I have conducted an experiment. For the past year, I have spent each and
every day sampling the music of 2011. In my best-of list for 2009 and 2010, I
feel that I was a bit too self-indulgent and only listening to the records that
I wanted to without really looking past that and finding those unlikely gems. I
am relatively sure that I’ve listened to somewhere between 500 and 1000 new
albums to find the absolute best of 2011. I’ll be hosest, I grew so close to
certain albums that cutting them was heartbreaking. But I know that I’ve put
forth as honest of a list as I can. I trudged through the pop and the dubstep
and the emo nonsense and even found a few diamonds in the rough. I don’t know
that I’ll have the energy to go through this again. But I can say that 2011 was pretty damned good and I’m excited to finally
share this Goliath with you all. So, without further ado, I present the top 111
albums of 2011!!!
1. Beatsteaks
– Boombox
The Beatsteaks are my favorite band. I tried not to let that reflect upon
my decision in regards to their new album. But, honestly, this record is
fabulous. One could argue that a
combination of reggae, punk and rock n’ roll has already been mastered by countless
Mexican bands as well as The Clash, Sublime and the blank canvass they call The Arctic Monkeys. But, when listening
to “Boombox”, you won’t find yourself complementing these German lads on their
ability to meld converging styles . Rather you’ll hear the fundamental element
that makes them the best at what they do… deceptive simplicity. The groups
little variations and changes in mood can simultaneously deliver to its listeners
both a comforting aural sensation and a grad school textbook full of new
thoughts and ideas and a brand new way of viewing the world through music. This
record is the best one.
2. Amaranthe – Amaranthe
Don’t let the cover fool you into
thinking that this is another silly Nightwish
ripoff band( and who would want to rip off Nightwish
in the first place?). This metal supergroup( which consists of members of Cipher System, Mercenary, Engel, Nightrage, Dream Evil etc.) have crafted an album so fundamentally perfect,
it’s seriously hard not to listen to it multiple times in a row. Like when the
Ghostbusters first crossed streams, Amaranthe
has descended bravely upon new metal territory by effectively combining many different
precious metals including power, death, speed, symphonic and industrial. Particularly notable are their three vocalists
who provide male power metal vocals, female pop-arias and dominant death growls.
The fluency with which these styles blend is seamless. Basically all songs have
pop song structures with grind riffs and string sections and en equal balance
of technical showmanship and rock sensibility. And the whole thing plays to the
heart and to your shins right to the very end.
3. Tiva Tiva - Music For Interior Castles
I can’t help but feel
that I played some part in the inception of this album. Cello/vocalist Daniel
DeJesus and guitar/vocalist Ted Richardson are friends of mine and I used to
roadie for them quite often. I also worked in Ted’s studio where they were
working on the sophomore album of the band Dejesus,
which would later be renamed Tiva Tiva.
Multiple stops and starts made for an album that should have been available in
2007 but, after four years, all of that albums brilliant songs( that I know of)
have gone the way of the buffalo and what has emerged is even tighter and
better!!! I’ve always thought of Daniel as the greatest songwriter I’ve ever
met and Ted as the greatest orchestrator of music. Every element of this
string-laden four-piece is fresh and original and the album holds a theme and a
story that’s soothing, spiked-up and reflective. I’ve always thought they
sounded like Radiohead if you
cross-seeded Thom Yorke with Pancho Villa and Yma Sumac and spawned a flagship
mutant breed of Johnny Greenberg and Dokken’s
George Lynch on Guitar. This album is a timeless gem and you deserve to treat
yourself.
You probably feel that
I am insane. And, as Boston once
said, “It’s more than a feeling”. But the new album from Aqua is incredible! Bringing thoughtful pop-rock songwriting into
90’s electronic dance music makes this album both very listenable and
incredibly unfashionable… which is what I want. A combination of smart humor,
sage wisdom and erotic taboos combine to make an album which is appropriate for
all seasons and occasions. The interplay between Lene Nystrom and Rene Dif
remains a darling and classic exchange which displays an equality on the POV of
sensuality as well as a beautiful and unorthodox musical ping-pong, one which
bounces between high-pitched alien/Smurfette arias and sweet, lowdown
Paul-Newman-In-“The-Hustler” sort of Scandinavian grumbles. That said, I should
note that, “If The World Didn’t Suck, We Would All Fall Off” is one of the
greatest songs ever written.
5. Crime in Stereo - I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone
I find it to be an
undeniable truth that when Refused crafted
their seminal swan song, “The Shape of Punk to Come”, they were speaking in
early anticipation of the new album from Crime
in Stereo. Confining themselves to none of the clichés of rock and
hardcore, they have risen from a group which was, at a time, consistent and
explorative to one which is both wise and omnipotent. With a HxCx record that
channels new musical ideas from folk, indie and electronic music, the band have
simply created something completely original. Add to that a mind-bending range
of vocal contortions and you have “I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone”, Crime in Stereo’s final offering… and
their most wonderous by far. You have to hear it to understand.
6. Anaal Nathrakh – Passion
“Passion” is the name
of the great opera by Anaal Nathrakh.
Commonly referred to( by me) as the thinking man’s black metal band, Anaal Nathrakh present us this album as
a series of arias in multiple acts. The production, I must say, is astonishing
on this record… a risky move for black metal artists. But when you’ve got so
much to show, as this band does, there’s no reason to hide your work.
High-pitched King Diamond screams tag
team with dueling falsettos in the most extreme way possible on this work. I’ve
long thought that this is one of the most extreme bands on earth, not because
of their volume but because they’re so daring to explore new territory… to
really see how far one can go down the rabbit hole of pure, unbridled insanity.
I find it hard not to be both moved and completely terrified while going through
the motions of this record. Put it on with a scented candle, a cup of tea and
the still-beating heart of virgin goat.
7. I-Wayne - Life Teachings
Here’s another great album
from I-Wayne and the best-put-together by far. I first saw this guy in a music
video in this creepy bar in San Pedro, Belize. I-Wayne is one of only a handful
of young artists right now playing actual roots reggae. And everything that’s
important about the genre he’s kept sacred. His songs are, essentially, stories.
They are stories of lovers and hitchhikers and prostitutes with a heart of
lead. The orchestrations are particularly good on this album. Giant near-Ethiopian
horns and smooth organ sounds make for a diversity of feel from song to song.
In can be fun and sad and romantic all in the space of a few moments. This is a
rare and beautiful thing the come across in these times and should be cherished
as such.
8. The Dead Milkmen - The King in Yellow
It didn’t quite work
out for Screeching Weasel. It
definitely didn’t pan out for Agent
Orange. But The Dead Milkmen have
managed to achieve a near unimaginable feat. They came back to record after 15
years and sound almost as if not a single day had passed. If anything, this is
one of their best albums. The all-time greatest Philly punk rock band seems
much surer of its sound now then on their last album, Stoney’s Extra Stout. In particular, the use of a variety of
archaic folk instruments (mostly by Rodney Anonymous) brings a fuller and more
diverse sound to the music. I also feel like the band isn’t grasping at straws
to come up with topics for songs on this album as they might have done a couple
times in the past. It’s funny. It’s poignant. It’s shockingly relevant. And the
whole band sounds great.
9. In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
I’ve said it before and
I’ll say it again. In Flames are the
greatest metal band in the world. But this is not their best album. I’ll say
it’s a very good album. And it’s a very different sort of album for sure. When
Jesper Stromblad left In Flames in
2010, it seemed that all had been lost. Not only was this guy the founding
member of In Flames. But he basically
founded the entire genre of melodic death metal with his various projects in
the early 90’s. No matter. Many a phoenix have been known to rise from the
ashes. This new record (which was apparently thru-composed by Bjorn Gelotte) is
a nice reflective piece and also steps into some progressive rock territory
that In Flames haven’t so much
highlighted in some years. There are sad laments as well as some aggressive rockers
and crushing, tearjerker metal riff-fests. I’d also like to note that the
drumming from Daniel Svensson is incendiary and that Anders Friden has really
found new ways to use his voice. This album is haunting and hopeful and, I
believe, deserves a place atop the mantle of truly great metal works.
10. Everlast - Songs Of the Ungrateful Living
A lot of artists had their
heyday in the 90’s and, thereafter, just lost steam. Particularly, in the latter
half of said decade, there was a strange moment where all of these cool, weird
artists with a grassroots fan base that didn’t really fit together were all
getting played on the radio and becoming accepted by everybody. There was funk
and metal and goth rock and country all in one place and it was kind of
beautiful in retrospect. Among them was Everlast,
the wise sage folk-rap beat poet who speaks of poverty and sorrows and
impossible love. So, of course, I forgot all about him. Somehow this album fell
into my grasp this year and I’m just so glad it did. “Songs of the Ungrateful
Living”, Whitey Ford’s tender lament of the recession era is so relevant, it
hurts. These songs really make you take a good hard look at your life. And
there’s also this cool late 80’s Springsteen sort of feel with this whole idea
of, “We ‘aint got much. But we got each other.” This guy is really smart. Buy
his album.
11. Las Amigas De Nadie – Capsula
I waited eons just for
the mild-mannered EP that these young Peruvian goddesses put forth last year.
And, finally, they’ve emerged with their first full-length album, the brilliant
“Capsula”. The first thing I noticed about this record was the dramatic
increase in production values. The album is subtle and shimmering. I find that
these girls are sounding less and less like CSS every day and more like the
very particular thing that they are… Lima girls. The DIY attitude and
impenetrable individuality of the Peruvian capital’s music scene can be found
here in all of its chic and streetwise glory. This album moves through a lot of
styles. While there are moments suitable for the easy listening crowd, there
are others appropriate for the riot squad. Las
Amigas De Nadie don’t ever seem like their trying to either pander to a
demographic or to please anybody but themselves first and foremost. If you like
Latin girls and Bohemianism and colorful punk/disco influenced rock and roll,
you are most certainly in for a treat with “Capsula”.
12. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
The loss of a founding
member from a band with as long a history as Dream Theater is most certainly devastating. For Mike Portnoy to
leave Dream Theater is like for Lyra
Silvertongue from The Golden Compass
to be spliced from her daemon and forced to wander this vast land alone…
For-e-vah!!! Well, “A Dramatic Turn of Events” it was indeed. But I guess this
might have been the kick in the pants that led the rest of the band to come
together and quit resting on their laurels. This album finds Dream Theater doing something I’ve seen
very little of in both their career and in the entire Progressive genre. I’m
referring to the idea of the songs taking precedent over the music. For
musicians as talented as those in Dream
Theater, restraint can be difficult. It can be less of a task to pile up an
insane catalog of technical acrobatics and off-time alchemy and hand it in as
an album (and a very good one) rather than take the time to put out the best
songs possible and deal with the aerobics later. Although I certainly wouldn’t
say that the performances are at all lacking. All in all, this could be the
band’s finest hour (actually, I believe It’s quite a bit longer than an hour).
So, enjoy!
13. Star Fucking Hipsters - From the Dumpster
to the Grave
Whereas Choking Victim and Leftover Crack may have been wonderfully orchestrated exercises in
futility and oblivion, I find that Stza Crack’s latest band Star Fucking Hipsters is a completely
relevant and necessary musical voice in our time. Stza may be one of the last
true beat poets. Although I think he would take offense to that. All in all, this is a crust punk/ska album but, really, it’s so much more. This
record goes through military requiems and Latin music with superb grace. It can
showcase slow-jive reggae in one moment and near-grind in the next. That’s not
to say that it’s spastic. It’s just well-tempered. I’d also note that the
lyrics are the most in touch with the social, political en economic current of
our times that I’ve heard from the band. In a nutshell everything you will hear
on “From The Dumpster to the Grave” is completely unfashionable and absolutely
crucial at this moment in our time. Dig it.
14. Battles - Gloss Drop
The move from
vocal-driven music to instrumental is a strange one. One could say that Tyondai
Braxton’s we-represent-the-lollipop-gang vocals on their debut, “Mirrored”,
were sort of the defining characteristic of Battles’
music. So it’s pretty easy to question the relevance of the material that you’ll
find on the relatively voiceless “Gloss Drop”. Regardless, this album is
excellent. The band has channeled too many musical styles to name in the
creation of this groovy juggernaut.
There are more electronic-influenced sections and others which are just straight
funk. There are casino sounds and dub reggae and cute little joy bursts. It’s a
little Japanese. This album is kind of like running through a lovely orchard of
rapidly multiplying tangerines with Big Bird and Frank Zappa and the whale from
Pinocchio. But, I digress. It’s honestly just too hard to define. I guess you
could just take it on faith.
15. Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
This is the first of
three great recommendations made to me by Steve Guzzardo in 2011. Since the
time of “Californication”, the Red Hot
Chili Peppers have potentially redefined themselves as a reflective and
mood-driven rock band amongst other things. I don’t really think that they’ve
ever had a bad album. But I
definitely think that, at some point, they got themselves into a certain
groove. And they stayed there. As far as I’m concerned, “I’m With You” is the
album that breaks the mold. All that great music which the band’s style has
always subtly reflected like James Brown
and Black Flag and Fugazi all seems to shine through on
this release. Each song is a thru-composed symphony in and of itself and the
entire album tells a story about these different people with contemporary
problems who are just trying to make everything ok. The songs come off as just
so epic. It’s pretty hard to think of them as pop-rock songs. Everybody’s
playing is (of course) spot on and they seem to have both gone back to their
roots and explored new territory. I really like this album.
16. Burzum – Fallen
Wow. Two years have
passed with three albums from the great and mysterious Varg Vikernes. “Fallen”
might be just as good as his last record, “Belus”. I just happen to be slightly
partial to his 2010 release. “Fallen” very much follows in the style of its
predecessor. Burzum’s epic lo-fi
black metal sends you into a trance which is, at first, haunting and,
eventually quite comfortable. The sound of this album could be described as
unforgivably Nordic and tragically alpine. This album has little to no intention
of being heavy or scary or satanic. As a published author on the topic of Norse
mythology, I think Varg would find all of those elements to be petty and a nuisance
to what he’s trying to do. If you’re open to new musical and spiritual
experiences, I think you will find Burzum’s
“Fallen” to be both thrilling and enlightening.
17. Tom Waits - Bad as Me
To call “Bad as Me” Tom Waits’ return to form would be
overstepping one’s bounds because the man has really never been in bad form or
in any singular form at all for that matter. But, to me, this album sounds like
a bit of a reawakening and a celebration of all the characters and varied
motifs that Waits has unearthed over the course of his wondrous career. You’ll
hear the gambler, the humble piano man, the late-night jazz boozy and the
romantic Jerseyite amongst other great and memorable Toms from seasons past. In
general, I’d say that this album really cuts the crap and let’s every song
shine with very little concern for maintaining obscurity or any sort of image.
I feel that this is an important album and one of the most composed of his
career.
18. Anvil - Juggernaut of Justice
Anvil… A band who has endured.
They may not have released an endless stream of life-altering records
over their vast career but they’ve certainly worked hard. Although, hard work
alone is not enough to make it on to this list. It just so happens that, in the
eleventh hour, Anvil have created an
album so supremely righteous, it really needs to be heard to be believed.
You’ll find here a combination of heavy bottom earth rockers, clean and tight
thrash songs and bluesy early-Sabbath sorrow pits. A track of particular note
is “Swing Thing” an instrumental in the style of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa,
complete with a full horn section and the ability to move back and forth
between jazz and heavy metal. Everybody plays well-thought-out and memorable
solos and it really makes you miss another time. A time before everything had
already been labeled. But to me, the cornerstone of this album is how
shockingly Canadian it sounds. You’re going to have to work that one out for
yourself.
19. Between the Buried and Me - The Parallax: Hypersleep
Dialogues
This album has
sometimes been labeled as an EP. But, as the band has stated, “It’s 30 minutes
of music.” So, call it what you will. I can definitely say that this is a
complete musical thought. “The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues” I find to be a
bit of a departure from the bands last two albums, “The Great Misdirect” and
“Colors” because it features a great quantity of grind and death metal riffage
as found on the earlier “Alaska” and “The Silent Circus”. But, certainly, there
is plenty of variation. Between the
Buried and Me have become known for integrating certain styles of music
into their own progressive technical deathcore. Styles that really come out of
left field. And this album is no exception. In particular, you’ll find spacey
Holst-like orchestral sounds and Klesmer
music as well as lots of atmospheric stuff and some vague bossanova.
This album is a trip through the cosmos and has a lot of consistency. The
lyrics are also incredible and weave this really great story of an interstellar
traveler. And, I believe, this is only part one.
20. Common - The Dreamer/The Believer
Fan of smooth sounds?
Do you like it when somebody tells it like it is? I suggest this smart and
insightful new album from Common,
“The Dreamer/The Believer”. Not being a particular hip-hop enthusiast, I don’t
really know what to look for in an album. But I know when I like something. I
feel like Common sort of goes through
different eras of his life on this disk to serve as anecdotes used to get
across this greater message. I’m not quite sure what that message is. But this
record makes you want to listen again so you can begin to understand. Plus, the
orchestrations are great. There are no junk beats or other nuisances… just good
music.
21. Adolescents - The Fastest Kid Alive
In my opinion, The
Adolescents sound better now than they did in the 80’s. I feel like in the old
days, people could get away with making an album that was rebellious but didn’t
really say all that much. I suppose the punks all figured that they had missed
their shot at the soap box after the hippies had waned off. But these are
troubled times. And the Adolescents
have made an album which illustrates this era masterfully by utilizing a
greater wisdom channeled from age and experience. The sound of this record is
both raw and harmonious. There’s a little bit of a progressive aftertaste in
the style of All on some songs. And I
really think that somebody could learn something from their record, regardless
of the message in the song, “Can’t Change the World with a Song.” This album is
a surprise and a delight and an integral part of your 21st century collection.
22. TV Smith - Coming In To Land
TV Smith of The Adverts
fame has something like 11 solo albums to his name. He’s a real soul rebel and
doesn’t give a shit about maintaining a style or connecting with the young and
unread. I don’t think I would have been able to appreciate how terrific this
album is at the age of sixteen. There are a lot of different rock influences
here like Tom Petty and The Minutemen and Joy Division. A lot of the instrumentation is very unorthodox like
in a Warren Zevon song or a symphony
of George Crumb. But, somehow, it
doesn’t make the songs any harder to listen to and enjoy. Really, this album
plays through nice and clean and make you turn your head a number of times to
say, “Wow, this song is terrific.” I think a lot of people could really connect
with this one.
23. Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullaby
I’ve basically always
liked Avril Lavigne. It could be partially
because she’s cute and kind of looks like a toned down Suicide Girl. But,
mostly, it’s because she hasn’t allowed herself to dispose of her artistic
integrity… an almost impossible feat in pop music. “Goodbye Lullaby” has
received mixed reviews and it’s probably because of the albums sometimes somber
tone and mournful nature. But the record is also hopeful and joyous. Basically
it’s an album about divorce and all of the things that go along with it like
regret, denial and the urge towards rebellious promiscuity. Avril’s harmonies
are really dead-on and she’s now able to hit the extremes of that high end
without crusting up her voice like that guy from Smashmouth( no offense). And that single, “What the Hell?” is just
excellent if you ask me. This is really great pop.
24. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
For the, like, two
people who don’t know, Fucked Up is a
Canadian loud rock band with a lot of members and a gravelly-voiced hardcore
vocalist. Like The Strokes or The Beatsteaks, their music has always
been thoughtful and deceptively simple. The ambitious “David Comes to Life” is
kind of their “Citizen Kane”. And it was definitely a risky move in that it is
an epic rock opera full of very intense music. But this unlikely album ends of
yielding many of the best songs of the bands career. And the story of David,
while a little bit difficult to follow, is both compelling and entertaining.
