TOP THIRTY ALBUMS OF 2001

Bottom 30

10. The Verve Pipe - Underneath

9. R.E.M - Reveal

8. Saliva - Every Six Seconds

7. B.R.M.C - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

6. From Zero - One Nation Under

5. Adema - self-titled

4. Stone Temple Pilots - Shangri LA Dee Da

3. The Bacon Brothers - Can't Complain

2. Lit - Atomic

1. Series 7 - Music from the Motion Picture (Girls Against Boys)

Top 20 Honorable Mentions

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES - self-titled: Joe Leste and DJ Ashba write some true blessed rock n roll. Infused with trippy guitar loops, psychedelic openings and Joe's scratchy but pure lead vocals lend to some pure grab your crotch, down the scotch and light up the cigarette bar room brawl background music. From the opening guitars, the album just infuses and blows away with catchy lyrics and even catchier choruses. "Wasted" is an anthem for all those youths who drink up and wake up hung over the next day and LOVE IT! Other tracks such as "Ride", "Kick Out" and "Kicking For Days" are hop on the motorcycle and drive drunk and fucked. The album of course has it's slow tracks, because even the toughest stoner mother biker gets sad at times. I could see people comparing this band to Buckcherry... but there is a much different chagrin and smile to them. The soul of the music comes from different places, despite ending up at the same place. The group has a delivery that gives Rawk hope.

DEEP BLUE SOMETHING - self-titled: This follow up to Home has a totally different feel. The harmonies are still there, the simple guitars still well, the drums have a contained beat, but something seems matured. They've grown, to just a stronger more enlightened sound. They actually almost breach on Doors territory with the twists they take melodically. The Pipes brothers switch off on lyrics duties once again, but they share much of the music writing with percussionist and drummer John Kirtland that allows for a smoother and stronger sound. There are still songs written solely by either of the Pipe's brothers. I personally like the songs written by Toby more than the ones by Todd. The power of the album really lies in the early tracks "Military Man" and "She Is". These songs really have an edge that makes you turn a head. The rest is what I'd call good, but very average trad-rock. They aren't doing anything new here, but they sure as hell try and listening to them give it a go is very entertaining.

ROCK STAR - Music from the Motion Picture: I have not seen this film yet, but when it comes out for a rental I will. I hate Mark Wahlberg the man, but love the actor and Jennifer Aniston was supposedly amazing in this film. Why did I get the soundtrack then? Well, Because of this... Ladies and Gentleman... the line up for Steel Dragon (band of Rock Star)
Lead Guitar: Zakk Wylde
Drums: Jason Bonham
Bass: Jeff Pilson
Rhythm Guitar: Nick Cantonese
and switch off lead vocals from Mike Matijevic and Jeff Scott Soto 
On top of that some of these Steel Dragon's tracks were written by more of music's greatest and most especially the amazing track "Blood Pollution" written by the one and only Twiggy Ramirez. Ritchie and Dio, Sammy Hagar, and Desmond Child wrote other tracks. The album also throws in some classic songs like Motley Crue's Wild Side, Bon Jovi's Livin on a Prayer, and Kiss' Lick it Up. But these new original Steel Dragon songs are amazing. Matijevic sounds incredible on the song "We All Die Young" and Soto just blows me away on "Wasted Generation"... amazingly though Mike is a much better vocalist. This album is full of "glam rock" and "metal", both genres that I don't truly believe exist, but feel that if the album needs classification, this is it. This is also probably the only time Bonham, Wydle, and Pilson will get together for an album, so cherish this... cherish it.

BLISS 66 - Trip to the 13th: Glen Ballard produced this album, which should give you a hint to it's sound. It's very Glen. It has that same feel of what he did for Alanis and what he did for Aerosmith (which sadly wasn't great, cept for a few tracks). Glen actually only co-wrote two of the tracks, one with the lead singer and the other the lead singer and guitar player. The guitarist Schossau wrote most of the tracks and he is a great songwriter. I don't know why this album stood out for me amongst the many other traditional pretty boy rock bands of the last few years that get little to no MTV exposure despite once being the only thing MTV would play, but they do. I truly think it's the Ballard thing. Ballard is a musical genius and perhaps one of the greatest producers ever. It doesn't hurt that lead singer Cheyenne Goff has a nice simplistic voice with no weird twists.... cept a simple twang that all of these southerners have. I personally have always enjoyed that twang and I enjoy it here. The drums and bass are also very simple, laid down with precise measurements, mixed and produced with an accuracy that can only come from the great Glen Ballard. 

