The Good, The Bad, And The Scene

The Cleveland Scene has published their year end music issue. The Good? This Moment in Black History are on the cover. The Bad? The exact same lists are published in other Village Voice owned rags. The top indie albums in Cleveland are the same top indie albums in Broward-Palm Beach and Minneapolis. Let this be a sad reminder of what happens when your local alt-weekly is no longer locally owned.

David Vanderverlde And The Moonstation House Band Daytrotter Session

David Vandervelde and The Moonstation House Band stopped by The Daytrotter studios reecently and recorded a four song performance. Two of the tunes: "Jacket" and "Feet Of A Liar" will be on David Vandervelde's Secretly Canadian debut disc out next month, while "Cocksucker Blues" and "Fuckin Around" are two unreleased gems. The young Mr. Vandervelde who honed his skills at Jay Bennet's studios in Chicago, is another one of my artists to watch during 2007. His first single, "Jacket," made I Rock Cleveland's year end singles list, and the first few listens of his disc show that sort of swagger missing in rock and roll frontmen since the 70's hey day of Bowie, Jagger, and Bolan. At this point, it's up to you and you know what to do. Rock it. David Vandervelde

I Am So Done With 2006

I am so done with 2006. I'm so done railing against the critical darlings who disappoint me. I will never say another word about The Rapture or Joanna Newsom. I'm done complaining about the Braff-Rock generation and their Post Hall and Oates music. I will never again use the phrase "(Insert band name) will change your life," even when I review the new Shins album. I am not big on new year's resolutions. In 2006 I vowed to break up the Tom-Kat marraige, and that one didn't work out so well. The previous year, I had made a resolution to improve my finances, and two years later I have an extra $200. in my bank account. However, I do have one promise and a lengthy list of wishes. I Rock Cleveland's Promise for 2007: I assure to you that I Rock Cleveland will rock on into the future, continuing that tradition of mixing relevance, irrelevance, thesauras free criticism, some f-bombs here and there, and most importantly, the highest quality indie and rock and roll music from Northeast Ohio and beyond. I Rock Cleveland's Wish List For 2007: 1. The next great rock record 2. A Pulitzer Prize, a Plug Award, and/or a key to the City of Cleveland 3. Chinese Democracy on the shelves at Best Buy 4. The Kuyahoga Music Festival to be bigger and better 5. K-Rock Cleveland to give up on major label alternative and add independent labels to their playlist 6. CMJ/Cleveland to bounce back after a sub-par lineup in 06 7. The Cleveland Browns not to suck so much 8. A return to the days when indie rock actually rocked 9. The new albums by Dinosaur, Jr, Sebadoh, Buffalo Tom, and The Stooges to be awesome and not embarassing 10. Two tickets to paradise 11. An Enron type scandal at Clear Channel that will force them to sell off all of their radio stations and cocncert venues 12. A successful lawsuit against Ticketmaster making them remove all of their superfluous charges 13. Naked maid service (I'll settle for someone who would love to come over and do my dirty dishes) 14. DRM free downloads from iTunes and Zune 15. A Rhino box set covering indie and alternative from the nineties that's as good as their 70 punk box set and 80's alternative box set 16. The music listening public will come to the realization that there's a lot of damn fine music being made in Northeast Ohio 17. A sugar daddy or sugar momma who'll pay me to make useless lists Is this too much to ask?

Times New Viking

File Times New Viking under One To Watch for 07. In a musical landscape littered with Braff-Rock (not my term, but I love it), indie pop, dance rock, and Post-Whatever, a strong reactionary statement is inevitable. So, let me introduce you to Columbus, Ohio's Times New Viking. Their recordings hearken back to the lo-fi days of the early nineties where Robert Pollard and Guided by Voices, Sebadoh, and Pavement were tops of the indie charts. Pro-tools? Digital remastering? None of that here. Times New Viking sound as if their scrappy garage rock was recorded on a decades old cassette boom box. Times New Viking - We Got Rocket.mp3 Times New Viking - Natural Resources, I Love Mine.mp3 My first introduction to TNV was when they opened up for Mission of Burma at The Grog Shop earlier this year. In a live setting, that scrappy lo-fi aesthetic is traded in for some good old noise. Drummer and vocalist Adam Elliot pounds and wails, guitarist Jared Phillips sets his six string to destroy, while keyboardist Beth Murphy rounds out the sound. I was in love. 2007 is looking to be a rather busy year for Times New Viking. They're set to release their second Slitbreeze album in February, and will go back to the studio later this year to work on their first release for Matador. Times New Viking Times New Viking Myspace Times New Viking will be at The Grog Shop this Saturday night, December 30th.

