Albums of The Year List
Before I start, I want to thank my girlfriend Morgan for sitting through so many concerts with me, and taking me to so many over the nearly 2 years we have been dating. We don’t always see eye to eye musically (how can someone hate Morrissey!? Come on!), but we always do see eye to eye everywhere else and I love you. Thank you for going to see most of these bands with me in 2009, and putting up with me going to too many concerts and buying too many records (I own 19 just from this year alone. I counted today to write this list).
10. THURSDAY: “COMMON EXISTENCE”
It’s hard to go wrong with Thursday, who has been one of my favorite bands for the past few years now. They have a killer live show, (which I was lucky enough to see twice this year) and very few people can put to words what Geoff Rickly can. That being said, “Common Existence” is probably my least favorite Thursday album, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any stretch of the imagination. This album is incredibly dark, and starts off incredibly strong. “Resuscitation Of A Dead Man” is an incredible opening track filled with tons of energy right off the bat. The third track, “As He Climbed The Dark Mountain,” has just about as much energy. The strong tracks on this track will knock you on your back in a way that few bands have been able to do this decade, however, the slower tracks can kind of drag the energy out of the record. If Thursday were able to write this record without removing too much energy between the absolutely flooring songs this record would have been considered for a much higher spot on this list.
9. BRIAN BONZ & THE DOT HONGS: “FROM SUMI TO JAPAN”
Brian Bonz was an incredibly nice surprise for me this year. I was in New York City at Kevin Devine’s CD release party for his 2009 release “Brother’s Blood” and he and The Dot Hongs were the opening band. Brian Bonz recently joined The Goddamn Band and played keyboards and auxiliary percussion on “Brother’s Blood,” and he played with Kevin the first time I saw him in New York in October of the previous year. I was aware he had his own band, but I had no idea what he sounded like. When he opened up the “Brother’s Blood” CD release party, I was surprised in a very good way by how he sounded. His breathy, unique voice filled the Bowery Ballroom and made me incredibly interested in his set. A few months later Kevin Devine played in Hartford and Brian Bonz opened again, only this time he had his brand new full-length record, “From Sumi To Japan” for sale. After the show I went and bought it and got to talk to him a little. Brian Bonz is an incredibly humble and cool person and I am glad to have discovered him. This entire album flows nicely, has the right amount of electronica, the right amount of acoustic, and has Brian Bonz’s unique vocals on top of it all. Good record.
8. MORRISSEY: “YEARS OF REFUSAL”
This man is truly a man that can do no wrong. Morrissey is one of the most brilliant singers of the past 25 years, and his records as of late have been truly astounding. I was lucky enough to see Morrissey in March at Foxwoods and it amazes me how much he still has in the tank being into his 50s now and performing since the mid 80’s with The Smiths. Besides a technical difficulty at the encore that made him leave us high and dry and wanting more it was a wonderful set. This year he released “Years Of Refusal,” the last album released by the late producer Jerry Finn. For those of you who don’t know who Jerry Finn is, you probably have heard his work. Green Day, Jawbreaker, Blink-182, Rancid, Alkaline Trio, AFI, among several others have had at least one record produced by him. It almost seems fitting that the last record this wonderful producer worked on was a record of the most dynamic singer of the past 25 years. Let me reiterate. Morrissey is 50. You know all those singers from the 70’s and 80’s who don’t have it anymore, yet continue to perform? Yeah, that’s not Morrissey. He still sings like he did in the 80’s, and it’s wonderful. If you aren’t a fan of Morrissey or The Smiths, I recommend that you give them a shot. The singles on this record are catchy and sing-a-long-able. “Years Of Refusal” is a very fine record.
7. MEWITHOUTYOU: “IT’S ALL CRAZY! IT’S ALL FALSE! IT’S ALL A DREAM! IT’S ALRIGHT”
Let me start with this review: mewithoutYou is not the band they were just five years ago. Whether or not you find this to be a bad thing or not is really based on what kind of music you like. I honestly like both, and really enjoy the new path mewithoutYou has decided to go musically. I’ve heard all the criticism about mewithoutYou; most of it revolving around the singing voice of Aaron Weiss and the blatant Christian themes to most of their songs. All I have to say is if you can get around these criticisms, you can see how great a band mewithoutYou really is. They are interesting, and different, and Aaron Weiss’ songwriting ability is difficult to match. This record, as I said before, all but discards the post hardcore, spoken word screaming sound of past mewithoutYou records, and turns towards a folkier sound inspired by bands like Neutral Milk Hotel. Maybe it’s me, but I hear a similarity between the new mewithoutYou sound and some songs released by Say Anything. This is certainly not a bad comparison. The blatant Christian themes are still there. Some may say it’s too preachy at times. I don’t mind it. This is overall a very beautiful record with some very nice messages. I would recommend it to someone who wasn’t into mewithoutYou’s post hardcore sound, as this truly is a really different band. I still can’t decide what sound I like better, but I know this. I like this record.