ALIEN ANT FARM - Anthology: This album is amazing. Their cover of Smooth Criminal that is blowing up charts and that teenagers nationwide can't get out of their heads? Tip of the iceberg. Dryden is called a song sayerer, not lead vocals, not vocalist, not singer, but song sayerer and it fits to a tee. His talking/singing mix is just brilliance... This band uses normal every day pop techniques, throws in electronica loops, and whips out the rock frenzy all imbued by Dryden's style... pure style. Yes, his hairstyle sucks, yes he can't dress, yes the entire band look like a bunch of dorks, but they kick ass. The words, the music. It all merges into a perfect semblance of pop and rock... not pop, not rock, not pop rock, but pop and rock. Snap, crackle, pop, rock, roll and take a stroll because these songs have a way of becoming part of you, they will get stuck in your head... and that is a good thing.

TENACIOUS D - self-titled: Practically seven (7) years in the making, those stalwart heroes of comedy and music, Jack Black and Kyle Gass finally put out an album in 2001. It's been two years since the HBO shorts, and of course that means fans have been waiting for a long time for this baby of a gem. The D are pure masters of acoustic comedy rock. Jack of course is sadly now making bad movies and Kyle sits around waiting for Jack to call and say "D Time!" This album has some of the best D songs from the show though and is spliced in with skits. Dave Grohl plays the drums, Steven Page does the keyboards and the recording is the bomb. I also ask who can not love the D's classic and the first song in their repertoire "Tribute" and the stellar bombs "Wonder Boy" and "Fuck Her Gently" that has an accompanying video by the wonderful Spumco studios and if you haven't seen this video, then you owe it to yourself. The album also happily has the short track "Lee" which is one of the coolest but funniest song done for the shorts. Jack's styling is amazing; Kyle's an incredible guitar player. The D took the time to arrive, but they are here, let us that this will not be the last album we get from them… let us all hope. Let us also pray that with Mr. Show finally being brought to a special DVD collection that The D are not far behind.

OYSTERHEAD - The Great Pecking Order: What do you get when you throw together a former pop-star and now a noted composer (Stewart Copeland), the guiding light of Phish (Trey Anastacio) and the mastermind behind Primus (Les Claypool)? You get Oysterhead, a mishmash of amazing bass playing, genius guitar and powerful and dangerous drumming. A collaboration between two of the greatest and most influential musicians in the psychedelic, "alternative", whatever you call it world of music and some guy who used to hang out with Sting. They each carved their own niche in the history of "things made you're ears smile and your head bop" and coming together they create something on the ends of Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland trip through silliness, hilarity and insanity with extremely well-written music, that may be considered an acquired taste, but a taste you should strive to acquire. No one track stands out, but each tells an entire story and you will be entertained.

HANDSOME DEVIL - Love and Kisses from the Underground: Straight from Dirty Martini (Lit's label, who's new album Atomic would be on this list as well, but I am trying to keep this toned down) come Danny Walker and his gang. This is some excellent power pop-punk. Walker is one cool cat who lays down his tracks with a precision way beyond what I assume to be very young years. Tracks like "Samurai" are raw and quirky and if you can get the lyrics down you will sing along. Jeremy Popoff, the main brother in LIT co-produced this album and contributed to many of the tracks, and his influence is clearly defined but this really is Danny Walker and Handsome Devil's show, bringing it back to the early 70's of in your face, fast, fun and ready to take the world, the girls, the boys and all the teenyboppers by storm. Yet, be careful cause I know that this one came under the radar, so you may be one of the few people who latch on to something that may or may not blow up in a few years, get on the first floor now, since you already missed the chance for the basement tour.

