Top-10 Archive

[May 14, 2012]

Album of the Week #78: DMZ – “Radio Demos” LP – Munster Records

1. Radiohead (Two words: “Airbag EP.”)
2. Fabrica Records (Weird enough, by far.)
3. Sutekh Hexen (Just descended into hell.)
4. Jeff Buckley (If not for “Last Goodbye” and a few others, you’d of made so much more sense.)
5. Stephan Mathieu (Old turned into new-old.)
6. The Walkmen (Please let the new one be good.)
7. Odd Future (I guess I get it.)
8. Tables & Chairs Records (Psych jazz.)
9. Mogwai (Too obvious?)
10. Mad Season (I don’t know anything.)

[May 7, 2012]

Album of the Week #77: Shit, I forgot what it was. Oops.

[May 1, 2012]

Albums of the Week #76: German Army – “Papua Mass” tape – Night People Records

[April 22, 2012]

Album of the Week #75: Tomáš Dvořák – “Machinarium Soundtrack” LP – Minority Records

1. Chin Up Chin Up (Guitars make rock better.)
2. Snakefork (Small-run fun.)
3. King Dude (He abides.)
4. Bobby Trimble (He’s a weird son of a Gunther.)
5. Pitchfork (The post-Jehu band, not the site.)
6. Wolves In The Throne Room (Another triumph.)
7. Cathedral (Slooooooow ride, take it EZ.)
8. French Quarter (He makes records.)
9. Burzum (It is finally time.)
10. Soft Metals (Not … horrible.)

[April 15, 2012]

Album of the Week #74: San Francisco Water Cooler – s/t – Sun Sneeze Records

[April 8, 2012]

Album of the Week #73: Sword & Sandals – Good & Plenty LP – Empty Cellar Records

[April 1, 2012]

Album of the Week #72: Rape Faction – “Gone Forever” LP – Free Loving Anarchists

1. CVLTS (I’ve come around, big-time.)
2. Deer Skull Records (Simply one of the best.)
3. Puffy Areolas (WHY WAS I NOT TOLD?)
4. Harry Nilsson (It’s high time I had a lost weekend.)
5. Foolproof Projects (Thy music will be done.)
6. Crocodiles (Is it possible to be both underappreciated and overappreciated?)
7. Oh, Astro (You probably thought we forgot.)
8. Cracked Magazine (My first nonmusic Top-10 entry ever.)
9. San Francisco Water Cooler (Loud rock. LOUD ROCK!)
10. Eaves (Tranquility can kill.)

[March 27, 2012]

Album of the Week #71: Graveyards – “Blues for Night People” LP – Troubleman Unlimited

[March 13, 2012]

At SXSW!!

[Feb. 27, 2012]

Album of the Week #69: Nico – “Death and the Maiden” LP

[Feb. 20, 2012]

1. Pele (One of the great indies of the ’90s.)
2. Dekorder Records (Almost too good.)
3. Modest Mouse (Early stuff is magic.)
4. Liturgy (BM for futurists.)
5. Manishevitz (Extremely kosher.)
6. Amocoma (Wonderful one-off album.)
7. Bitchin Bajas (Couldn’t have been more surprised.)
8. Lenny Kaye (Gotta get those Nuggets.)
9. Gospel (Level Plane heaviness.)
10. Eaves (Tranquility can kill.)

Album of the Week #68: Luftwaffe – “Quiet Summer” 7-inch – self-released

[Feb. 12, 2012]

Album of the Week #67: “Boston Hassle” compilation (mp3 button)

[Feb. 5, 2012]

Album of the Week #66: Polypus Acephalous – “The Outcast Tribes” tape – Full of Nothing Records

[Jan. 29, 2012]

Album of the Week #65: Bruce Hart – “Music for Drawing” tape – Not Not Fun Records

[Jan. 22, 2012]

Album of the Week #64: Happy Jawbone Family Band – Hotel Double Tragedy LP – Feeding Tube Records

[Jan. 13, 2012]

1. Dennis Wilson (Back in my life again, eh?)
2. Viktor Vaughn (MF Doom alias; that second VV record is superb.)
3. Fat History Month (Terrible band name, interesting sound.)
4. ESP Disk (Label that was taken over and then sprouted Get Back Records.)
5. Broken Penis Orchestra (Because they’re fucked up.)
6. Harmonia (For temporary escapes.)
7. Shabazz Palaces (One of the few bright lights.)
8. Girl In A Coma (A lot of folks are curious about this band.)
9. The Pierces (I wish more people knew them.)
10. Esoterica Landscapes 7 (Yep, experimental drone existed in the ’80s, too.)

[Jan. 1, 2012]

Album of the Week #62: Hindutronic – “Solitude” 7-inch

1. Avey Tare (Don’t forget the aviator of c-wave.)
2. Magnetic Fields (I STILL don’t dig this band. God bless them.)
3. Iron & Wine (Let’s get deeper into those blues.)
4. Procol Harum (Just for fun.)
5. Phil Elverum (What’s next?)
6. Mexican Summer (Signing Fresh & Onlys a great move.)
7. Braniac (Don’t tell me I’m the only one.)
8. Martian Church XX (Haven’t reviewed “tELKSt” yet but what a great band name.)
9. Lighten Up Sounds (Can we be friends?)
10. Flesh For Lulu (Again: What a great band name.)