More than just the story of a 21st century boy, this album is a document of our
times and the main character is used as a vehicle to archive the North American
experience at this point in time. It’s a little bit long. But I love this album
and everything about it.
25. Staind – Staind
I definitely listened
to “Dysfunction” when it came out, like, a thousand years ago. But, I think
that Staind largely became a parody of themselves over the years and my
interest waned post haste. However this album fell into my lap last year and I
am so happy that it did. Going all out, Staind channel those few distinct
things that really made nu metal great for the five minutes that it actually
was. They proceed to combine those elements with death metal proficiency and
mature pop songwriting. This album, for most, is probably the easiest to ignore
on this whole list. But I can tell that the band worked incredibly hard to
flesh out and perfect these songs and orchestration. And, if you listen to it,
you will hang on every word and bash on every kick and riff. Rarely has ANY
album in the genre been quite so enjoyable and I give this work my full
endorsement.
26. Nick 13 - Nick 13
I heard somewhere that psychobilly
icon Nick 13 is a tough man to work
with. That may or may not be the case. But that matters very little in regards
to his first solo release, “Nick 13”. This album of mournful country, folk and
bluegrass far exceeds the expectations that one tends to have for a
punk-rocker’s acoustic side project. These tunes are cold, haunting requiems of
the long road and its quiet solitude. There are ballads about the acceptance of
love lost and memoirs of majestic Winters past which are no longer to be. 13’s
adoration for Johnny Cash and Hank Williams as well as early rock
icons like Elvis Presley and Dion is tenderly displayed on this
release. There’s a sort of romantic, mystical quality sprinkled over these somber
little collection of aural heartbeats. And it has a lot more to offer than one
might expect.
27. Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus
Due to an injury of
some kind, the great Pete Sandoval was not able to drum on this record. As a
result, Morbid Angel recruited the
“World’s Fastest Drummer”, Tim Yeung to fill the void. Yeung just happens to be
an incredible and innovative drummer in his own right (you really should check
out his work In Divine Heresy). As a
result, I was prepared for a terrifying and lightning-fast new album in “Illud
Divinum Insanus”. Instead, I got something truly out of left field. The band’s
new album combines industrial music with space rock, thrash and the band’s own
signature roots death metal to bring you the most adventurous Morbid Angel offering to date. In
particular, the songs “Too Extreme” and “Destructos Vs. the Earth – Attack” are
almost a complete departure from the band’s previous work. I know this album has
probably alienated many fans but, to me, this is one of the most creative
offerings of the year by far. There’s almost a tongue-in-cheek element to it. And
it excels on every level without pandering even a little bit.
28. The Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
This is the second album on this list which was referred to me by Steve
Guzzardo. This record’s pretty much perfect. Much like Pearl Jam on “Backspacer” or Metallica
on “Death Magnetic”, the Foo Fighters have gone back to their roots and unearthed
an album full of hard rocking songs about that light at the end of the tunnel.
There is this overarching message on the record about getting caught in a place
in time and trying to break free of that place. “Wasting Light” is pretty loud
and sounds like exactly what it is… an album made in a garage. There are some
really punk and metal moments there as well as some rather Kraut-sounding loud
rock passages. This is the type of record where every song is a little island
and you want to listen to it over and over again.
29. 311 - Universal Pulse
For quite a few years, 311 has perpetuated this same cycle.
They make an amazing album and then they make a pretty good album. I feel that
it’s been the case for a long time now. Finally, with “Universal Pulse”, the
band has broken the cycle and released a great album for the second time in a
row. The sound of all the tracks on this album is somewhat homogeneous. There
is really no one song which could be simply labeled as rap, reggae, rock,
metal, ska or Caribbean. More, I would say that every song on the album is a
blend of all these things. I guess it sounds a bit like “Soundsystem” but, in
my opinion, more composed. Truthfully, all of the songs are insanely catchy. My
only complaint is that there are only 8 tracks. But, somehow, it still gives
off a sense of completion by its close. And, if you can’t get enough, I guess
there’s nothing wrong with flipping it over and giving it another spin.
30. Wormrot – Dirge
Singapore’s Wormrot has managed to make it onto the
Justin poll for a second year in a row! And, if you ask me, “Dirge” blows their
previous album “Abuse” out of the water. There’s something about these punky
grindcore anthems and the way they’re played that makes them really stand out.
I think one thing that’s enticing about it is the amount that they’re able to
squeeze into one song. Whilst playing in what many probably believe is a very
barbarian genre, Wormrot is able to
have quite a few time, key and rhythm changes within the course of a single one
minute and seven second song. Also, they’ve managed to maintain a certain fun
energy level. There’s no indication of a boring lament about how loud music has
largely been charred to hell and left to wither and peel. If you’re a fan of Agrophobic Nosebleed’s classic “Frozen
Corpse Stuffed with Dope”, this album is for you. But think about trying it on
even if you’re not.
31. Samiam – Trips
Barring various moments
of inactivity, Samiam have been a
band for over 20 years. They play sophisticated punk rock and post-punk a la Jawbox, The Afghan Whigs and J-Church. They often teach a good lesson
about life with their songs. “Trips” is their first album in a number of years
and I think it’s very good, probably their second best behind “Clumsy”. The
songs are catchy and well-thought-out. I suppose it sounds a little more like
their earlier, punkier albums but with a more adult sensibility. This band
tells it like it is. It’s very passionate music. There’s not much more I can
say about it. It’s great.
32. Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
I adore this new album
from Frank Turner, former vocalist of
English punk band Million Dead. I
expected a more folk record. And, while there are plenty of humble piano
requiems, it’s much more of a spectacle than I had anticipated. It has sort of
a military feel with a compelling mission statement kind of chugging you
through the album, sort of like on Rilo
Kiley’s “The Execution of All Things”. As you might expect, this is a particularly
English-sounding album. The orchestrations are reminiscent of various 20th
century English composers and I feel that it’s very proud indeed. Turner is a
great storyteller and his words are both clear and concise with a whole lot of
insight. With all of the white-bred acoustic party reggae that’s out there
today permeating the “singer/songwriter” category, “England Keep My Bones” is a
beacon of light in a darkened shrine. This record matters.
33. Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
As much as I’m a fan of
Alice Cooper, I don’t think he’s
written a single record since 1983’s
“Trash” that was much worth writing home about. This year, everything’s
changed. “Welcome 2 My Nightmare” is sort of a celebration and a review of
Cooper’s long and prosperous career. The songs move throughout his various
musical directions over the years. There’s ragtime and blues and rock and
metal. All of the songs on this record are good. A lot of them have great
humor. And some of them are surprisingly heartfelt. Like its ancient
predecessor, “Welcome to My Nightmare”, this record tells the vague story of a
character in a hellish, lucid dream akin to Dante’s “Inferno”. I like that the
ultimate torture in the dream is disco music as labeled in “Disco Bloodbath
Boogie Fever”. Ke$ha appears on this record.
That’s different, huh? Anyway, this album blew me away. This could very well be
his best album. but it’s at least in the top 5 for sure. You’re just going to
have to take my word on this one.
34. Mana - Drama y Luz
No matter how you spin
it, Mana is the most popular and
successful band in Latin America. Also, after having lived in Mexico, I can
still say that I think they are the greatest band in the country. Mana’s career has been very consistent
with a lot of great records wherein the average use per song of the words
“amor” and “Corazon” is in the upper hundreds. But Mana is just a very talented
pop rock band that pleases everybody (even if they don’t want to admit it).
“Drama y Luz” is, for me, the band’s second best album after “Suenos Liquidos”.
The album incorporates all of the trademarks which the band has become known
for including ballads, soft rock, salsa and Latin reggae. But the thing that
sets this album apart is the influence of hard rock, punk and heavy metal (with
double bass). Seriously! Songs like “El Dragon” and “Latinoamerica” are really
nicely done and interesting as is the
lead single “Lluvia al Corazon”. I think they really shot for the moon on this
one. And I believe that even skeptics
who think they’ve sized up this band already are in for a pleasant surprise.
35. Cynic - Carbon-Based Anatomy
This album’s only about
24 minutes long. So, I guess you’d be in the right to call it an EP. But you’ll
find that it’s definitely a complete thought rather than a short stack of
leftovers. “Carbon-Based Anatomy” is
actually only Cynic’s fourth release
even though they first came around in the 80’s. The first time I saw them play
was a couple years ago and they had the entire crowd do “metal yoga”, which was
pretty awesome. Flash forward a bit and to when I actually gave this album to
somebody to use as yoga music. Cynic
still just barely maintains its signature death metal and progressive rock
sound. But this is their mildest offering to date as far as being hard and
heavy. More, the influence of shamanistic hymns, trip-hop and doom metal have
permeated their sound. And it all fits perfectly. There’s this spiritual,
majestic aura that floats over every song and some kind of crazy journey through
life being documented that I really don’t understand. Or, in a nutshell, it’s a
prog record.
36. Gogol Bordello - Моя Цыганиада
Some of you are
probably saying to yourselves, “Justin!! You liar you!!! There WAS no new Gogol Bordello album this year!” Wrong,
bitches!!! You guys need to think globally ( snarf, snarf…). My sister, who lives in Russia, has told me
that many Russians are reluctant to listen to Gogol’s music because they
directly relate it with an inherent dislike and/or distrust for Gypsies. I like
to think that this was the reason that the band decided to do a tour across
Russia and exclusively distribute this new album along the way. The whole
record is basically sung in Russian and Ukranian. So, getting the lyrical
content may be a bit of a challenge. But I think the orchestrations on the
songs are fantastic. Some of them display the type of variety and grandiose energy
displayed on “Super Taranta”. Whilst others, more or less, almost exclusively feature
Eugene and his snappy sounding gypsy guitar, more similar to some of the tracks
on “Voi La, Intruder”. Overall, it’s a great release and it surprises me that
they didn’t really announce its existence to the public. I guess some things
you’ve got to keep close to the chest.
