And the pendulum swings back the other way from last years aggrofest. Super diverse selection this year – shoegazer, partycore, power metal, thrash, rave, techno, house, indie, jazz, and even a little country to boot – we’ve got it all!

Here’s what I found interesting enough to listen to more that 10 times this year.

Billie Toppy
Men I trust

I love early 80’s sounding alt/indie shoe gazer stuff. When I first heard this I thought it was something I had missed but was surprised to find it was a newer track. Light, airy vocals, bright, echoing keys, fuzzy, muted guitar, with a subdued, droning base all give a pleasant, relaxed and dreamy lush feeling. Nice toe-tapping track.

Tekkno Train
Electric Callboy

The German partycore band is back at it again. Euro/techno/growl-scream core – as someone I know stated “It’s like 4 songs in one!” Taking the music seriously, but not themselves. Was a little disappointed as they came within an hour from here on tour last year and didn’t get the chance to see them. Maybe next time.

River
PNAU, Ladyhawke

A little more techno/rave/club music for you (and me). Groovy ‘electro beats from synth-poppers PNAU with spacey, floated vocals from New Zealand’s Ladyhawke. Perfect club floor mix to chill out to.

Bad Example
Pistol Annies

Ok, anyone who knows me would say Country is probably my least favorite style of music. I like older country (50’s-late 70’s) but you don’t hear much of that since the NWOCM (New Wave of Country Music) appeared in the mid-90’s. This one caught my ear at a local bar (which plays a lot of country) and had to Shazam it since I was sure it was something from the early days. I love the minimalist and simple instruments which lets the beautiful harmonizing shine. The lyrics are nice and cheeky too – agree with them all.

Hi Ren
Ren

I hesitated to include this one because I really didn’t know how to describe it, much less describe my emotional reaction to it. Simply, it’s “Beautiful, smart, and gut wrenching”. About one mans struggle with mental health. I can’t listen to it too often because it’s so powerful, almost always moving me to tears.

Losing Control
Odd Mob, OMNOM

I’m a sucker for a good house base beat and subdued rhythm with a big, noisy, sawtooth echo wave synth hammer – the harder, the louder, the better. For the most part, a lazy raver with a decent drop that keeps its cool.

Medieval
Raven

One of my self-given research topics of late has been the bands of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal), of which my favorite band of all time is a part of – that being Judas Priest. In the research I found a band I’d heard of but never dug into, this band Raven. Formed in 1974 in England, one of the progenitors of the thrash movement that would inform such mega bands as Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer.

Still chugging after nearly 50 years, they continue to have the chops to turn out music that, while echoing the past, still sounds fresh and relevant to the rock scene.

Lovebites
Judgement Day

Yes, I’ve featured this group before. My favorite thrash/power metal band of the last 5 years. Technically perfect, of course, and brilliantly woven sonic onslaught. This is what should have come after the metal/rock of the mid 90’s instead o the Nu-Metal that did. Shame it didn’t. A perfect marriage of thrash, speed, and epic power metal. Symphonic opening, soaring vocals, and I’d almost give them the title of “Best Twin Lead Guitars” over Tippton/Downing from Judas Priest. Can I gush even more?

I can only hope to see them live someday.

After Destruction
Descartes a Kant

Alt-indie, punk rock Devo? Ting Tings? White Stripes? St. Vincent? The Buggles? Who cares. Catchy and fun.

Tank!
Yoko Kanno + Seatbelts
I love how much the Japanese are into the mid-60’s spy swingin’ jazz from America. This is one of the best, and most popular example, the theme from Cowboy Bebop, the anime.