Seeing how our staff has distinct tastes and opinions on music, it would be nearly impossible for us to determine a 10 Albums of 2010 list as a single entity without excessive bloodshed. Therefore over the past two weeks, we’ve been posting multiple Top 10 Albums of 2010 lists as determined by Loud Loop Press editors and contributors. Today, Loud Loop founder and editor-in-chief Richard Giraldi finally decides to get with the program and reveals his list for Top 10 Albums of 2010.

10. The 1900s – Return Of The Century
Every year there’s a beautifully constructed pop album that really catches the attention of my ear. In 2010, that album was The 1900s’ Return Of The Century. The record, while follows a pretty heady theme about a woman who leaves her life and man for adventures in the desert that’s loosely bases on a true story, is no concept album, so none of the songs need to lean on the others in order to unleash their full grandeur. From the fluttering guitar and loose beat that opens “Lions Fur” to the driving bass and lush guitars of “Babes” to the big orchestral introduction of “Jean Demon”, Return Of The Century is an incredible achievement in pop music that’s great whether it’s looked upon from local or national eyes.

9. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs was the big, bold statement we all expected from the Montreal outfit. However, this time around, the band really wanted to make such a statement without reaching U2-esque heights. And that they did. It’s a powerful piece of art that sounds like someone’s deep reflections on a wasted youth. I grew up in the suburban hell of west Houston – a part of town where there’s every single chain restaurant and discount store you could think of all within a two mile radius. Not to mention the hundreds of dilapidated strip malls. So, when I hear a song like “Ready To Start”, it conjures up the feeling I got when I escaped that place for college and could really begin to live. If there’s one small complaint about The Suburbs, it’s that it’s possibly about 10 minutes too long. That’s not to say that any of the songs aren’t good, however. Every track, from the sleek, new wave groove of “City With No Children” to the buzzing, raucousness of “Month Of May” resonates with urgency and importance. For the 2010 indie culture, The Suburbs is probably the closest thing we’ll get to a version of Born To Run we can call our own.

8. Spoon – Transference
When this album was released in January of 2010, it was instantly a contender for one my favorites for the year, but I reckoned it was far too early to make such a judgment. But as Audrey Leon already stated, though it’s not a drastic departure from Spoon’s other works – it doesn’t need to be. It’s just damn good rock music, and includes he band’s trademark clockwork rhythms, groovy bass lines and reverbed guitar rock that will indeed get your head a noddin’. What’s funny is that it’s so simple, you’d think there would be a million-plus Spoon rip offs these day. But no one does quite like Britt Daniel and Co. “Trouble” blows through with Beatles-like harmonies and “Got Nuffin” has probably the most killer guitar lead melody of any Spoon song yet. It’s not exactly groundbreaking. But Transference instead continues to improve on Spoon’s already honed sounds, and I’ll take it any day of the week.

7. Grinderman – Grinderman 2
There seemed to be a divide in 2010, it’s either sleekly produced pop or the over the top heaviness of metal. But Nick Cave broke the mold with his second installment from his project Grinderman, which oddly enough features a number of members from his primary outfit the Bad Seeds. When the album opening track, “Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man”, begins with a huge hi-hat clash into a menacing, chuggin bass line, you know you’re in for the ride of your life. Grinderman puts the dirty back in rock n’ roll. Something that many of today’s groups miss out on. You can be heavy without being metal, but you can also sound well-produced without going the complete pop route. Grinderman 2 is a throwback to the good old times of rock – when singing about death and evil fit perfectly over demented, noisy blues riffs. Speaking of evil, the song of the same name, “Evil!”, sounds a trip through a schizophrenics mind after they’ve taken some bad acid. Yeah, the song and the rest of the record are indeed that good.

6. White Mystery – White Mystery
Speaking of dirty rock ‘n’ roll, while the White Stripes were no where to be found in 2010, leave it to a fire-headed, bro-and-sis duo from Chicago to take charge. White Mystery packs a punch that never lets up on their self-titled debut. You want mammoth fuzzed-out riffage, snarling, reverb-laden vocals and rapid-fire drums? Then White Mystery is your nirvana. Bigger national acts that have in the past used the same formula, looking at you Black Keys, could really learn a thing or two about rock ‘n’ roll from White Mystery. If the blizzard of wild guitar and tornado of drums as the start or “Switch It Off” or the maniacal riff at the start of “Halloween” doesn’t get your heart racing, I’m not sure you have a pulse. If this was just a starting point for White Mystery, I can’t wait for their next move.

5. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
After much hype and drama, Kanye West finally unleashed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. With all the hoopla surrounding West and his antics, the album could have easily been the 2010 music equivalent of TRON: Legacy. Pretty to look at, but not much underneath. Luckily, it was more like Inception. The record was both beautifully produced and found West having something to say to which was worth listening. He seems to reflect on his time spent as the nation’s enemy number one in 2009 when he disrupted Taylor Swifts MTV Video Awards acceptance speech. The fact that that one incident caused such media and public scrutiny is quite ridiculous in retrospect. And West aims to point out the ridiculousness of the whole ordeal in “Power” when he says, “They say I was the obamanation (abomination) of Obama’s nation/ Well, that’s a pretty bad way to start the conversation/ At the end of day, goddammit, I’m killin’ this shit.” And West speaketh the truth. He does indeed kill with “Power” which offers up an extremely bad ass King Crimson sample. Other songs on the album are just as epic, such as “All Of The Lights”, which features just about everyone under the sun of pop music from Rhianna to Fergie to Alicia Keys to Elton John. The there’s the nine-minute opus, “Runaway”, in which West sarcastically forgives his haters with a toast to the douchebags and assholes and lays down a big electro-vocal coda. Similarly to how Michael Jackson appealed most everyone in the late ’80s and early ’90s, West conquers indie, mainstream and everything in between with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

4. No Age – Everything In Between
No Age’s punky guitar-and-drums attack reached new heights of accessibility on their 2010 release Everything In Between. Instead of adding additional instrumentalists, their sound is fleshed out with noise samples. In songs such as the speeding, “Fever Dreaming”, a weird, almost robotic yell, fills in the gap when drummer Dean Allen Spunt’s vocals end. At first it’s a little odd, but it really makes the song more than just a guitar-and-drum rocker. It gives it depth, which is why Everything In Between works so well. The songs are smartly and tightly written and are built for those who haven’t always been a fan of No Age’s noise-rock assault. “Skinned” offers up a groovy, clean guitar shuffle that’s nearly delectable before breaking down to a chorus that features digitized gear sounds. While the use of soundscapes really takes over the majority of the album, No Age know when to step back. “Shred And Transcend” is back-to-basics surf, garage rock at its finest and doesn’t once let up off the gas. Everything In Between is a garage rock album that’s 21st century-ready. Sure, guitars and drums are fun an all, but No Age know that at some point the sound needs to shift, so why not make that shift a bit unconventional?

3. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
I’ll be honest. When this year began, I was an LCD Soundsystem naysayer. I pulled one out of the ol’ snobbery book and proclaimed them overrated when This Is Happening was released just because everyone (critics, fans, etc.) loved the album. I had only heard bits and pieces and wasn’t very impressed. Then came Pitchfork Music Festival in July 2010. LCD Soundsystem closed on Saturday night, and only a few minutes in I realized what a terrible mistake I had made. LCD Soundsystem were not only the good, they were great. Like really, really great. A few weeks later, I found myself owning their entire catalog including This Is Happening, which is no doubt one of the best of the year. It’s fun dance rock that’s genuinely smart. “Dance Yourself Clean” will indeed make you dance whether you want to or not with it’s quirky synth play and funky beat. “Drunk Girls” is probably the most FM radio ready anthem that we’ve heard in years, and “I Can Change” features James Murphy doing his best vocal performance of, like, ever and gives most everyone on the so-called “Top 40″ a run for their money. LCD Soundsystem aren’t the Talking Heads and the Talking Heads aren’t LCD Soundsystem, but they’re in the a similar arena of being consistently good while carving out their own wonderful, exciting niche.

2. High On Fire – Snakes for the Divine
You didn’t think I was going to have a Top 10 list without some true metal on it, did you? After I gave the top spot to Mastodon in 2009, you had to know this was coming. 2010 in metal belonged to High On Fire. Snakes For The Divine simply crushes skulls, massacres villages and destroys cities without even a hint of shame. Plus, the fact that the album opens with the titles track, “Snakes for the Divine”, is possibly just too much of a good thing. It’s hard to listen to the whole song and not instantly hit the back button on your iPod or discmas or walkman or whatever when it’s over. It’s eight-minutes of pure unadulterated kick ass metal. But the record isn’t one track long. The rest is just as good. From the murky sludge of “Bastard Samurai” to the wicked leads of “How Dark We Pray” and the lightning double bass of “Frost Hammer”, Snakes For The Divine is nearly unbeatable. Nearly. Obviously if just the thought of metal makes you queasy, then steer clear. But for those of us that enjoy massive riffs, pummeling drums, paint-peeling basslines and devil horn-ready shrieks, Snakes for the Divine is it. I think Ross Meyerson probably agrees.

1. MGMT – Congratulations
Everyone once and a while an album comes out that’s so divisive, it’s either truly absolute shit or absolute genius. This year’s candidate for that album was MGMT’s Congratulations. My problem is that the record never got a fair shake from anyone except for a few critics. Fans instantly hated it simply because they heard from their Four Loko-drinking, croc and aviator-wearing friends that it “sucked” because it was “different,” and there wasn’t another “Kids” or “Electric Feel” on it. This is true. There wasn’t another club ready hit anywhere on Congratulations. But since when did that make it dismissable? Instead, this time around MGMT let their weirdness hang out with some extremely well-crafted tunes that teeter on the edge of ’60s-era psychedelic rock and ’50s-era surf rock. But let’s be clear, Congratulations is not derivative in the least. It sounds fresh, it sounds modern, but most of all, it sounds completely original. “Song For Dan Treacy” is either the weirdest folk song I’ve ever heard or the best cartoon theme song I’ve ever heard. “Flash Delirium” is a jam that wouldn’t sound out of place on Mr. Bungle’s Disco Volante and seems to be the band’s commentary about their sudden rise to fame with hits such as “Kids” and a reaction to it – an anti-single if you will. So, it’s ironic seeing how the song was the first single from Congratulations. But the record isn’t just reactionary, MGMT etch out some beautifully crafted pop moments, which are featured in the 12-minute psych jam out “Siberian Breaks” and the warm folk blanket of the album’s title track, “Congratulations”. This album earns my top spot for two reasons: First, it’s bold at a time when following up a hit debut record with such would be considered career suicide. Second, the songs are simply great. That’s all there is to it. There’s nothing complicated about this album, which is what I found many were claiming during it’s initial backlash. Congratulations isn’t even a huge departure from MGMT’s sound on Oracular Spectacular (see “The Handshake” or “Pieces of What”). So, if you haven’t, clear your mind and give Congratulations a fair listen. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