Seasons Greetings From I Rock Cleveland and Marc Bolan of T.Rex

Hello Rockers. The Holidays are upon us and I Rock Cleveland is going to be taking a much needed break over the next few days. We'll be back with more Rock and Roll Music next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this very special holiday message from the late, great Marc Bolan. T Rex - Xmas Riff.mp3

Beat Radio Vs The Diggs

Got an eamil from my man Brian from Beat Radio the other day. Turns out he's keeping himself busy these days as he and Beat Radio are working on a new covers e.p. The first song to emerge from these sessions is a cover of "Everyone's Starting Over" by NYC's throwback noise rockers, The Diggs. Like the best covers, their take on "Everyone's Starting Over" is able to stand on its own, and at the same time, reveal something new about the original recording. When The Diggs blast out "Everyone's Starting Over" the emotional weight can be lost in a colud of fuzz and feedback. Beat Radio peel back those layers of sound and expose a song that can be as powerful lyrically as it is sonically. What once seemed like anger or spite is transformed into quiet contemplation. Beat Radio - Everyone's Starting Over.mp3 Beat Radio The Diggs

"The History Song" by The Good, The Bad, And The Queen

As far as supergroups go, the early signs on The Good, The Bad, and The Queen are very promising. Comprised of Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Simon Tong (The Verve) and Tony Allen (Africa 70, Fela Kuti), all these men have rock solid pedigrees coming into this project. Add in the production work of Dangermouse and you have four decades of cutting edge sitting in one room. It's kinda scary, when you think about it. Uniting such divergent influences as Brit-Pop, Punk, Hip Hop, and Afrobeat, could easily produce brilliance or a trainwreck. Thankfully, "The History Song" falls squarely in the brilliant camp as it matches the sly vocals of one Mr. Albarn, with the eerie accoustic guitar work of Simon Tong, and a dub heavy rhythm section featuring a bass line Paul Simonon ripped from his London Calling/Sandinista Days. It all comes off as a sort of "Guns of Brixton" for the 21st century. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen - The History Song.mp3 The debut disc by The Good, The Bad, and The Queen will drop on January 22nd in the Uk, and the following day in the states. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen Preorder(Amazon UK, Amazon USA)

From The Vaults of I Rock Cleveland: "Fairytale In A Supermarket" by The Raincoats

I can't sit hear and pretend that I have a deeply personal account of The Raincoats. I was just a wee one when their debut self-titled cd came out in 79, and it wasn't until many years later that I fell in love with "Fairytale In The Supermarket." It's a simple song with a bouncy bass line, grating guitars, and unintelligible lyrics, or in other words, it's your basic proto-post punk from the late seventies. If that was all there was to The Raincoats, I'd be done with my post, and I'd be signing off, "I Rock Cleveland out." However, what made The Raincoats special, is that they were riot girls, long before that term entered our rock lexicon. In "Fairytale In The Supermarket" the chorus is something about "A fairytale happening in a super market," and quite honestly, I can't make out much else. That doesn't matter. What is being said, isn't nearly as important as how it's being said. It could be all sweet and innocent, but when the words are spit out at you, it sounds nasty. Similary, there are strong pop sentiments buried beneath the fuzz and scuzz, but they're secondary to the volume and the attitude embodied by how The Raincoats wield their instruments. Years later, many a riot girl would cite The Raincoats as their inspiration. Kurt Cobain (not a riot girl) worshipped the riot girl rock of The Raincoats in the nineties when he was hanging with one of the most (in)famous riot girls of the day, Courtney Love. In fact, when The Raincoats were reissued by Geffen and Rough Trade in 93, the liner notes were provided by Mr Cobain and Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. So, what I'm trying to say is if you don't trust I Rock Cleveland on this one, perhaps you'd trust those other rockers. The Raincoats - Fairytale In A Supermarket.mp3 The Raincoats

Porcupine or Pineapple

By most accounts, the second album by Brakes, Beatific Visions, is a more controlled, more thought out, and a more cohesive album than their debut disc, Give Blood. The songs are a little longer, a little slower, and there appears to be a concentrated effort by the band to produce a proper album that ebbs, flows, and peaks then retreats. The beauty of Give Blood, was that it had the feeling of a group of friends laying down tracks in a garage for the sake of making music and nothing else. It was spontaneous. It was energetic and unpredictable. Caustic rants against scenesters like "Heard About Your Band" and "Hi How Are You" were mixed together with nonsensical brilliance like the 10 second "Cheney" which consisted of the sole line, "Cheney, Cheney, Cheney. Don't be such a dick." "Porcupine Or Pineapple" just happens to be one of tracks on Beatific Visions that hearkens back to that old spitting attitude. It's loud, raucous, and quick (clocking in at just over a minute), and in the structure of the album, it stands as the apex before we work our way back down. Combining the playful line "Porcupine or Pineapple" with the biting line, "Who won the war/Was it worth fighting for," may seem a little odd at first. However, upon inspection, it's amazingly clever. The pineapple just happens to be the international welcome symbol. I'm sure you've seen one of those tacky pineapple flags flying out in the burbs. It doesn't mean I'm tacky. It means I'm tacky, but I'd like to welcome you to my home. Come in. Put your feet up on the coffee table and treat yourself to a brew in the fridge. The porcupine, on the other hand, is an obvious symbol, conveying a warning to stay away or I'll prick you with these pricking things. This song could have easily gone "Friend or foe," or "Hawk or dove," but "Porcupine or pineapple" packs much more of a punch. Brakes - Porcupine Or Pineapple.mp3 A US release date has not been set for Beatific Visions at the time I'm writing this post. I know that we should expect a domestic release in 07, but I don't know when and on what label. Stay tuned rockers.

