Smack Magazine : The top Twenty of 2010 The top Twenty of 2010 ================================================================================ David Carr on 01/03/2011 20:57:00 The best of 2010 provided a look to the past while trying to look forward. Soul also became a theme with the best music artists had to offer. Check out the best discs you should already own on this list! 20.) In 1000 Years – The Family Stand The Family Stand sadly became a footnote in the late 80’s/early 90’s Black Rock movement and it’s a shame. The group’s, (Peter Lord, Sandra St. Victor and V. Jeffery Smith) latest disc In A 1000 Years picks up where 1991’s “Moon in Scorpio” left off (Their other two discs after “Moon” were more r&b heavy). Although there are a couple missteps (We honestly do NOT need a cover of “Happy Together”), the band’s mix of Van Halen meets The Ike and Tina Turner Revue is still intact. Sandra St. Victor sounds like a woman possessed on the tune “Bang Bang”. The acoustic “Destination” works well as a pop meets soul ballad and the group hits its hard rock stride on “How I Got Over”. The lyrics of the latter tune might be a manifesto of sorts for the band as Sandra St. Victor belts out, “On the ropes until the final round dings, it ain’t over till your mama sings!” For the Family Stand, the fight for the right to rock is definitely not over and “In A 1000 Years” proves that The Family Stand still have a little fight left in ‘em. 19.) Wake Up The Nation – Paul Weller The former frontman of the Jam released possible the most erudite and stripped down sounding disc of this past year. Wake Up The Nation has a full sound with more than just a touch of British rock cool and early Motown soul. The disc opens with the barroom meets British soul “Moonshine” and then slides into the garage rock title track and then it’s on to the 60’s inspired “No Tears to Cry”. While the disc does run a tad long, Weller fires on all cylinders as he seamlessly blends psychedelic pop, soul, garage and British rock into one seamless package. On Wake Up The Nation Paul Weller proves that rock and roll can be reckless and still sound sophisticated. 18.) Luces Del Sur –Wait. Think Fast Echo Park in LA has started to become a new hub for great indie bands/music and leading the charge this year was Wait. Think Fast. On their debut disc, Wait. Think Fast bring together their haunting melodies, swirling guitars and bilingual lyrics into one truly impressive modern rock package. On “Si Es Por Amor” and “Winter Lights” vocalist Jacqueline Santillan sounds like she is fronting the Strokes. Santillan has a hypnotic vocal style and when coupled with the musicianship of Mathew Beighley and Thomas King, it’s easy to get sucked in. With their earnest mix of jangly guitars, sweet melodies and Spanish lyrics, W.T.F could be the band that puts Echo Parque en la mapa when it comes to original modern rock in LA. 17.) Tin Can Trust – Los Lobos Los Lobos are still one of the most important bands in rock and on Tin Can Trust; they continue to sonically push the boundaries of rock and roll. The group can still effortlessly combine blues, roots rock, traditional Mexican Nortenos and Chicano soul. These sounds are united with the band’s penchant for honest storytelling. “On Main Street” will have you mentally cruising the boulevard in a low-rider (a lowered Chevy Impala to be precise). “Yo Canto” is a Pechanga waiting to happen as is the dance instrumental “Do The Murray”. The title track is a modern day blues number that can hold its own on the Southside of Chicago as well as in East Los Angeles. Many moons ago Los Lobos asked “will the wolf survive?” Tin Can Trust answers that question with a resounding yes. 16.) In The Dark – The Whigs In The Dark from The Whigs is a slice of rock and roll abandon with hints of southern fried rock and psychedelic soul. Julian Dorio and Tim Deaux make a powerful rhythm section giving vocalist/guitarist Parker Gispert room to croon, howl and roar over each and every track. You truly get it all with this disc including rock and roll innocence (“So Lonely”, “In The Dark) , psychedelic (“Hundred/Million”) and dirty, country rock (“Kill Me Carolyne”)If you’re down to feel the swagger and cool of indie rock (and you know you are) or if you just miss The Replacements, then check out The Whigs. It has been a while since rock and roll has sounded this dirty and this cool. 