Top 5 - Jason Cahill
1) Rage Against The Machine, The Battle Of Los Angeles (Epic). Every now and then, a band releases an album that borders on perfection and although it doesn't quite get there, it comes pretty damn close. The Battle Of Los Angeles is such an album. It rocks with a fury from start to finish and is absolutely relentless in both its pace and it's message. In fact, in an album full of highlights and masterful moments, the one thing which manages to stand out from the rest is the exceptional guitar work of Tom Morello. On The Battle Of Los Angeles Morello manages to distinguish himself as one of modern rock's premiere guitarists, deserving of being placed in the company of the elite, for he does so much more than just set the album's pace. He uses his guitar to create an entire universe of sounds, pulses and rhythms and when all is said and done, it's hard not to realize that Morello's instrument is the heart of the record, the foundation upon which everything rests. The word which best describes The Battle Of Los Angeles is relentless. In fact, there isn't a moment on the album where the energy subsides long enough for you to catch your breath, wipe your brow, and pick your jaw up off the floor. It's that good.
2) Nine Inch Nails, The Fragile (Interscope). The release of the new Nine Inch Nails album was, perhaps, the most eagerly anticipated release in the past five years. After all, it had been that long since the release of The Downward Spiral, one of the definitive albums of the 90's and an album that made Nine Inch Nails and its creator Trent Reznor modern rock deities. Ten years after that groundbreaking release, the band is as relevant as ever, having created another masterpiece with The Fragile. A two disc album containing more than twenty songs, The Fragile is a masterpiece of emotional complexities and raw energy. Let's just hope it's not another five years before we hear from Reznor again.
3) Sleater-Kinney, The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars). No band has matured over the years quite as quickly as Sleater-Kinney, while still maintaining their so-called indie-credibility. The Hot Rock, easily the band's finest album to date, is a ferocious offering of blistering rock, coupled with an unabashed lyrical intensity. From the absolute urgency of "Banned From The End Of The World" to the heartbreaking beauty of "The Size Of Our Love", the album just might be a glimpse into the future of modern rock.
4) Beck, Midnite Vultures (DGC). Not one to shy away from change, Midnite Vultures is sharply different from anything in Beck's catalog. Whereas 1996's Odelay was full of inventive, yet obscure samples and digital complexities, his latest effort is overflowing in 60's style funk and soul with a wide array of contrasting styles and tempos. Midnite Vultures paints Beck as the love impresario of a bizarre universe only Beck could create. There's definitely a sexual undercurrent running through each song, but not once does Beck take himself too seriously. But, with lyrics like "I'll do your laundry / Massage your soul / I'll turn you over / To the highway patrol", how could he? The album's highlight, and perhaps Beck's finest song to date, is "Debra", a song Beck frequently plays in concert, yet never put on an album, until now. The song features some of Beck's most amusing lyrics to date and showcases him as a more accomplished vocalist than any of us thought. Midnite Vultures is Beck's finest release to date - an original and often brilliant mixture of inventive and finely crafted songs.
5) Fiona Apple, When The Pawn... (Epic). Granted, the actual album title, ninety words in length, is about as pretentious as you can get. But ignore that and focus instead on the album's content, which in and of itself is surprising in its maturity and range. The album, filled with Beatles influences, piano laden hooks and powerful vocals, is Apple's best work to date and far surpasses her debut effort by leaps and bounds.