Awesome, Awesome, Definitely Not Awesome

Awesome: Head over to AOL's interface where The Black Angles stopped by last week. Included in the podcast are some stripped-down versions of "Empire" and "Better Off Alone," a performance of the hidden song on Passover, "Misstress Brown," as well as one new tune, "My Boat Is Sinking." Awesome: I've gotta say it again, but the new album by VietNam is one that I'm looking forward to hearing when we get to January. Pitchfork had this track, "Welcome To My Room," a couple months ago, but at the time I had no clue who these longhairs in VietNam were. The track ended up lost on my hard drive. After seeing these throwback rockers live opening for the Lemonheads last week I had to give "Welcome To My Room" a fresh listen. And the verdict? Awesome, of course. Vietnam - Welcome To My Room.mp3 Definitely Not Awesome: Like most in the indie rock world, I'm stoked to hear some new material by The Arcade Fire. Just how stoked am I? Very, but not stoked enough to dial-a-song and listen to The Arcade Fire in wonderful anwering machine sound.

I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza Part 3: Year End Awards

Nebacanezer Never Rocked So Hard Award The veteran band that proved age don't mean a damn thing It was so hard to pick between legendary Australian punks Radio Birdman and the equally legendary Mission of Burma. Both bands released new albums this past year, Radio Birdman gave us Zeno Beach, and Mission of Burma beat us over the head with The Obliterati. Additionally, both of these bands gave scorching performances when they came through Clevo. However, as there was only one Nebacanzer, there can only be one Nebacanezer Award. The winner is Mission of Burma. Donnie Walberg New Kid On The Rock Block Award Best new band They won my top album of the year with Passover, and they won my heart with two captivating shows in Cleveland. It should come as no surprise to you that the first Doonie Walberg New Kid On The Rock Block Award goes to The Black Angels. The Ramones Do You Remember Rock And Roll Radio Award Best radio personality I remember rock and roll radio, and there's one place where you can still listen to rock and roll radio. That one place is 90.3 KEXP/KEXP.ORG in Seattle and everywhere on the world wide web, and the top Dj on KEXP is John Richards, aka John in the Morning. He's got a great face for radio (sorry John, had to say it), an entertaining personality, and an amazing selection in tunes that draws from modern indie pop and rock, classic alternative, high quality rap and electronic, and basically anything else that doesn't suck. The Second Best Thing About The Internet Award Best online publication that isn't named I Rock Cleveland Hmm...There's your old standards like Pitchfork, Music For Robots, and Stereogum. Then there's the young turks, Paper Thin Walls, Idolator, and The Tripwire. You have big blogs like Gorilla vs Bear and My Old Kentucky Blog, and some lesser known blogs like Culture Bully and Yeti Don't Dance. Finally, there's that segment of bloggers who annoy me, yet I'm drawn to their work. I'm talking to you Catbirdseat, Fluxblog, and Lefsetz Letter. They know it all and aren't afraid to tell anyone with an internet connection that they know it all. Now, if I could vote for myself, believe you me, I would, but this is the second best thing about the internet award, and it would be quite egotistical of me to claim to be both the best thing and the second best thing on the internet. So, the second best thing on the internet is Elbo.ws. While often overlooked when compared to the other major mp3 blog aggregator, The Hype Machine, Brandon, the man behind Elbo.ws, made a huge contribution to mp3 blog culture by providing a message space where we could freely exchange ideas, share tips and contacts, and call each other sell-outs, shills, a**holes, and worse. The My Album Title's Better Than Your Album Title Award Best album title Cleveland garage punk rockers, This Moment in Black History win in a landslide with It Takes A Nation of A**holes To Hold Us Back. Sometimes You Can Judge A Band By Its Label Award Best Record Label In the case of Bloomington, Indiana's Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar label, you can safely assume that anything they release is going to be really f'n solid. Secretly Canadian released new albums by Catfish Haven, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, The Early Day Miners, a wonderful free release by Swearing At Motorists, and the debut single by David Vandervelde. While Jagjaguwar gave us the debut album from Ladyhawk, the first disc by Canadian supergroup Swan Lake, the