Justin Slaughter's Ridiculous Summer Short List

These are tunes that are new to me that have gotten me pumped to take the summer by the horns.

Speedwolf - "Speedwolf"


High Spirits - "I Need Your Love"


Noi!se - "How We Made it Through"


Riff Raff - "iNTRODUCING THE iCON"


Darondo - "Didn't I"

Top Albums of 2011 - QuickCrit Music Survey Results

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey, especially those who took the time to comment.  Here are our top albums, or at least the 43 that we could agree upon. There are many more great albums, singles, and comments on our individual lists.

43. U.S. Royalty – Mirrors
    
    Although the gorgeous harmonies caught my attention, their live show made me love their heavy rockers. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
    
42. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
    
    Solid album. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
41. Givers – In Light
    
    Many Saturday morning dance parties have gone down when throwing this album on. A couple of late night ones too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    It's hard to resist the compelling beats and rolling ten-track fun that this album represents. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
40. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
    
    I love when she gets back to the dark and dirty places in her mind and churns out music that's all kinds of raw and moody. Plain and simple, the woman can do no wrong. -Mona
    Great modern anti-war album. -Tex
    
    
    
    
39. The Strokes – Angles
    The fact is that this band writes damn good songs and they're tight as hell. Does anything else really matter? -Lucas
    
    
    
    
    
38. Yuck – Yuck
    Yuck harkens back to the good old days when Superchunk and Sonic Youth reigned supreme. -Mona
    Totally reminds me of all my favorite high school years bands creating one super group. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
37. Zola Jesus – Conatus
    Opera Babe. -Justin Slaughter
    Hey, you know what? Sometimes shit's rough. Have some Zola Jesus. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
36. Blind Pilot - We Are the Light
    
    Glad they got off their bikes and back into the studio. I know it's only been a few months, but can't wait for the next album. -Brasilliant
    An anticipated album and a feel-good one at that, it can be forgiven its saccharine nature by its sheer infectiousness. It gets ya out of bed in the morning! -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
35. Generationals – Actor-Caster
    An excellent, hand-clap-y album to listen and dance around to. -TheCraneWife
    Generationals put out a steadily rocking true-blue pop album with modern sensibilities. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
34. William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs
    Connected with this album more than any other this year. Great, emotional song writing and vocals. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
33. The Streets – Computers And Blues
    He wraps up his career as being The Streets with a song about it being his last day of work! It works on multiple levels!! Well played Mike Skinner. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
32. The Cave Singers – No Witch
    
    Great live show. Great album. -NightraiN
    Like Fleet Foxes, Cave Singers are to be applauded more for what they do in the middle of songs than for the entirety of their songs themselves. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
    
31. Wilco – The Whole Love
    
    Not since Being There has the band offered up such a variety of songs on one album. Experimental, beautiful, fun, and moving. -Max
    If you hang around long enough you'll hear a few Wilco albums you fall in love with and couple you can't wrap your ears or brain around. This is the band's strongest lineup to date, giving adventurous strength to a quality set of Jeff Tweedy songs. -Lucas
    
    
30. Waters - Out In The Light
    So packed with fantastic emotionally raw and exuberant songs, I turn up one jam, only turn up the next even louder. -Awmercy
    Nothing like some unleaded rock fuel to fill up your spiritual tank. -Nesto
    
    
    
    
29. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
    It's hard not to love a band who so clearly loves its T. Rex and Bowie as much as I do. -Mona
    Some of the catchier melodies I've heard all year. -Max
    
    
    
    
    
28. The Drums – Portamento
    
    Darker offering from these sugar coated popsters. The fantastic vintage synth tones, unmatched tightness, and unforgettable melodies kept this album on repeat in my house for weeks on end. -Max
    For anyone who doesn't like the production on this record, wait til you hear these tracks live. They're stripped down and sound great, much like their Visiomento sessions. Yeah, there's a reason why I saw them three times on this tour. -Mona
    
    
27. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    
    Young and fun soundtrack for summer. Fulfilled my lust for Surfer Blood. -Awmercy
    Some of my favorite songs this year are off this album, and it remains in heavy rotation. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
26. Devotchka - 100 Lovers
    