[Dec. 14, 2011]

Album of the Week #61: Thee Oh Sees – “Grave Blockers” 2X7-inch – Rock Is Hell Records

[Dec. 1, 2011]

Album of the Week #59: Various artists – “Yulesville” LP – Warner Bros. Records

1. Hawkwind (Forgot that Deerhunter worship ‘Wind’s “Warrior on the Edge of Time.”)
2. The Aisler’s Set (Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with this long-broken-up band.)
3. Charlie Christian (Legends never die.)
4. Job For A Cowboy (There’s a such thing as too heavy.)
5. Systems Officer (Still dig that first EP.)
6. Gulcher Records (Old and weird, like me.)
7. Peter Schilling (The verse of “Major Tom (Going Home)” is the basis for Enon.)
8. Kevin Greenspan (Just getting started with this guy.)
9. Manishevitz (Fairly recent indie bliss.)
10. Unrest (Yep, haven’t forgotten you either.)

[Nov. 13, 2011]

Album of the Week #57: Esoterica Landscapes 7 – “Hokmah Nistarah” LP – Anomie Records

[Nov. 2, 2011]

Album of the Week #56: Bear In Heaven – “Wholehearted Mess” 12-inch

[Oct. 25, 2011]

Album of the Week #55: Grand Isle 10-inch – Monofonus Press

1. Evil Madness (The supergroup of the future.)
2. Matta Gawa (I don’t soon forget good improv.)
3. Flying Lotus (Granted I don’t like it as much as the kids do.)
4. PRE (Been awhile.)
5. Ultra Eczema (Fantastic label.)
6. Depeche Mode (Sometimes it takes until age 33.)
7. Dark Entries (Reviving takes time.)
8. AFCGT (A Frames + Climax Golden Twins =)
9. Burial Chamber Trio (“Wvrm” 10-inch pic disc a sight to behold.)
10. Tangoridrim (Yet another sick Southern Lord band.)

[Sept. 4, 2011]

Album of the Week #54: Burning Star Core – Papercuts Theatre

1. George Harrison (What is life?)
2. Gote (Forgive the missing umlaut.)
3. I Hear a New World Records (Joe Meek shall inherit … something.)
4. Mudboy (There’s a reason you can’t miss him these days.)
5. Minority Records (Czech please.)
6. 8-Ball & MJG (Straight ballin’, that’s how they get paid.)
7. Magic Trick (And you thought you knew Tim Cohen? HA!)
8. Nofx (Hey, they were good right?)
9. EMF (Sorta unbelievable?)
10. Bobby Beausoleil (Manson’s boy.)

[Aug. 28, 2011]

Album of the Week #53: Chll Pll – Aggressively Humble CD/LP – Porter Records

[Aug. 21, 2011]

Album of the Week #52: Chinese Stars – “Turbo Mattress” EP – Skin Graft Records

[Aug. 15, 2011]

Album of the Week #51: Various artists – Rock is Hell Records’ 8X7-inch Boxset

1. Chris Barth (Normanoak, Impossible Shapes, impossibly gifted.)
2. Capadonna (“Protect my soul when the devil tried to get it.”)
3. Agathocles (Because they care.)
4. Sam Cooke (I fear performers like him are an exctinct breed.)
5. Built To Spill (Don’t sleep on ‘em.)
6. Voodoo Glow Skulls (You in or out? Discuss.)
7. Wall Of Voodoo (Argentine radio?)
8. Sweet Rot Records (Wine reference or Belushi reference?)
9. Julian Cope (Just because.)
10. Joggers (When they nail it, look out.)

[Aug. 8, 2011]

Album of the Week #50: Mrs Magician – “There’s No God” 7-inch – Thrill Me! Records 

[Aug. 1, 2011]

1. Testament (Of all the old-skoo heavy metal I used to listen to, Testament ballads bring back the most memories.)
2. Cool World (Cool runnings.)
3. Cave Bears (Might be the craziest band I’ve heard outside of the Sludgecicle Records circle.)
4. Plaid (“Spokes” is a classic soft-electronic record.)
5. Euphone (It’s sad to me that great acts like this can only be known to a select few.)
6. Mega Force Records (Blue-collar metal label.)
7. Hall & Oates (Your kiss is on my lips … I mean list.)
8. Lindstrom (Is it possible to think while dancing?)
9. Arthur Russell (Didn’t realize how much he influenced Hidden Cameras.)
10. Panthers (Can indie-rock breakdance? Apparently.)

[July 22, 2011]

Album of the Week #47: Withered/Vog – split 7-inch – self-released

1. Jackie-O Motherfucker (Portland gar(b)age-folk since the mid-’90s.)
2. Simeon Pace (One of the twin bros from Blonde Redhead.)
3. Hot Guts (Fantastic new tape on Linear B label.)
4. Kid Spatula (If you like Aphex Twin you should know of the king of “spatula city.”)
5. Stunned Tapes (Goin’ outta biz? Why?)
6. Drag City Records (Decades of decadence, or something.)
7. Tonstartssbandht (Heard they broke up; say it ain’t so.)
8. Red Red Meat (Will never forget their set at Sub Pop reunion festival.)
9. Arthur Lee (Guy could really chew out a bandmate.)
10. The Planet The (The prog rebirth originators.)

[July 15, 2011]

Album of the Week #46: Racebannon / Knives And Greenwater – split – Witching Hour Records

[July 5, 2011]

1. Mickey (Pure garage sleeze.)
2. Ormolycka Records (Liturgy tape? Why not.)
3. MF Doom (Still haven’t tackled the 9-LP box in its totality.)
4. Battles (Glad they’re soldiering on.)
5. Wet Hair (Ladies Love Lavendar Vinyl.)
6. Ty Segall (Just because.)
7. 20 Buck Spin (An acquired taste, of course.)
8. Atom & His Package (Ahead of his time?)
9. Oliver Onions (Watch “Bottle Rocket.” Again.)
10. Heavy Hawaii (So colorful my eyeballz might POP.)

