Top 50 Songs of 2010

1. Deerhunter - "Desire Lines"

2. Beach House - "Walk in the Park"

3. Phosphorescent - "The Mermaid Parade"

4. Alcest - "Percées de Lumière"

5. Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

6. Kayne West - "Lost in the World" (feat. Bon Iver)

7. The Rival Mob - "Hardcore for Hardcore"

8. Zola Jesus - "Tower"

9. No Joy - "Ghost Blonde"

10. Phosphorescent - "Los Angeles"

11. Prince Rama - "Lightning Fossil"

12. Kylesa - "Tired Climb"

13. Yeasayer - "O.N.E."

14. The War On Drugs - "Brothers"

15. Swans - "No Words/No Thoughts"

16. Defiance, Ohio - "You are Loved"

17. Das Racist - "hahahaha j/k?"

18. Wooden Wand - "Tiny Confessions"

19. Yeasayer - "Madder Red"

20. Yellow Swans - "Limited Space"

21. The Soft Pack - "Tides of Time"

22. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Menopause Man"

23. The Books - "I Didn't Know That"

24. Sufjan Stevens - "Vesuvius"

25. Monster Movie - "Bored Beyond Oblivion"

26. Pantha Du Prince - "Stick to My Side"

27. Dom - "Living in America"

28. Salem - "Sick"

29. LCD Soundsystem - "You Wanted a Hit"

30. Prince Rama - "Raghupati"

31. Beach House - "Silver Soul"

32. Zola Jesus - "Night"

33. Crystal Castles - "Celestica"

34. Hot Chip - "We Have Love"

35. Real Estate - "Out of Tune"

36. Gogol Bordello - "When Universes Collide"

37. Grinderman - "Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man"

38. Asian Women on the Telephone - "Horny Moose"

39. Four Tet - "This Unfolds"

40. Neil Young - "Hitchhiker"

41. Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon - "Gunshowers"

42. Pocahaunted - "Make it Real"

43. Zoroaster - "Old World"

44. Gil Scott-Heron - "Me and the Devil"

45. Woods - "Blood Dries Darker"

46. Mi Ami - "Secrets"

47. Warpaint - "Baby"

48. Pop. 1280 - "Midget"

49. Tobacco - "Grape Aerosmith" (feat. Beck)

50. Kayne West - "All of the Lights"

Top 50 Albums of 2010

Here it is folks. I've been working on this for about three months and went through about 200 albums. I gave each album at least three full listens. I'm a dork.

#1 Beach House - Teen Dream

Sub Pop Records

I had a feeling this was going to be my favorite album of the year when it came out in February. It weathered a lot of contenders but it prevailed. Dream pop has never sounded so good. There are so many good songs on this album: "Silver Soul", "Walk in the Park", "Lover of Mine" and "Better Times" just to name a few.

I think that's what really made this album special for me: amazing song writing, catchy pop-structures and ethereal melodies. There were other albums on this list that I could appreciate what they achieved musically, but in the end of the day this a completely subjective exercise and even though this band didn't push too many musical boundaries, the strength of the song writing and the execution of the Baltimore duo was flawless.

#2 Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

Young God Records

God damn this was one deep record. So deep. So complex. So much going on, but Michael Gira manages it all. Noise rock, folk and funeral dirges. The cover in a lot of ways sums up visually what this album is: expansive and explosive. It sounds like coming across the remains of a star that went supernova. It also sounds like it would make a great soundtrack if Stephen King's Dark Tower series is ever made into a movie: a strange mix of evil-shit, cosmic unraveling and a spaghetti western.

I've talked to some long-time Swans fans that enjoy the new record, but don't put into the same level as the earlier catalogue. I agree that it's different from the Swans earlier noise and no-wave, but I feel like this album is incredible. One of their best they've ever made in fact.

#3 Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

XL Recordings

Oh man this is such a fun album. Equal parts street punk, Bruce Springsteen/New Jersey and Billy Bragg done as a loose concept album about the Civil War. You are definitely playing with fire as a band putting that concoction together. A lot could potentially go wrong. But these New Jersey kids not only pulled it off but put together the most fun rock albums of the year.

