Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

We end the year on a sad note. The Specials drummer John Bradbury has passed away. He was 62 years old. This comes in light of the death of Lemmy, and Scott Weiland this December. It's been a tough month for music fans. As a ska fan, I am saddened to hear of the passing of Bradbury. I hope you're skanking in the sky, and hopefully we'll hear The Specials again up there.

Lemmy of Motorhead fame died yesterday. He was 70 years old. Rest In Peace. Perhaps we will see you one day. Rock of Ages, show mercy! Haven't listened to Motorhead lately? Pick up some records, support the band.

The year is ending, and that means that we once again will unlock the vault and pick out 10 of the best records of 2015. A ton of music was released this year, and a lot of it I covered, and a lot of it I didn’t. There was so much that you may find yourself wondering what was the best. Then again, you may not even know that I exist, and that’s fine too. Whatever the case is, here are the top 10 records in no particular order of 2015. These are chosen by popularity, frequency of play, and my criteria of randomness. Murs “Have a Nice Life” The first major record I recommend as the best, is none other than this one from Murs. Murs signed to Strange Music and dropped what very well may be the best hip hop record that Murs has put out in a long time. Every track on this one is a banger, and the music videos are absolutely grand. If you have yet to listen, go for it, it’s an incredible record with a lot of attention to lyricism, unique beats, and high quality production. Order it her...

Jars of Clay "Much Afraid" - Available Here  Even though Jars of Clay received platinum certification for “Much Afraid” , and was at the eight spot on the Billboard charts when this came out, this album was seen as disappointing for a lot of fans. I wasn’t so quick to judge it. I was 14 years old when this came out, and I needed something to help me through a life in the suburbs. My family moved 40 miles north of Los Angeles to a place that I was unfamiliar with. The home was in shambles emotionally, with abuse running rampant, and this record had me comforted. We stopped going to church, but I held a spiritual element to my world, and the words of Jars of Clay seemed to fit holes in my proverbial bucket. It’s a softer record than their previous one, and while the singles that they put out had electric guitar, it was the lyrical and spiritual blends that made this one a stand out for me in my collection, at the time. A lot has changed since I first heard this record, but ...

The Fury of The Aquabats (1997)  From the very first thing that you hear on this record from 1997, you know you’re in for a fun time. The Aquabats are a ska band that got big in the 1990s and are still kicking today. They play a fun type of music where they are superheros and they take on the super villains. The songs all have a fun pace, mixing punk, third wave ska, and lots of great story telling. “The Fury of The Aquabats” was the first major exposure any of us punk kids got to a man by the name of Travis Barker. Surely, you don’t mean Travis Barker of Blink 182 fame, do you Jorge? Yes! That very same guy is on this record playing drums, long before Blink called him up, he was the drummer for this recording, and super group The Aquabats!

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The Vandals "Oi To The World" LP - Available Here “Dude, how old are the goddamn Vandals? Are they in wheel chairs yet?”, now that’s a way to talk about punk rock. My friend Mike totally had me dying after he said that recently. While sipping the last of Dewar’s Honey Whiskey here in Indianapolis, we discussed this fine record, one of the classics from the old timers, The Vandals. “Oi To The World” is the premier punk rock record that you will have to no doubt talk about at one point or another. This originally came out in 1996 and it received a TON of negative reviews. In fact, All Music said it was completely stupid, and it was terrible. Well, a big middle finger to Stephen Thomas Erlewine, and All Music. You bunch of hacks. Then again, here I am writing to an audience of one, since no one seems to read this diatribe of mine. But that’s not what I write, right? No, I do need fans, come back, please, please…we’re talking Christmas.

Richard Cheese Silent Nightclub - Available Here Here we go, perhaps one of the coolest alternative Christmas records that you can play right now. You can play this with the whole family in place, and not scare your mom or dad. This is a lounge act from the past, but modernized. Richard Cheese is a singer that plays the hits kind of like Weird Al, but all lounge style. That being said, you can get an idea as to what you’re in for in this record. This is one of those records that has reworked classics, and then some personal touches on songs that you wouldn’t expect around Christmas. 15 tracks, and some incredible covers, and new renditions.