37. Chimaira - The Age of Hell
Chimaira have maintained a certain status over the years as being a
solid opening act. I’ve seen them several times and I can say that they put on
an excellent show. But, after 6 albums, the band never seemed to capture the
type of prestige that many of their younger peers have achieved. I’d like to
hope that the band’s seventh, “The Age of Hell”, has changed all that. While
the group has become more and more of a death metal act over the past 8 years,
there have no embarrassment about using some of the more beneficial elements of
the nu-metal and hard rock that dominated their early career. In fact, summing
this album up in a genre is a bit of a quandary. There’s doom metal stuff and a
few sort of Southern-tinged songs and definitely some real high-octane
thrashers as well. But, more than anything, they’ve simply written some of the
best songs of 2011. The choruses are memorable and the performances flawless as
well as thought-provoking on everybody’s behalf. This is another real keeper.
38. Face to Face - Laugh Now, Laugh Later
I didn’t think much of
the idea of Face to Face getting back
together. As good and well-liked as they were, they never really changed the
face of punk rock or tried to be anything more than catchy and tight with
lyrics that the everyman can relate to. In my opinion, this was a necessary
reunion. Because they’ve somehow made a classic album. The production on “Laugh
Now, Laugh Later” is deceptively simple. Careful choices about layering and
harmonies make for a full and enjoyable sound while still maintaining the homey
dynamic of a three-piece. I found myself listening to the slightly
Springsteenian sentiments of these working man love songs and thinking about
times when those same things have happened in my own life. And I like when an
album does that. The songs on this record were very well-written and I think
it’s safe to say that this is their best album yet.
39. Gorod – Transcendence
If this is an EP, then
it sure is a long one. Gorod has
continued in their series of technical, progressive rock and death metal with
great result. In this case, they’ve made a very well-conceived album with a
concept and a purpose. Much in the vein of Symphony
X’s “The Odyssey” and Arsis’s “A Diamond for Disease”, this EP centers
around a main epic song, the title track, and a series of short and fascinating
musical experiments which explore a wide range of textures and soundscapes.
This is what I hope will be the first of several magnum opuses from this
excellent, talented group. Very progressive.
40. The Dropkick Murphys - Going Out In Style
I wouldn’t say that The Dropkick Murphys ever went away. But
they definitely became a different band. In the move from being Irish punk rock
sing-along legends to being openly accepted and loved by everybody young and
old, their sound has matured along with their experiences. But it’s a little hard
not to be nostalgic about the old songs. I think that “Going Out in Style”
draws the line pretty well. Bringing on yet another of this year’s many concept
albums, the album tells the story of an immigrant( probably a union leader) who
makes his way through the muck and the mire to take a bite of the American
dream. You’ll find more punk rock and Irish folk on this album than on their two
previous releases and I really think the sound of the recording is a lot more
natural and more in the vein of something like “Sing Loud, Sing Proud”. And the
best part, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN IS ON IT!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
41. Hella – Tripper
Prepare yourself to
disagree with me because this album is very weird. If you already like Hella, this album is a no-brainer and
surely their best. Much like how it is difficult to imagine that sticking a few
slices of Coppa ham between two pieces of bread makes for a masterpiece, I’m
sure that it is equally difficult to picture that a band consisting of only drummer
and a guitarist can make excellent, interesting, catchy songs with no vocals or
the notion of a discernible style. But that’s the case. The art-rock, black-metal-charged
jazz-fusion exhibited by Zach Hill’s incredible drum stylings marbles
incredibly (like the fat in the aforementioned Coppa ham) with Spencer Seim’s
noodly, unorthodox, staccato guitar style in a way which can only be described
as Coppasetic( I did it again!). Maybe you won’t like it. But you should give
this one an open ear for sure.
42. CSS - La Liberacion
CSS’s debut album was a shining light at the college radio station
where I worked. Their care-free riot girl songs of love and sex plus fun served
what I felt was Latin America’s answer to Andrew
W.K.( or, possibly, Brazil’s
answer to Aqua). Or, honestly, it seemed like this band would answer to no one.
Then their sophomore album “Donkey” came out and promptly fell on deaf ears. As
much as it was a good effort, it seemed too much like the band were trying to
prove that they could actually play their instruments and jam out to different
styles while the songs themselves didn’t really seem to meld. I think “La Liberacion” is terrific. CSS utilize a series of anecdotes and
strong statements to demonstrate what they’re really made of. If anything, this
album is their most patriotic sounding, as you really can get a sense of the
place where they live through the oratory depictions and the sound of the
music. I’m very happy with this one.
43. Machine Head - Unto the Locust
Continuing in the
tradition of “Through the Ashes of Empires” and “The Blackening”, Machine Head bring us yet another epic
album of melodic and deadly thrash. Like its predecessors, you’ll find
connecting motifs and certain musical cues to tie the whole thing together.
That’s a great quality for a disc to have. Maybe this album isn’t really what
you’d call “catchy” but it certainly has a lot to offer in the department of
musicianship and raw delivery. With only seven songs, Machine Head have set the
bar pretty high for themselves. Essentially, the song formats are more of an
archaic death metal style than on past releases. But, you’ll still find some
great, moving choruses. I must say, of all the fine performances on this disk, Robb
Flynn’s voice really sounds incredible here. Maybe his mastering of the
soft/loud/death dynamic will ease the blow of Howard Jones leaving Killswitch… Or, then again, maybe not.
44. Ulver - Wars of The Roses
Wow. How can I describe
this album? I think I would immediately alienate people by saying the words “black
metal”. It is NOT abrasive. There are no deeply distorted guitars or blast
beats present here. The songs are rather slow, sparse and trance-like and
seldom is heard a discouraging word ( at least not one about “Odin” or “blood”).
“Tonal” is a good adjective for this record. I guess Ulver’s new album could be compared more to the likes of Bjork, Radiohead and Yann Tiersen than anything from Darkthrone or Burzum.
But, somehow, this is still Black Metal. I wouldn’t say that “War of the Roses”
is “feel good” music by any means but it might just fit onto vol. 65 of “Pure
Moods”. But who cares? It’s really good.
45. Blink 182 – Neighborhoods
I’m totally fine with
this album. “Neighborhoods” manages to be a little less catchy than its
eponymous predecessor while being a lot more punk and a bit more grounded. It
still has the progressive aspects of the last album. But I feel that it doesn’t
allow those aspects be the focal point of the songs. They’re strong on their
own. I get the sense that Mark, Tom and Travis felt a lot of camaraderie in
writing this album and the songs come off as being more or less written by Blink 182 rather than by any particular
member. Although this is a bit of a bold statement, I think that Travis
barker’s drumming sounds better on this album than on any other. There are some
moments where your jaw just drops. A drum part that most players would have
trouble pulling off as a short fill could be used as his main riff for an
entire song. Overall, I think this album is really honest and not too full of
itself. And that’s the way it is.
46. Vivian Girls - Share the Joy
The Vivian Girls’ sophomore album “Everything Goes Wrong” made
number one on this list in 2009. Maybe the only reason why their third did not is
that I simply listened to way more albums in 2011. Or maybe it’s something
more. The ethereal doo-wop/Ramones
vocal dynamics are still in full swing on this record. The guitar licks
continue to be scrappy and creative. But I can’t get the songs on “Share the
Joy” stuck in my head. It might be the presentation. In general, this recording
is much more “clean” than the last two. I could never really sink my teeth into
The Ramones’ “End of the Century” for
the same reason. They’re great songs from a great band. But gilding their sound
just comes off as a bit contrived. That said, I think this album is really quite
good and rather innovative. There’s a bit of a Neko Case sound in there and
even more Leslie Gore type stuff. Well worth your time.
47. Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness
Never I imagined I’d
see the day when a Flogging Molly
album would grace my halls. In the age-old war between Mollys and Murphy Boys,
I’ve always take the latter side. But the fact is that this album is just terrific. And it has quite a few similarities
to that Murphy’s album that came out as well. Here, you’ve basically got a main
character (once again, probably a union leader) struggling to get by and
helping his fellow man during troubled times. The lyrics are dead-on, heartfelt
and unapologetic and the music is a bit more punky than Gaelic and I think
that’s a plus. Too much soda bread is bad for the stomach. I have to give
“Speed of Darkness” props for being pretty flawless and really memorable. I
even think there’s something to be learned here. You’ll just have to listen to
find out what that is.
48. Norther - Circle Regenerated
Not that many people
with whom I’ve spoken have thus far agreed with me about this album. Norther’s albums always seemed to be a
little uneven to me. There were always some really strong songs interwoven with
fallback tracks that straddled a safe but enjoyable line between Nightrage and Children of Bodom. “Circle Regenerated” is very much a pop album in
every way that a melodic death metal album can be. The songs maintain an
average length and hit hard with the choruses. The vocals are fierce and the
keyboard and guitar work is incredible and stand-out amongst this year’s
performances. What I like most about this record is that it shows a band that
was always working hard in the first place finding their moment in the sun. It
moves forward. It rocks hard. It’s so metal.
49. Steel Panther - Balls Out
I like the recording of
this album. It sounds clean and sharp. I think that within “Balls Out”, Steel Panther actually have an excellent
album. My problem with it is their attempt to gild the lily. You could probably
cut about 5 of these songs and have an album that’s a bit more grabbing. With Steel Panther, you’re looking for
technical proficiency, great songwriting and funny, pleasing lyrics. On a few
of the songs, one of those three elements slightly misses the mark. I think
this is a great and funny heavy metal record and definitely one that you should
own. I just would like to have seen a little more editing. ‘Nuff Said.
50. Il Divo - Wicked Game
This one really took me
by surprise. I thought this dashing Italian cantante stuff was only for
Tupperware parties and The Olive Garden. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Or
maybe I’m just aging badly. But this record is great. I’m still unclear as to
if Il Divo is a group or a single
person but it/they sound terrific. They brought untold passion to songs which I
could have never thought I would care about (“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” being
a particular standout). This music draws the line between pop and opera. And
the performances just bring tears to your eyes and warmth to your soul. What’s
next for me? Yanni, “Live at the Acropalis”?... Actually, yes… But that’s
another story. I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you to listen to
new-age opera-pop. I just think you should listen to this.
