1. Slash The Guns N’ Roses guitar hero 9. HUNGRY & THE HUNTED (right) unleashes his scorching ROCK Magic Bullets second solo coming with the help The guitarist-singer of blues band of guest frontmen including band The Crave put their own Midnight Special channels his Lemmy, , Fergie, M pop-rock stamp on proceedings, anger and frustration into incendi- Shadows, Myles Kennedy and Alice making their downloadable debut ary hard rock power trio Hungry Cooper. Who needs Axl Rose? one of the very best of a And The Hunted, and the results good year. are sensational. 2. DIRTY SWEET American Spiritual San Diego rabble rousers Dirty 6. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 10. AIRBOURNE No Guts, Sweet live up to their name with a The Promise No Glory lowdown and dirty set of sweet, The songs that should have been The crunchy guitar riffs, scuzzy rock and roll, somewhere the bridge between Born To Run punchy basslines and THE BEST OF 2010 on the colour palette between and Darkness On The Edge Of tight drums are immedi- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Town finally see the light of day, ately recognisable. It’s White Stripes. and it’s a joyous E Street rock and AC/DC. Only it isn’t. roll celebration. Aussie rockers 3. OFFICER KICKS Citywide Curfew Airbourne sound so A band with the in your face 7. BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION much like Angus attitude and attack of Guns ’n’ Black Country Young & Co that Roses, but the Britpop sensibilities The supergroup comprises you have to of Oasis. No wonder Noel Gallagh- ex- bassist frontman check the er loves ‘em so much, he loaned , sleevenotes. his studio for recording sessions. reunion drummer Jason Bonham, blues guitar hero Joe Bonamassa PAUL COLE 4. All Night Long and Dream Theatre keyboardsman Last year’s rock album of the year Derek Sherinian. winners return with another barnstorming set that nods to their 8. THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM heroes AC/DC, and American Slang Led Zeppelin. Josh Todd’s LA Bruce Springsteen’s favourite band rabble rousers are not ashamed to return with rock and roll Ameri- rock and roll. cana, gospel and a dash of country to boot. But just as you think you 5. THE CRAVE Breaking The Silence have them bagged, along comes a Shades of Green Day as Brighton reminder of their post-punk roots. 1. DUKE SPECIAL The Silent World Of Hector Mann Remarkable album inspired by Paul Auster’s novel The Book Of Illusions. The Duke (right) delivers 12 songs – one for each of Mann’s movies – with co-writers Neil Hannon, Ed Harcourt, Ben Castle, Paul Pilot, Thomas Truax, and Rea Curran. 2. MARTYN JOSEPH Under Lemonade Skies Singer Martyn Joseph’s latest set is still rooted in folk but is instantly accessi- ble, with songs such as So Many Lies, On My Way and Lonely Like America, that are among his best. There’s a cover version of Bruce Springsteen’s One Step Up, too. 7. SARAH McLACHLAN 3. HARPER SIMON Harper Simon It’s seven years since sweet-voiced ’s son serves up a delightful debut Sarah McLachlan last released a studio including co-writes with his dad, appearances set of new material. But she still has that by (son of John), Inara George breathy catch in her mezzo-soprano vocal, (daughter of Lowell) and a stellar session band, the same one that seduced us with the likes many of whom have worked with the old man. of Angel, Adia and . 4. RAY LAMONTAGNE God Willin’ & The 8. AL STEWART Uncorked Creek Won’t Rise A live album finds Stewart unplugged and The homespun vocals are as evocative as ever, playing gigs with virtuoso Dave Nachmanoff but this time Ray Lamontagne’s brought his in intimate folk club surrounds. The set list band with him. The fuller sound sounds set to spans his career from 1967 debut Bedsitter fill larger venues next time around. Images to 1996 album track The Coldest 5. CLAIRE TCHAIKOWSKI Those Thousand Winter In Memory. Seas 9. MAIA SHARP Echo Swiss songbird, actress and horse whisperer She’s written for Carole King, Bonnie Raitt, Claire finally delivers the debut album that Dixie Chicks, Art Garfunkel and many more. those in the know have been waiting for – a Here, backed by a stellar session band, she sublime set of electropop in which her stakes her own claim. beguiling vocal is allowed to breathe. 