Top 11 Albums of 2011 Continued

5.  Lil' Wayne Tha Carter IV
One of the most highly anticipated rap albums of the year met it's expectations.  With at least 6 hits, Lil Wayne brought the flow and the head banging beats.  Collaborations with Bruno Mars, T-Pain and Drake highlight this stellar effort.  The world of rap in 2011 belonged to Weezy.

4.  Young The Giant Young The Giant

Young The Giant came out of nowhere to be one of the best new bands of 2011.  YTG knows how to do indie rock.  With big sounds and fun hooks galore, it is a good, easy listen.  Hopefully you read my blog in March and knew that these guys would be big.  If not, check it out for now.

 

3.  Adele 21

Adele had this year's biggest album.  Packed with power ballads, 2011 was the year of Adele.  It is not often that a second album blows away a debut album, but there would be no sophomore slump for this female crooner.  Good job Adele, keep bringing it!

2.  Foster The People Torches

FTP almost made my album of the year.  #2 is not a bad showing for these fast rising stars from California. Their debut album has a cool sound, upbeat tempo and big hooks.  Part Euro, part 70's, part electronic, part indie, there is something for everyone here.  Although I like the whole disc from top to bottom, "Pumped Up Kicks" may be my favorite song of 2011.  I was thoroughly impressed by their performance at Coachella.  If you read my March blog about these guys, you were way ahead of the curve.  I hope their follow-up effort comes close to the debut.  By the way, they are playing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 10 2012 (my anniversary).  See you there!

1.  Foo Fighters Wasting Light

David Grohl is "The Man".  Musically gifted with a comedic sense and amazing stage presence, he has taken Foo Fighters where few bands even dream of going.  How many people can play drums, truly amazing drums, for one of the best rock bands of all time, Nirvana, and then play lead guitar for one of the best bands playing today?  He has a gift and he's not afraid to show it.  I was fortunate enough to see FF play at the Verizon Center this year, but if you were not there, you owe it to yourself to watch their concert at Wembley Stadium on Paladium.  You will not be disappointed.  Recorded in David Grohl's garage, Wasting Light is another great album from Foo Fighters and I am honored to have them atop my list for Albums of the Year 2011.

I hope that you have enjoyed my list.  If you have any additions or omissions, please feel free to comment below.  Happy New Year.  Rock On in 2012!

Top 11 Albums of 2011

While nothing "floored" me musically this year, there is a plethora of solid albums to choose from in 2011. It was very difficult to omit some really good music including releases by Airborne Toxic Event, Beastie Boys, Bon Iver, Coldplay, Danger Mouse and Daniele, The Decemberists, Manchester Orchestra, Mat Kearney, Pitbull, Radiohead, Sleeper Agent, The Strokes, Black Keys, Cage The Elephant, Grouplove, Cults, Theophilus London and Rihanna.  I fully encourage you to check out these other albums if you have never heard of them.  Without further ado, I present to you my favorite albums of the year.
11.  David Guetta Nothing But The Beat
Guetta in his typical fashion put together a truly solid collaboration effort.  He is paired with superstars Akon, Usher, Snoop Dog, Nicki Minaj and others.  The biggest song, "Without You" anchors the album, but if you have not listened to the entire disc, you are missing out.  If you have a dance party coming up, you could put Nothing But The Beat on and play it straight through.

10. My Morning Jacket Circuital

One of my biggest musical disappointments of 2011 is that I was unable to see My Morning Jacket when they came to Merriweather Post Pavilion.  I have heard that they put on a great show.  Jim Jones is the mastermind here and he puts out another great album.

9.  Tune-Yards WHOKILL

This is my off the wall pick of the year.  You have probably never heard of them but they have a really cool sound.  Kind of a combination of Sleigh Bells and Vampire Weekend.  Lots of African beats and funky vocals.  Seems like it would be a fun group to see live.

8.  Wye Oak Civilian

Catonsville, Baltimore, and Maryland should be proud of Wye Oak's latest effort.  A wonderful piece of art that is simple, yet refined.  Andy Stack is very talented and Jen Wasner's soulful, complex voice are paired together nicely.  The whole album just "works".

