Top 10 of 2010

A very interesting year for me, musically that is.  Some of my favorite bands, (Bad Religion,Against Me, The Gaslight Anthem, Bouncing Souls...) all released records that did not make it into this top 13 list.  Unfortunately their new releases, while respectable, did not quite pack enough of a punch to be included in my year end celebration. 

Here is the list...

10. Devo -

 Something For Everybody

I don't know if comeback is the right phrase when you are talking about Devo.  They are just kind of omni-present in music.  The average person can probably only name one or two Devo songs, but their impact on almost every popular genre is undeniable.  So naturally, when I saw a new Devo record with such goofy album art, I knew it had to be mine.  And guess what... It's awesome.  If we are being honest with each other, the initial appeal of Devo is certainly their novelty.  However once you are past the casual listen, you realize that these weirdos are actually trying to tell us something.  Listen carefully and the lyrics that at first appear lazy and amateur-ish suddenly take on a new meaning.  This is a band who really wants us to fight against our own "De-Evolution" as a species.  Which, as they point out numerous times, we are facilitating this de-evolution more and more every single day.  Almost every song deals with how we interact with technology and the consequences of doing so, all (ironically I suppose) set to a pounding electronic back beat.  The best track on the record No Place Like Home begins with an ominous piano and singer songwriter Mark Mothersbaugh telling us that "In the biggest scheme of things, we haven't been around here more than a moment"  And he goes on to sing about how we have destroyed the earth and we won't survive and we don't deserve to inhabit the Earth any longer.  Pretty serious stuff, but at least its all set to what sounds like an expensive casio keyboard beat...  And that is their trick, no one knows that they really are a serious band...you just have to figure that out on your own.  An excellent album upon which every song could have been released 25 years ago and they would fit right into Devo's classic catalog. 

9. Two Cow Garage -

Sweet Saint Me

I heard about these guys when I had an appointment for a tattoo and the artists called and asked if it was ok to reschedule because Two Cow Garage just showed up to get some work done.  Well of course I said yes, and rushed to the internet to hear what I was sure would be the terrible music of a band who I had been bumped for.  Despite my irritation, they were pretty good.  That was probably 3 or 4 years ago, and they have only improved.  Their 2010 release is quite an achievement for them.  The band can best be described as Alt/country/folk/soul/Americana.  Or we can just call them plain old rock and roll.  With a singer who sounds like he rinsed his mouth out with glass backed up by a wildly unhinged band these guys can gravitate from quiet country ballad to an epic anthem suitable for any venue from a dive bar to a stadium.  Something tells me though that these guys would be much more comfortable playing in a seedy dark bar in front of 50 people.  Comparisons to Lucero are inevitable, and I think they do have a similar feel but probably because they are both approaching their music as a way to express themselves with deeply personal lyrics, and opposed to most of their peers they are more comfortable wearing their hearts on their sleeves than their politics.  Highlights include the awesome opening track "Sally, I've been shot"  which closes with the first hint of what these guys are capable of by offering a rousing chorus of group vocal "Whoa-oh-oh's" and obviously I'm a sucker for that.  The songwriting and lyrics are very well done and arranged in a way that can only be described and interesting-but in a good way.  The 3rd track, "Lydia" includes the outstanding lyric "I want to be loved, like an old soul song.  I wanna feel like the second verse of Let's Get It On"  I don't think it gets much cooler than that.  There are several other standout tracks, but this is a record best experienced in one sitting.  A truly wonderful musical adventure with an assortment of instruments and genres and all held together by a band who sounds like they are doing exactly what they want to do.   

