(Honorable Mention) MC Paul Barrman - Paullelujah!   Coup d’Etat Entertainment

    Paullelujah! would be number one on my list if it weren’t for the fact that this album, while not mainstream by any means, does not quite qualify for the “overlooked” category. So why include it on this list you ask? Well let me get to that, Jackson. MC Paul B is quite possibly the most creative MC of the last 5 years. Lyrically this album destroys all preconceptions of what Hip-Hop is all about, if you need evidence just check out the 22 word palindrome in “Bleeding Brain Grow”. If palindromes are a little too much to wrap your brain around, then I’m sure you can enjoy the low brow humor in “Cock Mobster”, “N.O.W.” and “Burping and Farting”. What about the beats, Smart guy? Ah yes, the beats. Sadly, fans of mainstream rap wouldn’t know a good beat if it bit them in the ass, well look no further than this album for examples. Not content to stick with the cookie cutter DJ free computer generated crap that most “MC’s” (I use this term loosely) use today, Paul B enlisted the help of some of the most talented producers in the underground today, The most notable being Prince Paul, MikeTheMusicGuy and MF Doom. Not bad for a white Jewish guy with a degree from Brown University. Enjoy.

5. Rjd2 - Deadringer   DefinitveJux Records

    Let me start by saying that I LOVE instrumental Hip-Hop; that being said this is a great album that most anyone could (and should) enjoy. It would be hard to mention Rjd2 without bringing up the likes of DJ Shadow or Prefuse 73 for that matter. But I believe that Rj separates himself from his contemporaries on this release with the use of his wisely chosen vocal samples. Being out of the Def Jux camp one might expect this album to be dark and brooding like his label mates (Cannibal Ox, El-P, Aesop Rock, et al) this album proves to be anything but. The title to the opening track “The Horror” tries to mislead you, but trust me this track is more like the campy Evil Dead, with its somewhat cheesy synth sample, than say, The Shining. While there are three tracks with guest MC’s (Final Frontier, F.H.H., and June) the beauty of this album lies in the instrumental tracks. The highlights include the soulful “Good Times Roll Pt. 2”, and the blues like “Ghostwriter”. If you’re already a fan of DJ Shadow (especially Endtroducing...) and the likes definitely pick up this album, if you are new to the world of underground/instrumental Hip-Hop this isn’t a bad place to start.

4. Sage Francis - Personal Journals   anticon

    C’mon man three Hip-Hop albums in a row, what gives? I know, I know...this was not planned, I assure you. When I first got this album I actually set it aside for a while. It was only after repeat listens that I discovered how great this album actually is. If you can get past the “so underground it hurts” wall that Sage puts up, using shitty production quality, and obscure as hell beats as building blocks, this is a brilliant album. Sage started out as a poet and this shows through in his rhyme style, and the subject matter for his songs. Sage tends to focus on personal pain (lost loves etc.) rather than ‘Lacs sittin’ on dem thangs, and fuckin’ big booty bitches, like most other rappers. On the track “Different” Sage points out why he is, with the lyric “as long as I’ve been rhymin’ they only started listening, cuz for a while they didn’t like how I wouldn’t smoke the pot I was pissing in. And I had no dead homies to honor while pouring out the liquor I don’t drink, you can flash all your shiny objects if front of my eyes and I wont blink.”. This album is not for fans of the ultra shiny, over produced pap that dominates the airwaves today, but if you don’t mind your beats raw and your lyrics intelligent, then Mr. Francis may be for you.

