Favorite Albums of 2018

Despite the corporate sponsored sewage poisoning our precious airwaves there remain many wonderful artists creating great music! Commercial radio has abandoned Rock 'n' Roll so immerse yourself in Satellite, College or the Internet(podcasts) and discover the hidden wealth of exciting new sounds! Here are my favorites from 2018 although I'm certain there are many more I have not heard that deserve a place on my list - Rock on!

1. Cloud Nothings - "Last Building Burning"
   Once again Cloud Nothings bring it like like there's no tomorrow! Equal parts passion, explosive drumming and an avalanche of guitar noise power each track. From the blitzkrieg opener "On An Edge" through the upbeat closer "Another Way of Life" the energy level is unrelenting and invites you to uncover new sonic wonders with each listen - WOW!

2. Superchunk - "What a Time to Be Alive"
   While attempting to make sense of our poisonous political climate Superchunk has created a modern day masterpiece! Scorching guitars, a thundering rhythm section and Mac McCaughan's impassioned voice propel every hook-infused gem - Long Live Superchunk!

3. The Choir - "Artifact: The Unreleased Album
   The final lineup of this legendary Cleveland group recorded their only album in 1969 where it remained unreleased until 2018! A treasure trove of tunes that capture the magic of their contemporaries such as Procol Harum and the Left Banke! Omnivore Records terrific remastering has it sounding as fresh as the day it was created!

4. The Beths - "Future Me Hates Me"

   My favorite new band is an indie pop group out of New Zealand. Elizabeth Stokes is the main songwriter and a delightful vocalist. Loaded with fuzzy guitar-laden earworms this is an easy album to fall in love with on first listen - can't wait to hear what they come up with next!

5. Sloan - "12"
   Flying under most Americans radar this Canadian quartet of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists knock it out of the park on their 12th album! 12 songs and not a dud in the bunch, plus the mesmeric opening track "Spin Our Wheels" gets my vote as catchiest song of the year! Time to check out their back catalogue.

6. Nick Piunti - "Temporary High"

   If there has been a more consistently excellent Power Popper over the last five years I am unaware of them. Nick Piunti has been on a four album tear since 2013's "13 in my Head" and shows no signs of slowing down (lucky us)! Ten captivating tunes performed at the highest level!

   7. Soft Science - "Maps"
   It's one mesmerizing tune after another on the second release by this Shoegaze/Dream Pop outfit from Sacramento, California. Katie Haley's ethereal poppy vocals sit atop the whirling mist of distorted guitars to take you to your happy place - wonderful!

8. The Persian Leaps - "Pop That Goes Crunch"

   The first album by this Minneapolis, MN lo-fi jangle rock trio is a collection of previous EPs and a new track so you know it's packed with good stuff! Influenced by Guided by Voices and Teenage Fanclub makes it part of a well balanced musical diet - dig in!

   9. The Grip Weeds - "Trip Around the Sun"

   The Grip Weeds have been forging their distinctive mix of jangly Power Pop tinged by psychedelia at the pace of a new album every few years for decades, so here we are - another outstanding set of polished musical diamonds!

10. Extra Arms - "Headacher"
   Ryan Allen and his Extra Arms mix things up a bit after 2016's "Basement Punk" by cranking up the distortion and I like it! This a rocking record loaded with outstanding songs and wonderfully aggressive guitars - There's something in that Detroit water!


Honorable Mention: any of these albums could sneak their way into my top ten 

Ruler - "Winning Star Champion" The Longshot - "Love is for Losers"
Interpol - "Marauder"
The Spielbergs - "Distant Star" EP
Caddy - "Ten Times Four"
Chris Richards & the Subtractions - "Peaks and Valleys"
Yo La Tengo - "There's a RiotGoing On"
En Attendant Ana - "Lost and Found"

Something Old...Something New (#29)

Time to review an old favorite from my collection and something newer that caught my ear...

