All the really good stuff seemed to come in the first half of the year.
In no particular order:
Crash Kings s/t
Look Ma, no guitars!
A guitar-less rock album?
How could that possibly work?
Listen to the Crash Kings and hear how it's done.
The band's debut album should be trumpeted as a triumph of rhythmic simplicity and melodic accessibility.
The rhythm is the thing. Instrumentally, vocally. There's only three of them in this band, but it sounds like a small army, all overturning the barricades at the same time. It's not hip hop, it's not slam, and there's a garage band rawness that melds beautifully with a songwriting sophistication. Some trick.
Million Dollar Beggars s/t
Surprisingly, the attitudinal music of the Sunset Strip bands of the eighties and the stacked heel, glamrock bands of the seventies still resonates today.
Unfortunately for us, many of today's bands who've been influenced just sound like copycats.
Not so with Million Dollar Beggars. Listen to their self titled debut to hear genuine talent.
They put a contemporary spin on the music of that era. Each and every song has an appealing, self assured swagger. The album mixes breezily irresistible, feelgood songs and raucous, tuneful rifferama with edgy, tongue in cheek machismo to wonderful effect.
Herman Frank 'Loyal To None'
The only surprise here is that it's taken Frank so long to record and release a "solo" album.
Afficionados of the heavy metal genre and all its offshoots will find lots to love in this album of passionate, densely constructed, precision machined rock'n'metal.
It's full of compact choruses and self contained hooks, few of which have an initial impact, but all of which will cut and slice through the thickest of skins, given time and opportunity, and bury those hooks deep.
Eye '2 Hearts'
A disappointingly short album, only because you want the indiluted, unashamedly dated AOR to go on forever. The title track itself is a wonder to behold. I never tire of listening to it.
More please.
Pendragon 'Pure'
Ironically, Pendragon's latest recording was condemned for being too, er, progressive at its time of release. The reality is a rock solid album, sonically. Peppered with haunting effects and pensive guitars, full to bursting with busy, inventive arrangements. And it's heavy, man.
Bit of a mouthful, but "sturdily melodic contemporary progressive rock" just about sums it up. Yeah, all of that, and more.
Fair Warning 'Aura'
'Aura' is the best Fair Warning album since 'Rainmaker'. Relaxed, powerful, inventive. Full of bravura performances and exotic, carefully crafted arrangements. The music sways back and forth between beautifully constructed Eurorock and the band's own classy, patented sound, flirting gracefully with eastern cultures and with an occasional hint of contemporary spin.
Sparzanza 'In Voodoo Veritas'
On their fourth album now, Sparzanza are clearly a battle hardened crew, who've survived in one piece, clutching a bunch of songs forged in the fires of endless touring.
Not quite stoner rock, on 'In Voodoo Veritas', Sparzanza have lifted their huge, heavy rock mothership out of the sludge and the grime and made it fly. And on several handpicked tracks, it soars.
The Last Vegas 'Whatever Gets You Off'
Cut from a modified Million Dollar Beggars' template, and clearly influenced by the 'Crue, this band are almost as good.
There's more of a punky, rock'n'roll rush to their music, but that said, they know that the secret is to write a good hook. You can be forgiven an unfocused verse or a juvenile lyric if the chorus grabs you by the short n'curlies and doesn't let go.
Steve Salas 'Be What It Is'
Some five years after 'Soulblasters Of The Universe' came this new album from the king of funk metal. Recorded with class musicians like Dave (Pearl Jam) Abruzezze), Matt (G'n'R) Sorum and Brian (Pride& Glory) Tichy, Salas has got his muse and his mojo working together, heart to heart, skin to skin.
'Be What It Is' is a vastly entertaining mix of the slickly commercial and chunky, driven funk.
Stryper 'Murder By Pride'
Stryper inspired a fevered allegiance among fans of Christian rock and metal, giving rise to a cult of believers who spent decades spreading the gospel.
Their target audience has widened of course. Yes, they're still soldiers under command, but now they are hardened by life's tragedies and triumphs.
The results are some of their slickest and most ambitious tunes yet. And arguably, the music is the message now.
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