The Almost "No Gift To Bring" EP - Available Here The year was 2008, and The Almost was splintered from the Underoath camp. This is a band that took a piece of Underoath and made a whole new rock and roll band. Now, with the release of this record, “No Gift To Bring” The Almost put on a showcase of holiday music that is nothing short of fascinating. The songs to me are sincere, and just beautiful. “No Gift To Bring” is a wonderful little record that features a whole heart of the Christmas season, especially if you’re of a religious inclination.

The Christmas Album LP - DL Here The Godfather of Soul puts on a showcase for Christmas in "The Christmas Album" . The aplty titled record is none other than a shining example of what you can do with the Christmas spirit, and soul music. This is 11 tracks and 44 minutes of James Brown pulling through the world of the holidays. The thing with this record is that it’s not all “traditional” songs. This is a soul record that seems a bit disjointed at times, and sometimes, just odd. Take for example the song “Clean for Christmas”, which regales in the fact that Brown wants to be “clean” on Christmas. Like by taking a shower and dressing nice. Of course there are other moments on this record that are odd, but hey, who am I to say a think about alternative records for the Christmas spirit. James Brown puts on a showcase of his classic rhymes, singing, and spoken word. The production is a bit odd to me, though. The vocals are turned up way high compared to the music, and it see...

If it weren't for the 1990s alternative music scene, I wouldn't like music at all. Stone Temple Pilots were one of the many bands that I grew up listening to. It's sad to hear that Scott Weiland has died. I saw Stone Temple Pilots play the Harley Davidson festival in 2002, I think. I asked this girl out that turned out to be using me, and well with that I lost some friends that sided with her. There's no statute of limitations when it comes to these things. In honor of this day, and to just remember how powerful of a singer and person Scott Weiland was, I want to share with you this clip of Stone Temple Pilots from 1994. The band was scheduled to do the song "Unglued" live, and before they did so, they played a stirring rendition of "Christmas Time Is Here". R.I.P Scott Weiland. You'll be missed.

Alright, this is one of the most expansive of Christmas records that I will be reviewing this month. This is 50 tracks of alternative Christmas music from the Trojan record label. Trojan and Studio One are the most famous and iconic of labels from Jamaica. They specialize in reggae, ska, and dub music. These tracks aren’t new, they are from back in the day, and they all represent that Jamaican flavor that you would expect from reggae records. As far as I’m concerned, the Trojan Christmas Box Set is perhaps the best stocking stuffer you’re going to get today. I first caught wind of this in Idaho. I was miserable one Christmas, and they had this for 5 bucks used, so you know me, I had to purchase it. It cheered me up that Christmas as 50 tracks of compelling Jamaican flavor came coming through my stereo. There are some traditional elements here, but for the most part, each single artist does their own rendition of the classics, and sometimes, they completely butcher what you would expe...

Falling Up put out a Christmas record in 2013 , and most people I know were too old to care. In fact, what is it with people getting old and forgetting about music? I don’t know, it’s just something that I can never do. I know, I’m getting older, but I always strive to listen to the songs that people are putting out. That aside, Falling Up put through one of the most beautiful records for Christmas, and it’s definitely left of center. This takes on an approach of arranging Christmas tunes with a hint of rock, a hint of pop, and a reverence and care that the season certainly deserves. Silver City by Falling Up LP The compositions are layered with keyboards, drums, singing, and melodies that you expect from the band. If you’re new to Falling Up’s music, then you may not immediately understand what I mean. However, as you progress through the tracks, and the way the band has faithfully arranged many to fit both the traditional and alternative worlds, you will be captivated. If you l...

Jars of Clay "Chrismas Songs" LP In 2007, Jars of Clay put out a very cool Christmas record out. I actually was able to pick this up for free because I sent in a letter to a televangelist. Anyways, this is quite possibly one of the more traditional “alternative” Christmas records. I say that because Jars of Clay’s sound lends itself very well to the traditional sounds of Christmas. That’s not to say that this is a record that is full of boring music. That’s actually not the case at all. There are some great moments on this record. The arrangements of the songs are well structured, acoustic, full of instrumentation and absolutely grand. What you’re going to find with some of these songs is that they stick with you. There’s a certain reverence that is paid to these songs. Jars of Clay finds a way to amaze, and create elemental music that is just amazing. Some of my favorite songs on this record include, “The Gift of St. Cecilia”, “Wonderful Christmastime”, “Winter Skin”, ...