TOP 5 OF 2008--and 5 to look out for...

LENNY'S TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2008

5--Airbourne - Runnin' Wild

Just barely squeaks in, only because this was released in January (stateside--in Australia it was released over a year and a half ago!). Rock-solid debut from the latest in a long string of bad-ass rock bands from Australia. Got to catch them in Huntington back in May--and catch a half-crushed, half-full beer can from Joel O'Keefe. One of the more awesome concert experiences I've been privy to. More on them later (hint-hint!)...

4--Nickelback - Dark Horse

Nickelback, rock-hitmakers-of-the-moment, hook up with Mutt Lange, rock-hitmaker-of-a-few-moments ago. Result: polished rocks, and their most complete album yet. I've stopped bitching about these guys now--yeah, it's that good.

3--AC/DC - Black Ice

A reverse of Dark Horse, in that AC/DC have Brendan O'Brien working on this album, meaning a more weathered, hookier-sounding AC/DC than their last few albums. That this disc is only #3 is of no fault to anyone involved--it's a damn awesome piece of music.

2--Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy

If you spend a decade and a half on an album, you're either a mad genius or a madman for spending that much time on a piece of total crap; either way, you're crazy. God bless Axl Rose, though, because few others in the universe could keep us hanging on this bloody long for a single CD. Now if I can just get my free Dr. Pepper, all will be right in the universe.

1--Metallica - Death Magnetic

THIS is the album us faithful have been waiting for, the album we all knew Metallica have been capable of making. All it took was rehab, group therapy, a new bass player, and--perhaps most importantly--Rick Rubin, Buddha of the Music Universe (and, if there is ever a Metal Hall of Fame, will be the first bust in the "builders" wing).

FIVE ALBUMS I WANT TO COME OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE I GUESS

--Rick Rubin's next project: a new album from ZZ Top. I can feel the badassness from my seat here.

--The Black Crowes--who get an Honorable Mention for their first album in seven years, Warpaint--will be working on ANOTHER album for 2009.

--Alice in Chains are back. Yes, I typed that correctly. They have William DuVall from the band Comes With The Fall on vocals now, and are working on a new album.

--Airbourne will have a new album out this year as well. YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (my impersonation of Joel O'Keefe goes there)

--Lastly, we've been playing a bit of this new band called Crooked X. How new? The band members are FOURTEEN. Selftitled album comes out next month; so far they sound like they've ALREADY mastered the fine art of rocking the hell out.