Top 10 Albums of 2009

2009 was an interesting year for me in terms of music. In past years, I consistently got a lot of albums. Not only would I buy a new album from any band I liked even slightly, I'd be more than willing to pick up an album from a new band that just looked like they could have potential. This could often lead to disappointment, but then there were the times where I would discover a great new band, which made it all worth it. 2009 was different though. I don't want to go so far as to say I started caring about music less, but I just wasn't as active in finding new music. The majority of new bands I saw were simply either hopping on what was currently popular, or just aping bands who did a certain style years ago, and in a much better way. Needless to say, I started listening to older music in 2009. I FINALLY got around to listening to the full catalogue of The Beatles. I know, I know, what took me so long? Don't get me wrong, I was a familiar with a great deal of their work, but 2009 was the year when I actually went down and listened to all of their albums from start to finish. I'm not going to go into too much detail right now; I only want to repeat what many other people have said before me in that music would not be what it is today if it weren't for them.

So while I wasn't as strongly drawn to music in 2009 as I had been in previous years, the albums I did connect to, I did so in a very strong way. Some of them were just on a base level of audible enjoyment, and some of them were on a deeper level. So here they are...

---
10. Weezer-Raditude


People have gotten way too harsh on Weezer. You can't read a review of any of their new albums without hearing some variation of "They're not as good as they were on The Blue Album or Pinkerton" or "When is Rivers Cuomo going to start writing songs like he used to?". It not only gets tedious to hear, but it's basically the "fans" saying that they want Rivers Cuomo to be miserable. As fantastic as their first 2 albums are, there's a lot of reports that say that Rivers wasn't exactly the happiest person to be around at the time; he was full of angst, secluded, and was more or less a dick to the people around him. The fact that he's now enjoying life should be seen a good thing. It would be one thing if the music was bland as a result, but the band is still full of melodic energy. And while the lyrics may not be as honest as they once were, they're just fun. Raditude seems to just be a celebration of good times. "I'm Your Daddy" is right up there with some of the bands work in terms of raw energy, the dance anthem "Can't Stop Partying" with Lil' Wayne could be a huge hit if given the right attention, and anyone who thinks that Rivers can't make a closing number full of power and emotion only need listen to "The Underdogs", the closing track on the deluxe version. Sure, Weezer may not be the same as they used to be, but they're still making powerful songs and are having fun doing so.

9. Muse-The Resistance


Despite getting a huge profile boost in the past year thanks to exposure on the soundtrack to a certain movie (that will remain unnamed), Muse is still one of the most underrated bands in the world right now. The musical talent these 3 guys have is outstanding, particularly with frontman Matt Bellamy. Muse has always had traces in both electronic music and classical music. While their last album, Black Holes and Revelations tended to dabble more in the electronic side of things, The Resistance embraces a classical style. From the Queen like chanting on "United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)" to the French bridge in "I Belong To You", the album really displays Matt Bellamy's talent on the piano. The album finishes off with the 3-part, mostly instrumental "Exogenesis: Symphony", which just furthers my belief that Matt Bellamy needs to compose the score to a film.

8. Death Cab For Cutie-The Open Door EP


It might seem an odd choice to place on my list a collection of 4 songs left off the band's previous album and one alternate version of a song on the album, but the songs on this EP are perhaps stronger than the majority of the songs on the still very good album, Narrow Stairs. The EP really displays everything that Death Cab For Cutie does best. "Little Bribes" is a bluesy opener with a good sense of melody, "A Diamond and a Tether" is a melancholy but powerful song, "My Mirror Speaks" features some of the strong guitar work the band is known for, and "I Was Once A Loyal Lover" is just all-out fantastic power pop song, brought together with crunchy guitars and a pulsing drumbeat. Even the alternate version of "My Talking Bird" stands out, with only Ben Gibbard's voice and a ukulele giving a new haunting take on the song.

