Another trip around the old star in the sky means it’s time for my reflections on my top (10+) album picks of the year. There were indeed some gooders out there but I’ve dwindled ‘er down as I could. Let’s start with some notables beyond my top 10ers. In no particular order, these are all deeecent!

• Queens of the Stone Age, In Times New Roman…
• Lowest of the Low, Welcome to the Plunderdome
• Arkells, Laundry Pile
• Rancid, Tomorrow Never Comes
• Sincere Engineer, Cheap Grills
• Greta Van Fleet, Starcatcher
• Avatar, Dance Devil Dance
• Odds, Crash the Time Machine
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
• Elliot Brood, Town

And now for my top 10s. To be honest, it was super hard to pick the ordering here (but undeniable were my top 3 picks – YouTube music stats confirms them to be too 😉

10. Noah Kahan, Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever). My sister Krista introduced me to this dude this year. Pretty darn great indeed. Favs include: Stick Season, Northern Attitude, Strawberry Wine, Dial Drunk, Everywhere, Everything, and All My Love.

09. Chris Stapleton, Higher. Such a solid album with excellent musicianship and songwriting. Plus, this man’s voice…sweet lawd it be darn great! Favs include: Trust, Higher, The Day I Die, It Takes a Woman, White Horse, and What Am I Gonna Do.

08. The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Rise & The Fall. One of the best out there! Like all of their other albums, this one does not disappoint. They have this rhythm and drone-like tone in many of their tunes that you can just feel in your bones. All toe-tapping goodness here. Favs include: Plague Dogs, Conductors, Candu, 10ft Tall, and Late September Snow.

07. The Beaches, Blame My Ex. What a fun album we have here. Although these folks have been around for 10ish years, I just came to them this past year. This album is a fun time indeed. Was a constant at the gym on the ol’ treadmill! Favs include: Shower Beer, Blame Brett, What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid, Edge of the Earth, and If a Tree Falls.

06. The Gaslight Anthem, History Books. I’ve loved these dudes since the start. Coming back with this doozy of an album after being on a very long break. So happy! Favs include: Positive Charge, Little Fires, History Books (with the Boss baby!), Spider Bites, Autumn, and A Lifetime of Preludes.

05. Gregory Alan Isakov, Appaloosa Bones. Another one that has been around for some time that I just came into this past year. Like others on here, the voice is just sooooo good. When having a little bit of a stressful day, week, whatever, I put this album on and it calms the soul. It’s all great but picking a few favs: Appaloosa Bones, Before the Sun, Watchman, The Fall, …it really is all great from start to finish.

04. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes. Another fantastic album from one of the best singers, songwriters, and musicians around, not to mention he surrounds himself with the same. From start to finish, this is one great album! But as usual, a few favs include: Strawberry Woman, Death Wish, If You Insist, Cast Iron Skillet, White Beretta, Save The World, damn…it’s all great!

03. Samia, Honey. Randomly popping up in the YouTubes was Samia’s tune “Honey.” I was hooked immediately. Such great tunes and such a voice. This album was on a constant rotation since it came out WAY back in January. I love it all but some favs include: Honey, Amelia, Kill Her Freak Out, Charm You, Breathing Song, Nanana, …this is pointless. Every tune is great from start to end.

02. Boygenius, The Record. And here we are nearing my top pick with these fine folks. I truly think that these three on their own are super talents. And now combining all three into one super talented group extravaganza, this is something I don’t think the world has seen, heard, experienced since The Beatles (and I don’t say this lightly as I consider the Beatles to be the best band of all time). What a fantastic album but of course, picking a few favs: True Blue, Not Strong Enough, Emily I’m Sorry, Anti-Curse, We’re in Love (this one gives me goosebumps each time…and the lyrics…wow), Satanist …another pointless endeavour – it’s all fucking tops. These three folks are *the* best singers, songwriters, musical talents I have heard/experienced in a very long time.

