My favorite albums of 2009

Best albums of 2009

So another year's end, another extremely long list of albums that came out this year that I rather enjoyed. This year the list has expanded to 52 proper albums and 6 reissues/remasters, enjoy!

1.) Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Starting with an ominous riff that doesn't serve as much of an introduction but as a sheer warning that the next 50 minutes will be the mental equivalent of a 50 mile triathlon. 7 songs in just shy of an hour, each track packed with enough tempo changes to fill twice as many tracks, insane riffs upon more insane riffs, drums fills that would make Keith Moon jealous, oh and its a concept album about Tsarist Russia and paraplegic out of body experiences (among other things). I was already a huge fan of Mastodon since their Moby Dick based album Leviathan and the amazing follow up Blood Mountain so truthfully I never thought they would top either album and honestly after my first listen here I wasn't entirely sure they did. I knew off the bat this thing was something special but at first I thought it was almost too accessible and I wouldn't value it in the way I did their other records, which took lots of time and energy to fully absorb and get into. I, of course, was dead wrong as this may sound more easily digestible at first (mainly due to the production work of Brendan O' Brian) but once you dig deep into this record there is just absolutely no doubt that this amazing band has outdone themselves completely this time out. There is just so much sheer creativity, power, and technical prowess here that it takes a full 20 plus listens to really "get it", but what totally did it for me was seeing them perform the entire record from start to finish with no interruption live (complete with a creepy video screen show behind them), it was one of the most intense live performances I have ever seen and I almost wish that every band would play albums from start to finish like they did. This album completely works as a start to finish entity, literally taking you on a journey, complete with peaks and valleys this is a total audio adventure. While the die-hard metal fans may complain this is a bit to prog and not heavy enough, I think they have to realize that this was the direction you could see Mastodon taking over the course of their career. The best way I can describe what they have become is a mix between King Crimson and Black Sabbath, which sounds like a lazy description but after listening to the sludge during the beginning of "The Last Baron" and then how it breaks down into an insane guitar solo that can only be described as "scale-y" you will know what I mean. Speaking of "The Last Baron" it is the single greatest tune of the year, not really fair to any of it's competition given it's 13 minute run time but while anything over 10 minutes of any other song may come off as tiresome this will leave you wanting nothing but more. The song is a landslide, ending one of the most landmark rock albums of the past 20 years as well as a musical journey that will truly leave you breathless.

2.) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
Taking the (slightly) more accessible direction of Panda Bear's Person Pitch record, Animal Collective returned early this year with what can only be described as a tour de force. As much as I have always enjoyed A.C.'s crazy, somewhat schizophrenic approach to making records, it is here that all their previous work makes full sense to me. While the music here is obviously meticulously crafted and almost always jaw-droppingly good, what really makes this (and all of Animal Collective's previous albums) work are the chant-like vocal melodies. This is especially evident on the epic closer "Brother Sport" which uses repetition to a completely positive effect. This also boast's one of the best songs of all time with "My Girls" which is just an instant classic, rising up from a simple sampled keyboard loop to an amazingly catchy and fun chorus, the song is just manic. As great as that song is though the rest of the record is chalk-full of standout tracks as well. There really isn't one bad (or wasted) moment on this record, which makes for a near perfect experience all around as well as the best thing Animal Collective have done up to this point.

3.) Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Sounds strange but I almost want some of my favorite bands to release bad albums these days because it seems that rather than following up said bad album with another shit-show they instead follow up it with something unbelievable. Perfect example is this record, the terrific outing from The Flaming Lips that follows up the bands last proper album, the disappointing At War with the Mystics. While that album reached for some mainstream form of entertainment this one is a complete 180. For starters this 70 minute album could've easily fit on one disc but they decided to split it to two. Reason being is they want this to follow the unspoken rule of great, sloppy, all over the place double albums (ie Sign O' the Times, Exile on Main Street, The Beatles, London Calling, etc.) and basically destroying anyone's perception of what is expected of them by throwing any and all styles at the listener without any preconceived notion of cohesiveness. Not that anyone really has an idea what this consistently exciting and challenging band will be up to next, but I never fathomed that something this utterly original and bizarre could succeed on such a personal level. Not only that but this very much has an "earphone album" quality to it that demands attention and multiple listens but the payback is something great which is the case with countless other albums from bands as varied and great as Pink Floyd to Radiohead to Animal Collective. This also follows the random sequencing of great double albums like The White Album in that you truly never know what they are going to throw at you next, check how the truly creepy "See The Leaves" is followed up by the hauntingly beautiful ballad "If', then back to the spaced out ambience of "Gemini Syringes". It is all over the place but in an extremely satisfying way. Not many bands can sustain an entire 40 minute single album let alone challenge and reward like the Lips did here.