latest release from Oneida, and a new Okkervil River single. The Ronnie James Dio Rock Fist Award The artist that inspired the most rock fists in the crowd Wolfmother. Was there really any one else that could compete with the Wolfmother Rock and Roll Machine in this category? Their sound is an unapologetic throwback to Zeppelin and Sabbath. They sing about unicorns, magic forests, and witchcraft. They would look awesome on a black light poster. Most importantly, Wolfmother came to town, turned those amps way up, and took those in attendance on a way back trip to the hard rockin seventies with such burning tracks like "Woman," "The Joker And The Thief", and "My Mind's Eye." The Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me Twice Won't Get Fooled Again Award Least listenable critically lauded artist This was a tough one. On one hand, we have The Rapture with Pieces of People We Love, who traded in disco punk for straight up disco. Then, on the other hand, we have Joanna Newsom's Ys, that mess of a post-something harp album. It's so hard to pick, but this award is going to Joanna Newsom. I was completely fooled by the pre-release press and actually looked forward to hearing Ys. Once I heard Ys, I realized I would rather listen to the complete works of Barry Manilow. Big In Japan Award Best Japanese Import Andrew W.K's Close Calls With Brick Walls. You think you know Andrew WK. Maybe you don't get Andrew WK. Either way, this disc would have challenged everything you thought you knew about the man named Andrew WK. Had this album actually gotten a proper US release, you would have seen Andrew WK all over I Rock Cleveland's year end lists. The Grand Michael Stanley Band Award Best band from Northeast Ohio There are five bands that vied for the Grand Michael Stanley Band Award: The Black Keys, This Moment in Black History, Beaten Awake, Houseguest, and Gil Mantera's Party Dream, and I would love to give this award out to each and every one of them. Well...It's not a grammy, or a moonman, there is no physical Grand Michael Stanley Band Award, so I'm going to acknowledge the accomplishments of all five of these bands. The Black Keys can have the GMSB Award, Houseguest receives the Eric Carmen Award, TMIBH gets the Krayzie Bone Award, Beaten Awake The Layzie Bone Award, and Gil Mantera's Party Dream get the prestigious Mark Mothersbaugh Prize. The Rusty Shovel Award The musician who could best benefit from a whack to the back of the head with a rusty shovel The point of the Rusty Shovel Award is not to injure. The Rusty Shovel to the back of the head is meant to knock some sense in to you. It works kinda like the common cure for amnesia, if you lose your memory from head trauma, then a second head trauma will surely cure your amnesia. Man, where do I start, there's so many musicians who could use a shovel to the head -- Brandon Flowers of The Killers for starting beefs with every band not named The Killers, and for his bold prediction that The Killers would release the best album in 20 years, Axl Rose for being Axl, The Red Hot Chili Peppers who sound more and more like a band trying to sound like The Chili Peppers, Conrad Keely of The Trail of Dead for totally losing the manual after Source Tags and Codes, My Chemical Romance for nearly killing their drummer while attempting to film the greatest video ever, and Steely Dan for starting beefs with actors not named Steely Dan. I think you get the point. This list can go on forever. Man, if only I could get all of these people in a circle and run around with my shovel and give every one of them a solid thwack that would be so f'n sweet, but if I had one musician and one good shot with a shovel it would have to be Brandon Flowers. The Excellence in Awesomeness Award Artist Of The Year The Black Angels. Need I say more? Album of The Year, Donnie Walberg New Kid On The Rock Block Award, and now The Excellence in Awesomeness Award. When I look back on 2006, The Black Angels were the only band that truly changed my rock and roll life. I remember when Passover first came in the mail. How I rushed up to the third floor, turned the stereo up, and proceeded to play that sucker on repeat for the rest of the day. Their first Cleveland date at The Beachland Tavern blew my mind. Then, after I saw The Black Angels open for The Black Keys at The Cleveland Agora, and I experienced their sound on a huge sound system where I was able to lose myself in their dense, dark sound for forty five minutes, there was no question that The Black Angels were the one. Related Links: I Rock Cleveland's Top 10 Albums and Top 40 Singles.

Dogs, Ponys, Cougars, Bears, and Cezanne?