"Peter Gabriel" - Peter Gabriel (released 1977)

   After six albums fronting progressive rock forerunners Genesis, Peter Gabriel's debut solo album was a surprising sampler of styles and textures. Produced by Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper) this record presents the rock listener with a fairly astounding amount of musical diversity. Gabriel eases us into his solo career with a very Genesis-like "Moribund the Meisterberger". The bouncy pop of "Solsbury Hill" is a joy and the nearest thing to a hit single (#68). "Modern Love" is a driving rocker that wouldn't sound out of place on an Alice Cooper LP and "Excuse Me" charms with it's opening barbershop quartet vocals. "Humdrum" is an appealing low-key tune that builds to a flowing finish awash in keyboards and guitar. "Slowburn" brings us the hardest rocker of the bunch featuring the soaring guitar of Steve Hunter (an Ezrin favorite). The dramatically bluesy "Waiting for the Big One" is oddly reminiscent of the Randy Newman song of the same name. "Down the Dolce Vita" is a fascinating combination of bombast (London Symphony Orchestra), guitar muscle (Steve Hunter again), military drums and ticking clocks (don't try to make sense of it, just be dazzled). The album ends with a beautiful ballad "Here Comes the Flood". I remember being awed by the sheer variety of music when this album was released but it all holds together thanks to Ezrin's production and the first-class musicians involved including Tony Levin on bass (who records and tours with him to this day)! Gabriel's refusal to be pigeon-holed to any one genre has given rise to an astonishing solo career and it all started here!

"Wild Stab" - The I Don't Cares (released 2016)

   Referring to themselves as "Donnie & Marie with switchblades" in the liner notes, two rock 'n' roll lifers produce the surprise album of 2016! acclaimed songwriters Paul Westerberg (Replacements) and Juliana Hatfield (Blake Babies) clean out their musical cupboards and the result is this 16 song lo-fi sparkler. The songs tumble out like so many jackstraws with the focus on catching that magical first take immediacy and energy. Westerberg contributes the lead vocals on most tracks while Hatfield  shines as the perfect collaborator. Their ramshackle guitars and woozy voices play like out-takes from the "Exile on Main Street" era of the Rolling Stones. The upbeat "Wear Me Out Loud" with it's raw harmonica break and "Dance to the Fight" are songs the Stones would write today if they could! Two more highlights are the hopped-up frenetic "Done Done Done" and the punky pop buzzsaw "Love Out Loud". The disheveled "Need the Guys" is most reminiscent of the Replacements while the rhythmic push and pull of "Outta my System" is elevated by Hatfields elastic harmonies. "Sorry For Tomorrow" and the closing "Hands Together" are heartfelt ballads and my favorite song, "King of America" is an affecting passionate defense of immigrants in this country without shame. Juliana Hatfield's presence drew me to this record but this has become my favorite Paul Westerberg project which is really saying something!

Favorite albums of 2017

The top selling "music" is more awful and meaningless than ever before but there is good stuff lurking beneath the corporate garbage - here are my favorite albums of the past year (at least the ones that I have heard - I'm sure there's a lot more out there)

1. Cloud Nothings - "Life Without Sound"

   Guitar based rock is alive and well thanks to albums like this - Excellent production and arrangements allow each track to constantly top themselves as hook after hook is introduced atop memorable melodies supported by layer upon layer of guitar righteousness! "Up to the Surface" is a stunner - my favorite song of the year!

2. Little Steven - "Soulfire"

   It took 20 years but Steven Van Zandt returned to the music scene with a vengeance! I feared a collection of new tunes, covers and new versions of older originals might be uneven but his Rock & Soul fire burns here as brightly as ever - plus his take on "Blues is My Business" is a scorcher! 

3. Bash & Pop - "Anything Could Happen"

   Tommy Stinson puts the band back together after 24 years for a second album of loose and lively Faces/Stones swagger - I'm on this like hogs to the trough! A few more ballads than last time out but "On the Rocks" ROCKS!

4. Waxahatchee - "Out in the Storm" 

   Katie Crutchfield is a fine writer with a wonderful voice and she rocks a little harder on this album - her best release yet! Check out "Sparks Fly", "No Question" or "Silver" for undeniable proof.

5. Charly Bliss - "Guppy"

   It's a precocious toddler's voice on helium fronting Weezer...it's the sound of 90s guitar music  coming to regain it's rightful place...it's Eva Hendricks fronting the band Charly Bliss and it's the feel good pop/punk sugar rush you needed in 2017! 

6. The Courtneys - "Courtneys II"

   Yet another exciting female band making big waves in the indie rock world! Only one of them is actually a Courtney but with music this catchy (think B-52s harmonies with fuzz guitar) they can call themselves anything they want. 

7. Secret Meadow - "Same Old Fear"

   A melodic dream pop band from Jakarta, Indonesia - who saw this coming!? A gorgeous five song debut EP that will leave you hungering for more - biggest surprise band of the year!