10. SARAH CLASS A New Dawn 6. TOM McRAE The Alphabet Of Hurricanes After emerging as a classical star, then Recorded at home with banjo, ukelele, drums, dabbling in jazz, the Isle of Wight singer now violin, an old piano and “other junk from makes her mainstream folk-pop debut with a eBay”, McRae’s fifth album is an unsettling delightful album of mellow songs. listen as he cites songs in skewed settings ranging from music hall to Americana. PAUL COLE

14 ➤ 7-DAYS, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2010 1. AVENGED SEVEN- FOLD Nightmare Hot on the heels of METAL their show-stealing Morello teams up with Download spot, the hip-hop hero Boots Riley Carolina metallers for a rock-rap set returned with added recalling RATM at their MUSIC muscle – songs such as very best. Nightmare and Welcome To The Family closely 4. GENTLEMEN OF of the year resembling festival pals DISTORTED SOUND Metallica. Bone Idol Frontman Gareth Nugent BY PAUL COLE, BEV BEVAN, 2. YEAR LONG DISAS- is a cousin of Detroit JACK DANIELS & TER Black Magic: All rock nutter Ted Nugent, CONRAD COX Mysteries Revealed and his band’s debut is Daniel Davies, son of subtle as a sledgeham- Kinks legend Ray, and mer – hard, fast and his band return with a dangerously deranged. hard rock riff set inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s 5. DISTURBED Asylum political satire The For all their bass pedal Master & Margarita. pummelling, Disturbed are old school at heart, 3. STREET SWEEPER guitarist Dan Donegan SOCIAL CLUB Ghetto more Slash than Blaster Synyster Gates. Rage Against The Machine guitar hero Tom CONRAD COX JAZZ & BLUES 1. JOE BONAMASSA Black Rock Guitar giant Bonamassa (below) showcases his skills on an eclectic set on which he pushes boundaries, marrying blues roots with Far Eastern instrumentation. 2. CARO EMERALD Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor Dutch songbird Caro Emerald takes swing and big band from the 1940s, adds hip-hop beats and comes up with a sexy, sassy 1. JAMIE LAWSON and hip-hop, plus a guest list that’s soundtrack. The Pull Of The Moon POP bigger than a supermodel’s OK Lawson (above) lives in a caravan wedding. 3. RUMER Seasons Of My Soul overlooking the sea in Cornwall turn the clock back to the begin- Songbird Rumer’s songs reach because he doesn’t like the ning for a stripped back album 8. DIANA VICKERS Songs From out and embrace you, her warm distractions of city life. Listen to that’s strong on songwriting and The Tainted Cherry Tree vocal sited somewhere between his debut album and discover why light on instrumentation. Their best The 18-year-old blonde with the Aimee Mann and Karen Carpen- Damien Rice is a fan. Sweetly sung album since Ether Song – and complex, was beaten to ter. the 2008 X Factor title by Alexandra songs served in a skewed vocal, that’s high praise indeed. 4. TOM PETTY & THE HEART- bursting with indie credibility. Burke, but this credible blend of 5. PERNICE BROTHERS 80s electropop and radio rock was BREAKERS Mojo 2. RAY DAVIES See My Friends Goodbye, Killer the best yet from a TV talent show. He’s played rock and roll, he’s The Kinkmaster revisits his Jangly pop meets in Joe gone country, he’s been a Travelling greatest songs, leafing through his Pernice’s first full band album in 9. TAKE THAT Progress Wilbury, and now Petty rediscovers his mojo with the address book to bring in pals such four years. It’s a summery delight Robbie’s back, and accordingly obligatory blues album. gets the lion’s share of the action as Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, – from