Albums Of The Year...

Twenty years ago, I never thought (although hoped) that the music scene would be so healthy, vibrant and varied as it is today. People like to knock the 80’s, but in that one decade, the pop music scene peaked in pretty much all genres of music (well apart from Chamber music and Punk maybe).

If between them, let’s say Run-DMC, The Eurythmics, Metallica, Duran Duran, Madonna, Sonic Youth, REM, Queensryche, Michael Jackson, Depeche Mode, Prince, Guns n’ Roses, Springsteen, Madness, Anthrax, The Cure, Bauhaus, Simple Minds, Faith No More, Billy Idol, Tracy Chapman, Joe Satriani, The Jam, Blondie, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Devo, Talking Heads, Van Halen, The The, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Queen, Pat Methany, Wham, The Smiths, The Police, Motley Crue, New Order, Hanoi Rocks, Whitney Houston, Megadeth, Simply Red, Public Enemy, U2 and PIL are a poor reflection of what was going on back then, well I’m mistaken and the 80’s offered nothing.

Anyway, thanks to this lot and many other great artists from the 50’s onwards, we have today’s eclectic music scene. There’s a lot of harmony and song-craft about, be it Slipknot, The Killers or Kanye West and it’s a good time to be ‘into’ music.

So on that note, here are my favourite albums of the year (in no particular order):

1. The Killers – Day And Age – Alternative, Futuristic, glamorous electro-dance rock with a whole load of style. Standout track: The World We Live In.
2. Slipknot – All Hope Is Gone – Pure Sonic Metal Heaven and way better than their peers. Standout track: This Cold Black.
3. Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy - I thought it would be good, but not this good. The doubters and slaggers have an agenda that I don’t comprehend, or want to for that matter. A masterpiece and easily as ‘Guns’ as the ‘Use Your Illusion’ era. Standout track: Better.
4. Keane – Perfect Symmetry - Perfect UK emo-indie pop rock, although not as perfect as their first two albums. Standout track: Better Than This.
5. Kip Winger – From The Moon To The Sun – Kip’s finest hour (and a bit). Easily the most underrated musician/writer of our time. Standout track: Why.
6. Fall Out Boy – Folie A Deux – America’s Sweethearts. Standout track: America’s Suitehearts.
7. Coldplay – Viva La Vida – The sound of a band reaching superstardom with help from Brian Eno (and Joe Satriani… LOL). Standout track: Death And All His Friends.
8. Take That - Circus – I haven’t heard it yet (it’s under the Christmas Tree), but I know that it will be yet more perfect balladry and pop tunes from Gary Barlow and his pleasant gang. Standout track: Who knows.
9. Gustavo Di Padua – The Stairs – Easily the best instrumental guitar album in two decades. Standout track: Rach.
10. Sevendust – Hope and Sorrow – A solid and mature album from original pioneers of all things ‘nu’ and ‘groove’. Standout track: Prodigal Son.

And number 11 which I thought was released in 2007 but wasn't at all - Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad - A really solid album and a welcome return to form from Uncle Cov with some major riffing help from Doug Aldrich! Standout track: Call On Me.

Oh… and the biggest let downs:

1. Metallica – Death Magnetic – a huge let down to my ears at least.
2. AC/DC – Black Ice – I didn’t expect much from a band (however legendary) that hasn’t written a decent riff for over 20 years.
3. Extreme – Saudades De Rock – The biggest let down of all from such a great band (in their day we now realise).
4. Bullet For My Valentine – Scream Aim Fire – I just expected more from such a young band with so much potential.
5. Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night – This band are as overrated as Kip Winger is underrated.

Merry Christmas and let’s hope that 2009 is as good musically and that Guitar Idol gets bigger and that Man Utd win everything. xx