1) Florence and the Machine "Lungs"- From out of nowhere. Like a more fierce version of Sarah McLachlan or Kate Bush. I can play this album all the way through and resist the temptation of skipping a track with ease. Never saw her coming. Go on Florence, get down with your bad self.
Links to key tracks:
Kiss With A Fist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpsDegqioVA
The Dog Days Are Over: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TwqE2X55Wg
Drumming Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpLXQorSQe8
You've Got The Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzMcNAe4nE8
2) Morrissey "Years Of Refusal"- Not only his best solo album, but maybe his best album period. Yeah, I said it. The geezer has no business making a record this good at his age, but he did.
Links:
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wYmojcRoMo
Something Is Squeezing My Skull: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x5uNL2vp28
That's How People Grow Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqeJ-etgrI8
3) U2 "No Line On The Horizon"- Still taking risks, still worth the trouble. Could have easily kept pumping out sequels to The Joshua Tree, All That You Can't Leave Behind, etc. Not these guys. The best and biggest band of their era. Believe that.
Links:
No Line On The Horizon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oKwnkYFsiE
Breathe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGurpsGKPCg
Magnificent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGurpsGKPCg
4) Metric "Fantasies"- Canadian band that's been on the come for a few years now, and with this album they graduated to greatness. Melding their new wave roots with a bigger sound and the best songs of their career. And front woman Emily Haines is badass. Massive.
Links:
Help I'm Alive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGbCFiqgmlE
Gimme Sympathy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqldwoDXHKg
Sick Muse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEz8N8AT-yo
5) Ben Harper "White Lies For Dark Times"- His mix of rock, folk, blues, and funk all came together this time. Scrapped his old band, hired a bunch of young honkies, shit canned the "jam band" tendencies, and came up with the album of his life. Who knew?
Links:
Fly One Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt2ftbMjK6M
Lay there And Hate Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbi3q77Izv4
Number With No Name: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F7y9zQPJjM
6) Neko Case "Middle Cyclone"- New career peak for alt-country high priestess. Delivered with toughness and beauty by the second best female voice out there (Florence, oh Florence). "But my courage is roaring like the sound of the sun." You bet your ass.
Links:
People Got A Lotta Nerve: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXl870NoF4E
I'm An Animal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khs_PofcsbQ
This Tornado Loves You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNgPOSRoaho
7) The Temper Trap "Conditions"- Coming out of Australia with a soaring sound that recalls Coldplay and U2 but with a more danceable lean, this is the second best debut album of the year. Lead singer Dougy Mandagi is a one man choir. Rousing.
Links:
Sweet Disposition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwfWFdTvQ4
Love Lost: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9NHrBaOVsg
Fader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L18tjO2GYnU
8) Silversun Pickups "Swoon"- Oft chided as Smashing Pumpkins clones, whatever, I call booty on that. Billy Corgan would kill for these ten songs. This album gets better with repeated listens. The very definition of a "grower."
Links:
Panic Switch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQeJPb7VbKk
Substitution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsmDTkUo7Tg
There's No Secrets This Year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqZHIQp0ok0&feature=related
9) Regina Spektor "Far"- Like Tori Amos minus the fairies and slightly more conventional songwriting. The best piano-based album of 2009.
Links:
Laughing With: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rov3pV9PsRI
Eet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPMIXk-ipT0
Blue Lips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqQXJ16mzrk
10) Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"- New York garage rock + French disco= Phoenix. Who the hell thought that would work? Endlessly tuneful and succinct. 10 priceless pop gems in just over 35 minutes. That'l do, that'l do.
Links:
1901: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMOkORxF4JA
Lisztomania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJDNw7o6so
11) Mos Def "The Ecstatic"- Proving that hip-hop is not dead, comes the most creative rap album since Kanye gave up rapping for auto-tune and Andre 3000 decided to sing instead of rhyme. After years in the wilderness, Mos Def delivers. Welcome back, most definitely.
Links:
History: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OyfAmPM4hc&feature=PlayList&p=8E4C9BB7B42F8E2D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=69
Quiet Dog Bite Hard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuwVP1WoIhg
Supermagic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_RXEJLx2Uw
12) Maxwell "BLACKsummers'night"- R&B's savior. Smooth and sexy, old school and new, Max took about a decade off and then came back with this silky classic. Somewhere, Marvin Gaye is smiling.
