Ags Top 5!

Posted November 10, 200816 yr

Hey guys! This is my first time doing anything like this, so please forgive me if I get anything wrong for it. Expect my chart to be a bit different from the rest - I'm big into my rock and metal, both classic and new tracks, so expect a lot of that here. Only starting off with a Top-5 for now, but may extend to a Top-10 when I get more time. Anyways, on with the show...

Singles

5. AC/DC - 'Rock N' Roll Train'

The veteran Aussie rockers may be pushing 60, but they haven't changed their attitude to music one bit from their raucous 1970s debut. Taken from the new album, Black Ice, 'Rock N' Roll Train' is everything that made AC/DC great - a grooving bass rhythm, a headbangable guitar riff, and the usual dose of attitude-laden rock lyrics taken straight out of the big book of cliches. However, if you didn't like AC/DC before, this song won't change your opinion one bit. It's undeniably them - and that, depending on your perspective, is what makes this song either great or a rock disaster.

4. Sebastian Bach - 'Love Is A Bitchslap'

Bach has become somewhat of a comical figure in the past several years, his relationship with Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose earning him more interview spots over this past year than he's maybe had over the past decade. His long blonde hair and frequent use of the word 'Dude' may be up there with the biggest cliches in rock and metal, but while his public profile may be somewhat scrutinized, it's undeniable that he still has a knack for plain rocking out. Bach is one of my personal favourite singers, and has a truly incredible range, going from low, dirty, sleazy rock vocals, all the way up to ear-piercingly high falsettos. This track is Bach, who of course gained his fame as lead singer of 80s glam-metal band Skid Row, on top-form. The lyrics may be your average fair - boy wants girl, can't have girl, so writes a song slagging her off - but the guitar work is outstanding, and Bach is on truly amazing form in terms of vocals. And, in an added bonus, Axl Rose also lends his vocal duties to the track, layering over with Bach's for the chorus. This is short, snappy and just plain rock n' roll - what's not to love?

3. Oasis - 'I'm Outta Time'

Written as a tribute to John Lennon, this is a fantastic ballad from one of the UKs biggest bands. It may not be of 'Wonderwall' proportions, but the vocal melodies are undeniably beautifully constructed to accompany the acoustic guitar, and it's a poignant reminder that while they may not be at their zenith again, they still more than have the ability to write superb rock songs.

2. Metallica - 'That Was Just Your Life'

When Death Magnetic was released back in September, the most people hoped for was a decent album that would extuinguish the bitter taste of St. Anger, and give the metal legends a record that it would not be an embarassment to retire on. Instead, what was delivered was an album of monumental proportions, taking the best bits from all of Metallica's career and throwing away the worst. It had the speed of Kill 'Em All, the complexity of ...And Justice For All, the melody of the Black Album, the attitude of St. Anger and the riffs of Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets, all rolled into one package. Forget retirement - this album propelled Metallica back to their rightful status as one of the biggest, most successful bands in the world. For me, no other track on the album best demonstrates the return to form than 'That Was Just Your Life', the albums blistering opening track. Starting off with a heartbeat and going into a cleanly picked minor-key riff, the song has an eerie start, almost reflecting the apprehension felt by diehard Metallica fans upon hearing the album for the first-time. However, within a minute, it's classic Metallica - Hetfield's crunching guitar provides a brutal accompaniment to the sharp, staccatoed riff of Hammett, who also provides a simply blistering guitar solo to help draw the song to a close. Hetfield simply machine-guns lyrics at us as the track relentlessly charges forward - and Lars Ulrich, often a figure of criticism for Metallica fans, surely silences his critics by putting in some of his fastest, most technical drumming since the ...And Justice For All album. This track is truly Metallica at their very best, and it's a joy to see them doing what they do best - and that's playing metal loud, fast and heavy.

1. Guns N' Roses - 'Chinese Democracy'

It's been 17 years since Guns N' Roses last released an album of original material, but on a day when pigs flew, it was announced that Chinese Democracy - for so long the butt of music industry jokes - would be released, for certain, on November 24th in the UK, and on November 23rd in the US. This track, the lead single from the album, has the mammoth task of reintroducing what was once the biggest band in the world back into the mainstream. And, for me, it delivers on all fronts. The five-guitar barrage all but extuinguishes the painful exits of former axe-men Izzy Stradlin, Gilby Clarke, and, of course, Slash, whilst Axl is on top-form, layering his low-key register over an almost falsetto scream that sounds incredible. Where the song best succeeds, however, is in conjuring both the memory of the original bands vivacity and ferocious attack, while at the same time adding enough modern influences so as there is no mistake that this is a 21st century rock track. All-in-all, this is one blistering return from one of rock's most famous names, and all I'll say is roll on November 24th.

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Albums will be added next week as I'm very busy this week so couldn't give them proper attention. All comments welcome!