Pope’s Top 10
The basis for making my Top 10 list is on how much I wanted to listen to the music, how much I thought about the music when listening to other music or when doing mundane day to day tasks. This list has nothing to do with which album has the greatest impact on its individual or specific genre, but purely on how much love I gave the particular recording. Let it be noted that there is very little separating this year’s top three choices. All three albums have spent extended periods of time on the turntable since making their initial impact on my ears.
1) Stone Axe – II
2) Les Discrets – Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées
3) Hypnos 69 – Legacy
4) Dark Age – Acedia
5) Lair of the Minotaur – Evil Power
6) Opeth – In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
7) Charles The Osprey – Consider
Shadowgarden – Ashen
9) Necronomicon – The Return of the Witch
10) Downslave – Cost of Freedom
Racer’s Top 10
I agree with everything that Pope wrote, I’m just too lazy to write all that.
1) Stone Axe – II
2) Fen – Trails Out of Gloom
3) Ape Machine – This House has Been Condemned
4) Black Bone Child – Take You Blind
5) Jet Black Berries – Postmodern Ghosts
6) Rob Blaine – Big Otis Blues
7) At the Soundawn – Shifting
8) Darklight Corporation – S/T
9) The Beautiful Mothers – Chikara
10) The Egocentrics: – Love Fear Choices and Astronauts
Woody’s Top 10 (in alphabetical order)
The Brought Low – Third Record
The Budos Band – III
Electric Wizard – Black Masses
Josiah – Procession
Poobah – Let Me In
Otis Redding – Live on the Sunset Strip
Stone Axe – II
The Stooges – Have Some Fun: Live At Ungano’s
The Sword – Warp Riders
Ufomammut – Eve
Mr. Brownstone’s Top 10
10) Local Natives- Gorilla Manor
9) Bruno Mars- Doo-Woops & Hooligans
MGMT- Congratulations
7) LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening
6) Neon Trees- Habits
5) Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
4) Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse- Dark Night of the Soul
3) Gaslight Anthem- American Slang
2) The New Pornographers- Together
1) The Black Keys- Brothers
Horn’s Top 10
10) Roareth, Acts I- VI
9) haarp, The Filth
Dawnbringer, Nucleus
7) Centurion’s Ghost, Blessed and Cursed in Equal Measure
6) Nefarium, Ad Discipulum
5) Conan, Horseback Battle Hammer
4) Cough, Ritual Abuse
3) Howl, Full of Hell
2) Salome, Terminal
1) Sloath, Sloath
Penfold’s Top Ten
1. Mudocks – Distortionist
2. Megaran and K-Murdock – Forever Famicom
3. Freak Kitchen – Land of the Freaks
4. DEVO – Something for Everybody
5. B.O.B. – The Adventures of Bobby Ray
6. Greenhouse Effect – Electric Purgatory Vol. 1 and 2
7. Look What I Did – Atlus Drugged
8. The Rakehells – Please Yourself or the Devil in the Flesh
9. MC Frontalot – Zero Day
10. Cee Lo Green – The Ladykiller
Honorable Mentions
Watain – Lawless Darkness
Exemption – Public Cemetary Party
Hank III – Rebel Within
Janelle Monae – The Archandroid
Don’t forget to check out these sites and their Top 10 list of 2009
All Metal Resource — http://allmetalresource.com/
Bring Back Glam — http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/
Hair Metal Mansion — http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/
Hard Rock Hideout — http://hardrockhideout.com/
Heavy Metal Addiction — http://heavymetaladdiction.com
Heavy Metal Time Machine — http://metalmark.blogspot.com/
Imagine Echoes — http://www.imagineechoes.com/
Metal Excess — http://metalexcess.com/
Metal Odyssey — http://metalodyssey.wordpress.com/
The Ripple Effect — http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/
Hard Rock Nights — http://hardrocknights.wordpress.com/
Layla’s Classic Rock — http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/
The Metal Minute — http://rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com/
Top Ten Lists Of Top Ten List Lists – by Old School
I simply despise top ten and “best of” lists. They are never enlightening, and even less informative, especially those that discuss music.
Is “Taylor Swift” by Taylor Swift a “better” recording than Guns N’ Roses’ “Greatest Hits” merely because of the number of weeks the CDs spent on the Billboard Music Charts? I hardly think so. Staying power on the charts is a product of (sales + publicity + fanbase) which is always related to gross sales. It doesn’t even reflect how financially successful a recording might be. To determine that you have subtract all the costs associated with producing the product, Even then, financial success does not mean one recording is better than another recording.
