Best of 2010: Albums #20-11

Okay ladies and gentlemen, here is the first 10 entries in my top 20 of the year! Hope you enjoy!

20. Rob Zombie-Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool



When I was in sixth grade I used to listen to the tracks “Meet the Creeper”, “Dragula” and “Superbeast” several times a day. Then in high school I bought the first Hellbilly Deluxe at one of FYE’s several “Buy 3 get 1 free!” sales and surprisingly enjoyed it beyond a nostalgia level. A few weeks ago, after listening to Rick Ross’s Teflon Don, iTunes automatically put on what was next in the playlist, Rob Zombie’s Hellbilly Deluxe 2. I had every intent to change it, but as soon as it started I felt like that sixth grader walking home from elementary school with my Walkman on full blast. Without as much of an “ehhh” I made it through the entire album and enjoyed myself. While HB2 is not a piece of timeless art, it’s fun, and it’s retro (weird thinking that sounding like a ’98 album is retro) and it never really takes itself too seriously. Not to mention psychobilly prodigy John 5 brings his country flavor to the music, adding a quirky new dimension. For those that publicly or privately enjoy the Zombie in all of his glory, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is an album for you. If you don’t enjoy the Zombie…then get out of here!

Notable Tracks: “Jesus Frankenstein” “The Man Who Laughs”

19. Devo- Something for Everybody



Aging geeks. That is exactly what Devo are. And on Something for Everybody they make it abundantly clear. While many bands try to retain their heavy credibility into old age (see KISS) or try to turn their music to prove that they have become wise in their years (see Johnny Cash) Devo are the same guys, just 20 years older than the last time we heard something new from them. This album sounds as if they wrote it in the 80’s and re-mastered it now, tweaking some lyrics to be more relevant to today’s audience. The Mothersbaugh’s, the Castle’s and drum god Josh Freese are really in tune to what made Devo great in the day, and allowing fans to pick what songs were on the album certainly made it Something for Everybody. Not the bands best work (I mean, they peaked in the 70’s) but a fun album that knows just how corny it is. If there was only a young band like Devo today.

Notable Tracks: “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” "Please Baby Please" "Step Up"

18. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.- Record Collection



Record Collection is an album that has me scratching my head every time I listen to it, thinking “Is this really all that good?” I think the fact that it has me so intrigued listen after listen means that Mark and the crew are doing something right. The first two tracks wham off collaborations with hip-hop vets Q-Tip and Ghostface Killah over catchy synthy beats. It’s different than the Dap Kings influenced Version, in a sense that every song is not arranged in the same fashion. And as it keeps going the guest spots get more and more strange, creating quite the interesting vibe. Boy George, Spank Rock, and the London Gay Men’s Chorus all contribute interesting and odd parts to snappy fun tracks, making the listen not only fun but fascinating. I still prefer Version, and the complete wackiness of Here Comes the Fuzz even, but Record Collection is a nice showing that proves that Ronson doesn’t have a formula to fit into.

Notable Tracks: “The Bike Song” “Introducing the Business” “Bang Bang Bang”

17. Weezer- Hurley



Here it is. Soak it up ladies and gentlemen. Weezer has returned. After three consecutive flops and a departure from Geffen, it seemed as though Weezer had 2 options. One was continue making watered down pop rock under an independent record label, and the other was take some time to record a good album that makes people remember why they love Weezer. What they did falls somewhere in the middle. A year after the laughably bad Raditude, Hurley shows a band that may have been held back by the people at Geffen, but also a band that knows how to make fun pop rock. What was lost between the heavy Maladroit and Hurley? Who knows, but there’s no denying that while it’s not classic, it is certainly a FUN POP ROCK album. The bands critics keep saying they’re never going to be as good as Blue Album or Pinkerton, and my response to that is WHO CARES?! Can’t we just enjoy what they’re making? I thoroughly enjoy this new sound, do I like it better than Blue and Pink? No! But I like it! Rivers may have lost his mind with some of his lyrics (“B.o.B is dying to hang out!”) but he can still make a song that gets stuck in your head for days, and that’s a skill that not many rockers have in this day and age.