51. Times Of Grace - The Hymn of a Broken Man
The quality of this
album should come as little surprise to the many who are aware of its
background. When Killswitch Engage
guitarist and maestro Adam Dutkiewicz was hospitalized for something or other,
apparently he had the boredom and good sense to describe his pain as he felt
it. It’s sweet to think about him plugging away at his computer writing sweet
lick and moving chorus, one after the other after the other. Dutkiewicz plays
all the instruments on the album and shares vocals with original Killswitch
vocalist, Jesse Leech. So, basically, it’s the new Killswitch Engage album. But not exactly. “The Hymn of a Broken Man” swings a bit more
in a hard rock direction. And it takes more tonal and acoustic breaks from the
relentlessness of thrash and metalcore than his main outlet normally does. He
also uses the album as an opportunity to whip out a couple of sick harmonic
riffs that would be hell to play on stage just to get them out of his system.
Overall, it’s a slam dunk and a really good album.
52. World-Inferno Friendship Society - The
Anarchy and The Ecstasy
2011 brings us another
great album from World-Inferno Friendship
Society. And, this one’s personal. That’s not to say that others were not.
It’s just to say that Jack Terricloth has long dwelled upon old movies and all
things archaic to convey his feeling about various matters. But on “The Anarchy
and the Ecstasy”, you’ll find the band playing very much to the needs of the
present. This is a very clean sounding record. Perhaps the orchestrations are a
little bit toned down. It has a bit more of an emphasis on acoustic guitars and
piano rock like many of the songs on “Red-Eyed Soul”. And I think that this
album has the ability to transcend the obsessive cult following which they
possess and fall into the laps of others. Allow yourself to be taken in by the
well-composed songs and unique points of view regarding contemporary matters of
great importance.
53. Nekrogoblikon – Stench
I sought out this album
solely because I thought Nekrogoblikon
is too good of a name. These guys are like the Bloodhound Gang of black metal. Actually, it’s really not black
metal but, rather, an amalgam of black, heavy, death and power metal… commonly
referred to by the blanket term “extreme metal”. In any case, these guys are,
first and foremost, very technically proficient. But they’re also quite funny.
The vocals are screechy but recorded in a way that you can make out most of the
lyrics without straining. The second song on “Stench” is called “Bears” and
it’s about horrible, man-eating bears. They’re funny. I think that there’s a
lot to love on this album. It’s a bit demanding in its length. But I think it’s
worth the journey.
54. Animals as Leaders – Weightless
This albums presence is
no surprise at all. Animals as Leaders’
first album broke barriers with its use of jazz fusion, prog-rock and technical
metal to display just how interesting an all-instrumental act can be.
“Weightless” finds the band using new techniques to further expand the
definition of “progressive rock.” I don’t think that Rush would think that another band trying to sound like Rush is actually “progressing” the music
at all. This album has the feel, at times, of an electronic album. Except, the
sounds created are all limited to the drums, bass, and guitar. There are times
when the whole thing is incredibly percussive and that has to do with an insane
3-way syncopation which is further augmented by Tobin Abasi’s bass techniques
applied to the 8-string guitar. Basically, the ways that the instruments are
played on this album are new. This is something new.
55. The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - From
The Stairwell
Never before has a
band’s name so perfectly described its sound. Need I say anymore?
56. Children Of Bodom - Relentless Reckless
Forever
What a lovely surprise.
Continuing where they left off with “Blooddrunk”, Children of Bodom have created the second album in a series which
looks to further detach them from their former habits. This band may have
looked like they would be the next Iron
Maiden with their admittedly catchy go-to time signatures and hooks. But
this band is so much more. And you’ll find that here. Whether you’re a fan of
fantasy, black, thrash, heavy, death or power metal, you’ll find lots to love
on this disk. There are songs that trade in the bands Handel-esque harmonies
for utter discordance. And other songs could be more aligned to something like Motley
Crue or Slayer or even Sonata Arctica. I like the pissed-off attitude of
“Relentless Reckless Forever”. And it’s just that. The title says it all.
57. Bjork – Biophilia
Much like her
understated “Homogenic”( or Bruce Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad” as a
counterpoint.), Bjork’s “Biophilia”
is neither instantly grabbing nor likeable. But it is art. And I think it’s good art. Like many a great album, you
listen to it once and, happily, put it back on the shelf. And then, for some
reason, end up putting it on again before long. This is an ethereal and stellar
sort of album. There are some
individual songs that catch your attention. But the anthems play a backseat
role to the entire soundscape. Eventually, you fall in love with this journey
through the stars and find yourself wanting to go where she goes, which is probably some lush boutique atop the iceberg in
the sky.
58. Monumental Torment - Element of Chaos
I came across this
album by accident while reading a Mexican music editorial. Monumental Torment is a Russian technical duo (I think I’m right)
who have taken their music to the extreme. What did this band give us in 2011
that Origin or Abysmal Dawn unfortunately did not? Showmanship… It’s hard not to
feel the intensity of the aggressive bass/guitarpeggios and 64th
note blast beats on “Element of Chaos”. I guess, in Russia, they’ve just got
more anger than a lot of other places. They even squeezed in some discordant grand
piano runs to break up the monotony and that is a really cool trick. This is a
band that’s going places. I just know it.
59. Bush - The Sea Of Memories
Oh yeah. This is good. Bush has made a really sweet album. It’s
very connected. As far as a new brand of material, you’d be hard-pressed to
find it on “The Sea of Memories”. But I can
say that the band sounds oddly young and fresh and kinda punky. There are some
similarities between this record and Pearl
Jam’s “Backspacer”. But I’ll let you work that one out for yourself. I
think this is great.
60. Falling In Reverse - The Drug in Me Is You
This album is really
something outside of my wheelhouse. I guess this is what they call a “scene”
band. But I like it. I guess the singer, Ronnie Radke was already leader of another
“scene” band and decided to do Falling in
Reverse as sort of an aural 12 Steps program. What surprised me is this guy’s
honesty, his sense of humor and the poignancy of his lyrics. This album “The
Drug in Me is You” seems to be more influenced by the Japanese “Visual Kei”
style than anything I’ve heard from an American band. That’s to say that it
moves through tangos, ballads, punk songs and heavy metal thunder in an attempt
to encompass all things loco. The guitar work is terrific. There is a great and
damaged story told here and I don’t want to give it away. So, listen to it if
only for that.
61. Letlive - Fake History
This is yet another
band this year that sounds kind of like Refused.
Maybe they sound a bit like Downset
and Snapcase as well. But, otherwise,
Letlive’s “Fake History” is a pretty
unique album. This is extremely socio-political music. It is stark and progressive
hardcore music. It has balls. I don’t know how on the radar this band is but
they should be. They’ve really done their homework and have managed to make
something delightfully unfashionable and overtly wise. I give this record my
full blessing.
62. Feist – Metals
I think Feist’s new album is better than “The
Reminder”. Why? Consistency. The standout songs on Leslie’s former album I feel
were overshadowed by some of the less central tracks. And that is what made
what should have been an epic classic sound slightly tacky. While “Metals” is
not exactly bursting with hits, it does maintain a consistent sound and style.
There is a constant character on the album. I didn’t really believe it on the
last record when she went from the sexy 60’s librarian to the delta-wise blues
mama. It just wasn’t congruent. I feel like “Metals” has a little less to prove
and is a nice breath of fresh air as well as a welcomed treat.
63. Daft Punk - Tron Legacy Reconfigured
This may not seem like
it counts as a new album. But I feel that this re-mixed cut of the Tron soundtrack sounds a bit more like Daft Punk than their original recordings
for the film. These are great, haunting and memorable hymns bursting with a
super post-apocalyptic nature. I feel like this ends up sounding a bit more
like The Matrix soundtrack than Tron. But it has character on its own.
And I think it’s really fabulous.
64. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Agony
Fleshgod Apocalypse’s “Agony” is a very intense album. Not that the
name wouldn’t give it away. The thing about this record is how indefinable the
sound is. It presents itself as a simultaneous bout of opera and black metal
and hardcore and stringy, whitewashed symphony. The surprising part of it is
how much of an integral role the keyboards play on the record, surprising to
hear as a lead instrument for an extreme metal album. This is sort of a
carnival of horrific moments in life and a Greek tragedy all delicately woven
up together with lacey barbed wire. When I hear this, I see brilliant colors.
Beautiful colors.
65. Jedi Mind Tricks - Violence Begets Violence
I know so little about
rap. But I know that Jedi Mind Tricks is
awesome. They deliver an aggressive and poignant onslaught of well-phrased
verbal mastery and well-construed hatred. 2011 has been a good year for
contemporaneous banter and real world sentiments. The music on this album is
really strong as well. It’s sort of the death metal of socio-political rap
albums. “Violence Begets Violence” has got a lot of education to deliver and it
brings it in a package wrapped in spiked chains and electrical tape.
66. The Human Abstract - Digital Veil
With “Digital Veil”, The Human Abstract have created an album
based upon what Bruce Springsteen refers to as the “sound picture”. The album’s
title and cover both compliment and aid in describing the futuristic( yet not
necessarily post-apocalyptic) world the band wishes to display. It’s easy to
call the album progressive but difficult to call it anything like death metal
or melodic hardcore. There’s a synthetic element to “Digital Veil” that keeps
it from being neither overly harsh nor abhorrently calm. This is a beautiful
album and a bold expression of teenage cyborg angst in the computer age. Great
job
67. Alborosie - 2 Times Revolution
Alborosie is an Italian reggae artist. His new album, “2 Times
Revolution” is a spirited and diverse celebration of life. Did I mention he’s
Italian? Isn’t that weird? Anyway, there are many forms and eras of reggae
represented on this disc. It’s a little hiphop, a little dancehall. There’s a
lot of roots in there. It kind of sounds like a jungle. I think he wrote a lot
of great songs and did a really terriffic job. If the film “Mother Goose Rock
n’ Rhyme” took place in a Rastafarian part of Naples, this would be its
soundtrack.