15.) I’m Ok; You’re Ok – Jason Faulkner Jason Faulkner should be a household name. Until lately, his claims to fame have been being an original member of the psychedelic, 90’s pop band Jellyfish, and his re-recorded lullaby versions of Beatles tunes (Bedtime for Beatles is a must have if you have little ones). This disc was released in Japan in 2008 and finally saw the light of day in the states on February 16th, 2010. On I’m Ok,Your Ok Faulkner plays all instruments and creates a heady, healthy balance between swirling keyboards, shimmering, fuzzy guitars and layered melodies and harmonies so full and buoyant, you will want to lay your head upon them whilst you listen. Jason is your go to artist when it comes to alternative, classic pop and he brings it all together on this disc. He easily waxes poetic about the fickleness of love (“Stephanie Tells Me”), his own idiosyncrasies (“Komplicated Man”) and serious infatuation (“Anondah”). It’s hard to know if Faulkner is singing about himself when he croons “ignored by this industry” but when listening to his disc it becomes clear that Jason Faulkner should not be ignored and he is more, than just ok. 14.) Something for Everybody - Devo Are they still not men? Afraid so; they are indeed still Devo. After their show stopping performances at this year’s Coachella festival and KROQ Weenie Roast, Devo returned with a new studio disc that had a very “new school meets old school” feel. The title of the disc rings true. The band returned with a disc that features a true update on their 80’s sound with a little bit of techno, dance rhythms, alternative rock and robot disco. This latest soundtrack of de-evolution has a modern edge to it and the sound is not dated at all. Songs such as “What We Do”, “Don’t Shoot (I’m A Man)” and the dance/punk “Please Baby Please” find the veteran new wavers at the top of their game. Take a trip back to the future and check out this latest release from your favorite “spuds” from Akron, Ohio. 13.) Wu Massacre – Method Man, Rakewon, Ghostface Killah Coming straight out of the tales of The Shaolin; three of the Wu-Tang Clans soldiers have came together like Voltron, on Wu Massacre. Even when it gets a bit redundant the skills of these three mcs cannot be denied. Meth, Rae and Ghost have a great time trading rhymes over tightly wound, funky beats. The tunes are short on metaphors about the Shaolin. Instead, the three charter members of “The Clan” liken themselves to three comic book style assassins, verbally assaulting all who get in their way. All three mcs are adept at lyrical gymnastics but it’s Method Man, who seems to always be in the pole position to spit the cleverest rhymes on the disc. Protect ya neck; The Wu Massacre is lyrically armed and dangerous. 12.) Contra – Vampire Weekend They came back straight out of Up State New York with tracks about “Horcahta” and a “Diplomat’s Son”. It’s tough to not just write off Vampire Weekend as a modern day Paul Simon/Graceland tribute band. The group of young upstarts however are adept musicians, skillful (even if somewhat limited) songwriters/lyricists and on this sophomore disc, they write about what they know and they come from a pure place of innocence. In the cookie cutter world of emo/indie rock, this can be a rare thing! While not as strong as their debut, Contra retains Vampire Weekend’s signature ska meets world beat, stutter stop, alt-pop sound and lyrically, the band knows how to tell a story or two. As they may suffer the slings and arrows of music cynics, Vampire Weekend seem to keep their cool and do what they do best; tell their wickedly colorful, personal stories, all set to a world beat rhythm. 11.) Stone Temple Pilots – Stone Temple Pilots There were a plethora of reunions this past year but the boys in STP made good use of theirs. They dealt with singer Scott Wieland’s issues (or at least tried to) recorded their reunion disc separately and in the process created a great heavy, rock and roll record. From the moment Wieland emotes the lines “You always were my favorite drug, even when we used to take drugs” you can’t help but be stunned, impressed and seduced. STP have taken their lumps as a “grunge” rip off band but let’s be fair, the band has morphed into a heavy, alternative rock band, influenced by Zeppelin ( “Take a Load Off”), The Beatles (“Cinnamon” ) and glam era David Bowie (“Hickory Dichotomy” “Huckleberry