The Top 100 Albums Of 2009

#100

Amy Millan – ‘Masters Of The Burial’
Arts & Crafts
Released September 22, 2009

We kick things off this year with Canadian songstress Amy Millan’s sophomore release Masters Of The Burial, a lovely collection of songs that, for my money, are the best of her career (yeah, even better than most of the stuff she’s released with  Stars and Broken Social Scene, which is really good in it’s own right mind you). This record features a more Brandon-friendly approach than her first solo release, as it’s jam packed with country-twinged folky calmness as opposed to the more upbeat stuff she included on the last record.  I really think more artists should make music for the sole purpose of pleasing my ears. It would make the musical landscape a much more beautiful place. Anyway, I have 9 more of these to do today so I’d better get to crackin. This record is good stuff, it even has some cover tunes you may have heard before, most notably being Death Cab’s ‘I Will Follow You Into The Dark’, so check it out if you’re into that whole alt-country by way of pretty-voiced Canadians thing.
Fave Tracks: ‘I Will Follow..’, ‘Buried Ghosts’, and ‘Towers’

#99

Andrew Bird – ‘Noble Beast’
Fat Possum
January 20, 2009
For someone who seems to be as big of an indie darling as this guy is, it’s kinda surprising that you don’t really hear all that much about him. Even those polesmokers at Pitchfork drool over this guy’s work, and usually their endorsement is enough to make a household name out of an underground indie star. Ah well, maybe everyone does know about this guy already  but nobody talks about him because they’re all too busy hooting and hollering over whatever Sufjan’s latest thing is or something. Point is, this guy deserves a little more mainstream attention than he gets.
I’ve been a fan of Bird since his ‘Mysterious Production Of Eggs’ record, and that like affair continued with his pretty great ‘Armchair Apocrypha’ and expands to full fledged love with this cd. It’s a warm, folk-leaning chamber poppy album with some great melodies and is, dare I say, even kinda fun to listen to, even when it’s being deep and emotional. If you’re already an Andrew Bird fan, this will instantly please you, even if you found yourself a bit put off by the ‘Armchair..’ cd. If this is all new to you, well you’re in for a treat. Unless you hate it, in which case don’t kill the messenger.
Fave Tracks: ‘Effigy’, ‘Fitz and Dizzyspells’, ‘Not A Robot But A Ghost’

#98

Chuck Ragan – ‘Gold Country’
Side 1 Dummy
Released September 1, 2009

I never, ever liked this guy’s old band. In fact, I think Hot Water Music pretty much sucked. For some reason though, this really struck my ears as being something enjoyable. It almost has a Springsteen tone to it,  and maybe that’s what I’m picking out and liking, I dunno.  Ragan’s loud, gravelly voice just works with the country and bluegrass twang happening here, and comes across with a confidence and power (not a new level of those things though..sup Pantera reference) that I really love.
This record has songs about love and tribulations and wars and trains and going home and all the other familiar topics of this whole genre of music aaaand  is a straight up pleasure to listen to. I highly recommend it.
Fave Tracks: ‘Don’t Say A Word’, ‘Rotterdam’, ‘Ole Diesel’

#97

Arise & Ruin – ‘Night Storms Hailfire’
Victory Records
February 17, 2009

Finally, some metal up in this bitch.  Just a heads up guys, this list is gonna have a bunch more loud stuff in it than the past few years have. I’ve been rocking out a whole lot more, just like the old days.
I first heard this band on some sampler I downloaded to hear a new Darkest Hour song, and was pleasantly surprised to find there was another thing on the sampler I didn’t hate. Arise & Ruin is not the best band in the world, the lyrics are angry and stupid, but boy this shit rocks my face off. It’s so amazing what good instrumentation production can do for a metal record; how it can really make the music explode out of the speakers. Sure the vocals weren’t mixed all that great, but it doesn’t detract from the rockin-as-balls sounds this record is gonna provide you with. Like all metal records of this ilk, they’re not really any good to listen to as a whole collective unit, instead, are at their best when added into a mix so you get it in song at a time doses.
Fave Tracks: ‘Forever Damned’, ‘Doom Sentence’, ‘This Is War’

#96

Patty Loveless – ‘Mountain Soul II’
Saguaro Road Records
Released September 29, 2009

Man, what’s the deal with all this country stuff right off the bat? Weird.  Patty Loveless is kind of a legend in the “real” country game and this record realllly proves it. A follow up to her highly touted ‘Mountain Soul’ record from a few years back, this is everything that a fan of old school country and bluegrass could want.  She’s got such a great voice and this shit makes me wanna go out and wear spurs, ride horses, and do whatever other hillbilly things you’re supposed to do while listening to country music. I really wish this kind of country music would make a comeback, because my God it’s so much better than that shit out there today that gets called country. Pop music and southern rock is all that current batch of stuff is, and that’s all fine and dandy and some of it is pretty damn good, but cmon man, that’s not country. Ugh!  Fave Tracks: ‘Fools Thin Air’, ‘A Handful Of Dust’, ‘When The Last Curtain Falls’

#95

Mirah – (a)spera
K Records
Released March 1, 2009
I have been a fan of Mirah for a minute now; I heard the ‘C’mon Miracle’ record some time ago and it appealed to me, as music has a tendency to do.  One look at the album cover may have you thinking this is just another stupid electropop cd that you’d hear blasting obnoxiously in Urban Outfitters while you’re trying to shop for green skinny jeans and a scarf even though you live in a climate where it never gets colder than 78 degrees, but you would be thinking incorrectly. Mirah’s tunes aren’t crafted for the dance floor, instead for quiet reflection and gentle brooding. This is a solid cd, perhaps her best to date, and if you’re down with singer/songwriter stuff, give it a listen.
Fave tracks:  ‘Shells’, ‘While We Have The Sun’, and ‘The World Is Falling Apart’

#94

Clint Mansell – ‘Moon’ (soundtrack)
Black Records
Released July 21, 2009
I really wanna see this movie, I just never got around to it while it was still in theaters. Actually, the lady and I planned to – we had a whole space night planned that involved going to the planetarium and everything – buut those plans didn’t blast off, and I still haven’t gotten to see this. ANYWAY. Clint Mansell is basically a movie scoring god at this point, after the rad Requiem For A Dream score and the unbelievable Fountain score, I’m always really excited to hear he’s working on some new project. While this one doesn’t necessarily stack up to those, it’s top notch in it’s own right. As all his scores tend to do, the whole thing is pretty minimalistic and revolves around a few notes that get repeated throughout, and really set a tone that I imagine must be pretty powerful in the film. I haven’t even seen the thing and I can feel the overwhelming sense of isolation this movie portrays, and I think that really shows that this score is worth it’s salt. FYI, if you’ve ever heard the Solaris s/t, this one is kinda similar, which is fine by me cause that thing is superb.
Fave Tracks: ‘Welcome To Lunar Industries’, ‘Memories (Someone We’ll Never Know) ’, ‘The Nursery’