10. In Tall Buildings – In Tall Buildings
I’ve talked up this album all over the place on this site so I’ll keep it brief. Sometimes you just want your music to play nice, and In Tall Buildings delivers nice in spades. Like I said in my review, it’s not the kind of nice at which us cynics snicker. No sir, it’s the kind of nice that warms our cold black hearts and makes us strive to be better, at least during the time the record is spinning on our record playing machines. It’s a start.

9. Mako Sica – Dual Horizons
Another record I reviewed this year, Dual Horizons took what Mako Sica hinted at on their live debut, Mayday At Strobe, and focused the sound a bit more resulting in an album that was both beautiful and kind of terrifying all at once. It’s not easy being pretty out there yet totally compelling, but Mako Sica make it feel like old hat on Dual Horizons.

8. Shapers – Little, Big
An early trend is forming. Yet another band I reviewed, so another brief rationale. Little, Big is a grower. At first a pleasant journey through varied styles, eventually the album reveals itself to be full of memorable hooks and, for something leaning towards Krautrock, astonishing pop sensibilities. This one was quite the happy discovery on my part.

7. Bison B.C. – Dark Ages
The first non-Chicago band to make the list. These Canadians opened for High On Fire at the Lincoln Hall earlier this year and sent me running to find their CD’s. This year’s Dark Ages is a fucking behemoth combining a little of Mastodon’s heavier side with High On Fire’s no holds barred riffage and even a little old school skate punk to form one heavy as fuck record. The beauty of this is that it sounds like it could have come from metal’s past while not sounding retro. It’s metal the way metal should be metal.

6. Bongripper – Satan Worshipping Doom
Back to Chicago and back to something I recently reviewed, so another short and sweet synopsis. This is heavy. Four slabs of doom metal all clocking in at over ten minutes yet so filled to the brim with riffs and ideas that it never gets tedious or mind numbing. That’s not as easy as it sounds.

5. Pernice Brothers – Goodbye, Killer
Joe Pernice just consistently hits the mark. At first, this short and very stripped down record felt a little like a half baked effort when compared to some of his older and lusher sounding affairs. The thing is, though, is that Joe writes brilliant songs with biting lyrics and after maybe an initial ho-hum response I found myself unable to leave the house without listening to Goodbye, Killer first. It might not be my favorite Pernice Brothers album, but it is yet another gem of a pop record by a guy that has yet to let me down.

4. Yakuza – Of Seismic Consequence
Did I? Yes. Yes, I did review this one as well. This is certainly making my job much easier as well as giving you the chance to re-read these quite informative reviews. Anyways, Yakuza were always rad but seemed to be resting on that fence of when-will-they-put-it-all-together. Of Seismic Consequence is when. Holy fuck, this album is the culmination of years of testing the limits of metal and finding that perfect recipe. It’s still heavy but spaces out as well. Both Bruce’s voice and sax have settled in, and the band just shreds when shredding is due. Plus, it’s an album. In an age of short attention spans, Yakuza force you to sit down and listen to this without shuffling or whatever you iPod’ers do.

3. Nachtmystium – Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2
Let’s cut to the chase. Here’s the review. Nachtmystium, like their brethren Yakuza, do not adhere to the rules of metal. Maybe not a straight fuck you to the American black metal scene from whence they came, “Addicts” none the less does leave that scene in it’s dust. Dance beats and synths find their way onto this record without for one second making it feel any less heavy than their previous efforts. The fact that I still find it hard to describe shows how much Nachtmystium have just chosen to follow their whims no matter the consequences. Suffice it say, you’d be hard pressed to find another record that sounds like this.

2. Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
Maybe when you’re 40 you’ll get to experience something like this. What is this? Just a band that has been so instrumental in shaping my musical taste and, really, who I am, returning from the near dead to pump out their best record in over a decade. I mean, Majesty Shredding is not just a simple return to form. It boasts instant classics like “Digging For Something” and “Learned To Surf” as well as surprises like “My Gap Feels Weird” and “Rope Light”. Even when it stumbles a bit with “Rosemarie” or “Winter Games,” it still never loses the energy that had been lacking on the last few ‘Chunk records. Never has a more well deserved victory lap been met with a better record with which to take that lap. Welcome back, ‘Chunk!