8. Shake Some Action - "Crash Through or Crash"

   Fourteen hook-filled tunes with driving rhythms, sweet harmonies and Rickenbacker jangle to spare - this is the Power Pop album of the year!

9. Neil Young - "Hitchhiker" 

   This album finally sees the light of day after sitting on the shelf since 1976! Neil in laid back acoustic mode showcasing soon to be classics "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger" alongside some unheard gems like the title track - and there's more scheduled for release in 2018!

10. The New Pornographers - "Whiteout Conditions"

   A. C. Newman & Company have crafted another winner! More keyboards than guitars this time out but the fine songwriting, quirky melodies and the vocals of Neko Case shine as always!

Honorable Mention - many of these could sneak onto my list on another day

Real Estate - "In Mind"

Pugwash - "Silverlake"

Eyelids - "Or"

Guided by Voices - "How Do You Spell Heaven"

The Small Square - "The Small Square"

Slowdive - "Slowdive"

Tobin Sprout - "The Universe and Me"

Ride - "Weather Diaries"

Honeyrude - "The Color Blue"

Favorite Albums of 2016

Not exactly a banner year for new Rock 'n' Roll (aside from Steve Gunn and William Tyler) but some musical old-timers (Ian Hunter, Cheap Trick, Teenage Fanclub & the Monkees?!) came through to save the day!

1. The I Don't Cares - "Wild Stab" 
  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.

2. Steve Gunn - "Eyes on the Lines"
   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.

3. William Tyler - "Modern Country"
   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"

   

  

Something Old...Something New (#28)

Each month I will review an old favorite from my collection and a new one that has caught my ear. Give a listen!

 

"Automatic For The People" - R.E.M. (released 1992)

The plan was for this quartet from Athens, GA to follow up their multi-platinum "Out of Time" album with a collection of hard rockers...but it didn't happen. As Peter Buck (guitars, mandolin) Mike Mills (bass, accordion, keyboards) Bill Berry (percussion) and Michael Stipe (vocals) crafted a new album the themes of death, loss and mourning kept cropping up (hardly the grist for a big rock album). As a result "Automatic for the People" took on a dark reflective tone highlighted by the most emotionally evocative songs of their career (with a few upbeat numbers wedged in for relief). Less guitar and drums plus a more liberal use of accordion, piano, organ and strings lend a rich depth to the music and it's stark themes. The record opens with the appropriately moody "Drive" and contemplative chanty of "Try Not to Breathe". "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" is pushed by an organ on it's way to a joyous chorus. "Everyone Hurts" is a swelling ballad reaching for the hand of anyone losing life's battles ("you're not alone") and "Sweetness Follows" promises reward after the sadness of loss (heavy stuff but all beautifully written and arranged). "Ignoreland" is a rocking political screed (always relevant) with a punchy chorus. The Andy Kaufman tribute "Man on the Moon" is a standout! Percolating verses lead to Stipe's Elvis impression, into a wonderfully addictive chorus and Buck's keening slide guitar is perfection! "Nightswimming" is a nostalgia-soaked stunner pushed along by a beautiful piano figure played by Mills. The closer "Find the River" features another gorgeous melody tastefully accompanied by Bill Berry on melodica. The song also highlights R.E.M.s secret weapon...the backing vocals of Mike Mills. R.E.M. is a band that has evolved greatly over the years from the early loose, mumbling, jangly college darlings (first 5 albums) to the tight, clear, polished rock stars of today (last 10 albums). I love both eras and have never been disappointed by any of their releases.

 

 

"Wooden Head" - The Proper Ornaments (released 2014)

A thoroughly enjoyable debut album from a pair of guitarist/songwriter/singers who take their name from an obscure New York pop band (Free Design) song from 1967. Englishman James Hoare (Veronica Falls, Ultimate Painting) and Argentinian Max Clapp combine their similar talents and influences to produce 14 songs of psych-tinged melodic pop. It's easy to get lost in the hushed vocals and melancholy guitar figures which echo the dreamy drone of The Velvet Underground and the paisley underground scene of the 80s. Accompanied by Daniel Nellis (bass) and Robert Syme (drums) the guitars and voices compliment each other beautifully. Most of the tracks clock in at about three minutes so there are no wasted moments here. Some of the many highlights include the murky chug of the opener "Gone" and the floating bliss of "Sun". "Ruby" is a pretty, baroque acoustic tune that wouldn't sound out of place on a 60s Nuggets collection. "Now I Understand" grabs you instantly with a hypnotic riff and pulls you into some nice vocal harmonies. "Step Into the Cold" is a driving song and the most rocking track on the record. The slippery guitar shine of "Always There" is a nice contrast to the psychedelic edge of "You Shouldn't Have Gone" which resolves itself in a haunting guitar solo. "Magazine" (titled after the late 70s post punk band) and "Stereolab" (a dreamy pop band from the 90s) show these guys wearing their influences on their sleeves but in the end it just doesn't matter as they do such a marvelous job inhabiting these songs, each one sparkling like a star in the winter sky.