    A melting pot like DevotchKa could only happen in America. From mariachi to gypsy, Parisian folk to chamber pop there's nothing they won't add to the mix. It's refreshing to hear a band that is so unconcerned (or unaware) with the leanings of popular indie music yet land smack in the middle of it. -Lucas
    Gypsy fun times. -ve1cro
    
    
    
25. Real Estate – Days
    
    I love these guys. Call it wake and bake, call it lo-fi, call it hazy surfadelic. Whatever you call it, it's fucking awesome and a superb follow-up to their previous debut. -Mona
    Such an effortless laidback-ness to this album. I was put completely at ease the very first time I heard it. Fans of early Stone Roses might enjoy the hints of Ian Brown in Martin Courtney's voice. -Max
    
    
    
24. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
    
    WU-LYF sounds like The Murder City Devils and Mogwai had a little English baby. They rock hard and also mellow, and you can make up your own lyrics, because they're pretty unintelligible. -TheCraneWife
    I like a song called "We Bros"??!! Fuck yea. And I like it a lot. These guys shred. I don't really recommend following them on Facebook as they kind of come across as idiots but I don't even care cause these guys write tunes man! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
23. Adele – 21
    
    She has an amazing voice. -Katie
    Sad but empowering. -Julia
    
    
    
    
    
    
22. Priory – Priory
    
    “Lady of Late” made me give the album a second listen and it turned out to be great. -Brasilliant
    Damn catchy indie pop. Great live show too. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
21. Washed Out – Within & With Out
    
    Within & Without is atmosphere music, it ebbs and flows with layer upon layer of textured synth and Greene's hypnotic vocals. -Lucas
    Atmospherically grandiose yet incredibly intimate. -Max
    A successful major sophomore effort if sometimes a bit innocuous. -Tex
    
    
    
    
20. Dolorean - The Unfazed
    
    “Unfazed by pain, unfazed by love, unfazed by rain that won’t let up.” I wish. -Awmercy
    I really need to ditch the kid and go see these guys live. -Brasilliant
    An intensely thoughtful album. This album anchored my bar prep. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
19. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
    
    My man-crush for Ryan is still undying! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
18. Portugal, The Man - In the Mountain, In the Cloud
    
    Another great album, all the way through. -Nesto
    Not as solid as American Ghetto, but still super fun. -NightraiN
    3rd year in row on my list. Can’t fight it. I love this band and how each album adds a new twist. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
17. James Blake - James Blake
    
    If this list were based on potential talent alone James Blake would surely sit near the top. Soulful and sparse, Blake crafts his ballads with alien rhythms, processed vocals and soulful pianos. Bon Iver fans take notice - James Blake is a kindred spirit and a great playlist companion. -Lucas
    A pleasant surprise overall, especially since I don't typically like this kinda music. -Mona
    Stunning... I expect great things from him as an artist and producer. -Tex
    
    
16. The Black Keys - El Camino
    When it comes to "rocking out" this duo does not disappoint. -Julia
    Ever wonder what a $30 Sears guitar would sound like run through $100,000 worth of equipment? Here's your chance. El Camino’s insanely glossy production seemingly veers away from every obvious strength of the musicians involved. The results are... another excellent Black Keys record. -Lucas
    I have no interest in attending stadium tours, so I’ll probably never see them live again, but I still love their pounding grooves and huge bad-ass riffs. -Awmercy
    
    
15. M83 - Hurry Up We'r Dreaming
    
    Anthony Gonzalez's songs mix the optimism, immediacy and heartbreak of teenage romance with sonic imagery that Jim Henson and Frank Oz would be proud of. Hurry Up is a grand achievement. -Lucas
    More poppy than my usual M83, but I'm into it. -Justin Slaughter
    Apart from stand-out track "Midnight City," I wasn't nearly as excited about this album. -Mona
    
    
14. tUne-uArDs - W H O K I L L
    
    Perhaps the tightest album of the year, this album has a big, pounding sound minimally done. An album that knows what it is but an artist who has leveled out the consistency of her sound. -Jeremiah
    I had a dream that there was a muppet show for adults and that this was the soundtrack. It was perfect. -Rain
    My vote for this year's most unique album. -Max
    
    
13. Tennis - Cape Dory
    
    Life can be complicated and scary. This album is simple and beautiful. Life can be too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Tennis is so good I thought that they were Swedish! -TheCraneWife
    Even though I'm writing this in my cold ass house in the middle of December, Tennis manages to always make it feel like summer. -Max
    