This album is so great. It really excites both the inner 17-year old punkrock kid in me, but it also makes the 29-year-old, "I've heard it all before, so prove it to me" Pete very very happy too.

#4 Kayne West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records

I have to say I was never a fan of Kayne West. I generally don't care about popular culture what so ever. I just lumped Kayne in with all the other pop culture crap like Lady Gaga and the Jersey Shore that I completely ignore. But when I started reading reviews of this album I was really surprised at the universal acclaim for it. So I gave it a chance and I have to say it really lives up to the hype.

This album is extremely complex. There's no doubt this is a hip-hop and pop album, but it also has a dark and disturbing undercurrent. Kayne definitely has some real demons that he pours from his heart on this album, which gives it a whole deeper listen than just the pop surface. Plus the cast of guest singers and rappers is extensive. Everyone from Jay-Z, to the RZA, to Bon Iver, to a great sample of a Gil Scott-Heron reading to close out the album. This is a good thing because Kayne doesn't have to the best flow I've ever heard.

But check this album out if you haven't already heard it. It's worth it.

#5 Yellow Swans - Going Places

Type Records

Noise, as I have written before, can be a tricky genre. It can grate on people's nerves, bore the fuck out of you, or lack enough melody/rhythm/structure to keep a listener's attention the entire song. Going Places does not suffer from this. The Portland electronic noise/drone duo's last album is an absolute gem of a noise album. The waves of distortion, atmosphere and ephemeral noises wash over you. The waves build, enveloping you. Finally they recede, leaving you feeling like you just came out of a trance. One of the most amazing noise albums I've ever heard.

#6 Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy

Dead Oceans Records

My favorite alt-country album of the year. A lot of (alt-)country I could pass on. Not this album. The songwriting here is incredible. Matthew Houck really knows how to really pull on some heart strings. I dare you to listen to "The Mermaid Parade" and "Los Angeles" after a few beers and not get a little emotional for good-times long-gone. Truly amazing songwriting.

#7 Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

4AD Records

There has been sooooo much hype via stupid Pitchfork over the years about Deerhunter. I've always thought the band was way too over hyped. When I was still on college radio, years ago, I saw Deerhunter in a tiny club in Boston just after Cryptograms was released. Which is around the time they started to get hyped. I was not that impressed. It was OK, but that's about it. I thought they improved with Microcastle, but again, I wasn't totally blown away. Certainly there were some good songs, but it really wasn't the be-all, end-all (I mean really? Think about it for a second.)

I will now say that Deerhunter has finally lived up to the hype. Bradford Cox & Co have finally nailed down their sound. Before they still sounded like they were stumbling around the haze to find it. There are some great pop songs here and "Desire Lines" is one best songs of the year. (Top 50 Songs of 2010 will be posted soon!)

#8 Alcest - Écailles de Lune

Prophecy Productions

All signs point to cheesy-ass-shit in regards to Alcest. They're a melodic rock/black metal band. They're French. And one of the members drew a fairy-tale scene for an album cover.

BUT... This band is AMAZING. Totally overlooked this year. The French must not know that what they consider "melodic rock" is what we consider "shoegaze." And OMG this is some of the best shoegaze of the year. The fact that it's perfectly combined with ambient black metal makes this so awesome. It's like if My Bloody Valentine and Enslaved got together.

#9 Grinderman - Grinderman 2

ANTI- Records

Oh man is Nick Cave the shit. Not only has Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds churned out eclectic rock for close to 30 years, Cave's "solo" project Grinderman is fucking awesome. This is some real down-and-dirty rock shit. While The Bad Seeds are a multi-instrumental, multi-style band, Grinderman is just straight-up fucking rock n' roll. Garage/stoner rock that has some of the wittiest lyrics I've heard in a while (well Das Racist wins that battle). Oh and Grinderman made the BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR!!!

