The 411 Music Top Five 06.29.10: Top 5 Thoughts on 2010, So Far

Posted by Ben Czajkowski on 06.29.2010

From Lil Wayne and Eminem's Drop the World to Simon Cowell leaving American Idol and more, the 411Music Staff reflects on the music scene since January, discussing the most notable music moments, the biggest disappointments, the best albums, and more!

Dan Wilcox

5. Most notable music moment:

Wow, what the fuck has happened in the music world this year? Nothing really jumps out at me here, whereas last year the answer was obviously going to be related to the Michael Jackson death. And while we've lost some ridiculously talented guys in the past few months, notably The Rev, Jay Reatard and Paul Gray, thankfully no deaths have caused the media shitstorm that MJ's did.

I suppose the massive decline in album sales could be mention but although that process has sped up in recent months, it has been more of a gradual thing – maybe we'll be talking about the utter implosion of the entire industry by year's end though. I don't want to go with anything "celebrity that's barely involved in the music business" moment, because I couldn't give a shit, so I'll just go with the recent return to form of Eminem. Not only does his new album kick a lot of ass, but his guest spots on Lil Wayne's "Drop the World" and B.o.B. and Hayley Williams' "Airplanes Part II" made for some of the sickest verses I've ever heard from the guy.

 

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

There have been a few things really. First of all while there has been a lot of albums I've been into, there has been very few really great albums, despite the fact that I've gotten into a lot of really good new bands in the past few months. Other than that I have to say the biggest let down thus far has been the new Lostprophets record. Many of the songs have grown on me and I do considered a very good record, but it doesn't even come close to matching 2006's Liberation Transmission, and considering the band delayed this album, scrapped it and rewrote on two or three occasions, I expected a lot more from it. Thankfully the band did almost make up for it with its impressive live show in Cardiff back in May, but the record is ultimately the most important thing.

 

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

I could give you a different answer to this question every day of the week, if you asked me every day of the week, although why you would I don't know. As I eluded to above I haven't heard many albums this year that completely blew me away – none of my most anticipated releases have managed to exceed my expectations, although some of the ones that have come close include Vampire Weekend's Contra and Eminem's Recovery. Two of my favorite bands in Lostprophets and HIM both released really strong efforts at the start of the year but I don't see either as Album of the Year Contenders. You Me At Six's Hold Me Down was pretty fantastic, as was the debut from Diana Vickers. The National, Plan B, Los Campesinos, Two Door Cinema Club, Delphic, Gaslight Anthem, the Young Veins and the Mystery Jets have all released some really good new material, but I think ultimately nothing quite tops that new Vampire Weekend record. Hopefully the second half of the year has more to offer.

 

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

Unsurprisingly a lot of my favorite songs come from my favorite albums. So honorable mentions go out to "Doubt" by Delphic, "California English" by Vampire Weekend, "Contagious Chemistry" by You Me At Six, "Where We Belong" by Lostprophets, "Romance is Boring" by Los Campesinos and "Cinderella Man" by Eminem. My favorite track of the year however is probably "Stay Too Long" by Plan B. Featuring some pretty smooth falsetto on the choruses and thuggish yet stylish slurred verses, this song is a fantastic combination of attitude and realism, perfectly capturing the essence of drunken life for a lot of young adults and adolescents in 2010.

 

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

Usually there'd be some massive upcoming release that I'm looking forward to but off the top of my head I can't really think of any that I can't wait to get my hands on.  There are some albums that might be released this year but with no concrete release date or details I don't think they really qualify, notably Blink-182's new record, which isn't going to be recorded until after the Reading Festival. And on note, that'd have to be what I'm most anticipating this year – Reading 2010! That festival has one hell of a line up this year including headliners Blink, Arcade Fire and Guns N' Roses. This'll be my first time attending Reading and I have to say I can't wait. There are numerous other gigs I'm anticipating, like Paramore in November and Prodigy/Pendulum/Enter Shikari at the legendary Milton Keynes Bowl next month, but these don't even come close to the potential awesomeness of the Reading Festival.

 

Read more from Dan...

Aaron Titan

5. Most notable music moment:

I find something new every day that I love about music. I don't live and die by the music world headlines I write about, so it's just the new music I'm constantly discovering. I really got into Bob Dylan for the first time a few months ago. Not sure what took me so long to get on board with him, but yeah, John Wesley Harding finally did the trick. I'm constantly trying out new tunes, since I have musical ADHD. 