#93

Kylesa – ‘Static Tensions’
Prosthetic Records
Released March 17, 2009

I don’t really even know what to say about this cd. I don’t think I’ll be able describe it all that well, at least not well enough to do it justice. I don’t know if this is metal or sludge or heavy stoner  metal or what stoner metal really even is. All I know is that this record is loud, it’s creative, and it effing rocks. I know the band is from Savannah, GA, I know they have 2 drummers, I know they have 3 singers, and that’s about all.  Musically, if you’re down with stuff like Mastodon and Baroness, you’d probably be down with this (although if you’re down with them, you’re probably already into these guys, but just humor me here.  This isn’t really just a record to put on for casual metal listening, and if you’re a Hatebreed fan who wants to punch emo kids in the face all the time, this stuff may be a little over your head..buut for the rest of you metal folks out there, this is some rad stuff right here.
Fave Tracks: ‘Scapegoat’, ‘Said And Done’, ‘To Walk Alone’

#92

Richard Hawley – ‘Truelove’s Gutter’
Mute US
Released September 22, 2009

BEP denizens, do you remember a few years back when I was all gaga (the emotion, not the terribly unattractive Lady) about a record called Coles Corner and I raved about how this dude and his music sounded like a throwback to a different time in music and I found it quite refreshing? No? Oh. Well. I did. Richard Hawley has a voice that feels like home to me, a baritone voice that sounds like one I’ve heard a million times before but is markedly unique.  This guy’s music will put you in a time capsule for a little while, taking you back to the days when men crooned and Lawrence Welk and his bubbles were the hotness. It’s really nice to listen to and comforting to my ears. Lyrically, it’s a bit darker than his previous stuff, but no matter. Me still likey.
Fave Tracks: ‘As The Dawn Breaks’, ‘Don’t You Cry’, ‘Remorse Code’

#91

Moby – ‘Wait For Me’
Mute
Released June 30, 2009

Yes, Moby. I know he’s released some serious junk in his career, but let’s not forget that he does have some really solid stuff in his catalog.  ‘Play’ was a great cd, but it’s highlights occured when he utilized really chilled out string arrangements and ambient melodies. Since then, it seems he has made a point to go more commercial and honestly, make more obnoxious music. This time around though, I was totally surprised by the fact that he’s totally gone back to making strings and ambiance a key ingredient in his stuff, and even more surprised how much I wound up enjoying it. This record was inspired by some speech by David Lynch apparently, aaand was completely self made, right down to the album art he drew with a sharpie on a napkin or something.  Moody, ethereal, and relaxing, if you dug some of his older stuff, give this one a listen. You may be impressed.
Fave Tracks: ‘A Seated Night’, ‘Walk With Me’, ‘Study War’

#90

Bruce Springsteen – ‘Working On A Dream’
Columbia Records
Released January 27, 2009

Alright, so The Boss’ best years and best records may be far behind him, but, 24 records into his career, don’t count the dude out just yet. Working.. is as solid as anything he’s released as of late and really, how can you deny Bruce Springsteen? I sure can’t.  Well, aside from the laughably stupid ‘Queen Of The Supermarket’ song. Bruce has always had  a knack for lyrical storytelling; heck, it’s what made him a legend, and he’s a master craftsman of plain ol’ good tunes that capture all the nuances of the American psyche and the emotions that run through each of us on the daily. Oh, and the song from the Wrestler movie that’s on here? Probbbably one of his top 5 best of ALL time in my book.
Fave Tracks: ‘Working On A Dream’, The Last Carnival’, ‘Kingdom Of Days’
annnd..’The Wrestler’

#89

Plastik Joy – ‘3:03?
N5md
Released May 12, 2009

Oh N5md records, I really do love you. You guys consistently release the absolute best when it comes to electronic/ambient/downtempo/glitchtronica chillout  music. Each year, it seems like they’re the label most represented on this list, soo props for that.  So Plastik Joy makes the aforementioned styles of music, obviously, and I really love it. Akin to stuff like The Album Leaf and other similar acts, this duo (one from Italy, one from Iceland (where else, right?)) create an atmosphere lush with twinkling stars and the sweetest of dreams.  Background/sleepy stuff is so underrated by most folks but  OH NO, not me.
Fave Tracks: ‘Sleepy Quest For Coffee’, 63 (She Was Trying To Sleep, I Was Trying To Breathe), ‘Problem With Humans’

#88

Dead And Divine – ‘The Machines We Are’
Distort
Released August 4, 2009

Rocks. Metal’s had a pretty good year. For a long while, I was kinda under the self-imposed impression that I was growing out of it as a favorite genre of music to listen to. More specifically, I was pretty sure I was over the whole metalcore thing. I dunno if that’s cause there just wasn’t all that much good music out there for a while or if the market was oversaturated with crap and I didn’t feel like taking the time to explore and appreciate orrr if I was just personally oversaturated with it. Whatever the reason, I’m kinda glad I’m done with feeling that way, because deep down I love me some screaming and breakdowns very much. I’m even willing to deal with lame singing sometimes to get those things. Good thing for these guys, caaause otherwise they wouldn’t be here.

#87
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘It’s Blitz’
Interscope
Released March 10, 2009

Um yeah so I don’t know exactly how this turned up on the list. I’ve never been a YYYs fan, and aside from that one ‘Maps’ single they had back in the day, I haven’t even really cared for a YYYs song. I didn’t like this album when I first downloaded it. Liiike, at all. In fact, I thought I had unchecked it from my itunes. Apparently though, I hadn’t, and one day while I was randomly listening to music, one of the tracks from this album came on. Which one? Cmon, like I remember that. I just know that I was all ‘heey I like this, this is all 80s sounding’ and was kinda surprised to look at my ipod and see that it was these dudes. Long story short, I went back and listened to this album a few times and realized ‘heey I like this’. Then it made my list. The End.
Fave Tracks: ‘Zero’, ‘Skeletons’, ‘Runaway’

#86

Justin Townes Earle – ‘Midnight At The Movies’
Bloodshot Records
Released March 3, 2009

If you’re Steve Earle’s kid, you’ve got some big shoes to fill. If you’re Steve Earle’s kid and you’re named after Townes Van Zant, FYL. Luckily, JTE has done quite well at living up to his name and this record further cements his name into the Americana annuls based on his own artistic merit. Classic country sounds, Americana, Folksy Rootsy whatevers, it’s all here and it’s all done very well.  This is one of those records that I simply couldn’t get enough of for the longest time, so I highly recommend it to all of you kids. Plus, the dude’s from Nashville. So, boosh.
Fave Tracks: ‘Someday I’ll Be Forgiven For This’, ‘Mama’s Eyes’, and ‘They Killed John Henry’

#85

Iwrestledabearonce – ‘It’s All Happening
Century Media
Released June 2, 2009

This record is really just one big spastic ball of ADD and I love almost every second of it.  Their name is awesome and obviously one I hold close to my bear-loving heart, but these dudes are more than just a clever band name and silly song titles. It’s All Happening is very metal and it really sounds like these kids sat down in a room and just started throwing together the most random stuff they could come up with, cohesive or not, and made songs out of it.  They even have a chick singer…but if it wasn’t for the dopey interludes in each song where she insists on trying to actually sing and it’s really off key and rather crappy, the average listener would probably have no idea soo don’t let that detract you. These guys are one of those really polarizing bands, either you’re all about it or  you hate it; in case you had forgotten the definition of polarizing.  To all the naysayers, I say F yall, I got my hata blockaz on.
Fave Tracks: ‘Tastes Like Kevin Bacon’, ‘The Cat’s Pajamas’, ‘You Ain’t No Family’

#84

Carrie Underwood – ‘Play On’
Sony
Released November 4, 2009

yeah yeah yeah. I like Carrie Underwood. WHATEVER.

