Top 10 Albums of 2011

The first thing I did when I started putting this post together, is that I looked back at my top 10 albums of 2010. I was curious to see if my choices still held up after a year. For the most part, I can still very much stand by my choices. Except, I think would now probably swap Stone Temple Pilots and Jakob Dylan for Against Me! and The Hold Steady. However, that’s in retrospect. I’ve decided that the list is reflective of where I was at that place in time, so I’m accepting it. Having said this, after much careful deliberation here is my list of my 10 favourite albums of 2011. This list was much more difficult than the last one for some reason, as there were many great records this year. At the end, I’ve actually included an additional 10 albums of which I felt at least deserved mention. Basically, these were all albums which were competing for the last spots in my final 10. Maybe that goes against the rules, but I don’t care. I’d also like to take this opportunity to call out a few artists whom had put out releases this year which I was looking forward to, but ultimately let me down. Radiohead, Rise Against, Flogging Molly, and Steve Earle. These were all disappointing releases from artists whom in the past have been pretty consistent in my listening rotation. Records from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M. were also lackluster, but on course with their recent sub-par output. I’m not even going to bother calling out the Metallica/Lou Reed collaboration, because criticizing it would be the equivalent of pushing a crippled child down the stairs. There were also records that were pretty good but certainly not list-worthy, as with releases from Wilco and Mastodon. Further, I’ll also admit to feeling slightly guilty for not including any Canadian content in the top 10. The fact is that there was no formula to this list. These were my favourite records. Period. I couldn’t justify including an obligatory Canadian release if I just wasn’t feeling it. That being said, there were some strong Canadian albums. Hard Charger from Fredericton and Death Valley Driver from Charlottetown both released great records this year, and both Fucked Up and Protest The Hero at least creep into the honourable mention category. Anyway, I hope everyone who takes the time to read this will find something they can take away from it. Enjoy.




  1. Old Man Markley - Guts 'n Teeth
Just out of curiosity, I like to search the internet for other “best of” lists for the year. This album doesn’t appear on any of them. I must say that this band has got to be music’s best kept secret. Although this is perhaps a very unlikely formula for any kind of mainstream appreciation, this is not only the catchiest album of the year, but has some of the most urgent and inspiring lyrics since the last Joe Strummer record. This band of tattooed punks from southern California plays a very clean and pure sounding bluegrass, but with fierce punk rock energy and a penchant for quality songwriting. The vocals are very clear and prominent, with lots of sweet harmonies, and with a pure unadulterated passion. Despite the complete lack of electric instruments, the band presents their sound with a fervor that could rival the Ramones. This is the sound of a band giving a true testament of how music can be good for the soul. Being on the Fat Wreck label and having toured with the likes of Social Distortion, the punk ethos is not lost on the band, as they distill the vital qualities of traditional roots music all with a blazing punk intensity.


Song to check out: "Guts 'n Teeth"




   2. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
After a decade and a half of releasing pretty good albums, the Foo Fighters have finally created their true masterwork. An impressive culmination of everything the band has done, this is a thoroughly executed benchmark of modern rock music that shines all the way through. An FM radio programmer’s wet dream as the flow of the record feels like a greatest hits collection, with each track blowing the sonic spectrum wide open and commanding strict attention. This album is a melodic rock juggernaut which features a perfected formula of layered guitars, soaring choruses, and immediate hooks with complex, yet concise harmonic arrangements.


Song to check out: "Arlandria"



   3. Ghost - Opus Eponymous
If nothing else, this is likely the most terrifying album of the year. Here we have a Swedish metal band made up of a series of “nameless ghouls” fronted by an imposing figure in a Cardinal outfit and skull mask. The lyrics and imagery are so blatantly evil and Satanic, that you really don’t know whether or not to take them seriously. In fact, the whole mystique of it all makes the band that much more intriguing. Their sound is deeply infused with components of classic metal and 70’s era psychedelic rock with extremely hook-heavy choruses and clean vocals. The songs are cleverly and concisely constructed, and with brilliant embellishments of funeral organ and layered harmony vocals. In spite of lyrical themes of Satan worship and witchcraft, this is a surprisingly accessible album. Never before has music so evil and sinister been so damn catchy. Along with the heavy thematic elements, the music is so infectious that these insidious melodies will creep into your consciousness and haunt you in your sleep.

