Trying to create a top albums of 2009 list was too daunting a task for me. There were about 100 or so full-length albums I heard. It was far too hard, even having warrants, to try to compile a list of that size and justify it. So I've decided to just make an overall top 30 list but write smaller lists based on genre and other categories. These are all worthy of being listened to depending on what you're into. My tastes are eclectic within the rock genre, which I mostly discuss but there are other releases like Peculiar Gentlemen, Matt and Kim, and K'Naan don't quite fall into “rock.”
POSTHUMOUS
Sadly, a handful of bands disbanded after they released albums. The Besties make me wish I had seen them more. I only saw them in New Brunswick basement, but was intrigued that they had two keyboard players. On their release, Home Free out via Hugpatch the indie-pop band bring you smooth vocals, catchy songs, and a feel good vibe. Mika Miko's We Be Xuxa on Kill Rock Stars is a surprisingly great release. I say that because I've only recently started getting into the riot-grrl influenced type punk rock sound. The beginning of this record lacks because I can't understand the vocals, they sounds slurred, and boring. But the music and the rather loud bass explodes in my ears, making up for any lack of incomprehensible vocals. Used Kids from Brooklyn released Yeah No, which brings good folky-punk rock songs. New Jersey's keyboard driven post-hardcore outfit, Red Light Green Light wrote some of the most motivating lyrics to suit their intense music I've heard in a while. “Be What You Want To Be.” Brooklyn's Nakatomi Plaza had a great alternative-punk release with crunchy guitar, melody, and driving beats. “4017” is a one of my favorites.
1.Nakatomi Plaza- Ghosts (Self-Released)
2.The Besties- Home Free ( Hugpatch)
3.Used Kids- Yeah No (Salinas)
4.Red Light Green Light- Everything Has Gone Wrong)
NJ/NY SELF-RELEASES
Some self released albums included Lunic's violin driven rock, Love Thief, Shiragirl's grrl punk anthem, Scream! Spit! Sing!, and Peculiar Gentlemen's soulful, jammy The Difference. Finally, Ben Franklin released a killer rock 'n roll, punk influenced album called OPTIMISIT.
1.Ben Franklin- Optimist
2.Shiragirl- Scream! Spit! Sing!
3.Peculiar Gentlemen- The Difference
4.Lunic- Lovethief
POP-PUNK
Then there were pop/punk albums that changed by opinion of the genre and restored faith that punk is not dead and can be catchy. Though new to the genre I can generally say that these were solid albums with great lyrics. I can't stop listening to Title Fight, so that's why they get number 1. The lyrics are great and the songs make me want to two-step and sing-along.
1.Title Fight- The Last Thing You Forget (Run for Cover)
2.Set Your Goals- This Will Be The Death of Us (Epitaph)
3.The Swellers- Ups and Downsizing (Fueled By Ramen)
4.Broadway Calls- Good Views, Bad News (Side One Dummy)
5.A Loss for Words- The Kids Can't Lose (In 'n Out)
FOLK-PUNK
The Philly band, mewithoutYou, take a quieter, folkier approach with their fourth full-length. I couldn't get into it for a while, but the lyrics are great and the instrumentation is well done. The vocals lack, though. Franz Nicolay put out a great solo record. Songs for Moms from Oakland wrote a good folk-inspired punk album, in a way I haven't heard. Fake Problems have the punk/folk twang going on that's rockin'. "Diamond Rings" is amazing. Andrew Jackson Jihad got a band on his latest release and wrote great songs.
1.Andrew Jackson Jihad- Can't Maintain (Asian Man)
2.Fake Problems- It's Great to Be Alive (Side One Dummy)
3.Franz Nicolay- Major General (Fistolo)
4.mewithoutYou- It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright! (Tooth & Nail)
5.Songs for Moms- I Used To Believe in the West (Thrillhouse)
6.Attica! Attica!- Napalm & Nitrogen (Self-Released)
PUNK
Wide range of punk sounds on SFH's Never Rest in Peace. Anti-Flag are political then ever with catchy, angry punk songs.