Links:
Pretty Wings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkPy4yq7EJo
Bad Habits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRFTRMsZLBY
13) Tragically Hip "We Are The Same"- Canadian vets continue to toil away in relative obscurity in spite of a consistency of quality that is seldom seen. This collection of near alt-country tunes will make you wish Johnny Cash were still around to cover any number of these tracks for another Rick Rubin produced record. That good.
Links:
Morning Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRFTRMsZLBY
Love Is A First: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyMHiGXU3DM
Speed River: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84qJbG7q7uc
14) The Big Pink "A Brief History Of Love"- Mixing elements of the Manchester "shoegazer" movement with Depeche Mode synths, and Verve-like vocals, this UK duo carry on like hair metal and grunge never happened. Let's all party like it's 1989.
links:
Dominos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGnNlQ-KNv4
Velvet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3twi3iSNQ
15) Rain Machine "Rain Machine"- Freak soul, art rock from TV On The Radio's Kyp Malone. If you don't like TV than you won't like this, but if you do...
Links:
Give Blood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvSLoo5rwZE
Smiling Black Faces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFYHCBtSfgM
16) Green Day "21st Century Breakdown- Not on par with American Idiot, but that's a ridiculous expectation. No band other than the Red Hot Chili Peppers has ever improved so much, so late in their career.
Links:
21 Guns: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r00ikilDxW4
Know Your Enemy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uEUWgovSw
17) Decemberists "Hazards Of Love"- Incredibly ambitious (maybe a little too much so) concept album that fuses victorian folk with 70s prog and even blasts of metal guitar, this Oregon band may have overreached on this release. However, if this is a failure, then it's an awfully good one.
Links:
The Hazards Of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_MVc3abXU
The Wanting Comes In Waves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_MVc3abXU
18) Weezer "Raditude"- Relentless and catchy, as usual. A real return to form.
Links:
If You're Wondering If I Want Tou to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDIzMGh94vo
Can't Stop Partying:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VewCBGU77eQ
19) Jay-Z "The Blueprint 3"- Did you know this guy doesn't write down his rhymes? He simply memorizes them prior to entering the studio. Amazing. This new record is further eveidence of his genius, even if there is a little filler here.
Links:
Empire State Of Mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8
Run This Town: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVA-xTBeHyM
20) Tegan and Sara "Sainthood"- Not quite as good as The Con, but close.
Links:
Hell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eD5UA2A9h4
Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsmrlJX2gIA
21) Yeah Yeah Yeahs "It's Blitz"- Turned down the guitars and turned up the synths, and you know what? It worked. Their best album yet.
Zero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGNo8RL5kM
Heads Will Roll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzfTPp4moA
22) Pearl Jam "Backspacer"- Their best album in years. As a friend of mine said: "Why can't they do this all the time?"
Links:
The Fixer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzfTPp4moA
Just Breathe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7RYQ8Wa0
23) David Gray "Draw The Line"- Terribly underrated Irish singer-songwriter. The rightful heir to Van Morrison.
Links:
Fugitive:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeqmxBJVm0
Draw The Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-LBrFs8Niw
24) Imogen Heap "Ellipse"- Cool and comforting techno music delivered by a lovely voice. Easy to overlook.
Links:
First Train Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax84xcaLfHs
Little Bird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9diXbRy3qs
25) Steve Earle "Townes"- The real country outlaw. This collection of Townes Van Zandt tunes is both reverant and singular.
Lungs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps5nV0pGkZ8
Pancho and Lefty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPOOE02sovk
Sumo-Pop
December 16, 2009 (updated on December 26th)
'Kiss with a Fist" has some ... interesting lyrics. Not sure about the fact that its a happy poppy song about being in an abusive relationship being better than none."
ReplyDelete"Love "Drumming Sound", tho! GREAT vocals!"
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ReplyDeleteI just bought your number one pick for the year. It had better be worth it, as it was the last itunes purchase for a while...and yeah I know if I don't like it, there is something wrong with me.
ReplyDeleteI think I would have put the Green Day as a choice for album of the year. I agree its not as complete as American Idiot, but the growth and consistency they've shown isnt seen much in the music industry these days. And I'm still mourning the loss of Oasis LOL : )
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