6. CLOUD CULT “LOST SONGS FROM THE LOST YEARS (RE-ISSUE)”
I had trouble if I should include this on the list or not, considering it is technically a reissue from about seven years ago. I decided to include it because in all honesty, the two versions of “Lost Songs From The Lost Years” are hardly the same record. When I got into Cloud Cult a couple years ago, I quickly bought up their entire discography, that is, except “Lost Songs From The Lost Years,” which was out of print and unattainable. I was disappointed at the entire album of Cloud Cult songs that I couldn’t have due to the rabidness of their North Midwestern fanbase. (This is understandable however. This band is wonderful) Fast forward to this year, when Cloud Cult’s newsletter announced they would be re-releasing “Lost Songs From The Lost Years.” I was ecstatic! Some “new” Cloud Cult to hold me over until they return from their family leave hiatus next year. (Singer Craig Minowa and his wife, painter Connie Minowa, are once again proud parents as of October and are understandably taking a break.) I was disappointed that it would be a long time before I saw Cloud Cult and their unique and wonderful live show again. If you haven’t seen them before, I recommend it. Between the music, the visuals, and the live art, it is something to see. If you have seen them, you have to be with me that you need to see them again. Soon. The new “Lost Songs” has so many new and different songs from the original. Most of the record was written after 2004, and these songs are fantastic. Any of these songs could easily fit on any Cloud Cult record. They’re very… well they’re Cloud Cult. Check out this band and this record if you haven’t. But if you want a copy go and get it quick, because it’s once again a limited edition record.
5. THRICE: “BEGGARS”
Thrice is a band that I have followed since their 2003 release, “The Artist In The Ambulance.” They are able to mix sounds from punk rock, metal, post hardcore, acoustic rock, experimental rock, and probably several other genres I’m not even considering. They are truly their own band, especially in the records following “The Artist In The Ambulance.” I am going to be honest with you all. I do not own “Beggars.” Yet. I was actually banking on obtaining it via Christmas, but that didn’t happen. I didn’t want this list to be postponed based on the fact I hadn’t heard a record I was fairly sure would make this list, so I went to YouTube and found the entire album online. I listened. I loved it. This is a record I have heard once. Maybe I am quick to judge it, but I knew I needed to hear it before I wrote this and I ran out of time. 5th seems like a very fine place to put this record. This record follows suit with their 2005 release “Vheissu” in that similar experimental rock sound that Thrice has perfected over the past few years. Let me say that I cannot wait to buy my copy of “Beggars” and play it for an entire week. This is a very good record.
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4. BRAND NEW: “DAISY”
Oh, “Daisy” “Daisy” “Daisy”… This record. Brand New are really a blessed band. They have the most rabid fan following I have ever seen in a band. I am proud to say that I am a part of this rabid following and unashamed to be a part of it. Daisy is certainly a polarizing record. Many things that people love about Brand New just aren’t on this record. People love Brand New for constantly writing different music (they did that with “Daisy”), having a wonderful live show, (saw it twice this year. They still are amazing), and having Jesse Lacey’s incredible songwriting get you through the record (nope.) Jesse Lacey wrote very little of this album by himself. The majority of this record was penned by Brand New’s lead guitarist and back up vocalist Vinnie Accardi. One thing that I must say has kept consistent is that when I first heard the record I said to myself, “well this wasn’t what I was expecting.” This is always the case with Brand New, and I’m not sure why I always expect them to write an album akin to their previous masterpiece. “Deja Entendu” was not “Your Favorite Weapon,” and “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” was not “Deja Entendu.” They are all different, and it goes without saying, but what I am getting at is that “Daisy” is not “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me.” Was I disappointed? Maybe a little. “Devil And God” is my favorite record of all time, and I would have loved “Daisy” to be like it. It’s not. “Daisy” has a very raw and artsy indie and experimental rock sound to it, with some songs being surprisingly heavy and dark. I was thrown off, but after a few listens and seeing them perform the majority of the record live a month ago, I can safely say that I do like “Daisy” and it deserves to be this high on the list. It’s far from my favorite Brand New record, but it is still a Brand New record and is incredible for how different it is, and how well they perform these songs live. If you didn’t like Brand New before, you might as well give it a shot. If you still don’t like Brand New, check out their album after “Daisy” whenever it comes out, as it’s sure to be different and amazing for far different reasons than its predecessors once again. This is me being biased, but Brand New is the band of the decade. Nobody in my mind has accomplished what this band has accomplished musically this decade. “Daisy” is controversial and polarizing, but it’s still Brand New. Check it out.