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Michael Jackson's family hashing out money matters in the press is pretty disappointing on a daily basis anymore. Let's go with that for this one... Dude's been dead for about a year now! Time to move on and honor his memory, not drag it through the press attached to greed and blame-placing.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

I'd have to go with The Black Key's Brothers as my favorite album of 2010 thus far. It's got a soulful 70s vibe and has so much heart and pain to it. Patrick Carney's drumming has never sounded so crisp and dynamic and Dan Auerbach's vocal delivery is some of the best I've heard recorded in a long time. A girl really messed with my head around the time I got this album, so I bonded with the lyrical themes of heartbreak. Damn good album!

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

MGMT's "Siberian Breaks" blew me away when I first got my hands on their new album Congratulations (a close second for question #3 by the way). It's a damn good connected medley of just head-trip. For some reason, the name really works for me and I think of snow fluttering through ethereal winter winds when I listen to this 12 minute opus of flowing sonic goodness.

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

I'm hopefully going to be anticipating some concerts! I had tickets for U2's 360 Tour and that's postponed for the time being. I was one of those people who actually bought tickets for Limp Bizkit's summer tour too, only to have it canceled. I'm hoping that my local arena actually books some non-country shows so I can go rock out at some point in 2010. I'm also looking forward to some new music from artists I dig, Dr. Dre's Detox hopefully being among them.

Read more from Aaron...

Michael James

5. Most notable music moment:

Simon Cowell leaving American Idol.  Hate it or love it (and I know which side of that coin most 411 readers are probably on), American Idol has been a huge force in music and entertainment for 9 years, and most of that credit goes to Cowell.  Efforts to spice things up by adding and subtracting judges have been largely unsuccessful, and the 2010 season was the show's worst.  Cowell moving on probably signals the beginning of the end, and no matter how you feel about American Idol, it will leave a big hole in its wake.

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

A wave of big pop and hip-hop luminaries put out less than exciting releases.  I was greatly underwhelmed by new releases from, among others, Ludacris, Usher and Christina Aguilera.  Even the Ghostface/Raekwon/Method Man album was pretty weak.  I actually wrote about the same thing in one of the 2009 year-end columns, but I can't help it—I heap high expectations on my favorite artists.  Thankfully there is always someone new rising up for me to enjoy.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Spoon- Transference.  Some of my favorite bands did manage to return triumphant, and Spoon leads that pack.  Released on January 18, Transference was one of the first new albums I heard this year, and as usual I was blown away.  Tracks like "Written in Reverse" and "The Mystery Zone" show that Britt Daniels and friends have not lost their ability to churn out strutting, danceable rock masterpieces.

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

B.O.B. – "Airplanes Pt. 2 (feat. Hayley Williams & Eminem)".  I was hooked on this track from the first time I heard it and it's one of the few songs that I remember from recent years listening too on repeat.  Williams' hook adds a novel twist to the track, and Eminem's guest verse is ferocious.  Incidentally, the pop star hook has been a surprisingly good look for Eminem, as the Rihanna-featuring "Love the Way You Lie" from Recovery was a close runner up here.

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

I was hoping to say the Eminem/Jay-Z shows at Yankee Stadium, but as of now I don't think I'll be able to get tickets.  Setting aside a gift from the Stubhub gods, I'm mostly looking forward to a slew of upcoming/just released hip-hop albums.  The Roots, Big Boi (which I'll be reviewing for 411- free plug!), T.I. and maybe some new Skyzoo are on the horizon, and it could make for an awesome second half of the year.

Read more from Michael...

Adam Hill

5. Most notable music moment:

There hasn't really been any one moment that has been huge as far as I'm concerned, so far this year. There have been a number of little things, though, like discovering a truck-load of artists that I hadn't heard before. Artists like Delphic (more on them below), These New Puritans, and Broken Bells have all put out great records this year that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I also took part in Record Store Day for the first time in April and the buzz and excitement around that was fantastic. There were so many people, all energized and excited about their music and it was a lot of fun getting caught up in it all. Finally, from a purely selfish point of view, attending a really brilliant Lightspeed Champion gig and managing to get an exclusive interview with Devonté Hynes afterwards was a pretty notable moment too.  

