Best of 2011, part III

[elle]

http://www.tmakworld.com/2011/12/top...rld-style.html

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011

Top 10 Albums of 2011 - TMAK World Style

Dec 31 2011 - Be warned - unlike Rolling Stone magazine, there will be no Adele, Beyonce, Jay-Z and Kanye or Lady Gaga on this list. Here at T-MAK World we don't exactly believe music peaked in 1977 but we certainly would not object if the charts were dominated by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and Rush once again. Unfortunately, for yet another year the "other" charts are in our humble opinion primary dominated by unmemorable and formulaic factory pop that involves singing, dancing and posturing and for the most part songs that have no real musical impact. Has the need for musicians to play instruments become as obsolete as the LP, the VHS and the soon to be extinct CD? We certainly hope not because a closer look at what was released this year reveals some real gems. (PS. We are of course joking about the virtue's of today's mainstream musical tastes and certainly enjoy some of it greatly, but lets just focus on classic type of rock for this list.) Here's hoping that you discover something new to listen to from T-MAK World's Top 10 Albums of 2011.

10. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

This album was the 11th by Dream Theater but first without epic drummer and co-founder Mike Portnoy. Highlight tracks include "On The Backs of Angels" and "Breaking All Illusions". Even though the album contains three unspectacular ballads the heavy hitting rhythms remind us why Dream Theater continues to be just one hit single away from mega superstar status. Their live show continues to be incredible and the review can be read here. Progressive rock at its best (until Rush release Clockwork Angels in 2012). If you are unfamiliar with Dream Theaters' complex music give this one a spin and be amazed at their musical prowess.

9. Mastodon - The Hunter

Before this album was released, drummer Brann Dailor described it as "a real super-heavy Led Zeppelin". Quite a statement to make, but sure enough the album was filled with great songs that after a few listens the statement did not sound ridiculous at all. Influential Kerrang! Magazine named this their number 1 album of 2011. From the first song Black Tongue you can sense the power of this album and it continues all the way through to the last track The Sparrow and its excellent guitar solo. Mastodon started off very much a thrash metal band on their first album, then went progressive in their previous album and now seem to have captured a good hard rock sound on this, their fifth album.

8. Rush - Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland

A live album of classic Rush material. Enough said right? Never mind that this album features The Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Closer To The Heart, and Subdivisions, never mind that it features 2 tracks (Caravan and BU2B) from Rush's forthcoming 2012 album, never mind it features 7 minutes of 2112's Overture/Temple Of Syrinx or 7 minutes of La Villa Strangiato, never mind all those goodies. This one features Rush's best album Moving Pictures end to end in it's entirety. If you aren't sold yet you are probably on the wrong site - for those that get it here is a little live Freewill we captured during the Time Machine tour in Toronto.

7. The Black Keys - El Camino

The last album (Brothers) by The Black Keys was incredibly successful and a bit of a mystery to me. Here is some really good dirty down blues rock that would fit in the 70's as well as it would fit in a Quentin Tarantino movie and yet Brothers was well received by pop media and sold tons of copies. It's great to see 2 rocking guys making it huge. Their last amphitheater tour was sold out very fast when they came to Toronto and they will be back in a few months to play an arena gig. El Camino hopes to pick up exactly where Brothers left off. Not as much slow tempo blues as their last showing but a great album nonetheless.

6. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon Immersion Set

This is the only re-issue on our list. Our full review of this gem is found here. "Clearly the album is a masterpiece not just because of its commercial success or critical acclaim, but also for it's strong appeal to fans young and old around the world. The Immersion set takes that masterpiece and rips opens the vaults and gives us access to a larger view of the work than the original 42 minutes have given us for the last 38 years since it's release. For me, the set's highlight was the original footage used in the concerts in high bit-rate 5.1 surround as well as the remastered version of The Dark Side Of The Moon." Although not a true album because this contains 6 discs including DVD and Blu-Ray there is no way that we can omit this timeless masterpiece from our year end list.

