20.
Alkaline Trio -
Agony & Irony: I must admit, after signing to a major label, I never thought this would show up on here. I fully anticipated Alkaline Trio would further butcher their sound, and lose almost all personality. But to my surprise,
Agony & Irony actually ended up being a return to form, containing some of the most atmospheric and memorable tunes since
Goddamnit.
19.
Pennywise -
Reason to Believe: Undoubtedly the best (temporarily) free album of the year, after 20 years Pennywise shows us that they can still make some of the best punkrock today. While they were sounding stale in their past couple releases, the band seems to have found new life. By adding a slight metal overtone and a punchier "rock" core to their songs, the band made themselves relevant once again.
18.
Son of Sam -
Into The Night: Horrorpunk as it should sound. Every year I wait for that one Horrorpunk album that reaches beyond the genre and finds a home in my daily playlists. Because of the all star cast making up this record, I'm not surprised
Son of Sam's latest release took that top spot this year. While I was never a fan of the band in their 2001 release, replacing Davey Havoc with Ian Thorne not only won me over, but got this record on my year end list.
17.
The Real McKenzies -
Off The Leash: Bagpipes rarely sound this good. Few celtic punk bands really ever find that sweet spot, but after three releases,
The Real McKenzies just know what to do. The band sounds more confident than ever, switching between goofy pub songs and more somber moments,
Off The Leash is a "novelty" album that could be played any place, any time and find appreciation from all.
16.
Portugal. The Man -
Censored Colours: This band just never stops changing its influences and pioneering new ground. With their first record off of Fearless Records and full independent, it's clear that the band finally had the opportunity to express themselves without reserve.
15.
The Briggs -
Come all you Madmen: There's something to be said about a band that just "gets" a genre. The Briggs simply know how to make picture perfect, anthemic east coast hardcore street punk. The vocals are big - the choruses even bigger. I need not say more.
14.
The Features -
Some Kind of Salvation: I know very little about this band, other than than I can't stop playing this album. It came out of nowhere and delivered the perfect blend of indie and pop I'd been looking for all year. They seem to have completely reinvented their sound as well - I tried listening to their previous releases, and I can safely say that
The Features have never sounded this good.
13.
Zox -
Line In the Sand: For whatever reason, I usually find myself avoiding music that's too "radio friendly." It's not intensional, but just how my preferences have developed. But for
Zox I make an exception. Should any song on this album see significant radio play, there's no doubt in my mind that Zox would garner quite a following. Defined with an electric violin, an easy comparison would be Yellowcard - but that would also do a great injustice, for Zox sings with a rare passion and clarity, setting them apart from their contemporaries.
12.
The Methadones/The Copyrights -
Split: Two of the best pop-punk bands out there in one release, what more could you ask for? Since I had always both bands' full length albums dragged on a little too long, the format really plays to both bands' strengths. To top that off, these songs are both some of the best in each band's library.
11.
Ezra Furman & the Harpoons -
Inside the Human Body: Heavily inspired by
The Violent Fems' glory days, Ezra Furman mixes a The Fems' shaky delivery with Conor Oberst like emotion. The result is infectiously catchy, and altogether unpredictable. What surprised me most after my first listen to
Inside the Human Body's was the band's adoption of indie inspirations. Their first release was praised because of its genuine Bob Dylan-ness, so venturing outside of such praise was a gamble. But it payed off. The band now has a more developed and distinct sound than ever, and they're better for it.
20. Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony: I must admit, after signing to a major label, I never thought this would show up on here. I fully anticipated Alkaline Trio would further butcher their sound, and lose almost all personality. But to my surprise, Agony & Irony actually ended up being a return to form, containing some of the most atmospheric and memorable tunes since Goddamnit.
19. Pennywise - Reason to Believe: Undoubtedly the best (temporarily) free album of the year, after 20 years Pennywise shows us that they can still make some of the best punkrock today. While they were sounding stale in their past couple releases, the band seems to have found new life. By adding a slight metal overtone and a punchier "rock" core to their songs, the band made themselves relevant once again.
18. Son of Sam - Into The Night: Horrorpunk as it should sound. Every year I wait for that one Horrorpunk album that reaches beyond the genre and finds a home in my daily playlists. Because of the all star cast making up this record, I'm not surprised Son of Sam's latest release took that top spot this year. While I was never a fan of the band in their 2001 release, replacing Davey Havoc with Ian Thorne not only won me over, but got this record on my year end list.
17. The Real McKenzies - Off The Leash: Bagpipes rarely sound this good. Few celtic punk bands really ever find that sweet spot, but after three releases, The Real McKenzies just know what to do. The band sounds more confident than ever, switching between goofy pub songs and more somber moments, Off The Leash is a "novelty" album that could be played any place, any time and find appreciation from all.
16. Portugal. The Man - Censored Colours: This band just never stops changing its influences and pioneering new ground. With their first record off of Fearless Records and full independent, it's clear that the band finally had the opportunity to express themselves without reserve.
15. The Briggs - Come all you Madmen: There's something to be said about a band that just "gets" a genre. The Briggs simply know how to make picture perfect, anthemic east coast hardcore street punk. The vocals are big - the choruses even bigger. I need not say more.
14. The Features - Some Kind of Salvation: I know very little about this band, other than than I can't stop playing this album. It came out of nowhere and delivered the perfect blend of indie and pop I'd been looking for all year. They seem to have completely reinvented their sound as well - I tried listening to their previous releases, and I can safely say that The Features have never sounded this good.
13. Zox - Line In the Sand: For whatever reason, I usually find myself avoiding music that's too "radio friendly." It's not intensional, but just how my preferences have developed. But for Zox I make an exception. Should any song on this album see significant radio play, there's no doubt in my mind that Zox would garner quite a following. Defined with an electric violin, an easy comparison would be Yellowcard - but that would also do a great injustice, for Zox sings with a rare passion and clarity, setting them apart from their contemporaries.
12. The Methadones/The Copyrights - Split: Two of the best pop-punk bands out there in one release, what more could you ask for? Since I had always both bands' full length albums dragged on a little too long, the format really plays to both bands' strengths. To top that off, these songs are both some of the best in each band's library.
11. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons - Inside the Human Body: Heavily inspired by The Violent Fems' glory days, Ezra Furman mixes a The Fems' shaky delivery with Conor Oberst like emotion. The result is infectiously catchy, and altogether unpredictable. What surprised me most after my first listen to Inside the Human Body's was the band's adoption of indie inspirations. Their first release was praised because of its genuine Bob Dylan-ness, so venturing outside of such praise was a gamble. But it payed off. The band now has a more developed and distinct sound than ever, and they're better for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment