25. Tenacious D: Rize of the Fenix
THE FUCKIN' D IS BACK!!! Those words are pretty much the rallying cry for the third official album from comedic metal masters Tenacious D. Rize of the Fenix largely finds JB and KG taking on progressive rock and largely succeeding. The title track is an epic self mythologizing jam the likes no other band on earth can pull off. "Low Hanging Fruit" is fantastic tale of lowered sexual expectations, "Roadie" is a fine tribute to the unsung heroes of the rock world and the closing Neil Diamond influenced "39" is a filthy look at aging love . Consistently vulgar, always irreverent amd also rockin' like crazy (thanks in large part to studio drummer Dave Grohl), Rize of the Feniz is one of the best hard rock albums of the year.
24. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Meat and Bone
See that cover? It looks like a ballsack. That's a pretty accurate description of the first Blues Explosion album in 8 years. Spencer's music has always lacked subtlety but Meat and Bone takes it to a whole new level. The album is a nonstop aural onslaught designed to get into you nether regions and make you shake you ass. "Bag of Bones," "Boot Cut" and "Danger" are straight gut punches while "Get You Pants Off" and "Bottle Baby" are more groove orientated but still full of vigor. The album peters out a bit toward the end but by that time the listener has probably been beaten into submission anyway (I mean this as a complement BTW).
23. Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls
From all accounts Alabama Shakes are a tremendous live band (I have not had the privilege) but their debut album is pretty sensational as well. It might be lacking in some fire that occurs on stage but there's enough passion and energy to see how this material would translate marvelously to the stage. It's easy to say that Brittany Howard is this generations Janis Joplin but the comparison is so obvious it has to be made. The music both rocks and rolls, gives shakes and has soul but Howard is the real star here.
22. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Three Chords Good
The first Graham Parker album to feature his old backing band The Rumour since 1980 isn't all that different than most of Parker's recent solo material but it does just feel right to have them back together (whoever came up with the cover art on the other hand should never be allowed to make that decision again). Whether they're playing reggae ("Snake Oil Capitol of the World"), basic shuffles ("She Rocks Me") or rocking out ("Coathangers") Parker and the Rumour feel like they've never been apart. Three Chords Good is a bit more reflective and not nearly as angry as the music from the bands early days but there's still plenty of life left in this long awaited reunion.
21. Patterson Hood: Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance
Hood's third solo album plays like a low key Drive-By Truckers affair but manages to find a unique voice all the same. Based on an unfinished novel about divorce Hood wrote years ago. Heat Light tows the line between depressing and informative throughout but ultimately manages to be uplifting. Hood's lyrical imagery has always been his strong suit and that is no different here. Whether painting a portrait of a man dealing with pain ("Leaving Time"), resignation ("Better Off Without") or depression ("Depression Era") Hood makes it all seem true and real. The music is stripped down and bare adding more significance to the lyrics and the result is a cohesive statement that reveals new turns at every listen.
20. Jack White: Blunderbuss
Jack White's first solo album is real good. I like it a lot when I;m lstening to it. The problem (and this is true of pretty much everything White has ever been involved with for me) is that it just doesn't stick in my brain when it's not playing like it should. So while ""Sixteen Saltines," "I'm Shakin," "Weep Themselves to Sleep" and "Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy" sound great while they're on, they just don't have a lot of staying power. Lot's of people probably love Blunderbuss but for me it's only a (strong) like.
19. Dr. John: Locked Down
On Locked Down the good Dr. revisits his Night Tripper personality for the first time since the early 70's the and with a lot of help from Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, the results are great. The music is swampy, psychedelic voodoo funk. The songs are great, the production is even better and the Dr. is in fine voice throughout. Whether singing about "Revolution," being a "Big Shot" or getting spiritual ("My Children. My Angels," "God's Sure Good") everything works. Locked Down is a great comeback for the Night Tripper.