Song to check out: “Ritual”

**Sidenote: This album was released in 2010 in Europe, but wasn’t released in North America until January 2011, which is why I’m deeming it eligible for the 2011 list**



   4. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Temporarily abandoning their grandiose artistic ambitions, The Decemberists settle very nicely into a simple, straight ahead roots rock sound. With help from the sweet high-mountain harmonies of Appalachian songstress Gillian Welch, the band weaves a delightful tapestry of sound using more organic song structures and warm rustic tones. See my full review from 02/26 here.


Song to check out: "Rise To Me"



   5. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
Side project for Gaslight Anthem front man Brian Fallon, has him exploring some slightly new territory with some dark soulful rhythms. Musical concepts which were vaguely hinted at on the last Gaslight record are further developed, and the result is an illustriously crafted collection of ominous slow-burning dirges that feature themes of hope and redemption. The songs are slow, sinister and carefully deliberated to create a dark ambience while showcasing Fallon’s character-driven vocal delivery through delicate and impassioned execution.

Song to check out: “Cherry Blossoms”



   6. Deer Tick - Divine Providence
If you can imagine a scenario where The Replacements hijack The Band’s performance in The Last Waltz, it may give you a vague idea of what this album sounds like. Reckless, sloppy and unhinged garage rock with tones of southern roots inflected twang. While their previous records adhered to a more typical alt-country form, this outing has them embracing their true live ethic. This album flows with brash impudence, drunken pomposity, and a perfectly rough-around-the-edges charm. It’s a beautiful, chaotic mess.

Song to check out: “The Bump”



   7. The Strokes - Angles
What I love most about this record is how accurately and vividly it truly captures a classic early 1980’s new wave vibe. This album speaks to the 8 year old me who used to wear a holographic iron-on Duran Duran T-Shirt. Everything from the vibrant cover art, to the authentic sounding FM pop-rock melodies feels like a precious junkyard of aesthetic artifacts from a Ric Ocasek garage sale. Expect a forthcoming box set edition to include a Coleco-Vision controller, a collectible sticker book devoted to Ziggy, and a Rubik’s Cube.

Song to check out: “Two Kinds of Happiness”



   8. Kvelertak
Blast beats, ghastly shrieks, blues-rock shuffles and honky-tonk piano. These are all things that appear on this album. Believe it or not, the band actually manages to blend it all together quite seamlessly. Here is a Norwegian metal band who are obviously influenced by their country’s known black metal scene, but has exploited the sound as only one of many elements to this bona fide rock and roll record. The term, “black and roll” has been used to describe their sound. Oh, and don’t bother trying to understand the lyrics. Not just because they’re undecipherable, but because they’re also all in Norwegian. Although, it probably isn’t hard to figure out what the song title “Blodtorst”
translates to. The band compounds a mercilessly brutal sonic experience that effortlessly fuses dirty blues rock grooves and garage punk rhythms all with a furious Norwegian metal twist.

Song to check out: “Fossegrim”


**Sidenote: This album was released in 2010 in Europe, but wasn’t released in North America until March 2011, which is why I’m deeming it eligible for the 2011 list**



   9. Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground
This is the third solo album from Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan. His raspy, weathered voice is the perfect instrument against the backdrop of acoustic guitars, fiddle, and pedal steel. His punk rock audacity is still prevalent in this collection of southern backwater folk anthems, which serves as his most accomplished solo effort yet. A guest appearance from Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon provides only further validation of Ragan’s artistry.

Song to check out: “Right as Rain”



  10. Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
By Social Distortion’s standards, this record doesn’t really compete with the rest of their catalog. However, even a bad Social D album is still better than most albums. While the one glaring flaw is Mike Ness having flipped his lyric-writing on auto-pilot, most of the music still stands up as expected. Read my full review from 02/14 here.