8. Audra Mae -
 The Happiest Lamb

I first stumbled across Audra Mae on one of the Revival Road LP compilations.  I immediately recognized her striking voice and confident delivery.  Upon listening to the whole record, she is really working on carving herself a niche in the world of....whatever the heck genre you would classify her as.  Similar to Two Cow Garage she really defies a simple classification.  If you looked her up it would probably say something like "Female Singer/Songwriter."  Which she certainly is.  She is also another on a long list of artists who are taking back the country or folk genre, and reestablishing it as what I always thought it was supposed to be - a bluesy way to sing about your life, but with a little more kick and twang.  Right off the bat with the title track Audra Mae shows why she is different, and her excellent use of several different instruments and her deep smoky voice sets the tone.  The opener is a true marvel of her abilities with a fantastic rhythm and excellent vocal work, complete with some "scatting" towards the end.  The rest of the album flows like a river of songs about her roots and experiences - all of the things a lot of records are about.  However, just a quick tour of this record will give you an idea of what makes it so special.  Simply listening to the first few seconds of every track will transform you to a place where Audra Mae is sitting in a small room quietly singing directly to you.  From the first track to the fantastic "Bandida" and the closing track "Little Sparrow"  Audra Mae proves she can hold her own in any genre of music, and her fearless approach to her songwriting is a clear indication as to why she has chosen to align herself with Chuck Ragan and all of his Revival Tour friends.  Just a group of people making music for each other, and more importantly - making music for themselves.  This is a great debut full length and even if Audra Mae eventually tones down all of the different influences on her future records, and even if she settles down and decides to go in one specific direction with her music, this record still stands as a testament that she has every right to do so. 

7. Gogol Bordello -
 Trans-Continental Hustle

Our 2007 album of the year was their "Super Taranta."  They have spent the three subsequent years conquering the universe with their live performances and released an epic live dvd and album.  Their newest record release does not quite live up to the standards of their previous work, but it is still leaps and bound ahead of what most other bands are doing, or have ever done for that matter.  The first track "Pala Tute" has long been a live standard, and in true Gogol Bordello form is a riotous foot pounder complete with several different langues and helps to sugue into Gogol Bordello's more polished sound that is very apparent on this record.  I think I can definitely say that this record is great despite producer Rick Rubin, not because of him.  There are some bands who should never have a producer like that...and Gogol Bordello is one of them.  But anyway, this is still a great record by one of the hardest working bands in the land.  The overwhelming message that runs through all of Gogol Bordello's music is one of communication and understanding.  The band members all hail from different countries and backgrounds, but they are brought together by the music of the wonderlust king himself, lead singer Eugene Hutz.  Every song on this record has the warmth and passion of Mr. Hutz which quickly brings us into his "Familia Undestructable."  Highlights of the record include the aforementioned opening track, the excellent, (yet familiar sounding...) "We Comin' Rougher", "Raise The Knowledge", "Rise Above" and the excellent title track which serves as your closing song.  The record as a whole takes you on a different type of tour through Hutz's life.  In previous releases he sang about the persecutions he faced and the uphill battle he was enduring to change them.  In this new record he seems to be telling us that he has reached his goal but he won't be complacent until the entire human race can see the world through his eyes.  It is an interesting, some might say mature, turn for the band both musically and lyrically.  I think it's just another chapter in the saga of one of the greatest bands to ever make music.  The sound is a bit cleaner, but the guts and soul are still there.  It's fitting that the last lyrics on the album are "Cross-Pollination...Contamination...Amalgamation!!"  Because, as Eugen Hutz points out in various ways in nearly every song he has ever written, we ain't nothing unless we work together.

6. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band -
The Wages

Another selection this year that defies classification.  The good Reverend and his band play every song like they were being chased by an angry mob.  The intensity of their deceptively huge sound makes you forget that if these guys did not execute the music in the right way, it would be almost laughable.  Lucky for us, this 3 piece ensemble shows us what it is to play original music.  Lead singer and guitar (and harmonica) player, Reverend Peyton, pounds his guitar in a very unique style that beefs up the rhythm and helps his wife, Breezy, and percussionist, Aaron, fill out the songs with their washboard and "drums." The percussion on this record seems to be a mix of a conventional drum kit and maybe some pots and pans and buckets.  Breezy has the most unique approach to the washboard perhaps ever recorded (not that I'm an expert on such matters)  She plays it as a lead instrument and more than makes up for the lack of a bass player in the band.  Every song on this record sounds like a huge production, and with this record the band has taken their political awareness to a new level.  On the title track the Reverend warbles the fantastic lyric "Everything's raisin' but the wages, Gasoline, Groceries and our ages...everything's raisin' but the wages"  Looking past the obvious points that set this band apart from others, they have an extremely powerful ability to write and craft their songs in a way that we can easily identify with them.  The best tracks on the record are the gems that offer us political and social commentary, such as the highlight "Just Getting By" which is a short, comparatively quiet tune with minimalistic lyrics.  But the power and the meaning of the lyrics can be applied to nearly anyone listening.  A chorus of "We all right, we just getting by, we just getting by lord, we just getting by" repeats and has the ability to mean many things to many people.  The record closes with two fine songs, "Two Bottles of Wine" offers us some of the best musical performances on the album and a fun, relatively silly, story about a crazy night with too much wine involved.  The closing track, "Miss Sarah" displays their versatility with a sad and haunting tribute to someone they have lost.  The Reverend Peyton's records are always extremely good, and this one is no exception.  With a sound like no other, this is a record that could appeal to nearly anyone.  And rightfully earns the good Reverend his second appearance on our "end of year list."