Fave Tracks: ‘Someday When I Stop Loving You’, ‘Mama’s Song’, ‘Temporary Home’

#84
Tor & Sufjan Stevens – ‘Illinoize’
Released 2009

Seriously, do things get any more hip than this? A mixtape mash up of Sufjan songs and rap songs by artists like Outkast, Aesop Rock, and Brother Ali.  I can just see this dude sitting around on his stoop up in Brooklyn (ok so the dude is from Canada, but whatever, this sounds like it’s straight from the streets of the BK, the hottest borough) bein’ all like ‘YO DAWG I GOT DIS IDEA’ and then puttin this stuff together and playin it for his boyz and them all bein’ like OHHH SHIT DIS IS FIAA. And those boyz would be right. This is one helluva  mashup and something that I would NEVER imagine would be as awesome as it actually is if I hadn’t listened to it. Even better is that it was given away as a free download! (Not that any download isn’t free if you look in the right places, but naturally I don’t advocate such things) Anyway, really creative stuff, I suggest you check it out if you haven’t already.
Fave Tracks: ‘Dumb I Sound/ATLiens (f/ Outkast)’, John Wayne Gacy Jr/Specialize (f/ Pete Rock & CL Smooth), ‘Kill/Any Type Of Way (f/ Big Daddy Kane)

#82

Cinnamon Chasers – ‘A Million Miles From Home’
E1 Music
Released June 23, 2009

The one and only real upbeat electronic/technoish release on my list this year, this Cinnamon Chasers record is one of those kinda things that I can’t really talk about all that much and in any kind of real detail. Let me rephrase, I can talk about it, but I risk sounding like a tool even moreso than I usually do. I’d have to reach into the depths of my musical vocabulary to find words to describe  this stuff. So I’ll just leave it be.
Fave Tracks: ‘The World Is Yours’, ‘Ultraviolent’, ‘Sentimental’

#81

Hildur Guðnadóttir – Without Sinking
Touch
Released March 30, 2009

Oh look, an Icelandic lass who makes atmospheric and, in certain aspects, ambient music! They really do grow on trees over there. Actually, what this chick technically does most is play cello, so obv, this is a cello-heavy cd to say the least.  Not a bad thing though because the cello is one of the most emotional instruments around. Not many instruments have the ability, through sheer tone alone, to evoke such melancholy feelings.  This record is a cold, dreary day put to compact disc and every once in a while, a cold dreary day is just what the doctor ordered.
Fave Tracks: ‘Elevation’ (below), ‘Erupting Light’,  ‘Opaque’

#80
Death Cab For Cutie – ‘The Open Door’ EP
Atlantic Records
Released April 14, 2009

For a while there, I think I may have gone through my own little DCFC backlash. Aside from a few songs, I thought their last record was pure rubbish and my overall time spent listening to them, even in the winter when I am usually more than game for some indiemo goodness, was quite miniscule. It’s a new year though, a new winter is approaching, and I think I’m ready to be back on the wagon. What brought about this bk dcfc revival you ask? Oh, well who knows, but for argument’s sake let’s say that it was this ep. For whatever reason, these tunes did it for me in a way that last record never was able to…these songs just sound Death Cabbier to my ears; more like the older stuff that I once fell in love with. Fave Tracks: ‘A Diamond And A Tether’ (below), ‘Little Bribes’, and ‘My Mirror Speaks’

#79
A.A. Bondy – ‘When The Devil’s Loose’
Fat Possum
Released September 1, 2009

I get teased, relentlessly at times, for finding and listening to dudes like this. Seemingly random dudes with acoustic guitars who make some sort of living singing and songwriting have a tendency to be my cup of tea, and I just can’t help it. So what? Anyway, this is one of those records that just sorta stumbled across and thought I’d give a shot, and ya know what? It’s pretttty darn good. Fave Tracks: ‘Mightiest Of Guns’, ‘The Mercy Wheel’, ‘When The Devil’s Loose’

#78
Miss May I – ‘Apologies Are For The Weak’
Rise Records
Released June 23, 2009

Fave Tracks: ‘Architect’ (below), ‘Forgive And Forget’, ‘A Dance With Aera Cura’

#77
The Swell Season – ‘Strict Joy’
Anti
Released September 27, 2009

Showing up on this list is a big big deal for most artists. They have a tendency to be absolutely thrilled just being recognized and I can’t really blame them. For marketa and glen though, I have to think this showing may come as a bit of a letdown. With the once soundtrack, they placed very high, top 5 I think, so I’m sure they were geared up to have a return trip to the glorylands, buuut unfortch they didn’t deliver. Don’t get me wrong, I like this cd but cmon dudes, after that last one you have to step up your game a little bit. Those shoes are big I know but you have to at least attempt to fill them, right? No? Allllright. Maybe I’m being swayed by not having a killer movie to have as an accompanyment to these songs. Maybe them not dating anymore has hurt their songwriting. Maybe I set the bar too high. Who knows. Point is, while still a good cd and better than a bunch of others this year, I really wanted and hoped for more. Ah well.
Fave Tracks: ‘In These Arms’, ‘I Have Loved You Wrong’, ‘The Rain’
‘Low Rising’

#76
Great Lake Swimmers – ‘Lost Channels’
Nettwerk
Released March 31, 2009
Fave Tracks: ‘Palmistry’, ‘River’s Edge’, ‘She Comes To Me In Dreams’
‘Pulling On A Line’

#75
Last Days – ‘The Safety Of The North’
N5md
Released March 3, 2009

# 74
Mutemath – ‘Armistice’
WEA/Reprise
Released August 18, 2009

#73
To Speak Of Wolves – ‘Following Voices’
Tragic Hero

#72
The Snake The Cross The Crown – ‘On A Carousel Of Sound, We Go Round’
Equal Vision
Released October 13, 2009

#71
Tiny Vipers – ‘Life On Earth’
Sub Pop
Released July 7, 2009

#70

Destroy Destroy Destroy – Battle Sluts
Metal Blade
Released Jan 6, 2009

#69

Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
Astralwerks
Released April 7, 2009

