Top 20 2000 - 2009 Number 16

16 - Jesu: Self-Titled (Hydra Head, 2004)
Justin K Broadrick is a busy man. Godflesh, Final, Grey Machine... his work is ongoing and vast but none more personal and introspective than his latest, busiest project; Jesu. The last track on the final Godflesh full-length was called Jesu and clearly JKB carried it over to this band. After the ep Heartache came this self-titled, and best so far, offering. 8 tracks, 74 mins of pure shoe-gazing, heavy sadness. 'Friends Are Evil', the second track, is where Jesu really hit their stride and the rest of the album does not disappoint. The follow up ep, Silver, was just as good but then JKB seemed to lose his way over the next couple of years, Conqueror, Lifeline etc were listenable, but kinda dull and more of the same. However, with the release this year of Infinity and Opiate Sun, it seems Jesu are back with more focus and a definite return to form.
This s/t album though is still their best output to date but maybe not for long....
http://www.avalancheinc.co.uk/jesu.html
Jasu

Top 20 2000 - 2009 Number 15

15 - Boris: Pink (Southern Lord, 2005)
Boris huh? Took their name from a Melvins song apparently. Rock like motherfuckers and on this record there's a bit of everything, some shoe-gazing on Farewell, some doom on Blackout and some full on rocking out on Pink and Just Abandoned My-Self. Awesome, this band must be seen live and this album dumps all over last years Smile, which is still a brilliant record!
BORIS!!!! crazy japanese space-rock!
http://homepage1.nifty.com/boris/
jimbo

Top 20 2000 - 2009 Number 14

14 - Frank Turner: Love, Ire and Song (Xtra Mile/Epitaph, 2008)

"Well I guess I should confess that I am starting to get old
All the latest music fads all passed me by and left me cold
All the kids are talking slang I won't pretend to understand
All my friends are getting married, mortagages and pension plans
And it's obvious my angry adolescent days are done
And I'm happy and I'm settled in the person I've become
But that doesn't mean I'm settled up and sitting out the game
Time may change a lot but some things may stay the same

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I yeah I won't grow up

Oh maturity's a wrapped up package deal so it seems
And ditching teenage fantasy means ditching all your dreams
All your friends and peers and family solemnly tell you you will
Have to grow up be an adult yeah be bored and unfulfilled
Oh when no ones yet explained to me exactly what's so great
About slaving 50 years away on something that you hate
Look I'm meekly shuffling down the path of mediocrity
Well if that's your road then take it but it's not the road for me

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I yeah I won't grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up

And if all you ever do with your life
Is photosynthesize
Then you deserve every hour of these sleepless nights
That you waste wondering when you're gonna die

Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all yeah I won't grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up"

Photosynthesis by Frank Turner
www.frank-turner.com
James

Top 20 2000 - 2009 Number 13

13 - Circle: Sunrise (Ektro, 2003)
Heavy metal assault Finnish-style! Nopeuskuningas...Hautain Takaa...Kylän Suurin Miekka... vitun hyvää musikki!!!!! Circle rock, no other band like them and Sunrise is an album completely in it's own league, even in Circle's immense catalogue. NWOFHM indeed!!!
http://www.circlefinland.com
James

Top 20 2000 - 2009 Number 12

12 - Mark Lanegan: Bubblegum (Beggars Banquet, 2004)
I was never a Screaming Trees fan really, but post-Trees has been very busy for one Mark Lanegan. A part-time Queen of the Stone Age, duetting with Isobel Campbell and collaborations with almost everyone, Soulsavers and with Greg Dulli as The Gutter Twins to name two.
His solo career is most interesting though and 2004's Bubblegum is the one where the needle was still hanging out of the arm as Lanegan crawled around a seedy motel looking for his next inspiration or fix. (This is all subject to this author's imagination of course!).
I won't bother to list any stand out tracks cos the whole album is genius in it's own dark way and the list of collaboraters is endless, PJ Harvery, Josh Homme, Duff McKagan etc, adding to the 'nasty' feel of this record.
Thanks Mark!
http://www.myspace.com/marklanegan
James