Feature / Music
Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2008

Words: Michael • Posted pre-2010

LINKS TO ALL THE PAGES

A Hope for Home (Matt Ellis)

What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?

  1. Thrice - The Alchemy Index (Earth and Air)
  2. Thursday/Envy - Split
  3. Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
  4. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
  5. Underoath - Lost in the Sound of Separation

What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Envy. When I heard that one of my favorite bands of all time, Thursday, was doing a split with a Japanese Hardcore/Ambient band I knew I had to check them out. They can encapsulate the same emotion throughout a song that is fragile one minute and bombastic the next.

How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)

I started listening to a lot older bands, so I spent a lot of time at the used section at my local store. But also great releases by my two favorite bands of all time.

Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.

I think there is always a niche for the aggressive music collector, whether its vinyl, rare tees, or b-side downloads from obscure websites. I think labels just realized those people would buy vinyl, so they made more.

What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)

Signing with Strike First Records. That, and crashing the van in a snowstorm.

What can we look forward to from you in 2009?

Our record drops on January 20th, and then hopefully lots of touring and shows!

What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?

Thursday- Common Existence, The Chariot- Wars and Rumors of Wars, and It Prevails- Capture and Embrace.

Homepage: http:///www.myspace.com/ahopeforhome

Related features

Demos You Want To Check #1

Music / New Kids On The Block • September 14, 2025

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and die out and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, it never hurts to help! So here we are, your humble … Read more

Little Low

One Question Interviews • August 6, 2025

Christine Atturio (Little Low) SPB: What is your favorite Disney soundtrack? Atturio: Aladdin, hands down. Robin Williams singing "Friend Like Me" is fire! The soundtrack as a whole goes from hopeful to scary to funny and back again, sometimes even sounding like the music from Indiana Jones when he's exploring … Read more

Normal Park

One Question Interviews • August 5, 2025

McKinnon (Normal Park) SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better? Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus … Read more

Foolsmate

One Question Interviews • August 4, 2025

Alex Gilliam (Foolsmate) SPB: What does the term “Midwest emo” mean to you? Gilliam: After getting this question, I immediately asked the other guys in Foolsmate for their input. Though their answers varied drastically, they all touched upon inclusion. Midwest emo has always been about being vulnerable about yourself and … Read more

Sell The Heart Records – History 101

Music / History 101 • August 3, 2025

Like most independent labels, Sell The Heart started to document a scene without really asking themselves “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” In 2010, founder Andy Pohl was barely even thinking about vinyl. In “History 101” tradition, Scene Point Blank picked out some of the label's notable releases … Read more

More from this section

Demos You Want To Check #1

Music / New Kids On The Block • September 14, 2025

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and die out and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, it never hurts to help! So here we are, your humble … Read more

Sell The Heart Records – History 101

Music / History 101 • August 3, 2025

Like most independent labels, Sell The Heart started to document a scene without really asking themselves “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” In 2010, founder Andy Pohl was barely even thinking about vinyl. In “History 101” tradition, Scene Point Blank picked out some of the label's notable releases … Read more

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2025)

Music • July 6, 2025

We're halfway through the year: when did that happen?! Luckily for you, SPB is on hand to share the music we've enjoyed most in 2025 thus far. Read on to hear about the records that have made our top list for this year as it stands, and also some bonus … Read more