18. Jimmy Cliff: Rebirth
Jimmy Cliff has made a lot of forgettable albums since the days of The Harder They Fall and so it's good to see Rebirth live up to it's title. With producer Tim Armstrong (Rancid) in the fold, there are no real attempts at pop crossover or dancehall (with the possible exception of "Bang") and the focus remains on straight roots reggae. "World Upside Down" "One Love" and "Reggae Music" are all new reggae classics while the covers of The Clash ("Guns of Brixton") and Rancid ("Ruby Soho") are very successful reinterpretations. Cliff's tenor still has the power to move as shown on "Cry No More" and "Ship is Sailing" and hopefully he'll continue to make this type of music going forward.
17. Off!: Off!
16 songs in less than 20 minutes is not you typical full length album but then again, Off! isn't your typical band. Fronted by Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, Black Flag) and featuring members of Burning Brides, Redd Kross and Rocket From the Crypt, Off! blasts through the 16 tracks of 80's style hardcore and finishes before you know what hit you. There ins't a more purely visceral album released this year and even if it's as short as albums get, you can always turn the record over and start again.
16. Redd Kross: Researching the Blues
Speaking of Redd Kross, the veteran pop-punk jokesters release their first album in 12 years and perhaps their best ever in Researching the Blues. "Stay Away From Downtown," "One Of the Good One's" "The Nu Temptations" and "Choose to Play" are all power pop gems while the title track proves they can still rock. The stabs at balladry ("Dracula's Dughter") and psychedelia ("Hazel Eyes") aren't quite as great but they don't drag the album down either. Of all the albums on the list this one is the one that grew on me the most throughout the year. Great stuff.
15. Nada Surf: The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
Nada Surf has been cranking out first rate power pop their entire career and The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy might be their best work yet. Sticking to the simple formula of pretty guitars and vocals with a lot of energy and a willingness to speed the tempo is a good bet for success and Nada Surf pulls it off, big time. "Clear Eyes, Clouded Mind," "Waiting for Something," and "Looking Through" are all uptempo standouts while "Jules and Jim" and "No Snow On the Mountain" have huge hooks (really every track has huge hooks but these two stand out). The album bristles with joy and sincerity throughout making it one of the best pop albums of the year.
14. Dr. Dog: Be the Void
Speaking if joyful, that's the best way to describe the latest from Dr. Dog. Be the Void is guitar based indie pop at it's finest. Largely forgoing the Beach Boys influences that have been dominating their last few albums, Dr. Dog (relatively) crank up the guitars and rock out. "These Days," "That Old Black Hole" and "Vampire" are heavier than a vast majority of the bands music and there's an overall looser and more shambolic nature to Be the Void than the band usually delivers. That's not to say they've abandoned their pop aspects at all. Every track features immaculate harmonies and precise instrumentation, it just comes off as a more organic live feel than usual. This is my favorite side of Dr. Dog and one I hope they continue down the road.
13. Justin Townes Earle: Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Justin Townes Earle try's his hand at soul on Nothing's Gonna Change... and while it takes a little while to sink in, once it does Earle's fine songwriting comes to the forefront. "Look the Other Way" "Memphis in the Rain," "Baby's Got a Bad Idea" and "Maria" are all upbeat soul rock while "Am I That Lonely Tonight," "Lower East Side" and the title track are perfect songs to curl up next to a fire to (or so I've been told by people with access to fireplaces). Earle's talent shines throughout and the only real complaint is that the album's just too damn short. Better to leave 'em wanting more than to stay too long I guess.
12. The Coup: Sorry To Bother You
The Coup have been making funk inspired political hip-hop for a long time now and the world of Boots Riley is one of anger, societal failings and yes, humor in spite of it all. Sorry To Bother You finds Boots employing a full band for the first time (at least for an entire album) and branching out into different genre's. There's stabs at dance ("Magic Clap"), rock ("Land of 7 Billion Dances), balladry (We've Got A Lot To Teach You Cassius Green") and the worlds first kazoo based rap song ("Your Parents Cocaine). There's still plenty of funk to go around ("The Guillotine," "You Are Not a Riot", "Strange Arithmetic") and Boots' commentary is both thought provoking humorous. There isn't a better album this year when it comes to simultaneously shaking your ass and flexing your mind.
