Harlan T Bobo hails from Memphis and in the past several years, he established himself as the most consistent songwriter on the rock scene, with only his Memphis buddy Greg Cartwright to rival that crowning position. But, while Greg has a strong pop streak, Harlan T Bobo takes things more seriously it seems. I guess, what I’m trying to say here, it’s hard to imagine Harlan writing songs for anyone or anything else besides his albums. The approach is hundred percent personal and we can only be grateful to be in it for the ride. His first album recorded back in 2003 was a painful breakup story. Harlan T Bobo is now a married man and blissful intro Life is Sweet accounts to his new found peace in family life. First half of this short record (only 30 minutes), is mostly folk oriented, interrupted only with the perfectly twisted pop tune Hamster in a Cage, which indeed sounds written in the key of Greg Cartwright. But things get twisted later on with two uncompromising rockers back to back Bad Boyfriends and Energy. And then we have an epic Drunk which is by far the longest on the record and key that creates a perfect contrast with the disarmingly beautiful opening song. And then, at the very end, as if demonstrating once for all that Bobo is equally talented in multiple musical genres, the record officially ends with francophone chancone Mille Chatte. Yes, Bobo is definitely the strongest songwriter today.
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4. Apache – Radical Sabbatical
Dirtiest record in 2010 is this one. It reminds us that one of the duties of rock’n’roll is to shock and embarrass. It sounds as an outtake from early 1970’s glam rock scene in New York – The Dolls with Wayne County on vocals, but it is 2010 and it is the San Francisco scene. Snotty lyrics paired with serious riffs and great melodies will make you want more. Strong rhythms will make it hard for you to sit down. My great hopes are that some of the Cleveland music promoters will bring this band to the city so we can check how it all sounds live, as it seems that this is the best setting for this motley crowd. Party on with the Apache!
5. Peter Case – Wig!
Peter Case is a long standing figure in the history of rock’n’roll. He indebted us with bands like The Nerves and The Plimsouls, plus his rich solo recording career and occasional production work. This year he returns with Wig!. Somewhat surprisingly (although pleasantly), Peter Case reinvents himself on this one as an uncompromising blues-man. Hallmark of this reinvention is the song New Old Blue Car, which artistically defines this record. Melancholic folk-blues tune Old Blue Car from his first solo record now has a very different taste. Let us also mention that this record is also embellished with several subtle quotations from rock’n’roll standards – for example Money in I Ain’t Got No Dough. That’s a wonderful trick that creates an immediate bound for a true rock listener. A hired gun on this album and someone who definitely left a strong mark on it is DJ Bonebrake with his rough beats. Another one who must be mentioned here is the guitarist Ron Franklin who even co-authored some songs on Wig!. I only wish the same line up was out there to tour with this record, as this kind of gritty blues is best consumed live.
6. smRts – Sun Sets On A New Tomorrow
smRts come from Perth, Australia, and they are a brain child of Pedja Delibasic who’s been a part of the Perth music scene for more than ten years now. He’s been in various bands and he is an avid record collector, especially the records from Yugoslavia. His great knowledge of various kinds of music allowed him to come up with a clever instrumental concept of three guitars and drums, lead by his playful one string guitar picking. Album is filled with thrilling quotations from the Yugoslavian sub-culture, although they are subtle enough to be completely missed by a casual listener. With all this, the most fun, dance-able record this year, comes from Perth, Australia.
7. Endless Boogie ‎- Full House Head
When Endless Boogie appeared out of nowhere in 2008 borrowing the title of Johnny Lee Hooker’s album from 1971, and retooling the old Captain Beefheart concepts, they were a complete mystery. Very little presence on line, virtually no reviews, the word about the band literally was the word of mouth. In the meantime we found out that their bass player Mark Ohi played with Naked Raygun and that their singer Top Dollar works in New York City as a dealer of used LP records. The grassroots fan-base was waiting for the second album with great suspense. It came this year and it lifts off where the previous album ends. Or maybe the previous album never ended? The endless groove simply spilled over the physical boundary of a CD into the new release. The full on energy is only interrupted with the title Slow Creep that builds up like a foggy night and chills out the spine. Endless Boogie is not only the most fun band in the past five years it is also band with the strongest concept which they stick to without a compromise.
8. Slummers – Love of the Amateur
First part of the Green On Red stroy ends on a tour that followed their album Too Much Fun. Dan Stuart couldn’t take the pressure of touring any longer, band split, Dan relocated to Spain where he recorded a masterpiece album Can O’ Warms. Ever since then, all we could hear about Dan were rumors. But in 2005, Dan reunited Green On Red, finished that tour that was abruptly broken, the second Danny and Dusty album followed in 2007. This year Dan seems stronger than ever. This time he joined forces with producer JD Foster (also a former of True Believers) and two Italian musicians Antonio Gramentieri and Diego Sapignoli. The result is a new band called Slummers and another masterpiece album Love of the Amateur. The sounds range from Green On Red ramshackle, slow Americana and most refreshingly glam rock riffage of the first degree. Dan, welcome back!
9. Tav Falco And Unapproachable Panther Burns – Conjurations
Memphis legend Tav Falco now lives in Vienna. This year he showed up with a new album first time after ten years. One song repeats from his earlier repertoire (Gentleman in Black), but the rest are new. To his old mix of traditional Memphis and North Mississippi genres and tango, Tav this time adds several East European motifs, obviously influenced by his life in the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire. These motifs are as accurate as mountains of Vinkovci where Agatha Christie’s Oriental Express once got stuck in snow, but they add to the exotic and mythic mixture of Tav Falco perfectly.
10. Pierced Arrows – Descending Shadows
Second album for Pierced Arrows, a band that rose out of the ashes of Dead Moon, is a new lesson in horror rock. Once again, in gorgeous monophonic sound, they explore torture, alienation and death. Song Paranoia is an album within an album, with layers of sounds and a thumping bass riff that winds down in a spiral of fear. Nobody does this more convincingly than Fred and Toody. But they also leave room this time for some simpler, almost romantic moment in song Ain’t Life Strange and This Time Around which both feature Toody on vocals.
11. The Greenhornes – ****
Cincinnati band Greenhornes takes rock’n’roll back to the golden days of The Animals, Kinks and The Who. They don’t do it mechanically. Their songwriting is the key that makes this time travel an exciting experience. It is melancholic, and moody. This excellent concentration of talent was recognized back in 2005 by Jim Jarmusch who included their collaboration with Holly Golightly in his movie Broken Flowers. The band was busy with various side projects until this year that finally saw their first full length album in eight years. Four stars is a modest title. It’s five stars in my book.
13. Luther Dickinson And The Sons Of Mudboy – Onward And Upward
Mudboy was Jim Dickinson. His band was The Neutrons and his idea was la musique v̩rit̩ Рcapture the music the way it happens in the studio. Jim died last year and his sons and friends gathered to celebrate his life with a stunning set of blues tunes and a simple two track recorder. They recorded these songs the way they were happening. Jim would be proud.