feelgood pop to vaudeville, 5. IMELDA MAY Mayhem Paloma Faith, Mumford & Sons, Bon and from folk to rock and roll, on the famous five’s album. What we didn’t expect was the progress Robert Plant, Jeff , Jools Holland and David Jovi and many more. Great songs, there isn’t a disappointing track. Bowie are fans – and there’s no ‘may’ in Imelda’s great performances all round. from boy band ballads to electro- 6. BRANDON FLOWERS Flamingo pop experimentation. rockabilly mayhem. It’s guaranteed to blow your 3. ALEX CORNISH Call Back Taking time off from his day job socks off, especially the whirlwind title track. Songs of love and loss with classic fronting The Killers, Flowers 10. KYLIE MINOGUE Aphrodite JACK DANIELS pop cues. Don’t Hold Me Back has delivers hot pop songs that were Dance, it’s all I wanna do, says been picked up by a US TV show, originally planned for the band’s Kylie in a sex kitten whisper at the opening of the post-cancer 1. LITTLE RICHARD and I’m On The Right Side closed next album before they decided to Volume 2 movie Solstice. Cornish’s vocals take a year off. Bloomin’ brilliant. comeback album. And that’s RETRO exactly what the diminutive disco This is the music that combine Tom McRae’s fragility and inspired the likes of Elvis David Ford’s soulful strength. 7. TRAVIE McCOY Lazarus diva does with a set list that 4. JERRY LEE LEWIS Travie McCoy skives off from his celebrates life with an injection of Presley, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Michael Rock ’n’ Roll Roots 4. Outbursts Gym Class Heroes to deliver a dancefloor energy. The one and only Jerry Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian sizzling solo album of pop, R&B PAUL COLE Jackson and Prince. Classic tracks include Lee Lewis turned 75 this Keep a Knockin’, Good year and shows no sign Golly Miss Molly, The Girl of slowing down. Pick of 1. ROBERT PLANT Band Of Joy Can’t Help It, Lucille and the recordings on this Not as groundbreaking as Raising Send Me Some Lovin’. 50-track double-CD Sand, but essential nonetheless. FOLK & ROOTS collection include Great Rumbling guitar blues, rootsy dobro, engineered by Black Keys producer 2. STEVE WINWOOD Balls Of Fire, High School traditional folk, Beatley beats, lo-fi and Tchad Blake. Revolutions Confidential and Lovin’ slowcore from Plant (right) – they’re all This best of Steve Up A Storm. here. It is a band of joy! 4. DARRELL SCOTT A Crooked Road Winwood CD includes He’s written for Dixie Chicks and Patty The Spencer Davis 5. ERIC CARMEN 2. DROPKICK MURPHYS Lawless, but Scott’s eighth solo Group’s Gimme Some Change Of Heart/Eric Live On Lansdowne album outshines them all, his Lovin’ and I’m A Man, Carmen A rabble-rousing, rambunctious, songwriting given room to breathe by Traffic’s No Name No Classically trained pianist riotous racket. A boisterous blend of his ragged baritone vocal. Face No Number, Blind Eric Carmen first found Irish tradition, punk punch and Faith’s Can’t Find My fame in the USA with Way Home and solo hits. power pop band The skittering ska, delivered with more 5. RUARRI JOSEPH Shoulder calorie-burning energy than Ashley To The Wheel Raspberries. After that, a 3. CILLA BLACK solo career brought him Cole’s love life. Troubadour Ruarri Joseph numbers Definitive Collection hits such as All By Paolo Nutini and David Gray among This budget-priced 3. SETH LAKEMAN Hearts & Minds his biggest fans. His latest songs boxset collection by the Myself, Never Gonna Fall The singing fiddler who tore down may be rooted in unplugged folk but often underrated Cilla In Love Again and the fences between folk and pop they weave their magic in any Black, contains 50 tracks Change Of Heart, all steps further into the indie-folk fold surrounds. on 2 CDs, including her included here. with a harder-edged sound JACK DANIELS 11 top ten hit singles. BEV BEVAN

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