5. Eminem -
 Recovery

Yeah, Really.  In his 2010 release, Mr. Mathers seems as if he were in a rap battle for his life.  His lyrics and beats on this record are some of the finest he has ever produced.  Hell, I'm not as learned about rap music as I may be about other genres but I dare say that these are some of the best lyrics and beats on any rap record.  He spends a lot of time apologizing for his previous release, Relapse, which is definitely not a great record.  However, it seems to me that he exaggerates the disappointment of that record and uses it to fuel the flames on this collection of frantic tunes.  Right from the get-go you realize that most of the silliness and goofy story lines have been traded for the pounding and incessant mantra of determination.  Sure, there is "W.T.P" (short for "White Trash Party")  and he does his usual ridiculous celebrity name dropping and metaphors, but the mood is different, darker and more desperate.  He mentions Lil' Wayne in a track ("Talkin 2 Myself") praising his abilities and admitting his own jealousy for Lil' Waynes success.  And then in the outstanding track "No Love" Lil' Wayne himself opens up with a great verse. (that may be the only thing I've ever heard him record that didn't immediately make me grit my teeth in frustration over his lack of talent)  Followed by Eminem himself destroying the man's verse and making us forget that he ever even appeared in the song at all with a blistering tirade.  There are a few other guest stars on the record aside from the aforementioned Mr. Carter.  Pink and Rhianna make themselves heard and deliver excellent assistance.  Notably absent are the skits or attempted comedy that littered his previous records, which I always felt were a huge nuisance and without them you can really feel the power of Eminem's abilities.  Also missing is the rousing track including every member of D-12, 50Cent, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, etc...  And while I am a fan of these, on this particular collection of songs it would have been an interruption to the natural progression of the record.  This release runs the gamut of genres as much as any hip hop or rap record can.  To me this sounds like the album that Eminem has wanted to make for his entire career.  He has established himself as a talent, and he no longer has to worry about the "shock and awe" approach to his lyrics and can simply attack the microphone and set an overall mood for his songs.  If it wasn't already taken, this record should have been called The Marshal Mathers LP, because that whole Slim Shady thing is pretty much played out and being a smart business man, he realizes it, and embraces the opportunity to continue his evolution.  A great record from a man who easily could have recorded the same 15-18 songs over and over again and still make boatloads of money. Whether or not it is true, Eminem seems to  feel that he lost his audience and he is going to win them back if it takes every ounce of breath he has.

