Every year I do a Top ten list of the albums released in that year. There's only one rule: Only new releases. No live albums, no reissues. Sounds easy enough right?
This year I got together with a buddy of mine the Reverend Justito; founder and head honcho over at the awesome website ConcertConfessions.Com and we decided to post our lists together; right here on this very website. Maybe give everyone a sense of the little east/west coast dynamic we have going on here-I wonder what the over/under is on how many albums we both have listed. This has all the makings for a fun read, and as the away team, let's lead off with the aforementioned Rev. Justito. Lets put his text in bold and text of my list in italics.
Picking a top 10 list for Mr. Jay Porks has been no easy task. Do I pick with my heart and give some of my all time favorite acts (Coheed and Cambria, BRMC) a spot based off loyalty? Or do I simply pick the 10 best albums I heard in 2010? Oh and what about critics darlings such as The Black Keys and Kanye West? Should I add them just like everyone else, even if they really don’t belong in the top 10? Take a peak below to discover Reverend Justito’s top 10 records of 2010.
#10 Dark Ages by Bison b.c.
Heavy riffs, great harmonies and ohhh fuck it this is the best “stoner rock” record of the year.
Recommended tracks – Stressed Elephant, Die of Devotion
#9 – The Fool by Warpaint
While most females in music are marketed to turn men on, Warpaint is the band that you first form a crush on before fully falling in love. Plus, these gals can play their asses off.
Recommended Tracks – Undertow, Baby
#8 – Destroyer of the Void by Blitzen Trapper
For those who have always wanted to hear what Bob Dylan would sound like backed by Modest Mouse. A compliment in the finest, Blitzen Trapper may be Americana’s best kept secret.
Recommended Tracks – Destroyer of the Void, Heaven and Earth
#7 – III/IV by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
What does it tell you about music in 2010 that Adams shelved songs from ’07 make it this high on the list? Perhaps nothing actually, Adams is just that damn good.
Recommended Tracks – Happy Birthday, Death and Rats
#6 – Fragments of Form and Function by Allegaeon
Sometimes with metal, it’s hard to compare to other genres. Yet this album is the reason that Brothers by The Black Keys got the bump. These youngsters from Colorado made the most complex album of 2010, and look bored while doing so. If they can find a band willing to bring them out on tour (knowing that these Colorado natives will blow any headliner off the stage) expect big things from Allegaeon in 2011.
Recommended Tracks – Biomech – Vals No. 666, Accelerated Evolution
#5 – Spark by Alain Johannes
Never has pain sounded so beautiful. One can’t have a lump in their throat when listening to this record.
Recommended Tracks – Make God Jealous, Unfinished Plans
#4 As I Call You Down – Fistful of Mercy
Perhaps I am biased as I was blessed enough to watch Fistful of Mercy take shape in front of my very eyes during the first four months of the year, but this “super group” has put together a fine crafted album of folk rock masterpieces. Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper go together like peanut butter and jelly. Together, they are unstoppable.
Recommended Tracks – I Don’t Want To Waste Your Time, Restore Me
#3 Congratulations by MGMT
Let’s be honest, this album is viewed as a disaster by many. This is because most are not smart enough to grasp what MGMT accomplished. They have proven that they can write simple 3 minute pop songs for the masses. While I enjoy those songs, my respect was truly won by making an album that is full of amazing melodies, great riffs all while giving a giant middle finger to the simple minded masses. Enjoy your Kanye and Kings of Leon; I’ll stick with the freaks known as MGMT.
Recommended Tracks – Brian Eno, Siberian Breaks
#2 The Suburbs by The Arcade Fire
For a long time, I felt The Arcade Fire were over-rated hacks. Then The Suburbs fell into my hands the week I returned to Los Angeles from a trip to where I spent my first 21 years. I don’t care what you say; I won’t listen to your proof. The Arcade Fire wrote this album for me.
Recommended Tracks – Month of May, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
#1 Diamond Eyes by Deftones
Who knows what the shelved album Eros would have sounded like, but with a heavy heart and an eight-string guitar, Deftones have created their best record since Around The Fur. The band has finally found the perfect mix between Elephant tit heavy riffs and lush electro-pop bliss. It’s rare that a heavy act peaks six albums in, but with Diamond Eyes, Sacramento’s finest will have a hard time topping this.
Recommended Tracks – You’ve Seen The Butcher, Sex Tape
We here at the Jay Porks Experience would like to thank the Rev for offering up his list for me to post here, and we also send our thanks over to the whole Concert Confessions Family for helping keep the Jay Porks band wagon rolling along. Again if you have never been, you gotta head over to ConcertConfessions.com and check it out-it's like a whole bunch of people like me in different parts to the states heading to shows and dishing out the experience-it's pretty neat.
