Top Albums of 2009

[The Extinguisher]

It's that time again. As the year comes to an end, what albums do you think stood out as being the absolute best ever? List 'em, describe 'em, whatever. Have at it.

Here's my Top 5

5) Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
Sample Track: "Hell" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxdK0sR6Vhg)
Starting with some simple poppy indie music. This spot was originally going to be held by Alexisonfire's Old Crows/Young Cardinals, but upon listening to Sainthood in it's entirety, I feel it's a much better album as a whole, while Old Crows/Young Cardinals has the better songs. It's a great listen to, and probably Tegan and Sara's best album to date. This album is mostly a late addition to the list, and I don't have much to say about it.

4) Say Anything - Say Anything
Sample Track:"Ahh... Men" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy5zzY9yoho)
So basically, I love Say Anything. More specifically, I love Max Bemis. He is one of the greatest lyricists I have ever heard. He combines subtly, wit and satire beautifully, and isn't afraid to put his tongue in his cheek. And while this album is no ...Is a Real Boy (which is a lyrical masterpiece), it's miles ahead of the double disced In Defense of the Genre of a few years back. It's not all solid gold, and I still can't tell is "Crush'd" is supposed to be a joke or not. But it's still an amazing work.

3) Do Make Say Think - Other Truths
Sample track: "Do" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPPRpUKCubE)
Mmm... delicious post rock. If someone was to ask you, what does Do Make Say Think sound like, you could give them this album and be done with it. Only four songs long, but still coming in at 43 minutes, Other Truths is the quintessential Do Make Say Think. Each track explores the bands sound. From post-rock soundscapes, to steamlined simplicity. From layered guitar riffs that sound like they're having a conversation, to a triumphant melodic finish. It's certainly not their best work it will probably be remembered as the work that defines them the most.

2) The Protomen - Act II: Father of Death
Sample track: "The Hounds" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBcDoZnN8ac)
The Protomen are an interesting band. They took the idea of a rock opera about a video game and ran with it. Megaman, to be exact. With a little alternate interpretation, and music that while never directly lifted from the games, would not be out of place at all, they told the history of Protoman and Megaman trying to save the world from the evil scientist Wily. It's better then it sounds. But they did something different with Act II. Act II is a prologue to the events of Act I. It tells the story of how Wily came to rule the world. Inspired less from the video game then the first album, it is still nonetheless brilliant. A very heartbreaking story, and it's probably the best album of 2009 taken as an album in itself.

1) Metric - Fantasies
Sample track: "Gimme Sympathy" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqldwoDXHKg)
I mention how Act II is probably the best album of 2009 taken as an album in itself. This is true. What sets Fantasies apart from Act II is that each individual song is amazing, in addition to the album as a whole. Each song is so different from the one before it, and the one after, but fits seamlessly into place. The album is perfect to listen to if you're feeling up or down. Each song makes you think, and is simply really entertaining as well. It's going to be hard for Metric to top this album, I think. It would probably have a spot in my top 10 of the decade, but I'm finding it so hard not to flood that list with post-rock and experimental music.


Honourable Mentions go out to No One's First and Your Next by Modest Mouse, and "C" Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE) by Puscifer for being the best EP's of the year. Sample tracks are "King Rat" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7KDOAj4Xo) and "The Mission" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XoGcSw565U) respectively. Not much to say about these two, other then you should listen to them because they are really good.

[ex cathedra]

4 : Ki (The Devin Townsend Project, May 25, 2009)
Excerpts : Coast (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_T-LM3VYpE), Disruptr (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7Tvxf-3cU)
Ki is part of a set of albums Devin Townsend (formerly of The Devin Townsend Band, a progressive metal outfit, and Strapping Young Lad, a much heavier counterpoint to the DTB) is releasing this and next year. It's much different than his previous creations, and yet I think that it's among his best creations.

3 : Wavering Radient (Isis, April 21, 2009)
Excerpts : Hall of the Dead (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AQF_cfNDRk) & Stone to Wake a Serpent (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIsoiv0HPQ8)
This album is delicious and wonderful and amazing, and among my favorite post-metal albums (Somewhere Along the Highway, Panopticon, and Enter being a handful of others). There isn't much more to say; Isis have a way with textures and composition rarely matched, in my opinion.

2 : The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion (Dredg, June 9, 2009)
Excerpts : The Pariah (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKDpxlqpSs), Ireland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ3kq2CUeMw), and Information (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwCInRJVhwQ)
Okay, so, maybe I like pop-rock. Don't judge. Dredg combine poppy, catchy alt-rock with fairly well made modern prog-rock influences, and make excellent albums that can appeal to many demographics. TPtPtD represents the band very accurately, and I've recently been giving the album quite a bit of attention.

