The musical year
by Matt Worley

If there's one thing I do repeatedly (and let's face it--I do a lot of things repeatedly), it's listen to music. There's music in my car, music in the computer room, music in the living room and music in my head at work while everyone else yells, "You know what? Chicken butt!"

I've listened to hundreds of CDs this year, courtesy of the late Lies Magazine and the various other places I review CDs for. I always look over all of this music at the end of the year and wonder, "Was it a good year?" I'm not so sure about that this year. It seems as though that spectacular album didn't come out this year--although there were some very nice highlights. And maybe spectacular albums only come out once in a blue moon.

In 1997, a couple of the best albums came out near the end of the year. NOFX's brilliant "So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes" has been a constant companion this entire year--especially while editing and re-writing a play called "(pause)" with my brother. Bjork's "Homogenic" was right up there as well--even though it came from the other end of the musical spectrum from NOFX's sarcastic punk.

Since it's the beginning of December, and I don't plan on getting many new CDs before the new year, I thought I'd go ahead and make the Big List. This might mean I'll miss a few albums that will fuel my fire in the new year, but that's what apologies are for. Here's the countdown:

10. Beastie Boys -- Hello, Nasty
I don't actually have this CD, but everything I've heard from it is so damn cool, I had to put them on the list. But what's up with them turning Devo in those matching jumpers?

9. Pearl Jam -- Yield
A more accessible album than their last, full of great rock songs. And even if they're not on the pulse of the kids anymore (rather, they're on the pulse of all of us dying in day jobs looking for a bit of rebellion as youth slips away), they can still make good music.

8. The Murmurs -- Blender
What the Go-Go's would sound like if they were lesbians, a little pissed off and had gone through the turbulent early 90s. Feel good album of the year.

7. Air -- Moon Safari
A French duo makes elevator music for the brain. So light, floaty and fun, you just can't help but catch their wave.

6. Local H --Pack Up The Cats
A crunchy rock album made by two guys who seem to ooze irony from every guitar lick, drum hit and nasal whiny sneer. "Alright! Oh yeah! It's only stupid me."

5. Hole -- Celebrity Skin
So what if Billy Corgan helped write a few songs, it's way better than that electro-crap album his band put out. This is a damn fine CD from a lady (and her band) who decided it was better to rise than fade away. And the most interesting eulogy to a dead rock star since Temple Of The Dog.

4. The Slackers -- The Question
The best ska band playing today? Maybe. Laid back, and yet jumpy enough to give a nice bounce to the day. And even if the questions have no answers, at least the question was asked.

3. Less Than Jake -- Hello Rockville
High energy, catchy as hell and guaranteed to get everyone off their ass at the party. This little-ska-band-that-could gave a rocket boost to the system this fall. If ska weren't so dead, these guys would be stars.

2. The Red Aunts -- Ghetto Blaster
Thirty minutes of raging fury filtered through the best production crunch job I've heard in years. The sound this album has should be put in the Smithsonian. The band is gone, but this was the best going away present a fan could ask for. Almost #1, but...

1. Rancid -- Life Won't Wait
So maybe Rancid ain't the same punk band they were during their early days, but there is something to be said for growing up, learning to play instruments and listening to really good music. The boys brought all their influences to bare in this tour de force of punk, ska, world music, reggae, rock-a-billy and good old American melting pot philosophy.

Matt Worley is waiting for the next big new wave/punk/ska/ electronic/rock/hip-hop band to rock his world.

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