Notable Tracks: “Memories” “Trainwrecks” “Smart Girls”

16. Infant Sorrow-Get Him To The Greek



The soundtrack to the same named film, the fictional band fronted by off the wagon rock star Aldous Snow does exactly what the film needs it to do, rock. In the beginning of the film, Jonah Hill’s Aaron Green laments that Snow is the last remaining true rock star, and that perhaps the world needs people like him, and the songs on this soundtrack certainly prove that. They are funny and quirky in their lyrical content, but at the end of the day the just straight up rock. What’s the formula to the greatness of these songs? Is it the mix of having actual rock stars like Jarvis Cocker write music and have comedians like Jason Segel and Judd Apatow write lyrics? Maybe. But the point is that in a generation where all of our comedy music comes from geeky self aware comic groups like Tenacious D and Flight of the Conchords (no offense meant to either group) it’s great to see a Spinal Tap-esque fictional band that can not only make you laugh, but make you bang your head and tap your foot.

Notable Tracks: “Furry Walls” “The Clap” “Bangers, Beans and Mash”

15. The Roots- Hot I Got Over



I was not excited for this album. The constant delays, the shameless self promotion that it was “classic” by Questlove, and the fact that the Jimmy Fallon gig may have taken a toll on the bands songwriting skills, really had my thinking this was going to flop, especially following the star-studded and over the top Rising Down, but this album did deliver in an odd and satisfying way. It’s not the same Roots we’ve heard before, it’s a more driven, rock based sound, and it knows how to entertain. While Blackthought may not be spitting his most politically relevant lyrics, nor is Questlove pushing the band to their musical limits, this album is for once positive in its content and fun in its presentation. With such a vast discography, and a changing of the guard from the god of bass Hub to white boy Owen Biddle, it’s no surprise this isn’t their best work, but it shows that they still have plenty of potential to grow even more than they have over the years.

Notable Tracks: “Dear God 2.0” “How I Got Over” “The Fire”

14. Eminem-Recovery



There are a few artists that are so iconic, that you can’t help but root for through thick and thin. Eminem is one of those guys. Defying the odds and transcending race he became the voice of our generation and made all of us cringe and make sure our parents weren’t in the room when his music videos came on TV. But after the disappointments in Encore and Relapse, there was doubt that Slim Shady would return to true form, but Recovery showed that there is still life in the aging Detroit rapper. This isn’t the same, constantly angry at the world Eminem, this is a grown up who has more life experience than 90% of the rap community. And while he may not be as on point as he was in the past, he can still make rhymes and use his unique and intense flow to command respect. Is this as good as the Slim Shady or Marshall Mathers LP’s? No. But we have an album that never quite hits the lows that his prior two have, and we have a new sort of insight. He can still reference obscene things, but at the same time he can go and preach in songs like “Not Afraid” and it doesn’t seem awkward. I enjoy this album a lot, and if Em can hone his skills even more on his next album, he may have another classic in him.

Notable Tracks: “Cold Wind Blows” “On Fire” “Won’t Back Down”

13. The Dead Weather- Sea of Cowards



In his third consecutive year on the list, Jack White’s The Dead Weather put out another great album. The thing about Jack White is that while all of his music is good and entertaining, it seems as if he’s coasting by putting albums out so fast. And that amazes me. Released a year after their debut Horehound, Sea of Cowards packs the same bluesy, hard edged punch that the bands debut had, and it took less than a year to write and record! That’s incredible. This album starts off hard and effective with “Blue Blood Blues” and more or less keeps rocking until it ends. It’s punchiness musically can be handed to bassist Jack Lawrence and the man himself White behind the drum kit, and the vocals of White and Allison Mosshart just fit perfectly in the sleazy blues of the bands music. Jack White seems to be defying the odds in terms of his track record as of the past few years, and after Sea of Cowards I have high hopes for what is next.