11. P.O.S.: We Don't Even Live Here Anymore
P.O.S. takes his best claim yet as Minneapolis' finest hip-hop artist with We Don't Even Live Here. This is still the indie rock influenced hip-hop we've come to expect from P.O.S. but there are more nods to mainstream rap than he's ever used before ("Where We Land," "They Can't Come," ""Get Down"). This is certainly not an attempt at selling out for crossover appeal just to assuage fears. Oh yeah, "Fuck Your Stuff" is pretty awesome.
10. Dwight Yoakam: Three Pears
Dwight Yoakam made his name by playing traditional style country music (although with a heavy rock influence) but Three Pears is anything but traditional country. Yoakam's music will always have a country feel due to the natural twang in his voice but there's way more music owing to power-pop and soul influences than anything else. Whether it's the motown influenced bass of "Take Hold Of My Hand," the raucous cowpunk cover of "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke," or the two different versions of "Long Way To Go" (the closing piano ballad version is phenomenal), Yoakam stretches out more than any other album in his career and comes up with one of his best.
9. Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball
Bruce Springsteen Irish folk rocker? That seems to be the general direction of Wrecking Ball as "Easy Money," "Shackled and Drawn," "Death To My Hometown" and "We are Alive" could all pass as Pogues covers. Of course Bruce is never gonna leave anthemic rock off the table as "We Take Care of Our Own," "Land of Hope and Dreams" and the title track prove. Only a slightly misguided attempt at incorporating hip-hop ("Rocky Ground") fails to work and while Wrecking Ball isn't first rate Springsteen, his 2nd rate stuff is still pretty fantastic.
8. Lucero: Women and Work
Lucero toyed around with their hometown Memphis signature soul sound on 2009's excellent 1372 Overton Park and go the extra mile and complete the cycle on Women & Work.There's a full blown horn section, soulful rhythms, and Ben Nichols voice is smoother sounding than it's ever been. None of that really matters because for all the sound adjustments this is still unmistakably a Lucero album. "Juniper," "Like Lightning" and the title track are all excellent upbeat rockers while "On My Way Downtown" and "Who You Waiting On" are great representations of Nichol's pleas for female companionship and alcohol (which, like all Lucero albums, is the main lyrical content). Lucero has always been great with the ballads as well and "It May Be Too Late" and "When I Was Young" definitely don't disappoint. The album ends with the gospel influenced "Go Easy" which is a great way for the band to close the newest chapter of their sound.
7. JD McPherson: Signs & Signifiers
This one is kind of a cheat since the album was originally released in 2010 but I didn't hear it until it was reissued this year and really it's just too damn good to not include. JD does souped up 50's rock better than anyone I've heard in a long time. "North Side Gal," "Fire Bug," "Scratching Circles" and "I Can't Complain" all conjure up the ghosts of Little Richard and/or Fats Domino (yes I realize neither are dead) but with McPherson's modern guitar licks also playing a central role. "You're Love (All I'm Missing)" showcases JD's formidable vocal skills. The cover of "Country Boy" manages to sample both the Wu-Tang Clan and Ruth Brown which pretty much sums up the album. McPherson s not afraid to bring modern influences into his retro sound and the result is a album that not only rocks, it really rolls as well.
6. Dan Vapid and the Cheats: Dan Vapid and the Cheats
This. Is. Pop-Punk. Dan Vapid has been making music for a number of different bands for the last 20 years (Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones) and with Dan Vapid and the Cheats, he's made a record that culminates all his strengths into one fantastic blend. No one writes simple, sing-a-long punk as well as Vapid and "Torture Chamber," "Beware of the Fog," "Just Like Cleopatra," "Baby, Baby Get Over Yourself" and "Good Enough" are all first rate tracks guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Vapid also branches out and shows off new wave ("Devo on Speed") and doo-wop (Girl Group) influences. There isn't an album I listened to more times this year than Dan Vapid and the Cheats. This is a phenomenal record.
