Happy Thanksgiving!

In celebration, here is a list of the ten bands I am the most thankful exist right now. In alphabetical order because I love them all equally(ish).

The Antlers - Definitely the wimpiest band on this list, but wimpy doesn't necessarily mean unedgy. This music explores the traumas of abuse and loss with nearly unparalleled honesty. It's the kind of music that will save lives. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Fucked Up - This band is, as I've previously explained, the superman of punk rock. They give closet punks like me hope. [RFR Review] [Unofficial MySpace]

Jeff the Brotherhood - This is what rock music is about. Great songs, aggressive guitars, powerful drums and sheer awesomeness. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Marnie Stern - Marnie proves that electric guitar can still be groundbreaking, if you play it weirdly enough. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Ponytail - Ponytail is one of the most refreshingly original bands of the decade. After half a century of rock music, it's hard to sound totally new, but there's just no one else on earth who sounds like this. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Pterodactyl - Pterodactyl are on this list for mostly the same reason as Ponytail. They don't sound like anyone else. There is no reference point. Unlike Ponytail, they keep the song/melody-orientation of most popular music, but they've found a way to be exciting while still accessible. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Screaming Females - If anyone can save rock music from the disaffected, icy grasp of the hipsters, it's these guys. They pretty much take everything that's ever been good about rock music, distill it into great pop songs with raging guitars, and somehow make it sound relevant to 2009. And their passion for their music is the ultimate anti-hipster statement. Anyone who hears them will have to admit rock is better this way. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Stupid Party - This band has a truly independent spirit. You can tell from watching them on stage, they just don't give a fuck about any bullshit. They want to make their songs come out of their instruments and probably to drink some beer afterwards. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Titus Andronicus - This band restored my faith in hardcore punk. While the thrashy Fucked Up is thoroughly experimental, Titus Andronicus keep it more old school at the core. Still, it's not outdated. Songs about classic paintings and the New Jersey suburbs are definitely post-2000. And while many bands touch on subjects like these, most do it in a despicably unaware celebration of their personally privileged backgrounds. Titus Andronicus comes from an entirely different angle, expressing themselves with intelligent questioning, raw emotion and a truly worldly perspective. [RFR Review] [MySpace]

Wavves - The indie scene was in bad need of another band like Wipers or Flipper. And we got it with Wavves. All distorted guitars and brilliant melodies, no hyper-selfawareness and no crap. [RFR Review] [MySpace]