#10 Defiance, Ohio - Midwestern Minutes

No Idea Records

OK Here's my punkrock album of the year (yeah, yeah I know, Titus Andronicus is kind of punkrock and Defiance, Ohio is "folk-punk" but whatever). It's was so refreshing to hear this album. It's good to hear something that isn't the same old shit I've heard for the past 15 years of my life, but still is undeniably punkrock. These kids know how to have fun, but they still have the youthful conviction that defines what it means to be an angry punrock kid. Its so good to hear.

.

.

.

So here's the rest of list as it shaped up. The top ten was hard to narrow down and Ariel Pink, Arcade Fire and The Soft Pack were all super close to making it. But here we are...

#11 Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

#12 Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

#13 The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack

#14 Prince Rama - Shadow Temple

#15 Neil Young - Le Noise

#16 Das Racist - Sit Down, Man

#17 LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

#18 Four Tet - There is Love in You

#19 Yeasayer - Odd Blood

#20 Wooden Wand - Death Set

#21 Twin Shadow - Forget

#22 Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (2010)

#23 Phantogram - Eyelid Movies

#24 Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

#25 Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise

#26 Tyvek - Nothing Fits

#27 The Books - The Way Out

#28 Pocahaunted - Make It Real

#29 Diamond Rings - Special Affections

#30 Sleigh Bells - Treats

#31 Tobacco - Maniac Meat

#32 Sun Araw - On Patrol

#33 Kylesa - Spiral Shadow

#34 Woods - At Echo Lake

#35 Hot Chip - One Life Stand

#36 Liars - Sisterworld

#37 Ty Segall - Melted

#38 Royksopp - Senior

#39 Midlake - The Courage of Others

#40 Arp - The Soft Wave

#41 Salem - King Night

#42 Screaming Females - Castle Talk

#43 Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

#44 Envy - Recitation

#45 Gil Scott-Heron

#46 Idle Times - Idle Times

#47 Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart

#48 Bardo Pond - Bardo Pond

#49 Abe Vigoda - Crush

#50 No Joy - Ghost Blonde

Five Worst Albums of 2010.

These albums sucked. I'm sorry. If you liked any of these that's fine, you're entitled to your opinion (you're wrong though). Listen to better music than the shit that Pitchfork/NPR/CBC Radio 3 doesn't inappropriately touch itself for.

#1 Vampire Weekend - Contra

XL Recordings

I hate this band even more than in January. Now that yuppies the world-over have digested this band of rich kids, saw the band settle with the woman (then a doe-eyed teen) of the photo they used without permission and their songs are used in car commercials, it just shows you the depths of evil that this band is capable of. I don't have any proof, but I think that this band is a ploy by the global corporate oligarchy of the right to further castrate the ineffectual liberal elite.

"Yay Obama, Vampire Weekend and Starbucks! Let's buy smart cars and ignore real global economic and social inequalities! I love being a member to the CREATIVE CLASS! and thinking that Contra is the best!"

FUCK. THIS. BAND.

#2 The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

A [Records]

Blaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh. Sucks. Man this band used to be so good. Too many drugs Anton. Tisk. Tisk. Tisk. All the songs on this album are twice as long as they need to be. That makes it so fucking B-O-R-I-N-G. And that song that rips off the Joy Devision riff really put a crinkle in my sheet.

Oh and WTF is up with that album cover? It's so incredibly bad. If I were to do a worse album covers of the year list this might take #2 after the Yeasayer album cover. I mean how can cheesy can you get? Jesus in fucking 3D? Fuck me that's really fucking bad.

#3 The Walkmen - Lisbon

Fat Possum Records

Holy shit I did not like this. It actually made me depressed it was so bad. I was wicked stressed with school and put this on while working and my mood actually turned south. I was thinking to myself when the first song came on "Oh man this is bad. I sure have a lot of work to do." By the mid-point of the album is was like "Oh dear lord this is B-A-D. I'm not really sure if my thesis is worth it... Oh hum... Why did I do this stupid thing? Wow this song sucks." Towards the end of the album I was thinking, "OH DEAR LORD I HATE MY LIFE! WHY DID I EVER GET INTO SO MUCH FUCKING DEBT FOR THIS STUPID STUPID THESIS?!?!! THIS ALBUM IS REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD!" I then sank my head down and left school and crawled into bed. After waking up the next day, head cleared and refreshed, I thought to myself, "What was I thinking last night? My thesis is awesome. Hmmmmm.... It must of been that shitty Walkmen album." I then went back to school listened to it again and I lo-and-behold I started to feel the same way. At that point I deleted it from my computer and this guy finished his thesis, and it was awesome. Fuck you Walkmen, you're not going to drag me down.