Ahh! But you say,
I like lists. In fact, I love them. Sure, you can’t compare the artistry of Taylor Swift to that of Guns N’ Roses in financial terms – it has to be in “artistic terms.” We have to narrow the field a bit. We can make categories of lists and compile them. Taylor Swift is a better Pop singer so we can compile a top ten list of 2010 Pop Music and we can compile a list of the 2010 Metal and Gun N’ Roses would be on that one. We could choose ten categories say, Pop, Blues, Punk, Alternative, Metal, Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Soundtrack and World Music. You could then compile the number 1’s of each list and there you have a fair ultimate 2010 music top ten list.
Dude! You’re missing the point! There are thousands of great bands out there that lack either sales, proper publicity or a great big fan base. There are even some that rather ply their art in semi-obscurity, semi-retired, known to only a few, or just popular in a city, region, circuit or on the web. Consequently, it is inherently unfair and disingenuous to say that one recording is the “Best” or better than another. I can assure you that you haven’t heard all of them; that, if you did, you could never make up your mind; and, if you did, you should really get your hearing checked.
Every top ten music list ever compiled fails in another respect. It is totally subjective and why should I, as a music listener, really care about your opinion? I know what I like. Don’t you listen to your music and not give a damn what others think – you might even sing Barry Manilow songs in the shower, who knows or cares? It is your music and you are the only judge of “Best” that matters to you.
Look, Old School,
I understand what you’re saying, but, don’t you think that as music consumers we ought to know what we are buying? I mean, doesn’t sales + publicity + fan base measure popularity? So that means, as a consumer, I’ll know what most people are listening to by referring to a traditional top ten list. Doesn’t that have significant value to me as a consumer?
So, if lots of people were jumping off a high bridge you would too? Even manure attracts a lot of flies.
Don’t give me this whole consumer service thing. Today almost every artist has a healthy web presence and offers at least a free taste or two. You are better off spending your time searching the internet for the music you like than being a lemming to 2010 Music Top Ten Lists of Top Ten Lists.
Yes, Old School, I understand. But, couldn’t you compile a top ten list of just the music you heard this year and it could be your own personal 2010 Music Top Ten List? You could use it to explain to people your own musical tastes.
That argument lacks foundation. Do you really think other people care about what music you like – other than the artists who are trying to sell it to you? Look, I write 50 or so music reviews a year. I listen to thousands of new artists and releases and point out just a few. I get a half-dozen comments a year from readers in response to my reviews. I write because I’m vain and love to share my love of music, even if no one cares or listens. I’m in no position to tell you to favor Lynwood Slim and the Igor Prado Band over Brian Setzer, Modern Day Moonshine over The Doobie Brothers or Heavy Glow over Steve Vai, or any other artist or recording over any other. I wouldn’t dare say to you that James Cotton’s 2010 return – “Giant” is better than any other Blues harmonica album in the past decade. You have to find out for yourself.
- Old School
There are many (too many, in fact) doom metal bands out there but I will always make time for Electric Wizard. Black Masses is the Dorset, England band’s 7th album and is pretty much business as usual but there are a few different audio elements to keep things from getting too redundant. The Black Sabbath/Pentagram foundation remains as well as NWOBHM creeps like Venom and Witchfinder General but there’s a stronger psychedelic feel than on some of their previous records. It also sounds a bit like the influence of fuzz-guitar maestro Davie Allan is in the mix, too. Not surprising since Electric Wizard love all the violent 60’s biker movies that Allan did music for just as much as the horror/cult films they sometimes sample.
The twin axe attack of singer Justin Oborn and wife Elizabeth Buckingham is very thick, fuzzed out and layered with trippy effects. Justin’s vocals pop in and out of the mix to bleat his bleak views and call upon Satan to help him navigate this wicked world. Shaun Rutter’s drums plod and thud accordingly in a most Master Of Reality way and blend well with new “necrobassist” Tas Danazoglou. It’s worth noting that Tas has some really intimidating facial tattoos.
For a band so heavy and negative, the songs are surprisingly catchy. “Black Mass” will have everyone yelling “hear me Lucifer” loud and strong at the live show. “Venus In Furs” is not a cover of the Velvet Underground classic (although I’d like to hear them tackle it) but does share the S&M subject matter. Clocking in at 8 minutes, my favorite song might be “The Nightchild” just because of the strong Witchfinder General feel.