#68

John Mayer – Battle Studies
Sony
Released November 17, 2009

#67

Monsters Of Folk – s/t
Shangri-La
Released September 22, 2009

#66

Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue
Virgin
Released September 29, 2009

#65

Portugal The Man – The Majestic Majesty
Defiance
Released Summer 2009

#64

Team Teamwork – Good Ass Remixes V 1
2009

#63

Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
4AD
Released April 21, 2009

‘French Navy’

#62

Tim Hecker – An Imaginary Country
Kranky
Released  March 10, 2009

#61

Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons – Death Won’t Send A Letter
Black Seal
Released September 29, 2009

#50
Telefon Tel Aviv – ‘Immolate Yourself’
Bpitch Control
February 3, 2009

#49

Langhorne Slim – ‘Be Set Free’

Kemado

September 29, 2009

#48

Max Richter – ‘Henry May Long  s/t’

Mute Song Interrnational

March 9, 2009

#47

Holding Onto Hope – ‘Of The Sea’

April 21, 2009

#46

The Devil Wears Prada – ‘With Roots Above And Branches Below’

Ferret

May 5, 2009

#45

The Wooden Sky – ‘If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone’

Import

August 25, 2009

#44

The Chariot – ‘Wars And Rumors Of Wars’

SOLID STATE

May 5, 2009

#43

Wretched – ‘The Exodus Of Autonomy’

Victory Records

March 3, 2009

#42

Anchor & Braille – ‘Felt’

Federal Distribution

August 4, 2009

#41

Converge – ‘Axe to Fall’

Epitaph

October 20, 2009

#40

Closure In Moscow – ‘First Temple’

Equal Vision Records

May 5, 2009

#39

The Black Dahlia Murder – ‘Deflorate’

Metal Blade

September 15, 2009

#38

M. Ward – ‘Hold Time’

Merge Records

February 17, 2009

#37

Port Royal – “Dying In Time’

N5md

Sept 24, 2009

#36

SubtractiveLAD – ‘Where The Land Meets The Sky’

N5md

March 3, 2009

#35

Rhian Sheehan – ‘Standing in Silence’

Loop Recordings

June 16, 2009

#34

Muse – ‘The Resistance’

Warner Bros.

September 15, 2009

#33

J. Tillman – ‘Year in the Kingdom’

Western Vinyl

September 8, 2009

#32

The Mars Volta – ‘Octahedron’

Warner Bros.

June 23, 2009

#31

Peter Bradley Adams – ‘Traces’

Sarathan Records

October 13, 2009

#30
Poison The Well – ‘The Tropic Rot’
Ferret Records
Released July 7, 2009

I know I’ve said it before, but I really enjoy the direction this band has decided to take in their career. It took a fair amount of balls for them to basically leave their breakdown jockmosh harcdore thing behind and branch out in a manner that, for all intents and purposes, turned out to be kinda polarizing for their fanbase. Luckily for me, I think they’re a zillion times better now than they ever were or could have been as a breakdown band (sorry fool of gold), soo this whole direction they’ve been headed works out swimmingly. Fact of the matter is, this record is a ton heavier than their last awesome record, Versions. They’re kept the melody and all-over-the-place genre-boundary smashing here, as well as the quality in the lyrical content but upped the intensity tenfold. This record really sounds like a culmination of  everything they’ve seemed to be trying to accomplish for the past 3 records or so and it’s great. PTW sounds like a band possessed, and, if given a chance, a band ready to redefine an entire genre..a genre they kinda helped create a bunch of years ago. The Tropic Rot is a total rock&roll win, it’s got all it’s ducks in a row and it comes highly recommended by your friendly internet webmaster.
Fave Tracks: ‘Exist Underground’ (vid below), ‘Antarctica Inside Me’, ‘Cinema’

#29
Rammstein – ‘Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da’
Vagrant Records
Released October 20, 2009

The baggy pants wearing 1998 nu-metal teenager in me will always, ALWAYS love the shit outta some Rammstein. There’s just something that kicks ass about these weird, pyromaniac German metal dudes and I can’t deny anything they do really. My first taste of them came on the Lost Highway soundtrack (what a killer flick, eh?), then came the madness of Du Hast and boy I was hooked. I’ve followed their career for years and years, always digging just about everything they released, so you can imagine my thrill when I found out they had a new record droppin’ this year.  Sure I was a little weirded out when I heard their first single, the affectionately titled ‘Pussy’, and even more weirded out when I saw the video for the aforementioned tune (which, if you never saw it, is basically a 4 minute porno. like full on porno.) but hey, it’s Rammstein. That song may be one of the weakest on the record, despite it’s catchiness that you notice once you get past it’s lewdness, so don’t let it keep you from giving this a spin if you may have been on the fence. Musically, it’s like any other Rammstein album, lots of straight ahead mashing guitars and German hostility but also has it’s moments of..sensitivity (I guess that’s what it is, but I don’t speak the language so who the eff knows what they’re singing about in the slower songs. They could be about maiming baby bunnies with a ceiling fan and I’d never be the wiser.) Point is, this is a really solid record from a band I’ve come to expect solid records from. When it comes to these guys, all I really want are killer guitar riffs and something to nod/bang my head to, and they hook me up yet again here. If you’re like me and part of you is stuck in 1998 too, give this bad boy a listen. Or else Rammstein will find you and do whatever the heck  it is they do. Oh hey, I think this record may have been banner in Krautland, soo that’s another reason to check it out too, right?
Fave Tracks: ‘Rammlied’, ‘Ich Tu Der Weh’, ‘Mehr
Here’s the video for that ‘Pussy’ song, it’s censored though, so you don’t get to technically see all that much. Technically.

#28
Jonsi & Alex – ‘Riceboy Sleeps’
BeggarsXL
Released July 21, 2009

When you’re the singer for a band like Sigur Ros, I think it’s pretty safe to say that you’ve got your finger on the pulse of pretty music and if you release anything outside of the band, you’d probably make sure it doesn’t suck. After all, assuming people are aware who this group is (and I would assume that would be a large part of marketing of this, at least here in America), they’re gonna have their expectations and set the bar pretty high. Luckily for the Riceboy dudes then, their record does not disappoint at all.  While it’s an ambient album at it’s very core, I personally don’t think the proverbial apple has fallen too far from the aforementioned Sigur Ros tree.  This record boasts the same beauty you’ll find in Ros’ (is that right?) music, only a bit subdued. There are no huge post rock crescendos, catchy little vocal quirks, or moments of unforgettably complex musicianship here. In their place are arrangements of sound that wouldn’t be at all out of place on a  Ros record, but here they exist in bountiful amounts..stuff like gently flowing strings, droning guitar reverb, and an the innate sense of peace that I feel so often when I listen to an ambient record are all here. Heck, a few songs even have traces of vocals..some Jonsi’s, some belonging to a choir..but all blended absolutely perfectly within the layers of calmly swelling atmosphere behind them. I dare you to listen, like REALLY listen, to music like this and not be moved even the tiniest bit. The music itself maybe contained within the confines of this disc or these files on a computer, but once  it hits your ears, it’s limitations are only set by you. Close your eyes, open your ears, and let it take you on a journey. Let it be the soundtrack to a dream or the white noise in the background of your otherwise busy day, you’ll be better for it.
Fave Tracks: ‘Happiness’, ‘All The Big Trees’ (vid below), ‘Danell In The Sea’