NEIL DIAMOND - Three Cord Opera: If you don't already like Neil Diamond, then something is wrong with you. Something is seriously wrong with you, because the man is a master and keeps on going and staying current, trendy and fun to listen to. Every song on this album is honest, beautifully sung, incredibly written, you should praise the Diamond. I personally really like "At The Movies", but every single one of these tracks is a pure gem. Diamond practically invented or redefined pop, rock, funk, jazz and almost anything else you can think of. Neil Diamond is a personal hero of mine, and if you like music, he will become a hero of yours as well. Do yourself a favor; if you love Neil or don't love Neil, you will love Neil after this album.

DAVE NAVARRO - Trust No One: He made Jane's Addiction work (I couldn't stand Perry), he helped Kiedes and Flea make an incredible album (One Hot Minute), and now he's broken out into his own with an incredible album. Dave has assembled an incredible band to back him up and as a front man has proven that all these years there was no need for him to play sidekick. He's got the chops, the licks, the skillz and the flavor to have him been big all this time. Plus he's a hunk. The song "Not For Nothing" which slightly resembles Trent Reznor's "Star Fuckers" but doesn't… is just kick ass. This work slightly resembles (sic) of most "alternative metal", some synth stuff, some psychedelic, some bass beat to drum over chord singing with sweet simple lyrics and mind brainwave infusion. Quick tidbit… I was in my student center a few years ago, back when I was going to college I saw Dave Navarro walk by quick and enter a nearby apartment by the basement… I think he lives there. I couldn't tell which apt it was though so I never knocked. I also could never figure out where Joey Ramone, who lived up the block, actually lived either.

REVEILLE - Bleed the Sky: I don't like rapcore, or rap-metal, or hardcore. So you probably asking yourself, what the hell is this album doing here? Because I like Reveille. This is really a personal thing. I discovered Laced for 88 cents when it came out and for some strange reason it got me going. I was all over the place, screaming along with the album. When their second album came out with the entire line-up intact from the first album I had to get it and once again I was blown away. Drew Simollardes vocals kick the shiznit like a Van-Daminator and Steve Milszweski's guitars and programming are just off the panhandle. Don't understand the metaphors? That's the entire point, you will or you won't. If you do, these boys may just you to the next step of evolution in what rapcore could be, instead of what everyone thinks it is.

BILLY BOB THORTON - Private Radio: Yes, that Billy Bob Thorton, star of screen, the brilliant director, actor, husband to Angelina Jolie is also an amazing song writer. He co-wrote many of these songs with his close friend Marty Stuart. Billy isn't a singer, but he knows how to make his words so brilliant and strong. You feel Billy in the room with you reading his life to you through the purest form possible, the poem, the lyric, the song. I am personally a huge BBT fan. I think he is really one of the best things going in Hollywood. That this down home hick has made a name for himself in the big starry city and the land of the movies speaks volumes to me. This is pure Southern guitar blues… and blues is the original, the dream, it all started with blues, it comes from blues, all the best love songs, all the best pop power ballads, the heavy metal slow songs, that's the blues, m'dear. This album is slow, it's soft, it's quiet, it's calm and it's also very soothing. And one of the song was co-written by Dwight Yoakam, and Dwight rules... there's also an amazing cover of the Roger McQuinn penned Byrd's song "He Was A Friend Of Mine", which is the one of the most influential power pop songs ever, and not just because it was about the man who was a bigger slut than Bill Clinton, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.


JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS - Music from the Motion Picture: Silly, fun, poppy, and rocking... the live adventure of Josie and her friends was a super cool film, making fun consumerism, mass marketing and subliminal messaging. Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid, Parker Posey, Alan Cummings, Gabrielle Mann and Missi Pyle made the film a joy as did the writing and direction of the makers of the classic film "Can't Hardly Wait" Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. The film had one other factor that made it rule and that was the pre-released sound track. Produced by Babyface, David Gibbs and Adam Schelisinger with lyrics and music by Deb and Harry (btw, may I mention that Deborah Kaplan is one fantastic looking babe for just being a film director who is barely even in front of a camera, growl...), but not only were the songs written by Deb and Harry… oh no, they had help and what help they had. David Gibbs, Adam Durtiz, Anna Waronker and Jason Falkner; that is one impressive list of people helping to make some real songs to give the movie some credibility, but it goes beyond that. This is just an awesome album and the main reason is because of who Josie and the Pussycats really are, 
on vocals: Kay Hanley, formerly of the excellent group Letters to Cleo
on guitars and back up vocals: Bif Naked
also on guitars and back up vocals: Matthew Sweet
the bassist and drummer are studio musicians.
The original songs are true trippy girl power! Pop, and the covers which include "Real Wild Child", "Money" and of course "Josie and The Pussycats" (written by those music masters William Hanna and Joe Barbera, who also wrote those classics The Flintstones, The Jetsons, etc.) The album also features two very boy band like songs from the band DuJour (actually J'son Thomas, John Stephan, Anthony President and Brainz) and which if taken with a grain of salt and sugar can be enjoyable. I personally love the song "Shape Shifter"... whateverdu.