7.  Gary Clark Jr. Bright Lights Big City

Although short in length, this album is tall on talent.  Gary Clark Jr. is one the best blues guitarists alive according to many music aficionados including Eric Clapton.  Just try not to tap your toes to this album, it is impossible.  Gary recently came to Baltimore and his show was sold out.  He loves playing small venues, it is where he honed his craft.  Check him out for yourself.

6.  Kanye West and Jay-Z Watch The Throne

This album started a little slowly for me, but eventually grew on me.  Not the best effort from Kanye or Jay-Z but a decent showing nonetheless.  After seeing their performance live in Baltimore I liked the album even more.  In addition, Niggas in Paris has become an anthem for the Dean of Ball So Hard University, our Raven star linebacker Terrell Suggs.  I am sure you have heard the songs, but here they are again for your enjoyment.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Thanks Hurricane Irene For Giving Me Time to Blog

Here is some cool stuff that I am listening to now:
Fitz & The Tantrums may have the song of the year in "Moneygrabber".  I am also digging "Don't Gotta Work It Out".  The album will get serious consideration on my Albums of The Year list.

Mac Miller has some pretty coll stuff.  Check out these tunes.

Every once in a while, a super talented guy comes out of nowhere.  In this case, it is Gary Clarke Jr.  He is one heck of a blues guitarist.  He has been honing his skills in small clubs around the country, but has now burst onto the scene.  People like Dave Matthews and Eric Clapton have given him serious "props".  See for yourself with the song "Bright Lights".

My Los Angeles friend, Brett, told me about this next band, Sleeper Agent.  I am loving this song, "Get It Daddy".  The whole disc is very solid.  Brett tells me they are great "live".  I will surely try to catch them when they come to Baltimore.

I am also digging Theophilus London.  To borrow a line from Smucker's, "With a name like Theophilus, its gotta be good".  Check out these two songs, "Last Name London" and the very catchy "I stand Alone".

TV On The Radio has been around since 2006.  Their latest release Nine Types of Light is pretty solid.  I am a big fan of the song "Will Do".

And lastly, I like this catchy indie rock tune by the Givers.  It is called "Up Up Up".  You may see it going up, up, up the charts.  

I hope you enjoyed the music.  Until my next music diary posting...

Scotty B

You 2 thought U2 was just ok? Me2.

I am sorry to say but I was underwhelmed with U2's performance at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.  Maybe it was because I had such high expectations, but I have a laundry list of complaints about the June 22nd performance.
1.  The audio was average at best.  There were many times that Bono's voice was distorted or muffled.
2.  My seats were actually obstructed my the monstrous stage.  Ironically, the spaceship stage was specifically designed to elevate more speakers and the video screens to allow better visibility.  However, the spacecraft's "legs" blocked the direct view of Bono's primary spot from my seat (My seat was on the 50 yard line on the club level.  I paid $280.)
3. Although the video and light accompaniments were excellent, they require precise timing which severely limits any spontaneity or creativity.  Everything was very rehearsed, predictable and overproduced.
4.  Bono's preaching is really a bit much.  I know he is a charitable man and stands for many great causes, but his commentary on Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese political dissident, for instance was unnecessary.  If he wanted to make a comment about violence, he should have brought up the 275 murders every year within a 20 mile radius of the spot he was standing due to our wonderful "War on Drugs" policy.  

Here were the positives:
1.  I helped show the world that Baltimore can sell-out an 80,000 seat stadium.  Maybe other bands will take notice and schedule a stop in B-More instead of bypassing us for the "sexier" Washington DC.
2.  The aforementioned light and video shows were pretty darn impressive.  Thank goodness, because I spent much more time watching the video screens than I did watching the band members.
3.  The Edge is really good.  There is a reason that Rolling Stone put him #24 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time".
4.  The whole "space" concept was pretty cool.  The stage looked like a spaceship.  They walked onto the stage to David Bowie's "Space Odyssey".  Gabrielle Gifford's astronaut husband, Mark E. Kelly, introduced "Beautiful Day" from the Space Shuttle.  There were a few other space related cartoon videos.  And lastly, they exited the stage to Elton John's "Rocketman".
5.  The set list was very solid.  It is pretty hard to complain about a set list that included 6 of my 8 highest ranked U2 songs:
I Will Follow

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Beautiful Day

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Where The Streets Have No Name (especially exciting for us Ravens fans because that is the song they play at M&T Stadium when the Ravens' starting line-up is announced.)