1 : The Incident (Porcupine Tree, September 14, 2009)
Excerpts : Time Flies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRqZEU7jv7w) & Octane Twisted, The Seance, and Circle of Manias (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAhahAR9qaQ&NR=1).
This is quite easily my favorite album of the year, truly. Time Flies was the single, but in no way does the five minute single version (the album version of Time Flies is over twice as long) accurately depict the album as a whole; as such, I've included a trio of songs near the album's end that may give one a better picture of the album. It's a terrific, dynamic, and near perfect piece of art, and everything that I expected it to be.

There are a few other albums released this year that I have great hopes for, but am not currently intimate enough with to accurately rate. For example, Sunn O)))'s Monoliths & Dimensions.

[warty goblin]

*Looks at the music I've bought this year, and realizes that only one of them was released in 2009*

So yeah, my top album of the year is 20th Century Breakdown. Which it probably would be anyway, because it is quite brilliant really.

[zeratul]

5)The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists
sample track:The Rake's Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULSKZ7IP930)

A nice dark concept album by the decemberists, maintaining that folky feel they're known for and incorporating different sounds they haven't sued before, including more prominent use of female vocals. While not as good as some of their previous works, this album has a fantastic story too it, is musically interesting, and doesn't get boring so I'd recommend it.


4)Profugis Mortis by Blackguard
sample song: This Round's on Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhascKJjsDk)

A solid second album from a very young Canadian folk metal band. Their sound is sort of like children of bodom style melodeth mixed with a more keyboard heavy ensiferum culminating in a pretty epic feel. Some of their songs are a bit samey, but that's sort of to be expected from a band this new, I look forward to once they start experimenting more and grow as a band.


3) Karkelo by Korpiklaani
sample song: Vodka (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbcwOHvoZbA)

What can i say? This album is classic korpiklaani material, with one of their most fun singles to date. The music is pure fun, great drinking music and mot likely awesome live, so for anyone who likes korpiklaani I recommend you go out and see them to hear some of the new material!


2)From Afar by Ensiferum
sample song: From Afar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALrjjJdmxgA)

Ensiferums latest effort has proven that they're continuing to come up with new ideas for how to experiment with their epic folk metal style. Perhaps the best song on the album is "stone cold metal" which features a banjo solo, a whistling section, and western piani style keyboards. It's a hilarious song in its way and yet totally epic and awesome. The rest of the album is more serious, but fantastic still with other great songs such as "Twilight Tavern" and "the longest journey" that have an extremely emotional epic feel to them, I recommend this album for anyone who likes the folk metal genre.

1)Black Sails at Midnight by Alestorm
sample song: Pirate Song
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaiJE8ndADE)
Alestorm proves with their second album that goofy pirate related metal about wenches booze and sea battles just doesn't get old. The musicianship and lyrics on this album have greatly improved, and each song sticks out with no sameyness to speak of. They succeed in writing the kind of music that makes you want nothing more than to be hanging off the side of a ship cannons blazing and fight a sea monster whilst gratuitously drunk. It's fun epic music, and takes it's rightful place as the best album of the year.

[Moff Chumley]

I agree with Hazards of Love and The Incident. I'm also digging Dream Theater's new album, simply for A Right of Passage and The Shattered Fortress.

[Sneak]

Honorable Mentions:

1. Grand by Matt and Kim
Sample tracks: Daylight, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX-fbCfky7M&feature=PlayList&p=0EFB742EB2A2A1A6&index=0) Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iuzGo_lris&feature=PlayList&p=0EFB742EB2A2A1A6&index=2) I Wanna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=507N8s3VgDo&feature=PlayList&p=0EFB742EB2A2A1A6&index=4)

Matt and Kim are kind of a one trick pony, but dammit if that pony isn't the most adorable pony ever. Not too sophisticated or complicated, but just pure, unadulterated energy and fun. Good indie pop.

Personal favorite: Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare

2. Embryonic by The Flaming Lips
Sample tracks: Evil, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uUgfSSCZXs&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=2) If (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFWoFvvhPjg&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=5), Gemini Syringes, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7wDKhXUwD0&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=6) The Ego's Last Stand, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_F9nUnPkag&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=9) Sagittarius Silver Announcement, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfoOqVngBA4&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=11) Silver Trembling Hands, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiX-HDksbck&feature=PlayList&p=6A70C9BC74E24B4B&index=15) I Can Be A Frog (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92TNIIbaBOo)

Well, at least no one can accuse the Lips of being unoriginal (or normal). I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the album, but it's different, that's for sure. For starters, the whole album has a tinge of bleakness and darkness to it, more so than on any of their outings. They combine the orchestral feeling of Soft Bulletin with the fuzzy, discordant style of their much earlier work. I can't really describe it—you'll have to listen to it yourself. It's not bad, but at the same time, it's not all really to my taste.