Notable Tracks: “Blue Blood Blues” “Hustle and Cuss” “Gasoline”

12. DJ Muggs vs. Ill Bill-Kill Devil Hills




The third album in Cypress Hill DJ Muggs’ “vs.” series sees the California native team up with Brooklyn’s Ill Bill of Non Phixion and La Coka Nostra. The end result is a very nice dose of hardcore hip hop in a time where the hardest rapper on the radio used to be a corrections officer. Bill has a killer delivery and Muggs crafts great beats that both have a vintage vibe, while still hitting hard. Not to mention the guest spots are pretty good. The obvious Cypress Hill and Coka Nostra ones coming from B-Real, Slaine and Everlast, and surprises from Raekwon and Jedi Mind Tricks’ Vinny Paz help break up Bill’s talents. I like the continuity from Bill’s verses on La Coka Nostra’s A Brand You Can Trust to this album, still talking about how fat America is and his own difficult life, while peppering in political themes with government use of LSD and the illuminati. It’s an album that went overlooked by a lot of people, but it’s a nice combination of two similar forces that is a good time overall.

Notable Tracks: “Cult Assassin” “Amputated Saint” “Skull & Guns”

11. NaS & Damian Marley- Distant Relatives



Another album plagued by delays that made me fear what its quality would be bad, but again I am proven wrong. This disc is just a whole dish of odd-defying quality. While their prior collaboration on Jamrock’s “Road To Zion” showed the chemistry between the two men, Distant Relatives takes that chemistry to new and unseen levels. The dread-ed militant Marley combined with the clean cut, bling and fitted wearing NaS literally come together, combining cultures and styles in a hybrid reggae/rap that never gets boring. While it does run a tad long, it mixes things up enough to make it worth the listen. When not working strictly together, they bring in logical collaborators like Stephen Marley and K’Naan, and those sort of bizarre ones like Lil’ Wayne & Joss Stone (together on one track?). If there was one album that should have received a lot more mainstream attention, it is this one without question.

Notable Tracks: “As We Enter” “Nah Mean” “Africa Must Wake Up”

Stay tuned for the top 10! Surprises may ensue!

Best of 2010: The Let Down's and Honorable Mention's

The end is here...odd to say. Sadly I didn't make it through all 78 albums, but I made it through most of them, and have my list compiled and am working through it. To give you a taste for what may be on it and what definitely won't be, here are this year's let down's and honorable mentions!

The Let Down's:
Every year there are albums that disappoint. These are the albums that disappointed me...



1. Sleigh Bells- Treats: I was promised great things with Sleigh Bells. Noise-pop with an upbeat chick and a one-time metal drummer. I mean how cool of a combination is that? The problem is that the one-time metal drummer’s mixing is ridiculous. Some people like it, a lot of people actually, but by track 3 or 4 my head was about to fall off from the noise and I was not having a good time. I don’t doubt the group can make a great album, I just feel like their current formula is a bit painful to the ears.

2. Nicki Minaj- Pink Friday: Minaj did a lot of boasting this year, gaining the most attention from her showstopping verse on Kanye West’s “Monster” overshadowing West and Jay-Z. However, her album is an odd mix of pop, R&B and hip-hop. There are a few tracks, notably “Roman’s Revenge” with Eminem, that showcase the Minaj that bragged about making a million off of a mixtape. While it’s certainly not bad to rap about diverse things, it’s just when you’re really good at one thing and not so good at other’s, stick to what you’re good at. The song with will.i.am that samples "Video Killed the Radio Star" is near impossible to listen to.

3. M.I.A.- Maya (I’m not going to justify that whole slash thing): M.I.A. had the world on a silver platter following the huge success of Kala, an album that hit #4 on my Best of 2007 list, and its breakout single “Paper Plans”. But what did Maya do? Listened to too much Nine Inch Nails and pretended like she could do whatever she wanted without consequence. Well, the world is paying the price, having wasted 40 minutes listening to Maya.