Dogs, Ponys, Cougars, Bears, and Cezanne all getting along? It can only mean one thing: it's a Friday rock block from I Rock Cleveland. First in the Rock Block, is a new tune from the NYC band Cezanne off of their latest release, Breaking Bats for Jesus. You can call it lo-fi, slacker rock, classic indie, or the term I prefer, awesome. Frankly, it don't matter what you call it as long as you rock it. Cezanne - I've Got So Much.mp3 "Little Cougar" by the Pittsburgh band Shade, is another one that hearkens back to the golden age of indie. When you got a mid-tempo rocker with rough as sandpaper vocals, a bouncy bass, and lots of fuzzy guitars, what's not to like? Shade - Little Cougar.mp3 The Pony's are due to release their first album on Matador next spring. The first single, "Double Vision" popped up on the world wide fantastic web last week. For the classic rockers in the house, this tune has absolutely nothing to do with Foreigner. Thank god. While we're at it, let's thank god for that shredding guitar solo that kicks in at the three minutes mark. It's a thing of beauty. The Ponys - Double Vision.mp3 Minus The Bear are finishing up a busy 2006 with more busy. In February, we'll see the release of the remix ep, Interpretacions Del Oso. That's Interpretations of the bear for the English speakers in the house today. Minus The Bear - Drilling (P.O.S. Redo).mp3 Last in the mix, is another band that I first caught on The Tripwire podcast, Dead Radar. Admittedly, I was first drawn to this tune on its title alone, "Dogs Of Jesus." Then, I actually listened to this tune and was blown away by its funky, disco demoltioin, rock style. Dead Radar - Dogs Of Jesus.mp3

Cougar

It's time to shift gears a bit. Cougar are a post-rock band like Trans Am, not a hard rock band like Chevelle, or a suck rock band like REO Speedwagon. Precise musicianship and stirring melodies are the name of their game. Their latest cd, the simply titled, Law, came about this past October, and it's a disc that has wedged itself firmly in my soundsystem over the past few days. "Atlatl" is the lead track on Law. It starts with a slow, stirring guitar line and light, muted percussion. Like waiting at an intersection for that green light, "Atlatl" is anxious to go into drive. Cross traffic has disappeared and the walk/don't walk sign is flashing red, yet still no go. You decide to fumble around for a cd, you figure you have plenty of time, and just then, we're green. The guitar's turned up. That simple line is a cascading solo. The muted percussion has exploded into a rush of cymbal, snare, and conga. Yeah, it's kinda like that. Cougar - Atlatl.mp3 Cougar Cougar on Myspace

Mail Time: What Constitutes A Classic?

Mike in Manhattan writes: I think an interesting entry to your blog would be the analysis of when songs enter 'classic rock' playlists . For example, I'm at work right now listening to nyc classic rock radio. It's either that or awfulness. Recent playlists have included staples like led zepplin or the beatles but also songs off of Green Day's Dookie and Pearl Jam's ten. So my questions: Is there a set shelf life a song must reach to be 'classic rock'? Is this a sign that we are getting old? Fascinating question Mike. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this question, and I could not come up with a rigid rule for when artists become classic rock artists, although there are some obvious criteria for being added to a classic rock playlist. First, of course is age. A new band is going to have a hard time getting a new song added to a classic rock playlist. Generally, somewhere between twelve and fifteen years old, seems to be enough time for an artist to earn themselves the classic moniker. Green Day and Pearl Jam first gained popularity in the early nineties, so I would say that they are not too young for classic rock. A second criteria is mainstream popularity. Pavement was active in the early nineties along with Pearl Jam and Green Day, but they didn't sell nearly enough albums in their lifetime in order to gain classic status. In terms of popularity, gold and platinum artists will always have an easier time getting classic airplay. Finally, and perhaps the most important criteria for getting added to classic rock radio, is that the artist cannot be offensive to the delicate ears of old rockers. Rage Against The Machine are old enough for classic rock, they sold enough for classic rock, but you can't expect the same people who like BTO to be down with "Killing In The Name." If you're a program director for a classic station you have to ask yourself this, "What's going to be the reaction of that one dude who requests BTO, ELO, and Bad Company every day when he hears Rage Against The Machine?" You may be able to sneak a Pearl Jam tune in after Zeppelin. You can follow up a Who tune with something from Green Day. However, there are some bands you'll never be able to sneak into a classic rock playlist. The first time you try to pull one over on your listeners and give that old Primus record a spin, your phone will light up with callers saying, "Turn that sh*t off, and play me some 'Feel Like Makin' Love.'" You've now gone too far with your playlist and the only chance you have at redemption is to go to a commercial and cue up a classic rock block from Boston. Editor's Note: We're going to ignore the old question. I can confidently say that dudes like us only get awesomer with age.