The entire album is solid and flows together really well. The tempos are never too fast, and they really excel at the real snail crawlers like “Satyr IX.” There’s even an instrumental dirge called “Crypt Of Drugula” with some very cool atmospherics that’s cooler than anything Eno’s ever done. This is a great one to play late at night in a car full of people you don’t know very well. They’d really freak! Unless they’re already freaks, then they’d love it.
– Woody
Buy here: Black Masses
Buy vinyl: Black Masses
Buy from All that is Heavy here
http://www.myspace.com/electricwizarddorsetdoom
Admittedly, I love a challenge every once in a while. If you don’t set a seemingly lofty goal for yourself on occasion, you never push yourself and will end up wallowing in misery. Well, what I had just set out to do certainly falls into the category of major challenge. After listening to the newest album from the band The Meads of Asphodel entitled The Murder of Jesus the Jew, I was inspired to help broaden their audience. My idea was simple enough. Get the band to play a single concert that would be written about in the annals of music history as the stuff of legend.
It turned out that this was easier said than done. First of all, the band was notorious for never playing a live show. Ever! I took this in stride however as in my research I heard the group’s vocalist, Metatron, explain in an interview that the band would consider performing if all the right conditions existed. That was fine. It would be up to me to make the stars align. The second problem was finding the right time and place for the band to show themselves off. My personal requirements for the concert were as follows: 1. The show had to occur in the United States (being a British band, playing a show in the States would help add to the mystique), 2. There must be a great number of people there to see the band (the more witnesses, the better the promotional opportunities afterward), and 3. The venue had to be unique (no matter how great the act, it’s hard to get casual observers pumped up about a band playing the same old stadiums, clubs, theaters, etc.). Fortunately, I had an epiphany.
What would complement the musical and visual aspects of this band perfectly? I know! They can play at a Renaissance Fair! It’s perfect! A little research online came up with a list of all major Renaissance Fairs and Festivals around the US, along with how many people on average show up every year to each event. It turns out that the biggest festival of all, The Texas Renaissance Festival, is held in Plantersville, Texas on Saturdays and Sundays beginning October 9th and running through November 28th. The festival is held on a ‘900 acre open air theme park’ and entertains around 400,000 people every year. All my requirements would be met if I could somehow finagle the directors of this festival into allowing a band they most likely had never heard of before to perform. It was time to get in touch with these folks and do the Penfold name proud.
At this point, I feel the need to assure you waveriders that I did not actually lie when I made my proposal to the fair directors. I answered every one of their questions truthfully. Yes, the band is actually from England. Yes, the name is an allusion. It refers to fields of flowers in certain mythologies. Yes, their music (especially lyrically) deals with medieval times. Yes, they have received high praise for their music from several print and online publications. Yes, those publicity photos in fact show three of the band members dressed in armor. Yes, they would most likely perform wearing assorted pieces of armor. Yes, this would be their very first live performance for the public. Yes, they would need electricity for their instruments, but I know that you have the capability to provide the energy needed since there are ATMs and other electrical devices scattered around your premises. Surprisingly, after just a few more questions they agreed to allow the band to perform on Halloween Sunday, October 31st. Oh my, this was going to be good.
The Meads of Asphodel is an English black metal band. Okay, now that the gross understatement of the year is out of the way let’s be serious. Strictly labeling this band as a black metal outfit should qualify as a felony offense! This is some of the most adventurous music I have heard in my life. Is it bizarre? Yes, it most certainly is bizarre. It is bizarrely awesome! I absolutely love the fact that from the very first minute of this album the listener fully comprehends that this band is a unique entity that for all intents and purposes will not be playing by the rules. In fact, they relish writing down all the genre rules and conventions in a book, and then incinerating that book in extreme heat so as not to produce smoke or ash. The rules simply cease to exist.
The Murder of Jesus the Jew is the fourth full length album from The Meads. Not surprisingly, the lyrics revolve around the last days of Jesus and the people around him. The vocals are suitably gruff and grisly but unlike many other black metal frontmen, Metatron never allows his voice to become screechy (at least on this album). For the most part, and thanks in large part to the somewhat conversational vocal delivery, I like to imagine an old, bitter, gravelly-voiced storyteller working himself into a fury. Also, it is important to note that Metatron cares very deeply about his lyrics. Anyone who wishes can read a 60,000 word explanation of the concept for the entire album or the meaning of lyrics from each individual song. All I can say is wow!