[June 25, 2011]

Album of the Week #45: Various artists – Brown Bunny soundtrack (feat. John Frusciante)

1. Plone (Warp box set — diggit.)
2. The Umbrella Sequence (I’ll never forget you, 2004.)
3. Lougow (I liked the record, Mosurock didn’t.)
4. Clark (I guess this one’s for you, Joel.)
5. History Always Favors The Winners (Finally, a record label name longer than Choose Yr Own Adventure.)
6. The Red Chord (One of the dudes from the Chord also runs Black Market Activities.)
7. Asthmatic Kitty Records (That “Sound Library” series just keeps goin’, don’t it.)
8. Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse stickman is one of the all-time best.)
9. Dignan Porch (Just ‘cause it might be a reference to Owen Wilson’s character in “Bottle Rocket.”)
10. Izzy Stradlin (I never realized how important Izzy was; my bad!)

[June 14, 2011]

Album of the Week #44: Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue 3XLP (blue) – Sundazed Records

1. Mum (The sound of liquidity splashing the soul.)
2. The Occasion (Anyone remember “Cannery Hours”?)
3. A Is Jump (Talk about a little-known band, these guys are ripe to be rediscovered.)
4. Fiver (Speaking of which, nice little Cali combo.)
5. Alec Empire (Atari Teenage Riot are back; don’t sleep on it.)
6. Fedora Corpose Records (Vinyl always colored, music always hovering.)
7. Time-Lag Records (Nice feature in this quarter’s “Signal to Noise.”)
8. Gold Leaves (That overshared new single is pretty good.)
9. Trance Farmers (Drone, baby, drone.)
10. Amphetamine Reptile Records (One of the legends.)

[June 2, 2011]

Album of the Week #43: Ganglians – “Blood on the Sand” 7-inch – Captured Tracks

1. Family Time Records (Some nice bundle deals going on at this label (investigate).)
2. Phantom Limbs (Great, crispy, Smoke & Smoke/Murder City Devils-style debauchery.)
3. Modest Mouse (Those not from the NW might never know how good MM were.)
4. Parson Sound (Every so often a lost ’60s band lives up to the hype.)
5. By The End Of Tonight (What did I tell you: They took their Temporary Residence-y for granted.)
6. JD Emmanuel (Spritual syths salve the soul.)
7. Dais Records (Nothin’ wrong with that.)
8. Black Moth Super Rainbow (“Dandelion Gum” on tape/pic disc? Count me in.)
9. Babe, Terror (For the love of GOD please support this artist.)
10. Guru Guru (Just heard an AWful record these guys did in ’74; how did that happen?)

[May 25, 2011]

1.  JR Ewing (Never thought I’d own one of their LPs; good things come around.)
2. Mama Baer (First time a tape ever raped me.)
3. Crystal Stilts (Shaking in the shackles of love.)
4. Deerhoof (Just got the RSD split 7-inch w/ Xiu Xiu.)
5. Phil Spector (You’re a bastard, but you used to rule.)
6. Alone Records (Still around? Jesus I hope so.)
7. Sacred Bones Records (No denyin’ their power.)
8. Ford & Lopatin (Somehow they convinced me to pay $16.99 for one song.)
9. Perdizes Dream (Always tucked away in my hrt.)
10. Guru Guru (Just heard an AWful record these guys did in ’74; how did that happen?)

[May 18, 2011]

Album of the Week #40: Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises 2XLP – Cobra Verde

1. Mt. Eerie (Finally got that “Wooden Ceiling Opening” 10-inch, so I can breathe easy.)
2. Expressway Yo-Yo Dieting(“Bubblethug” 2XLP kills.)
3. Fresh & Onlys (New LP? Better get that.)
4. Job For A Cowboy (3XLP color-vinyl set is thick as a brick.)
5. Panoply Academy Legionnaires(Been thinkin’ ‘bout them and … I miss ‘em.)
6. Robotic Empire Records (Great album-as-art label.)
7. Gay Tastee (With a band name like that, at the very least, it’s tough to forget.)
8. Pinback (NEW 7-INCH! IT’S … decent.)
9. Explosions In The Sky (New 2XLP is gorgeous, and will be arriving in the mail.)
10. Edward Ka-Spel (Always busy, always enthralling.)

[May 10, 2011]

Album of the Week #39: Pyramids / Nadja – split 12-inch – Hydra Head Records

[May 2, 2011]

Album of the Week #38: Kill Me Tomorrow – “The Garbageman and the Prostitute” LP

[April 26, 2011]

Album of the Week #37: Dave Smolen / Hair_Loss – split 12-inch LP

1. The Rhythm Of Black Lines (GSL rosteree might have been the ultimate modern prog-rock band.)
2. High Wolf (Recent 7-inch on Bathetic buttered my bread.)
3. A Minor Forest (Longtime Gumshoe curiosity dating back to the college-radio days.)
4. The Fire Theft (Their album SUCKed, but the old live bootlegs still give me chills.)
5. Unread Records (DIY to the utmost.)
6. The Lovin’ Spoonful (Young people need to discover this band. Again.)
7. Metallica (What the shit; we had good times in the ’80s, right?.)
8. D. Rider (In truth he never left.)
9. The Four Tops (I miss hearing them on the radio. Corpus Christi radio sucks.)
10. Wolf Parade (Simply because they’ve disappeared.)