Wise Up To The Hard Lessons

As if by the grace of god almighty himself, a mysterious package appeared at my doorstep the other day. It appeared to be nothing more than an old record with some sharpie art added to the cover. Inside, there was this cd: Wise Up by The Hard Lessons. No one sheet, no contact info, just an ep in unique packaging. Later thant night, I needed to make a run to CVS/Pharmacy for shaving cream and dark chocolate m&m's (ok, I didn't need the dark chocolate m&ms, but they are damn fine) and decided to give The Hard Lessons a quick spin. Again, as if by the grace of god almighty himself, this mysterious cd blasted out of my car stereo speakers some wonderful rock and roll noise. Some days, I feel like everything's ok in the world. As for The Hard Lessons, they're a garage rock band out of The Motor City, Detroit Michigan, home of The MC5, The Stooges, The White Stripes, and The Motor City Madman himself. On their latest release, The Hard Lessons have infused their blue collar, working man's garage rock and roll with elements of blue eyed soul, as well as the stylings of classic alternative rock. The riffs are big, the melodies meaty, and you get the feeling that The Hard Lessons geniunely live for rock and roll. Man, I can relate to that kind of passion, and it's all over this burner The Hard Lessons call "Bamboo." Rock it. The Hard Lessons - Bamboo.mp3 The Hard Lessons The Hard Lessons on Myspace

I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza Part 2: The Top 40 Singles

Imagine me talking like I'm Kasey Kasem and I'm introducing America's Top 40. Now, this may be a little harder to imagine, but humor me, and imagine that America's Top 40 was filled with great rock and roll songs from the past year. Perhaps, it would go something like this... Numbers 1-10 1. Tv On The Radio - Wolf Like Me 2. 120 Days - Come Out (Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone) (MP3) 3. Oneida - Up With People (MP3) 4. Hot Chip - The Warning 5. Jim Noir - Eanie Meany 6. Ladyhawk - The Dugout (MP3) 7. Arctic Monkeys - A Certain Romance 8. Trainwreck Riders - In And Out Of Love (MP3) 9. Pablo - Loser Crew (MP3) 10. Band of Horses - The Funeral (MP3) Man, if only the rest of Cookie Mountain hit me like "Wolf Like Me," it would have easily been album of the year. As it is, Cookie Mountain couldn't pass the "Next button test" and it'll have to settle for the top single. There's something about "The Warning" by Hot Chip at Number 4. That something is how they're so polite about beating your ass. Love it. At Number 9, "Loser Crew" by Pablo was my favorite low self-esteem, everything blows song of 2006. Numbers 11-20 11. Archie Bronson Outfit - Dart For My Sweetheart 12. David Vandervelde - Jacket (MP3) 13. Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye 14. Bobby Bare, Jr. - Stop Cryin' 15. Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives 16. The Black Angels - Bloodhounds On My Trail 17. The Thermals - Pillar of Salt (MP3) 18. Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks (MP3) 19. Houseguest - Muted Mesa 20. The Magic Words - Mayflies David Vandervelde does the best Marc Bolan since Marc Bolan with "Jacket." Silversun Pickups, The Black Angels, The Thermals, and Oxford Collapse fill the second ten with fantastic levels of guitar noise. At 19, "Muted Mesa" by Houseguest was re-recorded for their 2006 release, High Strangeness. It's one of those songs that requires the repeat (a sure fire sign of top single material). Numbers 21-30 21. Think About Life - Paul Cries 22. Mission of Burma - Nancy Reagan's Head 23. Beaten Awake - Bubble Bath of Sharks 24. Film School - Like You Know 25. Forward Russia - Nine 26. Black Keys - Strange Desire 27. Hopewell - Beautiful Targets (MP3) 28. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Mercy 29. Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs (MP3) 30. Ratatat - Wildcat At Number 22, Mission of Burma, had one of my favorite lines of the year in "I'm haunted by the freakish size of Nancy Reagan's head/No way that thing came with that body." It's so much fun to sing along with. "Mercy," by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, appeared on the Howl Outtake's ep, released early in the year. It's one of those songs that some amazing way escaped mentioin on I Rock Cleveland. My bad dudes. Numbers 31-40 31. Say Hi To Your Mom - Blah Blah Blah Blah 32. Two Gallants - Steady Rollin 33. Lions In The Street - Mine Ain't Yours 34. This Moment In Black History - Garbage In/Garbage Out (MP3) 35. Catfish Haven - Crazy For Leaving (MP3) 36. The Horrors - Sheena Is A Parasite 37. Fields - Song For The Fields 38. The Futureheads - Skip To The End 39. Radio Birdman - We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today) 40. The New Lou Reeds - Looking For A Boogaloo This Moment in Black History at 34 and The New Lou Reeds at 40, are two shining examples of the kind of Cleveland rock and roll music I've been championing this past year. There's not much pretty about these tunes, but, hey man, it's rock and roll music, and rock and roll music isn't always pretty. Still to come during I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza is the year in Cleveland Rock, as well as those highly anticipated year end awards.