With or Without You

Overall, the show was fun but I am sorry to say, a bit disappointing.  Maybe if I had sat closer, I would have felt the energy of the crowd more.  Also, I have heard that the audio quality is better in an arena.  Unfortunately, U2 may not get another chance to impress me.

Here are a few pictures from the show:

BJ and Me

Gotti

Phishin' at Merriweather Post Pavilion

While I am not a hard core Phish fan, I certainly appreciate their musical skill and their enthusiasm for their fans.  That enthusiasm is undoubtedly reciprocated by the fans.  I went to the Sunday June 12, 2011 show at Merriweather Post Pavilion.  I heard that the Saturday show was very solid, but traditionally Phish gives some of their best performances on Sundays at MMP.  Fortunately for me and my friends, Phish followed that trend and gave a stellar performance that we will always remember.

Pre-partying at Adam's house was fun.  His son, Jake, 6, had a sweet I-tunes mix with Black Eyed Peas, Paul Simon and Donna Summer (seriously).  The burgers were delicious and the company was good.  Then we headed to the show amidst some stormy clouds.  It poured in transit, but once we got there, the rain stopped.  We set up a tent and enjoyed some tasty beers and subs from Scittino's in Catonsville.  "People watching" at a Phish show is an event unto itself.  It is a spectacle filled with tatoos, skin and "colorful" outfits.  The Phish Phans are fueled by plenty of alcohol and the occasional illicit drug.  Everyone is friendly and easy-going.  It is truly a great scene.

My buddies, Andy and BJ and I had "Pit" tickets.  That meant we were on the floor.  For the first set we were about 20 feet from the railing in front of the stage.  Here is Trey Anastasio (lead guitar and lead vocals) from where we were standing.

I loved the first set.  They opened with Buried Alive and Trey actually held up a fan's sign that requested the song.  Then they played Lonesome Cowboy Bill, a song they had not played since 2003.  I enjoyed the classic songs Sample In a Jar, Divided Sky and Wolfman's Brother.  Here is my video clip of Sample In A Jar.

Another highlight for me was Phish's rendition of Stevie Wonder's song, Boogie On Reggae Woman.  They closed the hot set with several fan favorites: Halley's Comet, Bathtub Gin, Jesus Just Left Chicago (ZZ Top) and Character Zero.  The pit literally erupted during when they played Character Zero.

Phish had a solid second set.  They played several new songs which are not really up my alley, but the jams were pretty tight overall.  One highlight was when they played Steam and covered the pit crowd with steam.

By the time Phish was about to do their encore, BJ, Andy and I had worked our way to about 6 feet from the railing.  That is the closest I have been at a Phish show since 1994 (first row) when they performed at the Indiana University Auditorium for about five thousand students.  Last night's encore was Sanity, Makisupa Policeman and First Tube.  They were all first rate in my opinion, and I read one reviewer's posting that it was "the best encore he had ever seen".

One other funny story from the evening involves my buddy BJ.  No shocker there since funny stories seem to follow him.  Prior to getting back into the car to go home, he went into the woods to urinate.  However he went very deep into the woods for some privacy and stepped in some serious human hippie fecal matter.  He did not realize it until he had trekked it back into Andy's brand new car.  Although we had to deal with the stench, the degree of hilarity easily made up for it!

BJ, Andy and Me (Scotty B)

Overall, great friends, great show and great times!  Hopefully Phish comes back again to Merriweather next year.  If you have never been, definitely try to check it out!  