    
    
12. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
    
    It is incredibly delightful to watch Annie Clark grow as a songstress; strange, beautiful, enticing. -Tex
    Like a really good Tori Amos, this album is laced with acerbic narrative that paints a picture of a cracked soul starving for connection. -Jeremiah
    At first glance Strange Mercy appears to be a set of shockingly confessional songs. Digging deeper you realize that she is 'the actor' and that these are in fact roles. The emotional potency of these performances make them all the more impressive. -Lucas
    
    
11. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
    
    At the end of the day, simple songs always win in my book. Kurt Vile's songs are short, sweet, and completely addictive. Mix that in with fully flushed out layers of acoustic brilliance and you have one exceptional album. -Max
    This album really hit me as I was toiling, with headphones in, under full rain gear at work, digging drainage trenches in the pouring rain. If you imagine that tableau while listening, I think you'll see where I was at. -Tex
    
    
10. Destroyer – Kaputt
    I've always had a huge soft spot for Destroyer and when I saw the floating whales with backing saxaphone in the Kaputt video I knew Dan Bejar had done it again. It's so so good. Unless you hate saxophones. then you're bummed. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Reliably bizarre, yet still totally ruling, album. Good use of saxophone (and I don't use that phrase lightly). -TheCraneWife
    Dan Bejar is about as eery and cryptic as fuck as his music. As it just so happens, I love every bit of it. -Mona
    
    
9. The Antlers - Burst Apart
   Just an all around amazing album. Some of it sounds a little like Destroyer. Best song/extended metaphor about putting a dog to sleep I've heard all year (all my life, really). -TheCraneWife
   Great sleepy-time album. -ve1cro
   I sure do love their sad bastard way. "Putting The Dog To Sleep" though??!! Fuck... -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
8. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
   
   Tom still makes the best soundtrack for anytime of the day/night whiskey drinking. I found myself looking in the mirror, across from me in the parlor, and thinking that this album playing made me, somehow, just a little bit more sexy, in a gritty way. -Rain
   Took a few listens for the whole album to really get under my skin, but “Chicago” hit me from the start. -Anon
   
   
7. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
   
   Tough deciding who to put first, but if I just count the number of plays, they must be the winner. Best work yet. -Nesto
   This record is like non-stop multiple auralgasms perfect for a rainy day. -Mona
   While Peckhold's lyrics have become a little more concrete and he has taken a turn toward storytelling, the band it commended for making a richer musical landscape and for offering fascinating turns in their songs. -Jeremiah
   Really liked it when it first dropped; kinda forgot about it down the stretch. -NightraiN
   
   
6. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
   A remarkable young talent who hopefully hasn't just produced a wonderful one-off, this album is low-fi goodness with music that cuts around and through lyrics that otherwise tend to be forgettable. -Jeremiah
   Relax. Listen to Youth Lagoon. -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
   
5. Light For Fire - Light For Fire
   
   Romanticizing and ultimately celebrating heartbreak by diving into a whiskey bottle has never sounded so necessary. -Awmercy
   Liked this when I first heard it late last year, still love it today. -NightraiN
   I really enjoyed this album and can't wait to hear more from them. -Katie
   If this top ten list were for albums about drinking and self-loathing and regret, then this album would top it. The appeal of this album is a direct reflection of a man's draw toward his own miserable past. -Jeremiah
   
   
4. Foster The People – Torches
   This album kicks ass. -Graham
   I saw them live for the first time this year. Absolutely stellar. -Julia
   Another song that was constantly played on the radio and I bought the album out of curiosity of what the rest sounded like. -Katie
   The EP songs were so solid that the rest of the album seemed a little meh. -NightraiN
   
   
3. Beirut - The Rip Tide
   
   I love Zach Condon and his mix of Southwestern indie rock meets mariachi band whateverness. -Mona
   Everything Beirut is pretty amazing. Creative, unique and unbelievably skilled. -NightraiN
   I could be angry that Zach Condon is so young and talented but that would be akin to being angry at the sun for giving everything life. -Rain
   Bummer love letter music. Loved it. -Justin Slaughter
   I seriously have a hard time not liking anything this guy does. Nothing groundbreaking (for Beirut) here, but it's another solid group of melodic, horn filled, pop gems. -Max
   