4. Cee-Lo Green-The Lady Killer: This album is not bad, just not nearly as good as it could’ve been. While I haven’t dived into his prior solo work or the Goodie Mob discography, the two Gnarls Barkley albums are really awesome, and following “Fuck You” everyone expected this album to be a snarky, catchy look at the life of the titular Lady Killer. Instead it’s a run of the mill funky throwback album. “Fuck You” and the bonus track “Love Gun” (NOT a Kiss cover) are the only two that really stood out.


Now to the more positive...
Honorable Mentions:
Those albums that are good, but not quite good enough.



1. Die Antwoord- $O$: I don’t know South African culture, so I don’t know if every rap group over there sounds like Die Antwoord, but the Zef trio to me is one of the most innovative groups of the year. The rapping is strangely diverse, kind of goofy, and at the end of the day really sharp and potent. What brings this album down is just how zany it is. Sometimes the concepts fall flat, so more consistency in a follow-up release is certainly doable.

2. MGMT-Congratulations: Oracular Spectacular took its toll on me. I got really sick of the singles, and the rest of the album kind of fell flat, so I was really skeptical about Congratulations. I was quite surprised when I got around to listen to it, I felt like I was listening to an entirely new band. While a lot of bands have gotten big off of one sound (think how “Fly” by Sugar Ray changed their sound) MGMT opted to do what they wanted to rather than go for the guaranteed paycheck. The album’s not a classic, but it’s a fun listen and it shows guts to do what they did.

3. Johnny Cash- American VI: Ain’t No Grave: Cash’s American series is one of the most interesting and incredible career shifts of all time. Sort of like the Bill Murray of music, Cash changed his direction from the classic country sound to a grim, earthy, heartfelt sound that oftentimes showed awareness that death was looming around the corner. The aptly titled Ain’t No Grave is the last of the recordings done during the American V: A Hundred Highways sessions and while it may be considered a b-sides album, it contains some really good tunes that prove that up until the end Cash was on his game.

4. John Legend and The Roots-Wake Up!: When I saw a poster for this album, I thought it was a joke. Released mere months after the Roots’ How I Got Over, Wake Up! is an odd album to categorize. Legend is a modern R&B crooner and the Roots are a politically aware and highly influential hip-hop band. And when they are put together we get…a funk/soul album of covers of Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and other classic soul groups? I don’t love this album, but considering the haste in which is was made, promoted and released, I respect the grind put in by Legend and the Roots.

Keep your eyes on your Twitter feed because the list is coming soon!

Hey check this out!

I'm listening to albums from 2010, and to keep occupied, I'm compiling albums on my Rate Your Music page into lists. Check out this first one, my All Inclusive Look at the man, myth, legend Mike Patton.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/DWinch/mike_patton__the_all_inclusive_look

Enjoy! And keep checking back!

My Listening of 2010

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in December, and thusly it is time to start reflecting on the year in music. Now, unlike so many respectable blogs, I give myself until the very end of the month to listen, re-listen and pick apart albums. But I like to give the lovely 3 or 4 readers of this blog an idea of what they have to choose from. I thought I didn't have much music from this lovely year, but upon making a playlist on iTunes of 2010 music I found close to 1,100 songs from the year! Here is a full list of albums I have (not all I have listened to 2 or 3 times) so this is what is contributing to my list...