Trying to explain the sonic variety on offer here is a daunting task. The album of course offers up black metal tunes with hyper drumming, mighty riffs, and foreboding atmospheres to spare. Check out the tunes “My Psychotic Sand Deity” and “Jew Killer”. What is more interesting to me however are the songs that either branch out to incorporate elements from other genres into the strong black metal backbone, or simply break the mold entirely to add more flavor to the proceedings. “Man From Kerioth” adds some serious hardcore punk elements. “Genesis of Death” could easily be sequenced on any modern progressive metal album if clean vocals were substituted and a few slower moments of the song were removed. The clean-toned guitar solo that begins shortly after the sixth minute of this song is phenomenally epic. Listening to “Of Tempests” I believe I am listening to a group of traveling minstrels performing for me in front of their parked wagons. The acoustic guitar strumming and female background vocals are intoxicating and make me want to dance a jig. Look I could go on and on, so I’m going to stop before I get too excited.
The bottom line here is that you need to investigate this band and get a hold of this superior album. Do you like black metal? Check out this album. Do you like adventurous music that will take you places you likely have not been to before? Buy this album. Do you like music that will challenge your preconceived notions about modern metal music? Buy two copies of this album and give the second to a friend. Trust me, they will thank you. If this album had come out in the US before the end of the year, it would have challenged for a very high ranking on my top ten list. That being said, thanks to its January 2011 release I already have an early favorite for next year’s list. Now back to the Fair performance.
Local news, both television and print, had a lot to report on Monday morning after The Meads played their concert. Spectators fell into one of three camps. There were the people who thoroughly enjoyed the performance, had their faces melted off, and left with the biggest smiles anyone had ever seen. Then there were the folks who could only express absolute horror at the overwhelming display before them. It should be noted that these people were nonetheless transfixed, and remained for the entire performance. Lastly, there was a small portion of patrons that simply scattered. In effect, they ran for the hills. People from this last group formed the majority of interviewees after the fact, and they certainly added to the mystique I wished to generate. No one knew where the band had come from, or where they had disappeared to after the concert. Metalheads spoke in reverence about The Meads and their triumph. Even casual music fans had now heard of the English band that played the Renaissance Fair. With a solid foothold in the musical consciousness of the American people, my work was done.
– Penfold
Buy here: Murder of Jesus the Jew
Making Friendz is a sweet, sweaty mixture of lo-fi punk and glossy pop, R&B and disco. This is the latest of Tami Hart’s many projects–she was previously signed to Mr. Lady Records, released two full-length solo albums by the age of 21, and has performed with Le Tigre, Indigo Girls, The Gossip, Sleater-Kinney, Mika Miko and MEN, as well as received critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork and The New York Times. Making Friendz’s debut EP is sure to up all the punks who love to dance.
(Photo by: Trent Brooks)
Alizée hard at work
back soon with new stuff designed by Alizée for the first time…
This is like one of those optical illusions where they as “what do you see”
computer screen
hairstyle
sweater
necklace
white mouse
only fingers sticking out sweater on a cold winter day
frankly I wear a fingerless glove on my mouse hand
the in swing window with the exterior wrought iron railing for what I would guess is second or third floor
With this wonderful and surprising communication you can take as long as needed and no one can complain.
It’s amazing what results a little communication can get for you…
The old honey vs. vinegar thing
OK OK OK OK OK….. I tried… now the part is on the left side!!!! or are you just screwing with my head soul sister
Alizée Myspace… Myspace is trying to look different and catch up… a lost cause?
Just when everyone figured out how to hide last login… it’s back
Who can keep up with the multitudes of social networks.
Do you find yourself just staring at it? Is it as innocent as it looks?
There was once a hidden egg, should I be figuring out a password that leads to an inner sanctum. Remember when one of the old websites had hidden areas to reveal more.
Could this be a connection to the Alizée Fortress of Solitude?
http://www.alizeestore.com/
http://www.alizeestore.com/shopify
I’m sure it’s just shopify’s way of temporarily shutting down a store. Sure, that’s it. Just move on….
No music today…. I think for the past decade, Mongolia’s environment has suffered the most extreme and dramatic changes in history. The explosion of the mining industry, climatic changes, illegal logging, over-grazing, desertification and many other phenomena related to urban development… All this leads to an extinction of many animal species and plants and not only that, but the nomads who once freely roamed the country are disappearing too. So I am not surprised to read articles like this one: Mongolia on the brink of eco-catastrophe . And, please, take a look at these photos of the damage caused by the ninja miners in the Khovsgol region. Imagine if this is happening in a protected area, what is going on in the rest of the country? Extremely sad…..