I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza Part 1: 2006's Top Albums

First things first. This is I Rock Cleveland's top albums of 2006. It's not a list of what I think you think the top albums should have been. I advertise myself as a Rock and Indie blogger, and as a result, the top albums list is rock heavy. Additionally, I don't share an affinity for what I like to call Diet Indie (or Indie-Lite, or Post Hall and Oates Rock) with many in the blogosphere. When I get around to the top 40 singles of 2006, you'll see a lot more variety, and truth be told, there may even be some of that Diet Indie. Hey, a good song can't be denied. My criteria for choosing the top albums of 2006 was pretty simple. It had to come out in 2006 and I had to be able to listen to and enjoy that album without hitting the next button. If you've got a couple clunkers on your cd, it's not going to make my list. Finally, when we look back at 2006, I think a lot of us are going to be in agreement that this was either a year in transition, or even worse a bad year for music. Few albums successfully combined high art with high rock. Ok, there may not have been any albums that rocked with all due hardness and all due intelligence. So, when I'm left to choose between artistically ambitious and something that stimulates my rock and roll soul, I'm going to choose the latter each and every time. That is why The Black Angels are my top pick for 06. The haters will claim that they're no more than Velvet Underground retreads. I say, let the haters hate, it's their loss. The Black Angels put out the most intense and compelling rock record this past year, and it was loud, droning, psychedelic rock and roll. I Rock Cleveland's Top 10 of 2006: 1. The Black Angels - Passover 2. 120 Days - 120 Days 3. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine 4. The Black Keys - Magic Potion 5. Film School - Film School 6. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Fear Is On Our Side 7. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am... 8. Favourite Sons - Down Beside Your Beauty 9. Isobel Campbell - Milk White Sheets 10. Beaten Awake - Let's Get Simplified Honorable Mention: The Drones - Gala Mill, Siversun Pickups - Carnavas, IV Thieves - If We Can't Escape My Pretty, Houseguest - High Strangeness, American Princes - Less and Less, Archie Bronson Outfit - Derdang, Derdang, Mission of Burma - The Obliterati, Catfish Haven - Tell Me, Fields - 7 From The Village, Centro-Matic - Fort Recovery, Forward Russia - Give Me A Wall, Ladyhawk - Ladyhawk, Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds, Swan Lake - Beast Moans, Trainwreck Riders - Lonely Road Revival, The Magic Words - Junk Train, The Low Frequency In Stereo - The Last Temptation Of..., Darker My Love - Darker My Love

"The 'F' Word" by Bad Astronaut

I can't listen to Bad Astronaut without thinking about the tragedy of former Bad Astronaut and Lagwagon drummer Derrick Plourde committing suicide in 2005 prior to the completion of their third album, Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment. Joey Cape, the singer and songwriter for Bad Astronaut (and Lagwagon) eventually picked up the pieces and was able to finish the album. Admittedly, he considers it an album with a split personality: those tracks recorded before the loss of Derrick and those recorded after his loss. Bad Astronaut was the indie rock side project that Joey and Derrick formed with some of their friends and fellow musicians. In Bad Astronaut, the power pop and punk of Lagwagon is exchanged for heartfelt lyrics and a considerably more patient indie vibe. Derrick's suicide and Joey's attempt to cope with his friend's death, dominate "The 'F' Word." It would be a powerful, slow, sad song without the surrounding circumstances. Now, add in that loss, helplessness, and despair, and this one hit's your heart so f'n hard. Man, this a a great track, and a fitting farewell for a friend. Bad Astronaut - The 'F' Word.mp3 Twelve Small Steps and One Giant Disappointment is out now on Fat Wreck Chords. Bad Astronaut Bad Astronaut on Fat Wreck Chords

Dee Snider Delivers The Holiday Cheer

Maybe you thought I was being sarcastic when I last brought up Twisted Sister's Christmas album, Twisted Christmas. "Perfect Christmas gift for everyone?" You asked yourself. "I Rock Cleveland can't be serious." Oh, I am serious, and as I'm writing this post, my family are slowly coming to terms with the reality that they are going to be having a Tiwsted Christmas this year. Before Twisted Christmas came about, I could count my favorite Christmas songs on two fingers. There's "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)" by The Ramones, Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis," and quite honestly, that's it. God bless Dee Snider. Twisted Sister already gave us rockers that precious present of a Holiday album that we can call our own, and now it seems, they can't stop giving. Dee Snider and Twisted Sister have put together two vids for "All Come All Ye Faithful." Both the animated and live action vid have that good old Twisted Sister wit in abundance. I don't want to say too much more about these clips. It'll ruin the surprise. Sit back, watch, enjoy the awesomeness, and may you and yours have a Twisted Christmas. Twisted Sister E-Card With Two Vids for "All Come All Ye Faithful" Twisted Sister