3. KEVIN DEVINE: “BROTHER’S BLOOD”
This is in my opinion, the best lyrically written record of this year. Kevin Devine has always been a wonderful little secret, and people of the New York area and all surrounding areas have been waiting for this Brooklyn born singer-songwriter to get his due. Kevin Devine has gotten help from having friends at the right places musically. Capitol released his previous record, “Put Your Ghost To Rest,” in 2006 and shortly after he was dropped. “Put Your Ghost To Rest” soon after became difficult to find. Luckily for Kevin Devine (and the rest of us), Brand New was given an imprint at Interscope Records and re-released “Put Your Ghost To Rest” in 2008. “Brother’s Blood” was actually released by Manchester Orchestra’s independent record label Favorite Gentlemen Records. Having bands like Manchester Orchestra and Brand New as good friends can get you far, but having Kevin Devine’s talent can get you even farther. I cannot say this enough, if you like indie rock, singer-songwriters, or just good music in general, you should be listening to Kevin Devine. The man is a wizard with a pen and a guitar, and this is even more accentuated when accompanied by The Goddamn Band (including Brian Bonz from earlier in the list). Kevin Devine writes about so many different things, including love, family, and as of recently political issues. “Another Bag Of Bones” is the best political song written this decade. Period. He says in a four-minute song what other singers may have to say in a song twice as long. The lyrics are rapid fire and biting, and it’s one of the many reasons why I appreciate what this man has done for music, albeit mostly under the radar. It’s tough to gauge how popular Kevin Devine actually is, but if I had my way he would be one of the biggest artists going. Other strong points of this record include the title track. The song “Brother’s Blood” clocks in at almost eight minutes long, but it’s also one of those songs that makes you surprised the song was actually that long. It is an excellent jam song, and decidedly one of my favorite songs to see performed ever. I feel absolutely blessed I got to see it performed three times this year. The album has a fine mix of acoustic and electric songs, and is one of Kevin’s best records. It truly is a great album to get into him with if you haven’t yet.
2. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA: “MEAN EVERYTHING TO NOTHING”
One of the best buzz bands of 2009 was Atlanta indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. A relatively young band, they released their sophomore album this year, and it deserves every ounce of hype it gets and more. This album is really a wonderful record. This band has a unique sound with a very unique singer in Andy Hull. Hull is another singer with a voice that would really surprise you if you saw him in person. It’s hard to describe, but it has a distinct “yelp” to it. He sounds at times like Kurt Cobain with a higher vocal range. Good stuff. I heard nothing but praise for this band around the Internet and from bands that I am a big fan of that are friends with Manchester Orchestra (Brand New, Kevin Devine, etc.). I felt it a disservice to not check them out, and decided to go out and buy both of their full-length albums on a whim. Manchester Orchestra instantly became one of my favorite bands as soon as I heard this album and their previous release “I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child.” This album rocks when it needs to (Shake It Out, In My Teeth), and brings it down to a gorgeous sonic simmer at the right times (My Friend Marcus, I Can Feel A Hot One). One unique thing that Manchester Orchestra decided to do with this record was produce a rock opera-esque series of videos to the entire album. Every song has a video, and tells a story. The videos are beautifully directed and are really something to see. Check them out on YouTube. This band impacted me so much in 2009 that my girlfriend Morgan and I actually drove from Connecticut to Baltimore, Maryland to see them open for Silversun Pickups. A trip that was admittedly not a good idea in retrospect, but was still nice to see Manchester Orchestra and Silversun Pickups live. But yes, they lured me halfway down the coast to play for a half hour. They are that good. Enjoy.
1. FUN. : “AIM AND IGNITE”
This is something I wish was not true, but I got into The Format way too late. I would have loved these guys to death if I were aware of them when they were around. I still love them to death, but I wish I had a chance to see them live. Lucky for me (and the rest of the world), singer Nate Ruess was far from done with music after The Format dissolved and he decided to start again with a new band simply named fun. fun. exploded with hype over the Internet in 2009 when they released this gem of an album. “Aim And Ignite” has everything you could ever want in a pop album. It’s quirky, orchestral, sing-a-long-able, and astonishingly catchy. This is hands down the best of the year. If you are familiar with The Format, then you are familiar with the amazing pipes in Nate Ruess. If you aren’t, then learn this. Nate Ruess is the best singer to emerge this decade. Period. Nobody alive sings like him. I can’t get the comparisons of Freddy Mercury out of my head however. He does sound like Freddy Mercury, and fun. is the closest thing we’ll get to a modern Queen in our lifetimes. Between the sound, (but mostly the vocals and vocal harmonies), fun. takes you on a sonic adventure, which you will never want to end. This album is gorgeous. It starts off with a wonderful orchestral show tune like song in “Be Calm,” which truly showcases the gorgeous range Nate Ruess has (at the climax hitting an E over the tenor high C. A truly impressive note for a male singer). This record is how pop music should sound, and I would have no problem at all with this being the bar set for all pop music in the future. This band is astounding. As is this record. Do yourself a huge favor and listen through it. It makes you a better person. Guaranteed.
That's all! Happy New Year everyone!