Two Rock 'n' Roll lifers (Paul Westerberg & Juliana Hatfield) team up for this surprise lo-fi basement smash! The songs tumble out like so many jackstraws - ramshackle guitars, rocking melodies and woozy harmonies - is it legal to have this much fun? This is the record the Stones would make if they could.
Strumming, fingerpicking or with a rock groove this is a master guitarist/songwriter at the top of his game and astonishingly addictive! A great record that gets greater with every listen.
Yes, instrumental guitar albums can be mind-numbingly dull but this is a true outlier! Tyler documents his travels on America's roads with a stark beauty. Echoes of everyone from John Fahey to Enrico Morricone - a marvel!
4. Ian Hunter & the Rant Band - "Fingers Crossed"
Respect your elders, kids...especially when they can write and sing circles around you! The opening blast of "That's When the Trouble Starts" and a heartfelt Bowie tribute "Dandy" prove this legend, now deep into his seventies hasn't lost a step!
5. Teenage Fanclub - "Here"
You can count on Scotland's Fannies to add a stunningly tuneful album to their canon every five years. McGinley, MacDonald, McGowan and Love (his "It's a Sign" is one of their best) never disappoint.
6. Nada Surf - "You Know Who You Are"
Matthew Caws and Co. are so dependably excellent that it's easy to take them for granted. Over their eight albums they continually hone their craft - here are ten more gleaming gems!
7. Cheap Trick - "Bang Zoom Crazy Hello"
How can a band rock this hard and have this much fun on their 17th album?! Robin Zander's voice is in fine form and Rick Neilsen conjures up more six-string mischief. I miss Bun E Carlos on drums but this is a fine album with another due in 2017!
8. The Monkees - "Good Times"
I did not see this coming - Adam Schlessinger (Fountains of Wayne) enlists some of today's finest writers (Andy Partridge, Rivers Cuomo, Ben Gibbard, Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller) alongside Boyce/Hart, Goffin/King and Neil Diamond songs to produce their finest work in 50 years - Good Times indeed!
9. Bob Mould - "Patch the Sky"
His third album as a trio with Jon Wurster (drums) and Jason Narducy (bass) echoes his "Sugar" years and continues a late career renaissance. "Pray for Rain" is a scorcher!
10. Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms - "Basement Punk"
Detroit's power pop punk delivers another winner! With this much guitar and energy the tracks fairly leap off the record, burrow deep into your brain and put a smile on your face!
Honorable Mention - any of these could be in my top ten on a given day.
La Sera - "Music for Listening to Music To"
Miranda Lee Richards - "Echoes of the Dreamtime"
Rogue Wave - Illusions of Grand Fur
The Jayhawks - Paging Mr. Proust
Beverly - The Blue Swell
The Thermals - We Disappear
The Shelters - "The Shelters"