[April 2, 2011]

Album of the Week #34: Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – “Dark Side of the Black Moon: What Planet Are We On?” 2XLP

1. That Dog. (Remember them? Petra Haden’s first group, and what bite.)
2. Dissonance (I have in my possession a 2XLP in a pizza box.)
3. Sub Rosa (Anthology of Noise LPs a godsend.)
4. Consortium Musicum (Blew SXSW 2011 up.)
5. More Dogs (One album on Monitor Records and a cloud of dust.)
6. Born To Kill (Rumblin’ cassette culture.)
7. Book Of Shadows (Harvesters of eternity.)
8. Pregnant (Did you know LPs can run backward?.)
9. Bonnie Beecher (Come wander with me.)
10. Gary Lucas (Former Beefheart guitarist is back.)

[March 2011]

Album of the Week #33: Masters Of The Hemisphere – “I Am Not a Freemdoom” LP

1. Sam Prekop (Solo album = great. Sea & Cake? Not so much, for me at least.)
2. Blanche Blanche Blanche (Where did these folks come from? Insanely good.)
3. Wierd Records (Darkwave-comp 2XLP hit the spot. And the spot.)
4. The Nightengales (SXSW 2004 memories.)
5. The Kingsbury Manx (A recurring theme in my life since ’03.)
6. Beans (Aww what the hell.)
7. Sam Cooke (Bibbity-bobbity BOO, bitch.)
8. Hounds From Gert-Town (Down South Hustlas, hizo.)
9. ANALORD (Found a few of these LPs at a record store-closing sell-off.)
10. Pell Mell (“Star City” baby.)

[February 2011]

1. Jewish Noise Records (There are things going on out there in audio — you have no … idea.)
2. Totally Ripped (Rippin’ and dippin’ … I have no idea what that means.)
3. Phil Elverum (My first semi-big-time interview back in 2001; well, at least one of us MADE it.)
4. Dissonance (One of their LPs comes in a pizza box.)
5. The Umbrella Sequence (Out of nowhere, I find myself thinking of their synth-esis.)
6. Adventure Time (Frosty and Daedelus — anyone remember this band?)
7. Smith Westerns (They love The Ramones and T-Rex, and so do I.)
8. Dilute (Shared as split with Hella; great guitar mash.)
9. Noot d’ Noot (I found their record for 33 cents brand-new, and it ain’t bad.)
10. Sufjan Stevens (Listen to me very carefully: The “BQE” is breathtaking. That is all.)

[Holiday season 2010] Album on the Week #30: Yikes – “Woah Comas / Blood Bomb” EP – Kill Shaman

[Holiday season 2010] Album on the Week #29: Himalaya – Himalaya – self-released

[Nov. 1 - Nov. 20] Album of the Week #27: Doom Snake Cult – Love, Sorrow, Doom LP

1. Trans AM (“Future World,” bitch.)
2. The Traveling Wilburys (Let’s just … let’s just talk about this before any judgments are levelled my way. C’- … C’mon, let’s talk man … )
3. Peasant Magik (Hoor-Paar-Kraat’s limited-to-15 45-box tape is all-consuming.)
4. Mindflayer (Just realized I haven’t included ‘Flayer in awhile; apologies.)
5. Jón “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson (Indian feathers and all; or no?)
6. Tim Buckley (“Fool on the Hill” started a new genre: tragi-funk.)
7. Chinese Stars (First EP (shaped like a c-star) + first full-on record = the Goods. Not bad for a “let-down” follow-up to Arab On Radar.)
8. Lee Hazlewood (This guy goes too deep. It’s uncomfortable for me.)
9. The Flicker (Their song on Providence-related comp is hellish, really hellish.)
10. Sufjan Stevens (EFF the new record; I’m breakin’ out the “Christmas” box and lovin’ every yule-minute of it.)

[Oct. 6 - Oct. 31] Album of the Week #26: Father Murphy – And He Told Us to Turn to the Sun – Aagoo Records

1. Zachary Cale (Illuminations, All Hands Electric, solo; Cale = curator …)
2. Goat Eater Arts (Check out their art sale.)
3. Tarantel (Lazer-chasers that blasted off of post-rock. Glorious.)
4. Figurines (“Skeletons” sticks with me since 2007; we elope.)
5. Relative Ash (Had the next-level cloning technology to actually, in fact, beCOME Deftones.)
6. Mexican Summer Records (BMSR pic-disc 12-inch? Kurt Vile tapes? Bobby Beausoleil? Sold. )
7. Mongst (Shearing Pinx side dish is delish.)
8. The Mermaids (“Icycles … Bycicles … these are the things that my baby loves.”)
9. Let’s Records (Nice indie-slurry from an indie sludgepan, more to come.)
10. Blank Dogs (New album is tripping me out, big-time-erino, bambino.)

[Sept. 26 - Oct. 6] Album of the Week #25: Vincent Gallo – “Honey Bunny” 7-inch – Warp Records

1. Dead Raven Choir (Dead Raven Choir will be investigated in due time. It will and almost HAS to happen. That is all.)
2. Translation Loss Records (Got some great new finds with gorgeous full-color marble from Translation Loss, so we figured hey, guess we don’t gotta kill ‘em … this week.)
3. Bobby Trimble (Reissues? Yes. New tour? Ehhm, um, not so much.)
4. Lower Dens (Hey, Lower Dens, hey.)
5. Blind Lemon Jefferson (Not that he, neeeds me, or anything …)
6. Three Mile Pilot (I might just permanently slot TMP here. You wanna fight about it?)
7. Brujeria (I overpaid a bit, but landing a Brujeria 7 is like landing a rare WolvesITTR 2XLP.)
8. Lichens (Believe that.)
9. Shearing Pinx (Waiting to hear SP’s latest; always worth the nail-biting.)
10. Izzy Stradlin (One of the best musicians/heroin dealers of all-time. I even secretly wanted his solo stuff with The Ju-Ju Hounds to hit big. It didn’t.)

