It’s time for the annual Sound Opinions Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot. It’s the perfect way to say thanks…thanks that we never have to listen to the year’s biggest musical turkeys again. There are plenty of lousy records released each year, but calling some of those out would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Since we’re shooting turkeys here, Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot only pick out albums that they expected to be much better. Here are this year’s biggest disappointments:

Jim DeRogatis
Tom Petty, Mojo
Sleigh Bells, Treats
Christina Aguilera, Bionic

Greg Kot
Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown
Bettye LaVette, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Peter Gabriel, Scratch My Back

Jim and Greg next hand the rifles over to some of our listeners. They take down these turkeys:

Kyle from Minneapolis, MN: Joanna Newsome, Have One On Me
Lynn from Alpharetta, GA: Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
Corey from Adel, IA: Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain’t No Grave

Songs featured include:

Clinic, “Walking With Thee” Walking With Thee, Domino, 2002
Steve Earle, “Guitar Town” Guitar Town, MCA, 1986
Ohio Players, “Jive Turkey” Skin Tight, Mercury, 1974
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Jefferson Jericho Blues” Mojo, Reprise, 2010
Kings of Leon, “Molly’s Chambers” Youth and Young Manhood, RCA, 2003
Kings of Leon, “Birthday” Come Around Sundown, RCA, 2010
Sleigh Bells, “Riot Rhythm” Treats, Mom + Pop/N.E.E.T., 2010
The Soft Boys, “Cold Turkey” A Can of Bees, Two Crabs Universal, 1979
XTC, “The Disappointed” Nonsuch, Virgin, 1992
Joanna Newsom, “’81” Have One On Me, Drag City, 2010
Katy Perry “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” Teenage Dream, Capitol, 2010
Johnny Cash, “Ain’t No Grave” American VI: Ain’t No Grave, American/Lost Highway, 2010
Johnny Cash, “Hurt” American IV: The Man Comes Around, American/Universal, 2002
Bettye Lavette, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” Interpretations, Anti-, 2010
Christina Aguilera, “Not Myself Tonight” Bionic, RCA, 2010
Peter Gabriel, “Heroes” Scratch My Back, Real World/Virgin, 2010
Bob Dylan, “Turkey Chase” Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, Columbia, 1973