June Tunes

I am still waiting for an album to knock me over.  While I am waiting for that to happen, here are a couple of cool tunes to check out:

I posted about Foster the People back in March, but they recently released their first full length album, Torches.  It does not have much diversity but it is still a quality debut album.  If you are a fan of Passion Pit or MGMT, you will enjoy Foster The People.  I fully expect several songs to get airplay on mainstream radio.  "Pumped Up Kicks" may have already peaked but "Helena Beat" is on the rise.  The whole album is solid and will very likely make my Top Ten Albums of 2011.

My buddy, Steve Glass, introduced me to this next artist (I think it is his cousin).  His name is Kam Royal.  I am really enjoying his sharp-tongued, quick-witted prose and style.  I have not digested the entire album, but after one listen, it has me very intrigued.  I look forward to diving into it a bit deeper.  Keep up the good work Kam Royal.  Check out "Dude".  The Glass family should be proud.

Kanye West's masterpiece My Dark Twisted Beautiful Fantasy was my favorite disc of 2010 and the quality songs just keep rolling off of this album halfway through 2011.  The centerpiece song in my opinion is "Monster".  Kanye finally edited his video of this song so that it could be played on Mtv.  It is still misogynistic and gruesome but artful and brilliant nonetheless.  I am posting the unedited version so be careful around children.  Also, I have added the thirty minute continuous video, Runaway, with several threaded songs from this album.  The imagery on this mini-movie is staggering and Kanye's genius jumps off the screen.  It is DEFINITELY worth thirty minutes of your life.

My Morning Jacket has a new album, Circuital, that has encouraging signs after my first listen.  There is a bit of a buzz about them playing Bonaroo this weekend.  Check out the title track, Circuital and Holdin On To Black Metal.

 

I am digging the first song off of Coldplay's new album.  The song is called "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall".  It has that anthem chorus that Coldplay has patented.  It will surely make its way up the charts.

Daniele Luppi and Danger Mouse combined to write and produce Rome.  Norah Jones and Jack White get the vocals for three songs each.  The whole album has a cool, sultry feel that is worth a listen.  Check out Two Against One and Season's Trees.

Ready for my first ever gospel song?  Yup, I said gospel.  Check out Kirk Franklin performing I Smile.  Try not to snap to it.  Virtually impossible.  Enjoy!

Ready for my first country song?  Yup, I said country.  Jake Owen's third album will be released shortly.  This song, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, sounds best with a Budweiser in your hand.  Enjoy!

Cool Stuff In April

While nothing has flat out "floored" me musically this year, there are several songs and albums that are worthy of heavy rotation on my ipod.  Most notably, the Foo Fighters' new album Wasting Light.  The album is a hard rocking throwback to the days when rock albums dominated the airways.  The album was produced by Butch Vig.  He produced Nirvana's epic album Nevermind.  Wasting Light was recorded in David Grohl's garage without any computers.  In addition, Krist Novoselic, of Nirvana, joins the Foo Fighters.  Check out a few of my favorite songs from the disc.

Moving into Indie Rock, everyone needs to check out the Wye Oaks' third studio release, Civilian.  It was released in March.  The duo of Jen Wasner (McDonogh) and Andy Stack (Catonsville) produce a sound that is deeper, richer and fuller than you would expect.  Andy, a Berklee School of Music grad, is ultra-talented and Jen has a voice that is soulful and pleasing to the ear.  Her guitar has improved very nicely.  They are patients of Leikin and Baylin Dental care too.  Like peanut butter and chocolate this pair works together perfectly, just make sure you brush your teeth afterwards.  Check out the title track "Civilian", you won't be able to listen to it once.

I am also really enjoying Young The Giant.  A solid band with good beats and lyrics they are worth a listen.  The entire self titled album is solid if not spectacular.  I would not be surprised if "My Body" became a crossover hit.  If you like that, check out "I Got". 

In the Pop arena, another British artist (following the recent success of Tinie Tempah and Adele) is opening a lot of eyes.  Check out Jessie J.  A Pop artist with a funky side, I expect her songs to dominate the airways this summer.

I have been listening to this next song since before it was released in the States in December.  It just debuted in the Billboard Top 100 and appears to be on the rise.  Check out Martin Solveig and Dragonette doing their single "Hello".  Say "hello" to this catchy tune.

