10. Sunken Condos - Donald Fagen; Solo record number four for Fagen has been spinning in my cd player daily. This one is on par with 1982's The Nightfly, Fagen's first solo record. The Don gets funky on this outing, which includes a nice reading of Issac Hayes' "Out of the Ghetto."
9. That's Why God Made the Radio - The Beach Boys; Despite all the resentments, ill will, and tragedy that this group has endured, the Beach Boys found a way to make a reunion album. Mike Love is still a hodad, but the title song, "Pacific Coast Highway," and "Summer's Gone," make this comeback worth the price of admission.
8. Tank Full of Blues - Dion; Rockin' and relevant; The great Dion gave us a collection of original tunes that are just flat out awesome. "Holly Brown" and "I Read It (In the Rolling Stone)" are stellar, but my favorite is the closing tune, "Bronx Poem." Put this one in the cd changer, hit repeat, and let it blast.
7. Music from Another Dimension - Aerosmith; Holy comeback, Batman! The boys from Boston have finally dropped the drama long enough to put together a strong album. There's more life in this one than you might expect from a band that's been together through 15 studio albums. "Luv XXX" and "Oh Yeah" open the album with a great 1-2 punch. This is a top five album without the Steven Tyler-Carrie Underwood duet on "Can't Stop Lovin' You."
6. Tempest - Bob Dylan; This one grew on me as I spent more time with it. Dylan's voice is ragged, but there's something about his singing that is fascinating. I'm not a Dylan fanatic, so not everything here is golden. “Pay in Blood” is one of my favorite tracks. The band cooks on this one, and
Dylan’s cracking voice matches the angry lyrics perfectly. The album's opener, "Duquesne
Whistle," is also a favorite.
5. Analog Man - Joe Walsh; When I heard that Jeff Lynne was producing Joe Walsh's latest, I was skeptical. Nothing wrong with Lynne's work, but his production tends to suffocate the artist. I should've known that Walsh would be able to keep Lynne in check. There's not a bum track to be found on Analog Man. The sense of humor that fans appreciate from Walsh is present in the title track, but more than just being a wise-ass, it's clear that he's gone through some changes. "Family" and "One Day at a Time" are signs that Walsh has found some peace along with sobriety.
4. La Futura - ZZ Top; Simply put, this is the comeback album of the year. Before their sound
got watered down by synthesizers, the Top was a 3-man blues-rockin’ machine.
Their latest album is a return to that glorious sound of a crunching guitar and
steady-handed bass and drums. The first three tunes, “Gotsta Get Paid,” “Chartreuse,”
and “Consumption” come out smokin’. “Over You” is the slow bluesy number that
the band is so great at. “Flyin’ High” should be getting play on every rock
station in the country. “Have a Little Mercy” closes the record in fine fashion. In a year of surprises, this was one of the more pleasant ones.
3. When I'm President - Ian Hunter; Hunter is best known for his song “Cleveland Rocks.” In
the years since that song was released Hunter’s voice has become smoother, but
his ability to rock is full force.
“Comfortable” opens the record on a raucous, upbeat note.
Things get better from there, as Hunter brings the sound down for a moment with
“Fatally Flawed,” and then raises the bar with the album’s title song.
Even in
those moments where Hunter lets his foot off the gas, (“Black Tears,” “I Don’t
Know What You Want,” and the album’s closer, “Life.”) the emotion in Hunter’s
voice holds your attention. I found this record to be one I can listen to over
and over.
2.Red - Taylor Swift; This is my favorite pop album of the year, hands down. I don’t think it’s a stretch to write that Swift is going to
be this generation’s Bruce Springsteen. Swift’s songwriting has grown as she’s
come of age, and she makes the same emotional connection that Springsteen does
with his fans.
Swift sheds any remaining country music skin with the
opening tunes, “State of Grace” and “Red.” Both are two of the finest pop songs
released this year. Swift packs the emotion into “All Too Well,” before delivering
the fun on “22,” another favorite of mine.
1. Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen; The more I listen to Springsteen’s 17th album,
the more I find to enjoy. Springsteen’s writing is focused, with the songs
fitting neatly into a story line that draws you in and keeps you listening all
the way through. In the opener, “We Take Care of Our Own,” Springsteen asks
the questions that set the tone for the rest of the songs, asking, “Where’re
the hearts that run over with mercy?” “Where’s the work that’ll set my hands,
my soul free?” In “Jack of All Trades,” the answer to the last question is
found in odd jobs, with people doing whatever it takes to get by. “Death to My
Hometown” describes the quiet death that many towns have encountered over the
last few years. With the title song, the mood of the album shifts. The
characters stand up after being knocked down and find the strength to keep on
fighting. “Rocky Ground” and “Land of Hopes and Dreams” remind us that faith
can see us through the hard times, helping us stand up and fight for a good and
righteous life.