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST OF The ARCHIES: In the late 60's there was a cartoon based on those irrepressible youths, Archie Andrews, Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. In the cartoon the five friends got together and became a band…and every band needs music. Just like Josie and the Pussycats, The Monkees and the such, someone one has to be the band. In The Monkees, they had the boys, but in a cartoon? Well, the odd bit here is Don Kirshner the brainchild of music behind The Monkees was in charge of The Archies and hired music writing genius Jeff Barry to pen the songs, Jeff decided to team up with Andy Kim. They then went out and hired a vocal marvel, one Ron Dante and an amazing studio band to make up The Archies. Ron Dante is possibly the greatest pop vocalists I have ever heard. This albums includes of course the #1 "Sugar, Sugar" which bulleted across the boards, the billboards that is… on both sides of the coast. That isn't the only fun and super pop song on this album though; "Get On The Line", "Feelin So Good" and "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" are also fun fun fun. Ron Dante is versatile, he can hit low and high octaves, he is a wonder. This isn't The Archies ladies and gentleman... It's The Best of Jeff Barry late 60's early 70's featuring the magic that is Ron Dante.

TOFOG - BASTARD LIFE OF CLARITY: That stands for Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts. It is also an excellent actor joining the ranks of singer/songwriter (that's Thorton, Bacon, and a few others), that man? Russell Crowe, the brilliant Australian actor who is also an Academy Award Winner. Tofog are basically a folk-rock band. A very good folk rock band. Russell has a soothing, sexy voice and the team of performers joining him on this is a wonderful group of musicians. The song "Hold You" which Crowe wrote completely on his own is slow, methodical and absolutely beautiful. Every song also tells a story; as folk rock is tend to do. These are heart warming, powerful stories about life in and around Australia and the life Russell lived there before his shining star came and made him on of the biggest things in Hollywood. The album doesn't corner itself by being strictly folk-rock, there's some traditional pop style, some regular rock style. In the end though, it's all very methodical and very beautiful.

THE GO-GOS - GOD BLESS THE GO-GOS: God bless the Go-Go's indeed (I'm pretty sure other reviewers have said this, but what the heck). Belinda, Char Coffee, Jane W., K Valentine and Gina Shock are back and back rocking like they always have and always will. In the 80's The Go-Gos owned two parts of me, and one of them were my ears, the other well… you know. Belinda was in Playboy recently and that made me happy, I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of the girls of course. The girls are in top form here, years of fighting, and a break up? Where is that? It sounds like they've been playing together non-stop for 20 years and are as beautiful as they were in their 20's and they are actually in their 40's. The songs have pump, punch, and don't make me choose one I like… The Go-Gos just remind me of when I was a horny little kid and saying "Girls rule!" and yes, my friends, they made give you headaches, annoy you, but in the end… "Girls rule!"

MOULIN ROUGE - MUSIC FROM BAZ LUHRMANN'S FILM: Before I saw this movie I jumped on the soundtrack just to hear Ewan McGregor sing some more… ever since Velvet Goldmine I knew the boy had some chops and I wanted to hear get them tested to the limit. Throw in Beck doing Bowie, throw in Bowie with Massive Attack, thrown in a new Bono song and throw in a brand new Rufus Wainwright track and a new Fatboy Slim mix and you have me sold! Nicole Kidman is fun as well on this. Marius Devries did an amazing job on the film and it completely translates to this album, which is just so cool. Ewan McGregor really needs to get a band started as well. This album just bursts at the seam with talent and fun and sexiness…. Throw me in a room with Bowie, Beck, Rufus, Bono, Ewan, and Nicole and throw in those sexy girls who sing Lady Marmalade (Pink, Christina, Mya, and Lil'Kim) and just watch me go to work in the lovemaking. I will die once it is done, but it will be worth it. I will also make it a recording session and make everyone sing while we rock the casbah, it will sell millions. You folks should get this album and also see Moulin Rouge if you haven't, what a wonderful movie.