68. Set Your Goals - Burning At Both Ends
I find this album to be
important. Pop Punk was such a prominent genre in the early millennium and
then, almost overnight, it dropped off the map to be replaced by Emo… then Screamo…
then Indie Rock. What a bummer. Everyone sewed up the holes in their jeans and
bought a vest. Wow. Anyway, it would seem that this fact hasn’t at all daunted Set Your Goals. They’re making great pop
punk anthems ten years after the fact. Stuff in the vein of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Sum 41.
These guys are really good. They can
rip out a tight, double-bass hardcore breakdown when it’s called for. And
they’re really well –harmonized. Also, the vocals often sound like Justin from Zebrahead. And they’re kinda funny like
that aforementioned band as well. “Burning at Both Ends” is catchy and
well-executed from beginning to end and has all the youthful hopes and
nostalgia necessary to get you through another day of your boring adult life.
69. Inlaid Rust - Inlaid Rust's "To a
Grinding Halt"
When I took a look at
this album cover, I was sure this band would be another unlistenable wannabe
act from Locomotive Records ( just an example) that gets immediately thrown in
the trash bin at radio stations. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Inlaid Rust is really an ingenious act.
Combining black metal, ambient, industrial and grindcore, the band has
presented us with their magnum opus documenting the exploits of the robot war
of 2180 AD. By completely skipping the destruction of mankind and going
straight to the subsequent automotive apocalypse, “To a Grinding Halt” might educate
you upon a point of history you’re not yet aware of. There are only 4 songs on
this disk. But they’re rather long and move through many different moods and
sentiments. It’s beautiful really. It’ll put you in a proper trance and give
you plenty to think about.
70. Hundredth - Let Go
Hundredth is a hardcore band. Let’s make that clear and simple. But
they’re SO much more. “Let Go” is an emotional knife through the heart. It
connects. They occasionally break down into little progressive or metalcore beats
and riffs. But, largely, you’ll hear monotone and megaphone-style shouting
protest, fast power-chord changes, chunky copper-sounding bass and accountably accented
floor toms and ride bells. I just think this is a really motivational and
energetic album. It brings a big old smile to my face and a little tear to my
eye. For me, the cherry on top is the band’s bizarre cover of Johnny Cash’s
version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”. A
cover of a cover… that’s awesome!
71. Meatloaf - Hell In A Handbasket
Who would have thought
that the star of “Hair” and “Fight Club” would come back to make such a great
record after so many years like a loaf out of hell? It’s not like he hasn’t
continued to make albums. It’s just that this album is so damned good. I
believe this fits as much into the category of pop as it does in rock. For one
thing, these are all very poppy and catchy songs. For another thing, they were all
basically written by other contributors like Butch Walker( whom I like). There
are also some really good collaborations and even some rapping. I’m pleased
with that. I think Meat Loaf has
shown that he’s got what it takes. Hell
in a Handbasket deserves a place on any mantle and, if not a classic, is
certainly a worthwhile album for all ages.
72. Russian Circles – Empros
It’s a certain type of
person that’s going to love this record. Russian
Circles is an instrumental band which I guess is sort of in the vein of ISIS but less depressing. The songs are
grandiose movements with crashy symbols and lots of heavy bottom-end rumbling.
I like how each song will go on this long and foreign tangent but, somehow,
ends up coming back to its original motif. That’s comforting. It’s sort of
heavy rock, sort of stoner, sort of doom. But I don’t feel down when listening
to “Empros”. It’s grand and majestic, sort of like a rock opera about Hannibal.
This is definitely an album kids who sat in the hallway instead of the lunch
room.
73. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Magic Of
Youth
This one’s sort of a
no-brainer. I think “The Magic of Youth” is one of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ finest albums. You’ll get all that
punk, ska, rock and reggae you’re looking for. The lyrics will be pointy and shall
be delivered in a gravelly way. This album is, more than anything, a sign of
the staying power of one of the world’s greatest live bands. It’s fun and timely.
It’s also a bit nostalgic and touching. It’s a great album.
74. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Hmm. What do I think
about Coldplay’s new album “Mylo
Xyloto”? I think it’s pretty energetic. It’s got a few things you won’t find on
their other releases. The production is filled-out but not particularly epic.
It sounds More like “X&Y” than any of their other albums I guess. But the
focus for me is that it’s much more even-keeled than its predecessor, “Viva La
Vida”. It’s a bit more disco, a bit more rock n’ roll. I like it. I feel like I
can listen to it many, many times.
75. Carnifex - Until I Feel Nothing
Carnifex has made this list for the second year in a row. I think
we can safely define “Until I Feel Nothing” in the category of progressive deathcore
without hurting anybody’s feelings. From its ominous opener “Deathwish”, you
know you’re in for a solid crushing. The drumming is really good on this
record. It kind of reminds me of the playing of ( Cryptopsy’s) Flo Mounier. The
layered high-end screams and low low growls really fill out the main sections
of each song. It’s some really good madness. And it gets by with mostly low,
dissonant harmonic riffage like in late 80’s death metal. So, in many ways,
this has a very nostalgic and dark sound that’s unique at this moment in time. There’s
even some surprising rock n’ roll moments. I don’t know. I just think these
guys are a really great band. They are truly heavy and awesome. Yes.
76. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
I don’t think it’s
surprising to find Radiohead’s album
“The King of Limbs” on anybody’s list. I think the album’s really good. I kind
of don’t like how much the whole “rock band” dynamic has been altered so
drastically on the album. But I guess that’s their choice. Listening to the record
simply as a piece of music without thinking about the role of each individual band
member makes for a much more enjoyable listening experience. It sounds a bit
like “Kid A” in its detachment and level of ambience. Is it the greatest artistic
statement of the twenty-first century? No. But it’s got legs. It’s different
and very precious. There’s plenty of lounge-esque space rock to enjoy here. And
you will.
77. Rise Against – Endgame
“Endgame” is probably
my fourth favorite Rise Against
album. I’m willing to accept this album for its aesthetic value, which is that
it is a collection of really well-written political punk rock songs. But, as
good as the songs are, I can’t help but feel that they could have been fleshed
out more. I don’t blame Bill Stevenson. People get their albums produced by
Bill Stevenson to get their sound stripped down, not to get it built up. That’s
why he’s so great at producing punk rock. But, for a band on its sixth record,
you think they would have come into the studio with more fleshed-out songs. Harmony
and layering are not words that particularly come to mind when I think about
this record. Maybe it’s just what they were going for. Anyway, the recording
sounds excellent and it’s pretty hard to stop listening to the it once you
start. Rise Against remain amongst
the greats. I guess I’m just nitpicking.
78. Earthbound Papas - Octave Theory
Stop nodding your head
like you know about this album. You probably don’t. The Japanese are the
greatest importers of music in the world. But, short of Melt Banana and Shonen Knife,
they don’t export ANYTHING. Anyway, Nobuo Uematsu is known as the acclaimed
composer of the Final Fantasy video
game series and because of his keyboard styling in The Black Mages (who play only FF music). Earthbound Papas is a new collective which Uematsu-san has
assembled. “Octave Theory” is, if nothing else, a progressive record. There’s
some heavy metal, some funk and a lot of epic orchestral stuff. If you already
like Dream Theater or Italian prog
bands from the 70’s, you’re in good company here. The album is composed of
re-workings of select pieces from FF and other video games/media plus a few new
tracks to spice it up. In general, it’s pretty heavy and more garage-sounding
than The Black Mages. Uematsu uses an
organ frequently and, for the first time, you feel like you’re hearing an
actual person behind the keys. It’s
probably too dorky for most (especially if you’re not familiar with Sephiroth).
But, for me, it’s a great pleasure indeed.
79. Hugo - Old Tyme Religion
Hugo is going places. I guess it’s both the name of the guy and the
band. “Old Tyme Religion” is a great blues/folk album to begin with. But, the
idea that this guy, like, grew up in Thailand really makes this a unique album.
I guess it’s just not hokey. There’s an innocence and a freshness to it. Other
than that, it’s pretty straight-forward, introspective folk music with a little
bit of Bee Gees flare to spice it up.
But there’s more of a singer-songwriter feel than a collective mentality. Very
accessible and very personal. Great job.
80. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted
Fantasy
Yes. It’s true. Upon
another recommendation by Steve Guzzardo, I listened to Kanye West’s new album.
And, as much as I hate to admit it, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is
excellent. Every track has a purpose. The lyrics are fresh and unique and,
often, self-deprecating. It’s interesting to hear that in a genre which is
dominated largely by songs of gloating and extravagance. Beautiful? Yes. Dark?
Absolutely. Twisted? Undoubtedly. Fantastic? I really think so. This record
really stands out amongst all the crap that came out this in ‘11 that pandered
so heavily to idiots and youth culture. It’s smart. It’s good.
81. Mercenary – Metamorphosis
I was really close to
having a rule that stated that I couldn’t have more than one record on the list
with the same contributing member. But this album is too good to skip. Yes, it
features the same drummer as in Amaranthe.
And he’s really good. But there’s a lot of good on “Metamorphosis”, thee
harmonic and crushing new album from Mercenary.
I’m a sucker for just about any Gothenberg-style melodic death metal band. But
these guys are pretty unique in their occasional incorporation of hard rock
riffage and heavy metal vocals. There are even country motifs present on this
record. The song are very memorable and executed in a tasteful and dexterous
manner. They have a chance of pleasing listeners of many different loud
rock/metal genres so don’t write it off just yet solely because you saw the
word “death”. There is also life. Great work.
