2011 Year in Music : Remember These Guys?

On Vh-1 Classic's program, "That Metal Show," they have a segment called "Where Are They Now?" People send in requests for Rock musicians from the past and ask what they are up to lately. Like clockwork the answer will be something to the effect of, "He's still around, in fact he just released an album."

How often do we write musicians off as if their career is over? I discovered, listening to all the new releases this year, that some of them are still around, making great music. And as expected, the media is ignoring them. Or worse, making a joke at their expense. These are some of the best albums of the year, all by people you used to enjoy, and had no idea were still around.

Barry Manilow - 15 Minutes (Fame... can you take it?) Barry has spent much of the past decade recording covers of other people's songs. This album brings him back to what he does best, songwriting. As a straight collection of tunes, it's a bit confusing. But, as a concept album/musical in the making, "15 Minutes" is extraordinary. The songs tell the story of a musician throughout the stages of his career, riding the roller coaster of being a nobody, being a star, being a selfish dick, then being a has-been. Think of it as the musical version of "That Thing You Do," or "Rock Star." The surprise is the subtle rock edge to the songs. "Slept Through the End of the World" could have been written by Billy Joe Armstrong. On most of the album, it's just Barry being Barry, hearkening to a time when his music WAS pop music. Sure, he's really old and loaded with silicone, but he's still great at what he does.

Edie Brickell - Edie left New Bohemians back in the 90s, but has pulled a bit of an Aimee Mann and continued as a soloist. Her songs are folksy, but also poppish. They just feel really natural and easygoing. Her humor is shown off on tracks like, "Pill" and "Bad Way." Read the full review here...

Indigo Girls - Beauty Queen Sister - Whenever I listen to women folk singers I often hear the obvious influence of the Indigo Girls. It's ALWAYS good to get back to the source. The girls have been consistently making records and playing gigs, and it has NEVER stopped being awesome. Amy Ray's edgy, riff-based, subtly political grunge balances perfectly with Emily Saliers' beautiful, melodic sweetness. They often experiment with other sounds, but "Beauty Queen Sister" is them at their best when it comes to songwriting.

Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas - If you're like me and know Glen Campbell from "Rhinestone Cowboy," prepare to hear the real artist at work. He's GOT to be in his 70s or even 80s, but he can deliver a song that is thoughtful, creative, and evocative like the best of them. He employs some very modern studio techniques to bring out the beauty of his voice and the simplicity of a well-written song. And the songs are seperated by little instrumentals which set the mood. Sort of like a modern day, Country version of "Pictures at an Exhibition."

John Popper and the Duskray Troubadors - Fans of the Blues are basically nostalgic. They want to hear the blues as it used to be. The feeling is that the Blues is the Blues, and what it morphed into was Rock and Roll and R&B. But what if it hadn't? What if the Blues had evolved, incorporating elements of other styles, but staying true to the "Po' people sittin' on the porch playing some down home music" attitude that it came from. You get something that sounds an awful lot like this album by Blues Traveller's ex-frontman, John Popper. The songs are expressive, simple, and just great feeling. And just as Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to be the world's greatest guitarist, so did Popper to become ungodly on the harmonica!

Robbie Robertson - How To Become Clairvoyant - You know when the young'ns are playing, and the old timer comes by and lectures them about how it's done? "In MY day, we used to do it this way." And the kids giggle, until he shows them up in a major way. Robbie Robertson, on his newest album, is just writing good songs, in the same style as his old band, The Band. And we, the newer generation who are all edgy and experimental and new, are simply blown away by the brilliance of a good song.

Mr. Big - What If.... - Yep, the hair metal band who hit it big in the 90s with "To Be With You." And if you thought that's all this group was, my friends, you've been had. Hoodwinked. Bamboozled! Mr. Big happens to feature one of the most phenomenal bassists alive, Billy Sheehan. The sweet ballad was the big hit, but they also do great hard rock music. And unlike some of the other 80s and 90s metal bands who tried again this year, "What If..." is just as good as they were in their heyday!

Honorable mentions for Stryper - The Covering. If you like these Heavy Metal Classics, you'll also love Stryper covering them; and Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs - Eddie really explores what a Ukulele can do, from covering classics, to writing newer modern grunge pieces.