5. Lindsey Buckingham - Seeds We Sow

The two front line personalities in Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks are comfortable revisiting their fabled Rumours glory when The Mac go on tour every few years. In their down time they tune the dial back a notch and produce much more intimate solo albums that are worthy of a visit. In Seeds We Sow Buckingham puts the spotlight directly on his guitar and vocal skills. The album was produced and mixed by Buckingham himself and was self-released with no record label support or influence. Standout tracks include Illumination and the mind blowing acoustic guitar picking masterpiece Seeds We Sow. As Rumours and other Fleetwood Mac classics are best listened to with a cold beer, Seeds We Sow is better suited with a classy vintage wine.

4. Black Country Communion - Black Country Communion 2

A keyboardist (Derek Sherinian) from Dream Theater, a superstar Blues guitarist (Joe Bonamassa), a lead singer of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath (Glenn Hughes), and the son of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham (Jason Bonham). Can you say supergroup? This is classic rock at its best, and one can easily think it was made in the mid 70's and held in a vault for 35 odd years. Man In the Middle sounds like a track that could have been on any of Zeppelin's last few albums. In fact Save Me was born when Jason Bonham was jamming with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones for the failed Zeppelin reunion a few years ago. Bonham let Hughes listen to a riff from it, and Hughes created the version we hear on the album. This album was recorded in 10 days and with pedigree such as listed above, surely one not to miss.

3. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Thank you Dave Grohl. Thank you for keeping rock and roll alive. Thank you for making fun music and being rock's flag bearer. Thank you for Wasting Light. The Foos 7th album is produced by none other than Butch Vig who also produced Nirvana's Nevermind. Speaking of Nirvana, Grohl brings in former bandmade Krist Novoselic to throw down some bass on I Should Have Known. Songs like These Days, Rope, Walk and Arlandria are made for big sold out stadiums on summer nights with a wave of sweaty bodies bouncing to the thumping beats.

2. Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot III

Supergroup is not just an accurate description of our number 4 pick Black Country Communion but also for our number 2 pick of the year - Chickenfoot. Chickenfoot's second album - humorously named Chickenfoot III features the all star cast of Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony (Van Halen's best singer and bassist), Joe Satriani (arguably one of the best 5 guitarists on the planet) and Red Hot Chili Pepper's drummer Chad Smith. The band's website tells us that "the first single, “Big Foot,” debuted at #1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock Chart holding the position for 11 weeks!" The song is nominated for song of the year in Ultimate Classic Rock reader's poll and in fact Chickenfoot III placed in at number 2 on that publications Top 10 Album Of 2011 list.

1. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

Here is one that Rolling Stone Magazine got right and is the highest ranked album that we have in common - they had it in the 11th spot but for us this is the highlight of 2011. My Morning Jacket is by far the best band you will ever see playing a small club. On this album you get power rock anthems, pop metal, ballads, and everything in between. The first two songs on the album (Victory Dance and Circuital) are a perfect introduction to the band. If you have never heard of My Morning Jacket head over to YouTube and give those songs a listen (our recording of Victory Dance is here). Taking it one level further, the infectious groove of Holding On To Black Metal makes you want to get up and funk dance while head banging. Baffling - but hey this album is pushing music forward into a better place and lead singer Jim James has earned a place on the legends list with stars such as Robert Plant and Roger Waters.

VERDICT: 2011 turned out to be a great year for classic style rock and we hear 2012 will be even better with new albums from Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, Rush, Pearl Jam and Van Halen among others. Fingers crossed for Jimmy Page to finally get something out as well.