VA – Future Rave Anthems 3 (2010)
38 +2mixes tracks | Release: 18.12.2010 | MP3 320 kbps | CBR 44,1kHz | 832 MB
Genre: Electronic, Breaks, Breakbeat | Label: Can You Feel It | Catalog: CYFIDC 22
Tracklist:
1. DJ Flashback Intro
2. The Flashback Project – ‘Flashy’s Theme’ (Remake)
3. Ninelives The Cat – ‘Bump It’
4. Slyde – ‘Move Ya Body’
5. Binster – ‘So Angry’
6. TFTSS Vs Chris Starkiller – ‘Walking On Air’ (Dub Heroes Old’s Cool Remix)
7. Dub Heroes – ‘Shake That Body’
8. Kieran McGowan – ‘Kangarilla Pig’ (The Flashback Project VIPR Mix)
9. E Lab Rat – ‘The Head’
10. Pyramid Vs Wizard – ‘War Of The Worlds’
11. Gella feat. MC Spyda – ‘Twinkle’ (Pyramid’s ‘Stop Da Talking’ Remix)
12. Liquid Vs Billy Daniel Bunter & Sparky – ‘Movin’ To The Beat’
13. DJ Shimamura – ‘Uphoria’
14. Slipmatt – ‘Something Like This’ (Slipmatt’s Ravebreaks Remix)
15. The Flashback Project – ‘Hold Up’
16. Pipbwoy 3000 – ‘Bobblehead’ (Bill Vega & New Decade Remix)
17. I.D. – ‘Mustang’ – NO SINGLE DOWNLOAD
18. Shut Up & Dance – ‘Tell Me’
19. Sanxion – ‘Blitz’
20. Mr No Hands – ‘Ruddy Bitch’ (Franci$co Remix) NO SINGLE DOWNLOAD
21. Marcus Rombo – ‘Bringing’ (Peo De Pitte Remix)
22. Dub Heroes feat. Mr Shammi – ‘Fire In She Waist’ (Dub Heroes VIP Mix)
23. The Flashback Project & Mark Linson – ‘Deeper’ (Sparky & Flashback Remix)
24. Dub Heroes feat. Dennean – ‘Can’t Let You Go’
25. Prato – ‘Well Wicked’
26. Sanxion – ‘Universal Properties’
27. Nefti – ‘The Feeling’
28. Agent KR – ‘Subliminal Cut’
29. Pyramid Vs Wizard feat. Yolanda – ‘Rain’
30. The Flashback Project – ‘The Invasion’
31. Specimen A – ‘Just s DJ’
32. DJ Faydz & Joey Riot – ‘New Style’
33. Electrux – ‘Octopus’
34. Simon Holmes – ‘Spindizzy’ (Dekoy Remix)
35. Electric Tribe feat. Dennean – ‘Morven’ (Sparky & Flashback Rework)
36. Bubu – ‘Summer 2012’ (Bill Vega & New Decade Remix)
37. Shut Up & Dance feat. Ade – ‘Love Will’ (Remix)
38. Specimen A – ‘Jaguar Paw’?
Mixed:
39. Various – Future Rave Anthems Vol 3 (continuous DJ mix 1 By DJ Flashback)
40. Various – Future Rave Anthems Vol 3 (continuous DJ mix 2 By DJ Flashback)
DL:
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczMx
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczMy
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczMz
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczM0
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczM1
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?RnV0dXJlQW50aGVtczM2
VA – Toolroom Knights: The Big Bang (2010)
10 tracks | Release: 29.12.2010 | MP3 320 kbps | CBR 44,1kHz | 175 MB
Genre: House | Label: Toolroom Records | Catalog#: TOOL116
Tracklist:
01. Mark Knight – Sax (Original Club Mix) (7:39)
02. Dave Spoon Feat Penny Foster – This Machine (Timewriters Steam Mix) (6:56)
03. D.Ramirez – 8 Bit Trumpit (Original Club Mix) (6:44)
04. George Andrews – The Get Down (Original Club Mix) (6:58)
05. Kim Fai – Tai Shui Hang (Original Club Mix) (7:34)
06. Mark Knight – Natural Instinct (Original Club Mix) (6:54)
07. Dave Spoon – 88 (Mark Knight & Funkagenda Remix) (7:19)
08. D.Ramirez & Steve Mac Feat Robert Owens – Ups & Downs (Original Club Mix) (9:14)
09. Kim Fai – Recluse (Original Club Mix) (8:02)
10. George Andrews – Bad Bread (Original Club Mix) (7:38)
DL:
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?VG9vbHJvb21LbmlnaHRzMjAxMDE=
http://fastfiledb.co.cc/?VG9vbHJvb21LbmlnaHRzMjAxMDI=
