Jay Reatard
"Blood Visions" (2006)
This record was going to make the list easily anyway, but it was Reatard's untimely death about a week ago that persuaded me to post this review now.
So, basically, each time I listen to this album I become more and more convinced that:
a. Jay Reatard was originally around in the late 70's when he invented a time machine to visit us now
b. This is pretty much the ideal punk record
c. The best punk album of all time was NOT released in the 70's.
This album combines the ferocity of the Adverts with the pop sensibility of the Buzz****s along with the consistency of early Clash. Every fan of any punk band needs this album. It's one of those very rare albums that is not only excellent on the first listen, but becomes better with each additional one. This is also perhaps the most sing-alongable album of the decade, while still managing not to be bright and cheery at all. This is quite possibly one of the closest I've seen to a perfect record, listen to "Nightmares" or "Death is Forming" and tell me otherwise.
Which is why it's especially sad that I'll never get to hear a new Jay Reatard song. Every time one of his albums or singles came out, it was an exciting day for me, because while his first album was his best, he continued to make 3 more excellent albums/singles compilations which I also highly reccomend. Anyway, if anyone listens to this and is dissapointed in the least, I'll be a very surprised dude.
98/100