Anyway it seems that time has come. Now ladies and gentleman The Jay Porks Experience Top Ten Albums of 2010:
10) MGMT-Congratulations
Boy am I glad MGMT turned cool enough for me to like, because I was starting to feel out of the loop.
>Recommended tracks: Brian Eno<
9)Dead Weather- Sea of Cowards
Sea of Cowards was the soundtrack to the couple of months of my life after I got the album on my iPod-and this is coming from someone who hates Jack White for a variety of foolish reasons we won't get into at this time. I mean when “Hustle and Cuss” comes on I don't know whether to head bang nod the head gently. Lots of cool stuff going on with this record. Give it a listen if you've been under rock the last year.
>Recommended tracks: I'm Mad, Hustle and Cuss, Old Mary<
8)Melvins-The Bride Screamed Murder
When the album came out it was exactly what I needed-I needed that fix of murky sludge rock I've been lacking in recent years. It seriously got my first pumping screaming out “yea! The fucking Melvins!” much to the chagrin of all other members of my household. And if there's one rule I have about records it's this: If it pisses off your mother, it has to be great!
>Recommended tracks: Pig House, The Water Glass, My Generation(The Who)<
7)Gorillaz- Plastic Beach
I mean, it's not like anyone is surprised that Gorillaz released another great record as they've been a custom to do time to time. The All Star guest list of performers on this record help propel it to another level of awesomeness. Like, now we even have all the mainstream people paying dues to Gorillaz, and that tends to usually make me hate things-but the music is so good I can't even drink the 'Hater-Aid' on this one.
>Recommended tracks: Somekind of Nature(Lou Reed), Cloud of Unknowing<
6)Scott Lucas and the Married Men- George Lassos The Moon
Local H frontman Scott Lucas decided to work with a full band for this record, and key word full. Violinist, accordion player, someone on keys, the full 9 yards. Throughout listening, the record maintains a consistent dark mood-harrowing acoustics with songs that build in intensity slowly.. violin and accordion sounds on the cover of Bob Dylan's “Positively 4th Street” make it all the more worth while. This is not a Local H record by any means-but it's some cool music in it's own right. Hope they tour near me soon.
>Recommended tracks: Extra Special Bitter, You put a Spell on Me, Positively 4th Street(Dylan)<
5)Devo- Something for Everybody
Another band I'm glad didn't try to “progress” their sound, and Devo rolls in with an epically Devo-esque recording. One of the funnest records I've listened to this year. In one of the songs the lyrics towards the end are like “Don't taze me bro!” repeatedly. Would've seen them this year had they not canceled their Halloween gig at Manhattan Center's Hammerstein Ballroom. Great record all around
>Recommended tracks: What we Do, Don't Shoot(I'm a Man)<
4)Hole- Nobody's Daughter
Don't let your disdain for Courtney let you look past an awesome listen. This album was way better than I thought it could possibly be. Some epic tracks on that record, some awesome guitar parts provided by Micko Larkin. The case was solitified when I saw them play songs off the record live at a two night Terminal 5 stint. Personal feelings aside, one of my favorites of the year.
>Recommended tracks: Nobody's Daughter, Someone Else's Bed, Loser Dust<
3)Neil Young-Le Noise
-Say what you want but get me Neil Young alone with a guitar and effects boxes and I'll give you a top ten record of the year. What makes the record so good is that I don't even think Neil wrote lyrics down, I think the whole record was done improv style. I was so surprised to hear such power, some of the “grungiest” guitar sounds I've heard in a while. Great album.
>Recommended tracks: Walk With Me, Angry World, Sign of Love<
2)Slash-Slash
-Hey is that a new Ozzy song on the radio? Oh no that's from that Slash album. Wow new Iggy Pop they're playing? Oh wait, that's also from that Slash solo album. Wait I've never heard this Motorhead song before-it's Lemmy and Slash?? Damn-I have to get this album! It's amazing, and it comes with a version of Paradise City with Cypress Hill and Fergie(at least it spares us from Axel's annoying squeals).
>Recommended tracks: We're All Gonna Die(Iggy Pop), Dr. Alibi (Lemmy), Watch This (Duff McKaegen, Dave Grohl)<
1)Vaselines-Sex with an X
-I'm so glad that the Vaselines didn't try to “progress” with their sound. Their first record in 20 years picks up right where they left off before they broke up; that perfect balance how they distort guitar sounds yet still keep a steady jangly type flow. Heavenly harmonics equipped with humorous tongue and cheek type lyrics. Album kicks off with a banger song called “Ruined”, and will shred your mind for the duration of the CD.
>Recommended tracks: Ruined, The Devil Inside Me, Overweight But Over You<