#4 Jónsi - Go

XL Recordings

I've written about this album before so you can read more here. I know some people like this but I'm a human not an elf. Elves would like this music. That's rad and all. But I'm not an elf. I don't live on a mystical island of fire and ice, trolls, unicorns and grumpy old witches of the underworld. JUST NOT THAT INTO IT. SORRY.

#5 Sightings - City of Straw

Jagjaguwar Records

See I love noise. I know it's not something that everyone can dig. But I really enjoy it when it works. The subtle fragments of music, sound collages and electronic chaos can really be composed in such a way that truly amazing soundscapes are created. ----OR---- It can be a bunch of over-privalleged dudes in Brooklyn that can afford to fuck around in a studio and call it noise and a respectable indie label like Jagjaguwar can pick it up and release it. This album falls into the former category. Bullshit noise is worst.

Top Ten Album Covers of 2010

I like art and stuff.

#1 Twin Stumps - Seedbed

Fan Death Records

Fucking disturbing. This image WILL trigger an emotional response. Plus the band is called twin STUMPS with the album being called SEEDBED. Brilliant. It makes you a little ill just looking at it.

#2 Pete Swanson - Feelings in America EP

Roots Strata Records

There's been a lot of found footage album covers lately. This one says it all. The grainy elements of the photo perfectly capture the waves of distortion that Pete Swanson masters.

#3 Zach Hill - Face Tat

Sergent House Records

Good lord what the hell is going on here?!!?!? Some demented librarian intern freaking the fuck out on her ex-boyfriend by torching his balls. Awesome.

#4 U.S. Girls - Go Grey EP

Siltbreeze Records

Amazing composition. I'm a big fan of greyscale album covers in general. And collaged pieces are great. Nice job of subtle contrast.

#5 AIDS Wolf - March To The Sea EP

Skin Graft Records

Fuck photoshop. Just build giant letter heads busted open with a bunch of pink blood draining out. Done.

#6 Beach Fossils - Face It/Distance 7"

Captured Tracks Records

This one wins the graphic design award. AMAZING LAYOUT GUYS.

#7 Pocahaunted - Keep It Real

Not Not Fun Records

Such a "Not Not Fun" cover. (WACKA WACKA). Seriously this album cover captures everything that Pocahaunted is: fun, weird, trippy, L.A., cool birds, singing fruit...

#8 Sex Worker - Waving Goodbye

Not Not Fun Records

This label has a huge, growing catalog and there's a lot of great artwork. I love this collage. It's vaguely sexual and works with the both the band name and the album name.

#9 Pop. 1280 - The Grid EP

Sacred Bones Recordings

This cover is so perfect for this band. Futuristic cyber-punk but more of an 80's version of the future (1998) with really shitty resolution CRT displays. This band should of done the soundtrack to the new Tron.

#10 Arp - The Soft Wave

Smalltown Supersound Records

Minimalist, post-modern electronic music needs a minimalist, post-modern cover.

Top Ten EPs of 2010

Somewhere between a 45 and Album exists the Extended Play. These are my favorite 10-30 minute releases of the year.

#1 Zola Jesus - Velusia

Sacred Bones Recordings

Both of Zola Jesus's EPs this year were amazing. The second one that came out in fall was really mind-blowing. The song "The Tower" is her most epic song to date. Reminds me of the parts of The Cure's Disintegration that really blow your mind, not the radio songs. This is what goth music should sound like.

#2 Real Estate - Reality

Mexican Summer Records

As with the Out of Tune 7" this EP is pure summer. When it came out way back in January I already suspected it to be a major summer play. And lo and behold I ended up picking this bad boy on cassette for the sole purpose of rocking it in the park. Summer rules my face.