Personal favorite: Silver Trembling Hands

\_ \_ \_ \_ \_

Top 5:

5. The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists
Sample tracks: The Hazards of Love 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_MVc3abXU&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=1), A Bower Scene, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns6ghNpzmDY&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=2) Annan Water, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaMWccDbu0&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=12) Margaretin Captivity (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8SfL1qXa_A&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=13), The Hazards of Love 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkLbBmgUdNk&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=14), The Wanting Comes in Waves Repaid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh-gfIxSinw&feature=PlayList&p=53B5376C171597FF&index=15)

The Decemberists too have moved on to darker things. It's a very interesting and ambitious concept album: a rock opera combining their earlier folk style with prog rock and a myriad of other influences. I think it's definitely done well, but the ambition of the project may have weighed them down a bit, IMO. Also, I felt more at home with their more acoustic folk-based style than their new darker, heavier style, but I think some may appreciate the new style more.

Personal favorite: The Hazards of Love 1

4. The Life of the World to Come by The Mountain Goats
Sample tracks: Romans 10:9 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xY2TpuwHJ4)

Inspired by (huh) the Bible of all places (NOTE: this does NOT make the album a religious album, or The Mountain Goats a Christian rock band), John Darnielle has come out with a new album. I won't go on about it too much—if you like the Mountain Goats, chances are you'll like this, if you don't, you probably won't. It's not quite as good or varied as, say, The Sunset Tree, but it's still very good nonetheless.

Personal favorite: 1 Samuel 15:23

3. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective
Sample tracks: Daily Routine (Hills can Sea) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF2Galu9Rsw&feature=PlayList&p=D2FE5BCC45B31D95&index=4), Guys Eyes, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaMZbSlmFVc&feature=PlayList&p=D2FE5BCC45B31D95&index=6) Taste (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3laWD67g3PA&feature=PlayList&p=D2FE5BCC45B31D95&index=7), My Girls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zol2MJf6XNE)

Let the joyful musical mélange wash over you and be happy.

Personal favorite: My Girls

2. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Sample tracks: Two Weeks, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjecYugTbIQ) Southern Point, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXrqDogitqs) About Face, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o8Do7mXya0) While You Wait for the Others (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ4jZeGUFzI)

Veckatimest. Indie pop/rock at its finest. I can't think of much else to say; check it out.

Personal favorite: Two Weeks

1. Noble Beast by Andrew Bird
Sample tracks: Oh No (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKkffzm6L7o), Fitz and the Dizzyspells, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjJknXGR7QE) Not a Robot, But a Ghost (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r61SuimqKq0)

I am a heterosexual male, but I can say without any hesitation that I am in love with Andrew Bird. The man is a genius. And this album is one of his best efforts yet. A lot of it seems more melancholy than some of his other stuff, but in a good way. There are a lot of influences and musical styles within the album, including Bird's world famous whistling, sad Spanish guitar, violin, AND MORE!™ This is another one of Bird's masterpieces—everything is so carefully and tenderly placed, and everything just belongs.

Personal favorite: Not a Robot, But a Ghost

[Linkavitch]

1) Skillet: Awake. Favorite band of all time

2) Thousand Foot Krutch: Welcome to the Masquerade. Awesome band. All that I've heard are sweet.

3) Red: Innocence and Instinct. First Christian Band to have a single debut at #1, which was on this album.

[Rescindment]

1) Nephew - Danmark Denmark - Definitely my favourite album of the year, absolutely amazing. Look up 007 is also gonna die, it's such an original song.

2) Breaking Benjamin - Dear Agony - Such a massive change from their old style, heavier and yet more melodic than ever, and with some absolutely amazing riffs thrown in there.

3) Red - Innocence & Instinct - What can I say? Absolutely awesome.

4) Five Finger Death Punch - War is the Answer - ..*Squirt*. LOVE IT. Such a raw, metal sound.

5) Rammstein - Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da - A little disappointing considering what I was expecting, but still an absolutely amazing album!

[Klose_the_Sith]

Klose_that_Guy's rambling approach to a best album of 2009, exploring the fact that he listens to virtually nothing but metal

Please note, the new Nile, Krallice and Obituary are ones I haven't heard yet - they could easily knock around my board.

5. Ensiferum ~ From Afar

This album was previously mentioned/reviewed in this thread, but I might as well talk about it anyway just cause I can.

In From Afar Ensiferum show off their style in fairly predictable styles, with a handful of flourishes that keeps it from becoming boring. The whole affair is layered and melodic to the bone, burying itself deep into any listener and (at least in my case) leaving you with one overwhelming desire - to listen to it again. Tracks such as From Afar, Twilight Tavern and By The Dividing Stream are perfect examples of a band still very firmly at the forefront of folk metal.