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Again, there hasn't been any one thing that has been a huge disappointment but as is often the case it's the level of expectation that brings about the biggest dissatisfaction. After getting somewhat sucked in by the hype earlier in the year I was really looking forward to debut releases from Two Door Cinema, Chew Lips, Ellie Goulding and The Drums – none of which delivered. Other than that there hasn't really been a massive disappointment, so far.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Acolyte - Delphic

It may seem a little odd that I am choosing an album that was released today as being the best one of the year so far but Acolyte has been out in the UK since January and on heavy rotation on my mp3 player ever since. This is an album that feels ultra modern yet deliciously retro at the same time. Melodic and full of pinpoint accurate electronic attacks on your senses blended with smooth synth-harmonies, Acolyte reaches back into the 80's and channels the high points of both New Order and the Pet Shop Boys with some of U2's anthemic pop thrown in for good measure. It's one of those albums that hit you from the very start and make your feet want to dance, your head want to nod and your finger want to hit repeat, again and again and again.

 

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

"Spanish Sahara" - Foals

This is a stunning song and quite simply one of the best tracks I've heard in a long time. This is what I said about it in my review of the album.  

It is a beautiful, melancholic song that is whisper quiet for so long before it finally erupts, sweeping you off your feet on a wave of emotion and throwing you out into the surf, gasping for breath before the torrent finally abates and you are tossed ashore to compose yourself once again. It is nothing short of a masterpiece of modern indie-pop and a monument should be erected in its honor, such is its magnificence.

 

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

Personally I'm looking forward to new releases from Arcade Fire, Kelis, N.E.R.D, Eels, and Klaxons and maybe even Dr. Dre. I also anticipate a new album by Lindsay Lohan which will stink, more unnecessarily long videos by Lady Gaga that people will take far too seriously and that Lil Wayne will be a free man by the end of the fall.

More generally I'm looking forward to finding even more new music. I'm going to come off as being a bit of a sap now but one of the things I really love about writing for 411 is that we all have such disparate tastes in music. Just by reading the columns and reviews in the music zone you will find a whole load of music you've not heard or heard of before but the passion with which our staffers write makes you want to seek it out and try it for yourself. Already this year I have checked out a whole bunch of hip-hop artists that I wouldn't necessarily have given a chance before and I anticipate finding even more new artists to listen to in the next 6 months as well.

Read more from Adam...

Dan Haggerty

5. Most notable music moment:

The Death of Dio.  It's one thing to love the music the man had done, but it was another to have him suddenly be gone and realize just what an essential part of the history of metal he was.  Sure, we knew that, but when actually going back and playing them all in order did I come to appreciate just how true that is.  The man was part of six essential music albums, two each from three different bands.  NO ONE has done that.  You have Rising and Long Live Rock ‘n' Roll with Rainbow, Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules with Black Sabbath, and Holy Diver and The Last In Line with his own band Dio.  So on one hand, the loss of such a great voice, writer, and force of will that was Dio was a sucker punch to the gut.  But on the other it somehow made me look back and appreciate the genius of the music he had done.  RIP Dio, the wizard that stepped from the tower and soared.    

  

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Overall it's been a pretty lack luster year for me when it comes to metal.  Don't get me wrong; there have been some really good albums but the sum-total seems to be down from previous years.  Outside of Triptykon and Overkill, nothing has just blown me away really.  But fear not, since we do have the rest of 2010 and there are some strong releases on the horizon, including Iron Maiden, so the year has plenty of potential!   

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Ironbound by Overkill and Eparistera Daimones by Triptykon are in a virtual tie for the albums that have received the most play this year.  Bobbie and co. have returned to form in what is the best album since Horrorscope while Warrior has plat out KILLED with his new project, basically taking Celtic Frost to whole new realms of skull crushing heaviness.  Play the first when you want to wreck the next, play the second when you want your face to melt. 

 

 

 2. Favorite/Best song so far:

"The Red Funeral" – Sigh.  When can you say, the demented mind that is Sigh is nothing less than Frank Zappa in corpse paint, and this time he brought an orchestra as well as a mariachi band along for the ride.  From high chops black metal to wild progressive structures to Joe's Garage From Hell this band and this song is just so out of phase with reality it is truly a conundrum.  Which is why I keep playing it, only to figure it out and learn the secret of the universe…

 

 1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

Three weeks to Iron Maiden live.  Oh yea.  UP THE IRONS!  It's been a long time and this punter is stocked.  I have five concerts lined up for the last half of the year, including Prog-Power and the Carnage Tour, but this is easily the one I am most stoked about.  It's Maiden for Christ sake.  No explanation needed. 