1.Star Fucking Hipsters- Never Rest in Peace (Alternative Tentacles)
2.Anti-Flag- The People or the Gun (Side One Dummy)
METAL
The few metal albums I heard were generally good. OTEP brought metal with a message. Led by metals finest lady, Otep Shamaya, the driving beats and poetically styled lyrics bring a different dimension to what's becoming a trite genre. Psychostick wrote cleverly, humorous songs about real life that had some great riffs. Converge had a sick album. Hardcore and metal mixed well. Baroness blew my mind. Metal with a post-punk vibe. Incredible.
1.Baroness- The Blue Recordings
2.Converge- Axe to the Fall
3.Otep-Smash the Control Machine
4.Psychostick- Sandwich
POST-HARDCORE
Post-hardcore did decently this year. Fall of Troy brought complexity with In The Unlikely Event. Thursday initially left me unimpressed but the album later grew on me. Post-hardcore with keyboard works. The Sleeping provided it on What It Takes. They're still jammin' after three albums. Poison the Well is still one of the genre's post innovative bands being called everything from experimental to screamo. "Exist Underground" and "Pamplemousse" are two of my favorites. Closure in Moscow's First Temple sounds like Mars Volta meets Circa Survive.
1.Madina Lake-Attics to Eden (Roadrunner)
2.Closure in Moscow-First Temple (Equal Vision)
3.Fall of Troy- In The Unlikely Event (Equal Vision)
4.Thursday- Common Existence (Epitaph)
5.Polar Bear Club- Chasing Hamburd (Bridge 9)
6.The Sleeping-What It Takes (Victory)
7.Poison the Well-The Tropic Rot (Ferret)
EXPERIMENTAL/ INSTRUMENTAL
Innovative or experimental albums were released by The Venetia Fair, Native, Kiss Kiss, and Yula and the Extended Family. Kiss Kiss wrote a spastic, innovative circus-punk album with sweet violin sounds! There's also a 16-minute song called “Virus” that is worth a listen. This is an underrated album that I recommend for those looking to hear something different. For noodly-instrumental similar to Algernon Cadwallder and These Arms Are Snakes listen to Native's Wrestling Moves. Venetia Fair impressed with their brand of circus-punk. Look out Kiss Kiss and Beat Circus. These songs are kooky. The Bronzed Chorus from Greensboro, NC had a relaxing instrumental album.
1.Kiss Kiss- The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left (Eyeball)
2.Native- Wrestling Moves (Sargent House)
3.Yula and the Extended Family- Victor (Woodland)
4.Venetia Fair- The Circus (Red Blue)
5.The Bronzed Chorus- I'm the Spring (Hell Sir)
ROCK 'N ROLL
It was a huge year for rock 'n roll. For anyone that thinks it's dead, think again. The Entrance Band's self titled is psychedelic rock that's gnarly. Monotonix wrote messy rock 'n roll that's fun to go crazy to. Naked Heroes was a nice find. This duo give you rock 'n roll that's slow and fast. Nice! Reigning Sound is an influential band that mixes blues, folk, punk, garage rock, and soul with a clear Rolling Stones influence means awesome album. Red Collar released a great, passionate rock album. This North Carolina trio bring songs that make me shake around and go crazy. The guitar's are excellent on this release. "Tools" is one of my favorites. New Brunswick, New Jersey's Screaming Females kept their groovy, garage punk sound up on Power Move. They mix rock 'n roll and punk nicely. “Lights Out” is superb. Them Crooked Vultures is a rock n roll supergroup featuring John Paul Jones (Led Zepplein), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). Yeah. Naam destroys faces with their latest. Clutch are still keepin' it real. "Freakonomics" and "10, 000 Unstoppable Watts" are the jams!