4.) Atlas Sound - Logos
As leader of one of the best current bands in existence, it is a complete gift that Deerhunter's Bradford Cox would have a solo career/side project as impressive as his work in Atlas Sound. On this, his second album under the A.S. moniker, there is still plenty of the blindly terrific experimentation that made not only his debut such a masterpiece but also fuels his unmatched work in Deerhunter. On this record there is more standard song structure, melody, and overall tunefulness than on the first A.S. record. Because of this it ends up sounding a lot more like his work in Deerhunter but not quite as guitar driven. This album also has many more singular highlights than the first Atlas Sound offering, with "Walkabout" being not only the obvious first choice for a single but also one of the best songs in Cox's ever growing catalog and as a duet with Panda Bear from Animal Collective you can't really get a better duo of pop minded avant-garde musicians today. The other duet on the record is with the wonderful Laetitia Sadier from Stereolab who has always had one of my favorite voices and here uses it to great effect on the 8 and a half minute "Quick Canal". "Attic Lights" shows a vulnerability that few artists would (or could) show, it is a haunting track that proves my point that Cox is not only one of the best songwriters of the day but one of the most versatile as well. "Sheila" is a straight up unapologetic lovesong with a great (and moving) chorus of "no one wants to die alone" that by the end of the tracks turns into the refrain "let's die alone together" backed to some simple (yet effective) guitar chords throughout. Another impressive feat of this record is just how different each single song feels from one another yet it remains a thoroughly cohesive listen throughout. This easily matches Cox's best work with either of his bands and gives further evidence to his considerable talents and achievements.

5.) Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
I have listened to this album more times than I care to admit in the past year and every time I do I picture myself in a log cabin, on a mountain, in a very wooded forest. This record was in constant rotation at the shore this summer, so there I am on a beach thinking I was in a cold hunting shack with a wood fire stove burning. I didn't mind the mental escape either, as I normally like to leave which physical state I am in during a record and if it succeeds as this did here it is always a rousing success in my book. There are in fact very few true "log cabin" records out there but a couple come to mind, the Fleet Foxes debut, some Neil Young, Great Lake Swimmers, Bon Iver, and the best is the American version of Rubber Soul which opens with "I've Just Seen a Face" and sounds as if it were recorded in Appalachia and not in London at Abbey Road Studios. While other favorites such as Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures and The Knife's Silent Shout conjure up images of an icy Alaskan tundra complete with igloos and Eskimos, this one is still set in a Log Cabin. Now that winter is almost here will this record be as effective? Or will I go back to listening to my normal winter favorites like "Pet Sounds" and "Court and Spark" which immediately bring me to a tropical beach settings (not sure why Joni's album does that either). You may be asking yourself what does Dan's seasonal displacement playlists have to do with this here album? Really nothing, but the fact that it this record is even mentioned in the same breath as these other albums should give you a pretty good indication of how great this album is and for those of you who haven't heard it now have a pretty good idea of what it sounds like, so mission accomplished.

6.) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Oh France, first it's Daft Punk and Air, then M83 and Phoenix. You are just truly the bee's knees when it comes to giving us some hauntingly beautiful sounds. Speaking of Phoenix, this band's previous album It's Never Been Like That remains a great distillation of simple yet effective indie rock and one of my favs, but it is this album, greatly titled Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, that really seems to take their music to the next level. Slightly more experimental than their previous work but also just as accessible and effective, this is turning out to be a breakout moment for this great band. Unlike the previously mentioned French bands, Phoenix is much more a "rock" band in the genuine sense of the word (guitar, drums, bass) and while there are definite electronic touches to their music it is used more as added color than as the backbone for their sound. This "color" I speak of adds a lot to this set of genuinely great tunes but never overwhelms the arrangements or subtle simplicity of the tracks. And while some tracks such as the great "Fences" and the epic "Love Like a Sunset" are straight up dance tracks, they still have a remarkable rock feel making this a great distillation of electronic music and your standard "rock" band (whatever that is now). Maybe Phoenix is what a rock band is now, while France has been making futuristic sounding music for decades maybe the future truly is now and Phoenix are at the epicenter?? I'm just sayin'.