 

Read more from Dan...

Jasper Jones

5. Most notable music moment:

The death of metal legend Ronnie James Dio has to be the most notable music moment for me.  I've been a die-hard Dio fan for ten years now after being introduced to him by a friend of mine back in 2000.  I collected almost his entire back catalog, including his Black Sabbath years, his time with Rainbow, and even Elf.  "Rainbow in the Dark" has been an anthem for me.  Nothing gets me going like a little Dio.  It was heartbreaking to hear of his death.  News reports up until that time had led me to believe that he was on the path to recovery and everything was going to be fine.  The man may be gone, but his music will live forever.

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Bonnaroo was all set for me.  My summer was to be highlighted by seeing John Prine, Against Me!, Mumford and Sons, Tenacious D, Ween, The Avett Brothers, The Black Keys, and countless other favorites.  Then it all went to hell in a hand basket.  Friends got real jobs that wouldn't give them four days off for a hippie fest.  Then other friends dropped the news that they were expecting their first born, with the due date being Bonnaroo weekend.  I was crushed.  Going to a concert alone is a little weird.  Going to a four day musical festival alone is extremely lame.  Maybe next year.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Meat Loaf's Hang Cool Teddy Bear gets the nod for my favorite album of the first half of 2010. It's light-years better than the lackluster Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster's Loose.  It felt like Meat was forced out of his element on Bat III, like the producers were trying to update his sound or something.  The album turned out to be a jumbled-up mess. Hang Cool Teddy Bear is a return to the Meat of old. Just when I was on the cusp of giving up on him, Meat Loaf knocks one out of the park.

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

"Los Angeloser" from Meat Loaf's Hang Cool Teddy Bear is my favorite song of the first half of 2010.  I have no idea why it gets no air play because it has a bouncy, catchy radio feel.  First time you hear it, it will shock you.  It's most definitely not your average Meat Loaf song.  Some folks are labeling Katy Perry's "California Girls" as the song of the summer, but for me it's "Los Angeloser" all the way, baby!

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

2010 has been pretty dry for me.  Meat Loaf's latest was incredible and Against Me!'s White Crosses has been enjoyable.  Other than that, nothing else has really gotten me excited.  It looks like the rest of the year will follow the same pattern, unless I discover something new.  Elton John and Leon Russell have an album coming out in October.  Union was produced by T-Bone Burnett.  The combination of those three should equal greatness.  That's the one I'm most excited about.  The Scissor Sisters, Chromeo, The Roots, Semi Precious Weapons, and Grinderman all have albums dropping this year that I'll check out.  We'll see what happens.

Read more from Jasper...

Lenny Vowels

I have to say that as of thus far, I have not been disappointed with the year 2010 in music. Being able to come up with a reasonable Top 5 of the Year (Thus Far) list by the halfway point means that it's been a quality for album releases, and it can only get better with the fall months ahead. For right now, here's my (half) year in review...

5. Most notable music moment:

Most of our British readers and writers probably won't think of this as a big deal. However, in a year already plagued by deaths (like that of Slipknot's bassist) and more posthumous Michael Jackson news that you can shake a fake nose at, my personal favorite music moment this year was getting to see one of my favorite bands play live. Muse was incredible to witness in person, even from our faraway seats. The music was fantastic and the band was on point with everything, but the real star was the visuals. Laser light shows might seem cliché, but they made it work, and it worked remarkably. I certainly hope I get to see them again within the next few years, as hopefully another tour of the U.S. is in the works.

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

STP was one of my favorite bands as a 90's kid. In fact, I still rock out to Core and Purple every once in a while. Their following three albums had a few good hits, but nothing quite on par with their original 1-2 punch. After seeing them perform live a couple of years ago, I was ecstatic to see that Scott and the DeLeos still had the same swagger and pizzazz they always had, and had high hopes for their future. With the release of their self-titled album, their first in 9 years, I was exceedingly disappointed. None of the songs stick at to me as a potential favorite, and while it sits on my iPod, I know that it's certainly feeling rather lonesome and unattended to. There's a perfectly good reason for that: it's underwhelming, and that's being generous. They should've learned from Alice in Chains about how to not ruin a successful formula.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Even only a week after reviewing this one, this one still shocks me. In a year populated with new albums by perennial favorites like Coheed & Cambria, Deftones, and the Dead Weather, as well as a new favorite in Veil Veil Vanish, I never would've expected an electronic album to shoot to the forefront of my most recommended albums of the year. Further managed to do just that. Having never been a huge fan of the Chemical Brothers prior to this album (having only heard a few songs here and there and never a full album), it made me wonder if that could be a big reason why it worked for me as well as it did. Whatever the reason, I love the album to death, and it's going to be a tough one to beat come December.