5. The Gaslight Anthem: Handwritten
It was always inevitable that the Gaslight Anthem would blow up and become a popular mainstream band. They're just too catchy, heartfelt and basically too good not to. Kicking off with my favorite song of the year in "45" and rarely letting up until the acoustic closer "National Anthem," Handwritten runs the gamut from their traditional Jersey punk ("Handwritten," "Howl," "Desire") to mid tempo sing-a-longs ("Here Comes My Man," "Mae") and stomping hard rock ("Mulholland Drive," Biloxi Parish," "Too Much Blood"). The middle of the album bogs down a bit with too many of the latter in a row but that's really the only possible complain. Brian Fallon's lyrics are still heartfelt and his voice remains the band's ultimate weapon. Handwritten ensures that the Gaslight Anthem's career path will keep trending upwards. If all mainstream rock was still this good people might not say the radio was dead.
4. Bob Dylan: Tempest
I doubt there's anyone else on earth who would dream to write a 14 minute song about the Titanic (let alone one that has no chorus) but Bob Dylan (or Tim Heidecker I guess but that's more of a preemptive parody). While "Tempest" is certainly the most interesting song on Dylan's 35th studio album, it's far from the best (but it's really good). Showing no signs of aging apart from the beautifully ragged instrument that his voice has become, Tempest continues Dylan's late career resurgence with another great batch of roots rock and blues. "Duquesne Whistle," "Pay in Blood" and "Narrow Way" are some of the best upbeat songs Dylan has written since Love and Theft. "Early Roman King's" continues Dylan's streak of "stealing" beats from old blues songs ("Mannish Boy") but turning them on their head to make them his own while "Soon After Midnight" "Long and Wasted Years" and "Roll on John" are beautiful ballads. Lyrically, the specter of death looms large over all of Tempest but it doesn't stop Dylan from making jokes throughout the album and keeping it from becoming overwhelming. Bob's been on quite the roll the last 15 years and Tempeststands up with the best work of his career.
3. The Menzingers: On the Impossible Past
The Menzingers had made a couple albums of decent to pretty good melodic hardcore in the past but nothing could have prepared me for On the Impossible Past.This is an album of heart on the sleeve punk rock dealing with life, love and loss. It's simultaneously melodic, intricate and completely addictive. From the opening chords of "Good Things" until the gloriously bleak closer "Freedom Bridge," The Menzingers grab you and pull you in and don't let go. Whether it's the interplay between the guitars on "Mexican Guitars" or the vocals on "Burn After Writing" the bands songwriting and performance are amazing. "Gates," "Casey" and "The Obituaries" are all among my favorite songs of the year and there's a not a bad one to be found here. The album's flow is impeccable and there's a slight narrative that runs throughout and lends weight upon repeated listens. If the Menzingers keep improving at this rate who knows what they'll have in store for us down the road.
2. Bob Mould: Silver Age
As awesome and influential as Husker Du was, I can'e deny that I like Bob Mould's 90's band Sugar more. Silver Age is Mould's re-visitation of that type of music and the result is the most purely enjoyable solo album of his career. Mould and his band (drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy) rock out with big pop hooks, buzzsaw guitars and breakneck tempos. The songs alternate from the angry ("Star Machine," "Silver Age,") to the reflective ("Briefest Moment," "Angel's Rearranging"), the beautiful ("First Time Joy") and the flat out joyous ("The Descent" "Keep Believing"). Based on Mould's career path it will be surprising if he ever makes an album similar to this again but if this is his heavy power-pop swan song, it's a helluva way to go out.
1. Japandroids: Celebration Rock
Sometimes an album's title completely encompasses the music that lies within. This is certainly the case with Japandroid's sophomore album. 8 songs, 35 minutes of pure, high powered joy. The rush of exuberance that comes from cranking up songs like "The Nights of Wine and Roses," "The House That Heaven Built," "Evil's Sway" and "Fire's Highway" is unmatched by any other music released this year and it's not even close. The cover of the Gun Club's "For the Love of Ivy" fits perfectly and is a great choice for the album. There's not much in the way of a reprieve of as the album is one long adrenaline rush but the closing "Continuous Thunder" does slow things down just enough to keep Celebration Rock from being overwhelming. This is just amazing, energy and hook filled indie rock that sounds like it's built for stadiums. It's hands down the best album of the year.
For anyone interested in checking out a collection of songs from my list as well as a few others, here's a Spotify playlist that allows you to do just that!!! What service!!!
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