7. I Give Up-Nobody Cares


Over the past few years, Get Set Go has become one of my favorite bands, and Mike TV has become one of my favorite songwriters, so it's needless to say that I would enjoy the debut album by I Give Up, Mike TV's side project. While the album maintains some of the songwriting and musical styles established by Get Set Go, it also adds new elements. Piano is much more prominent (with the extremely talented Shmedly) and the songs just have a certain feel to them that seperate them from the work of Get Set Go. It's also a very dark album, as the always honest Mike TV touches upon several problems he deals with, both personal and on a wider scale. I'm all for a songwriter wearing their heart on their sleeve, which is why Nobody Cares is another fantastic, honest work by Mike TV.

6. Relient K-Forget and Not Slow Down


It's really stunning to hear how much Relient K has changed their style in less than a decade. Who would have thought that the fun pop-punk band singing about the Sadie Hawkins Dance would turn into a piano-heavy pop-rock band singing about hope, faith and all other sorts of deep emotions. The band's sixth official album took me by surprise on first listen and I wasn't sure what to make of it. The band's sly sense of humor was gone and even the pop-punk style was virtually absent. But after repeated listenings, I really got to appreciate the musical and lyrical depth of the album. Singer/songwriter Matthew Thiessen wrote the album after breaking up with his fiancee and the lyrics are some of his most painfully honest. The music truly stands out as well, with several tracks blending seamlessly into creative and inspiring outros and bridges to the next tracks. All in all, it's just a case of a talented band continuing to show their true potential.

5. Say Anything-Say Anything


My love for the music of Say Anything and the lyrics of Max Bemis is no secret. I feel Bemis is one of the most overlooked, talented songwriters in the world right now. His words have a terrific mix of honesty, humor, biting cynicism and hopeful romanticism. The self-titled album is a culmination of everything the band has done up to this point. It manages to maintain a very subtle narrative, while also letting the songs feature strongly on their own from the fun energy of the first single "Hate Everyone", to the orchestral pop of "Do Better", to the anthemic closer, "Ahhh...Men". Say Anything should be huge as the music they are making definitely has something to say.

4. Regina Spektor-Far


Regina Spektor is probably my favorite female singer/songwriter right now. She can do both beautiful ballads and fun, upbeat songs. She also has a certain quirkiness to her, specifically in her voice, putting on a thick accent in "Machine" and imitating a dolphin in "Folding Chair". On Far, Spektor tells small slice-of-life stories with nearly every song. She creates characters and, through song, relates stories about everyday life that anyone can enjoy.

3. The Decemberists-The Hazards of Love


I'm a sucker for concept albums. I love the idea of telling a story through song as it is, so telling a story over the course of an entire album is a dream come true to me. The Decemberists have always been a very narrative, literary band, but The Hazards of Love has them fully embracing it, as we hear the the tragic, mythical love story of William and Margaret. As great as the story is, the music is just as strong with the band trying a bit of a heavier tone along with their trademark sound they've developed over their strong career.

2. God Help The Girl-God Help The Girl


It was extremely hard not to place this at #1. I absolutely fell in love with this album the instant I heard it. The soundtrack to an in-development film project by Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, God Help The Girl features some of the best melodies and most beautiful female vocals I've heard in years. Lead female vocalist, Catherine Ireton, has a very specific style of singing that won me over immediately and the lush, orchestral pop sound that Murdoch places along with it is a perfect fit. This too is a narrative album, and the story, the lyrics, the music and the vocals all blend together to make a perfect pop album.

1. Manchester Orchestra-Mean Everything To Nothing


I firmly believe that the sophomore album by Manchester Orchestra is one of the most important rock albums of all time. You know how Nevermind and OK Computer are revered? That's the attention this album should be getting. Each of the 11 songs on this album are perfect rock anthems, full of passion and energy. Andy Hull's vocals are raw and real, so refreshing in this era of Autotune. The guitars, whether soft or loud, work perfectly. The band manages to mix several different rock styles while still maintaining a consistent, original sound that I don't think I can even compare to any other band. Mean Everything To Nothing is indie rock in it's purest form and if you don't give it a chance, you're truly missing out.

---
So that's it for music. While I didn't listen to as much as in past years, the albums I did enjoy really stood out and spoke to me on a strong, personal level. Stay tuned for more of my Best Of 2009!