Top 5 - Al Muzer
1) Suncatcher, The Girl That God Forgot (Restless). Great sweeping statements, Doug Hammond's emotive vocals, a raw, dense guitar sound, semi-profound lyrics and the timeless feel of The Left Banke's classic catalog coupled with the gutsy pop minimalism of Dreams So Real best stuff. "Trouble" draws tears every time while "Trippin'" is The Band's "Chest Fever" turned inside out.
2) Flat Duo Jets, Lucky Eye (Outpost). Blues-informed, hillbilly-fueled, moonshine-runnin', grunt 'n' grease guitar and drum caterwaul that marries a Santo & Johnny-like instrumental subtlety, an unobtrusive (but effective) horn section, a swingin' bassist and a lush, 12-piece string section to gruff, soulful, rough-hewn minimalism and Brylcream-billy back-ally blasts of classic retro-roots.
3) Willard Grant Conspiracy, Flying Low (SlowRiver). Wrist-slitting, tears in yer whisky, 3 a.m. 'what if?' and 'if only' belly-button contemplating brilliance that is Sparklehorse at the end of the world and Nick Cave's tragic best multiplied by seven.
4) Deadbolt, Zulu Death Mask (Headhunter-Cargo). A twisted, freakishly-hallucinogenic, surf-twang and tremolo safari in the darkest reaches of the Congo ("Dr. Zombie I presume?") that features the severed heads of 'smelly, dirty hippies'; a crazed monster named "Watongo"; attacking alligators; the eerie "Swahili Bob"; somebody (but not Jimmy) buried in "Jimmie's Grave"; a brief appearance from Elvis; the murderous "Jackals of Botswana"; an evil lesbian who's "Gone Gongwipdu"; a vengeful witchdoctor's ghost named Macombo; the deadly return of a deranged, out-of-control clown known as "Patches"; and the insane German oompaa of "October in Zimbabwe."
5) Todd Thibaud, Favorite Waste Of Time (DooLittle). Warm, witty, classic-sounding, instantly catchy, commercially accessible, Toad (The Wet Sprocket)-worthy, Jacob Dylan-esque sing-along anthem rawk that boasts more hooks than Freedy Johnston's last two records, the gentle sweep of Matthew Sweet's finest work and a broader 'every man' appeal than Johnny Cougar's biggest hits. Not a bad track on the thing - "Wintercoat" takes four minutes to bring you to the same place it took the Cowboy Junkies' entire first album to arrive at.
