The Black Keys Brothers
(Nonesuch)

Once again a Dan Auerbach produced album is number one on this list. Brothers is a highly dynamic album with some deep production value. Songs from this album were used to sell everything under the sun via holiday commercials, which must mean that they are a crossover success at this point. This is a great album, with great songs and production. The Black Keys have become the #1 rock band in America with Brothers.

Shapes Have Fangs Dinner In The Dark
(Trade Gothic Records)

I will let Rance Muhammitz explain this one:

“Shapes Have Fangs took the very best elements of The Seeds garage-grunge sound and expanded on it big time.  There are thrash/trash guitar rifts and licks on this album that are almost breath-taking in their acid-casualties-trailer-trash-meets-rockabilly sensibilities.  You can almost hear the torch being passed here from mid-60s garage bands to Iggy Pop to The Cramps to White Zombie and then into the peyote-addled hands of Shapes Have Fangs.  This will be a widely talked about album when it’s officially released . . .  BTW: 2009 saw not only the death of the aforementioned genius, Mr. Saxon, but also Lux Interior of The Cramps.  R.I.P. dudes . . .)”

Hacienda Big Red & Barbacoa
(Alive Records)

Beach Boys meets Sir Douglas Quintet meets Booker T and the MG’s meets Link Wray produced by Dan Auerbach. Need I say more? Also bitchin’ red colored vinyl!

The Black Angels “Phosphene Dream”
(Blue Horizon Ventures)

The Black Angels finally come into their own with Phosphene Dream, leaving behind some of the drone of their previous efforts and channeling the 13th Floor Elevators but taking it to an even higher state. They seemed to have learned that you need to craft good songs to survive in this business as opposed to droney jams. The production on this album is excellent and reverb is in full effect.

Wolf People Steeple
(Jagjaguwar)

The only critique of this band is that they bite the old classic bands a bit too much, what’s great about it is you can’t really name which ones. Every song is good on this album, must own.

The Growlers Hot Tropics
(Everloving)

Beautifully strange album.

Dax Riggs Say Goodnight To The World
(Fat Possum)

Former Deadboy and the Elephantmen frontman brings a collection of dark, sometimes bluesy tunes, well-crafted and produced.

Harlem Hippies
(Matador Records)

These guys take hipster to a whole new level. They take loads of drugs, don’t care about shit, etc. It’s generally a little faggy for my blood but something about this album had me listening on repeat. Call it a guilty pleasure.

Orgone Cali Fever
(Ubiquity Records)

LA’s best Funk / Afrobeat band comes into their own with a brilliantly produced album by Sergio Rios. They do funk with gritty sounds and the tightest rhythm section around. Vocalist Fanny Franklin shows what she can do on tunes like “Doin Wrong” and “Crazy Queen”.

Black Mountain Wilderness Heart
(Jagjaguwar)

Some really great tracks on this album as Black Mountain mixes classic sounds a la The Black Crowes, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin with modern sounds a la The Dead Weather.

The Bees Every Step’s A Yes
(Fiction)

I love everything about this band, this album is not as strong as their 2007 effort Octopus, but good nonetheless.

Delta Spirit History From Below
(Rounder Records)

The songs on their sophomore album aren’t as potent as their debut album Ode To Sunshine but the passion in Matt Vasquez’ voice shines through once again.

Honorable Mentions

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Beat the Devil’s Tattoo

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings I Learned The Hard Way

Los Lobos Tin Can Trust

Jimmy Vaughan Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites

The Happen-Ins Self Titled

Dr. Dog Shame Shame

The Cave Singers No Witch

Deer Tick The Black Dirt Sessions

Orgone Killion Vaults

The Chieftans featuring Ry Cooder San Patricio

Jimi Hendrix Valleys Of Neptune

Blitzen Trapper Destroyer Of The Void

As you wait in line, and wait in line, and wait in line during this holiday season, hearing people engage in mundane conversation, using the disconnected dialect of the text message generation–”LOL,” ”FML,” ”TTYS,” “LMFAO”– simultaneously carrying on four equally execrable conversations in status updates, texts, tweets and ass-grabbery, you may find it hard not to laugh out loud at all this absurdity. Of course, actually laughing out loud will likely garner increased scrutiny from your TSA officer and a fresh session of gate rape will ensue.