Song to check out: “Diamond In The Rough”


Honourable Mentions: (in no particular order)
Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones
Thrice – Major/Minor
Havok – Time Is Up
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
Protest The Hero – Scurrilous
Ryan Adams- Ashes and Fire
Adele- 21
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Dropkick Murphys- Going Out In Style
Tom Waits – Bad as Me

Album Review: Death Valley Driver - Choke The River

        If Prince Edward Island's music scene has a known signature sound, I’m reasonably sure this isn’t it. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed these guys came straight off a bayou in Louisiana. Although these guys may not be truly representative of a cultural benchmark for P.E.I. in the same vein as say, Stompin’ Tom Connors, they somehow manage to harness an authentic sonic assault that genuinely sounds as if from the deep south. No more than before has a Maritime metal album had me in the mood to look for the nearest bottle of Jim Beam, go shoot up some rattlesnakes and get thrown in jail in the same afternoon. Front to back, this record pummels the sonic ether with bruising riffs, deep fetching grooves and scathing vocals, all with a cocky southern-like swagger. Mind you, this isn’t breaking any new ground. The manner in which the band engages their influences is anything but subtle, as bands like Pantera, Down and Crowbar will immediately come to mind upon listening to these songs. However, it’s all done in a way that is sincere, tasteful and fresh.

            “Choke The River With Your Dead” is a stellar lead off track, as it crams all the best elements of their genre into a single 4 and a half minute serving. Fiercely heavy, sludgy riffs with wide open grooves, canorous guitar passages and dynamic vocals that venture between beastly growls and a clean melodic wail. The main riff bludgeons all available sonic space with a crushing syncopated rhythm that sounds like a bearded, rebel flag wearing redneck giant stomping a blood entrailed path along the Mississippi. “Insect Dirge” employs a fetching Sabbath-esque groove that brandishes a commanding rock ‘n roll pomposity. In fact, all 8 songs truly showcase a tireless parade of sinister metal riffage and uncompromised aggression. All of course, with a heavy dose of southern stoner rock arrogance.

           Although this album is not severely original, the saving grace here is there is not a single hint of pretense. It’s clearly evident that this band is not setting out to reinvent the (steel?) wheel. What I hear in these songs is an honest and dedicated admiration for this sound and an unmitigated desire to carry the torch for good sludge/stoner metal. Also, regardless of the recognizable formula, the band continues throughout the record to incorporate dynamics that always keep the music interesting. Lead singer Dan Hodgson has an apt range of vocal stylings that can appropriately drive home tones of brutality, yet can complement the rhythmic backdrop with the right touch of harmony in the right moments. The guitar riffs are as imposing as they are compelling, and the rhythm section is always deep in the pocket. The band is great at what they do, and with this album have forged a new East Coast Canadian standard for good ‘ol Hell-raising, groove-oriented metal to shotgun a beer to.


www.myspace.com/deathvalleydriverpei
http://diminishedfifthrecords.com/

Album Review: Cicada

         In keeping with the true spirit of this album, I’m going to keep this review fairly simple. That is the one thing that really strikes me upon listening to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia's Cicada. This is actually a very simplified, no-bullshit serving of really good metal. In fact, I would find it rather difficult to categorize these guys into any kind of proper sub-genre, only because they offer such a seamless sonic amalgam of some long celebrated metal formulas. There are no over-the-top expressions that suggest any particular scene or niche, which is not necessarily a bad thing. One thing is for sure, there is no risk of them being confused with the European electro-pop group of the same name. There are plenty of killer riffs, sinister grooves and fierce vocals to make that absolutely certain. However, since they were insistent on using the name, I might have suggested giving their album a proper title. This would make them much easier to Google.

       Anyway, “Cleansing of The Wicked” gets things started with a harmonized guitar pattern which successively bursts into a very distinguished power-chorded assault, and has a very mechanical like groove. This was the best possible choice for the lead track. Although the pace trudges along, the rhythm has a very pleasingly distinctive feel. “In Same” is a showcase of shifting tempos, which employs an underlying slow burning melody that carries the song through an array of time signatures. “Benefactor of Chaos” exploits a severely heavy rhythmic attack, propelled by an industriously disciplined drum beat that evokes images of the Devil driving relentless stakes into the heart of humanity. “Steel Crusher” is another noteworthy highlight, which opens with a Conan The Barbarian sound clip before fearlessly charging into a tumultuous racket. Despite the unyielding furor, the song features some very carefully pronounced rhythms and impressively concordant modal executions.