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

I couldn't pick just one between the two, so I'm going with my favorite songs from my 2nd and 3rd favorite albums of this half year. "The Broken" is just an incredibly epic opening saga for Coheed & Cambria's prequel album Year of the Black Rainbow. I just can't listen to this song and not sing along to it like there's no tomorrow. Ditto for "Rocket Skates" by the Deftones, from their recovery effort Diamond Eyes, except substitute screaming for singing. Both songs are emotional powerhouses, and very likely to stand the test of time on my iPod.

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

I'm hoping that Stone Temple Pilots are the end of the chain of disappointment, because there are a ton more bands that are releasing album anticipated by yours truly this year. Black Label Society is releasing their first album in 4 years come August, as is Iron Maiden. New albums from Stone Sour and Alter Bridge are also on the way, as are rumored new releases by other favorites of mine like the Offspring, Rise Against, and Daft Punk. This year's shaping up to be great.

Read more from Lenny...

Aarón Mayagoitia

5. Most notable music moment:

The Big Four concert at the Sonisphere Festival in Bulgaria. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, together on the same bill for the first time, is metal history at its finest. Not only did the four bands kill individually; they totaled the stage when members of every band joined Metallica on a cover of Diamondhead's "Am I Evil". I could go on mentioning why the gig was one of the most awesome things that has happened to me this year so far, but I already did that in my review, so why not read it and find out what the fuzz is all about? 

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Ozzy Osbourne's new album Scream. After getting rid of longtime collaborator Zakk Wylde and recruiting new guy Gus G (of Firewind fame), I expected Ozzy's new album to be, at least, a slight deviation from what he had done in the past, but Scream ended up being just another Ozzy album where Ozzy is the weakest link of his own band. At least his career is still good for one thing: bringing talented guitarists out of obscurity.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

Son of Aurelius' The Farthest Reaches. I have to say that 2010, as of yet, hasn't been that much of a fertile year for music. However there have been a few shiny jewels that get close to making up for the lack of solid releases – and among those releases is The Farthest Reaches: the year's best metal debut album. Holy crap! Listening to this album is a rush of insane proportions that only the best tech-death music can deliver. Make no mistake, Son of Aurelius is a beast of a band, and they've only just begun.

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

Meat Loaf's "Los Angeloser". You'd think that my favorite song would come out of my favorite album, but there's no denying the charm of one of the best songs on Meat Loaf's latest album Hang Cool Teddy Bear (you can read my review right here). An ode to the women that keep assholes and slackers for boyfriends, "Los Angeloser" is a nugget of sugary pop melody that showcases ol' Meat's best performance in years. 

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

Iron Maiden's new album. The Final Frontier is supposed to be one of the year's most important metal releases, and I'm more than up for the hype. I really liked 2006's A Matter of Life and Death's proggy direction, so if Maiden continues in that path I'll surely be pleased. Have I listened to official leak "El Dorado" yet, you ask? No. I will wait until the whole album comes out to either be blown away or let down. 

Read more from Aaron...

David Hayter

5. Most notable music moment:

Gorillaz Step in for U2, as Glastonbury celebrates its 40th Anniversary, and Bomb With The Live Crowd

Okay, I understand that Glastonbury is primarily a European phenomenon, but this has sparked rather a huge debate about the direction of the music industry in the 21st Century. A month ago when Bono hurt his back, and Damon Albarn stepped up to the plate, and was treated as a hero. It seemed like the perfect solution, three days after the performance it feels like a huge misstep. Gorillaz didn't fail artistically; they produced an rich set, full of top notch musicianship, surprising guest spots, and spell binding instrumentation. Yet they left the crowd cold, as they lacked a parade of obvious sing along hits. It was a sad moment; in the past it seemed there were many ways to headline a mainstream festival. You could be poplist juggernaut like U2 or art house starlet like Bjork, or somewhere in between like Radiohead. Yet it seems that today, the paying, largely white, largely middle class fanbase that attend these events demand; big pop hits and sing-along moments.