#27
Architects – ‘Hollow Crown’
Century Media
Released February 10,2009

‘Early Grave’

#26
Broadcast The Nightmare- ‘Twenty Twelve’
Sumerian Records
Released April 14,2009

‘Unsung Hero’

#25
Various Artists – ‘Dark Was The Night’
4AD
Released February 17, 2009

#24
Killswitch Engage – s/t
Roadrunner Records
Released June 30, 2009

‘Starting Over’

#23
Inhale Exhale – ‘Bury Me Alive’
Solid State Records
Released October 6, 2009

‘Did You Ever Have A Touch To Lose?’

#22
30 Seconds To Mars – ‘This Is War’
Virgin Records
Released December 8, 2009

‘Kings And Queens’

#21
August Burns Red – Constellations
Solid State Records
Released July 14, 2009

‘Meddler’

#20
Oceana – Birth Eater
Rise Records
Released May 26, 2009

#19
VNV Nation – ‘Of Faith, Power, And Glory’
Red Distribution
Released June 23, 2009

‘Tomorrow Never Comes’

#18
Huck Notari – ‘Very Long Dream’
Released February 17, 2009

#17
Thrice – Beggars
Vagrant Records
Released September 15, 2009

#16
Portugal The Man – ‘The Satanic Satanist’
Equal Vision
Released July 21, 2009

#15
The Appleseed Cast – Sagarmatha
Vagrant Records
Released February 19, 2009

The Appleseed Cast have always taken a bit of an ‘off the beaten path’ approach to their music..and as a result, can be kinda tough to catagorize. They’ve always seemed intent on taking the concept of  ‘emo’ music and mixing it with the atmospheric elements of post rock without allowing themselves to really be classified under the branding of either genre. No matter, I love them anyway.

One of my favorite records of all time is the band’s ‘Two Conversations’ record, and that’s the record where I first realized the band’s brilliance.  Naturally, I’ve been waiting for them to put out a new record that I enjoyed almost as much, but while I didn’t care all that much for their last release (Peregrine), I think with Sagarmatha, they’ve done themselves proud.  On this cd, they blur the lines between spacey post rock and emo  even further, with a decent majority of this record being instrumental. I was sketchy about the idea when I first heard of their plans, but I’m happy to say it all worked out pretty well.  If there is one thing this band is great at, it’s creating a musical atmosphere, or soundscape if you will, and layering all aspects of the creation (including vocals) so as to not really showcase any one aspect of what they do but instead allow everything to flow peacefully together along a babbling brook of musical joy.  On the last record, this annoyed me, as the vocals were too far back in the mix to matter, and for a release that’s more or less vocal-heavy, that may not be a great idea. This time around though, with the balance of the music leaning heavily towards the instrumental side of things, burying what vocals there are deep in the texture of noise comes across as much more of a plus than a negative.

With all that said though, I do feel like the record has a few flaws, and it is my duty to point them out to you, the loyal BEP reader. I don’t think it’s out of line to say that one of my favorite aspects of this band has ALWAYS been the vocals. Heck, like I mentioned a minute ago, the stupid burying of them on the ‘Peregrine’ release is the main reason why I wasn’t enamored with that cd.  It’s no coincidence then, that my favorite songs on this album are the more traditional sounding ones with vocals. ‘The Summer Before’ is great, and ‘Raise The Sails’ sticks out in my mind as well as being damn good. That’s not to say anything else on here sucks, because I surely don’t think that’s the case. I’M JUST SAYIN. Also, I kiiinda feel like they get a little bit too repetitive musically on some of the long instrumentals, but like with the vocals, I might just be pickin’ nits..and I’m sure they know what they’re doing and what they’re trying to accomplish more than I do.

Overall, despite it’s  faults, I really REALLY  love this cd. There’s something about the music these guys make that warms me up a little bit on the inside. They’re truly one of the most underappreciated bands in the world, and I kinda wish I could help change that. Ah well.

#14
The Paper Route – Absence
Motown Records
Released April 28, 2009

I briefly talked about this band a bunch of months back, and when I did so I enjoyed the record, but I did so more as a collection of songs here and there than as a whole record..if that makes sense. I really liked the single at the time and I thought a few other tunes gave off some posi-vibes and shit, but likeeee, I was pretty ‘eh its good but whatever’ about the whole thing.
So what changed you ask? I dunno.  Maybe I just gave it more of a chance, maybe my girlfriend loving it swayed me a bit, but whatever the case, it grew on me and did so big time.
One of the things I tend to do very early in a cd’s listening stage is classify it in my mind. Some stuff gets filed in the daytime category, some at night, some gets classified as rainy day music..and well, you get the idea. Well this record, for me, is a bit of a multi-tasker. I have it on a slew of different playlists, but the times I have found myself listening most are days that are commonly known around my circle of friends as ‘El Cielo’ days. For the uninitiated, El Cielo is an absolutely stunning cd by the band dredg that is, without a doubt, the perfect soundtrack to chilly, rainy days.  Turns out, this Paper Route cd right here is kinda butting in on that territory, but it’s all good.  There’s just something about the moody, spacey, sometimes synthy rock songs about loooove and similar matters contained here that pleases my ears greatly. Enough babbling, I’m hungry. Here’s the video for Carousel that I posted here back in May. Watch it again, cause the song is awesome!

#13
mewithoutYou – it’s all crazy! it’s all false!..
Tooth & Nail
Released May 19, 2009

I’m not in a band or anything, but if I was, I’d imagine one of the things I would struggle with is the whole issue of evolution.  On one hand, there’s the argument that if you get mildly successful, people are gonna like you based on a certain sound and you risk alienating a core group of your fanbase if you make significant changes to that sound.  On the other hand, why on earth would you bother making music if you weren’t doing it for yourself? If you want to expand and grow and build upon what you have done, thus taking it to a whole new level, does it really matter if anyone outside your band loves it as much as you? While I could feasibly argue both sides of the coin, I’d like to think I’d choose the latter option… although I’m just as guilty as anyone else of bitching about a band changing their sound to something I didn’t dig quite as much, so it’s a rocky road and ultimately a crapshoot either way.