#3 Sun Araw - Off Duty

Woodist Records

Fuck I love Sun Araw. As far as new, up-and-coming , experimental music this dude has been down-right prolific in the past couple of years. The jams are a strange mix of psychedelic, 70's soul, distortion and layered sound collages. So good. This combined with this year's double-LP On Patrol is a quite impressive body of amazing work.

#4 Cloud Nothings - Leave You Forever

True Panther Records

Great lo-fi pop from Cleveland. Super catchy and fun. Kind of reminds me of late 90's pop-punk and emo (I really hated that shit back when it came out, but you know what? Tastes change). Even though I like this EP, I can totally see these guys going mainstream, dropping the lo-fi sound and turning totally shitty and over-produced. But we shall see I guess.

#5 Zola Jesus - Stridulum

Sacred Bones Recordings

The first of Zola Jusus' EPs this year. Really amazing. Seriously, Nika Danilova's voice is one of the best to come along in a while. And she's still very young. These two EPs were released as an album called Stridulum II but I still consider them as they were originally released as separate entities. If they were released as one true album, it would of easily been #2 or #3 on the top albums list.

#6 War On Drugs - Future Weather

Secretly Canadian Records

Kurt Vile's other band. Its really not that far off from Kurt Vile's solo stuff. A little more chilled-out and dreamy. This still has the big Springsteen vibe of his solo stuff though. The song "Brothers" is such a great song too and I really can't get enough of it.

#7 Doom Town - Demo Tape

Self-Released

While this isn't technically an EP, it's still under 30 mins and it fucking rules. Punk rock from St. Louis. Duel female/male vocals, driving riffs, chances for sing-alongs. GREAT STUFF. I can't wait to hear more from this band. Thank you internets for allowing me to stumble across this.

#8 Rival Mob - Hardcore for Hardcore

Six Feet Under Records

BOSTON HARDCORE REPRESENT!!! Sweet fucking youth-crew shit. Seriously bros, Boston hardcore still knows how to throw down. One of the best pure-hardcore releases I've heard in a while.

#9 The Bitters - Have a Nap Hotel

Sacred Bones Recordings

Well Sacred Bones is well represented here. The Bitters are of course from Toronto and play some excellent garage-punk. Female lyrics and Ben from Fucked Up providing the music. One of my favorite garage releases of the year.

#10 Washed Out - Life of Leisure

Mexican Summer Records

Chilled out electronic/dream-pop. Solid four song collection with "New Theory" far and away the best song on the disc.

Top Five 7"/45s of 2010

These aren't necessarily singles, but formats into themselves. Old School. A Side. B Side. Done. A little annoying to play on your record player because you have to flip the disc over ever 4 minutes or so. Anyways here are my top five favorites of 2010:

#1 Real Estate - Out of Tune

True Panther Records

One of favorite bands of the year. Both this 45 and an earlier EP were terrific. Plus I saw them open up for both Woods and Kurt Vile and both times they stole the show. Fun relaxed summertime music. I miss the summer already...

#2 Bloody Gears - Bloody Gears

Deranged Records

Punkrock and hardcore was made for 7" format. Awesomely raw Wipers-style hardcore from Boston (yeah that's right). It really does sound like an early Wipers demo, but also has an early midwest-hardcore sound to it as well (early Husker Du for sure).

#3 Trailblazer - Gut Reaction b/w Mallard

Moniker Records

"Gut Reaction" is a really catchy, simple song that somehow draws you right into its hypnotic rhythms and distortion. Both tracks are a garage-y take on electronic post punk. Very raw/haunting sounding. I hear Suicide, Joy Division and Silver Apples here.

#4 Ducktails - Hamilton Road

Old English Spelling Bee Records

This is the guitarist, Matt from Real Estate's other band. Very similar sound. Summertime. Damn it's cold out. I miss the park, friends, my tape deck and beers...