4. Cannibal Corpse ~ Evisceration Plague

I will be honest, I didn't expect much from Evisceration Plague. Cannibal Corpse on the whole were a band who I've typically had a love/hate relationship with - I'm a big fan of a couple albums and just have no interest in the others. Of course, this isn't the Cannibal Corpse of old - the lyrics are intentionally over the top and seem to prefer doses of classic metal wonder then the perverted brutality the band is associated with, even to this day. Where the album really shines is once you give it a few listens, though it can seem a bit all over the place at first it's just a question of initial adjustment before you realise how awesome it is when the line 'Sexual sacrifice, mutilation and death' or 'They'll eat your ****ing guts and your brains' rings out in your mind. The albums highest point is probably 'To Decompose', an utterly bewildering metal masterpiece which borders simultaneously on a self parody of their early years and something too metal for this world.

3. Obscura ~ Cosmogenesis

What's this album you ask?

Oh, I'm sure I've no idea.

Go listen to it, cause if you don't do it RIGHT NOW then you'll forget about them. it's tech death from a line-up who's works are far more famous then they are. I'm not going to actually review it, cause I'm honestly not sure how to describe it simply. The entire piece rolls along with masterful playing, all the while it seems to have these almost invisible hooks embedded deep under your skin, dragging you in and forcing you to listen. It's basically irresistible, at least to me and way above the benchmark for your typical death metal band.

2. Megadeth ~ Endgame

The entire review can pretty much be summed up in once sentence 'Megadeth are back'.

Pure, unadulterated thrash comes screaming out of this one and straight into your brain, teaching a serious lesson to people who though that Hordes of Chaos, Waking Into Nightmares or whatever the new Artillery/Destroyer 666 albums were called would be the thrash records of the year. Expectations were generally low for this, but the album has already yielded an instant thrash classics along with plenty more which could easily become just that. Personally there isn't a track on it that I don't like in at least some way, the ballad is perhaps the weakest point but beyond that there is no time that you'll spend listening to this album that you'll want to change the track or go for a different CD. This is the best album that Megadeth have released since their trail-blazing 80's streak in almost every way and that's more then enough to earn them a number two spot. It doesn't quite, however match up to ...

1. Mastodon ~ Crack The Skye

It is impossible to listen to this album without being in awe of what's been done at least three times. It features probably the strongest opening two track combo I can remember from any albums I've ever bought. Every moment on this album is laced with a slow, almost droning atmosphere but the seemingly infinite well of kick ass riffs and overarching feel of sheer wonderment that comes with the album is something I can still feel every time I listen to any track from the album, from the Black Sabbath from spacey Divinations through to the thirteen minute epic The Last Baron. It knows exactly when to be fast, slow, melodic, or rough. Every last second should be cherished because there are no weak points - rather there is a continual storyline that I, personally will never forget ... mainly 'cause of how bizarre the whole thing was.

Crack The Skye is an album that I know I can't possibly forget, mainly seeing as nothing else I've ever heard sounds like it and captures the same qualities - perhaps their other works were better in some ways, but not even Mastodon's original masterpiece Leviathan matches up to Crack The Skye and that, is truly the highest praise I can give.

[Makensha]

Since I only bought one album from this year, I'd have to say... hmmm... which one, which one...

1) Hell or High Water - As Cities Burn

Not only is it a drastic change from their earlier days of prog rock and post-hardcore (Post-Hardcore to Indie in three albums), but even the weakest tracks are comparable to the best tracks from their earlier albums. Even songs that seem out of place do have their place when you look at the album as a whole. The first time I went through it, I really wasn't impressed, but through repetition and lyrical analysis I have to say this is the best album I've ever bought (honestly not that many).

[Moff Chumley]

DEFINITELY agree with Mastodon. :smallbiggrin:

[Faulty]

I haven't been focusing too much on 2009 albums unusually but three albums that come to mind...

1) Emmy the Great - First Love
http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/images/uploads/firstlove300.jpg

I really, really love this album. Maybe I overhype it, but I just find it endearing, beautiful, touching and all around well written. I like the lyrics, I like the music, I like her singing. Can't really complain.

2) The Antlers - Hospice
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-WOT02dV7eY/Spe_nuxz3RI/AAAAAAAAABM/zP8d_ffThEU/s320/hospice.jpg

A semi-autobiographical concept album sung from the first perspective of a man whose wife is dying from bone cancer. I've listened to the album straight through while reading along to the lyrics twice and half the songs on the album make me cry, which music rarely does.

3) Bon Iver - Blood Bank
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/01/19/Bon-Iver_Blood-Bank_Main.jpg

Only four tracks long, but it really is beautiful. It's just great folk music, dunno what else to say.