The hit list

A look at this year's top local releases

by John O'Neill

Hard to believe, but it's time again for the yearend wrap-up. Add to that the whole end-of-the-decade-and-so-on thing, and you've got plenty of ammunition on which to draw should you happen you make a living dispensing half-baked opinions. So let's cut right to the action and pick this year's top 10 releases: an exercise intended to showcase our vast knowledge of music and flair for making enemies. It's also a little warm-up for next week's "Mother of All Music Lists," which promises great self-examination and inner reflection, and to inflame former hippies, to inflict scene turmoil, and to cause 99 percent of the general populous to exclaim aloud, "The Mono Men? Who the hell are the Mono Men?" Stay tuned, kiddies . . .

10) Mark Fisher, Scratchboard (White Noise; 12-song CD)

The third release from Gardner-native Mark Fisher, Scratchboard is also his most laid-back attempt at songwriting. Though in previous efforts he mined more rocking, roots terrain, Fisher pulls in the reigns to keep the affair in the straight-ahead folk vein. There are still strains of Celtic flavor and hints of dusty Americana backwoods, but, this time out, the melodies take a seat to the lyrics. The result is an album that is smart, poignant, occasionally playful, and always straight from the heart. How Fisher is able to remain such a virtual unknown on the scene is a mystery as he's among the area's elite, folk songwriters.

9) Fatwall Jack, Girl Next Door (Sheerness; 12-song CD)

This is perhaps the least-annoying swing record to come out of the whole sorry revival, and that's because these guys don't try to "update" a sound that shouldn't be screwed with in the first place. Nor do they attempt to reinvent a bygone lifestyle like the rest of the zoot-suit zeros. No, Fatwall keep it traditional because they're nothing more than a smart, talented blues band who happen to groove on jump music. Erica Rodney's voice is super soulful, and guitarist Pete Henderson can really pen a pretty-good tune. Add to that mix a rock-solid rhythm section, some well-chosen cover tunes, and a little extra help from the Cadillac Horns, and you've a recipe for a killer disc. Without doubt this is the best local blues album of the past couple years.

8) Mingo, My Ride -- The EP (3rd Degree; 16-song CD)

Claiming dual citizenship of both Mattapan and Worcester, Mingo released what should be considered the best from the city's rap scene; and it made us take immediate notice. Smooth and cool rhyming mark Mingo's style, and he flows effortlessly through his stories. "My Ride" is an excellent ode to his wheels; and the cat from Hosmer Street represents both his homes in the instant-classic "Beantown-Wortown." A businessman as well as an artist, Mingo presents his tunes as Real Deal (complete with objectionable language), Radio Play (clean versions of the song), and as instrumental tracks. With the mix and sampling ability of secret-weapon Kaz, My Ride is a joy ride.

7) Pathetics, Not Quite Right (ECAE; 12-song CD)

A band who've come a long way since their initial dream of just wanting to play a gig at Sir Morgan's Cove, the Pathetics are now a top-notch punk band dedicated to numbskullery, beer drinking, and general nonsense. Like their heroes -- the Ramones, Queers, and Screeching Weasel -- the trio have plenty to say, none of it of any importance whatsoever. And that's why Not Quite Right is such a treat. The writing tandem of Rich Lorion and Dave Strandberg are the Lennon and McCartney for morons everywhere, and the Pathetics wave the flag proudly! Jail time, psycho girlfriends, televangelists, drunks, insanity, and Captain P.J. are all profiled here. What more do you need to know? It's great.

6) Billy Pain, Scorpion Summer (3rd Degree; 14-song CD)

A labelmate of Mingo's, the lower-profile Billy Pain is the toothier of the pair. Where Mingo flows, BP chews up turf and spits it back. Like a prizefighter against the ropes with blood in his eyes, Pain swings from his heels at anything that moves. It's all brash, in-your-face, and ugly as sin when Pain brings the beat down. "I Don't Love You" is a brutal kiss-off to a freshly dogged girl. And "Billy's Back" is a great old-school-style rant about You Know Who. Again, Kaz delivers the buttery-smooth beats, and Pain does a great job of pulling in other local artists to help out, most notably Bandit, Klep, and Alchemist on "Overload." Get ready to feel the Pain!

