It's that time of year again. The time of year where we look upon the previous 364 days and wonder what exactly we wasted our time on...I mean fondly look back at the things that entertained us. Yeah, that's it. I wish I could have a massive list upwards to 40-50 titles but I'm only one man with a very limited budget. So obviously there's going to be A LOT of things that I might enjoy that slipped through the cracks. And since I like to believe that I have a wide range of what I do, or at least could, enjoy, the list of things that I missed out on actually ended up being quite varied. So here we go...
My Top 10 List Of Albums I Didn't Get In 2010
#10) Tub Ring - Secret Handshakes
Honestly, I mostly put this on the list just to round it out to a Top 10. I only own one Tub Ring record ("The Great Filter") and while it was pretty decent, it wasn't enough to make me a die-hard fan of theirs. And as I'm listening to some of the tracks of "Secret Handshakes", there really isn't enough to make me want to run out and get this album. But hey, they're trying their best and at least they're doing something original, so more power to them.
#9) Die Antwoord - $o$
The only way I can explain Die Antwoord is "This is what happens when you give carnies the ability to make music". Sure, they might not be running around with a accordion box and a monkey that steals people's hats, but as a freakish looking hip-hop trio from South Africa, that's close enough for me. I actually did download this album (I got the version that they released for free before they got a record deal and re-released it, so I'm in the clear...right?) and as a person that doesn't consider himself a fan of hip-hop or rap, I thought some tracks were misses but they know how to make a catchy beat. And MC Ninja does have mad skillz...even if he does rap in predominantly South African slang that borders on gibberish at times.
#8) The Left Rights - Bad Choices Made Easy
As a big fan of Mindless Self Indulgence, you'd think I would have snagged the side-project of Jimmy Urine and Steve Righ? by now but I haven't. With my limited income, it's kinda hard for me to justify a purchase of an album that could be considered full of bite-sized beats and songs that didn't quite make it onto an official MSI album. To me, The Left Rights are kinda like the Thanksgiving leftovers to the aural smorgasbord that is Mindless Self Indulgence. Some of them might taste good cold but others will just get left in the fridge to get moldy. I don't know exactly where I was going with that metaphor but whatever.
#7) Nachmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II
Though I didn't blow my load over their previous album, "Assassins: Black Meddle Part I", like the collective metal community at large, I did think Nachmystium were doing enough to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack and stand out. I would like to imagine Addicts goes even further in pushing the envelope, maybe drifting away from Black Metal itself and turning into straight up Prog. Of course, I'd probably get to hear it for myself if I could find a damn copy of it.
#6) Girl Talk - All Day
It's kinda odd that I put this on my "Missed Out" list considering I actually do own the album. Of course, it came out as a free download as I'm sure the RIAA would burn down DJ Gregg Gillis' home if he tried to make money off of an album consisting of nothing but mashing-up samples of other songs. But the reason it's on this list is that I've listened to it a whopping one time so far since it came out. My bad. That doesn't mean that Girl Talk isn't one of the most creative outlets in recent musical history.
#5) Sigh - Scenes From Hell
Yeah, I may be a Japan-o-phile at times but the fact that Sigh hails from Japan is purely coincidental. They could have come from Hawaii or Mars or Gary, Indiana and I still would enjoy them. While "Gallows Gallery" was disappointing to me, "Imaginary Sonicscape" and "Hangman's Hymn" should be recommended to anyone who enjoys a more progressive slant on Black Metal. I'm sure "Scenes From Hell" can hang with such company.
#4) 1349 - Demonoir
I'd blame it on the weather but since there's no snow on the ground and it isn't bitterly cold as a Northwest Ohio winter can be, I don't really know why I'm in such a mood for Black Metal right now. For the past week or so, I've had a rotation of Immortal, Mayhem, Dark Funeral and Gorgoroth going in my car. And now that I think about it, I'm cursing myself for not including 1349 in that rotation. I don't really keep track of what is "troo" or "kvlt" in the world of Black Metal, I just like what I like. And to me, 1349 should be up there with the legends of Black Metal and I'm sure will reach that distinction in time.
#/2 TIE) Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini / Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit
Remember how I previously said that I don't really keep track of what's the best in metal lately? Take for example these two albums. Both Enslaved and Agalloch have flown under my radar until recently, when one of my friends suggested both of these albums, a recommendation even more glowing after she had seen Enslaved live. After picking up the new issue of Decibel to check out their Top 40 Albums of 2010 to see that Agalloch had reached #1 while Enslaved earned the #5 spot, I guess these people know what they're talking about.
#1) Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Anyone who may have read my list last year would remember Crystal Castles being mentioned, mostly due to me feeling bad for having downloaded their album because it was so good. It seems as if history has repeated itself. Just as Crystal Castles put out another self-titled album (yes, both of their albums are self-titled), I downloaded it once again. I've been trying to find a copy whenever I go shopping but no such luck yet. And it's sad because as good as their first album was, the new album outshines it in every conceivable way. The catchy songs are catchier, the moody songs even moodier. While the first album had some songs that were repetitious and begged to be skipped (try listening to "Good Times" once and not have it etched into your psyche to the point where you'd want to scrape it out with a wire brush), every song on their new album begs to be repeated.
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