Crumble”). STP have weathered (and still weather) the issues of their lead singer but as a unit, they remind us of how good rock and roll can be. 10.) B.O.B Presents: The New Adventures of Bobby Ray – B.O.B Rapper B.O.B, at first listen may come off like Andre 3000’s younger brother. Is this a bad thing? Not at all! B.O.B’s debut disc was a masterful mix of southern fried hip-hop, funky beats, rock, folk, funk and classic pop. He had everyone from jailhouse rapper T.I. to old school alternative poster boy Rivers Cuomo to new school alternative debutante Haley William’s guest star and add to the rapper’s eclectic mix. B.O.B brings some serious instrumentation and melody to hip-hop without sacrificing any of the base heavy beats needed to keep folks moving in the clubs. Lyrically the rapper is a bit of a throwback to the “Golden Era” of hip-hop as he laments about the days when the politics of rap music were minimal (“Airplane’s) the party life (“Magic”) and even a plaintiff cry for help (“Don’t Let Me Fall”). Some criticized B.O.B (aka Bobby Ray Simmons Jr.) for not sticking with one sound and style but it is his eclecticism that is actually breathing new life into hip-hop. B.O.B joins Kid Cudi, Asher Roth, The Cool Kids and Lupe Fiasco as they all seek to break new ground in hip-hop. Here’s hoping B.O.B is not a flash in the pan and that the adventures of Bobby Ray continue into the New Year. 9.) White Crosses – Against Me! It’s easy to lament that punk rock is dead. Fear not! True punk rock is thriving thanks to Gainesville Florida’s Against Me! White Crosses finds the band once again teamed with Butch Vig and also angry and reflective in this post Obama Election America. Critics got it wrong when Tom Gabel bellowed “I was a Teenage Anarchist”. He wasn’t throwing away his ‘Fight the Power’ T-shirt. He was merely waxing poetic on the spirit that brought him into activist politics in order to re-ignite that flame. On the rest of the disc Gabel and the band combine the spirit of X with the story telling style of Born to Run era Bruce Springsteen. Gable laments about the economic climate of his home town and reflects on relationships and his youth (“Because of the Shame”, “We’re Breaking Up”) while rallying against anti-abortion radicals (“White Crosses”) and our history of war overseas “(High Pressure Low”). It’s tough in the world of punk to mix the personal with political but Against Me! make it sound and look easy. Is punk rock finished? Not at all, and to those that think so, I’ll echo Gabel’s sentiments and simply reply, I want to smash them all, ‘I want to smash them all…’ 8.) Diamond Eyes – Deftones Diamond Eyes came out at a pivotal time within the career of the Deftones. The band suffered the loss of their bass player and founding member Chi Cheng who still lies in a coma after a devastating car crash. The band re-grouped, recruited Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega, shelved the disc they had been recording with Cheng and unleashed Diamond Eyes on an unsuspecting and very grateful metal world. Deftones have always been the survivors of the “Nu-Metal” 90’s and that’s because they have been able to hone their Sabbath meets Morrissey meets Bad Brains mix, into one mighty sonic assault. From the bone crushing riffs of the title track to the moody metal of “Royal” and the ethereal “Sextape”, Deftones reclaimed their status as the most thought provoking band in modern metal to date. While their fallen comrade’s fate might have united and focused the group, the disc itself is not a somber ode to Cheng but more of an explosive tribute and celebration of the idea of perseverance through the most challenging of times. 7.) The ArchAndroid – Janelle Monae Janelle Monae is already a darling in the Afro-Punk movement and one listen to The ArchAndroid makes it easy to see why. Comic book geeks will revel in the futuristic overtones of this disc but Monae’s real triumph (with the help of producers Big Boi and believe it or not P.Diddy) is turning r&b on its ear. This disc combines r&b with a little bit of indie, space age new wave, psychedelic pop, torch song styling’s and a TON of originality. Monae also combines some orchestral and pop sensibilities on her sprawling disc. It’s an ambitious piece of music that pushes the boundaries within all aspects of popular music. Let’s hope Monae keeps pushing and keeps making great