[Sept. 11 - Sept. 25] Album of the Week #24: Eola – “Space Jam” CD/CS

1.. Jon Thor Birgisson (As you’ll read in my review of Jon[si] & Alex’s “Riceboy Sleeps,” I unflinchingly view this guy as one of the saviors. Serious neck chills.)
2. Vauva Records (Got a few 7-inches from this label that define Out/Weird/Sound.)
3. Dead Raven Choir (Got the LP, got the box set on Weird Forest; now how’s about that 7-inch on Dot Dot Dot?)
4. Morton Subotnick (I found this guy’s first record and assumed I was stumbling upon somethin’ maybe off the beaten path a little. I was wrong, as The Wire so often proves to me.)
5. Book Of Shadows (Just heard a great split cassette on Folkwaste Library, very distinct sound happening here. Can’t remember if I’ve included them in this list before so BINGO!)
6. Fresh & Onlys (New album. Tiny Mix Tapes review assignment. Let’s do this.)
7. Barn Owl (Interesting band that I forgave for the whole band-name thing you’ll read about in Top-10 entry no. 8 below.)
8. Yarn Owl (Have I seriously not mentioned Yarn Owl via The Grove yet? Good lord. Well, they’re one-fourth my brother-in-law, so I guess I try and keep a critical distance, but these guys are good so hey, why not mention it? EFF Band Of Horses, MAN!)
9. Emeralds (I only have one tape of theirs but it’s a darn-fine document. I almost picked Hair Police for this slot but hey, that’s the breaks, and they ain’t no. 2 this week either.)
10. Starving Weirdos (This band should be number 1 this week but I forgot to include them until now. But hey, numbers don’t mean nothin, no!)

[Aug. 19 - Sept. 10]

1. Mick Mars (He, not Tommy, was my favorite Crue member for a lot of years; check out the solos on “Shout at the Devil” for reasons why.)
2. HoZac Records (These guys know how to crank out the hits.)
3. Neil Diamond (It’s true: Guilty Pleasures often contain little or no actual guilt.)
4. Harry Partch (So is this guy worth my time or not? Somebody tell me what to do here … )
5. Braniac (Just got one of those four-way Amphetamine Reptile 7-inches with these guys, not to mention Today Is The Day, on it.)
6. Harmonizer (They blow beautiful bubbles.)
7. Ambitious Career Woman(Remember the titans, baby.)
8. Burial Hex (We’re going to have to stop meeting like this, BH; I need a full-length LP to figure out if this relationship is as Real as it seems.)
9. Aaron Dilloway (Need I explain this pick?)
10. Ghettoblaster Magazine (The guy who runs this mag has a good head on his shoulders; yes, it is rare.)

[July 31 - Aug. 18]

Album of the Week #23: Gwynbleidd – “Nostalgia” – Black Currant Records

1. Andrew Earles (Andrew Earles isn’t a band or a label, but a writer/comedian. Oh, and he’s the best music reviewer in the U.S., bar none; it’s not even close.)
2. The Spring Press (Fantastic up-and-coming, nihilistic label.)
3. Peter Cetera (I have a 12-inch of “The Glory of Love.” Jealous?)
4. Locrian (If you think you know this duo, come November you’ll realize you don’t. At all.)
5. Greg Davis (His tape is the cream of NNA Tapes’ 8-cassette-box-set crop.)
6. Passage (Still my favorite Anticon antist.)
7. Neptune (Will someone swoop in and make these guys a household name?)
8. Velvet Davenport (Ariel Pink connection aside, this Minneapolis [Minnesota? crap] band is onto something big. As Dewey Cox once said, “Wait and see what happens now.”)
9. Edmond de Deyster (I seriously used to mess around with my dad’s synths at age 11 and imagine making music as widely admired as de Deyster’s. It … hasn’t happened.)
10. Bluegreengold Cassettes (Got a post coming up on this crazy, hazy label with the least-accessible — and thus best — site I’ve ever seen. Investigate and get back to me.)

[July 1 - July 30]

Album of the Week #22: Vincent Gallo – “Honey Bunny” 7-inch – Warp Records

1. Force Field (FF’s LP on Animal Disguise is colorful but crack-fed.)
2. Dolphins Into The Future (New CD on Release the Bats, RTB’s last CD release ever, is insane.)
3. Swimming With Models (Denver hip-hop act; thought I was buying a noise cassette, but their stuff was a pleasant surprise.)
4. Rrrecords (Long live the locked groove.)
5. Family Battle Snake (The best drone/noise/collage act I’ve heard lately; move over Lead Sister ii.)
6. Mesrine (From the blackest of cauldrons to the whitest of listeners [aka metalheads].)
7. Archie Bronson Outfit (Good post-post rock band, terrible band name.)
8. Jandek (“Canticle of Castaway” just arrived in the mail.)
9. Arab On Radar (Reunion that will probably go nowhere commercially but a long ways to the Select Few.)
10. Wavves (Not huge on the latest album, but I believe in Wavves. Where’s that Zach Hill collab?)