5) Chillum, Should Come to No Harm in Water (ECAE; 13-song CD)

This is the third disc from longtime area faves Chillum, and the opening instro number, "Disco Death," marks the beginning of Chillum Mach II. Like an entirely different animal, the new-and-much-improved Chillum have learned to stretch out into new spaces. Gone are most vestiges of their dubious rapcore past -- it's replaced with huge horns, a penchant for funk, and an experimental edge that render their entire back catalogue inconsequential. This is more than a band simply hopscotching genres; No Harm is actually something akin to the fermentation process just as much as a band growing up and out. This disc is tight, muscular, and, at times, utterly sick.

4) Preston Wayne Four, Themes from Wayne Manor (Dino; 13-song CD)

It's been a long-time coming for local guitar hero/eardrum-destroyer Preston Wayne, but he finally has a disc that showcases his considerable talents in the all-instro Themes. Unlike most surf revivals, Wayne's mutated creations eschew the whole wet, reverb/airiness of the genre in favor of raunch, feedback, and teetering out-of-control volume. The double-picking Middle Eastern style of Dick Dale is an identifiable foundation for Wayne, only he adds a love of psychedelia, punk, and garage rock to the mix. But there's another great revelation here: after some 25 years on the scene, Wayne turns out to be a very good songwriter. Not for the weak or timid, Themes is a flat-out monster.

3) Jeff Crane, Piece of the Action (Glam; 12-song CD)

Far and away the biggest surprise of '99, as well as the top-to-bottom best punk album to ever come out of the Worm City, Crane's first solo disc borders on punk mastery. Nothing fancy, nothing deep, just balls-to-the-wall rock and roll delivered like a lost artifact from 1977. One of the city's original punk crew with the Commandos (whose brilliant "One A.M." is covered), Crane has, over the past 20 years, become one of the region's most underrated and overlooked guitarists. He's also become a solid songwriter with an ear for good hooks. "Cheap Champagne," "Beer and Gasoline," and the title cut are all tunes that Johnny Thunders or David Johansen would be proud to have written.

2) White Knuckle Sobriety, Fat End First (ECAE; 13-song CD)

Formerly three-quarters of the Missionarys, WKS have forged ahead to create a band who are beefier, smarter, and a hell of a lot more enjoyable than their previous incarnation. Fat End First would get the nod as the year's funniest album, a 13-song manifesto dedicated to the simpler things in life. "Hammer Head" is a great song about growing up drunk and aimless in the 'burbs; "Schaefer" is a tribute to the trio's beverage of choice; and "Special Chair," a lovely number about crapping on someone's puss. Do not be deceived, WKS aren't a joke band. "Chick Singers" is a nuts-on assessment of the current music establishment; "Spastic #13," a tough, experimental punk piece; and "Far from the Tree," an almost-pretty country romp. It's smart, gritty, cheeky, and a blast for anyone with a sense of humor and half a brain.

1) Thinner, Sonic Dinner (Ruggy; 13-song CD)

Thinner's '98 debut disc was good, but the follow-up is absolutely terrific. A band of scene veterans, these boys have developed accordingly, moving on from their obvious influences to find their own voice. Discarding "Firefly in My Room" (a quickie sung by guitarist Dan Rugburn's daughter), Sonic Dinner is a seamless powerhouse that blurs the lines of punk, pop, psychedelia, and country rock. There isn't anything remotely close to a clunker, which is saying a lot when you consider neither Rugburn nor bassist Neil Lucey can sing their way out of a paper bag! But no problem -- this thing is built on clever songwriting, big ol' hooks, a boat load of passion, and the boys' nasal charm. You'd be hard-pressed to name a better rock album by anyone this year. Big bonus points for the out-of-character "Yellow," one of the best mid-tempo numbers our ears have ever heard.