01. The Menzingers, Some Of It Was True. What has become one of my all time favourite bands, this doozy of an album makes me sooooo very happy and was a constant, even if it came out later in the year. I love it all! One of my favourite quotes from the tune “Some of it Was True” – “The older I get the less I know, and I knew nothing then.” Fucking right…ha! If I have to pick a few favs, though I really do love it all, include: Some of It Was True, There’s No Place in the World For Me, Try, Love at the End, etc-etc-etc.

As always, here’s hoping 2024 brings more of the same goodness. -tMac

Another great year for tunes! Before we get to the beef of it all here were 10 often in rotation honourable mentions (in no particular order):

• Eddie Vedder, Earthling
• 3rd Secret, Self-titled
• Sharon Van Etten, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong
• Dan Mangan, Being Somewhere
• Joel Plaskett, The Window Inn Sessions
• The Interrupters, In the Wild
• Amon Amarth, The Great Heathen Army
• Rammstein, Zeit
• Megadeth, The Sick, The Dying…And the Dead
• Lamb of God, Omens

OK, and now for my top 10. Albums that were always in rotation throughout the year. Albums that made me ever so happy and will likely continue to do so for ever!

10. Gnome, King. A solid, chunky, mostly instrumental and super fun album. There are some definite groovers here, such as Kraken Wanker, Ambrosius, Wenceslas, and Anitbeast to just name a few

09. Architects, The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit. Hatchi Matchi! Another fantastic album from these fine lads. I often hear the guitar tone from Quake 2 and that makes me so very happy. Favs include: Burn Down My House, When We Were Young, Spit the Bone, and Deep Fake

08. Screeching Weasel, The Awful Disclosures of Screeching Weasel. What we have here is simply a head-bobbin’ classic pop-punk album, with every song from start to finish a toe-tapping event. What a super album! Favs include: Kill to Cure, Six Ways to Sunday, In La Quinta del Sordo, …damn…every damn song is fantastic!

07. Stereophonics, Oochya. In constant rotation for much of the year, a fine album this is indeed. Having been a fan of these folks since their start in the 90s, this album does not disappoint. Every tune is great but to pick a few favs: Right Place Right Time, Do Ya Feel My Love?, You’re My Soul, and Made a Mess Of Me.

06. Envy of None, Self-titled. I came across these folks due to Alex Lifeson (aka, Rush baby!) being in the band. Although a whole lot different than a Rush album, this album is soooooo very good. The ethereal voice of Maiah Wynne as layered around the ethereal and “dreamy/soothing” instruments from the rest of the band, I can’t really say enough good things about it all. Soooo good!! Favs include: Never Said I Love You, Liar, Look Inside, Western Sunset, Dumb….really it’s all good from start to finish!

05. John Moreland, Birds in the Ceiling. Wow! What a voice. What a talent. There is not much more to say. This dude is the real deal. I like every tune on this album but to pick a few favs: Generational Dust, Lion’s Den, Cheap Idols Dressed in Expensive Garbage, and Ugly Faces.

04. Wind Rose, Warfront. I love love love these fine lads. The raw power and shear energy of their tunes. I also am quite drawn to the storytelling from the fantasy/dwarves perspective. This is simply a solid album that was blaring constantly throughout the year. Favs include: Gates of Ekrund, Army of Stone, Tales of War, and The Battle of the Five Armies…actually, it’s all great!

03. Bloodywood, Rakshak. I can’t say enough great things about this band. Not only are they top-shelf musicians, they are the most decent of human beings. I love the mix of “bollywood-esque” with the heaviest of heavy metal. So unique and so very excellent. Favs include: Aaj, Yaad (watch this video until the end, with their animal rights work, such beautiful humans!), Jee Veerey, Gaddaar, Dana-Dan, Machi Bhasad, and ….holey moley this is pointless…it’s all fantastic!

02. Matt Andersen, House to House. One of the best musicians to come out of this fine nation of ours. Such a voice, such talent. Every song on this album is gold, but to pick a few favs: Let Me Hold You, Other Side of Goodbye, Time for the Wicked to Rest, Raise up your Glass, House to House…bah…every damn song is fine!

