POISON SCOOTER

Jord's Top Ablums of 2006 (so far)

5. Wolves in Wolves Clothing - NOFX
- NOFX continues to steadily release great albums year after year. “Wolves…” is a barrage of rapid fire songs meant to stir the pot of complacency infesting today’s music by questioning prominent conservative political and religious viewpoints. Since the election of George Bush in 2000, Fat Mike and NOFX have found their sworn enemy. This has proven beneficial for NOFX as they have shifted into 5th gear putting out poignant and cutting punk rock songs that bring back the aggressiveness that punk rock has seemly been lacking. NOFX, as always, adds their signature humor to the songs making this album an instant classic for fans.

4. Shanked! - Toys That Kill
- From the ashes of West Coast punk legends F.Y.P. arose Toys That Kill. Fans weary of the rise and fall of such an influential band were relieved at their first release, “Citizen Abortion“ in 2001. “Shanked!”, TTK’s third full length record continues to impress. Todd Congliere, lead man and brains behind Recess Records, pens some excellent melodic punk on this album. Toys That Kill have effortlessly slid into being one of punk rocks funnest band to listen to.

3. In Bocca Al Lupo - Murder By Death
- Murder By Death are well on their way to becoming a household name thanks to their industrious tour schedule and art infused performances. Adam Turla’s unique and powerful voice is rich with influences that range from Johnny Cash to Nick Cave. "In Bocca Al Lupo", the bands third release, strays from the story infused narrative lyrics of their sophmore release "Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left Of Them". "In Bocca al Lupo", which translates roughly to "In the Mouth of the Wolf" examines themes of sin, transgression, punishment, and redemption, touching on different lives and different stories in each individual song. The resulting album resembles the 1979 murder mystery from which the band takes its name-a pastiche of bad deeds and good intentions, of last minute heroism and, in some cases, nearly impossible forgiveness.

2. To the Confusion of Our Enemies - The Riverboat Gamblers- I have seen The Riverboat Gamblers come a long way in their struggle to become punk-n-roll forerunners. Their tremendous energy-infused live show that enabled them to share the stage with greats such as X, Rollins Band, and MC5 had long shadowed the talent possessed by the band. "To The Confusion Of Our Enemies", brings The Gamblers out of the shadows and into the spotlight. This is the bands first release on recently assembled Volcom Records and it proves to be a smart move. The larger budget for the recording sets the album apart from their previous two releases by portraying a more professional and grown up sound without sounding over-produced. Rolling Stone named the Riverboat Gamblers one of the "Top 5 bands to break out at this year's SXSW". I'm inclined to agree with them.

1. Oh! Calcutta! - The Lawrence Arms
- The dirt and grit seeps under fingernails and coats the nose and throat with every revolution of the Lawrence Arms' fifth proper full-length album "Oh! Calcutta!" The Chicago three-piece upstages its monumental previous effort "The Greatest Story Ever Told," which demonstrated the band's knack for literary and pop culture references (complete with footnotes in the CD booklet). The laryngitic frog in singer/bassist Brendan Kelly's tobacco- and alcohol-stained throat scratches in complicity with the album's punk-fueled, two minute anthems. Meanwhile, the latter day Jawbreaker-esque croon of singer/guitarist Chris McCaughan, featured heavily on "The Greatest Story Ever Told," maintains his melodious tone but gives way to a throatier, fervent intonation that matches the thematic and musical elements of each song. One of the most pleasing and surprising prospects of this album allies with the sharing of vocal duties on nearly every track. Prior albums demonstrated a distinct separation between both songwriting and structure between Kelly and McCaughan - Kelly leaned more toward the fast-paced, straightforward punk tracks whereas McCaughan delivered the more mid-tempo, sentimental songs, verging on balladry; the dichotomy does not suggest that one member tended to write a more rollicking or passionate song, but there was a tangible disparity. The scathingly witty, clever and insightful lyrics are even more hard-hitting and effective with their dual vocal offering.

Simply stated this album is a monumental achievement, not just for the punk rock scene, but for music in general. During a time when dime a dozen pop punk and fashion core bands slither out of the ashes of the dying indie scene, The Lawrence Arms prove there is hope in underground music.

posted by Anonymous @ 2:21 PM