[June 2 - June 30]

Album of the Week #21: Mt. Eerie – Live in Copenhagen 3XLP – PW Elverum & Sons

1. Panda Bear (His new album is going to be the biggest thing since … his last album.)
2. Burning Hollows (Hozac Records scores another giant.)
3. Gorgonized Dorks (With an 80-deep discog, these guys ain’t effing around.)
4. Sludgecicle Records (Icy, slippery, messy, good.)
5. Wiz Khalifa (Only because he’s brought more readers to my site than anyone.)
6. Deerhunter (Don’t forget about/sleep on one of the best bands going.)
7. Beniffer Editions (I’m buying that double-cassette/book just as soon as I win the lottery.)
8. Dead Raven Choir (I still don’t even own an album of theirs/his yet; one of those pleasure-delaying things.)
9. Nightpass Handmade Records(Long-gone label with a lovely history.)
10. Mason Lindhal (His latest/upcoming album is sensational; Mt. Eerie and Fahey tangle in the brush.)

[May 16 - June 1]

Album of the Week #20: Tora! Tora! Torrance! – Get Into It – Militia Group

[May 1 - May 15]

Album of the Week #19: Basalt Fingers – s/t – 3 Lobed Records

Twin Stumps (Their new full length is a big deal.)
2. Fela Kuti (Record Store Day 10-inch is just what I was hoping it would be. That is, great.)
3. Department Of Eagles (They may just eclipse Grizzly Bear someday.)
4. The Fall (You’ve got to respect their (well, his) longevity and creative drive.)
5. Shabazz Palaces (I Get hip-hop, I just don’t hear enough new hip-hop.)
6. Leopard Leg (They stick with you.)
7. The Walkmen (My favorite rock ’n’ roll band, hands down.)
8. Arbor Records (There are a few labels that go by “Arbor” but only one with a Carlos Giffoni double 7-inch.)
9. Mono (New “Holy Ground” 3XLP is so great I picked it up even though I already have the CD version. Explosive.)
10. Porter Records (Look out for this label; comin’ on up.)

[April 17 - April 30]

Album of the Week #18: Volcano The Bear’s Classic Erasmus Fusion 2XLP, on Beta Lactam Ring Records

1. Death Bomb Arc Records (How you say, making damage?)
2. Torche (Not essential, but solid.)
3. Vashti Bunyan (Just finally bought “Diamond Day” on vinyl, only had the CD before; wasn’t enough.)
4. Lemon Kittens (One of the greatest, and ever so much fun.)
5. Dizzee Rascal (Awww what the hell.)
6. Upset The Rhythm Records(Another label creating chaos I can only chalk up to the devil.)
7. Pantera (They’re … back?)
8. Oren Ambarchi (One of those artists that sticks with you.)
9. Sun Araw (Wish I woulda picked up that double LP. This hurts.)
10. Joe Meek (One of the leading lights of … light-headedness, I guess. Almost picked up another of his records today but chickened out … )

[April 17 - April 30]

Album of the Week #17: Tonto’s Expanding Head Band – Zero Time LP -

1. Kranky! Records (A name you can always trust; the record label you keep.)
2. Real Reggae (This is based mainly on the band name. LA sludge/crust.)
3. Audio Ovni (Super-obscure band with a fantastic lost record I’d like to reissue someday.)
4. Trans Am (Just found “Futureworld” on LP. Reminds me of late nights at KZUU FM.)
5. Shapeshifters (Word has it these guys are located in Denver. Anyone?)
6. Fuck It Tapes (Can’t stop listening to “Bomb Wombs.”)
7. Penelope Spheeris (Is this Jimmie’s kid? Directed “Decline of Western Civilization” and … “Black Sheep”?)
8. Black Lips (“Veni Vidi Vici” is a big surprise.)
9. Inspector 22 (I keep thinking about his latest … )
10. SST Records (Remember the Titans.)

[April 7 - April 16]

Album of the Week #16: Rubber Cement/Panicsville – split – Nihilist

1.All Hands Electric Records (I’m going to be reviewing the SHIT out of many-an AHERecs release shortly.)
2. Toxic Holocaust (About the name … it’s just not, well, proVOcative enough.)
3. Serene UK (Haven’t thought about the “Oakland EP” since Big League Chew.)
4. Broadcast (“Witch Trials” is absolutely perfect.)
5. Passage (Where have you been, exactly?)
6. Neurot Records (Just a thought.)
7. Skid Row (No, not the classic punk band, the fuckin’ hair band. And what are YOU looking at?)
8. Catsup Plate (Future-foretelling label responsible for Campfire Songs, among others.)
9. Jon Syverson (This guy drove now-defunct Daughters to new math-metal heights on “Canada Songs.”)
10. Unholy Grave (Japanese grindcore, anyone?)

[March 30 - April 6]

Album of the Week #15: Nurse With Wound – Space Music – Beta-Lactam Ring Records

1. Crocodiles (Believe it.)
2. Hanson Records (Black-snake drone.)
3. Dried Up Corpse (Split with Blue Sabbath Black Cheer a thing to ear-behold.)
4. John Wiese (Just ’cause, homie.)
5. Lucifer Wong (Finally tracked down that other 7-inch; review forthcoming.)
6. Chicha Libre (Trust me on this one; World of hurt if you don’t check them out.)
7. Noveller (OK, you got my attention. Now RULE.)
8. Ntelos (Side projects are always interesting, especially when the “day job” kills it.)
9. BYO Records (Keen eye for punk talent.)
10. Tuneyards (I refuse to eff with the capitalization.)