original, thought provoking music. Look for her to tour with Prince in the new year. 6.) Wake Up! – John Legend and The Roots Can a disc full of covers prove to be essential? When it’s The Roots teaming up with John Legend the answer is a resounding yes! In 2008 John Legend and The Roots were so inspired by the campaign and election of President Barrack Obama they decided to get together and go through the archive of obscure, revolutionary soul music of the 60’s and 70’s and record this exceptional disc of uplifting r&b songs from the past. In 2010, this record might be the inspiration needed to help recapture the fire and passion of an Obama Presidency that has been eclipsed by the war in Afghanistan, an education system in shambles, and an economic downturn that has left too many Americans jobless. Legend easily pours his heart and soul into every melody and he is helped out by a few pinch hitters including Melanie Fiona, and rappers Common, CL Smooth and The Root’s own mc, Black Thought. From Baby Huey and The Babysitter’s “Hard Times” to Harold Melvin and the Blue Note’s call to arms “Wake Up Everybody” to the wicked interpretation of Bill Wither’s “I Can’t Write Left Handed” featuring an incendiary guitar solo from Captain Kirk Douglas, there is a sense of urgency and boldness on this record that most tribute/cover albums (and most modern r&b singers) don’t have. The Roots are known for their ‘heady’ jams but on Wake Up they play their game tight and lay a smooth foundation, in order for John Legend’s vocals to shine through. Nina Simone is quoted in the liner notes as saying, “it is the job of an artist to reflect the times”. If this is the case then John Legend and The Roots are working overtime. They didn’t have to write the songs we need for our present condition. They found them and are giving them to us in order to restore a little bit of hope and change in our society. Only time will tell if their plan ultimately worked. 5.) Do Wops and Hooligans –Bruno Mars Many moons ago when record stores actually existed, there were artists who fit into the category known as Rock, Pop and Soul. Bruno Mars is a throwback to that generation. You have already heard his soaring falsetto on tracks by Travis McCoy, B.o.B. and he can claim a co-writing credit with Cee Lo Green on the “F*ck You” song. On his debut disc it is clear that Mars, on his own, is a gifted singer/songwriter who can shift from real r&b to pop to reggae in one fatal swoop. Stylistically, Mars is a cross between Frankie Lymon and Terrance Trent D’Arby. Lyrically Mars creates a blueprint about what women want to hear from their significant others and weaves a delicate balance between true love (“Just The Way You Are”) the idea of partying and marriage (“Marry You”) and the art of doing absolutely nothing (“The Lazy Song”). The disc reaches a truly magical moment on the acoustic number “Count On Me”, a tune that outlines the true meaning and spirit of friendship. Mars has injected true lyricism, talent, emotion and musicianship in the cookie cutter world of pop music. If Mars can keep himself out of trouble (he got busted for possession of cocaine in Vegas) he might be the man we need to create a beautiful relationship between lyricism and musicianship in the world of pop. 4.) Brothers – The Black Keys Need some serious, gritty music to add to your collection? Look no further; these Brothers are indeed gonna work it out. Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach may not like being shoved into the indie rock/skinny jean category but it’s a good thing. The Black Keys are giving indie rock the blues and soul infected shot in the arm it so desperately needs. On Brothers, The Black Keys get down to business with a blend of vintage and modern blues, backed by some serious gut-bucket soul with an indie/punk edge. On “Everlasting Light” and the Gamble and Huff cover “Never Gonna Give You Up” Auerbach does his best falsetto/Prince impression. The duo locks in, on the blues revival modern classics, “She’s Long Gone” and “Next Girl”. Although the disc runs too long, Carney and Auerbach make a great two man team (with a little help from producers Mark Neil and Danger Mouse) in modern rock. Their stripped down, swamp-boogie style leads to a big bluesy, soulful sound on Brothers, and it has been a welcome breath of fresh air on modern rock radio. 