1. Andrew W.K.-Mother of Mankind
2. B.o.B-The Adventures of Bobby Ray
3. B.o.B-May 25th
4. Biffy Clyro-iTunes Festival: London 2010
5. Big Boi-Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
6. The Black Keys-Brothers
7. Brandon Boyd-The Wild Trapeze
8. Broken Bells-Broken Bells
9. Carole King & James Taylor-Live At The Troubadour
10. Cee-Lo Green-The Lady Killer
11. Chris Webby-The Underclassmen
12. The Cool Kids-Tacklebox
13. Cypress Hill-Rise Up
14. Daft Punk-Tron Legacy
15. The Dead Weather-Sea of Cowards
16. Devo-Something for Everybody
17. Die Antwoord- $O$
18. The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis
19. DJ Muggs VS Ill Bill-Kill Devil Hills
20. Drake-Thank Me Later
21. El-P-Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx Vol. 3
22. Elvis Costello-National Ransom
23. Eminem-Recovery
24. Girl Talk-All Day
25. Go Hard Or Go Homeless-Go Hard Or Go Homeless LP
26. Gorillaz-Plastic Beach
27. Infant Sorrow-Get Him To The Greek
28. Janelle Monae-The Archandroid
29. John Legend & The Roots-Wake Up!
30. Johnny Cash-American VI: Ain’t No Grave
31. Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
32. Kanye West-VH1 Storytellers
33. Katy Perry-Teenage Dream
34. Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
35. Kingfisher-Wizards n’ Stuff
36. LCD Soundsystem-This Is Happening
37. Lil’ Wayne- I Am Not A Human Being
38. Lil’ Wayne-Rebirth
39. Lordi- Babez for Breakfast
40. M.I.A.- /\/\ /\ Y /\
41. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.-Record Collection
42. Method Man, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon-Wu-Massacre
43. MGMT-Congratulations
44. Mike Falzone-In Between Couch Cushions
45. Mike Patton-Mondo Cane
46. Mumford & Sons- Sigh No More
47. My Chemical Romance-Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
48. N.E.R.D-Nothing
49. NaS & Damian Marley-Distant Relatives
50. Nicki Minaj-Pink Friday
51. OK Go-Of The Blue Colour of the Sky
52. Primus- June 2010 Rehearsal
53. Rhymfest-El Che
54. Rob Zombie- Hellbilly Deluxe 2
55. Robyn-Body Talk Pt. 2
56. The Roots-How I Got Over
57. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings-I Learned The Hard Way
58. Sleigh Bells-Treats
59. Street Sweeper Social Club-The Ghetto Blaster
60. Streetlight Manifesto-99 Songs of Revolution: Volume 1
61. Tiger Riot-Look Up!
62. Travie McCoy-Lazarus
63. Trey Songz-Passion, Pain and Pleasure
64. Vampire Weekend-Contra
65. Wale-More About Nothing
66. Weezer-Death to False Metal
67. Weezer-Hurley
68. Wiz Khalifa-Kush & Orange Juice
69. Wu-Tang Vs. The Beatles-Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers
70. You Suck-The Mixtape That’s Fun To Listen To
71. You Suck-You Guys Like Hip Hop
72. Various Artists-Crazy Heart
73. Various Artists- HBO Presents: How To Make It In America
74. Various Artists-Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
76. Rick Ross-Teflon Don
77. Arcade Fire-The Suburbs
78. T.I.-No Mercy


So...that's it.

Top 25 Albums of All Time Part V!: #5-1

I apologize for the extreme lateness of this! I have been a busy little beaver for the past month and I have finally taken the time to finish this up. Enjoy it!

5. Primus- Frizzle Fry



Primus is without question my favorite band of all time. I remember getting into them my freshman year of high school, and I have not stopped loving their music since. This album, to me, is the pinnacle of what Primus is capable of and that’s why it’s so wonderful. Any smart music fan knows the band is an outlet for bass virtuoso Les Claypool to basically bother people with how good he is, and on much of his material he shows off nonstop. But on Frizzle Fry, I love the fact that Larry LaLonde’s awesome guitar licks and Tim “Herb” Alexander’s incredible drums are prominently featured. Tracks like “Spaghetti Western” and the titular “Frizzle Fry” would not pack the same punch without Herb’s drumming and Ler’s guitar writhes in and out of Claypool’s eccentric basslines with ease. I think that any band driven by one person ends up losing credibility because the secondary musicians seem to fall behind the one mans incredible playing (i.e. Van Halen, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Police) but Primus is definitely a full band ordeal that would not be the same without this prime lineup. Their later albums The Brown Album and Antipop are certainly proof of that.