[March 12 - March 29]

Album of the Week #14: Oren Ambarchi – “In the Pendulum’s Embrace” 2XLP

1. Drunks With Guns (Got a 7” on blue vinyl called “Headgiver” … not great, but interesting, like “Helter Skelter” in slow-motion)
2. Dolphins Into The Future (Not Not Fun debut is simply amazing)
3. Meat Puppets (“II” has vinylly been reissued [get it? vinylly/finally?)
4. Secret 7 Records (“* In a Cloud” compilation owns)
5. Liars (“Sisterworld” is, well, pretty fucking ripe)
6. Kyle Bobby Dunn (This kid sent me an album ... a looooong one ... and it’s fairly ear-catching)
7. R. Stevie Moore (Ariel Pink once told me Moore is his biggest influence)
8. Adventure Time (Remember these guys, Daedelus fans?)
9. Mind Bomb (It’s 1995 again ... I’m back in high school, listening to these guys and Cathedral/Life Of Agony/Green Day again)
10. Dull Knife Records (Seek them out, lest you miss the boat)

[Feb. 28 - March 11]

Album of the Week #13: The Reigning Sound – “Love and Curses” – In the Red Records

1. Blackest Rainbow Records (They’ve got a new Sylvester Anfang II album out and I’m itchin’ ta’ get it)
2. Dengue Fever (Between “Electric Cambodia” and a recent split 7-inch Dengue Fever are finally starting to blow in the World of Gumshoe)
3. Green Gartside (Latter-day sins expunged from my record forever)
4. Edward Ka-Spel (Speaking of idiosyncratic frontmen … )
5. Servile Sect (I find myself reaching for “Stratospheric Passenger” more often than, say, “Two Hunters”)
6. Karp (Just noticed a “Karp” mention in an interview with young psych-outs Titan in an old Skyscraper issue [R.I.P.])
7. Darlings (Broke out “Yeah I Know” once again recently)
8. Avarus (Quickly becoming one of my favorites)
9. Husk Records (For many reasons I’m excited to be in touch with this up-and-coming label)
10. Gulcher Records (Probably the weirdest label ever to poke its little turtle-head up into the indie-rock mainstream)

[Feb. 15 - Feb. 27]

Album of the Week #12: V/A – Utmarken – Release the Bats

1. Buon Giorno Luamada (Addiction is a bitch. Obseesion is a blessing.)
2. Velvet Davenport (Check out my post on these guys for a tough-to-beat YouTube clip)
3. Pyramids (Hydra Head band are never too far out of the picture)
4. DOOM (This time for Madvillain and Viktor Vaughan)
5. B.A.L.L. (Shimmydisc player found its way into my collection this week)
6. Shimmydisc Records (Anything with this name on it is golden)
7. Messthetics (Speaking of which … )
8. Goatwhore (The dude from Dead Raven Choir, doing his thing under an outrageous alias)
9. Public Enemy (No matter how bad the Bumbershoot concert was, and no matter how high Flavor Flav’s crack-o-meter gets)
10. Rainbow Quartz Records (Psych-rock only, limited membership; GET ON IT)

[Feb. 8 - Feb. 14]

Album of the Week #11: Merzbannon (Racebannon remixed by Merzbow) – Satan’s Kickin’ Yr Dick In – Tizona Records

1. Hair Police (“Drawn Dead” is fucking SICK-all)
2. Chris Darrow (Solo stuff better than the Kaleidescope LPs, even)
3. White Denim (These guys fuckin’ BLEW-UP Denver)
4. Profound Lore Records (Intense music for intense times)
5. Some Girls (Flat-out amazing post-Locust/Give Up The Ghost band)
6. The Beat-Nicks (The brightest light on the “Prae-Kraut Pandaemonium” comp)
7. Dead Moon (Finding the “Old Growth” 2XLP was, well, destiny)
8. Eyes Like Saucers (Their drone-heavy exploration “Parmalee” has stuck to my shoe like … Gum?)
9. The Fall (No reason, just punk-rock)
10. Weird Forest Records (One of the best up-and-coming indie labels, circa Not Not Fun, Goner, etc.)

[Jan. 27 - Feb. 7]

NO TOP-10 … OH GOD, FOR SHAME!!!

[Jan. 19 - Jan. 26]

Album of the Week #10: MC Ren – Shock of the Hour – Ruthless/Relativity

1. Risil (does no one care about Zach Hill’s latest super-group?)
2. The Ramones (Captain Obvious, am I)
3. Nadja (Keeping up is impossible, but so is ignoring them)
4. Time-Lag Records (One of the craziest catalogs out there)
5. Savath Y Savalas (For those rare, but specific, times when you need them/him)
6. Acid Gallery (“Dance Round the Maypole,” bitches!)
7. Fat Mike (Not just a great musician, but a great label head and commentor on punk-history DVDs)
8. Josephine Foster (It’s good to have her around again)
9. Danielson Famile (Sorta like Daniel-son — wax-on, wax-off — but always just Danielson)
10. Katie Mullins (Any artist who generates this many hits is coo in my book)

[Jan. 11 - Jan. 18]

Album of the Week #9: Sailboats Are White! – Turbo – Let’s Just Have Some Fun Records

1. Jay Reatard (I don’t think anyone anticipated this; RIP)
2. Major Lazer (Rub-a-dub dub for all of us)
3. Pedro (One-half of Vowels is also formidable solo)
4. Gnarled Forest Records (tapes, LPs, all with a unified art aesthetic)
5. Dengue Fever (I’m learning, albeit slowly, about the World around me)
6. Ambitious Career Woman(Investigate this math-y Seattle group, now defunct)
7. Fela Kuti (Recent posthumous attention makes one wonder: Why not earlier?)
8. Uke Of Space Corners County(maybe it’s the band name? freaky, folk-y goodness)
9. Slipknot (Turns out this was originally a hardcore band on Revelation Records, not a douche-y group of nu-metalheads from Iowa)
10. Crime (Still trying to figure these guys out; shouldn’t be long)