3. Floater - Alter   Pantheon Records

    Ahh...Floater, where to begin? If you have never heard Floater they are hard to describe. Perhaps pshycodelic stoner rock/ metal. Hmm...I don’t know, but that’s about as close as I can get. Floater has managed to stay fresh over the course of five studio and two live albums, by refining their sound more than making wholesale changes. And speaking of the “Floater sound," Alter has it in droves. Dark, bass-heavy, tribal sounds abound here, coupled with Rob Wynia’s excellent ethereal, vocals are what one has come to expect from Floater (by the way I am seeing how many times I can write “Floater” in one paragraph). It is hard to pick any stand out tracks here for two reasons: 1) All the songs are good (really!) and 2) Floater tries to make the whole album sound cohesive, rather than a couple of stand out singles with 10 filler tracks in between. One reason this album is “overlooked” is the fact that Floater refuses to sign to a major label, in part to retain complete creative control over their works, and to avoid becoming the MTV2 120 minutes fodder that destroys many a good band. The only thing better than a Floater album is to actually see them live, which if you haven’t--do it! NOW! All three members of Floater (Rob Wynia-Bass, vocals/ Peter Cornett-Drums, backing vocals/ David Amador-Guitars, vocals) are scary good musicians, bordering on geekery. But do not be afraid, they avoid the tendencies to bash you over the head with their vast musical knowledge >cough insertnameoffavoritejambandhere cough<. If you tend to be depressed then maybe you should try to avoid Floater, but everyone else should be knee deep in Alter by day's end. Floater!

2. The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton - irony is a dead scene   Epitaph

    I know irony... is an EP and not an actual album, but it’s MY list, so piss off. When I first heard of this collaboration I almost wet my pants. Mike Patton and The Dillinger Escape Plan working together-HOLY SHIT!!! I knew it was going to be good, but the end result destroyed my pathetic little world. I like the Escape Plan but I had to take them in small doses mostly because of the bands seeming refusal to ever let a groove go on for more than 2 seconds. Mike Patton takes care of this (perceived) problem by settling the guys down somewhat and showing them the splendor of "The Groove." There are only four songs, all of which are first-rate, but since I pussed out on the Floater review and didn’t pick a stand out song I will not do the same here. If forced to pick my favorite song on the album I would have to say that it was "Hollywood Squares"...no wait "Come to Daddy" yes, definitely "Come to Daddy." I usually would not pick a cover song, but they do such a great job making it their own that I can’t resist. Dillinger w/Mike manages to make the song darker than the original Aphex Twin (aka Richard James) version, which if you have heard the original may sound impossible. They do this through the magic that is Mike Patton vocals, there are probably about 6 or 7 vocal tracks all of which have been run through distortion or tweaked in some fashion. I know I have been focusing on Mr. Patton quite a bit so let take a moment and talk about the band. Anyone familiar with Dillinger knows that these guys are no slouches, they are all very talented musicians. They have the ability to write extremely technical material, with about 30 time signature changes per song and this is precisely the reason some do not like Dillinger. This is a remarkable album (excuse me, EP) that any fan of heavy music should have in their library; my only complaint is that it is too short.

1. Mastodon - Remission   Relapse Records

    Finally we have come to number one-the Mighty Mastodon. I waited and waited for an album to really kick my ass, and it finally happened when I threw Remission into my CD player. Almost a year later it still has not gone out of regular rotation. The band consists of Brann Dailor-Drums, Brent Hinds-Guitar and vocals, Bill Kelliher-Guitar and Troy Sanders-Bass and vocals. The musical styles on this album vary from southern rock to grindcore to technical metal and blues. Mastodon seamlessly blends all these styles into one great orgasmic scream that they can call their own. I could do a walk through of each track (because they all deserve equal attention) but I would be here all night, so instead I will attempt to give an overview of the album. The album contains excellent musicianship throughout, but there are two elements that deserve extra attention. The guitars are heavy as hell and grinding, they never stop their domination for one second on this beast of an album. While the guitars are spectacular, the drumming is what made me shit a lung. Brann is a drumming God and if this album is any indication he can do no wrong. If I had never seen pictures of Brann I would swear that he had six arms and four legs. This man is no mere mortal, and all aspiring drummers must bow at his feet (GG?)*, beg for his forgiveness, or die a horrible fiery death. The only down point (for some) is the some what muddy vocals that tend to get lost in the sonic maelstrom. I always wondered what would happen when four technically proficient musicians got together to make soulful, no-bullshit heavy music (seriously that’s the type of shit I think about at night). Hopefully this album will make the members of lesser rip-off bands (read: nu metal) reconsider their ways and go back to their jobs at Dairy Queen. Worship Mastodon or die--consider yourself warned.

*[Strangely, it was Brann's drumming that turned me off to this album.  I tried so hard to listen and copy his drum lines that it made my head hurt.  He's a freakin' stud and a half, but he's just too busy and it makes it hard for me to enjoy the music.  -GG]