Instead, I usually just bee-line straight to the airport bar, where I can share a good laugh with the barman over the many manifestations of mass psychological breakdown that occur in our society during this time of year. This momentus time of year. These moments of laughter provide a much-needed contrast to the multitude moments of melancholy that are indigenous to this season. You’re sad because this is your first holiday season without the one you love? You didn’t have the money to buy your kids what they wanted for Christmas? You just got dumped on Christmas Eve? Just glance up at the silly news screen and have a good laugh at all the fucking absurdity and douchebaggery.

I have a favorite annual holiday hysteria absurd douchebaggery moment: the Black Friday Stampede. I make it a point to not miss this cultural tradition every time it happens. Hemingway used to travel to Pamplona to watch the Running of the Bulls. All you gotta do now is go to Wal Mart and watch the Black Friday Stampede of stupid people. Or, like I prefer, you can watch it from the safety of your home just by turning on the news. On Black Friday television, you’ll see just as much trampling, gouging and grotesque mammalian cruelty as you would witness in Spain, without the cost of the plane ticket and without the danger of injury and without the strange smells. In addition, it’s a hell of  a lot funnier. Let’s face it, there’s something hilarious about human herd mentality when it leads to extremes of douchebaggery and absurdity–especially for a 50 dollar piece-of-shit DVD player that will stop working by Easter.

Thus, if you find yourself cursing the holidays, becoming Scrooge-ified by all the nonsense, tune in to the Black Friday Stampede and laugh out loud. It’ll get you in the holiday spirit. I’ll be watching, sipping my Sailor Jerry spiked egg-nog, LMFAO.

Perhaps it was the muddy sound at the Wiltern Friday night, coupled with an early showtime, 2 openers we’d never heard of, and the outnumbering of an R rated audience with an NC-17, this live show lacked all the feel we may have felt at their live show the past few years. But hey, the kids had to be home by curfew.

With lights staged by Roy G Biv, there was no thunder, no pot of gold, no kidding as the show moved through the hue cycle. And we moved because we knew what to expect, we’ve heard these albums a million
times (or at least twice.) “Is this the worst trip you have ever been on?” Dog sings. When I see a live show I don’t want to feel like I’m listening to the radio, or worse, a backing track. It hurts to say it, but if the lights turned on the crowd, you’d see about 67.2% of the venue filled, in gapped groups slouching, and at song’s end, clapping emphatically because we should. Some sing to the songs they know, the rest “Shazaam” the ones they don’t. And unfortunately, find that it actually works.

This band works best not as a headliner in a large venue with high-frequency sound, but is still more of an outdoor festival act, or maybe even just a much smaller house act. In the 5 to 10 times I’ve seen this band, they’ve always put on a great show. This had to have been an off-night.

Point is, a lot of fucking time has passed, and it has been my experience that that is not necessarily a GOOD THING when it comes to the release of music that one so strongly identifies with a certain time and a certain age. Not very many bands can pull it off. Anybody remember when Sir Paul pulled his head out of his ass and put it into the Beatles’ vaults just long enough to serve up Free As A Bird and Real Love? OFFAH!! Yeah, I don’t remember it either . . .

I’m not saying it’s impossible to release older material and have it bitch-slap you up side da head with its brilliance and timelessness. Hey, Misters Krieger, Densmore, and Manzarek have done a stellar job of milking THEIR vaults!! But then, they DID have the neutron bomb to work with, in the person of Jim Morrison. Christ, I’ve got bootleg recordings of Morrison drunkenly belching into studio mikes that have more credibility and soul than the last 35 years of Paul McCartney’s recording career . . .

Point is, this sort of thing can be risky. So, it was with no small amount of trepidation, that I opened the e-mail containing the link to Plundered My Soul, the first of ten tracks of circa 1972 material being released by the Stones on an updated re-issue of Exile On Main Street, which is due out at the end of this month. Once again, a little perspective: these tracks were cut during what in my humble opinion was the recording of the greatest album ever made. If I were stranded on a desert island with only ten albums, I’d want ten copies of Exile On Main Street, just in case the first nine of them got fucked up. THAT’S how fucking important this album is to me (Ok, maybe nine copies of Exile and one copy of Waiting For Columbus by Little Feat . . .). Though we didn’t know it at the time, the Exile sessions would end the best four year run of booze and drug fueled blues/rock that has ever been made. Starting with the July ’68 release of Beggar’s Banquet, The Stones would churn out in quick order: Beggar’s Banquet, Let It Bleed, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out, Sticky Fingers, and Exile On Main Street. Take a moment and consider the weight and heft of THAT accomplishment. I know I did before I clicked on that link . . . Hey, this wasn’t some damn track that Pete Townsend found under his auntie’s china cabinet. This was Exile-era STONES. So, finger poised over the mouse and . . . (click) . . .