   
2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
   Bon Iver's sophomore effort is one for the ages. These arrangements spring from Vernon's sublime falsetto and keyboards and branch out with strings, horns, pedal steel and chimes. They bleed wild originality and ambition while still having a feeling of strange familiarity. -Lucas
   Good for wistful times when you just wanna plop down on your bed, not talk to anyone, zone out, and kick back to something mellow. -Mona
   I knew it when I heard it. #1. Fantastic effort, Mr. Vernon and company. Keep it up. -Tex
   Beautifully mellow. No, Bon Iver's music has not gotten old. -NightraiN
   Pretty... very pretty. -Graham
   Killer. -Brian
   
   
1. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
   I've liked the Decemberists for a long time, but the direction they're moving in now makes me love them - just fantastic. -Anne
   Not only did they produce an album that didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out, they knocked it out of the park. Well done, Decemberists. I you rekindled my love. -Brasilliant
   This straight ahead approach (with some fairly obvious R.E.M. worship) suits them well. It hit the spot early in the year and is holding on strong into another winter. The King Is Dead has more heart, less brains and it's better for it. -Lucas
   A little more folk, a little less shanty, all around great. -TheCraneWife
   I instantly became enamored with this album. -ve1cro
   The standout tracks on this album are amazing. -Jeremiah
   It's a love-hate relationship. Today? Love. -Nesto
   Stripped of pretension, the band seems like it’s having fun. -Awmercy

Red Fang - Murder The Mountains (2011)

Portland based, Red Fang has been a band that I listen to for the past few years. Their first album contained one of my favorite singles from 2009, 'Prehistoric Dog'. Aside from being an awesome song, the video might be the best video ever made. There was a lot of anticipation regarding Murder The Mountains, mostly due to Red Fang being signed to Relapse Records.

After a 2 year break, MtM was released to mixed reviews. Some people I talk to, absolutely freak out for the record. Some people think its just kind of "meh". I think that I am caught in the middle somewhere. The major difference in the 2 albums is production value. MtM is produced so well, and is crushingly heavy. Part of my attraction to this band was their low production value that accompanied their beards, and the seemingly millions of cans of beer they consumed on a daily basis. The new album sounds like a super buzzy Melvins record with hints of other bands like The Sword, Torche, Queens of the Stone Age, and Kyuss sprinkled into songs. I don't really hear a whole lot of unique things going on with the record, but if you are going to sound like any other bands, The Melvins/QOTSA/Kyuss is a pretty fucking rad sound to go for.

The opening song 'Malverde' is a great opening song, that sets the tempo for 10 songs that are heavy as hell. Brian Giles' rants through the song of, "Thats the trick/I can't believe you're falling for it" gets your head banging and your feet tapping. The follow up song, "Wires" is an absolute powerhouse. Starts with galloping guitars reminiscent of Black Sabbath's "Children Of The Grave", then goes into my favorite riffs on the album. Its pretty awesome how this song is so heavy, but still catchy as fuck. "Wires" is hands down, my favorite song on the album. "Hank is Dead", and "Number Thirteen" are the two other faves on the album.

Don't expect to be blown away with a new 'genre-defying' album here, but it is still a great album to put on, and shotgun brews to. I listened to it a ton when it came out, and I still play the record every time I DJ my metal night in San Francisco. Go pick it up, and if you can..... see them live. They absolutely melt your eardrums live.

Mariachi El Bronx - II (2011)

I first started to listen to The Bronx when they released their album, 'White Drugs'. I loved them instantly, and when they played live, I freaked out. Around 2007 they were asked to release an acoustic song, that they were hesitant to do. They felt as if the whole "Unplugged" thing was played out, and kind of cheesy. Like any good punk, they answered back with fooling around acoustically and releasing "acoustic" song as a mariachi song. It really kicked ass.

From that point on, the band started to experiment with playing mariachi music, and released their 1st mariachi album, 'Mariachi El Bronx'. I fell in love with it, along with everyone else, but for some reason most reviewers felt as if the alter-ego was going to be short lived and burn out. They toured, and played split sets; first their hardcore set, then come back out in their black charo outfits. They would play their set with the authentic acoustic guitars accompanied by a vibrant horn section.