82. Tony Macalpine - Tony Macalpine
Tony Macalpine’s self-titled album is really the only “Single
musician showing off” album of the year to make this list. But it has certainly
earned its spot. The record gives you
everything you want to hear come out of a guitar. Akin to players like George
Lynch and Tobin Abasi, the sounds coming out of this guy’s axe are pure gold. The
tracks range from progressive and heavy metal to ambient and jazz music with a
certain subtlety and logic. Additionally pleasing is Macalpine’s use of the 8-string
guitar. He really accesses the dynamic range pretty well and is able to utilize
parts of the the instrument other than solely playing way high up on the neck.
This is a great and impressive effort and a fine album throughout.
83. Terrible Storm - Burn Your Life Down
This is probably
crossing a line because Terrible Storm
is my band. But I feel that I can be objective enough about our work to say that
we accomplished something worthy of note in 2011. We recorded an album of Tegan and Sara songs reworked as melodic
death metal numbers. I really think Steve Guzzardo, my counterpart in the
group, did a great job on the mixes. They are really brutal and he managed to
make our midi drums actually sound good. We both screamed a lot and the guitar
parts were really hard to play but, I believe, are quite catchy. We are good.
We are men.
84. Born of Osiris – The Discovery
This is one of several
progressive/technical/metalcore albums to come out this year which features an
intimate story and timeline. Born of
Osiris’s “The Discovery” is a real journey and an intense 4D venture into
the unknown. You’ll find the band whipping out much more than technicality on this
album. Rather, you’ll discover a mastery of space-age orchestration and
atmosphere. If you liked Between the
Buried and Me’s “The Great Misdirect”, you’re bound to fall for this disc.
If not, there still might be other things that grab you about it. I’m really
happy with this. It’s colorful and rich.
85. Yann Tiersen - Skyline
I recently saw Yann
Tiersen in concert and I was, frankly, blown away. This guy is much more than
just harpsichords. “Skyline” is another beautiful chapter in Tiersen’s book of
fantasies. The music is layered and rich. At some points, it’s harsh and
strange rock and roll in the vein of Shellac.
At other times, it is subtle and atmospheric… with almost the bright conviction
of secular music. In any case, I love the way this guy builds a song. It’s
something akin to a formula that you can hear on pretty much all of his
soundtracks and solo records. He starts with one or two simple elements… catchy
and engrossing. And then he builds and builds and builds. And then, at that
pinnacle, that last glorious moment, he walks away from the song. And you’re
left desperate, bowing to his will. It’s incredible.
86. Scorpios – Scorpios
This album is nothing
if not a recipe for success. You’ve got three great punk rock frontmen and a
drummer. And, as it turns out, they are all Scorpios. Scorpios manages to be the best project that any of its component
members have taken part in for 2011. You’ll find no punk rock here but, rather,
mild-mannered Southern-tinged folk music with eloquent lyrics. Combining the
songwriting styles of Joey Cape( Lagwagon),
Tony Sly( No Use For A Name) and Jon
Snodgrass( Drag the River) is a slam
dunk. There’s a lot of emotion and really great harmonizing there and I think made
a really fulfilling collection. What a great idea.
87. Two Steps From Hell – Archangel
This album is really something
out of left field. Two Steps From Hell
is a largely orchestral group. “Archangel” consists of a large number of
apocalyptic tracks much in the vein of Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings”
music. It’s heavy on strings and timpani and features a few decent arias. It’s
very dark. For a few scattered, brief moments it actually incorporates heavy
metal guitar and drums. But, mainly, this is symphonic music. If you’re into
fantasy, RPGs and adventure sagas, this is totally for you. If you’re into Jason
Mraz, you’re just listening to music out of habit.
88. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
This almost didn’t make
the cut. But I decided to give it another shot. There’s nothing wrong with Lykke
Li’s sophomore album, “Wounded Rhymes”. The songs are haunting and beautiful
and melancholic. I’m sure that it’s just another stepping stone in what will
continue to be an amazing career for this woman. I guess it’s that her first
album was just so monumentally better that it served as sort of her Citizen
Kane and was, honestly one of the 20 best records I’ve ever heard. I’ve now
calmed down and given her second a good hard listen with fresh ears and can now
firmly recommend this new release with great admiration. It’s less dancy and
less 50’s but still very well worth your time.
89. Dark Castle - Surrender To All Life beyond
Forms
Wow. What a bizarre
album!!! Let’s just lay the cards out on the table. This album probably isn’t
for you. It’s too black metal for the doom rock folk and too ambient/techno for
black metal people. Dark Castle’s “Surrender
to All Life beyond Forms” is a thematic and beautiful statement and a true
musical experience. If you have an open mind and are ready for a transcendent
experience, maybe there’s the slightest chance that you could find the same
things to love about this album that I do. It’s very loud and borderline
obnoxious. But I like it. Extreme dharma-core at its best.
90. Jeff Bridges - Jeff Bridges
Having seen the movie
“Crazy Heart”, I found the idea of Jeff Bridges new album promising. But,
whereas the film portrayed a pop country idol getting by on his wit and charm,
the real Jeff has so much more to offer. “Jeff Bridges” starts out with a very
Springsteen-esque tune and continues to move through a lot of dark and
haunting folk territory. On the songs
that Bridges penned in solo, there are even some bizarre, bassy Tom Waits-ish
moments which are really interesting. All in all, Bridges has a lot of talent
as a musician as well as the signature attitude that the dude brings accountably
to the table. There’s nothing not to love about this album.
91. Deadlock - Bizarro World
I don’t have any
particular problem with Deadlock’s
new album “Bizarro World”. They’ve still got their shtick. There’s death metal
riffage and angelic girl-pop arias mixed with Carcass- style guttural roars. And the songs continue to be, in
general, both catchy and brutally adorable. But there’s just a little bit
missing on this album which was present on their previous album, “Manifesto”.
For one thing, there are two or three songs where the synth and female vocals
completely dominate. I really like these guys for pushing the boundaries. But a
song about dancing the waltz just sounds a little weird in the middle of a
death metal album. I also thought the songs became a bit more structured on
this disc and I’m not sure how I feel about that. In any case, the album sounds
great and is the type that you can listen to all the way through without
blinking an eye. Sorry for being a Debbie Downer. These guys( and girl) are
actually great.
92. Five Finger Death Punch - American
Capitalist
I think I can probably
classify Five Finger Death Punch’s
new album “American Capitalist” as nu-metal without furrowing any brows. It is
what it is. They are slightly
industrial and they have thrash and death elements. But you’ve got to call a
spade a spade. In any case, these are not songs about teenage pain and humiliation.
That boat has sailed. This is a supercharged thematic record about the scum at
the top of the food chain. It may seem a little presumptuous and, certainly, a
little strange for a band in this genre to sing about that sort of stuff. But I
think they’ve done it very well. Coming from sort of an unfashionable, 90’s
white trash mindset, the band puts the economic warlords of our times under a
microscope to prep for dissection. I really think this is a fabulous effort.
But most will probably say that it sounds like what they were listening to in
grade school. But it seems to me that most people don’t really listen to music
anymore. They just plug into the I-god.
93. Heartsounds – Drifter
I love the idea of a
young, new band coming out with a fresh-sounding punk rock album that gets the
toes tapping. Heartsounds is pretty
much it. Although, “new” is a pretty strong word. Regardless, this is the first
band I ever listened to where I immediately said, “Wow. They sound like Strung Out”. And that’s not an easy
thing to do. Then, at some point, I said, “Wow they kinda also sound like Rise Against”. That’s also a pretty good
starting point. Everything else is their own. The music is very fast and high
octane. There are a lot of nice harmonies and you can really feel the youth
coming off of these kids. I like the whole back story that this boy and girl
were childhood friends and fellow punk rock enthusiasts and that their
friendship has survived long enough to come together and make this band. The
cover art of “Drifter” is actually perfect. It really does remind me of the CD
I’d want to have playing in my car on the way to a day at the beach with
friends. Class-A.
94. Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
There was never a
chance that Eddie Vedder was going to
release a bad album. He’s a gifted songwriter and a wonderful singer. These are
facts. But the appeal of “Ukulele Songs” is not so much particularly in the
“songs” part but more in the “ukulele”. In a fairly prolific series of short,
somber and sweet little anthems, Vedder shows us something rarely seen on any
album… technical proficiency on the ukulele. At times, multiple ukes seem to be
layered to create complex harmonies. This instrument, which is normally
strummed lazily throughout the grand canon of Hawaiian music, finds itself in a
new light as the star of the album. It’s not until maybe track 9 that any other
instrument even enters the mix. It’s all about the uke. If there’s any problem
on the disc, it’s that it drags on a bit with consideration of its somewhat
one-dimensional content. But it’s a lovely album with great songs which have
been executed to perfection.
95. Within Temptation - The Unforgiving
As a rule, the genre of
soulful-female-vocal-fronted heavy metal is pretty flat. It has a very strong
following but, for me, most of the bands are a bit one-dimensional or just
plain bad. Within Temptation has
always been an exception for me. They’ve put out a number of songs I really
like. But they’ve been a little inconsistent and have released some really
safe, cushy stuff. “The Unforgiving” is where the band destroys all
preconceptions. For one thing, the songs are a lot louder and a lot more metal.
There’s a distinct forward motion all the way through. Another element is that
the band sounds more like a band now rather than a front-woman with backing
musicians. And, lastly, the songs they’ve written are just fantastic and are really
memorable. I could see this actually being a crossover hit. It’s really good.
96. The Lonely Island - Turtleneck and Chain
Andy Samberg’s brand of
comedy is kind of hit-or-miss for me. But I have to admit that The Lonely Island is hilarious.
“Turtleneck and Chain” has dick jokes and over-the-top production as well as a
lot of well-mannered frivolity. I think the song with Michael Bolton is
terrific. The songs are funny. It’s good.