[michelej1]

Top 20 Concerts, Nippertown
http://www.nippertown.com/2012/01/05...p-20-concerts/

By Greg Haymes, Nippertown writer-editor

20. Flogging Molly @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park (February 20)

19. Signal @ EMPAC at RPI, Troy (March 12)

18. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott @ Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs (May 22)

17. Elizabeth Cook @ The Linda, Albany (June 15)

16. Weird Al Yankovic @ the Palace Theatre, Albany (October 18)

15. Super 400 and the Charlie Watts Riots @ McGeary’s Pub, Albany (July 7)

14. James Farm @ The Egg’s Swyer Theatre, Albany (September 22)

13. Gogol Bordello @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park (April 1)

12. Freihofer Saratoga Jazz Festival featuring Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, the Tia Fuller Quartet, David Binney, more @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs (June 26)

11. Rosanne Cash @ MASS MoCA’s Hunter Theater, North Adams (May 28)

10. Exit Dome 4 featuring Phantogram, Charlie Watts Riots, Rodeo Barons, Bryan Thomas, more @ WMHT-TV Studios, North Greenbush (January 29)

9. The Either/Orchestra @ the Sanctuary for Independent Media, Troy (November 20)

8. Lyle Lovett & His Acoustic Group @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany (December 10)

7. Iron & Wine @ MASS MoCA’s Hunter Center, North Adams (April 16)

6. The Felice Brothers @ Club Helsinki, Hudson (March 26)

5. Solid Sound Festival featuring Wilco, Syl Johnson & the Sweet Divines, Thurston Moore, Liam Finn, more @ MASS MoCA, North Adams (June 25)

4. Lindsey Buckingham @ The Egg’s Hart Theatre, Albany (November 2)

3. Brad Mehldau @ Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall, Lenox (August 25)

2. Peter Gabriel & the New Blood Orchestra @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs (June 27)

1. Restoration Festival featuring Matthew Carefully’s Undone Ensemble, Sgt. Dunbar & the Hobo Banned, We Are Jeneric, Swamp Baby, Slender Shoulders, more @ St. Joseph’s Church, Albany (August 27-28)

[elle]

re Clooney - read the end of this article - does it sound like somebody we know and love? (indie films vs big films, pushing limits - things big studios don't want to make, follow your heart when you can afford it, sow your seeds towards the end of life, etc?) plus, wasn't Lindsey's Murrow recorded way before "Good Night, and Good Luck"?


http://www.oneluckyguitar.com/dial/c...%E2%80%93-matt

Certified Classics: Best of 2011 – Matt

Dec 30 2011 | Filed under Love & Like | Posted by Matt Kelley | Share

Unfortunately, I've been down with the flu and my year-end wrap-up is gonna be less word-y than I'd hoped and planned. What you're missing: the same hyperbolic fawning you could find on my 2010, or 2009, or 2008, etc list, all the way back to 1992, only with (slightly) different band names.
2011 was a pretty great year for music. I had a nice email correspondence with an old friend about some of this earlier in the year, and a lot of this is excerpted from that. So, my thanks to AB for the conversation. I loved it.

1. Lindsey Buckingham, Seeds We Sow
Who knew the best indie rock album of the year would come from a guy that was in Fleetwood Mac, instead of a guy that was in Pavement? I bought Lindsey's 1992 solo album (Out of the Cradle) the week before moving to Bloomington as a freshman. I had no idea who he was, but liked the four-and-a-half star review in Rolling Stone. I believed (and still believe) it to be, like, the most perfect pop album since Thriller. It honestly has seven #1 singles on it. There's a lot to not like about LB, of course, but if you can get around the Mac baggage, you'll find an eccentric genius hiding behind the control panel and fingerpicking nonsense. A real mad bastard. This new album is incredible, the one I've been waiting 19(!?) years for him to release. Self-produced and recorded in his basement. Surely, in Hollywood's hills. If he was 1/2 his age and made the record in a cabin, more people might pay attention. I find it difficult not to kinda lose my own mind listening to this stuff.
Lindsey Buckingham strikes me as someone who has difficulty sleeping. And I love that kind of person.

2. Clive Tanaka Y Su Orquesta, Jet Set Siempre 1°
I suppose this is where maybe I admit that the best band of the last ten years was LCD Soundsystem. Yeah, I know I make my love for sneering rock and singer-songwriters rather obnoxiously apparent (and see below), but, it's true: they were.
Well, this album is what you listen to at the Soundsystem afterparty.
If you go online and try to find out about Tanaka, the only thing you'll find is a lot of information about going online and trying to find out about Tanaka. You know I love the mystery.