#5 Pissed Jeans - Sam Kinison Woman

Sub Pop Records

One of the best hardcore bands out there. No joke. I was super pissed (hah!) that I missed their last tour through Toronto. Bummer-time. Last year's album was amazing and this 7" continues this trend. The B side "The L Word" sounds like it should be on Black Flag's My War album. Heavy shit.

Wooden Wand - Death Set

Young God Records

Released: November 1st, 2010

Dark, introspective and stripped-down folk, country and soul.

Wooden Wand has always been a band that I have always flirted with, but have never truly taken a dive into. I really think Wooden Wand (aka James Jackson Toth) with his former backing band The Vanishing Voice almost had me on a few releases, but I think the combination of production quality and my lack of giving those previous records enough time, led to this feeling.

With this album, I have given Wooden Wand enough time, and it was worth it. Wooden Wand released Death Set on Michel Gira's label, Young God Records (one of the fore-runners of freak-folk in NYC). Gira of course fronts the legendary no-wave/noise rock band Swans which has just released one of the best albums of the year in my opinion. Gira's influence on this record is undeniable. He produced the record and I hear a lot of musical and thematic parallels between Death Seat and this year's Swans record.

While Gira's My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky explores the darkness and solitude through funeral dirges and noise in an thunderous way, Death Seat explores the same themes in an introspective, brooding way. It is almost as though Gira has laid an apocalyptic sermon shaking the Earth, and Toth sits in wastes after the storm, contemplating what has happened and how to move on. If Gira was the Rapture then Toth is Oblivion.

Death Seat is a great complement to My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky. It was perfect timing by Gira to release this album immediately after his. Death Seat is ultimately mournful, deep, and is a record that deserves to be played front to back. The songs "The Mountain", "Ms. Mowse" and the last track "Tiny Confessions" are most powerful songs on the album, but really the whole album is amazing and there really isn't a low point on the whole record.

Similar: Swans, Six Organs of Admittance, Neil Young

Rating: 9.5

Salem - King Night

IAMSOUND Records

Released: September 28th 2010

There's a lot going here. Um... Shoegaze, Goth, Darkwave, House, "Chopped and Screwed" Houston hip hop. Fashion Music.

So here's the thing: new music can be a decisive topic. One can think that a particular album is amazing while somebody else thinks it's shit. An online publication can gush about something and it's single lone opinion has the ability to sway thousands to freak the fuck out about it (Pitchfork), while this lone reviewer with a handful of readers has the ability sway two or three people with a single opinion (I hope you all get second or third opinions as well). Music gets hyped up beyond recognition via blogs and Hype Machine, which further creates a rift in the music listening public. While some rely on only listening to hyped-up music, others completely shun it. As a music nerd myself for quite some time, I really try to embrace both sides of this argument: To Follow or Discredit trends is popular music?

Salem is just one of these groups. They exemplify everything that is hip and cool in the fall of 2010. The music has Shoegaze and Darkwave elements which rely heavily on synths and distortion. There's also an element of irony and cultural mining in the fact the King Night contains a few songs that directly borrow from Houston's "Chopped and Screwed" hip-hop style from the late 90's and early 00's. This being performed by three very attractive and fashionably-dressed men and women. This is pure and simple fashion music.

There has been many groups in the past that would fall into this category. Where the group's style, sound and look were completely of the time and place. Hell, greats like The Velvet Underground, Bowie, The Jesus and Mary Chain as well others all fit into this category. But at the end of the day the music itself was great.

And while I'm in no way implying that Salem is at any level close to those bands I mentioned above, at the end of the day King Night is a really good album. I am highly impressed with it. But I also understand how many people will completely write this band off, because of their style. I know some of my fellow music-nerd friends won't even give it the time of day, but I have and I like it damnit.

I'll review the new Dolphins in the Future cassette or some obscure shit like that next time for any of you nerds out there.

Similar: Crystal Castles, My Bloody Valentine, DJ Screw

Rating: 8.5

Jónsi - Go / King of Asgard - Fi’mbulvntr

XL Recordings

Released: April 5th, 2010

An elf from a mystical land writing weird Icelandic children's music.