      The only real criticism I could possibly offer here would relate to the production quality. There is definitely a tastefully rough edge to the overall sonic ethos, which for the most part complements the aggressive temperament of the record. However, my one complaint is that the vocals are largely, somewhat buried in the mix. In listening to most of these songs, I find myself wanting to hear the vocals more prominent and up front. However, this is a very minor complaint when considering the spectrum of musical virtues offered here. The riffs are engaging, and there is an impressive range of dynamics. Although rather simple in formula, the band still manages to create an interesting mosaic of tasteful sonic elements, which effectively invokes discomforting moods of misanthropy and disaffection. In other words, everything a great metal album should do.

http://www.cicadametal.com/

Review Roundup

So here is a roundup of the last several reviews I've posted for Noisography. Most of these albums were pretty good.




Hale Hale – Spearmint (EP)

Hailing from Edmonton, this rock outfit bridges the gap between classic indie rock of the 80’s and mainstream 90’s rock. In stark contrast with the pretentious, artsy indie scene of late, these guys bring guitars back into the limelight and the results are very engaging.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/album-review-hale-hale-spearmint-ep.html


The Kansas-Nebraska Act

Halifax’s own Kansas-Nebraska Act, or affectionately referred to as KNA, play a very raw and lo-fi brand of punk rock. However, what sets them apart from other bands of this ilk is the singer’s deep tremolo howl paired with the bands affectation for arena rock hooks buried beneath the rough mix.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/album-review-kansas-nebraska-act-full.html

Hearts & Mines – Find Your Way

The main songwriter and frontman for Ottawa’s Hearts & Mines is an Afghanistan tour veteran who uses his experiences as inspiration for his music. The result is an album that is somewhat palatable, but overall rather bland. While the music doesn’t lack in sincerity or earnestness, it all comes off as generic radio rock with nothing really exciting to offer.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/album-review-hearts-mines-find-your-way.html


Kings Eden – The Era of The Youth

Heavy, sludgy garage rock served up by a trio of angry women from Halifax. Overall, an admirable effort to maintain a very primal and stripped down rock sound. Their influences are anything but subtle, but they play to claim the sound as their own.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/album-review-kings-eden-era-of-youth.html

Nami – Fragile Alignments

This here is a grand concept piece with a strong thematic narrative brought to us by a progressive death metal ensemble from Andorra. Loud and heavy, yet also melodic and beautiful to create a vast landscape of sonic dynamics complete with storyline and a host of characters.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/album-review-nami-fragile-alignments.html

Top 10 Canadian Albums

First off, my apologies to my followers for having been significantly out of sight for the last while. I can offer the assurance that I have been keeping rather busy writing album reviews for Noisography, and have been listening to lots of music. I intended to post this list yesterday in spirit of Canada Day, but it just didn’t happen. So here it is, a day late. This is my list of not-so-obvious essential Canadian albums. After some careful consideration, I’ve decided to not bother with the classics, (Neil Young’s Tonight’s The Night, Rush’s 2112, Joni Mitchell’s Blue, etc.) and offer a list of Canadian records that aren’t necessarily regulars on the perennial lists. There’s so many great albums that get overshadowed by the classic monoliths, which although may have very well earned their place in music history, I think maybe it’s time to peel back the layers a bit and look a bit further into the Canadian rock pantheon.

10. Luther Wright and The Wrongs – Rebuild The Wall


Hailing from Kingston, Ontario, these guys play a very refreshing brand of traditional country and bluegrass complete with all the necessary ingredients. Banjo, pedal steel, washboard, etc. are all included to complete their warm sounding down-home
musical tapestry. They have recorded albums of original material, but this is a masterpiece of artistic re-envisioning. This is a complete note-for-note re-working of Pink Floyd’s The Wall, but done in their own backwater, hillbilly style. It’s all done with absolute sincerity, but with just the right touch of tongue-in-cheek humour. Now when I’m in the mood to listen to The Wall, I actually find myself reaching for this CD more often than Pink Floyd’s own original version.