. . . . like the first damn time you slam dat spike home, eh wot? Oh my FUCKING god!! Terrific track!! Do yourself a favor: tie off and hit the “play” button below. NOW!

Plundered My Soul

Bonus Track: This is The Stones doing Let It Rock on March 13th, 1971 at Leed’s University during the Sticky Fingers tour. This track was on the flip side of some imported 45s of Brown Sugar. Also, Let It Rock appeared on all copies of Sticky Fingers sold in the country of Spain in place of the song Sister Morphine. Why? Because at the time of the release of Sticky Fingers, Spain was being ruled by one of the last of the old time Fascist dictators, Generalissimo Francisco Franco, and he and his culture ministers decided that a song with “morphine” in the title wasn’t good for the masses. Therefore, they insisted it be taken off prior to the album’s release in Spain. Apparently Franco and the boys must not have picked up on the fact that the entire album is an ode to the joys of heroin so pure that you want to spike it directly into your eyeballs. Guess they didn’t get that memo . . .

Speaking of heroin addiction, it never sounded as good as it does on this track. Listen at the two minute+ mark when the entire fucking song just about fucking derails, only to have Keith pull it out like a Phoenix rising from ashes with a blast of feed-back addled virtuosity. Guess it kinda helps to have Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, and Mick Taylor covering your back . . .

Play this thing VERY FUCKING LOUD . . .
-Rance Muhhamitz

The Junction, Cambridge UK April 17, 2010

Never seen Lou Reed before so I thought I’d take the opportunity as it was so local. I was warned that none of his usual Velvet Underground or solo repetoire would be on offer. Also (his muse), Laurie Anderson in a radio interview said that we would be in for over an hour of ear splitting noise, with a mischievous chuckle in her voice.

I walked into the venue to a stage with no band, but the equipment was already producing a sound like a power station humming itself into submission.

After much twiddling of knobs by a roadie “the band” eventually walked on. More tampering  by Lou Reed (laptops and guitars),  Ulrich Krieger (Saxophone) and Sarth Kalhoun (bank of laptops), then the concert began. Immediately I could feel the vibration of the noise hitting my chest. This was like walking back to the 60s and 70s. Anyone as old as me will remember the “Moody Blues” who had a keyboard player called Mike Pinder who played mellotrons. Well the Metal Machine 3 for the first 30 minutes sounded like a demented Moody Blues on acid without the vocals.

The noise was brilliantly excruciating and hypnotic. There was no cat calling, but about 20 per cent of the audience retreated and walked out in the first 10 minutes. Lou Reed was fascinating to watch. Looking at his colleagues and signalling by putting his finger in his right ear and indicating with his other hand. There was no discernible difference in the noise but he would look satisfied with whatever change had been implemented. Krieger did not blow into his saxophone for about 5 minutes but waved it around a microphone to create good old fashioned Neil Young feedback. Lou was sounding like Terry Kath on “Freeform Guitar” a track that everybody skipped on the first Chicago album. Sadly Kath died by playing with a gun too randomly. A similar death was something many of the audience seemed to be contemplating when suddenly a melodic tune broke out. The man responsible was the saxophonist Kreiger. Thiis was quickly corrected by Reed and normal service of ear drum crushing resumed.

The remaining listeners were  texting their friends on their phones, wanting to express their disbelief at the sounds being produced by someone they thought was such a Sweet Jane. This texting continued throughout the 90 minutes. For some reason Lou banned the recording  or filming of the gig on mobiles (cells in American) presumably fearing that the concert would be bootlegged. Very unlikely unless the “music” is used by the C.I.A, to break down the resistance of inmates of Guantanomo Bay. I reckon the prisoners would be telling everything the spooks wanted to know after no more than 5 minutes, of this improvised torture.

Everybody was having a lot of fun making jokes about the “Music” and whether we were taking part in a reality T.V. show with the last member of the audience left standing winning a rendition from Lou of “Walk on Wild Side.” It occurred to me that the Metal Machine might not stop until the last of us walked out.They continued sounding like a choir of screaming crashing Fokker aircraft whirling out of control, inside St.Paul’s Cathedral. Could Lou be playing a joke on us?. Well those members of the audience still remaining decided to stick it out. We watched for signs of a conclusion. Lou got up to turn his back on us. A good sign we thought. He adjusted several buttons at the back of the stage with help from 2 roadies. But he fooled us and came and sat down again and picked a guitar up. More signalling to his co-members. More noise but gradually the decibels went down to merely ear splitting.  Then all of a sudden it was all over. Thoughts of King Crimson came into my brain after the evening’s battering. Reed had turned me into a “21st Century Schizoid Man.” Who would want to spend a Saturday night out in any other way, especially when the U.K. election campaign makes you feel like you are smashing into a sound wall?