7.) Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Not since 1992's total classic Your Arsenal has the Moz sounded this vital, refreshed, energetic, and alive. While all three of Morrissey's 2000s records are impeccable displays of his talent, what is truly remarkable is how different each one is from one another. The 2004 classic comeback You Are the Quarry sounds nothing like the over-the-top proggy Ringleader of the Tormentors and this is much leaner and punchier than either of those discs. Although certain songs share the ambitious nature of Tormentors, especially the horn and string laden "When Last I Spoke to Carol" and the epic album centerpiece "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore", the songs here are more intimate and personal. Not that this isn't an adventurous or even experimental, even songs that seem on the surface to have standard arrangements like the great "That's How People Grow Up" are loaded with strings and production effects but not in an overwhelming or "heavy" way, which is a huge compliment to the late Jerry Finn whose production on this marks his last project before his untimely death last year. While the music is tight and greatly written with his long-time band you can't really discuss a Moz album without discussing the man's wit. It is absolutely no secret he is an utterly brilliant lyricist and vocalist and what is great is how time has not diminished or softened his edge in any way. If anything he is grown angrier and more vindictive without ever coming off as petty or frivolous. His voice is in top form throughout as well, note the great and still-surprising high note in opener "Someone Is Squeezing My Skull" as just one example. I don't wish ill will on anyone but I feel we all win when the world pisses the mozzer off, at least we did here with this gem of a record.

8.) Built to Spill - There is No Enemy
Familiarity is always a welcome thing and after putting in long-time favorites Built to Spill's new album and getting to the 11 second mark of the first track you know everything is going to be okay for the next hour. This is a classic B.T.S. record recalling their nineties heyday without ever feeling like a sad retread but instead more like a welcome return home. There is some great country tinged goodness on "Hindsight" which includes the great lyric "Is that grass just greener cause it's fake?" and "Good Ol' Boredom" is just another classic moment that stands along their best work and at over six minutes never grows stale or old but remains the albums most fun moment. Also check out the horns in the background during the epic, amazing guitar solo on "Life's a Dream" the most Neil Young-ish moment here. Droning, spacey "Oh Yeah" is another winner with leader Doug Martsch going toe-to-toe with Dino Jr's J Mascis as indie rocks' most gloomy godfather. Perhaps the records best moment is the varied, moody "Things Fall Apart" with its shifts in style and overall classic feel. The entire record is a complete winner and easily their best in 10 years proving again my theory that aging indie rockers mature like wine.

9.) The XX - XX
By far the best debut album of the year, if not a couple of years, very rarely does a band come out of the gate this courageous, undaunted and assured. It is also usually a very rare thing to be hard pressed for comparisons when speaking of a band this young. I do hear traces of The Knife, maybe some Interpol, a lil' Radiohead, a smidge of Joy Division but none of these really standout overall and the minute the listener thinks they have this band's sound pegged The xx come with some R&B type swagger and destroy all notions of what you thought of them initially. Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, the groups two singers, share vocal duties brilliantly with each trading lines and verses back and forth offering a great duality to these truly haunting tracks. The music is totally restrained, showing what great taste this young band has. Guitars are only used when absolutely needed, beats are sparse, atmospheric keyboards provide color but are never overwhelming, this minimalist approach completely pays off resulting in one of the years most effectivly beautiful records.