3. Middle Brother, Middle Brother
I was kind of resisting these guys, one from Deer Tick (they played the Rail last year and I am overflowing with regret about not paying more attention to their set), one from Dawes (I resisted for awhile, but their album that came out this year is pretty good, in an early-Jackson-Browne Late for the Sky kind of way, which is a kind of way that is just fine with me), and one from Delta Spirit (saw 'em at SXSW and wasn't blown away). Friends were RAVING to me about this album, though, but I was thinking, ah, I've heard all this stuff before, right? Well, crap. Maybe I have, but that doesn't mean I don't want hear more of it. A lot more of it.

4. Yuck, Yuck
Horrible band name, terrible album cover, nearly perfect album. Honestly. WOW. And then later you realize the band name is awesome, and…so is the album cover. Recommended if you ever fell in love to an album called Bandwagonesque or Where You Been.

5. Deer Tick, Divine Providence
Still can't believe I didn't pay attention at that Rail show. A sloppy, hoarse, surly, bit-beyond-buzzed, beautifully-flawed-beauty of a record.

Oh, I really did like that Wilco album, too. Especially "Capitol City." And yeah, Danny George Wilson's incredible Hearts & Arrows would be on this list, but I'm waiting for the US release. Soon enough.

I actually read a lot of great books this year, fiction and non-, as well as some killer stories and fascinating journalism. But the best thing I read all year was Joe Henry's essay on the third-to-last page of the booklet for his wonderful album, Reverie. A short story of the soul that will bring you to your knees, if you've ever fallen in love to 60 Watt Silver Lining or The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. (The iTunes version didn't have a digital booklet, peeps, and hence this album's packaging single-handedly justified physical product for the new half-dozen years or so.)

Last thought. While I was in the midst of stomach pain, wild chills, and serious "singing my heart out" the last couple of days, I read the latest issue of Esquire. (Yeah, I read Esquire, what you can't tell?) Anyway, I loved this line from an interview with George Clooney.
"I have a real interest in pushing some of the limits of things that studios don't want to make. Because I can. I won't be able to at some point in the near future. But right now I can, and while I can, I want to do it. So when you're eighty years old and they ask you what you did, you can go, 'When I had the keys to the car, I drove it as fast as I could and as hard as I could. I took it to places that the owner didn't really want me to take it.'
That's a fun thing to do. Understanding that at some point they're going to come back and repossess the car. I don't mind that. I just want to be able to say we gave it a shot when we had the time."
Clooney!

Now, let's go take on 2012.

[michelej1]

I remember one of those "seen about town" items that had Lindsey in line to see Goodnight and Good Luck. Of course, where else would LB be?

Michele

[elle]

OPINION > OPINION COLUMNS
Five irresistibly catchy songs
By Sean Phipps • Published Wednesday, January 18th 2012

December and January are typically the months of the year when I listen to the most music. I try to catch up on all of the music I missed from the previous year and compile a “Best Of” for some immediate family and friends. In doing so, I always come across a handful of songs that I just can’t seem to keep from listening to for a week. These songs are not always great; sometimes they can be too saccharine and, frankly, embarrassing for a grown man to be listening to. I’m willing to offer them to you because I’m somewhat comfortable enough with my masculinity ... somewhat. The following is a list of those songs with links to hear them for yourself. Please add your “catchy” songs in the comments section below.

Be Professional—The ACB’s
What a song! This has been on repeat since I first heard of the ACB’s last month. The song “Be Professional” is a simple acoustic guitar riff with an excellent vocal about what being “professional” means, if anything of sustenance at all. The chorus is as catchy as any song I heard in 2011. You can listen to the ACB’s entire album, “Stona Rosa,” online for free and like the band on Facebook. The ACB’s were one of my favorite discoveries of 2011.