Perhaps, this isn't surprising, but I always believed in the mantra that there's more than one way to headline a show, but this year's seminal Glastonbury festival has forced me to reconsider this assertion. Now I'm not suggesting that the likes of Animal Collective should be playing to 180,000 people, but it does make you wonder if Radiohead came around in 2010 not 1994 would they actually make it to headliner status? Or have the artistic statement and the full LP been devalued to the point where this is now an impossibility? Are we doomed to watching The Killers, The Kings Of Leon, Green Day and The Foo Fighters in heavy rotation atop the festival summit until the end of time? We'll see how the Arcade Fire get on in august, but for now I'm unsure. But who knows, maybe it's all nonsense, maybe Gorillaz were just bloody boring, but then again maybe not.

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

Okay again this selection is more UK/Europe specific as Lily's impact was felt more strongly over here. Now before someone points it out, I know this news broke last year, but it became solidified this year. Anyway, Lily heralded, along with Amy Winehouse, a major change in pop music landscape, most notably for women. The strong and largely bland "superstar" based industry that had developed in the previous fifteen to twenty years was shattered by a normal, average, every day girl, who wrote quirky singles about disappointment and mundane nature of everyday life. While Lily had a crop of direct disciples; her real influence came from breaking down the door for female songwriters and pop stars like La Roux and Florence Welsh. Who we about as far from your typical; "all smiles", glamour model pop star as you could get. Whether her influence will fade, as the X-Factor/American Idol brigade continues to demolish all in their path remains to be seen. But in the short term, the industry, has lost a creative and intriguing voice who genuinely had revolutionary influence; as Lily was forced out by the insanity of celebrity culture, and the (in her words) "vacuous idiots" that inhabit the music industry. Hopefully, off-beat UK and European pop stars stray strong and Lily can retire happy with no void left to fill; even if it did feel as though she had more much more to say.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

This was a tough one, as 2010 has been a great year of baroque pop and electronica (two of my genres of choice, although I listen to almost everything). Yet I must pick just one album, so I'm going with James Murphy's final statement This Is Happening. Now I've already reviewed this album so I won't write too much, I'll just say it's an album of great emotional and artistic depth that benefits from multiple listens. Many of the albums most beautiful and tender moments like the heartbreaking "All I Want" are buried beneath loud soaring guitar loops. It's an album that requires great investment, but it offers even greater rewards. Containing a string of master works ("Dance Yrslf Cln", "All I Want", "I Can Change", "You Wanted A Hit" & "Home") This Is Happening almost manages to surpass Sound Of Silver, but alas Murphy was a little too susceptible to the elongated jam; but honestly, when you've had a career this strong, who could possibly begrudge him the occasional self indulgent jam session? Not me that's for sure.

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

I almost feel I should apologise for not spreading the love around, as there have been so many great album tracks and singles put out this year. Yet, I'm going to have to plump for LCD Soundsystem once more. As its "Dance Yrslf Cln" This Is Happening's gorgeous and tender nine minute strong opener that truly stands out above all others as this year's single greatest work. The way it contrasts subdued disenfranchised understatement with lung shredding emotion is just glorious, and that crunching synth line is a work of art. It's remarkable sparse and minimal but it's artistically dense and unfathomably substantial. It almost makes you forget about "All Of My Friends", well almost; PLAY LOUD!

 

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

Okay, I've been to a million gigs and a thousand festivals, but when you ask me what I'm most excited about in any given year it's always going to someone I'm seeing live. This year Arcade Fire provides the double whammy. They have a hotly anticipated album on the way (called The Suburbs) and they're (somewhat controversially) headlining my favorite music festival, the first one I ever went to, what's not to love? In Funeral and Neon Bible they have a huge act to follow, and their headlining a festival not based on number one hits, but on their sheer strength of their materiel and the quality of their past live performances. They were sublime in '06, but headlining is a whole different matter, and headlining with new materiel is an even more dangerous proposition. That being said, I can't wait, being in the 70,000-strong crowd when they play "Wake Up" should be a truly amazing and unforgettable experience, fingers crossed!

 

Read more from David...

