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| My Favorite Albums of 200912/27/09 at 08:33 PM by Dastly |
I've listened to more music this year than any other year in my life. To quote another music enthusiast, Jason Tate, on end of the year lists such as this: "...not much you can do besides try and put the albums in order of your personal enjoyment. Not always easy, and my top 10 could probably all switch around. This is the best I can do. If you haven't checked these albums out yet -- get on it. Seriously." All the albums on this list have been enjoyable and this has been a great year(and particularly pop heavy). If you haven't already, you might want to check out my favorite songs of 2009. So let's get on with it.
1.MUTEMATH – Armistice - MUTEMATH's debut album was amazing. The process of creating a follow-up album put tremendous pressure on the band not to make the typical underwhelming sophomore album that many bands make(hi Crossfade...). This creation process nearly broke the band apart and scrapped a lot of material. After recouping from the problems, the band went back and created some music in intense sessions from scratch. This music is the most jive and well crafted music I've heard all year.
2.Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything to Nothing - This album is meticulously created. It has such a good flow to it and every track sounds as good on its own as it does in context of the album. The band went as far as to create a music video for EVERY song(http://bit.ly/5Etr7W).
3.Say Anything – Say Anything - My favorite band releases an album they feel to be representative of themselves enough to be their self-titled. For such a progressive and heartfelt band, this must mean something. This album is more poppy than their previous records but that's not a bad thing. Every track has been stuck in my head at some point or another. Here's hoping Do Better can capture mainstream appeal when it hits single status.
4.Tegan and Sara – Sainthood - A longstanding duo of sisters(based on the album cover I thought they were lesbos, guess not..)that I have yet to hear until now. A collection of well written pop tunes. Balanced supremely between rock, pop, and female vocal edge.
5.RX Bandits – Mandala - Another longstanding band I just discovered this year. This album is a frenzy of intricate instrumentals and ska-ish vocals. I didn't know what "ska punk" was till I heard them and I think I like it.
6.Harvard – The Inevitable and I - A crazy good debut album. Produced by a guy who's done Circa Survive and Thrice, I'd say it's one of two bands on my list that sound like a stepping stone between Saosin and Circa Survive. Indie rock and post hardcore and some dark lyrics, you can't go wrong.
7.Fun. - Aim and Ignite - The most fun album of the year. It's impossible to review this album without that pun. Kudos to you guys. This album mixes orchestral instruments and theater sounding arrangements with the playfulness of Nate Ruess(The Format). It's pun.
8.Relient K – Forget and Not Slow Down - I'm a sucker for piano rock. This is another band that's been around that I'm just now finding. I particularly enjoy the songs on this album that have intros and outros that take simple themes and extend them.
9.Portugal. The Man – The Satanic Satanist - Probably the most accessible Portugal. The Man album yet. It's if they took Censored Colors and refined it into something more upbeat and moving. Can't wait for next year's American Ghetto album.
10.Person L – The Positives - I didn't like this album at first. Eventually I came around to this style of funk rock. Once you get accustomed to the grooves they lay down, you'll start digging the frontman's shouts and croons. Recommended listen when you need music while you're working.
11.Silversun Pickups – Swoon - A huge improvement over their previous material.
12.Mansions – New Best Friends - It's just so damned sincere.
13.Flood of Red – Leaving Everything Behind - That other band similar to Circa Survive and Saosin, recommended if you like progressive rock and higher pitched vocals.
14.30 Seconds to Mars – This is War - Finally this album comes out. Much more like their self-titled album. Crowd chants and biting lyricism, this album lives up to its title. Reminds me why 30 Seconds to Mars is one of my favorite bands. You haven't heard anything so icy, urgent, and epic this year.
15.Audrye Sessions – Audrye Sessions - Muse-y radiohead-y awesomeness.
and the rest:
16.The Dangerous Summer – Reach for the Sun
17.Emery - ...In Shallow Seas We Sail
18.The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death
19.MAE – (m)orning (EP)
20.Trophy Scars – Bad Luck
21.We Shot the Moon – A Silver Lining
22.Grammatics – Grammatics
23.mewithoutYou - It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream It's Alright
24.Paper Route – Absence
25.Set Your Goals – This Will Be The Death of Us
26.The Antlers – Hospice
27.Metric – Fantasies
28.Thrice – Beggars
29.Anchor & Braille – Felt
30.As Tall as Lions – You Can't Take It With You
31.P.O.S. - Never Better
32.Brand New – Daisy
33.Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
34.Cursive – Mama, I'm Swollen
35.Between the Trees – Spain
36.Lily Allen – It's Not Me, It's You
37.All The Day Holiday – The Things We've Grown to Love
38.Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
39.Telekinesis! - Telekinesis!
40.Converge – Axe to Fall
41.Cartel – Cycles
42.Propagandhi – Supporting Caste
43.New Found Glory – Not Without a Fight
44.Dashboard Confessional – Alter the Ending (acoustic disc)
45.Thursday – Common Existence
46.The Swellers – Ups and Downsizing
47.Dethklok – Dethalbum II
48.Deas Vail – Birds & Cages
49.Muse – The Resistance
50.The Almost – Monster Monster
51.Paramore – Brand New Eyes
52.We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls
53.A Love Like Pi – The Atlas and The Oyster
54.Mayday Parade – Anywhere But Here
55..moneen. - The World I Want to Leave Behind
56.Mew – No More Stories Are Told Today, I'm Sorry, They Washed Away
57.Sherwood – QU
58.The Fray – The Fray
59.Madina Lake – Attics to Eden
Thanks for reading.
| | Tags: say anything, fun, tegan and sara, rx bandits, harvard, mutemath, manchester orchestra |
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