I found myself applauding. Reed has charisma even when he is playing a joke which I took part in. He even acknowledged the suvriviing members of the audience in a gracious manner. Perhaps he is mellowing out. I felt like singing “It’s been a perfect day I’m glad I spent it with Lou” but thought better of. it.

Dan Auerbach “Keep It Hid”

This album is of the highest quality in terms of songs, production and bad ass-ness. Dan Auerbach kills with the freedom of a larger band. “Some Desire”, “I Want Some More” and “My Last Mistake” are fucking classics. The whole album is excellent and the show is great too with Hacienda as his band. Dan needs to do more of this and keep producing bands like Buffalo Killers!

Vetiver “Tight Knit”

Great songs, great production and a mellow vibe that keeps me calm.

Deer Tick “Born On Flag Day”

His voice is hard to get used to at first, but behind that crazy, raspy almost Layne Stayley-esque timbre lies an amazing fleet of songs that can be listened to repeadetly.

Devendra Banhart “What Will We Be”

Produced by Paul Butler of UK’s The Bees, Devendra’s production becomes a little rawer. Being a big fan of the Bees, I dig the integration of sounds, especially the addition of those trademark Bees background vocals. Dig “Rats”, “16th & Valencia Roxy Music” and “Can’t Help But Smiling”.

Dawes “North Hills”

Unfortunately I was a little late on this and had to amend this best of list. This is a great album, although a little melancholy. But if you’re in that mood, it is perfect. “When You Call My Name” is classic cosmic american music.

f

T Bird & The Breaks “Learn About It”

This is my favorite type of production. Raw, dirty and old school sounding. Soul in a twist of beats. Check out “Juice”, “Blackberry Brandy”, “Esmerelda” & “Two Tone Cadillac”. This shit is a party.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

This is a great album and “Home” is a classic song.

Black Lips “200 Million Thousand”

Another great album from the Black Lips, these guys are fucking legends. “I Saw God” is amazing, listen to it. You learn you some self respect boy!!

The Dead Weather “Horehound”

Rance says this is the best album of the year… but since this is my list he can go fuck himself. The production is phenomanal and Alison Moshart is freaky. And I usually don’t like female singers unless they are fried chicken eatin soul mamas or  Emmylou Harris. But I got to say that this is a bad ass album and Jack White is still the reining king of rock n roll.

Wilco “Wilco the Album”

I love that they made a song and named the album “Wilco”, which is a bitchin song as well a very good album. For the mellow fans, “Solitaire” and ” Country Disappeared” are nice. For the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot fans, you’ll dig “Bull Black Nova”. Not as good as “Sky Blue Sky”, in my opinion, which I thought was a Beatles-esque masterpiece.

The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers have a very enjoyable Pacific Northwest sound a la Blitzen Trapper.

The Black Crowes “Before The Frost” & “After The Freeze”

These two albums could have been combined into one really classic album but they opted for quanity… which is admirable too. I know it pissed a lot of Crowes fans off, but I love the cocaine 80’s Stones inspired “I Ain’t Hiding”, especially the Luther Dickinson solo. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Steve Earle “Townes”

Can’t go wrong with a tribute album to Townes Van Zandt, the best Texas songwriter of all time. Old Steve especially shines on Lorreta and Lungs (with Tom Morello). I’d like to mention that “Waiting Around To Die” is not offered on this album but is possibly the best song in existence.

Monsters Of Folk

Take out the faggy dude from whatever his name is and you got a really quality project. M Ward and Jim James are the stars of this album and should be encouraged to continue thier partnership.

Pearl Jam “Back Spacer”

Definitely some classic PJ songs on here, especially now that Eddie has been reaching in the bag after the Into The Wild soundtrack. See “Breathe” and “The End”

Lee Fields & The Expressions “My World”

The first guy to reinvent Motown and give it an honest go. Keep an eye on Lee Fields.

Them Crooked Vultures

With Joshe Homme singing, it sounds like a Queens of the Stoneage record, but a really good one no-less.

If anyone would like to chime in.. be my guest!