1. High On Fire – Snakes For The Divine
Anyone that follows my Facebook status updates (and who doesn’t) knows I fucking fawned over the record for weeks in what became a multi-part serial style review. Number one? It’s a no-brainer, man. Did I mention that it comes out of the gate full force basically letting every other metal band know that there’s no use trying to keep up? Then it slows down a bit to show that High On Fire are no one trick pony. Jesus, song after song is just pure metal nirvana. Don’t get me started on how spine tingling the guitar solo is coming out of screams of “Frost Hammer” on, well, “Frost Hammer.” Through the years many a band has laid down the template for the perfect metal record. In 2010, it was High On Fire’s turn. You can do no better than “Snakes Of The Divine”. Oh, the “Hoo-Haw”s on “Holy Flames Of The Fire Spitter”?Yeah, greatest metal moment in years!

Riot Fest is back, people! Now in it’s sixth year, the 2010 edition of the Chicago fall fest is looking like the biggest and best ever! You’ve got what appears to be the final Cap’n Jazz show this Saturday at the The Metro, a nearly all-original Naked Ray gun lineup playing the Busted At Oz show tonight at the Double Door, not to mention performances from Bad Religion, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and more!

Enough chatter though. Here are our picks of bands we definitely think you should check out at Riot Fest this week and this upcoming weekend. This is your Loud Loop Press Riot Fest 2010 Preview…

Naked Raygun — Wednesday, Oct. 6, Double Door

There’s not many punk rock acts who haven’t been influenced by Chicago’s Naked Raygun. Formed in 1980, the band added fearless, working man lyrics into their brand of punk and later post-hardcore music, which brought, unlike many punk bands of their heyday, strong melodies to the table. After originally breaking up in 1992, a version of the band’s lineup reunited at Riot Fest 2006. This year, for the Busted At Oz show, which is tonight at the Double Door, the well-known early lineup of Jeff Pezzati, Camilo Gonzalez, Jim Colao, and Santiago Durangowas was once again planning on gracing the stage. That is until drummer Jim Colao broke his arm in a biking accident, so current Naked Raygun drummer Eric Spicer will take his place. A shame, but, hey, three out of four ain’t bad. (Richard Giraldi)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e2J3o8001o

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfHNlUm6_D8

Carbondale, Illinois, quartet The Copyrights make addictive power pop-punk that will have you singing along in no time. The band has been around less than ten years but that hasn’t stopped them from putting out five full-length albums, the most recent being 2008’s Learn the Hard Way. Catch the Copyrights when they open for Propaghandi at Riotfest 2010. (Audrey Leon)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXSCCvaXYxo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNKa3l9R3ZI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-JPtostrBw

There aren’t many musical acts that can survive for 30 years and still have a respectable music catalog, but punk rock pioneer and festival staple Bad Religion have joined that elite club. Bad Religion will take the Congress Theater stage at Riotfest 2010 to celebrate the release of its 15th album The Dissent of Man, which was released in September. The band — consisting of three founding members: singer Greg Graffin, guitarist Brett Gurewitz and bassist Jay Bentley — are known for their “oozin’ ahs” harmonies and fast rhythms. Nowhere is this more evident that the band’s most-well known track, “American Jesus,” off of its memorable 1993 album Recipe for Hate. (Audrey Leon)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Oyie59HLfA

No one represents Chicago quite like local punks The Lawrence Arms. The Windy City trio named their first full-length A Guided Tour of Chicago and for 11 years the city has remained a primary influence. The Lawrence Arms have made a career out of catchy pop-punk songs with jokey song titles like “3am QVC Shopping Spree Hangover” and “Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, God.” But don’t let the good humor fool you, the band can write write infectious and fast-paced songs with substance; take, for instance, “The Slowest Drink at the Saddest Bar on the Snowiest Day in the Greatest City” off of the band’s 2009 EP Buttsweat and Tears. The music is so attention-grabbing that you almost miss the introspective lyrics underneath it. (Audrey Leon)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9_1eF-N7CE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_aeSJlVDdQ

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JShQby1vfv0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk3rlgFrL3w

Everyone and their mother knows Boston ska punks The Mighty Mighty Bosstones for that one song “The Impression that I Get” from their 1997 album Let’s Face it or the song “Where’d you Go?” from their cameo in the movie Clueless. But the band has been around since the mid-1980s and have recorded eight full-length albums. Even though vocalist Dicky Barrett now serves as the announcer on the TV show Jimmy Kimmel Live, the band is still busy touring and putting out records, the latest being 2009’s Pin Points and Gin Joints. Having scene the band perform a couple of summers on Warped Tour, Barrett’s gravelly low growl and the Bosstones’ big band style never disappoint. (Audrey Leon)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmOmAuhAQbE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhDchiPCXN0

It’s a testament to how good a band Smoking Popes is that I wholeheartedly recommend you go see a band that unironically covered “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This band creates rock with sweet melodies, big hooks, and thoughtful lyrics, all raw enough that seeing them live is not to be missed. (Andy Kondrat)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWl-HSnwLWs

