Well, the school year’s almost out, and you know what that means.

Right?

No?

You need new tunes, ya’ big dummy!

Seeing as how this is my last music review for our dear student newspaper, I thought I’d take a look back (and in some cases forward) to see what the best releases of the year have been.

In the land of rock, there are two albums you should never go without from this day forward. Thrice’s “The Artist and the Ambulance” and Coheed and Cambria’s “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3” have torn the notion of what it means to be a hardcore band or an emo band, and instead shown the public what it means to just plain rock and take chances that could quite possibly alienate them from their old fans and definitely kill their chances of Clear Channel radio airplay.

Honorable mention also goes out to Salem for their innovative EP “Love it or Leave Me” and Thursday for tinkering with their already solid songwriting formula on “War all the Time.”

If I have ever lead you astray, trust me now when I say these four albums are all the rock ‘n’ roll you will need for the summer.

What about hip-hop?

I’ve thought long and hard about this one, and I have decided it comes down to a tie.

For those who dig on the independent side of hip-hop, this year belonged to Minnesota rapper Slug and his group Atmosphere. With the album “Seven’s Travels,” Slug took himself from self-depreciating antihero to … more of the same.

No problems though, Slug’s refusal to stop whining is what endears him to his listeners.

Make sure to check out Atmosphere this summer at—where else—the Van’s Warped Tour.

In the realm of mainstream hip-hop, Jay-Z wins with “The Black Album.”

But as I have said before, “The Black Album” simply fails to excel above earlier efforts like “Reasonable Doubt.”

With so many producers and a loosely based shot at a concept album, “The Black Album” comes off as a lopsided string of radio signals hocking S. Carter’s and Armadale Vodka.

“The Grey Album,” which I have previously written about, is a much stronger presentation of the lyrics of “The Black Album.” Thanks to DJ Dangermouse, Hova has been paired with The Beatle’s “White Album,” making a much more cohesive sound and engaging listening experience.

There have been plenty of great hardcore releases this year. From Walls of Jericho to Nora to Snapcase, almost every band has put their best foot forward and broken away from the traditional hardcore mantra of “speed it up/break it down/talk/scream/one more breakdown.”

This year, I have to tip my hat to old school thugs Madball. Their greatest hits album “Best Of” showcases their progression from the EP “Demonstrating my Style,” a great album that resonates with the thrash of groups like “Agnostic Front” to albums like “Hold it Down” and “Set it Off.”

Later in their career, Madball embraced all the styles going on in their part of New York, namely hip-hop and to some extent the new Spanish renaissance.

Definitely not for those who enjoy taking a chance on discovering the roots of some of their favorite bands, “Best Of” shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that Madball truly are the kings of New York.

The list could go on.

Unfortunately, I only have so much space and not enough time. So I leave you with these offerings for the music gods.

May your goblet of rock be filled to the brim.