9. Buck 65 – Talkin’ Honky Blues


Mt. Uniacke, Nova Scotia’s Buck 65 (aka Rich Trefry) has been around for many years, and has earned a rather dedicated following and universal acclaim. I was actually torn between choosing this album or Secret House Against The World. Buck 65 offers a unique brand of hip-hop that forgoes the usual stereotypical trappings of the genre, and delivers a musical canvas that is rich in substance and artistic vision. I actually don’t even feel like I’m listening to rap when listening to this album. This is an impressive, semi-autobiographical conceptual piece of work that is deeply roots-inflected, and reminds me more of Tom Waits or Beck than any other hip-hop artist.

8. The Constantines – Shine A Light


The Constantines come from Guelph, Ontario and play a very raw and abrasive form of art rock. All of their albums are very good, but this one is easily their most accomplished. Delicately straddling the line between noisy aggression and artistic focus with an earnest, blue-collar songwriting quality, they forge an original sound that could be compared to Bruce Springsteen fronting Fugazi.

7. Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes


Winnipeg-based Propagandhi are one of Canada’s premier punk rock acts, and could be considered our own champions of the 90’s era punk resurgence. Their earlier albums were pretty straight forward melodic punk, but this record catapulted their sound into a whole new stratosphere. While certainly not abandoning their punk rock foundation, on this album we find the band much angrier and more technically refined. This new melodic hardcore, almost borderline metal sound serves a perfect soapbox for their extreme left-wing political lyrics which they have become known for.

6. Wintersleep – Welcome To The Night Sky


I really loved this band up until their last album, New Inheritors. I’ve decided that I’m going to try to remember this band by this last great album. Coming out of Halifax, this is very dark and moody rock that borrows rhythmic structures and vocal stylings from the Pearl Jam canon, but delivers with a much more morose and haunting ambience that sounds closer to The Cure. Although rich with brooding atmosphere and dark nuances, there’s an unexpected healthy dose of engaging melodies and fetching hooks.

5. The New Pornographers – The Electric Version


Vancouver’s power-pop ensemble The New Pornographers have been putting out solid albums for years, and each one is jam packed with fiercely catchy choruses, off-the-wall lyrics and of course, X-factor Neko Case. Co-frontperson/songwriter A.C. Newman is a truly gifted songwriter whose knack for catchy hooks is severely under-recognized. Helping bring the melodies to life is Neko Case, whose voice is just so incredibly rich in substance and character. Their debut album, Mass Romantic seems to get the most attention, but I think this album is their pinnacle, with its grandiose display of soaring choruses, infectious melodies and insanely creative song titles.

4. Bedouin Soundclash – Sounding a Mosaic


This Toronto-based trio probably has one of my favourite band names in Canada. In addition, their music is a solid catalog of deep grooves, sweet harmonies and a sincere songwriting ethic. Their second album, Street Gospels is also great, but this debut album provides a perfect example of their carefully understated reggae-rock which showcases their distinctive deep-in-pocket rhythms and soulful vocals.

3. Hayden – Everything I Long For


Beloved singer/songwriter Hayden, from Thornhill, Ontario is probably one of Canada’s best kept secrets. If you can imagine the pure folk ethos of Gordon Lightfoot, the idiosyncratic style of Leonard Cohen, and the artistic ambition of Neil Young all encompassed with some the chaotic noise of the Pixies, this might give you some idea of where Hayden is coming from. Very straight forward and honest lyrics are delivered with careful contemplation, and adorned with an extremely stripped down production. Sparse, acoustic tracks are interspersed among more experimental and discordant moments, to create a widely eclectic, yet cohesive collection of songs.