97. Korn - The Path Of Totality( Special
Edition)
I can’t claim to be a
full-on supporter of the dubstep genre. It’s being played to death right now
and it’s funny to watch people try and dance to it. But, if you notice, the
only acceptable beat in dubstep is, essentially, the breakdown of a hardcore
song. So, for Korn to write and
record an entire nu-metal album and then hand it over to several dubstep
artists to remix is not a totally unorthodox idea. But it’s definitely an
interesting one. Actually, the melding of Korn’s
already very bassy sound with the lowdown oscillations of dubstep works really
well on “The Path of Totality”. Maybe it’s not as grabbing as the 2010’s “Korn
III…” but it’s still a strong release and a ballsy move. Also, as long as you
get the special edition, you get to hear Jon Davis scatting and playing the
bagpipes again. It’s been so long and it feels so good.
98. Sublime with Rome - Yours Truly
It’s strange that this
album exists. It’s also surprising that it’s really good. Not surprisingly
“Yours Truly” has punk songs, ska, Hawaiian stuff, reggae and groovy acoustic
rock. This Rome character in Sublime with
Rome is actually pretty good. He’s no Brad but he is pretty compelling nonetheless. There are a lot of winning songs
on the album. It’s a little more like Pepper
than it is Minor Threat or Catch 22 but the music still has a lot
to do with what Sublime were doing in the 90’s. The band sounds tight and the
music remains exciting and aggressively coastal. I hope they do another record.
99. The Rentals – Resilience
I have The Rentals’ first album, one which consists
primarily of super-produced angelic pop-rock. I saw the appeal. But it didn’t
change my life. “Resilience” really comes out of left field. A charitable
release to aid the relief effort in Japan, this record plays into the Japanese
subtle respect of nature and beauty. Largely piano-based with ambient
overtones, the album is a wild departure from the bands previous work. Overlaid
are speaking tracks of Japanese people expressing their sentiments. It’s
touching. It’s also quite beautiful in its nature. You won’t find any super
hits on “Resilience”. But you might find peace. It’s good work.
100. August Burns Red – Leveler
August Burns Red released a strange and interesting album in 2011. It’s
close to indescribable. It’s a little bit hardcore and a little bit
progressive. There’s Spanish guitar and ambient, tonal stuff. There’s organic
cacophony and cosmic sort of trippy space-metal. It’s very young-sounding yet
you can hear that these guys are seriously talented. “Leveler” is definitely a
record for the loud music crowd. I don’t know. It’s tough to describe. But, if
I must, I’d say that it’s an aural map of the human genome project. Yes, that
about says it. Brilliant.
101. Dave Hause – Resolutions
Loved Ones frontman Dave Hause surprised me with a delightful
little acoustic folk album in 2011. “Resolutions” holds a few songs which would
surely fit right in on one of the band’s upbeat pop punk albums. But it’s also
a noble bow to Hause’s influences. I don’t presume to know what’s on this guy’s
I-pod. But there’s definitely some Springsteen in there. I feel like I can hear
a little Uncle Tupelo. And I could
spot some Avail lurking in the bushes
as well. In general, the album is solid. He wrote a nice batch of catchy and, often,
touching anthems about love and loss and coming to grips with the place that
made you. I think he did a fine job.
102. Primus - Green Naugahyde
Out of the blue, after
quite a long time without releasing a full-length, Primus emerges with the independent and well-written “Green
Naugahyde”. This record has a lot to offer Primus
fans and features a lot of really great, yet subtle, musical performances.
Perhaps this is a little more like the Primus
you heard on “The Brown Album”. But there’s a little something different on
this release… A very pissed off group of gentlemen. I find that the decision
for these guys to record was not a random one. The condition of the United
States is pretty lousy right now. I suppose that’s one of the reasons I don’t
really live there anymore. And the fervor of their angst about the economy,
greed and the general mediocrity of management in the US is extreme. I think
they’ve done a fine job and expressed something meaningful on this this
release.
103. Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra
The idea of a Limp Bizkit album coming out in this day
and age is pretty beautiful. I haven’t been so interested in their scattered
releases during this millennium. But that doesn’t mean that they’re gone. To
me, “Gold Cobra” sounds a bit like their first album. It’s pretty raw. The
guitar is thrashy and the beats are fat. Rap Rock/Nu-Metal has, surprisingly,
had a slight resurgence in the last couple years and I think that that’s a good
thing. There’s a really “devil may care” attitude on the record. And you can
hear that there was no overbearing producer hovering over the band’s shoulders
trying to squeeze out a hit. I think there are some particularly great songs.
But the focus definitely doesn’t seem to be on taking over the FM. There’s a
song called “Douchebag”. There’s also a song called “Shark Attack”. I like it a
lot.
104. Chthonic - Takasago Army
How many times in your
life have you gotten to utter the phrase “Chinese symphonic blackened death
metal”? I think I have all of Chthonic’s
released. Pronounced “Sonic”, this band has been around for years delivering
aggressive and clean-sounding extreme metal from behind the great wall. I feel
that “Takasago Army” is their best release to date because I feel it is their
most unique and accessible. The first thing you notice while listening to the
album is how very Chinese it sounds. The incorporation of various traditional
instruments and hymns into the music is vital their attempt to counterbalance
the extreme onslaught of guitars, bass, screams and drums. The sound picture
here is bright and strange and largely blood-soaked. There’s a lot to sink your
teeth into.
105. Blood Stain Child – Epsilon
In 2010, In Flames collaborated on a song with Pendulum. And it was terrific. But that
was the only time I’ve heard melodic death metal successfully mixed with
electronica. It seems like a perfect combination. But it’s fallen flat on its
face with every attempt… until now, that is. Blood Stain Child have come out with their first truly great album.
This is a Japanese band with a very Japanese sound. Ultra-pop, video games and
anime are just as influencial on “Epsilon” as In Flames, The Haunted
and Visual Kei. A combination of synth and metal as well as clean female vocals
and distorted screaming make this album both dynamic and memorable. There are
some songs which are completely brutal and others which are predominately
synthetic and ambient. It’s really a great combination. The music is exciting
and oddly accessible. I expect great things from this band.
106. Pour Habit - Got Your Back
Pour Habit is the last punk rock band to sneak their way onto the
list. But they definitely shouldn’t be written off. “Got Your Back” is a fierce
and fresh release from a very talented group of individuals. An overtly
political act, Pour Habit’s lyrics
are both poignant and well-researched. The music has thrash and heavy metal
overtones a-la Strung Out and No Use for a Name while still maintaining
a relatively fun (if heavily political) attitude towards the music. They can
really play very smooth and technical while still maintaining punk rock
integrity and barbarism. And I respect that. The vocals sound like a
combination of The Vandals and Ignite. It’s an interesting sound. They’ve
got a lot of energy and a lot to say. I don’t like the album cover all that much.
But this is definitely a band to watch.
107. Rhapsody of Fire - From Chaos to Eternity
Rhapsody of fire released what I find to be their finest album of
all in 2011. “From Chaos to Eternity” is not quite as orchestral as “Triumph or
Agony” nor as predominantly fantasy metal as “Dawn of Victory”. But it still
retains the band’s definitive sound. This album delves into progressive
territory quite a bit and explores a lot of vocal and playing styles. It’s
ambitious and pretty moving. It could very well be their final hour but what a
way to go! For all fans of dragons and elder lore, this album is already on
your shelf. For everyone else, I ask… Why not take a chance on some dork-core?
Join us!!!
108. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
Carrie Brownstein was
well-respected as a musician long before “Portlandia” hit prime time. And I
think that Wild Flag is a great new
musical venture for this gifted musician. This band is pretty rock and roll the
songs are smart. It’s fresh and dirty-sounding… kind of like Patty Smith and The Strokes( who struck out this year)
teaming up with Vivian Girls and Guitar Wolf with better production.
There are a lot of great songs to rock out to on “Wild Flag”. But they’re not the
girly, cutesy stuff that make The Donnas
appealing. It’s more of a gender-neutral hard-rocking, black jeans type music
you’d find at a shaky roadside bar frequented by ex-peace core members and
vegan bakers. Good show.
109. Doctor Midnight and the Mercy Cult - I
Declare Treason
To me, Hank Von Helvete
leaving Turbonegro is a sad
occurrence in league with the Cuban Missile Crisis. But, I must say, Doctor Midnight and the Mercy Cult is
pretty cool. Turbonegro have always
dressed and spoken like a black metal band but never took the step towards
writing a metal song. “I Declare Treason” draws from heavy, industrial and
black metal to create a whimsical and crushing sort of entertainment. It still
maintains the charisma of Von Helvete’s former band without being particularly
“funny ‘haha’” (as wallflowers say). And the mixture of big, towering guitars,
thumpin’ drums, cranky distorted vocals and dirty chrome bass make for a
massive metal sound. Think KMFDM
meets Darkthrone in the Soundgarden. It’s heavy.
110. Nightrage – Insidious
I like Nightrage. For me, they remain among the
premier acts in the Gothenberg-Style Melodic Death Metal movement. And, while I
don’t feel that “Insidious” is their best work, I do think it’s a very good
album. The thing that sets these guys apart, for me, is Mario Iliopolous’
classic rock style guitar solos spread loosely amongst the songs. His smoothe,
archaic tone and bluesy fingerwork blend oddly well with the crunchy guitars
and double-bass. Also of note is the three-song symphony at the albums end, “Solar
Eclipse”, “Solar Corona” and “Emblem of Light”. It’s a nice twist that keeps
you listening until the end of what would be otherwise considered a rather
lengthy album. Good harmony, good synergy. All in all, this is a great metal
album.
111. Alestorm - Back Through Time
Last but not least (this
album beat out about 500 others), Alestorm
have really stepped it up on their third full length album “Back Through Time”.
The loosely told story here revolves around the pirates of Alestorm, having already plundered all the treasures of the modern
world, travelling back through a time warp to conquer and plunder the Vikings.
It’s ridiculous and excellent. Whereas on past releases, the sound has been
consistently pirate-esque power metal, the band has incorporated certain
progressive and death metal nuances on their new release. They really show what
they can do. There’s a song called “Rum”. There’s also a song called “Midget
Saw”. I think that about says it.
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