01. Taylor Swift, Midnights. OK – hear me out here…ha. Just wait a darn minute now…haha. I know I may take some flack for this pick, particularly since it being my number 1 pick, but since her album Folklore, I’ve been a huge fan! Since coming out in October this album has been in a constant daily rotation…yes…daily. As with my number 2 pick with Matt Andersen, Taylor Swift is quite simply a gem – one that only comes around ever so rarely. It’s all good but favs include: Anti-Hero, You’re On Your Own Kid, Maroon, Sweet Nothing, Lavender Haze, Karma, Bejeweled, …I’ll stop now…every tune on this album is excellent (and no, I’m not losing my mind…haha)

And there we have it. 2022 was another great year for music. Looking forward to what 2023 has to offer the world!

There is a lot to unpack from 2021 but given this post is about music let’s stick to that. From a music perspective, 2021 was a stellar year. One of the better slices-o-life of our worldwide self-containment experiment of the last couple of years is that musicians took time to make some stupendous albums. And a lot of them did. I know I say I struggle most years to break it down to 10 albums but this year was the most difficult it ever has been. As such, rather than a top 10 as I normally do, you’re getting a top 20. Couldn’t be helped. I trimmed as much as I wanted to go – from over 100 albums, down to 45ish, to 30 and now 20 – ha! To trim anymore is to split the smallest of hairs. Every song on every album below is simply awesome in its own way! So, here we go!

And there you have it. There was just no way I could reduce my top 20 down to 10 so here you have 20 solid gold albums, and one solid gold tune, from 2021. What do you think? What are yours?

Well – what can I say. 2020 simultaneously felt like the longest and fastest year that I can remember. Long, re: COVID. A friend posted on Facebook,

Do I think of you guys often? Yes. Do I love you? Yes. Do I miss you? I mean, not really…

I can relate. To the outside world, I do think, feel, and say this. Although I do miss the occasional beer with friends and seeing the excitement, understanding, and yes even the frustrations on my students’ faces, I’ve learned to adapt and I’m getting by. That all said, what I do really miss seeing is my fam – My dad, mom, bro, sisters, and all the kiddos as well as Nova’s fam – mom, dad, aunts, cousins, and bro. This holiday season has been different. It feels like I’m in a long, never-ending Zoom. At times I feel like this is fine and this experience has really challenged my approach to things – in a very good way. But when it comes to my family, nothing beats the in-person-ness of us. That all said, I’ve grown quite accustomed to my new clothing go-to’s, homemade masks, onebone toque, comfy/cozy sweats, onebone waffle Ts, camo mucks #sostylin.

I say fast as teaching this year has kept me on my toes in a constant rotation of developing remote learning content, weekly Zooms with my stoods (aka, students), endless Zoom meetings (faculty, program, projects, etc.), and did I mention Zooms? It’s been a crazy whirlwind. What scared me at first actually challenged me to rethink a few things. With the support of a few colleagues (one, in particular, being Dave Duguid, our Electronics Engineering Lab Instructor who has such a rock star attitude. He really helped me shift my attitude towards the positive) I was able to buckle down and persevere through it all. All in all, after brushing aside doubts and my negativity of it all, the experience has been a largely positive one. One that will actually change and shift the way I do things post-COVID in my teaching and life.

I digress. It’s been a year, to say the least. However, one thing that has remained unchanged from all previous years is the excellent music released throughout the year. So let’s go! My top 10 of 2020, starting first with honourable mentions (limited to 5+2, I couldn’t reduce to just 5 so. No particular order):

• Drive-By Truckers, The Unraveling
• The Smashing Pumpkins, Cyr
• Anti-Flag, 20/20 Vision (#fucktrump)
• Brian Fallon, Local Honey
• The Lone Below, Half Moon Light
• Sturgill Simpson, Cuttin’ Grass Volumes 1 & 2 (although the majority are remakes of his previous tunes this is some top-notch stuff and the bluegrass renditions are better than originals)
• Basia Bulat, Are You In Love

Released WAY back in January 2020, before the slide into the weird. This album came into the rotation early and stayed with me throughout the year. There’s something to be said for that as 2020 had so much great musical content released so to stick with me says a lot (so I think, ha). Favs include: Forest Green, Fall into the Future, Against the Day, Julia Take Your Man Home, Town Square, Under Glass.

