He’s The Barkeep at The I-94 Bar and I-94 Bar Records and you’re not. Be thankful. In no particular order, here are his Top Ten Albums (although he’s invariably forgotten someone):
I AM WHO AM, AND NOT WHO YOU WANT ME TO BE – Johnny Casino & The Secrets (Off the Hip)
This list is no particular order – with one exception. This is Album of the Year. It’s good old rock and roll but on a higher plane to most everything else around right now. It’s well-produced and arranged (with the punch of horns on some tracks) and has some superb songwriting. The confidence, presence, vocal delivery and confidence (all interrelated) of main man Johnny Casino seems to be coming on in leaps.
WHERE THE FACES SHINE VOLUME 2 – Iggy Pop (Easy Action)
A great advance on the first box set with a whopping six CDs (seven if you’re quick) and a DVD making for a generous package. Unlike the first which partly sought to sonically upgrade some of the bootleg material already out there, the vast bulk of this live box set is unreleased. Best for mine is the bonus CD of a 1989 Adelaide, Australia, show. It’s a little rough, sonically speaking, but it’s a fearsome show and the ultimate Iggy set list from that “Instinct” tour. Other shows cover the “Zombie Birdhouse” and “Blah Blah Blah” periods and it’s noticeable how the material from both albums was so much stronger when played live.
THE SECOND CHANCE – Sonic’s Rendezvous Band (Easy Action)
LIVE MASONIC AUDITORIUM – Sonic’s Rendezvous Band (Rockarama)
You can’t have too much SRB and both of these are vital in their own way. “The Second Chance” gives you insights into some works-in-progress and imparts a sense of a gang working their own turf. “Masonic” shows SRB primed and intent on making the most of a prestigious support to a band that actually looked up to them. The Yin and Yang of Sonic’s loose and limber drawl and Morgan’s soulful vocal attack are damn near irresistible when married to a powerful engine room thud and an all-out guitar assault.
ED KUEPPER LIVE VOLUME 2 – Ed Kupper (Prince Melon)
There’s a slew of Ed official bootlegs out there and this is the pick of the litter for mine, if only for the slightly clearer sound and John Gauci’s keyboards which give an extra set of legs to a couple of the re-interpretations. Really, I could have picked any of the series. They’re that good.
THE HITMEN – The Hitmen (Savage Beat)
IT IS WHAT IT IS – The Hitmen (Savage Beat)
I try to avoid plugging things I have involvement in but the deluxe treatment Dave Laing of Savage Beat/Shock gave to the Hitmen re-ishes deserves your undivided attention. The live shows with a new but DNA-matched line-up kick 66 sorts of shit too.
THE VISITORS – The Visitors (Citadel)
Same as above. It’s long past time this one was back in print and the mastering brings it up just a tad. These are some of Deniz Tek’s best songs and the rest of the band were clearly having a ball putting them into action.
APA STATE MENTAL – Apa State Mental (self released)
Malmo punk monsters. Best “new” (as in: to these ears) band I’ve heard in 2008, apart maybe from Boris. Apa State Mental have a disarmingly smart/dumb approach.
BORIS – Smile (DIW/Southern Lord)
In-your-face psych-out guitar terrorists from Japan. They’ve been around for 14 albums, you say? Shame on me. I haven’t back-tracked through their entire oeuvre and a physical copy is on order form Santa (downloads feel so unclean) but this one is like a body-slam with the canvas replaced by concrete.
HELL CITY GLAMOURS – Hell City Glamours (self released)
Can’t put this one down. It’s just a bunch of road-wise skinny white boys playing in-your-face glam rock songs about the usual topics, but it has bigger balls than King Kong and swings like a $2 Bali wind chime in a hurricane.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Depending on the week, any of these could have made the Top Ten List:
THE GOODNIGHT LOVING – The Goodnight Loving (Off The Hip)
Backwoods punks play country-tinged, idiosyncratic pop. You know it makes sense.
WHAT’S THE TIME – Los Hories (Off the Hip)
We’re going to kick New Zealand’s arses in the cricket this summer but they’ve already kicked ours with this bucket of stumblebum, greasy garage rock.
ELECTRIC ABORIGINES – Awesome Color (Ecstatic Peace/High Spot)
A beautiful collision of dissonance and throat-clutching Midwest psych rock.
HIGH TECHNOLOGY – The Reactions (Off the Hip)
If the Stems and the Hoodoo Gurus came from Tasmania and were cousins, would they have a child like this?
HELLHOUND DOWN - The Labor Party (Steel Cage)
Who woulda thunk the wide open spaces of Arizona would spawn a potent album of singalong Dead Boys and Dictators riffage?
SUPER MINI ALBUM – The Pink Fits (Off the Hip)
Something’s seriously wrong with rock and roll when these guys aren’t a household name. Should have been an album.
FEED THE DOGS – The Holy Curse (Turborock)
France’s finest drop another payload.
FALLEN BIRDS – Mark Steiner (Stagger Records)
Euro lounge in a dank and dark space.
SLOW BURN – The Vandas (Liberation)
Rockin’ and rollin’, country-inflected tunes done very well.
NIGHT OF THE COBRA – The Breadmakers (Off The Hip)
A sweaty live album full of life that sent me looking for back catalogue.
DO THE POP! REDUX PART ONE – Various Artists (Savage Beat/Shock)
Was this 2008? Great at any rate.