I’m going to have to admit, I’ve no idea what line-up these Cro-Mags are throwing out there this time around. From what I gather, it’s the John Joseph lead but Harley Flanagan-less one. So, you get the original vocalist but not the bassist and heart and soul of the band. Those two never got along, and John Joseph initially left after the Cro-Mags magnus opus Age Of Quarrel and has come back and left again many times since then. If they can produce 40% of their original ferocity it’ll still kick more ass than most. (Ross Meyerson)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6UtOIXq8Lo

There are any number of bands that are reviving the early days of punk by writing catchy-as-hell high-octane two-minute songs that you can’t get out of your head. But only the Riverboat Gamblers bring with them the swagger of a bunch of playboys and the menace of a barroom brawl. Put another way: this is stripped-down rock and roll the way it should be. (Andy Kondrat)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_-tc11hKp4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mlsUVAbVcM

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6th

DOUBLE DOOR – Busted at Oz
Doors: 7:30pm
Show: 8:00pm

11:00 – close -- Naked Raygun
10:15 – 10:45pm -- The Subverts
9:30 – 10:00pm – Steve Bjorklund with Articles of Faith (Strike Under set)
8:55 – 9:20pm – Silver Abuse
8:25 – 8:45pm – Toothpaste
8:00 – 8:15pm – Rottenfinko

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7th

METRO
Doors: 7:00pm
Show: 8:00pm

11:10 – close – Propagandhi
10:25 – 10:55pm – Cobra Skulls
9:45 – 10:10pm – The Copyrights
9:05 – 9:30pm – The Brokedowns
8:30 – 8:55pm – Vultures United
8:00 – 8:20pm -- Brendan Kelly

DOUBLE DOOR
Doors: 8:00pm
Show: 9:00pm

11:15 – close – The Bronx
10:30 – 11:00pm -- Dummy
9:45 – 10:15pm – The Architects
9:00 – 9:30pm -- Regrets

SUBTERRANEAN
Doors: 8:30pm
Show: 9:00pm

11:00 – close – Bhopal Stiffs
10:15 – 10:45pm – Mexican Cheerleader
9:35 – 10:00pm – No Enemy
9:00 – 9:25pm – Squared Off

COBRA LOUNGE
Doors: 10:00pm
Show: 10:30pm

12:00 – close – Agnostic Front
11:15 – 11:45pm -- Mother of Mercy
10:30 – 11:00pm -- Product of Waste

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8th

CONGRESS
Doors: 5:30 pm
Show: 6:00pm

9:45 – close – Bad Religion
8:55 – 9:30pm – The Lawrence Arms
8:00 – 8:40pm – Circle Jerks
7:15 – 7:45pm – Bouncing Souls
6:35 – 7:00pm – Off With Their Heads
6:00 – 6:25pm – X Is For Eyes

METRO
Doors: 6:00pm
Show: 6:30pm

9:00 – close – Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine
7:45 – 8:45pm – Articles of Faith
7:05 – 7:30pm – Shot Baker
6:30 – 6:55pm – Explode and Make Up

DOUBLE DOOR
Doors: 9:00pm
Show: 9:30pm

11:45 – close – Corrosion of Conformity
11:00 – 11:30pm – Double Negative
10:15 – 10:45pm – Keelhaul
9:30 – 10:00pm – Righteous Fool

SUBTERRANEAN
Doors: 10:00pm
Show: 10:30pm

12:00 – close – The Toasters
11:15 – 11:45pm – The Crombies
10:30 – 11:00pm – Skapone

AAA BUILDING
Doors: 11:00pm
Show: 11:45pm

SECRET SHOW

EXIT
Show: 12:00am

SECRET SHOW

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9th

CONGRESS
Doors: 3:00pm
Show: 3:30pm

9:35 – close – Mighty Mighty Bosstone
8:45 – 9:20pm – Pennywise
9:30 – 8:30pm– Less Than Jake
6:35 – 7:15pm – Snapcase
5:50 – 6:20pm – Anti-Flag
5:10 – 5:40pm – The Flatliners
4:30 – 5:00pm – The Swellers
4:00 – 4:25pm – Banner Pilot
3:30 – 3:55pm – Have Nots

METRO
Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7:00pm

9:00 – close – Cap’n Jazz
8:15 – 8:45pm – Smoking Popes
7:35 – 8:00pm – Anxiety High
7:00 – 7:25pm – The Dopamines

DOUBLE DOOR
Doors: 9:00pm
Show: 9:15pm

12:00 – close – Cro-Mags
11:05 – 11:50pm – OFF!
10:25 – 10:50pm – The Infected
9:50 – 10:15pm – On The Attack
9:15 – 9:40pm – Whut?