I consider Joel Plaskett a Canadian gem with the likes of all of the folks in Blue Rodeo, Skydiggers, the Hip, BNL, etc. Oh boy, do we have such a wealth of talent in Canada! This is a behemoth of an album, comprised of four records with 11 songs on each. The whole thing is really excellent and I highly recommend you take it for a physical or digital spin. Favs include: Spray Tan, Tim, Matthew Grimson Songs, Collusion, Highland Heart, Hey Stu, The Right Direction. Actually, there is soooo much goodness here. It’s hard to stop picking tunes

https://youtu.be/3mGrCqnPL5o

These gals are just so great. They are all just such great musicians. This album is actually my favourite of theirs. I feel their songwriting has truly come into their own. Favs include: Texas Man, Sleep at Night, March March, Set Me Free, Julianna Calm Down, Gaslighter.

Ron Hawkins and Co. never seem to disappoint. I was first introduced to Ron in the band “Lowest of the Low,” one of my all-time favourite (Canadian) bands. From excellent lyrics to super catchy riffs/jams, I highly recommend a spin or more! Favs include: Midway, Heartbreak in Hopper Street, Teenage Insurrection, Baby Fell Hard, Too Late.

Taking a break from music a while back to focus on life and open a coffee shop called “Quitters” in Ontario, nothing pleased me more to see Kathleen back singing and playing. Having liked her music from her debut album in 2003 (Failer), I was actually sad (but understood) her move away from music. Having said that, as mentioned, I was pretty excited to see that she was coming back into the musical world (having seen her as well at the 2019 RFF – this new album really brought it into light how much I really appreciated her music). Favs include: Options Open, Simple Math, Hard On Everyone, Who Rescued Who, Take It With You When You Go. It’s all good really!

Woooo. I love these fine lads from Sweden. My brother Joey introduced them to me a few years back now and I was super excited a new album was coming out this year. Really coming into their own with Hunter Gatherer, in my opinion, you can really hear how these folks are fine tuning their craft. I love this album. Favs include: Scream Until You Wake, Silence in the Age of Apes, Justice, Colossus, When All But Force Has Failed.

Here’s where I say it starts to get super hard to narrow things down. I actually went back and forth several times with the remaining four albums, all of which could have the top #1 spot in my mind. Simply being nitpicky, here at #4 we have The Avett Bros “The Third Gleam.” There is nothing I can say bad about this album. It soothes my soul as all good music does. I love every song but if I were to pick a handful, favs include: Victory, I Go To My Heart, The Fire, Back Into The Light.

Alan’s concert at the Centre of the Arts was the last live show I saw in 2020 (way back in February) and boy was it a doozy! Nova, Joey, Isabel, and I attended and witnessed the finest of live music that there is. Playing most of the songs on this album and favs from his previous solo albums and, of course, some Great Big Sea favourites. This album was released in February and like a few gems I’ve already mentioned here, has stayed with me the whole year. I love it all in its entirety but if I were to pick a handful again: Anywhere You Wanna Go, What the Whiskey Won’t Do, We’re Gonna Love Tonight, We Don’t Wanna Go Home – I can’t do it – it’s all great! Give it a spin! Here’s Alan singing the last song on the album in 2019 while he was still recording and prepping it for its 2020 release.

Another great album from these folks from the west coast (BC). I can’t say enough great things about this band. They are the real deal! With this album, like with some others that came out this year, you can really hear the band fine-tuning and perfecting their craft. It’s been in constant rotation since it came out in August. I love it all, from the opening “Waking Dream,” but ya, if I must, favs include: Abyss, Legacy, Return to Me, Through Stars, Faster Than Light – Again – Pointless. I love it all!

