So 2015 then. As with last year, it was a case of whittling down everything I've listened to and reviewed for Pure Rawk down to one list which I actually managed to do without too much of a problem. The list came to 47 albums this year in total, four of which were disqualified due to being released in 2014 (due apologies to Straight To Video, Vice Squad, the Idol Dead and Ricky Warwick's double release) and three of which only just missed out (due apologies to PIL, Oh Gunquit and Motor Sister).
But first, I figured I'd add something else on this year. And, if I'm honest, this is going to be the most controversial bit of my end of year review. Unfortunately while there's been several cracking albums that I've heard this year, there's also been a few disappointments and this is what I'm gonna cover in this introductory section.
Please note that I've worded this very carefully - it's not a "Worst Of" chart because I'm pretty sure that if you played me some dross like that shit-awful Adele album then I'd find it far less edifying than these. But the difference is that when it comes to that sort of bland manufactured music I wouldn't expect anything different so it wouldn't really count as a disappointment.
The folks below, on the other hand, should all really know better as they've either delivered great things in the past but have come up with some woefully under-par material this year or they've promised a lot and simply fallen flat on their faces. Either way, the results haven't been good. So here we go, let's get this over with shall we?...
ASH - "Kablammo!"
Aw man, I really wanted to like this as well. Touted by the band as a return to the awesomely addictive pop-punk of "1977" and "Free All Angels" that they made their name with, the truth was that a combination of terrible echoey production and a general lack of top drawer tunes all round combined to make the sixth album from Downpatrick's finest probably their weakest to date. Must do better next time lads.
BACKYARD BABIES - "Four By Four"
I'll admit to approaching this one with trepidation - the reviews were pretty savage across the board. But the truth is, "Four By Four" actually gets off to a decent start - the opening trio of "Thirteen Or Nothing", "I'm On My Way To Save Your Rock 'n' Roll" and "White Light District" were all decent tracks if a bit poppier than we're used to. The trouble is that, ironically enough with its fourth track, a horrible saccharine ballad called "Bloody Tears", "Four By Four" stumbled headlong into the fog never to return and the rest of it is pretty dismal to put it mildly. BYB badly need to rediscover the fire that they had on "Total 13" and "Making Enemies Is Good" next time out.
BITERS - "Electric Blood"
The ingredients all seemed to be there with Biters and they were hyped to high heaven by the mainstream rock press. Unfortunately "Electric Blood" was a total damp squib, sunk by over-polished soulless production and a totally forgettable set of tunes. All the more annoying when you think how many far superior bands (the Chelsea Smiles, the Black Halos, American Heartbreak) have mined this sort of music to little or no interest from the press over the last decade or so. There's a couple of half-decent tracks in the second half of the album if you can be bothered to persevere that far but really, Biters need to get a different producer in next time and get a lot nastier and more in yer face.
BRIAN JAMES - "The Guitar That Dripped Blood"
Okay, let's make no bones about it, Brian James is one of my favourite guitarists ever - not content with being the driving force behind the Damned's classic first album, he was also the man behind a lot of the razor-sharp riffs that powered along the Lords of the New Church, surely one of the '80s' most under-rated bands. Unfortunately, this album was a big disappointment, mainly because of the vocals - Brian may be an awesome guitarist but a singer, unfortunately, he is not. Hopefully if he gets a guest singer in next time he should be capable of delivering something much better.
BUCKCHERRY - "Rock 'n' Roll"
A band who, if I'm honest, have been treading water for a very long time now. The last album of theirs that I really dug all the way through was 2005's "15" and it's been law of diminishing returns time ever since. "Rock 'n' Roll" had a couple of decent songs on it ("The Feeling Never Dies" and "Sex Appeal" are both decent) but elsewhere it was a mix of poor retreads of past glories ("Wood" was basically a Vauxhall Conference version of "Crazy Bitch"), downright embarrassment ("Tight Pants" is every bit the sub-Crue cringefest you'd expect) and songs that were just plain dull. Part of me wants to believe that one day they'll produce something up there with their first three albums but the longer this goes on, the less convinced I am that it's gonna happen.
THE DARKNESS - "Last Of Our Kind"
Okay so you've made your name as a camp, entertaining British rock band coming on like the missing link between AC/DC and Queen and after reforming, you've managed to deliver an album (2013's "Hot Cakes") that was really a lot better than it had any right to be. How do you follow this up? Well, in the Darkness' case, it was with a charmless plodding battle-metal album that eschewed the tunefulness and enthusiasm of its predecessor in favour of sounding like Manowar with a few ill-fitting acoustic ballads thrown in. NEXT!
MARILYN MANSON - "The Pale Emperor"
Speaking of people who've been subject to the law of diminishing returns..."The Pale Emperor" really didn't do anything to dispel the notion that old Mazza's best days are now long behind him. Over-long, overwrought and over-egged, this was a dreary drawn-out mess with only a couple of redeeming moments mixed in with tiresome trip-hop metal and mumbled drugs confessionals. A sad fall from grace for the one time Antichrist Superstar.
W.A.S.P. - "Golgotha"
W.A.S.P.'s last two albums were decent enough workmanlike politico-metal efforts with a couple of standout moments. Blackie Lawless decided for "Golgotha" that a change was needed from the earnestness which is fair enough. Unfortunately the change involved churning out a hollow soulless arena rock album which sounded like Bon Jovi. And there's never any need for that. A couple of the later tracks at least showed some life but really, we expected a lot better.
If any of the above need a crumb of comfort, there's at least two bands on my Top 40 best albums list for this year who I'd previously written off as being well past their sell by date only for them to comeback with an unexpected Lazarus style revival in 2015 so it shows that this sort of situation can be rebounded from. So maybe the best advice I can offer is this - take a look at Therapy? and Wednesday 13's efforts this year and how they've turned things round and make some notes then apply it to your next album.
And speaking of the Top 40...let's get down to business shall we? Click here for part one.
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