SUBTERRANEAN
Doors: 10:00pm
Show: 10:30pm

12:00 – close – Riverboat Gamblers
11:15 – 11:45pm – The Last Vegas
10:30 – 11:00pm – Gravetones

AAA Building
Doors: 11:00pm
Show: 11:45pm

SECRET SHOW

Exit
Show: 12:00am

SECRET SHOW

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10th

METRO
Doors: 6:00pm
Show: 6:15pm

9:00 – close – High On Fire
8:00 – 8:40pm – Torche
7:00 – 7:40pm – Kylesa
6:15 – 6:45pm – Droids Attack

DOUBLE DOOR
Doors: 8:00pm
Show: 8:30pm

11:00 – close – Negative Approach
10:00 – 10:45pm – Zero Boys
9:15 – 9:45pm – The Meatmen
8:30 – 9:00pm – Bums, Liars and Thieves

SUBTERRANEAN
Doors: 8:00pm
Show: 8:30pm

10:45 – close – Roy Ellis aka Mr. Symarip
9:50 – 10:30pm – Mr. T. Bone
9:10 – 9:40pm – Eastern Standard Time
8:30 – 9:00pm – Green Room Rockers

UPDATE: Riot Fest rolled out another set of bands to play this year’s event. The Cap’n Jazz reunion will continue as the band take part in the festivities along with Pennywise, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, The Bronx, Torche and Kylesa.

Additionally, a benefit show for Chicago Coalition for the Homeless from those behind The Busted at Oz Chicago punk compilation will go down at the Double Door on Wednesday, October 6, featuring the early Naked Raygun lineup, The Effigies and original lineups from The Subverts, Steve Bjorklund, Da!, Silver Abuse and Toothpaste.

The headliners originally announced include Bad Religion, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Circle Jerks, Snapcase and Less Than Jake. The bill also includes locals The Lawrence Arms, Articles of Faith, Smoking Popes and a few bands in the metal sector such as High On Fire and Corrosion Of Conformity are thrown in for good measure.

Last year’s fest played host to a reunion from Cock Sparrer , this year’s Riot Fest features reunions of Buffalo’s Snapcase, Articles of Faith who will play with their original lineup for the first time in 25 years and Corrosion of Conformity return for the first time with their Animosity-era lineup of Mike Dean, Reed Mullin and Woody Weatherman.

Riot Fest 2010 will feature 21 shows at Congress Theater, Metro, House of Blues, Double Door and Subterranean, and this doesn’t even include the top secret shows. Additionally, in an effort to make traveling to and from shows easier, Riot Fest will be running shuttle buses from the Cobra Lounge to each venue and back, where there may be some late-night show shenanigans going down. Finally, some secret shows that will take place at undisclosed locations in the late summer and fall will be announced at RiotFest.org, so pay attention!

Early-bird 5-day passes that are good for all 21 Riot Fest 2010 shows go on sale in limited quantities on Saturday, July 10 for $115. All Riot Fest 2010 tickets go on sale on Saturday, July 17 at Ticketweb.com. Be sure to check back with RiotFest.org for new additions and secret show information.

Check out the current lineup (more headliners should be announced soon) for Riot Fest 2010 below:

Bad Religion, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Circle Jerks, Articles of Faith, Snapcase, Less Than Jake, The Lawrence Arms, Bouncing Souls, Corrosion of Conformity (Animosity lineup), High on Fire, Smoking Popes, “Busted At Oz” Reunion, Cro-Mags, Fun, Negative Approach, RedOktoberFest presented By Red Scare, Zero Boys, Riverboat Gamblers, Bhopal Stiffs, The Meatmen, Agnostic Front, Off With Their Heads, Brendan Kelly, The Toasters, Roy Ellis aka Mr. Symarip, Mr. T Bone, Easy Action, Shot Baker, Cobra Skulls, Eastern Standard Time, The Flatliners, The Copyrights, Banner Pilot, The Dopamines, Have Nots, The Brokedowns, Explode and Make Up, Vultures United, Mother of Mercy, New Lows, Green Room Rockers, Whut?, Righteous Fool, DJ Chuck Wren, The Infected, X Is For Eyes and many more to be announced

High On Fire

Feels like summer! So because of this fact, not a lot of chit-chat today. Need to get our and enjoy this weather.

This weekend, we preview a bunch of metal shows, a melodic indie pop group and a local country outfit because that’s how we roll. Lets get to it, shall we?

FRIDAY

HIGH ON FIRE
As if I need to tell you why you should be hitting up the Lincoln Hall Friday for the High On Fire show. Unless you’re deaf, you should know that High On Fire continue to pump out the most perfect, dirty, text book definition of metal this side of Slayer. This year’s Snakes For The Divine has only served to solidify their place on top of the new wave of old wave metal. I won’t waste any more breath on this matter. Montreal’s Priestess, on the other hand, keep getting more rock and less metal. I’m not totally sold on this pairing. What I am sold on is the fact that San Francisco’s Black Cobra will rip the flesh from your face. So, bring extra flesh. Completing the Bay Area/Canadian foursome is Vancouver’s Bison b.c., sometimes as slow and plodding as their name, sometimes as fast and plodding as their name. (Ross Meyerson)

8:00 p.m. Friday, 4/2. Lincoln Hall. 18+. $18.

BEACH HOUSE
It’s finally heating up in Chicago, so why not head on over to the Metro tonight to watch Beach House run through their new album of warm pop tunes? If you recall, I had some great things to say about their new record Teen Dream, and it should make up the bulk of their set this evening. Now touring with a full band, this should be a whole new Beach House on display tonight. (Dan Henshaw)

8:00 p.m. Friday, 4/2. The Metro. 18+. $16.

ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE
Weird psychedelic weirdness is Acid Mothers Temple’s thing, right? And they like to call themselves a collective rather than a band as up to 30 members work under the name. Jesus, Japanese weirdness. I can’t put it any other way. You know it’s awesome. I know it’s awesome. You can see it live at the Empty Bottle Friday night. Over-Gain Optimal Death come from Los Angeles. They make crazy, fuzzed out weirdness. And Chicago’s own weirdness, Plastic Crimewave Sound, will open the show with their weirdness. Dude, if you like weirdness, I think you know what I’m getting at. Go for the weird, stay for the look-at-that-guy-dancing-wait-no-look-at-THAT-guy-dancing. (Ross Meyerson)

9:30 p.m. Friday, 4/2. Empty Bottle. 21+. $13.

SATURDAY

DIAMOND PLATE
I live to write up weekend metal shows at Reggie’s just to check out all these little bands I’ve yet to hear. Little is no understatement when it comes to Chicago suburban youth, Diamond Plate, as Saturday’s show is guitarist Konrad Kupiec’s 18th birthday bash. Yep. I’m sure you were headlining a show on your 18th birthday, too. These kids rip through a pretty sweet early 80′s bay area thrash sound, the kind that bled through garage doors and terrorized the suburbs of my youth. Also on the bill are actual Bay Area speedsters, Hatchet, Los Angeles’ Venom-heads, Witchaven, and Chicago’s experimental War Saw. (Ross Meyerson)

5:30 p.m. Saturday, 4/3. Reggie’s. All Ages. $8.

SUNDAY

GOLDEN HORSE RANCH BAND
If you are at all familiar with the site, you’ve no doubt heard me heap praise on the Golden Horse Ranch Band, another in what is a crazy amount of fine countrified sounds coming from our fair city. What makes Sunday’s show at the Whistler even more special is after the band plays there will be a screening of the documentary, The Things That We Used To Do. Chock full of live footage of Jack Rose and Glenn Jones, two of the finest solo acoustic steel string players today, this documentary is the proverbial intimate portrait of two artists in their prime. Should be pretty cool, friends. (Ross Meyerson)

10:00 p.m. Sunday, 4/4. The Whistler. 21+. FREE

This week, we bring you Top 10 Albums from 2000-2009 lists as determined by Loud Loop Press editors and contributors. Today, contributor Ross Meyerson shows us his sunny side with his list for the Top 10 Albums from 2000 – 2009.

10. Wolves in the Throne Room – Two Hunters
I have never been a huge fan of death metal often finding its inaccessibility a bit too inaccessible. 2007′s Two Hunters transcends the genre like no other. Yes, there are cardboard sounding drums, and massive bursts of pure speed and screeching vocals, all trademarks of death metal. But there’s also ambiance, layers, textures, and, dare I say, beauty in what WITTR do. Two Hunters changed the landscape of American death metal by expanding its boundaries.

9. Sloan – Never Hear The End Of It
The beginning of the decade had Sloan feeling a bit tired. 2001′s Pretty Together lacked energy and catchiness and 2003′s Action Packed, although more energized, was more one-dimensional than Sloan’s classics “One Chord To Another” and “Navy Blues”. There was no reason to expect the epic, sprawling genius of 2007′s Never Hear The End Of It. But there it was, 30 songs running the gamut of styles that had made Sloan the cream of the power pop crop. Eight albums in Sloan somehow produced a masterpiece of introspection that, through the course of its 70+ minutes, never has a dull moment.

8. Boris – Pink
Boris never make the same album twice. Their albums range from 40 minutes of pure feedback to psychedelic folk to straight forward metal riffing but 2006′s Pink synthesized all these divergent elements into one dizzying display of ferocity and beauty. Rumor has it Pink was Boris’s attempt to make a more Americanized album, usually a recipe for middle of the road crap. But in the hands of such technically sound and adventurous musicians not only did it succeed in sounding more mainstream (as mainstream as in the red guitars and long ambient jams can sound) but it served notice that Boris could play by the rules and still kick ass,

7. Brendan Benson – Lapalco
I highlighted some of the mild highs and lows of Brendan Benson’s career in my My Old Familiar Friend review. But mostly this was based on the industry and not the music. It may have taken six years to get One Mississippi’s follow-up, Lapalco, but it was worth the wait. Lapalco is a charmer. Self-deprecation (Folk Singer) mingles with awkward moments (You’re Quiet) and the joys of the little things (Good To Me) giving Lapalco an everyday charm. Musically, Lapalco hits all the right power pop notes, catchy melodies: power chord progressions, and acoustic diversions. Lapalco was one of those albums you just wanted to tell all your friends about.

6. Sword – Age Of Winters
I’m aware of the debate over whether the Sword are defenders of 80′s thrash or the poster children for hipster metal. As a child of the 80′s scene I have nothing but contempt for the Early Man’s of the world: ironic hipsters looking for the next ironic genre to mine for irony’s sake. As it was before it shall be today: death to false metal. For my money, 2006′s “Age of Winters” is legit. When I first heard it, a bit before the hype took over, all I heard was a record full of heavy old school riffs and Ozzy-like vocals. And wolves. “Age of Winters” synthesized Black Sabbath’s doom with Metallica’s scratchiness and speed and covered it in images of serpents and mythology. Metal, my friends, can be fun. “Age of Winters” reminded me of that.