I came across this album and band just by browsing the new releases in YouTube music in January. Wowza! Like some other albums on this list, it has stayed with me all year (and has gotten me through some of the more stressful times this year has thrown my way). Nothing beats what heavy metal can do for the soul. It calms, it allows focus to emerge, and with that all of the crap that life seems to bring from time to time just melts away. I love to listen to this album in its entirety. From the narration in the opening track, a good mood is set for all of the most epic tunes that come after. It’s also a great album to workout/exercise to. Like all in the top four in my list here, I love it all. Picking a handful of favs: Theft of the Hammer, Weaver of Fate, Hel, Kaunaz Dagaz, Ride of the Valkyries – check that – it’s all damn great! Hit play and listen to the whole of it!

Well – That’s my top 10 albums of 2020. Here’s to one heck of a crazy year! …and here’s to 2021, when hopefully we can safely meet up with family, friends, bands, and the like…so I hope. Listen to doctors and scientists. They are trying their best but we all have to do our part as well. #socialdistance #wearamask #behuman

I am hoping to blog a bit more in 2021 so we’ll see if that happens. Have a great year all!

But all that aside, let’s get to what we’re here for…my top 10 albums of 2019 with, of course, a few honourable mentions first; Honourable mentions (in no particular order, limited to 5)

• Rheostatics, Here Come the Wolves
• Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
• Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride
• Matt Andersen, Halfway Home by Morning
• Wintersleep, In the Land Of

One of Canada’s finest musical collaborations. I simply love these folks and this album is top-notch goodness! Favs include: Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile, The Surprise Knock, Leather on the Seat. Higher Beams, and You’ll Need A Backseat Driver.

Every so often these folks release an album and every time they do they don’t disappoint! These folks are near and dear to my heart as they still, to this day, remain the best live act I have ever seen. If you ever get a chance to see them live, do not delay! Favs on this album include: Auslander, Radio, Deutschland, Sex, Was Ich Liebe, and Tattoo. Hell, it’s all really great!

What musical talent! I first heard Sharon’s music in 2014 on her album “Are We There.” Simply fantastic, full of wonderful harmonies and all-around good tunes. Favs include: Seventeen, No One’s Easy To Love, I Told You Everything, Comeback Kid, Jupiter 4

What a good ol’rockin’ album! Such good grooves and that guitar tone is next-level great! Great inspiration for picking up the electric and writing my own groovy tunes. Favs on this excellent album include: Fire Walk With Me, Lo/Hi, Shine a Little Light, Tell Me Lies, Go, actually, all tunes are excellent!

This is an epic 32 song album! …and it doesn’t disappoint right from song #1, Good Morning Sir. A really great rock album indeed. I actually only just found out about these folks on this album but they’ve been around since the 1980s (on and off in later years). Favs include: The Rally Boys, Blurring the Contacts, Carapace, Step of the Wave…it’s really hard to narrow down the great tunes on this album. Just give ‘er a listen!

I was super stoked to hear about this new album from one of my all-time fav punk rockers. Getting you right from the first track, Chaos From Within, classic Bad Religion! This album has been in constant rotation since its release. Favs include, all really, but picking a few: My Sanity. Chaos From Within, The Approach, Candidate, and Old Regime. What a fucking great album!

Now this album here, wow do I ever love it. Lead singer Corey Taylor is just such a cool dude (when folks complained about his mask in the video below being too ugly he said, good…I’m never taking it off now…ha! I love this attitude and my motto going into 2020 is going to be similar, just “rock what I got”). On this album, I love how they mix crushing metals riffs intermixed between beautiful vocal harmonies. Favs include: Unsainted, Nero Forte, Critical Darling, Orphan, Solway Firth, and Spiders

Oh do I ever love Ron Hawkins and Co. And every song on this album is good ol’ classic Canadiana. Right from the opening track this album hooks you in. Don’t delay, give it a good listen. You won’t be disappointed. Favs include every damn song, but picking a few: Bottle Rockets, The Ballad of Late-Era Capitalism, Bonnie & Clyde, The Barricade, Midnight Maryanne, …this is pointless, just listen to it all!

