The Best of 2010 - Number 13

Albums of the Year

13. Avenged Sevenfold - "Nightmare"

The death of drummer, founding member and key songwriter Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan in December of 2009 could have spelt the end for Orange County metallers Avenged Sevenfold, but in an incredible show of solidarity, tghey teamed up with (at the time) Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and recorded the best album of their career.

"Nightmare" covers all the bases you expect from the band, thrashing riffs, powerful vocals, and the epic ballads they have become accustomed to. Portnoy's drumming gives a distinctive edge never before heard on a Sevenfold record and the lyrics, while deeply personal, resonate easily.

As a tribute, this is great, as a standalone piece of music, this is fantastic.

Essential Tracks: "Nightmare" "Victim" "Fiction"

Watch: "Nightmare"

Songs of the Year

13. The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"

The lead track from the Springsteen endorsed Jersey folk punk heroes' third album is everything you would come to expect and more.

"American Slang" is a Gaslight Anthem song, plain and simple, with progression thrown in. Folkier, yet still harder than before, great lyrics and a great melody. Another triumph.

Watch: "American Slang"

The Best of 2010 - Number 14

Albums of the Year

14. Black Label Society - "Order of the Black"

Over eleven years since their debut, with "Order of the Black", Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society have finally recorded their masterpiece.

Splitting with Ozzy has clearly helped Wylde's songwriting, as he seems to completely writing for himself, without thinking about how his former boss may sound on the tracks. The pounding harmonics mix well with the piano led ballads to give the band's most complete album to date.

Essential Tracks: "Parade of the Dead" "Darkest Days" "War of Heaven"

Watch: "Parade of the Dead"

Songs of the Year

14. Eminem feat Lil Wayne - "No Love"

Eminem, with Lil Wayne in tow, sampling Haddaway. This really shouldn't work. But yet not only does it work, it's one of the finest hip hop songs of the past five years.

The lyrics and flow are at Eminem's ferocious, angry best, and the sample, on paper a ridiculous idea, is absolutely inspired. Eminem back at his best, and about time.

Watch: "No Love"

The Best of 2010 - Number 15

Albums of the Year

15. The Pretty Reckless - "Light Me Up"

When it was revelaed that teenage tearaway actress Taylor Momsen was fronting a rock band, it was easy to scoff and think that it was going to be a pseudo pop monstrosity akin to much of the musical output from the "Disney Generation".

Someone forgot to mention that Momsen has a bit of attitude however, and "Light Me Up" turned out to not only be a rather enjoyable 35 minutes, but actually really good. Momsen does not sound like a seventeen year old at any point, and her vocal maturity, coupled with what are some pretty killer riffs melted into one of the most surprising debuts of the year.

Essential Tracks: "My Medicine" "Make Me Wanna Die" "Miss Nothing"

Watch: "Miss Nothing"

Songs of the Year

15. B.o.B. feat Rivers Cuomo - "Magic"

Following up "Airplanes", which contained some of the worst 'white girl wants to be ghetto' singing I've ever heard from Hayley Williams, was always going to be hard, but amazingly, B.o.B. not just followed it up, but blew it right out the water. Gone were the memories of one of the year's most overrated songs, in was a hip-pop masterpiece.

Produced by pop meaestro Dr Luke, and co-written and featuring the talents of Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, this track is one of the biggest guilty pleasures of 2010, as well as one of the best pop songs released this year.

Watch: "Magic"

Long Live Rock N Roll

Ronnie James Dio July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010

The Greatest Song. Round 1, Match 2

Rush are in the lead in matchup 1, which will run for another 48 hours. Meanwhile, matchup 2 is announced, and an iconic song will fall.

John Lennon
"Imagine"
Released: 1971
From the Album "Imagine"
Peak UK Chart Position: 1 (1981)

The Clash
"London Calling"
Released: 1979
From the Album "London Calling"
Peak UK Chart Position: 11

Get voting below...

Greatest Song of All Time: Round 1: Fixture 1

What is the greatest song ever recorded? Well, every song have been whittled down to 64. Nominated by you, and featuring some Melody and Drama wildcards, these are the songs you will vote on. The songs have been randomly drawn against each other, here is round one.

Rush
"The Spirit of Radio"
Released 1980
From the album "Permanent Waves"
Peak UK Chart Position: 13

vs

Incubus
"Drive"
Released 2001
From the album "Make Yourself"
Peak UK Chart Position: 40

Vote for your favourite below to take the song into the last 32

Live Review: Reef, Glasgow ABC

Live Review

REEF

w/ Matthew P

Glasgow ABC

Saturday 17th April 2010

With a string of Top 20 singles, and one of the most influential rock albums of the era, Reef were one of the late 90's biggest and best British rock bands. Now, seven years after splitting, the band embark on a reunion tour, and show they've not missed a beat.

Support act Matthew P was a reasonable warm up, his jaunty acoustic numbers receiving applause from the constantly growing crowd.

But the masses weren't in attendance for any support act, and as soon as the lights went down and the intro tape started the crowd, many of whom had clearly been around to see the band in their original days, went absolutely crazy.

Opening with "Feed Me", it was clear right away that this was a band who despite being away for seven years, were as good as they ever had been. Twenty-four songs and almost two hours later, everyone left happy.

All the hits were present, "Come Back Brighter" and "Place Your Hands" still sound like full on rock anthems all these years later, and "Consideration" and "I've Got Something To Say" are as beautiful and moving as ever.

I can only hope that this isn't a one off reunion, as more and more people need to see this band. Fantastic.

1.Feed Me
2.Come Back Brighter
3.Stone For Your Love
4.I Would Have Left You
5.Good Feeling
6.Mellow
7.Weird
8.Summer's In Bloom
9.Life Seems So Clean
10.Consideration
11.New Bird
12.Place Your Hands
13.Don't You Like It
14.Lucky Number
15.I've Got Something To Say
16.Superhero
17.Who You Are
18.Set The Record Straight
19.Lately Stomping
20.Choose To Live

Encore:
21.Naked
22.I Do Not Know What They Will Do
23.Yer Old
24.End