Rock Away Blind—Lindsey Buckingham
Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham is one of the most passionate musicians I’ve come across. His passion can be absorbing, and it can also be terrifying, like you’re locked in a room with a mad genius. Lindsey Buckingham’s solo records are similarly wavering; they can either be really interesting and engaging, depending on your mood, or they can be really weird and barely listenable. The latter is especially so with some of the deep cuts on his '80s albums “Law and Order” and “Go Insane.” His 1992 release “Out of the Cradle” is an auditory masterpiece and should be listened to with headphones and respect. In 2011, Buckingham released his sixth studio album, “Seeds We Sow,” which features the above track “Rock Away Blind.” It’s one of my favorite catchy tunes of the year.

the rest at http://www.nooga.com/153016/five-irr...tJ7sw.facebook

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

1. Lindsey Buckingham, Seeds We Sow
Who knew the best indie rock album of the year would come from a guy that was in Fleetwood Mac, instead of a guy that was in Pavement? I bought Lindsey's 1992 solo album (Out of the Cradle) the week before moving to Bloomington as a freshman. I had no idea who he was, but liked the four-and-a-half star review in Rolling Stone. I believed (and still believe) it to be, like, the most perfect pop album since Thriller. It honestly has seven #1 singles on it. There's a lot to not like about LB, of course, but if you can get around the Mac baggage, you'll find an eccentric genius hiding behind the control panel and fingerpicking nonsense. A real mad bastard. This new album is incredible, the one I've been waiting 19(!?) years for him to release. Self-produced and recorded in his basement. Surely, in Hollywood's hills. If he was 1/2 his age and made the record in a cabin, more people might pay attention. I find it difficult not to kinda lose my own mind listening to this stuff.
Lindsey Buckingham strikes me as someone who has difficulty sleeping. And I love that kind of person.

I loved this one! I guess I may be biased because the person's reference to OOTC is so perfect, but I adore the way he/she described LB. He's quite a little nutter that Lindsey, and that is one of the many reasons I adore him and his music. So awesome he was number 1. So awesome and apropos.

[michelej1]

Tony K's Favorite Albums of 2011 from Antimusic

http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/12/..._of_2011.shtml

Number Five: Lindsey Buckingham –'Seeds We Sow'

Most people probably don't have a desire to listen to Buckingham outside of the constraints of Fleetwood Mac and that's a shame, because on Seeds We Sow his songwriting has reached new heights. Delivered in a dreamy foyer where pictures come alive, his lyrics find a way to steep themselves within. The devilish musical arrangements are unyielding yet memorable and above all else Buckingham proves that he may very well be at his best when he holds the dial back. "That's the Way Love Goes" is as gut wrenching as anything he's ever done with Fleetwood Mac and his cover of the Rolling Stones "She Smiled Sweetly" is lilting and as pure as a first kiss. Seeds We Sow is a truly top-to-bottom gorgeous record that should be the soundtrack to our dreams and desires.

[Cammie]

This Tony guy got it just right ~~~ Lindsey does that to us! Dream on you musical dreamers ! Love the Lindsey Albums! !

Originally Posted by michelej1

Tony K's Favorite Albums of 2011 from Antimusic

http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/12/..._of_2011.shtml

Number Five: Lindsey Buckingham –'Seeds We Sow'

Most people probably don't have a desire to listen to Buckingham outside of the constraints of Fleetwood Mac and that's a shame, because on Seeds We Sow his songwriting has reached new heights. Delivered in a dreamy foyer where pictures come alive, his lyrics find a way to steep themselves within. The devilish musical arrangements are unyielding yet memorable and above all else Buckingham proves that he may very well be at his best when he holds the dial back. "That's the Way Love Goes" is as gut wrenching as anything he's ever done with Fleetwood Mac and his cover of the Rolling Stones "She Smiled Sweetly" is lilting and as pure as a first kiss. Seeds We Sow is a truly top-to-bottom gorgeous record that should be the soundtrack to our dreams and desires.