These fine folks, what can I say about them. They are just soooo good! When they played the RFF a few years back; it is still one of my finest musical memories #dave. As with many in my top 5, scratch that, my top 10, all songs are great on this album but this album, in particular, holds a special place in my heart and makes me so damn happy. Picking a few is what I like to do #rhymes…ha, so: I’ll Wait, Salvation, We All Need Someone, One Hand Up. Again, just listen to the whole thing. You will not be disappointed (you’re going to get two vids below #sogood)

And here we are with this super fine, super-fun album full of nerdy and classic metal riffs; a constant at the gym and at work and at home. I simply love this album. All songs inspired by the Dwarves, aka The Hobbit/LOTR. There is not one song I dislike on this album. So fun, so good – from the opening Of Iron and Gold to the epic closer We Were Warriors. All favs indeed (You’re going to get more than a few vids below…ha!)

There you have it folks! Have a great 2020! -tMAc

Well, 2018 has come and gone. For me it was indeed an interesting year, starting a new gig at the local uni, road-trippin’ out west, and trying to stay on top of all the mundane and exciting things that life has to offer.

This post being about music; in my own musical adventures, I didn’t write many, or any, of my own tunes. That said, I am having a blast playing with the Regina Mandolin Orchestra, now in my third year with the group!

Now with the new and cool music I listened to this year, there was indeed a lot to be happy about with what 2018 had to offer (if anything, 2018 had some great musical offerings that were put out into the world for all to enjoy…and maybe that’s about all 2018 really had to offer the world #trumpbecray). So let’s get to it.

Honourable mentions (kept to 5):

• Doug Paisley, Starter Home
  • This came to me late. Otherwise, it would for surely have been in the top 10
• Jim Bryson, Tired of Waiting
  • This was a fantastic little album. However, it only 6 tunes on it which, to me, is more like an EP
• Ghost B.C, Prequelle
• Pennywise, Never Gonna Die
• Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You For Today

10. Avatar, Avatar Country. I became aware of this fine Swedish metal band from my brother. He sent me the clip below and I immediately liked them. Good humour, good riffs, awesome tunes! Crank’er’loud folks! Favs include: Legend of the King, King’s Harvest, and King After King.

09. The Breeders, All Nerve. I’ve loved this band since the mid-’90s. Just good ol’rockin’ tunes. This album offers no different than their previous albums. Just a good, solid rock album. Favs include: Nervous Mary, All Nerve,  MetaGoth, and Blues at the Acropolis.

08. Wax Mannequin, Have a New Name. This dude is quite simply a poet. His deep, delicate voice just captures and delights me. I actually think every song on this album is great but if picking favs is something I do: Someone Fixed the Game,  Quickening, Scold’s Bridle, and Basketball.

07. Judas Priest, FIREPOWER. Metal God Halford and Co. are at it again. This album takes me right back to the Painkiller days. Grittier, harder….so damn great! This is quite simply, their best album in some time (for surely since Painkiller). Love it! Favs include: Evil Never Dies, Never the Heroes, Necromancer, Children of the Sun, and No Surrender.

06. Postdata, Let’s Be Wilderness. So soothing, so fantastic! Wintersleep being one of my fav bands, and Postdata being a side project of Paul Murphy (singer of Wintersleep), this album makes me quite happy and had a lot of rotations. I love every tune on it, but favs do include: Wilderness, Black Cloud, Erase Your Heart, and Evil.