At some point over the past few years, it’s fairly obvious that when faced with this decision,  mwY chose to follow the uneasy path to musical progression and I have a feeling that there are a LOT of folks out there who might not be all that pleased about it.  On this new record, you can throw most of what you think you know about the band out the window, because they have totally redefined themselves in a manner that, while it was hinted at on their previous record, is drastic enough to make even fans such as myself who were expecting this shift tilt their heads and take notice. Gone are about 99.8% of the yelling vocals and virtually all of the aggressive riffs and in their place is an incredible cornucopia of instrumentation and happy, singy vocals that sounds like a mash up of a Sufjan Stevens and Decemberists record with mwY’s distinct ’sound’ stamped on it all.  The lyrics have undergone a transformation as well, with a lot of songs now being written in the form of parables centering around nature and animals and and a few even containing choruses that don’t sound too unlike a song that a child might learn in their Sunday school class. For some of you guys out there, the lyrics are gonna be a pretty big turnoff I bet. Some of you may not want to hear songs detailing moral or spiritual lessons or tales about potatoes and barnyard animals, and I can understand that. Personally, I’m all about it. I would put Aaron Weiss up against anyone in music right now in terms of songwriting talent, his stuff is SO creative and SO meaningful and SO, just, good, that I’d have a hard time voting against him.

mewithoutYou has always been a bit of a polarizing band. They’ve never really toed the company line in terms of sound, they’ve always danced to the beat of their own drum so to speak, and with the uniqueness they’ve always exhibited comes polarization in terms of the audience. This is the ultimate love it or hate it record from a love em or hate em band, so I truly understand all thediversity in the reviews out there on the internets. Personally, I think that this is an amazing record. When I first heard one of the new tunes on their Myspace, I was a but eh about it, but after a few listens, I really  got what it is they were doing and ended up loving the song. That’s important with this album..giving it a little time to spread it’s roots in your musical soil. It might take a little bit of work, but in time I think there’s a good chance it will bloom into something extraordinary for you. It already has for me.

#12
Dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Ohlone Records
Released June 9, 2009

Dredg has always been a pretty special band for me. It started with a little cd called Leitmotif that I stumbled upon only because people here on the internet were going gaga about how awesome and groundbreaking and ahead of it’s time it was and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Turned out, people knew what they were talking about. This band was pretty solid. Well, a decade plus and 3 more records later, the same still rings true.  With Pariah, the band finds themselves evolving into a sexy amalgamation of all their past musical identities, somewhere between the experimental nature of the old stuff, the chill nature of the middle stuff, and the modern rock radio ready catchy tunes of their most previous effort.
If you’re a regular, you may remember back in the summer when our own foolofgold posted this simple but glowing review of this disc.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Dredg, if you don’t know who they are, leave the hall! ..and shame on you, because this band is incredible, and has been for three, and now four, cd’s. By ways of the Internet, their new disc “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (June 9), has hit the web-waves, and I’ve been listening pretty much nonstop for the past two days. Like going to one of your favorite restaurants and then your food comes out kinda lukewarm, not steaming hot and not cold, just warm. But of course you’re paying for it, so you’re gonna eat it. At the end of the meal, you don’t really remember it coming out kinda cold, you just remember that it was effing good and filled you up to the point of explosion. This cd is like that, two-three listens in and you’ll be hooked, trust me. This band is easily one of the most talented bands around, musically, lyrically, vocally, and their live performance is top notch as well. My bear friends, watch this video and enjoy, you’ll see this bands latest in my top five most likely at the end of 2009.”

Oh, you hit the nail right on the head, goldy..cept for the whole top 5 thing, obv.

#11
Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Reprise Records
Released March 29, 2009

Sure, it didn’t quite make the top 10, but I’ll tell ya what, this cd being this high on the list is a small miracle in and of itself. Had you told me a year ago that a Mastodon record would be something I held in high enough regard to be number 11 on my list, I’d have laughed at you. Ya see, I’ve never really cared much for these dudes. Sure, I know they’re from the ATL and I should support hometown metal and such, but I never wanted any part of that noise. To my ears, the music these guys made always generally sucked and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t break that opinion.
Then this came along.
It started out like any other Mastodon release for me, complete with a bunch of apathy and a few negative comments here and there when asked about it.  I am an open minded man though, so I like to give things a shot even if I’m positive they’re gonna be horrible. So I gave this a few shots, and the something magical happened. I found myself singing these songs in my head. Flabbergasted, but still under the impression that it was one big fluke, I listened to the record a few more times only to find the same thing kept occurring. I couldn’t get some of these tunes out of my friggin’ head. Oblivion, Divinations, etc etc..they were actually turning out to be, gasp, good songs.  Long story short, I ended up really liking this album a whole heck of a lot.
The end.
I still think they suck live though.

#10
Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic
Epitaph Records
Released September 15, 2009

Shazaam! The top 10 has arrived!
..and Every Time I Die is actually in it? WTF?!
I know, I know, just hear me out.
In all my days of being a fan of this band, I’ve never liked one of their records right off the bat. They always manage to do something new or change it up just enough to have most of the new songs really annoy me for an extended period of time before I come around and start enjoying them. While the change in sound is present once again – after all, it wouldn’t be an ETID record without it – but this time, it seems the sound changed in a direction that instantly appealed to me. How so you ask? Well, they kiiinda got heavier. The sound they’re bringing to the table this time around is one that sort of encompasses the sounds of their past few records and, quite honestly, I think that this one really captures the essence of the band and capitalizes on their strengths. Strengths that include rocking the eff out and making radass breakdowns kiinda like they did back in the ‘Hot Damn’ days.
I’ll admit, before this came out, I was kiiinda worried they would keep headed  down the road they seemed to be married to with ‘The Big Dirty’, which was a much more Southern rockish thing than a Southern metal thing and all in all, a much more mainstream friendly sound. Do not want. I want metal from these guys. Or, at least, something in the immediate family of metal. Luckily, this time around, I have not been let down.
Everything kicks ass on this record..from the music, to the muscianship, to the always fantastic lyrics, to the pacing of the record, to the album art and it just really creates a positive musical experience for my ears, and I’m thankful for that.