The sophomore album is just as good at the first, but I really think that they improve their music dramatically. It seems as if every good thing from the first album whacked down a shot of tequila and became louder and cooler. Something that was disappointing to me on the first album was that I felt as if a lot of the songs had a 'salsa' feel to them. They were good, but only a select few of the songs were truly 'mariachi music'. The Bronx adapted a norteno style to the new album, and seems to fit so much better. The subject matter of heartbreak, infidelity, and death is offset from music that radiates sunshine.

The emotion that the band exudes is palpable. The first track, '48 Roses' might be my favorite on the album. The song is triumphant, radiant, dynamic, and epic. It encompasses everything that I feel makes mariachi music so great: speed, rhythm, and a wall of strings and horns. Matt Caughthran's vocals are amazing on the album, with so much emphasis on sincerity and emotion that matches the lyrics perfectly. I think that I rewind the track over my favorite line every time the song plays, "So Father forgive my cold shoulder/I just don't have the time to console her/I can fall back in love when I'm older". 'Revolution Girl' is so damn catchy and upbeat that I have trouble driving to the album, due to my insane desire to grab a babe and start twirling her on the roadside. At first I thought the lyrics to 'Norteno Nights' was so cheesy with little bits of Spanish in the chorus, but it has grown on me, and is another song that has made it to the top 5 on the album. Finally, one of the more emotional songs that I relate to, is slowed down and makes me think that I should be dancing with a rose in my mouth. 'Poverty's King' has my favorite line on the album, "Everyone wants to be alone, until they are alone".

When people are surprised about the album being made by a bunch of LA punks, I can't help but see the similarities in the genres of music. It seems almost fitting that a punk band can go and feel at home making mariachi music. Both genres are young men, fed up with their failures at love, life, and progress. Both genres drip with emotion, and are an art form which requires a uniform, and a passion for playing regardless of audience. Mariachi bands tour around playing in small clubs, and play in restaurants in search of a couple of bucks to fill up the tank to get to the next destination.

Everyone should own this album. Period. De nada.

Valient Thorr - Stranger (2010)

I grabbed this album prior to its release when I saw VT on the Stranger tour. It is VT's 5th release, and it comes after a LONNNGGGGG 2 year wait since Immortalizer. I really got into VT on the Immortalizer tour, after seeing them by chance. I went to go see another band (Early Man), but the drummer ate some bad sushi and was shitting his brains out every 5 minutes, so they cancelled. VT was opening up for them, and played an extra long set that totally blew my mind. The energy of the band live is rivaled by almost nobody, and it is impossible to watch them and not act like you have 5 feet of hair that is screaming to be thrown around with hairnado's. The band hails from Venus (yes, the planet), and has been sent down to Earth to play metal and spread positive vibrations throughout the world.......How could you not love them.

Every release from VT has been very heavily influenced by bluegrass, metal, and punk. They have really made their own style, and its amazing. Their latest album Stranger is sort of a departure from their sound, with a lot more influence from metal, and stoner rock. I really like it. It seems as if they listened to Thin Lizzy a lot in the past two years, because the amount of dueling guitars is overwhelming, and I embrace it with open ears. There are some songs of the album that I wish were more organized and flowed better, but what they lack sonically, is made up with ironic subject matter and comedic lyrics. The singer, Valient Himself, isn't a great singer, but he is one of the most amazing frontmen I have ever seen, and even in the album you can feel the energy that he exudes. I don't think that there are any low points in the record, but some of the songs are a bit too uneven. Its doesn't really become that apparent until you hear one of the songs that are spot on. 'Sleeper Awakes', 'Double Crossed', and 'Sudden Death is Nothing' are spot on headbanging songs that all have great intro's, heavy riffs, and shredding solo's. My favorite track on the album, 'Night Terrors' starts with a reverb turned to 11 intro, and kicks your ass into gear. Valient Himself's vocals sound great with quick sudden spats of lyrics compliment the southern rock style that shines through in the track. The song really takes a turn for the solo, and gets really stoney that has dual guitars to only accentuate the solo which sounds amazing. After the acid trip solo, VT kicks your ass into gear again and finishes the song with me wanting more. I think the album as a whole is great, and I actually like it better than Immortalizer. It doesn't have a single that really blew my mind, but as an album, I like it the most of their releases, and think that we can only look forward to great things in the future.