Two other songs that appear to be headed up the charts.  The first one is by the Beastie Boys.  I have been a fan since middle school.  That is scary!  Their latest release is called "Make Some Noise" and I have a feeling this song will do just that on the charts.  Their forthcoming album is entitled Hot Sauce Committee Part 2.

Another fun song that is sure to be a Summer hit is Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO ft. Laura Bennett and GoonRock.  Although this song sounds very similar to all of LMFAO's other songs, that is not necessarily a bad thing when you consider the success they have had.  

New Music for March

Here is a sampling of some interesting and kind of obscure tunes that I am listening to these days:

Foster The People.  Lots of people are comparing them to Phoenix, Peter Bjorn and John and MGMT.  They have a great sound and catchy chorus.  I would not be terribly surprised if this Indie band crosses over to mainstream radio.

Hugo.  This guy made a sweet remake of 99 Problems by Jay Z.  He also has a good song called "Bread and Butter".  He will be performing at SXSW this year.  Check him out.

Tinie Tempah.  This guy is huge in the UK.  His Trans-Atlantic emergence is inevitable.  If you ask me, he sounds a bit like Taio Cruz with the New Zealand guys from Flight of the Concords on HBO doing their comedic rap "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros"  You'll see what I mean.

Beady Eyes.  This band is new but not really.  They are the majority of Oasis without Noel.  If you like Oasis, you will like this disc.  It is a bit more toned down than Oasis, but a great listen.

Lady Gaga Releases Video for "Born This Way" Today

Even if you are not a fan of "Pop" music, Lady Gaga's new video is worth a watch.  She enjoys pushing the envelope.

Scotty B sees the Drive By Truckers????

When I posted my "Take" of the Grammys, I was notified by a reader that J Roddy Walston and the Business were playing at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC.  I am typically opposed to travelling to DC to see music.  I feel that if the band does not deem Baltimore a significant enough city to play here, then I do not deem them significant enough to travel to see them.  It does seem a bit petty, but hey that's just how I feel.  However, I really did want to see J Roddy Walston and this time they were opening for The Drive By Truckers who I had never seen and had always heard great things about their shows.  My buddy Steve is a big fan of DBT so we agreed to drive down together.  Problem was that we only had one ticket between the two of us and the show was sold out.  Compounding the problem was that my friends BJ and Andy also decided to come with us.  Further compounding the problem was that dinner with my family took a bit longer than I expected.  After some discussion with the fellas, we decided to still make the drive, knowing full well that we may not get in.  At 7:45, the 4 of us with one ticket left Catonsville.  While approaching the area of the 9:30 Club we had to take a detour.  About 20 police cars and 9 square blocks that were "caution-taped" delayed our arrival even further (I didn't need to leave Baltimore to see a crime scene).  Arriving outside of the 9:30 Club we solicited many people for 3 other tickets.  Unfortunately for us there were also many other people soliciting tickets to this sold out show.  Unsuccessful, we went across the street to the local pub, Duffy's, hoping that someone had tickets there.  Nope, still nothing.  Determined to get tickets, I headed back outside to brave the elements (without a jacket) to find my "miracle".  A half of an hour went by and I asked literally hundreds of people for extra tickets...still nothing.  During this time, I can hear J Roddy through the doors crushing it.  Finally, a guy walked up who had an extra, in fact, he had 3 extras!  However, he had already been approached by another guy (who I had befriended while scouring the corner of V St and 9th St).  The seller's wife really wanted to sell to me the tickets since they had 3 tickets and I needed 3 tickets, however, I told them it would not be right to shut out the other buyer, so I agreed to take the remaining 2 tickets.  Pleased with my efforts, I ran back to Duffy's to give my three friends their tickets and headed back outside to find that one elusive ticket.  Aggressively working the corner like a prostitute on "rent day" I was becoming discouraged.  Then J Roddy's set ended, my energy ran low, and my hands were numb so I went back to Duffy's.  I figured that the 4 of us would head back out and surely come upon just 1 one ticket.  The four of us went back out and worked the corner as a team, but at this point the Drive By Truckers had begun their set and traffic into the venue had slowed to a trickle.  BJ had an idea, he said that we could sell one ticket and that he and Andy would head back to Duffy's, thus allowing Steve and I to go into the concert.  At first Steve and I refused, but at the behest of Andy and BJ, we finally acquiesced and ventured into the show.
At first, we stood in the back to hear "Do It Yourself", "Gravity's Gone" and "The Company I Keep".  Then, Steve and I relocated to the other side of the club and were able to get pretty close (albeit directly in front of the speaker) for the rest of the show.  At this point I knew everyone in the 9:30 Club because I either solicited them for a ticket or hung outside with them while trying to buy tickets.  They played a few new songs off of their new album Go-Go Boots.  I enjoyed their rendition of the first single "Everybody Needs Love"