2. The Stanfields – Vanguard of The Young and Reckless


This band is easily one of the most authentic bands to ever come out of the East coast. Although Halifax has come to be known for endless streams of bands spewing out the same tired old Celtic Rock formula, The Stanfields give the genre a major shot in the arm with this debut album. These guys are rowdy, raucous and usually drunk but exhibit a true fundamental understanding of real songwriting, and with the amps cranked up to 10. Taking some obvious influence from bands like The Pogues and probably Stan Rogers, the band provides a sound that the common man can easily relate to, with a dedicated working class ethic and poignant lyrics. There’s an effortless fusion of Celtic Rock, bluegrass, country and punk vitriol that all comes together to make for one of the most genuinely fulfilling albums I’ve heard in years.

1. D.O.A. – Hardcore ‘81


At the same time that the second wave of punk rock was coming to life in the dark, dingy clubs of L.A. and youth centers in D.C., Vancouver had its own burgeoning punk scene. At the hub of this scene, along with the likes of The Subhumans and The Pointed Sticks was D.O.A. Led by charismatic Joey Shithead, D.O.A. has come to be known as one of the founders of hardcore punk. In fact, the title of this very album is widely believed to be the single progenerate of the term. Still currently active, the band helped create the template for 80’s hardcore with hard driving rhythms, confrontational performances and subversive lyrics all delivered with Shithead’s lispy growl. Despite their staunch leftist lyrical stance, they are unapologetically Canadian with songs about lumberjacks, hockey and have been known to poke friendly fun at various Americanisms. Although having endured many lineup changes over the years, the band has been consistently active since 1978, making them currently the longest running punk band to date.

New Reviews

I do have a new post coming up pretty soon. In the meantime, I've done a few album reviews for Noisography.


First You Get The Sugar:  Apparently, the '70's are alive and well and living somewhere in Montreal.  The debut album from First You Get The Sugar has all the musical adventure and excitement of a '70's Gold infomercial. To their credit, they actually have more of an authentic 1970's sound than Seals and Crofts. I can completely understand the idea of capturing a retro vibe, or exploiting various influences of the past, but who wants to hear music nowadays that sounds like fucking Donna Summer? 


Read my full review: FirstYouGetTheSugar Review




Fa Fa Fa - What Made These Holes and Rents: While we have one band forging their sound based on the most mainstream of sounds from music's worst decade, we have Reno Nevada's Fa Fa Fa taking influence from the 80's, but using sounds borrowed from some great non-mainstream scenes. Imagine the artistic ambition of Roxy Music, the deep grooves of the Talking Heads, the bleakness of The Cure, all with the amps cranked up to 11. These guys make a science of balancing delicate harmony and solid rhythms, with plenty of noise and feedback, all with lots of carefully placed ambience. Their influences are obvious, but they made one kick ass record. One of my favourites of the year.


Read my full review: FaFaFa Review

Top 10 St. Patrick's Day Albums

These are the 10 albums to have in rotation on St. Patrick's Day. No, I didn't forget U2.

10. Swingin' Utters - A Juvenile Product of The Working Class
      An American punk band with a strong Pogues influence, and plenty of alcoholic lyrical references.

 9. Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
     Dubbed as the "Irish Clash", these guys are criminally overlooked in the annals of punk rock.

 8. Dropkick Murphys - Sing Loud, Sing Proud
     Shamelessly representing the Irish working class of Boston, this is perhaps their most Irish sounding album.


 7. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation
     There are many great Thin Lizzy albums, but this one always seems to stand out.


 6. The Mahones - The Black Irish
     These guys can be easily be criticized as being a Pogues knock off, but they do it better than anyone.


 5. Van Morrison - Moondance
     Nobody does Irish folk-rock balladry like Van Morrison.


 4. The Chieftans - The Long Black Veil
     These guys have been around longer than anybody on this list. Including Van Morrison.


 3. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
    One of the more authentic Celtic punk bands. The lead singer is actually from Ireland.


 2. Dropkick Murphys - Blackout
     Their version of the Irish folk ballad "The Fields of Athenry" alone, is worth a spot on this list.


 1. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy, and The Lash
     This album is nothing short of pure, Celtic rock perfection. Perhaps the greatest drinking album ever.