Currently they are opening up for Motorhead on a U.S Tour that would be stupid to miss. I have seen VT everytime they are in SF since seeing them 2 years ago. If you like to sit and chill, not the show for you. The show will guarantee record beer sales for the venue, post-show whiplash, and most likely a "Boat-Row party" during 'Night Terrors' courtesy of Valient Himself. Gotta go check it out, Earthlings.

Vampire Weekend - Contra (2010)

I've been holding off on writing this review for a while, because I am waiting to throw this record out of my window. It seems like everyone in my life wants to throw this record out the window. I have been riding in my car, and the passenger has tried to throw it out the window. But alas, I can't. I am driven like a moth to a flame to the NY nerds latest, and I am confused. I'm a metal guy. I like listening to satanic ritualistic tunes, drowned in despair and anguish. One of my records that hasn't left my turntable lately is by a band whose 22 year old singer froze to death in a blizzard. FROZE TO DEATH IN A FUCKING BLIZZARD!

Yet for some reason, I love singing along to horchata songs and wearing a balaclava. I hadn't paid much attention to Vampire Weekend's first album because they seemed lame to me. They still seem lame to me. But now I'm lame. I love the album. I love it to the point where my friends have to physically remove the record from the player, because they can't handle it. I've been trying to put my finger on what it sounds like, and I think that the closest I can come is that its as if Paul Simon (in his Graceland days) made sweet sweet love to Lily Allen (right after Alright, Still) and popped out this nerdy little kid, Contra.

Paul and Lily's little baby has brightened my winter up. I've been listening to it religiously while on weekend trips to tahoe, or sitting in my ambulance (that's my J.O.B.) in the rain, and starting my days. It also brightens my day up when I text the lyrics to people that hate "horchata" with a passion. Their pain and suffering fills the negative void that I am missing from my metal.

It seems like this album hasn't made many new fans of Vampire Weekend. From what I've heard from friends, and what I can gather about the attitudes and opinions of others, Contra gives haters much more to hate, and gives fans a lot more to love. My top 3 tracks on the record are, "White Sky", "Run", and "Diplomat's Son". I highly encourage everyone to give it a listen.

I will leave you Keonig's parting words on the album: "Never pick sides, never choose between two, but I just wanted you, I just wanted you."

Friday Night Beer Pairing: Miller High Life & Valient Thorr

After fleeing their overpopulated and war-torn home of Venus, Valient Thorr settled in North Carolina. Since their arrival, the other 49 states are in debt. They have a very unique sound not of this earth, if you will. They have been spreading positive vibrations on an insane touring regime that has only been interrupted by Valient Himself donating one of his kidneys to his earthling father. The band is a hybrid of punk, bluegrass, and metal that is very unique, and so good. It feels as if I am listening to Adolescents, Sir Lord Baltimore, Thin Lizzy, and the dueling banjos of Deliverance all at the same time. Because of this reason, it reminds me of several different times in my life, and there is only one beer that represents my drinking life since its inception at the precious age of 14. Miller High Life.

The first time that I drank a High Life was with my old friend Miles Leland. It is a little bit creepy, because he has two first names, and his infatuation with High Life was due to his attraction to the babe on the moon. Little did I know his genius, and the way he would change my life. The ways that I enjoy High Life is just as dynamic as Valent Thorr. Its a perfect beer for camping, watching a movie, road trips, river rafting, chilling at the beach, chores, listening to tunes... but especially for partying super fucking hard. This song reminds me of riding my bike in Santa Cruz, looking for chicks...failing miserably, then getting super trashed with brosephs and getting in a ton of trouble. I saw Valient Thorr last year, and it was the best show I had seen in a long time. I was there with friends, drinking High Life, headbanging with my foot on the monitors, and pouring every third beer on my head. It was amazing. High Life and Valient Thorr remind me of not giving a shit, getting heated, and making bad decisions. Put the video on, get a High Life, and get ready to make bad decisions.

Converge - Axe To Fall (2009)

For 20 years, Converge has been reinventing themselves while still staying constant with one thing.... playing disturbingly good hardcore. The Boston natives released their 7th studio album, Axe To Fall about a month ago. I have been waiting to get receive the LP in the mail since its release, and hadn't listened to a single song. Now that I have it, it hasn't left my ears for three days. In fact, I listened to the album for 10 hours straight today. The album is 42 minutes long, but truly feels like an ep. Among the 7 studio albums, Converge has released a slough of splits, comps, and eps. The music they produce is always heavy as hell, and Jake Bannon's vocals always rip me to shreds. Over the years, they have gathered a cult following, and its for good reason--Converge makes music that is like no other band in the world.