which is sung by the more mellow "Eddie Hinton".  Other highlights of the show included "Dead, Drunk and Naked" and "Hell No I Ain't Happy" with Patterson Hood on lead vocals.  Towards the end of the show, a bottle of Jack Daniels was passed around which seemed to give the fellas one last burst of energy as they ripped through "Let There Be Rock" and "Shut Up and Get On The Plane".  The finale was not the "Zip City" that many people were praying for (they played it the night before) but was an enthusiastic "Lookout Mountain".
I am definitely still bummed that I missed J Roddy Walston and The Business, but at least I got my first DBT experience.  It was a good show and I would like to see them again but will not travel to DC to see them, especially without a ticket!!!!!
Here is a video I took during the show. The quality is not great but it is all I got.  He gives a "shout out" To J Roddy Walston and The Business.

Drive By Truckers 2/19/11 "Let There Be Rock" and "Shut Up and Get On a Plane"

Scotty B's "Take" of The Grammys

Lots of people have asked about my "take" on the Grammys.  This is likely because it was a heavily watched show.  The more mainstream the Grammys have become, the more people watch it.  This leads to higher ratings and increased revenue.  Don't get me wrong, I am not criticizing the Grammys for going mainstream, I am merely stating the obvious.  "Pop" is called "Pop" because it is popular and by definition, popular means that a lot of people like it.  If I owned CBS, I too would highlight the "Pop" acts.  You have to give the people what they want or they will turn the channel to find something that they do like.
Everyone wants exposure and the Grammys are an amazing platform.  This wide television audience will do wonders for the careers of Mumford and Sons and the Avett Brothers whose individual performances and subsequent compilation with Bob Dylan were pretty epic.  Hopefully, someone who likes Lady Gaga or Katy Perry will see the talent in Mumford and Sons (my #2 album of the year) and download their album too.  Then while they are checking out Mumford and Sons, they come across Broken Bells (my #8 album of the year) or Black Keys (my #9 album of the year).

With that being said, let me highlight a few of the bands that were nominated for Grammys but were not highlighted like the "commercial acts".  Please support these bands via downloads or concerts tickets otherwise all we will have left is mainstream/commercial radio.  None of the songs are obscure, but they are all high quality songs that deserve a chance to be on your ipod.

J. Roddy Walston and the Business at Rams's Head Live on New Year's Eve 2010

 J. Roddy Walston and the Business rang in the New Year with authority!!!  New Year's Eve at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore  (J. Roddy's adopted hometown) was a happening event.  I am so happy my wife made arrangements to so that we could be there (it was part of my birthday gift too).

If you put Jerry Lee Lewis, The Black Crowes, The Allman Brothers, and AC/DC in a blender with a whole lot of Jack Daniels...you would have a mighty fine cocktail called J Roddy Walston and the Business.  I highly recommend their self titled album (see "Albums of the Year"-my first blog posting)  If you get the chance do yourself a favor and see them live.  You will be very happy you did.  It is a whiskey gulping, head bobbing, guttural throbbing show that will leave you wanting more.

Here is a clip of the final song:

"Used to Did" by J. Roddy Walston and the Business

Keep up the the great work J Roddy!  You are making Baltimore proud.
















Photos: Me (Scotty B), J. Roddy Walston and Brian Granek