The Lemonheads, VietNam, and Hymns. Grog Shop. 12.09.06

I really love Evan Dando of The Lemonheads. I say that in the straightest way that a straight man can profess his love for a musician. He bumped into me at the merch table while the openers VietNam were on stage, and I was like, "Oh my god, Evan Dando just bumped into me." You see, after all these years, Evan Dando still has that lovable loser aura about him. The last time I saw Evan Dando at the Grog Shop on a solo tour, he played a short set, barely spoke to the crowd, and could not wait to get off the stage. Did that diminish my love for Evan Dando? Nope. I quickly shrugged it off. Maybe Evan was having a bad day. We all have bad days, right? Once Evan Dando and The Lemonheads took the stage last night, and he flashed that famous aw-shucks smile of his, all was forgiven. They opened the set with two tunes from 2006's self titled release, "Black Gown" and "Become The Enemy" before reaching back to 1992's It's A Shame About Ray for "Hannah and Gabi" and 1993's Come On Feel The Lemonheads for "Down About It." It was only four songs into the set and you could tell that Evan was enjoying himself this time through town. When someone from the crowd kept requesting "Mrs. Robinson," Evan said, "Why don't you come up and sing it with us?" So, The Lemonheads kept recycling the intro to "Mrs. Robinson" until he got on the stage and started singing. Later in the night, when someone screamed "Freebird" The Lemonheads started playing "Freebird." When Evan and the band broke out of "Freebird" after a couple minutes, he explained that he and the bandmates figured the best way to stop people from saying "Freebird" was to play the song whenever someone screamed it. What a smart and charming man, that Evan Dando. While the crowd was quite receptive to the new material, the biggest responses came from that classic era Lemonheads material from 92 and 93 including "Bit Part," "Allison's Starting To Happen," "The Turnpike Down," "My Drug Buddy," and "It's A Shame About Ray." It was like 1993 all over again, sitting on my sofa thinking about what I'm not going to do today, listening to those irresistable gems from It's a Shame About Ray, and Evan Dando's face was on every magazine cover. Oh, the good old days. After breaking out "The Great Big No" Evan gave his drummer and bassist a rest, and did a nine song solo set. In rapid fire succession he broke out charming renditions of "Outdoor Life," "Being Around," "Into Your Arms," and one of my favorites, the Misfits cover "Skulls." Now back to a full band, The Lemonheads did a quick third set with "Rudderless" and "Confetti." It was like musical nirvana, eden, and seventh heaven complete with the 72 virgins. Evan Dando had my heart once again. New York bands Hymns and VietNam started the night's rock bill. Hymns were one of those bands that weren't bad, they weren't exceptionally good, but if you weren't paying attention, you'd find your toe tapping along. The long haired rockers in VietNam played a sweet set off of their forthcoming 2007 release. I would have walked home with a copy if they had anything besides vinyl for sale. Live, they sound like the middle ground between The Walkmen and Kings of Leon -- scratched, fractured, and emotional vocals over southern style seventies rock. Think about that one for a moment and imagine how that would sound. If you got it, you know what I'm talking about here. VietNam are going to be a band to watch for 2007.

From The Vaults of I Rock Cleveland: "Grey Cell Green" by Ned's Atomic Dustbin

There was a time, oh let's say between 92 and 94, that if you asked me who was my favorite band, I would answer "Ned's Atomic Dustbin" without a moment of hesitation. The Neddies were my first real rock show. I caught them at The Cleveland Agora with 808 State and The Supreme Love Gods. There was a knock down drag out argument with my old man before I even got to the show. Pops knew what a bad neighborhood The Agora was in and he was afraid that the big city would eat me alive. Even on the day of the show, it appeared unlikely that I'd be able to go. I don't know why he changed his mind. I'd like to think that he realized how much rock and roll music meant to me. In reality, he was probably tired of listening to my sh*t. The music of Ned's Atomic Dustbin shares a lot in common with the modern post-punk/dance-punk bands. In fact, I was inspired to dig out my old Neddie's cd after listeneing to Bloc Party and Forward Russia. They featured a rare double bass formation with one bassist playing melodic lines high up on the bass and the other bassist kicking out more traditional bass lines. "Grey Cell Green" is one of those rare songs that I've rocked with regularity for 15 years. Just check that bubbling bass and fuzzed out guitar. Add in that second bass, some undeniable energy, and a simple message of inner strength, and you've got yourself a fine rockin tune. Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Grey Cell Green.mp3 This past June, the Neddies released their first new single in 11 years, "Hibernation," and are working on more new material. Ned's Atomic Dustbin Ned's Atomic Dustbin on Myspace Recommended Listening: Happy and Kill Your Television (from Godfodder), Not Sleeping Around (from Are You Normal), Saturday Night (So I Married An Axe Murderer Soundtrack), and Hibernation (CD Single)