1.Them Crooked Vultures- Self Titled (Interscope)
2.Clutch- Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music)
3.Screaming Females- Power Move (Don Giovanni)
4.Wolfmother- Cosmic Egg (Modular)
5.Arctic Monkeys- Humbug (Domino)
6.Japandroids- Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl)
7.Jeff the Brotherhood- Heavy Days (Infinity Cat)
8.Ben Franklin-Optimist (Self-Released)
9.The Company Band- Self Titled
10.The Naked Heroes- 99 Diamonds (Powerload)
11.Naam- Naam (Tee Pee)
12.Red Collar- Pilgrim (Self-Released)
13.Monotonix- Where Were You When It Happened? (Drag City)
14.The Entrance Band- Self Titled (Ecstatic Peace/Universal)
15.Reigning Sound- Love and Curses (In the Red)
16.Jet- Shaka Rock (Virgin)
17.Turbo Fruits- Echo Kid (Fat Possum)
HARDCORE/SCREAMO
Hardcore had an interesting year because most of the releases seemed to be from new bands, who released demos or EP's. There didn't seem to be too many full-length albums. Female fronted San Francisco heavy weights, Punch delivered some of the brutalist hardcore that makes you two-step that I heard in 2009. Gallows from London had in your dirty beats, in your face lyrics, and crunchy guitar. “Graves” and “Misery” are simply sick. Another Breath wrote a fucking brilliant hardcore album. These guys deliver an album that has slow parts that build to this brutal insanity that tells a story about their experience with God, in a negative way. Risky, but intelligent. Touche Amore was probably more screamo than hardcore. Solid release that features Geoff Rickley of Thursday.
1.Another Breathe- The God Complex (Assault)
2.Gallows- Grey Britain (Warner Bros.)
3.Touche Amore- To The Beat of a Dead Horse (Collect)
4.Punch- Self Titled (625/DiscosHuelga)
INDIE-POP/ROCK
Indie-pop/rock was great this year. GIRLS had their 60's rock 'n roll influenced, surf-rock, indie-rock ALBUM, The Thermals had a great indie-pop that's sweet and uplifting. An Horse and Tegan & Sara have toured together and both releases solid albums. Kate and Damon from Australia wrote a great indie, pop rock. I had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, interview them, and meet them in 2008. Fanfarlo blew me away when I saw them at Pianos' in NYC during CMJ. After hearing their album, I couldn't help but ear-to-ear smile. This London band play keyboard, mandolin, violin, and trumpet, in addition to the standard rock instruments. “The Walls Are Coming Down” and “Ghosts” are two of my favorites. I hadn't heard of Born Ruffians before but their easily got into this catchy album. It was everything I like in a release. Great lyrics, rockin', and dancey. Solid from top to bottom. “Barnacle Goose” is excellent. The Answering Machine is an rock band from Manchester with a fun, indie album that makes me smile, dance, and sing-along. Listen to “Oklahoma,” you won't regret it.
1.The Answering Machine- Another City, Another Sorry (Heist or Hit)
2.Fanfarlo- Reservoir (Canvasback Music)
3.GIRLS- Album (True Panther Sounds)
4.Company of Thieves-Ordinary Riches (Wind Up)
5.Tegan and Sara- Sainthood, Sire
6.Cursive- Mama, I'm Swollen (Saddle Creek)
7.As Tall As Lions- You Can't Take It With You (Triple Crown)
8.Born Ruffians- Red, Yellow, and Blue (Warp)
9.An Horse-Rearrange Beds (Mom & Pop)
10.The Thermals- Now We Can See (Kill Rock Stars)
ROCK
Rock dominated with Dinosaur Jr's highly anticipated, Farm. While, Manchester Orchestra's new songs on Mean Everything to Nothing didn't strike me live, the album version is pretty good with intense songs like “Shake It Out” and “Pride.” P.S. Eliot had a sweet, fuzzy, pop/rock release reminiscent of the '90s with sweet lyrics and vocals to suit. If you like Small Brown Bike and Bridge & Tunnel, then Cheap Girls is for you. Screaming Females's raved about Teenage Cool Kids on their blog, so I checked them out and was into it.
1.Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
2.Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything to Nothing (Favorite Gentlemen)
3.Cheap Girls- My Roaring 20's (Plastic & Plastic)
4.P.S. Eliot- Introverted Romance in Our Troubled Minds (Salinas)
5.Teenage Cool Kids- Foreign Lands
POPULAR ROCK
Thrice released another fine album with solid guitar work. TBS still have some catchy songs that I'm not afraid to admit I like. Dredg is an impressive band with a great vocalist and progressive rock songs to suit. Silversun Pickups is one of alt-rock's talk up band of the year. They got nominated for Best Artist at the Grammies, so that's something to be proud of. The sexy bass and vocals are delightful and “Panic Switch” was one of the best singles. Muse keeps impressing.Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought the blitz!