#9
Thursday – Common Existence
Epitaph Records
Released February 17, 2009

Over the years, Thursday has become one of the bands that can really do no wrong in my opinion. They’ve shown the incredible ability to evolve with each passing record while continuing to keep the signature ‘Thursday’ sound as the foundation for their work.
Their last record, ‘A City By The Light Divided’, was nothing short of amazing and totally didn’t get the respect it deserved both from fans and the critics of the world, but oh well.  ‘Sugar In The Sacrament’? Come ON! That shit was awesome. Sigh. So anyway Thursday is back with a new label and a new record, the nun-clad ‘Common Existence’, but this album miiight be a little different than what you were expecting. It was for me at least. Part of me was hoping that they would dive even deeper into the atmospherics and exploit the post-rock influence that had started to develop both on ACBTLD and the split-ep they released back in the fall, because they did such a solid job with it. What the band has given us though, while still full of atmosphere and spacey guitars and ambience, is their most aggresive album since ‘Full Collapse’.  I was taken aback at first, and I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t care much for the lead single, ‘Resuscitation of a Dead Man’, all that much the first time I heard it. Producer Dave Fridmann’s work didn’t seem to mesh as well with a heavier Thursday, and my ears were unsure what to make of the song. The same opinions held true for the first few listens of this whole cd. Buuut as I listened more, I started thinking ‘Ya know what? This cd kinda kicks a lot of ass’. And it does.  Thursday has gone full circle and headed back to their rockier roots and in doing so have created some of the best tunes of their super impressive career. Geoff’s lyrics, always a highlight (I personally think he’s one of the best lyricists out there), continue to shine and drip with urgent emotion..and the music creates sort of a multi-layer wall of sound behind him and it’s just so darn good.
I’d give you some song highlights, but it’s a bit tough to narrow it down. The acoustic ‘Time’s Arrow’ is great little song,  ‘Last Call’ is fantastic, and it’s bridge harkens back to ‘Jet Black  New Year’, and ‘You Were The Cancer’ is one of the most awesome songs the band has written and it keeps the streak of wonderful album-closing songs the band has going alive and kicking.
All in all, this is a really good record. It may not feel as graceful as ACBTLD or as raw as Full Collapse or as catchy as War All The Time but give it a shot and I have a feeling you’ll wind up enjoying what you hear..unless your name is fool of gold. haha. Great band, great cd. It gets the BEP stamp of approval.

#8
Sleeping At Last – Storyboards
Self Released
Fall 2009

Boy, you know something’s gone haywire with my musical listening tendencies this year when one of my favorite bands in the whole wide world, Sleeping At Last, can release an amazing album and it only ends up at number 8 on my year end list.
Truth is, maybe this would have been higher had I been in the mood to listen to it more than I have been, becaaaause seriously, this is a really good album. I’m kinda convinced these guys can do no wrong.
I have sung the praises of their previous album for years, and I make no bones about saying it’s one of my favorite records of ALL time because, well, it’s just that freakin’ good. This time around, they generally keep to the same formula that made Keep No Score incredible, piano and string driven songs that lean heavily on the spiritual side of life and love..a formula that I have grown to adore more than I can describe to you.
Whoa. This is already sounding like the review of a number 1 cd. Oh well. In a different year, with different circumstances it likely would be. With winter coming up, there’s a good chance my spins of this record will increase a zillion-fold but for now, I have to be fair and honest to you, my readers. How could I expect you to take me seriously if I made a record number 1 when I didn’t give it anywhere near the attention such a record deserves. ANYWAY, the whole point behind that little rant was to make it perfectly clear that this record is amazing, it just wasn’t what I was in the mood to hear for the majority of the year, ok? ok. Alright, so beautiful songs and sounds run wild here like Hulkamania, with the only misstep that my ears can hear is the random ‘Clockwork’, a song that the band is terribly proud of by all accounts but to me, a song that sounds like it’d be better off in an old Disney cartoon about birds with it’s unexpectedly elaborate orchestration and flow that for whatever reason, I just can’t grasp. Oh well, no worries guys, I still love ya.
If you’ve never heard of these guys, first off, where the heck have you been?  And secondly, this is as good a place as any to start. They’re a special band who continues to release special music, and I’m just happy to be able to listen to it.

#7
Darkest Hour – The Eternal Return
Victory Records
Released June 23, 2009

I have heard so many people talk shit about this record and I’m really kinda baffled by it. Trust me, I understand where you’re all coming from. I understand that, in the minds of some, the band has ‘regressed’ into what they were years ago..before they really started experimenting with melody and all their records sounded pretty and clean. I understand that with the departure of guitarist Kris Norris, some folks think the riffs have taken a huge hit and with them bringing in someone other than Devin Townsend to produce, everything sounds much less crisp and, in a word, muddier.
Well uh, guys, I’m sorry to break it to ya, but this album is seriously the heaviest, ballsiest album that the almighty DH has ever produced..Hidden Hands and So Sedated included. Do I like it more than those records? Nah, not really, but that’s not the point here. The point is this record is rockin’ and thrashy and fast and dirty and for me, a welcome change of pace. The same probably holds true for the guys in the band too..they all probably just wanted to rock out for a minute, give em a break.
Oh, and if you can’t hear variety in the riffs and appreciate the solos for being as badass as they are, you’re not doing your job as a listener very well.  Take some time and listen..LISTEN..and the songs will begin to stand out from each other and not run together. You’ll start to notice killer parts in these tunes that are easy to miss if you’re just glossing things over.
This record is awesome, it’s so insanely heavy, and is Darkest Hour doing what Darkest Hour does best, and that’s cracking skulls with a metallic onslaught of destruction and doom.

#6
Mono – Hymn To The Immortal Wind
Temporary Residence
Released March 24, 2009

Aside from the constant barrage of beautiful women and truckloads of money that get dropped off at my door on a regular basis, one of my favorite parts about being a ‘blogger’ and running my own website is that I get to share with my friends and my readers some of the things I enjoy.  Obviously, my opinions are very valuable to them as well as to you, and that’s why you keep coming back..and I appreciate that and I will continue to try my best to not let anyone down with the music I recommend.
In early 2009, there was a seriously impressive amount of really good music released/leaked and that’s kinda rare for a year in it’s infancy. From things I reviewed back then..like Thursday, Appleseed Cast, and Telefon Tel Aviv to things never got around to reviewing..like M Ward and Barzin, this year brought me a lot of music I truly enjoyed the hell out of right out of the gate, and I think that’s pretty awesome.  BUUUT even more exciting is when I listen to the first record of the year that simply blows my mind with it’s amazingness..and well, Mono’s ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’ was that record.
Mono is a post-rock sorta group out of Japan who have been making pretty darn good music for a lot of years now. Their last record, ‘You Are Here’, fared pretty well in my top cd list of 3 years ago or so, placing at number 26, and all their records are good, but as a whole, I’ve always sort of thought of the band as a third wheel to the more well known post rock outfits of the world (ie GYBE and EITS). Welll Godspeed is gone and Explosions have gotten a bit boring, so with this release, Mono had the chance to secure themselves the sought after spot of my favorite post rock band out there in the world today and my goodness have they ever done that. ‘Hymn..’ is an absolutely incredible record, the band’s best BY FAR, and I’d put it right there with the classics of the genre. This record is as epic as it is beautiful, as powerful as it is romantic, and cinematic as all get out..it’s everything you could ask for from a post rock cd and so much more.
Sometimes in music, as in life,  there is nothing better than a slow build to a majestic crescendo, and that’s what this band and so many like it are all about. In a genre though, like any other, where copycats are everywhere and standing out is damn near impossible to do, Mono have officially put themselves on the very top of the food chain. ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’ is a jaw-dropping display of artistic prowess and musical greatness the likes of which can be very tough to find nowadays. It’s just that good. Sooo..listen to it.

