These lists are always subjective and you might disagree with my choices, and many people will. Being the new year and all I feel obligated to make my own.

Albums:

• 10. Worlds Collide – Apocalyptica
  My real introduction to them and with guest performances it made repeated performances on my mp3 player
• 9. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
  This is really the way you should do a first album.
• 8. Station – Russian Circles
  Another first for me, local Chicago band, and when I found them I first thought “oh no instrumental!” but was sorely mistaken.
• 7. Modern Guilt – Beck
  I have a love hate relationship with Beck’s albums, this one is love.
• 6. One day as a Lion – One day as a Lion
  It’s just fun to listen to, a lot!
• 5. Viva la Vida or Death and all his Friends – Coldplay
  It’s Coldplay on my list and not afraid of being made fun of ;)
• 4. Death Magnetic – Metallica
  WOW, It almost makes me want to wear ripped t-shirts and wish I had really long hair!
• 3. Narrow Stairs  – Death Cab for Cutie
  It has what we love about Death Cab, creepy beautiful music
• 2.  Only by The Night – Kings of Leon
  Tap your foot, dance a jig, do what you must… Just go out and listen to it as loud as you can.
• 1. The Slip – Nine inch Nails
  I am a fan of NIN, I could have put Ghosts IV, but that will play as background music, this one just goes to that level of classic NIN that will kick your ass.

Songs:

• 10 – The Day That Never Comes, Metallica
• 9 – Youngblood – Russian Circles
• 8 – I’m not Jesus – Apocalyptica
• 7 – Gamma Ray, Beck
• 6 – A-Punk, Vampire Weekend
• 5 – Wild International, One Day as a Lion
• 4 – Viva La Vida, Coldplay
• 3 – I Will Possess Your Heart, Death Cab for Cutie
• 2 – Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
• 1 – Discipline, Nine Inch Nails

• 10. Sparks – “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
  Truly visionary. Ron and Russel Mael deserve tons of praise for inventing songwriting to this day…
• 9. Boris – “Smile”
  Talk about experimental in all genres… Heavy drones, rumbling drums… Heavy e-bow effects… What’s not to like?
• 8. Black Mountain – “In the future”
  Superior progressive rock, done quite imaginatively.
• 7.  Metallica – “Death Magnetic”
  They’re back circa 1984….!!
• 6. Saul Williams – “The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust”
  Industrial / Electronic / Minimal Rap with fiery dialog from Saul & Produced by Trent Reznor… What more could you want?
• 5. Fleet Foxes – “Fleet Foxes”
  Achingly beautiful harmonic pop
• 4. Enslaved – “Vertebrae”
  Yes-sir, we are talking about brutal raw, honest experimental heavy music, thank you very much…
• 3. Opeth – “Watershed”
  A breathtaking, forward thinking album convering all genres of metal with mind blowing results
• 2. Nine Inch Nails – “The Slip”
  Industrial Swing? Industrial Dance? Industrial BPM?!? IT WORKS!
• 1. TV ON THE RADIO – “Dear Science”
  Pure art rock party music, done with great taste and thought in mind

Location: Allstate Arena, Rosemont IL

Wordplay:

• The overall vibe is circa 1980 (Kid you not!)
• Sledgehammer Chords
• A non-stop lead guitar tantrum
• No time to pause… (Man this crowd is raucous!)
• A total foot stomping noise
• Do not ever underestimate these guys – They will continually surprise you…
• Specially the tight rhythm section, of Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams…
• You have to commend these guys – still sounding fresh
• Commanding the stage like they’re 20 years old again…

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Location: Grand Rapids, MI – Van Adel Arena

Wordplay:

• A complete physical, spiritual, emotional release.
• Unleash the Hounds!
• A no-compromise atittude from the get go.
• An utterly sophisticated light show to bring down the point of how solid the music actually is, and how it holds up even to this day…
• Lots of snarling from Trent… Can’t get enough snarling…
• May this blistering noise continue for years to come…

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