Ben Czajkowski

5. Most notable music moment:

I could discuss the deaths that have happened this year or the bitter taste of the music scene. However, my comrades have done that enough, to this point. So, I'm going to talk a little bit about something that doesn't normally get touched on, within the music zone: piracy.

Yarr, matey! The legal ramifications of P2P revolution and the abuses of the agnostic technology is something that continues to interest me every day. Whenever a new blurb about it comes up on Ars Technica, I am all over it like a blood fly on a Gar. What is most notable is that since January 2010, almost 15,000 John Does have been sued in federal court. Not by the RIAA. Not by the MPAA. But by a special interest collective called the US Copyright Group. They're going after those who pirate movies, as of right now.

However, I fear that this will finally bring some of the largest changes to American law. I thought that maybe RIAA v. Jammie Thomas would finally set something in stone. However, that's just turned into a retard debacle.

Already, overseas, we've seen the death of several popular file sharing search engines, and the US Copyright Group is aiming to kick a lot of people in the teeth, at once. While I do not believe that their tactics are legally just, this is going to impact music piracy, in large ways. France is already doing some kinky stuff with their three-strikes law, and other countries are watching that with bated breath.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the US lawmakers are dragging their heels. Since they're still squabbling about net neutrality and making backroom deals about that, it looks as though this is probably going to be where all the fun is. Stay tuned.

4. Biggest disappointment to you:

My biggest disappointment is that I don't have an album that I'm obsessed with yet. At this time, last year, I was foaming at the mouth for Mastodon's Crack the Skye. Sevendust's Cold Day Memory came close, but I've found myself disinterested in much of the monotony now. Some albums have had some solid skeletal work (Bullet For A Valentine's Fever and Mutiny Within's self-titled debut), but I have yet to really find one that I can put on and just drift away to.

3. Favorite/Best album so far:

I'm going to go with How To Destroy Angel's self-titled EP. This popped up a couple months ago as a project between Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor, his hot as fuck wife Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. The group is named after a 1984 Coil single that enjoys the same name. The more I listen to these six tracks, the more excited I am for what this act is going to produce. It has a NIN-sound with a haunting female vocalist. Powered by amazing tracks like "A Drowning" and "The Space In Between", this is some mellow industrial that subpar NIN has really left me hankering for. Tracks like "BBB" and "Fur Lined" begin to show just what is beyond the horizon. This collection of music has made me want to get out some black army boots and my torn jeans, and with them, regress to my teenage-don't-give-a-fuck years. Can't do that though. Getting married...

2. Favorite/Best song so far:

When I planned out this topic for the writers to slave over, I already knew what this answer was going to be:

Sevendust's "Unraveling".

Oh fuck yeah…! This sound is just a perfectly rounded gem that rises right to the top of their expansive catalogue. From the moment that it opens to the catchy hook and chorus, Lajon Witherspoon and company have put together what will probably be my favorite song of the year.

 

1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year:

I am highly anticipating 2 things:

1. The new Stone Sour album has me pumped as shit. I absolutely loved 2006's Come What(ever) May. Tracks like "Zzyzx Rd.", "Sillyworld", and "Cardiff", along with b-sides "Wicked Game" and "The Day I Let Go" pepper my music playlist on a constant basis. I've been closely following and chronicling the making of Audio Secrecy, and the two tracks that I've heard from there so far have been nothing less than phenomenal. Corey Taylor is currently cemented as my favorite frontman. After this, I await his country solo album! …Okay, maybe not so much, but, hey, I'd listen to it!

 

2. The re-awakening of Tool and A Perfect Circle. These two bands have had such an influence on my music taste that a piece of me goes cold whenever they're absent. With the on-stage duets between Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan at E3 and whatever, I am confident that MJK is ready to make a reappearance with these two groups and put Puscifer to bed for now. He's really grown a lot (of grapes) since Tool and APC were shelved. I am excited to see what these guys and put together.

 

Read more from Ben...

The Final Word

As always, the last thoughts come from you, the reader. We're merely unpaid monkeys with typewriters and Wikipedia. Here's what you need to do: List your Top Five for this week's topic on the comment section using the following format: 5. Most notable music moment 4. Biggest disappointment to you 3. Favorite/Best album so far 2. Favorite/Best song so far 1. What you're anticipating about the rest of the year

Next Week...

The topic for next time is...

Top 5 Favorite Rock Albums

So come prepared! There will be a pop quiz...