TUB RING - DRAKE EQUATION: Trey Spruance produced this "nu-metal" jewel. That means it is truly REAL "nu-metal", with real sound experimentation, wacky lyrics, up beat and bouncy guitars and a different sound and feel to each song. I'm not sure who did what and each song is credited to the entire band, so Tub Ring also have nice mysterious façade going. From the opening with "Where's The Robot?" and continuing on with "Bite The Wax Tadpole", the closing track "God Hates Astronauts" and then the "hidden" bonus track of pure electronic frenzy at the end just makes this a wild wild trip though noise, sound, voice manipulation, screwy musicianship and everything that made us love Trey's work, these boys understand it. I have also heard earlier work by Tub Ring and they had it down long before Trey came around. They just listened to their favorites like many other bands, the only difference? They got it right.

REMY ZERO - THE GOLDEN HUM: "Save Me" is just one amazing song. I can understand why the producers of Smallville chose it. It's just an amazingly powerful song. It's not the only amazing song Remy Zemo has though. Soft, melodic, eyebrow raising, flying through the air pop is what this is. This is in combination of the amazing tripadelic music and the mouth-watering California swoon voices of harmony, and the sleek sound of Cinjun's solo singing. The song "Smile" does just that, it brings a smile to my face and the lyrics aren't exactly happy, but they are very empowering and powerful. I'm also blown away by the instrumentals on this album, not enough bands let the lead singer take a break and show off their musical talents in the vein of classical, but Remy Zero take a chance and it pays off. It does come back to "Save Me" though, the song brought me to Remy Zero, making me envision a young hero trying to come to grips with the world around and just wanting that extra helping hand before falling in, and the song brought me to Remy Zero, but it was all the rest of their work that made me stay.

TOP 10

10. TOMAHAWK - self-titled: I love Mike Patton; let me clarify that before we move on. Everything he's been involved in that I am aware of I have loved. From Faith No More, to Adult Voices, to his orchestral work and Fantomas. I love Mike. Mike is one of my biggest inspirations musically. What does this all mean? Tomahawk is another masterpiece from the man who practically INVENTED "nu-metal" alongside Trey Spruance. This is one eclectic album though... like good nu-metal should be. It doesn't hurt that he it's also being assisted by Duane Dennison, Kevin Rutmanis and John Stanier. These guys allow Mike to almost get a little poppy on a few tracks and that's nice to hear. Hearing Mike go simple but then to immediately return to his hard bass and nasal screaming a track later is pure joy. Mike is a love him or hate him icon... I love him. "Sir Yes Sir" I shall do as you say, bow down to my master and lay down in the "Cul De Sac".

9. BUCKCHERRY - TIME BOMB - The L.A. Boys cranked out another bombastic rock album early this year following up their awesome debut mainstream label record. Josh Todd gets me horny with his screeching vocals. Just hard! I see this album as one of the Ultimate Road Trip albums. Just lace the car with ether. Fill the trunk with psychotropics and all that junk. Two coolers of beer, vodka, whiskey, etc. A few of your best friends. Throw this one in and hit the open road. I mean an album that is this blatantly, but in honesty sarcastically misogynistic, rude, mean, perverted and sadistic is just the perfect party album. Road, Party, Get busted on Ecstasy and have a beautiful orgy. Bitches and Money, Big Dicks, Porno Stars, Feeling Suicidal, Finding Yourself, Losing Yourself, More Bitches, More Money, more more, more, Then Finding it all again, but having so much trouble to hold on into and then finding True Love and wanting to nothing but Dance With the Lions... oh yes. A life can be seen here, a road trip, a party, a life, full of hardcore L.A. death and destruction and love.

