Here it is! Mike Kennedy's top 3 favorite albums, take a look and soak it all in because these albums rock!
1) Black Keys – Brothers (2010)
Undoubtedly the best album that came out in 2010 (and this is not opinion, it’s fact). Up until this album the Black Keys, comprised of Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and Patrick Carney on drums, remained a surprisingly well-kept secret. They put out raw, powerful blues with soulful lyrics, gritty guitar licks and Carney’s pounding of the skins. With “Brothers,” the duo added a bassist and keyboardist to create a fuller sound. Check out “Howlin’ For You,” which combines gritty guitar riffs, Auerbach’s soulful voice, and a great danceable beat. Also listen to the Danger Mouse produced “Tighten Up” and my personal favorite “Ten Cent Pistol.”
2) Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below (2010)
Up from below is another fantastic album released this past year. This traveling hippy commune led by Alex Ebert, have recently had several of their thrust to prominence through commercials. While you may not recognize the name, everyone surely recognizes their hit single “Home,” a duet between Ebert and band member/girlfriend Jade Castrinos. The inventiveness and beauty of this album as a whole, however, is refreshing. There are no pretensions behind this album, just a shared desire to make good-feeling, great music. For my favorites, check out “40 Day Dream” and “Om Nashi Me.”
3) Ry Cooder – Paradise and Lunch (1974)
Don’t be alarmed by the creepy picture of Ry here, the music contained within is anything but creepy. If any album can make you think you’re on a beach in Hawaii, while simultaneously giving off a Texas honky-tonk feel, this is it. Weird I know, but glorious trust me. Some of the tracks may even be recognizable to you (see “Tattler” and “It’s All Over Now”). The California native is well known to guitar enthusiasts as an aficionado and slide guitar wizard, but unfortunately he’s still not a household name. If you’ve never heard Ry play, grab your favorite drink, lie down, and turn the volume up real high. My favorites: “Fool for a Cigarette/Feelin’ Good” and “Ditty Wah Ditty”
No comments:
Post a Comment