05. David Byrne, American Utopia. This fine album from The Talking Heads frontman is just a fantastic treat! A poet in his own right as well. Do yourself a favour and give this one a listen. Favs include: Everyday is a Miracle (Tim edit: love love love this tune), Gasoline and Dirty Sheets, I Dance Like This, This and That, It’s Not Dark Up Here, and Everybody’s Coming to My House. Tim edit: Afterall “We’re only tourists in this life. Only tourists but the view is nice”

04. Brian Fallon, Sleepwalkers. The frontman of The Gaslight Anthem is at it again. What a great album, and an album that was in constant rotation throughout the year. Following a Springsteen-like recipe for song success, Brian excels at what he and his band mates do. Favs include: Her Majesty’s Service, Etta James, Little Nightmares, …damn, this whole album is great!

03. Disturbed, Evolution. One of my favourite metal bands. I’m so glad they came back from retirement (or a long break) as their last two albums have been quite fantastic! Politically charged lyrics, headbanging riffs, you simply can’t go wrong. Heavy metal – It’s what actually helps me get through the crazy world we live in – and these fine folks are top notch at what they do. Favs include: No More, Hold On to Memories, Savior of Nothing, Stronger on Your Own, The Best Ones Lie, and In Another Time (Tim edit: “In another time, when we weren’t so blind, when the world was more than what we see online” – fucking fantastic lyrics)

02. The Wave Pictures, Look Inside Your Heart. I came across this band in a Google Playlist while treadmillin’ it up at the gym. They have a kind of raw vibe like with early (all) Talking Heads that I just love.  When I found out they had this album coming out this year I was really excited …and not disappointed. I simply love it. Just raw, good ol’ classic rock and roll. There is not one song I dislike on this album, but picking a few favs: Look Inside Your Heart, Shelly, Roosevelt Sykes, I Came To You Once, and Goodbye Spiderman. Fantastico!

01. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, While We’re At It. Wowza. When I first heard this album I was immediately transported back in time. Since this one came out in June it’s been on constant rotation at work, at the gym, doing the dishes, just everywhere! I love every tune on this album. They are so fun, energetic, thought provoking, and the musicianship is so top notch! Indeed my favourite album of 2018 and will be on rotation for years to come! (as will most of these top 10’ers). Favs include: Closer to Nowhere, The West Ends, Here We Are, Green Bay Wisconsin, The Constant, In Honor Of, and Hugo’s Wife.

and one more just for the heck of it

and how about the full album!

And there you have. 2018 was a great year for music indeed. Now, let’s deal with the Trump fella and get him the fuck outta there! I just read this morning that Elizabeth Warren is throwing her hat in the ring! There is light folks!

Here’s to an awesome 2019 for all – tMac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhbR7oJbzxs&w=560&h=315

Trying to avoid all the boxing day madness I figured I’d get on this annual tradition of mine. What a great year this has been for music! I listened to well over 250 albums and dwindling these down to my top 50 was hard, then my top 25 was crazy hard, and then, finally, my top 10 was super duper crazy hard, hence I’ll have a list of “honourable mentions.”

Let’s get right to it. First up are my honourable mentions (in no particular order)

• Skydiggers, Warmth of the Sun
• Lowest of the Low, Do the Right Now
• The New Pornographers, Whiteout Conditions
• Gord Downie, Introduce Yerself
• The Wilderness of Manitoba, Across the Dark & The Tin Shop
• Gov’t Mule, Revolution Come…Revolution Go
• Amelia Curran, Watershed
• Alan Doyle, A Week at the Warehouse
• Arcade Fire, Everything Now
• The Rural Alberta Advantage, Beacon Hill
• Queens of the Stone Age, Villains

All of the above albums were just fantastic (and there were even more fantastic 2017 albums I cut from the list above). Trying to stay true to a top 10 and I already feel I’ve failed…ha. But seriously, all of the above albums – check ’em out! Now for my top 10. These 10 albums were in constant rotation throughout the year.

10. Mastodon, Emperor of Sand. Another fantastic album from these fine metal lads.  Just prog metal at its finest! Favs include Show Yourself, Roots Remain, Sultan’s Curse, Steambreather, and Word to the Wise. Truly a solid album!

09. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Murder of the Universe. What can I say about these fine folks? Truly one of the more ambitious bands I’ve come across lately. They also know how to write some epic albums to boot! Releasing 4 albums in 2017, all of which were/are fantastic, and the last of which they freely released! …as in free beer *and* freedom. As with all of their records, songs bleed into each other making an opus of a record! Enjoy the whole record, start to finish, as I do!

08. Bill & Joel Plaskett, Solidarity. Joel Plaskett is, what I would consider, one of Canada’s gems. On this excellent record, Joel hooks up with his dad and the two of them make beautiful music together. What a treat! Favs include Next Blue Sky, Up in the Air, Jim Jones, The New California, and the title track, Solidarity.

07. Roger Waters, Is This The Life We Really Want? Having been a Pink Floyd fan for as long as I can recall this album was such a treat! So politically charged with the current state of what we’re all living through, every song on this album resembles a story for the ages. Truly a remarkable artistic piece meant to be listened to in its entirety. I love it all but stand outs include Deja Vu, Picture That (“Picture a leader with no fucking brains”),  Wait for Her, and the title track Is This the Life We Really Want?

06. Sepultura, Machine Messiah. I was hooked right from the opening track of this masterpiece of an album. This band takes me way back to when I first began playing the guitar. An inspiration indeed. This record was a constant joy throughout 2017, with thick juicy guitar rifts and lyrics that, as with Roger Waters’s album, speak to the current state of the world. Here, on this record, specifically how we’re all so tied/strongly coupled to our technological devices of the day. Favs include the title track Machine Messiah, as well as I am the Enemy, Sworn Oath, Phantom Self, Vandals Nest, Cyber God, and Chosen Skin.

05. Chad VanGaalen, Light Information. Another fantastic album from Chad and Co. Although I’ve never been a fan of his live game, this dude sure knows how to write and create beautiful records. This record is no different. Such a treat! Favs include Mind Hijacker’s Curse, Pine Clover, Mystery Elementals, Old Heads, Locked…actually, I love every song on this record!

04. Rancid, Trouble Maker. “…And Out Come the Wolves” – Rancid’s last album I truly thought was especially great. Well no more. What a great record by this most excellent band! This one was on constant rotation since it came out earlier in the year. Although loving every song I can still pick a few stand outs, including Ghost of a Chance, Telegraph Avenue, Where I’m Going, Make It Out Alive, Molly Make Up Your Mind, Cold Cold Blood, and We Arrived Right On Time.

03. The Black Angels, Death Song. So melodic, so wonderful. What a great great record! I simply love it all, from the opening track Currency, to the closing Life Song. All of it, fantastic! Picking a few others for the sake of it, Half Believing, Estimate, and Comanche Moon.

02. Unleash the Archers, Apex. Wowza. What a spectacular record here from these fine Canadian folks! My brother Joey introduced me to this super excellent band a while back, even dragging me out to their show at the Exchange when they were last in town (they are also fantastic live!). Although releasing a few gems in the past, this album is particularly excellent. A musical masterpiece, start to finish. Like with the last few on this list, I love every song. Some standouts though include False Walls, Ten Thousand Against One, Awakening, Shadow Guide, Cleanse the Bloodlines, and Earth and Ashes. What a damn fine record indeed!

01. LCD Soundsystem, American Dream. And here we are, my fav album of the year by one of my favourite musical groups of all time. Upon hearing that James Murphy was resurrecting the band from retirement ashes I was super excited to hear what he’d have in store for all of us. He did not disappoint. Releasing a couple gems early on with american dream and call the police I knew I would love the rest. Although I love it all, favs include change yr mind, I used to (my personal fav on the album), other voices, tonite, emotional haircut, and black screen. Start to finish, a masterpiece!

and one more for good measure

There you have it. What a great year for music 2017 was. So many musical treats to dwindle it down to just 10 was rather folly. Here’s hoping 2018 bring more wonderful treats for the ears! -tMac