OK, as of this writing (1/30/10), Indianapolis is favored by what, 4+ points?  So fucking what?  Its what Indy DOESN’T have going for it that will win this game for Da Saints.  Has Indy ever had a song as cool as “Mardi Gras In New Orleans” written about it?  FUCK NO!!  Do the Colts have a saying as all encompassing as “Who Dat Say Day Gonna Beat Dem Saints?”  FUCK NO!!  Did anything ever happen in Indianapolis that would justify ANYTHING like a strut or funeral procession?  FUCK NO!!

Granted, Indianapolis IS the hometown of Kurt Vonnegut, but Kurt fuckin’ died a few years ago and he wasn’t a football fan, so he is proving to be of no help in terms of insight into this game.  Hunter S. Thompson, who was a fuckin’ football genius has not stepped up to the plate and offered any sort of tips from beyond the grave as to how this game is going to go down.  Even New Orleans native and former Saints quarterback Archie Manning hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility that his son and current Colts QB Peyton Manning won’t get spanked come February 7th.  Point is, I haven’t seen or heard anything from anybody of any note that says that Da Saints won’t prevail.

>Bottom Line: Take ANY and ALL Colts money and 4+ points.  Shit Negro . . .

This particular track was recorded in Bogalusa, Louisiana on April 4th, 1974 and had horns added to it on February 3rd, 1985, just prior to its release on the MUST HAVE album:  Professor Longhair – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Gumbo” (Dancing Cat Records – DD-3006).  Henry Roeland Byrd, AKA: Professor Longhair, died in January of 1980 at da age of 61 . . .

Who Dat Say Day Gonna Beat Dem Saints?   None of these guys . . .  Hope you Colts fans like this track, because you’re going to have to listen to it A LOT when Da Saints win this thing . . .

-Rance Muhhamitz

PS:  My attorney and I will be watching this game at a party in some $2,000,000+ mansion in the hills above the San Fernando Valley, where we will be serving up a feast of our award-winning smoked, dry-rubbed ribs and chicken wings, all washed down with copius amounts of Corona w/lime.  If ANY of you beyotches wantsa lose all of yo’ fuckin’ paychecks and help bankroll our Super Bowl party activities, just shut da fuck up and send me yo’ fuckin’ wagers.  I’m taking Da Saints and 7 points.

Final Score:  Da Saints 38 – Colts 24.

By Sister Rosetta Tharpe

It is once again THAT time of year when anybody and everybody with a recording deal releases a damn Christmas album.  The one that Bob Dylan recently dropped on us is simply too painful to listen to, and you know it’s just a matter of time until Adam Lambert issues a CD telling us where he wants you to cram your Yule log . . .

Fortunately, there are/were some artists who can still manage to sing traditional Christmas songs with something like style, grace, credibility, and perhaps most importantly, sincerity.  Hence, we will be looking at Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s rendering of “O Little Town Of Bethlehem” both for the pure listening pleasure of it, and hopefully as a reminder to others in the recording industry that all the lush strings arrangements and studio tricks in the world can’t hide a lack of soul . . .

Sister Rosetta has been cited by everybody from Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Isaac Hayes, and Aretha Franklin as having influenced them and it is reported that she was Johnny Cash’s favorite singer.  Do yourself a huge favor and Google her name, and then take some time and read her biographical information.  It might help you forget that crap like American Idol and Barry Manilow even exist . . . (I knew a musician that was in Barry’s touring band for years until he simply couldn’t take it anymore.  And the band’s behind-his-back nickname for Barry?  “Barely Man-enough . . . .”)

Below is a link to a You Tube video of Sister Rosetta doing “Down By The Riverside” that is required viewing.  Watch any related videos featuring The Good Sister that show up on You Tube.  I can assure you that whatever is happening in your life, you WILL feel better afterwards . . .

Merry Christmas Bonus Track:  “Christmas Island” is the title track from Leon Redbone’s 1988 release, which happens to be my favorite Christmas album of all time.  This track features Cindy Cashdollar on dobro . . .  Enjoy . . .

Peru

Gang Reportedly Kills For Body Fat

A gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people for their fat, police said, draining it from corpse and selling it for use in cosmetics. Three suspects have confessed to killing five people for their fat, police said.  Two suspects allegedly had bottles of liquid human fat and claimed it was worth $60,000 a gallon.

Police were investigating 60 disappearances in the area that might be linked to the gang.  They suspect that the fat was sold to cosmetic firms in Europe but could not confirm any sales. Medical experts expressed doubt about any black market for human fat, though they confirmed it does have cosmetic applications.

-Times Wire Reports