What the fuck is this shit? It sucks. I'm sorry, I try to keep an open mind when come to music, and I have a pretty diverse taste, but this is just not fun to my ears. NOT INTO IT SORRY. "Animal Arithmetic" is an OK song. This would of sounded great to me if I was eight and it was the soundtrack to some Neverending Story-type movie.

Similar: Sigur Rós, Elves

Rating: 2.5

Seriously wtf is up with Iceland? They were settled by mother-fucking Vikings. What happened? Plus their country looks like a giant metal-video. BRARRRRRG! Fuck this I'm reviewing some Viking shit:

Metal Blade Records

Released: August 18th, 2010

VIKING METAL.

This shit is equally cheesy as the above album. While Jónsi is cheesy musically, King of Asgard sings about Vikings and battles and other LARP shit. But this is better, because most of the time the dude growls in Swedish/Finnish/Norge/whatever so who cares what he's singing about. The music slays. That's all that matters.

There's nothing new here as far as Viking-Melodic-Death-Metal goes. Just some tunes to get you pumped before you sail into the sea to pillage, ride into battle to slay, or play 12 hours of World of Warcraft. These dudes definitely rip-off Amon Amarth though.

Here's an anecdote on Viking Metal: I once went to a VM show in Montreal. It was a hoot, let me tell 'ya. There were kids with CHAILMAIL, HELMS, and fucking DRINKING HORNS, which they were drinking their beers out of. It was the most unintentionally funny show I've ever been too. AND you know what? I had GREAT TIMES. (I'm pretty sure my Elfish friend above's show would not be nearly as entertaining as this show was.)

Similar: Amon Amarth, Emperor, old In Flames

Rating: 7.0

Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Young God Records

Released: September 23rd, 2010

Legendary thundering noise-rock triumphantly returns!

This album is Awesome in the true sense of the word. Powerful. Soulful. Deep. It really is more of a work of creation/destruction than a musical album.

The buildup of the thunderous guitars and storming of noise in the first song "No Words/No Thoughts" sets up the apocalyptic prophecy to be told here. Quiet interludes are sprinkled amongst the crushing cacophonies. What is true with this song is true for the whole album.

Funeral dirges come to mind. Not of a loved one, but of one that is stumbled upon in a foreign land.

As are folk songs of a long forgotten society.

As are the fever dreams the ill, the hallucinations the mad, and the withdrawals of the addict.

This is Noise.

Awesome.

Similar: Harvey Milk, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave

Rating: 9.5

Bad Religion - The Dissent of Man

Epitaph Records

Released: September 24th, 2010

30-year-old West-Coast-style skate punk.

Ok I won't lie: Bad Religion was one of the first punk bands I ever got into. I've probably listened to them for half of my life now. They been around for as long as I've been around on this planet (15 fucking albums now!). So this band has nostalgic meaning for me. And although my tastes have greatly diversified since those snotty, teenage punkrock days, I'll always have a place in my heart for punkrock (hell I'm wearing Subhumans "Religious Wars" t-shirt as I type this).

So I'll always check out a new Bad Religion album when one comes out. Their time Atlantic Records carreer was complete crap (Stranger Than Fiction was OK). But when they returned to Epitaph for The Process of Belief in 2002 (and a reunion with guitarist Mr. Brett) it signaled a comeback of sorts. It was a great album, but since then, the spark they got from the return has waned. Each subsequent album has been lacking. Sure the hooks are there, the whoas, the ooooh, the ahhs, the biting social commentary, and all of the other bag of tricks that the band uses are all there. But its just lacking something.

I find when I listen to The Dissent of Man that I hear bits and pieces of the entire Bad Religion back catalog. There's some Suffer-era guitar noodling, Recipe for Hate hooks, and more recent melodic output. The album is an ok listen. There is some standout tracks like "The Resist Stance", "Meeting of the Minds" and "Turn Your Back on Me" but for the most part, there isn't anything here you haven't heard before.

And if you haven't listened to Bad Religion, you should pick up 1989's No Control. Amazing shit.