[Jan. 4 - Jan. 10]

Album of the Week #8: Hoor Paar Kraat – An Anagram Hypnotic – Goat Eater Arts

1. Robyn Hitchcock (“I Wanna Go Backwards” box set a truly remarkable collection)
2. Divorce Records (Deriving pleasure from pain)
3. Alias (King of collaborations also has a great solo swing)
4. Fuck It Tapes (OOP, sold out!)
5. Horse. The Band (Whatever happened to these guys?)
6. Vampire Weekend (Stay tuned for “Contra” review on Tiny Mix Tapes)
7. King Sunny Ade (Speaking of Vampire Weekend, they can’t touch this guy)
8. Eagles Of Death Metal (Just bought their debut LP, which may or may not be signed by the band)
9. Training For Utopia (Just showed these guys to a kid in Spokane who thinks he’s all “metal”; little did he know)
10. Atlas Sound (“Logos” … still haven’t heard it, but it’s only a matter of time)

[Dec. 28 - Jan. 3]

Album of the Week #7: Dark Was the Night compilation – Red Hot Records

1. Colossal Yes (Comets On Fire drummer does more than soak the skins)
2. Car Park / Paw Tracks / Acute Records (Is it true AC are building an empire?)
3. Lindstrom / Prins Thomas (4XLP set “II” just made its way to Gumshoe HQ, via money)
4. Rapider Than Horsepower (If the Strictly Amateur Films sale is still on I’m grabbin’ me some Rapider)
5. Ovo (I’m trying to get used to “Miastema”)
6. Ginger Baker (Cream, jazz mixed with afro-beat; a golden god)
7. Deerhoof (Just passed up “Offend Maggie”; shouldn’t have)
8. The Ramones (“Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” is the most)
9. The Traveling Wilburys (Take it to the end of the line …)
10. Subtle (one of my old bands was called “Subtle”; these guys are a BIT better)

[Dec. 14 - Dec. 27]

Album of the Week #6: Mincemeat Or Tenspeed – Strange Gods - Zum Records

The Top-10 for this week was lost because I forgot to copy it over before i changed it. I do know that Rococo Records was No. 1 though, so suck it.

[Dec. 7 - Dec. 13]

Album of the Week #5: Vowels – The Pattern Prism – Loaf Recordings

1. Locrian (drone, doom, disorder, don’t give a %&#&#%)
2. Soft Abuse Records (call me a sadist … )
3. Crocodiles (with an effing bullet)
4. D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles do it dirtier)
5. Dinowalrus (just got their new CD; review coming)
6. Capadonna (is he ex-Wu now?)
7. Cannibal Corpse (“Can I have another hunk of co-pilot?”)
8. Alec Ounsworth, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (haven’t heard the new stuff; will)
9. Plaid (IDM with wings)
10. Mulatu Astatke (how could I let Bitch4k beat me to you?)

[Nov. 29 - Dec. 6]

Album of the Week #4: Ty Segall – Horn of Unicorn – HBSP-2X

1. Current 93 (Weird, wild stuff)
2. Zum Records (“Zum-zum-zum” that V-wagon can’t touch)
3. Eleanor Friedberger, The Fiery Furnaces (Gumshoe is gaga-nuts over E.F.)
4. Sufjan Stevens (X-mas comp, engage)
5. Point Line Plane (no reason, really; just came to mind)
6. The Mushroams (’60s comps = bottomless well?)
7. The Reigning Sound (getting better, I’ve got to admit it’s)
8. Black Lips (“Veni Vidi Vici,” baby)
9. Leichtenstein (for all the right reasons)
10. Scream Club (you’ve never heard this, unfortunately; seek it out)

[Nov. 23 - 28]

Album of the Week #3: Henry Cow – In Praise of Learning – Virgin Records

1. Broadcast/The Focus Group(“Witch Cults” album scares me)
2. Mock Orange (these guys stick with you)
3. Holopaw (subtle, powerful)
4. Paper Bag Records (crankin’ out the non-hits)
5. Faust (never far from my mind/kraut collection)
6. Glass Ghost (awkward is the new awkward)
7. Dead Raven Choir (could easily become an all-time favorite)
8. King Khan & Whomever (drug busts are cool!)
9. White Flight (follow-up?)
10. Sunn O))) (thought M+D vinyl would NEVER show up)

[Nov. 16 - 22]

Album of the Week #2: The Flaming Lips – Embryonic – Warner Bros

1. Tonstartssbandht
(“Dick Nights,” indeed)
2. Gulcher Records (for years, weirdest shit around)
3. Michael Yonkers(we barely knew ye)
4. The Reigning Sound (old guys rock it, yeah)
5. Acid Mothers Temple (rain-forest psych for the psyche)
6. Doom (Monolith Fest set has lingered)
7. Morgoth (do I hear “Submission”?)
8. Pace brothers, Blonde Redhead(under-appreciated sidemen)
9. Sylvester Anfang ii (naked chick on cover)
10. Pungent Stench (seriously though, “Why Can the Bodies Fly?”)

[Nov. 9 - 15]

Album of the Week #1: Okie Dokie – s/t – Aagoo Records

1. Brujeria (they’ll chop yr balls off)
2. Shearing Pinx (lo-finest)
3. Three Mile Pilot (reunion? for real this time?)
4. The Flaming Lips(X-mas Coyne)
5. Prince (five words: “Purple Rain” on purple vinyl)
6. Lightning Bolt (with an effing bullet)
7. Raekwon (holla)
8. Stryker Sulak (slap-a ‘da bass mon)
9. Anti-Pop Consortium (they’re front)
10. Chll Plls (Zach attack)