Axe To Fall is no exception. It gets better and better with each listen. Their album Jane Doe is on my top 5 list of hardcore albums ever, and I've been muttering to myself, ".....this might be better than Jane Doe". The severity of that statement can not be appreciated unless you are a hardcore kid that grew up with Converge. Converge has taken everything that I love from each of their previous album, and woven it into their unique style seamlessly to create Axe To Fall.

The opening track 'Dark Horse' sets a pace for the album that makes me feel like the Maxell cassette tape dude in the chair. The onslaught continues for three more songs one of which has 3/4 of Cave In (Steve Brodsky, Adam McGrath and J.R. Connors), called "Effigy". The album then slows down with the two part beast, "Worms will feed/Rats will feast". "Wishing well" starts another four song theme of more doom/sludge songs, then leads into my personal favorite track, "Cutter". Machine gun/galloping drums command the song, and rattle the fillings out of my head. "Slave driver" is the 'last hoorah' before going into two absolutely amazing and unique songs that I still haven't decided if I can consider them Converge due to the guests on the songs. "Cruel bloom", is a Tom Waits/Black Heart Procession/Mike Patton song that is fronted by Steve Von Till of Neurosis. It makes me want to howl at the fucking moon. I LOVE THIS SONG. The closer is another amazing song that has almost all of Genghis Tron (Mookie Singerman, Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky), called "Wretched World". Its another very mellowed out song, that I think closes the album beautifully.

I'm still undecided about whether or not this album replaces my beloved Jane Doe, as the best Converge album. Axe To Fall defiantly has made the top three albums of the year list, and perhaps is my favorite album this year. Its a testament to how great bands can always reinvent themselves, while still embracing their own style. Converge is an amazing band, and this is an amazing album. Enjoy.

Other guests on Axe To Fall are John Pettibone (Undertow, Himsa), Ulf Cederlund (Entombed, Disfear), Sean Martin (Hatebreed), George Hirsch (Blacklisted).

Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive (2009)

My first experience with Doomriders was when I picked up the record on account that there was almost an exact replica of the tattoo that covers half my arm on the cover. It was their first album, Black Thunder. On the first listen, I thought to myself, 'if I were to start a band today, this is exactly what it would sound like'. I was absolutely addicted to that record for 6 months, and for several years I have listened to them on a weekly basis. The only bit of new material since Black Thunder was a split 7" with Disfear, and a couple podcasts. In late September of this year, Doomriders released their 2nd full length album, Darkness Come Alive. Upon the first listen, I was texting one of my best friends who lives in LA, exchanging thoughts on the record. We both had the same reaction – "Fuck, this is good". I really liked it on the first couple listens. I was really surprised of how much Nate's singing reminded me of Lou Koller of Sick Of It All, and how much the song structure sounded like Danzig.

I was used to their fast paced riff ridden mix of metal, hardcore, rock, and doom that they had on Black Thunder. There was a certain beer drinking humor that was present on Black Thunder that made the band seem like a party/live band that I was way into. At some point in the last 4 years, the party ended, and it got real fucking dark. On Darkness Come Alive, their pace has slowed waaaayyyy down. It is way more sludgy, and I have come to appreciate it exponentially with every listen. It is so much more heavy, and it lends the ears to pay attention to Nate's lyrics so much more, which have gotten real dark and real rad.

"Choke on all their lies / wasted all their lives / lowest of the low / You’ve got the heart of a lion”

The only song that has remnants of Black Thunder on it is the title track "Come Alive". For the first month of listening to Darkness Comes Alive, it was my favorite song on the album. I have come around and let the gloomy cloud cover of the rest of the album cover up the little bit of light that "Come Alive" contributed to the album. "Bear Witness" is probably my #1 on the album right now. The last 40 seconds of the song blows my mind every time i hear it. Other honorable mentions are "Lions", "Jealous God", and the amazing closer, "Rotter".

This album appeals to so many different listeners due to its diverse influences, and genres that it touches on, but it is an absolute must have for people that want to get pissed and throw some hairnados.

"Pretenders beware/strike you down where you stand."