4. Wu-Tang Clan- Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)



The greatest hip-hop album ever put together by the greatest hip-hop entity ever put together. The Wu-Tang Clan changed not only the way I looked at hip-hop, but how I looked at music as a whole. This album is a work of art, put together by nine individuals. And not only is it one of those albums that launched careers of its group members (most notably Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the RZA and Ghostface Killah) but it’s one of those albums that can stand alone and be enjoyed front to back. It constantly switches from a metaphoric world to one that really exists, the Kung-Fu world of the Wu-Tang representing the urban Staten Island, and then with the snap of a finger we are amidst the Clan in Staten rapping about cash ruling everything around them (cream get the money, dollar dollar bills ya’all). I can rap through this entire album and talk along to the skits between songs. This album laid the groundwork for the greatest hip-hop movement of all time, and in it’s incredibly perfect musical arrangement, it made me come to a whole new appreciation of music.



3. Weezer- Pinkerton



I wrestled with the idea of putting the Blue Album on this list instead of Pinkerton. The thought crossed my mind that I have put Blue Album into my CD player more times than Pinkerton, and that I can sing along to 100% of Blue, while I can only sing about 90% of Pinkerton. But then I thought about something. Rivers Cuomo at one time said he’d never play songs off of this album live because it was so personal to him. Then I thought about the few unfortunate breakups I’ve had to deal with in my life. I didn’t turn to Blue Album at those times, I turned to Pinkerton (and Let it Be, of course). And while it is good that Pinkerton helped me cope with my pubescent loss of girls, it also just rocks. And what makes it rock so hard isn’t distortion or solos, it’s the grit. It’s the emotional attachment to the songs being played. When you listen to Pinkerton you can understand exactly why Rivers was against playing the songs on this album live for so long. I’m one of those people that continues to support Weezer through thick and thin, and this album is one of the reasons why. I know they’ll never make any music on the same level as this, but after giving me Pinkerton and the few other great Weezer albums, I have to respect and support them through high and low. And how many pop rock bands can manage to reference ECW in their tracks, and not only get away with it, but have the song featuring said reference become a CLASSIC. Grunge and New Jack are household names!



2. Mr. Bungle- California



Strange music and I get along very well. But a lot of strange music bothers me. I enjoy listening to it, but there are always qualities that irk me. This album is certainly strange, but absolutely nothing about it irks me. Mike Patton and the Bungle crew have put together the most musically diverse album of undeniably catchy tunes that I have ever heard. There are some albums that never stop getting spun in your car, living room, headphones, and to me this is one of those few albums. Many of the albums on this list get tucked back in the shelf for a few months at a go, but California is one of those albums that constantly perplexes and satisfies me. The music is incredibly performed and written, and the mix is phenomenal. While no one stands out more than Mike Patton, the wide variety of instruments featured covers up any traces of ego that he may have. His vocals mesh perfectly with the music, as he can change his vocal stylings at the drop of a dime, and do it perfectly. What I love about him in Tomahawk is the fact that he can be such a great METAL singer. What I love about Patton in Mr. Bungle, and more specifically this album in general, is that he can be a great singer OVERALL. This is the album that I recommend to any human being. Literally. Anyone. Have you not listened to it? Try it out.



1.Rage Against the Machine- Rage Against the Machine



Is this a surprise number one album? I see no reason as to why that may be the case. This album shaped the way I play both the bass and guitar, and not to mention it acted as a great transition from being a fan of strictly rock and roll, to liking hip-hop as well. It’s perfect in every way. The guitar lines are godly, and the solos are beyond impressive, and the bass is groovy yet still packs a punch harder than many metal bands. And Zack de la Rocha is just incredible on the microphone. While I don’t agree with the politics of the band entirely, I believe that they present their message in a take-no-prisoners method, which has been missing from music since their initial demise. Every song on this album is great in every front. I love this album. I would not be the person that I am had it not been for these 10 songs. And that’s the bottom line.



That's that. What's next? End of the year awards. Hopefully that Hurley/Death To False Metal/Pinkerton Deluxe review I have up my sleeve. Who knows? Me.