4. Tim Barry -
28th and Stonewall

"Two weeks without alcohol ain't hard if it weren't for these goddamn stars and memories, and hell, it helps me sleep"
If that is the first line of your record you are guaranteed a spot on my list.  It's an added bonus that Tim Barry's newest record just so happens to be his best solo work yet.  At the top of his form on every song, Mr. Barry solidifies my belief that he is one of the best in an every growing group of "punk rock gone folk"singers.  He ups the ante with this release, including a brass band and a more comfortable and twangy sound on some songs which flushes out the album as a whole, making it feel much bigger and impacting the listener more than ever.  The focal point though is the singing, guitar playing and lyricism of our host.  His experience playing in different genres of music gives him a unique musical ability not afforded to most.  The opening track "Thing of a Past"  is a cry for people to wise up and focus on the things that are important in life, and not material possesions.  Normally at his best playing songs about the simplest of topics that we can all relate to, he moves out of his comfort zone a bit in track 3, "Prosser's Gabriel."  The third track on the record is at first something like when a weird guest at a party is hellbent on telling you a story about some social injustice they have witnessed, but once it starts going you will realize that it is a brilliant bit of song writing.  Tim shares with us a tale of a slave rebellion in Virginia in 1800, and the hero and organizer, Gabriel.  What I find so compelling about this, aside from the interesting subject matter, is his ability to construct a song in his own unique style and convey a coherent story line.  All the while maintaining our attention long enough to wail and grumble his plea for acknowledgement to what this slave, Gabriel, achieved.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Prosser)  A triumph for the songwriter, to say the least.  Other highlights on the record include "Will Travel" a track whose brass section would be at home on any Dr. John record or with any Mardi Gras band, the heart wrenching "Moving On Blue",  "Short G'Bye, which features a beautiful little guitar intro only to slam into the 1st line "This mornin' I awoke up fuckin hatin, this whole damn town...the sight of your house."  This track also includes some of the most convincing vocal work on the record with Barry exclaiming "Oh my god I tried...I tried!...I tried!"  to anyone and everyone who will listen.  The last song, "Bus Driver" is a humerous take on his experiences on the road, where he essentially quits, fires everyone and gives up.  This track is the most complete on the record, and every single ingredient that makes for a good song is included here.  "Tell em' go on without me, they don't need these songs" Sorry Tim, you don't get off that easy...we do need these songs.  A truly great record that steps outside of the normal boundaries with its subject matter and instrumentation, but never enough to distract from the overall message and theme, only enhancing it.  Well played sir.

3. The Street Dogs
Street Dogs

2. None More Black -

 Icons

None More Black have returned!  And they are not fucking around. Following up their 2006 release, "This is Satire" is certainly no easy chore, but they come out swinging from the first note and dont stop for 11 solid tracks.  The band has always kind of forged their own path in punk rock, with tight music backing the lyrics of one of the best in the business, Jason Shevchuk.  Their 2010 release treads the line between their hardcore roots and Shevchuck's other more melodic bands, most noteably LaGrecia.  The opening track, "Mr. Artistic"  kicks your ass right out of whatever chair you are sitting in with its killer opening riff and build up into our first reccollection of the type of wonderful music this band can make.  Its always a tense moment form me when I go into the first listen of one of my favorite bands new records, especially when their last album is one of my all time favorites.  Lucky for me, as soon as this opens up I knew we were in the capable hands of a band that has never recorded a bad song, let alone a bad record.  Shevchuk's lyrics are truly one of a kind...he weaves the strangest metaphors with a complicated structure and extremely inventive approach to his art.  And just when you think that the lyrics might collapse in on themselves he always injects a healthy dose of humor, obviously evident on the song titles on a None More Black record.  Exapmles include "Cupcake Wednesday" and "I'm Warning You With Peace and Love" the latter one just so happens to be one of the best tracks on the record, and also probably the fastest song the band has ever recorded.  The last few tracks of this record is where the music and the band show thenselves for real. Track 7 begins the final act -"The Iron Mouth Act"  which opens with a mandolin and slide guitar intro and blasts into one of the bands darker and more ominous tunes.  They still keep their handclaps in there to lighten the mood, but I'm not sure you will ever hear a more urgent sounding song.  Keeping in the same vein, the very next track, "Sinatra After Dark" is flying by the seat of it proverbial pants with some of the best musical work on the record...highlighted by the guitar player, Colin, who puts his talents on display at the end with a tremendous guitar solo.  "The Backpedal" follows these two dark and fast tunes with a light sounding guitar backing the best lyrical work on the album.  Next is the upbeat "Gary Preview Page in Pink" Followed by the epic closer, "Budapest Gambit" which includes one of the most intense build ups I've heard.  You've probably noticed that I have talked all about how great the lyrics and vocal work are, but haven't cited any examples.  The reason for this is that most of the lyrics cannot be plucked out and appreciated in the same way they would be within the song.  Do yourself a favor - get this record and sit down with the lyric sheet and just enjoy yourself.  Bands like this don't come around every day, they have the ability and power to change their style and mature yet still hold on to credibility. A credibility that is not based on their previous work but based on their current work, and our anticipation of their future work.

1. River City Extension -
The Unmistakable Man

We saw these guys open up for Flogging Molly in early 2010, and I thought they were really something special.  They seemed to have 20 band members and they were having the time of their lives playing on that stage.  And goddammit if they didn't all win me over.  A truly original sound that can drift between hardcore / jazz / folk / hip hop and just about any other genre you can think of.