes will be available on February 24.

Tooth and Nail Records will release Who Speaks for Planet Earth? from And Then There Were None.  The album is scheduled for February 24.

Earlier, we had mentioned the catalogue of Ben Harper being re-released in LP format.  That is going to happen on February 24 coming from a new series called From The Capitol Vaults.  Capitol will be going through the vaults to restore and redeliver LP formats of artists’ catalogues.  Here are the specifics for the upcoming Ben Harper reissues:

• Welcome to the Cruel World will be released in 180g vinyl, on a single LP.  The LP will be sleeved within a gatefold package and will include a coloured 7” bonus disc, “Remember,” and “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again.”
• Both Sides of the Gun will be 2LPs, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• Burn to Shine will be 2LPs, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• Diamonds on the Inside is 2LPs, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• Fight For Your Mind is 2LPs, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• Lifeline is a single LP, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• Live From Mars is a set of 4LPs, 180g, and with special packaging.
• There Will be Light will be a single 180g LP in gatefold packaging.
• The Will to Live is a single LP, 180g, and gatefold packaging.
• The Will to Live EP will be issued for the first time on vinyl LP with five tracks, 180g, and a single jacket.
• Alone Live, the six-track EP, will also be released on vinyl LP for the first time, and will be 180g, and a single jacket.

Blue Note Records will add six new CDs to their RVG Editions series.  The following albums are slated to appear on February 24: Street of Dreams (Grant Green); Stop and Listen (Baby Face Willette); Bluesnik (Jackie McLean); Tokyo Blues (Horace Silver); Some Other Stuff (Grachan Moncur III); and Spring (Tony Williams).  Stop and Listen adds a bonus track not originally found on the album (“They Can’t Take That Away From Me”).  Bluesnik adds two alternate takes as bonus cuts (“Goin’ Way Blues,” “Torchin’”.

Nebula has enjoyed a career with a few changes. With the release of Peel Sessions, the band adds a feather in its discography that should please fans and collectors.

Late of the Pier is a UK band, whose debut release, Fantasy Black Channel is a strong selection for one of the Best of 2008. Now, as of January 13, the album is available in the US with two bonus tracks.