Favorite Albums of 2015

   2015 began with a flurry of great new Rock 'N' Roll releases but then slowed to the usual harvest of good music to feast on. Here are my favorites that I have heard over past year - #1 - 5 are pretty set but after that it's a free-for-all (including my honorable mentions). Hoping for new albums from Cloud Nothings and The Wrens in 2016!

1. Swervedriver - "I Wasn't Born to Lose You"

English shoegaze rockers reunite after 17 years and produce the best album of their career! Guitars distort, sizzle and chime through the melodic haze of vocals to create one addictive musical epiphany after another. I missed these guys the first time around but never again!

                                       

2. Radioactivity - "Silent Kill"

It's a breathless blitzkrieg of an album - 12 songs in under 30 minutes. Frantic rhythms and hooky melodies delivered to you by guitarists Jeff Burke and Mark Ryan from The Marked Men (one of my favorite bands of this century). So happy these guys are back doing what they do!

                                      

3. Wavves X Cloud Nothings - "No Life for Me"

A brief yet exhilirating EP of tunes from a collaboration by Nathan Williams (Wavves) and Dylan Baldi (Cloud Nothings). Nicely crafted indie tunes that will stay in your head for days! Dylan's solo turn "Nothing Hurts" may be my favorite song of the year! 

                                  

4. Ryan Allen & his Extra Arms - "Heart String Soul"

I love Power Pop when it is done well and here is your benchmark for 2015. The genre can sometimes seem wimpy or cloying but the tunes on this album are full of fire, have energy to burn and are LOUD! Ryan Allen hits the Rock 'N' Roll trifecta here and we are all richer for it. 

                                   

5. Tommy Keene - "Laugh in the Dark"

A Tommy Keene album is money in the bank. As sure as the sun rises you can count on every release to have perfectly crafted melodies, great vocals and incredible guitar work. His extended solo closing "All Gone Away" is one for the ages! It's easy to take such excellence for granted - but don't!

                                   

6. Noel Gallagher - "Chasing Yesterday"

Second solo effort from the Oasis mastermind is packed with track after track of Britpop awesomeness. Factor in Noel's wonderful guitar work and you have the sound of Rock 'N' Roll being saved! Tip: spring for the deluxe version to get four extra songs.

                                   

7. Best Coast - "California Nights"

Bethany Cosentino is back with another collection (3 LPs now and an EP) of songs about boyfriends and the west coast. You'd think I'd be ready to jump off this train by now but the choruses are huge and her voice is even bigger and better. Add Bobb Bruno's driving surfy guitar and I'm in!

                                  

8. Dungen - "Allas Sak"

It's like tripping down a psych/acid/prog/rock rabbit hole into the seventies! Sweden's Gustav Ejstes has been working his jam magic in this vein for years now, but does it matter that it's all in Swedish? - Nope, not a bit! Recommended if you like Tame Impala.

                                 

9. Deerhunter - "Fading Frontier"

Another winner from Bradford Cox and his band that grows on you with each listen. Nice mix of the familiar dreamy Deerhunter pop ("Breaker" and "Carrion") along with some surprises (the slinky glam of "Snakeskin" is a highlight). 

                                

10. The Decemberists - "What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World"

Colin Meloy's distinctive vocals and literary heavy lyrics combine with the sometimes precious instrumentation of his troupe to trend toward the maudlin yet manage to produce another collection of memorable music - how do they consistently do that?! They also released the equally excellent EP "Florasongs".

More good stuff;Ryley Walker - "Primrose Green",   Nick Piunti - "Beyond the Static",    Death Cab for Cutie - "Kintsugi",   Richard Thompson - "Still",   Wavves - "V",   Wilco - "Star Wars", AC/DC - "Rock or Bust",  Martin Courtney - "Many Moons",  The Chills - "Silver Bullets",  Low - "Ones and Sixes",  Cheatahs - "Mythologies",  Johnny Marr - "Playland"