1.Yeah Yeah Yeahs- It's Blitz! (Interscope)
2.Brand New-Daisy (Interscope)
3.Mars Volta-Octahedron
4.Muse- The Resistance (Warner Bros.)
5.Silversun Pickups- Swoon (Dangerbird)
6.Heartless Bastards- The Mountain (Fat Possum)
7.Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeua Phoenix (V2/Loyauté)
8.Paramore-Brand New Eyes (Fueled By Ramen)
9.Thrice- Beggars (Vagrant)
10.Taking Back Sunday- New Again (Warner Bros.)
SINGER-SONGWRITER
These aren't necessarily solo-singer songwriter's or acoustic acts, rather performers with a band that simply go by their name. Kevin Devine's fifth album, Brother's Blood, showcased great songwriting, dynamic musicianship, and overall good songs from one of my favorite singer-songwriters and his Goddamn Band. Regina Spektor's catchy, piano driving songs were excellent on this release. “Folding Chair” highlights her ability to sound like a dolphin, to.
1.Kevin Devine-Brother's Blood (Favorite Gentlemen)
2.Regina Spektor- Far (Sire)
3.Ida Maria-Fortress Round My Heart (Sony BMG)
4.Thao with the Get Down Stay Down- Know Better Learn Faster (Kill Rock Stars)
5.Will Dailey- Torrents Volumes 1 and 2
6.Maria Taylor- Ladyluck, Nettwerk
DANCE-ROCK/PUNK/WHATEVER
I haven't heard good dance-punk since Le Tigre and maybe more recently some would say Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The Gossip's Music for Men is an incredibly great dance album with good lyrics. I haven't wanted to dance my ass off like I do with this album, since Ting Tings We Started Nothing in 2008. Brooklyn's Tigercity has a swoon worthy vocalist and “Fake Gold” is a hit. Matt and Kim had a fun, poppy album that makes you jump up and down. Then there's Spinnerette, ex-Distiller vocalist and guitarist, Brody's, new band. The fast rhythms of the music suit her gritty, strong voice well. Handsome Furs continue to impress with their poppy beats and heartfelt lyrics.
1.The Gossip- Music for Men (Columbia)
2.Handsome Furs- Face Control (Sub-Pop)
3.Tigercity- Ancient Lover (Self Released?)
4.Matt and Kim- Grand (Fader)
TOP 30 ALBUMS of 2009
1.Kevin Devine- Brother's Blood (Favorite Gentlemen)
2.Them Crooked Vultures- Self Titled (Interscope)
3.Clutch- Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music)
4. Screaming Females- Power Move (Don Giovanni)
5. Wolfmother- Cosmic Egg (Modular)
6. Regina Spektor- Far (Sire)
7. Title Fight- The Last Thing You Forget (Run For Cover)
8. Kiss Kiss- The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left (Eyeball)
9. Andrew Jackson Jihad- Can't Maintain (Asian Man)
10. K'Naan' Trobadour (A&M/Octone)
11. The Answering Machine- Another City, Another Sorry (Heist or Hit)
12. The Gossip- Music For Men (Columbia)
13. Arctic Monkeys- Humbug (Domino)
14. GIRLS- Album (True Panther Sounds)
15. Japandroids- Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl)
16. Baroness- The Blue Record (Relapse)
17. Jeff the Brotherhood- Heavy Days (Infinity Cat)
18. Fanfarlo- Reservoir (Canvasback Music)
19. Converge- Axe to the Fall (Epitaph)
20. Muse- The Resistance (Warner Bros.)
21. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- It's Blitz! (Interscope)
22. Madina Lake- Attics to Eden (Roadrunner)
23. Nakatomi Plaza- Ghosts, Self-Released
24. Dredg- The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (Ohlone)
25. Ben Franklin-Optimist (Self-Released)
26. Handsome Furs-Face Control (Sub Pop)
27. Dinosaur Jr. Farm (Jagjaguwar)
28. Fake Problems- It's Great to Be Alive (Side One Dummy)
29. Another Breath- The God Complex (Assault)
30. Native- Wrestling Moves (Sargent House)
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