Similar: Pennywise, Ramones, The Clash

Rating: 6.5

3 New EP's out of T.O.!

So in order to give some props to the local scene here in Toronto, here's three (fairly) recent EP (of the 12" and 7" varieties) reviews:

The Bitters - Have a Nap Hotel 12" EP

Sacred Bones Records

Released: Um summer 2010 I think.

Great Garage-Rock-Pop, with the perfect mix of tape-fuzz.

The Bitters are a dude (Ben Cook from Fucked-Up) and a girl (Airen Fogel) that make great pop that is while on the one hand refined with synths, melodies, and pop-structures, on the other hand the music is rough, dynamic and jarring due to the nice layers of tape-fuzz. This 5-song EP is excellent and is definitely worth picking up.

Similar: Dum Dum Girls, Vivian Girls, X

Rating: 9.0

Mellenial Reign - Bones Dust Nothing 7" EP

A398 Recordings

Released: September 10th, 2010

Brutal Cleveland-Style Hardcore/Metal.

This 7" was actually recorded a few years ago and has finally been shown the light of day on A398 Recordings. Speaking of Fucked Up: the band consiststs of Damien (of FU, Fox News, being an awesome dude), Jorden and Jesse (of No Warning). This band is three dudes fucking around and playing homage to Integrity, Ringworm and the whole Cleveland brutal-ass hardcore scene. I fucking love this shit. Plus "Moore's Law" is a great song and great subject matter.

Similar: Fucked Up, Integrity, Ringworm

Rating: 8.0

Little Girls - Thrills 12" EP

Mexican Summer Records

Released: Sometime in 2009.

Fuzzed-Out, Stripped-down post-rock and shoegaze.

This band has been getting quite the buzz on the internets lately. It has that whole super-tape-fuzz kind of sound of all the other "shit-gaze" (or whatever) bands that were popular last year. Frankly the layers of fuzz (while I love lo-fi) are a bit distracting, from the actual songs, which on this 5-song EP are just ok. "Pigeon Lady" is a good song though. If you're going to go for a lo-fi sound, the songs need to rise above the tape hiss (J&MC and GBV did this the best).

Similar: Blank Dogs, Times New Viking, Joy Division

Rating: 6.5

Prince Rama - Shadow Temple

Paw Tracks Recordings

Released: September 14th, 2010

Now-Age, Psychedelic, OM-tastic head trip of a swell electronic time.

I love it when: A) A buddy is throwing on a show in a week (Deakin (kind of boring btw)). B) When checking out the openers for said show, you realize that Prince Rama is incredible and their new album (Shadow Temple) is SO AMAZINGLY GOOD! C) You then realize the show you were probably not going to go is now a must-see-event. D) You go to said show and even missing a member of the band, Price Rama still is absolutely amazing. E) PLUS when you purchase the new record at the show it's motha-fuckin' BEDAZZELED with SWEET-ASS JEWELS. Yeah that's right: jewels.

This record is very very swell. The first listen made me exclaim "Hare Krishna! this is soooooooo good!" The band hails from Brooklyn, but got their beginnings in the Boston underground/experimental music/art scene. The two ladies in Prince Rama have actually known each other for much longer, having met at an Hare Krishna community in Florida years ago. This new-age, mantra influence plays a heavy part in the bands sound and style.

The album is very psychedelic (in a non-druggy kind of way), but also very powerful. They rely heavily on synths and drums and vocal harmonies between the two female singers. There is some reverby-distorted guitar accents sprinkled in as well.

The album is absolutely PACKED from beginning to end with mind-expanding songs. About half of the songs are based on traditional Hare Krishna mantras and chants, while the other half are originals. At the end of the day the band seamlessly blends the two. "Lightening Fossil" is the best song on the album and is the only one with a bit of a dance-y beat, but "Raghupati" and "Satt Nam" are equally good for blending zen mantras with keyboards, drums and harmonies.

Excellent, excellent album. OM.

Similar: Hare Krishna chants, Gang Gang Dance, Silver Apples

Rating: 9.0