8. BIGDUMBFACE - DUKE LION FIGHTS THE TERROR!: Wes Borland, the true musical genius behind anything that makes Limp Bizkit as popular as they are made this puppy in his house. With his brother, his sister and a close friend. He wrote it, he recorded it, and he sung it. He almost makes Mike Patton look like an amateur with it. This isn't just "nu-metal", it's NU-metal, by breaking past that metal barrier and going in a whole new place... using the mode of Limp Bizkit, Korn, and all those other crap rapcore, hardcore, shitcore, suckcore, killcore, hatecore, bumcore bands and beating them over the head with sticks to make interesting, thought provoking and downright silly silly music. This is a comedy album if anything. It's Wes having fun by himself, having fun with friends and creating cool silly characters and generating cool silly songs to go with the characters. It's more like a soundtrack to paintings by Wes Borland, a weird weird soundtrack, to weird weird paintings. 

7. THE CULT - BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL: Ian Astbury is truly one of the purest singers in the history of Rock n Roll. The man just fills you when he sings. As does Billy Duffy's guitar... it's one of the most powerful guitars ever. It enters you when it cranks, and Sorum's drumming is just energy magnified. There's a reason Matt Sorum is the hardest working drummer in the business and why he's so requested. There's a god damn good reason Guns N' Roses demanded him and why every single project since Gun's Roses have begged him to play with them. The man knows how to drum. The Cult are a true band, a band that brings it to the basics, who are also always reinventing themselves, that is not an easy thing to do. Only few have been able to. Neil Diamond, Bon Jovi, The Cult, R.E.M, and in my favorite band ever... which you'll have to wait till #1 for that. The Cult is just pure Rock n' Roll, good Rock n' Roll, Rock n' Roll.

6. GORILLAZ - self titled: There is no real band known as Gorillaz, at least from I can figure. D-2, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel are nothing but cartoon characters that portray the band Gorillaz. From what I can discern it's actually singer/songwriter/DJ Dan the Automater teaming up with on occasion Del The Funky Homospaien and Miho Hatori. I have no idea if I am right on this, it's very unclear and the Gorillaz website is impossible to wade through to confirm my suspicions. Either way the music is fantastic. It's basically I guess modern pop... Bowie 90's pop, what Lou Reed and such were gearing towards. It's pretty hard to describe the sound, it's not pop, but it is, it's more of synthetic pop, not synth-pop, and not fake, but more computerized, except nothing about sounds like a computer. Just if a computer made pop music. Confused? So Am I. Confusion is a wonderful feeling though... a wonderful amazing feeling. Some of the best music comes from confusion. Just like Gorillaz.

5. RUSTIC OVERTONES - VIVANUEVA: This album is displayed very well from the chorus of the first song "C'Mon". 
If I try, I'm halfway to triumph
So C'Mon, C'mon
If I sigh, I'm halfway to science
So C'Mon
I'm alive and I'm halfway to dying
So C'Mon, C'mon
And I'm halfway to laughing and halfway to crying
So C'mon
You just have to love a chorus like that. I mean it just says it all. Rustic Overtones are SKA. They really are. What does SKA mean though? SKA just means POP, but with wind instruments like Tuba and Trumpets and Sax and such, but in the end, it's POP with a twist. Any album that also gets Funkmaster Flex to participate on one track and David Bowie on the awesome track because 'This is Rock n Roll' on "Sector Z" has to be considered the perfect party pop album. I just love jumping out on to the road with some Rustic Overtones with it well balanced wind solos, cracking guitar beats and funkify your soul pop singing. I always say, "If it makes you smile, it must be good."

4. STEREOPHONICS - JUST ENOUGH EDUCATION FOR PLAYIN: I guess Kelly Jones, lead and writer for all that is Stereophonics would be considered the thinking man's pop singer. Making Stereophonics the thinking man's pop band. I would also say that because of Kelly's almost folk like voice, that they are your perennial non-pop pop band. Non-pop, what a concept, but it's the best way to listen this. Prepare yourself for a non-pop album and you'll hear the pop through Kelly's simple guitar chords and gritty, gravely, growling sweet suddenly soft voice that tells the story and makes you understand it fully and focused. You walk away from every song knowing that a lot of thought and care was put into putting the songs together, despite them being written on the road, in hotel rooms, in the house, but where else is a musician going to write his songs? It's where I write them and it's where Kelly Jones has written him. Kelly does surprise with a perfect, but uncompromising pop song right on track 5 though with "Have a Nice Day". Completely 70's style power pop, with still the storyteller sensibilities of a good folk singer intact. I praise Kelly Jones; he proves it can be done.