3.) Come Around Sundown – Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown was a highly anticipated release. For many bands the pressure to follow up a huge disc like Only By The Night can be overwhelming. Thankfully the Followill brothers + one cousin have dealt with struggles and challenges throughout their career. Sundown retains the KOL distinctive sound. They get their arena rock swagger on with songs like “Radioactive”, “Pyro” and “Pony Up”. Their retro 50’s strut comes courtesy of the tune” Mary” and they once again make use of space and silence with “The Face”. The band even gets a chance to harken back to their roots with an ode to their hometown on “Back Down South”. What separates the Kings of Leon from most modern rock bands is not just their mix of southern rock, soul and modern rock; it’s the honesty that pours through every single track on Come Around Sundown. The band might get chastised for doing an entire make over with regards to their look but they have retained their sound and have only added to it over the years. You don’t want to question his sincerity and attitude when Caleb Followill sings, ‘We’re gonna spit on the rivals, All I want to know, how far you wanna go, fighting for survival. Underneath the stars, where we park the cars, ain’t showing no signs of stopping. All want to know, how far you plan to go, I’m going back down south now...’ Kings of Leon have indeed fought for survival and the band keeps on winning with each release. 2.) The Suburbs –Arcade Fire The Arcade Fire re-defined what it means to be an indie rock band this year with The Suburbs. It’s hard to not be cynical when the hype about a record or band gets to a fever pitch. That’s how I felt about The Suburbs by The Arcade Fire. This time around, it’s ok to believe the hype. The Suburbs works on a few different levels; at first listen you can’t help but feel that this is the quintessential indie rock record with its quirky sounds, orchestral passages and understated, melodic vocals. At times the record comes off as a modern day up date of The Beatles White Album. Lyrically, the band has created a concept record that encapsulates the good and not so good life in the suburbs. The Arcade Fire knows all too well that the suburbs are where you learn to drive and at times, life there seems tough for the “modern man”. The emperor wears no clothes in this part of town and the kids in the “burbs” love to use big words they don’t understand. Arcade Fire paints an accurate, complex picture of what it’s like to live in a cookie cutter community where the lies and the truths told, become one and the same. It may smell like teen spirit but in actuality, it’s Arcade Fire letting you know that the kids are equally messed up, just ok and maybe even slightly alright in The Suburbs. 1.) The Lady Killer – Cee Lo Green Cee Lo Green is slowly but surely becoming a house hold name and that’s a good thing. Green and his trademark, barrelhouse r&b sound, came roaring back this year with an outstanding disc of original music. This is Green’s third and most cohesive solo disc. When asked to describe his latest offering, he claimed it was like a Black James Bond flick. This may be true regarding the secret agent/movie styled title and ending tracks but the rest of the disc, is steeped in a serious retro-R&B sound with just enough of a pop/alternative edge to give it a modern feel. Cee Lo (aka The Lady Killer) fills the disc with the joy, pain, hurt and humor, of love. On the slower tunes (“Old Fashioned”, “Fool For You”) Green is the ultimate, old school, balladeer. On the more up tempo numbers (“Cry Baby, It’s Ok) you may feel as if you are watching reruns of the 70’s TV show “Love American Style” (Google it people) as Cee Lo creates some great lyrical vignettes to go with his amazingly versatile voice. Green makes no bones about the fact that he is a fan of all styles of music. If you listen close to The Lady Killer you can hear bits and pieces of The Doors, Al Green, George Michael, The Monkees and Earth, Wind and Fire. Cee Lo however, takes all of these influences and makes them his own. Don’t even think of asking if the man uses auto tune because the answer is a resounding no! The Lady Killer, kills it on all musical fronts and the only criticism is the fact that the song “F*ck You” should have been released in early July in order to become the song of the summer. Well done Cee Lo, keep the great music coming.