#5
Oh Sleeper – Son Of The Morning
Solid State Records
Released August 25, 2009

In a year where rock n’ roll has been rulin’ my roost, the cream of the crop in metaltown for me was this bad boy right here. I’ve dug Oh Sleeper for a while now, they’re probably one of my top two or three faves in the metal screamy breakdown genre, but this record blew any and all expectations I had out of the water. To put it very simply, this record kicks serious ass. It’s like these dudes have taken the best parts of Underoath and the best parts of Thrice and combined them in a perfectly crafted metallic-breakdown-laden assault of awesome.
In a genre of music that’s ridiculously oversaturated and full of bands that flat out suck, it’s kinda hard to pick out what the formula for really liking something is for me, especially when, in the grand scheme of things, it all basically sounds the same. In fact, answering why I like some things and dislike others is a downright chore for me most of the time, especially when I don’t have a clear answer myself; that is, aside from the obligatory and obvious ‘I just do’.  I suppose that’s something most music fans or fans of anything can relate to though. But I digress. There’s just something about the way this record is constructed – the way it sounds – that tickles my fancy and leaves me always wanting more.
Speaking of wanting more, the sooner I hit the publish button, the sooner I get to go eat Mexican food..sooo…if you’re  into metal or metalcore or heavy music or anything of that ilk, I recommend checking out this album. It may rock your socks off if you happen to be wearing them at the time. If not, it may rock your..feet..?..off. Toenails? ew gross. Point is, it’s awesome.
Adios suckers.

#4
Dead Man’s Bones
Anti Records
Released October 6, 2009

It started all the way back in the spring with a little post right here on BEP by our little buddy Madlibs (who has a bit of a Ryan Gosling obsession thx to the Notebook), who dropped the knowledge of these guys on myself and everyone else ’round these parts.  She wrote about a song from the record she had heard and it read a little something like this…
‘[Gosling] and this guy Zack Shields formed the band Dead Man’s Bones a while back and ever since i stumbled across the video for their song ‘In The Room Where You Sleep’… i’ve been playing it nonstop, 24/7, rounddd the clock. I love it so much. Ryan at the piano, the creepo kids choir in their little costumes… it’s good stuff. The vocals sound like a mix between Elvis and The Killers. And i am totally buyin’ what they are sellin’.  Anyhow, have a look for yourself…’
and she proceeded to post the video and yada yada yada. I was intrigued and dug a little deeper and it wasn’t long before I was way into this stuff too.
When it comes to music, it’s always fun when you get surprised by something. This record REALLY surprised me. I had no clue it was going to be as amazing as it is. I mean, anyone can make a good song with decent writing, cool atmosphere and a little duct tape. So they had a cool video with a cool little song? Surely the record wouldn’t live up to that track. Turns out, I was wrong.
This record is the bomb.
It’s practically a soundtrack to Halloween, which is always a rad thing. It’s weird and creepy and dark and sounds like gothic surfer folk music. JUST TRY to act like that doesn’t sound interesting to you. TRY. You can’t do it because you’re effing fascinated. AANDD you’ll be even more so once you listen to this. DO IT.

#3
As Cities Burn – Hell Or High Water
Tooth & Nail
Released April 21, 2009

My goodness, I don’t really think there is any way for me to share with you exactly how much I love(d) this band. As Cities Burn is, without a glimmer of doubt in my eyes, one of the most talented and disgustingly overlooked and underrated bands over the past bunch of years.  Any loyal follower of BEP and my year-end lists is well aware of this fact, as I have taken many an opportunity to tell folks how awesome this band is. A few years back, they took my number 1 record of the year spot with their fantastic ‘Come Now Sleep’, and while this one fell just short, that isn’t meant to disparage the amazing work  the band put forth on what would end up being their swansong. Gah why do the best bands have to break up? Stupid. Seriously, I think these guys had become my ‘favorite’ band, and then all of a sudden its like ‘oh nevermind Brandon, we don’t care much about you and what you want so we’re gonna break up now. guess you’ll have to find a new new favorite.’ jerks.
Anyway, so tunes like the outstanding ‘Into The Sea’, ‘Lady Blue’, and ‘Gates’ sound like vintage ACB and remind me why I fell so hard for the CNS record while tunes like ‘Errand Rum’ and ‘Capo’ find the band venturing a bit into some much more ‘indie’ musical areas but are still great nonetheless.  Lyrically and vocally it’s as wonderful as ever, as singer Cody Bonnette once again proves he is more than able to handle the duties that fell solely to him when his bro TJ left the band after their first record.  Honest and unassuming, Bonnette’s shaky delivery is crazy powerful, and somehow manages to always leaves me in good spirits anytime I listen to the band..and I love that.  The bottom line here is that this record is fantastic. Everything this band does just kept getting better and better and this was no exception.  They’re one of the few bands that manages to wow me each time I listen to one of their cds, no matter how many times I’ve listened in the past, and I think that is pretty awesome. ‘Hell or High Water’ was one of my most anticipated records of 2009, and once it was in my grubby little hands, I have to say that I’m so jazzed that it was everything I hoped for and so much more. Great, great stuff.  Oh, and on the bright side, the singer man, Cody, sorta has a solo thing going on called hellohighwater, so HOPEFULLY more will be coming from him in the very near future. Can’t wait.

#2
The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
Sony Records
Released September 29, 2009

Man, I’ve known of this band for a long time but I NEVER ever would have figured they’d ever make it here..into the runner up position on the most distinguished list in the entirety of the music and internet industry.  You see, I’ve always just been a casual fan of these guys, as for whatever reason I was never able to fully embrace the brand of folkish stuff they brought to the table. I think it may have been all the yelly stuff they did back in the day; my head just could not compute the mix of things that were being mixed in my ears. Buuut fast forward a few years, throw in a mellow shifting of musical styles, a record produced by the almighty Rick Rubin, and a girlfriend who worships the ground these dudes walk on..combined with an absolutely outstanding album of course..and you’ve got all the makings for something special.
From the very outset, I was blown away by what this album had to offer. The lead single (and title track) sucked me in and once I heard the whole record I was completely sold. To put it quite simply,  with this album, the Avetts have achieved Americana perfection. Sure, it’d be easy to write these guys off as just another jolly band of assholes with beards and banjos making cliched hipster music about love, but if you did that, you’d be a total idiot. Bands don’t become indie royalty simply by being hipster bearded assholes making tunes about love. Er. Okay, so maybe they do. But I swear it’s different with these guys! Their songwriting is second to none, their passion is palpable, and the harmonies! Oh Lord the harmonies!
In all seriousness, I’m not sure how these guys managed to become the flavor of the year but man, more power to them and they deserve every ounce of praise and every number 1 spot they get. I And Love And You is nothing short of a masterpiece; and not just a rootsy folky masterpiece, a real life any kind of music masterpiece. An artistic masterpiece. A songwriting coup de grace that may well prompt the death knell for any and all competitors for their newly awarded throne. A really, really good record. I tip my cap to thee, oh brothers Avett, your record is amazing.
On a side note, I’m gonna go see these guys here in Atlanta in a few days. I’ve heard nothing but great things about their live show, soo needless to say I’m pretty stoked.