5. Pernice Brothers – The World Won’t End
I might argue that anything Joe Pernice put out in the aughts is worthy of making a top 10 list but, narrowed to one, 2001′s The World Won’t End has to be it. After wandering away from the Pernice Brothers moniker to record what he deemed lesser material under the guise of Chappaquiddick Skyline and Big Tobacco, both great, Joe returned with a bit more polished and lush sound and a batch of songs to brighten your day and break your heart. And that’s the beauty of Joe Pernice. The World Won’t End is the perfect album to listen to when you’re up or when you’re down. And probably any place in between.

4. High On Fire – Death Is This Communion
Perhaps no band today represents the sound and spirit of straight up heavy metal better than High On Fire. What makes their fourth album, 2007′s Death Is This Communion, so epic is that, with the help of producer Jack Endino, High On Fire introduces a little bit more texture into their sound without losing any of their power. There’s kind of a Middle Easter vibe lurking beneath the wall of distortion this time and a little more focus on melody. None of this takes away from the fact that Death Is This Communion is pummeling metal at its finest.

3. Sparklehorse – It’s A Wonderful Life
Mark Linkous’s life has been, well, weird. There’s no need to cover it here but needless to say every Sparklehorse album feels like a welcome surprise. 2001′s It’s A Wonderful Life was not only welcome but was also the most warm and lovely album perhaps of the entire decade. It was also proof that a heavily produced album didn’t have to lose an organic feel. In a way It’s A Wonderful Life is the flip side to the Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin (both produced by Dave Fridmann). Both retain a warmth despite a lot of producing, but whereas Soft Bulletin sounds like a pop album from Mars, It’s A Wonderful Life sounds more like a twisted batch of backyard porch songs. And for years pretty much every song made its way onto a mix of mine. They still do.

2. Mastodon – Leviathan
Oh, Mastodon. Every album seems to bring in new fans while leaving some old a bit bewildered. It’s amazing how, in such a short time, Mastodon have garnered so much loyalty and distrust. And it all started with 2004′s Leviathan, an album that stretched and refined their sound and signaled to some a sort of selling out and to others the next big leap forward in metal. I’m clearly of the latter. Remission, for me, is a bit too hectic. Leviathan smoothed out some of the rough edges shedding further light onto not only the songwriting skills but the outright technical prowess of the band. And none of it felt showy for showy’s sake. Leviathan has the ability to crush you while your mouth just hangs wide open in awe. Metal has never been the same.

1. American Music Club – Love Songs For Patriots
This one is personal. American Music Club is one of my favorite bands. Ever since I first heard them I’ve been seeking out their out-of-print records, collecting singles for their B-sides and seeing Mark Eitzel wherever and whenever I can. So when they reunited for 2001′s Love Songs For Patriots, I was obviously excited. The thing is Love Songs For Patriots, while maybe not quite Everclear, might be their most cohesive and from top to bottom strongest album of their career. AMC always had trouble settling on a sound. The songs were always brilliant but often the production felt slightly off. Love Songs… finds a nice warm place for Eitzel’s tunes. At the time I felt it would be as good a place as any for the uninformed to start. I still do. And more than that it is still often the one I reach for when I need a fix. Pretty remarkable stuff from a truly remarkable band.

Now on to our picks for this weekend’s top shows…

Mastodon
Hitting to Chicago for the victory lap tour after the success of their prog-metal masterpiece Crack The Skye, Mastodon will be supported by Dethklok, that crazy, half Scandinavian death metal band from Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse for their Aragon Ballroom show on Saturday night. Expect Mastodon’s set to be similar to the complete path of destruction they laid upon The Metro back in May. High On Fire open. – Richard Giraldi

6:30 PM. Saturday, 10/17. Aragon Ballroom. $32.

Sarah Pray
Come for the food, stay for the talent. Minneapolis singer-songwriter Sarah Pray will light up the Uncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon Ave., stage Saturday with her special brand of piano rock ballads coupled with sultry Cat Power-esque vocals. Pray opens for Grammy award-winning Nashville folk singer Jim Lauderdale. – Audrey Leon

9:00 PM. Saturday, 10/17. Uncommon Ground (Devon). Donations (Pray), $20 for Lauderdale.

Hollows
Let’s just jump right into the free in-store at Permanent Records. This week, Chicago’s very own Hollows will be there doling out their ? and the Mysterians meet (insert 50′s girls group here) brand of garage pop. – Ross Meyerson

6:00 PM. Saturday, 10/17. Permanent Records. FREE!.

Wilco
Wilco’s homecoming show will be a bit unusual for longtime Chicago fans. The band opted not to go for a five night club stand, and instead are headlining two nights at UIC Pavilion. While the intimacy might suffer, in the end, it’s still Wilco. Oh, and the great Chicago post-rockers Tortoise open. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday or Monday night. – Richard Giraldi

7:30 PM. Sunday, 10/18 & Monday, 10/19. UIC Pavilion. $38.50.