3. SUGARCULT - START STATIC: I didn't care about this album when I first saw it, especially since Virgin Megastore was promoting it like crazy. Then I started seeing good reviews for it in magazines and comics I respected the opinion of so I checked it out for myself, and was blown away within 30 seconds with the opening drum beat, clichéd but just stunningly wonderful and then 4 man harmony of voices blasted in singing completely in tune with just sugar, sweet sugary pop vocals. Then for the next 1 minute 20 seconds it blasted me long enough to follow me through to the ban's perfect anthem "Stuck in America" which is just the truest sense of teenage punk angst sung in the truest of power pop. Tim P, Marko 72, Airin and Ben Davis are the next, the newest, and damn hell, of that creed, they are the best. They kick everyone else's ass in being a new band rocking out like rock should rock, but what's great is the lyrics are pure genius. They get away with drug references, sex references and social depravity like any other band in this genre telling us who they are, where they come from and why they are here. Not that you should care why, you should just be happy that they are. 

2. MANIC STREET PREACHERS - KNOW YOUR ENEMY: Hailing from Britain come some true purveyors of pop rock and boy oh boy do they know how to deliver. Catchy, rhythm tic, sensible and intelligent lyrics combine with brilliant guitar and bass lines and subtle but erotic drum beats make me just think of love and drugs. Drugs and love, making the world go round and round. Listening to the Manic Street Preachers gives me hope for the pop scene, except for the sad fact that the pop scene really is dead. So the only people who will listen to Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics and Sugar Cult and Rustic Overtones and Kay Hanely and Rilo Kiley and all the such are real music geeks. MTV can bite my big donkey dick. The real bands doing real music, the real musicians like James Dean Bradfield will fall into a state of obscurity as MTV continues to praise the evil entity that is Fred Durst. It's just a sad world we are living in where Back Street Boys can put out another single and boom be on the top and I won't even know about it. Manic Street Preachers have their fans I know that. They aren't hurting for fame. They got the fame they need. I'm listening, others are listening. They are feeling it. The end result is not right though. Instead of The Beatles being sold through the roof they should be used to let the bands that keep their vision alive ALIVE, before they fly south for the winter never to return. It happened in the 70's with so many good groups, even when they got #1 hits, that was it, that #1 hit and than obscurity. Let us not let this happen again in the 00's. I beg of you... you have it in your power, keep POP alive.

1. AEROSMITH - JUST PUSH PLAY: Now, you ask, how is it that after a rant like that there's still one more album? One topping a rant like that. Easy, because the last band on this group have been doing it longer and continuously doing it more than any other band on this list (other than Neil Diamond, of course). 4 decades in rock in roll is a long ass time, and that's what Aerosmith is gearing into. When the band started Steven and Joey were just in their late teens, and even through practical break-ups, burn out, methadone clinics, and death and destruction they kept coming back. Back again and again and breaking the mold and remaking it, staying current and still being Aerosmith. The blues rock power pop heavy metal synth sicko heads of yesteryear and today. Do you have any clue how albums Aerosmith has? I can count at least 12 and there are more than that and yes 3 of them are Greatest Hits albums, but even those featured one to three new tracks. The fact that Aerosmith can still become #1 is what makes my rant from before feel like pop really can stay alive. I love Aerosmith, I love that they keep brining it to the top, Steven Tyler is a personal idol of mine, but it's not fair that while a great band who have been doing it forever and get #1, a dozen newer or decade old bands get lost in the shuffle. It's not fair, but there is an answer for it. 
Aerosmith kick butt, hehe, you said butt, hehe. Kick butt, kick butt, and keep kicking it. I will cry the day there is no more new Aerosmith, but till then... Aerosmith RULES and always will!