10.) Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
While their 2007 reunion album Beyond was a fantastic record, it may have been a little to indebted to the past to fully be acknowledged as a complete and total classic (still a great record though). This album exceeds any and all expectations and rightly stands along any of J. Mascis or Dino. Jr.'s best work (which says an awful lot about this record). Not only is the songwriting at an all-time peak but the interplay between these three is just riveting. Even the longer songs (of which 3 exceed the 6 minute mark) never feel contrived or over-long, instead it truly feels that the band needs this amount of room to fully stretch out on these wonderful tunes. While Mascis is the total leader and is clearly running the show (props to his guitar playing as well, check out the solo on "I Don't Wanna Go there" - wow), Lou Barlow's two songs are completely welcome as well and great additions to the record, they are actually two of my favorite moments on the thing, reminding me of classic Barlow circa Sebadoh's Bakesale in 1994. What makes this album such a remarkable piece of work is how much fun these three old friends seem like they are having and it totally translates to the listener. This is the most "fun" Dinosaur Jr. record by far. Even the slower-tempo jams are delivered with a wink and a smile, most notably on the great "Oceans in the Way" and "Said the People". While I always have low expectations for reunion albums it is repeatedly because the people involved are doing it for the completely wrong reasons and we, the listeners, can always tell. This instance, on the other hand, truly feels like the three dudes involved really want to play together and they have the tunes to do so. Even I was thinking the greatness of Beyond was a fluke and now I am completely sold to the fact that Dinosaur Jr. is at a total creative peak which is a remarkable place to be at 20 plus years into their career. Here's hoping to another masterpiece after this one, I know they have it in them.

11.) Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Blind ambition can sometimes hurt a young band, unless of course they have the skill set to pull off all of their wild ideas. This young band certainly has succeeded greatly here on their wonderfully inspired debut record Why There Are Mountains. You don't have to go much further than the great album opener to see what I mean by their wild ambition, "And the Hazy Sea" has an organ breakdown, wah-wah guitar and ends in a sea of feedback. Not bad for the first song, but the craziness doesn't stop there certain songs like "Some Trees (Merritt Moon)" have a Cap n' Jazz quality to them while "Indiana" has nice keyboard and horn sections and helped this album become a de facto soundtrack to my many trips to said state this year. "Cold Spring" uses stings to a great effect. "Share" is a 7 minute epic awash in a flurry of feedback and has a total shoe-gaze vibe to it before breaking into a total '67 Beatle-esque horn breakdown which then leads into an epic guitar solo ('member those!), it is one of the years best tracks and proves how vital and utterly jaw-dropping this young band can be at times. The Xylophone is a highlight in "Wind Phoenix" while "Living North" has a very mid-nineties indie feel in the vein of Archers of Loaf and contains some great guitar heroics as well. All in all this is a band that I can't wait to see develop and grow as they are already as impressive as you can get. One of the most impressive debuts in years.

12.) The Dead Weather - Horehound
Another year, another Jack White side project. This one featuring Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age as well as Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes. Alison Mosshart sounds peculiarly like Jack White throughout a lot of the album, especially on "Hang You From the Heavens" but also flexes her vocal muscles more than I have ever heard her do on any of The Kills albums. This is basically a pet project showcasing her talents, and it works. Sounding differently enough from the members main bands, but enough familiarity (especially to The White Stripes) to make it recognizable. Funny how much they actually do resemble The Stripes considering Jack White is only the drummer here, but I get the feeling his influence is strong no matter what project he is involved in (as it should be given his impressive track record). The band here is daring, blusey, and downright creepy at times; especially on the great "So Far from Your Weapon". Another highlight is the great "I Cut Like A Buffalo" which is the only Jack White solo penned song here but is done as a duet between him and Mosshart and succeeds beautifully. Let's hope this is not a one-off project and they make another record as gloriously strange as this.

13.) Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx...Pt. 2
Sequels are almost always uniformly bad as there are a lot more Phantom Menace's out there then Godfather II's. As much hype as this long delayed sequel has gathered throughout the years I never ever thought it would amount to much. I couldn't have been more wrong as this truly is one of those rare occasions where a sequel really does come through. Like the original this is set up very movie-esque with a great intro setting the stage for the first real track "House of Flying Daggers", which features fellow Wu Tang members Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Method Man and GZA. The track is spine chilling as there is something just simply amazing about the chemistry between all of these rappers on the same song that makes you really realize how great the Wu really is. It is also super refreshing to hear Raekwon not only back from a long dry spell but honestly sounding better than ever as the best moments here are the best moments of his entire career and the fact that parts of this album not only equal the original Cuban Linx but even better it is something unbelievable. All in all the original is still a tighter and better album but the enormous cinematic scope of this record makes this a complete and total classic and ranks as not only one of the best Wu Tang related albums of all time but easily one of the best east coast hip hop albums in the last 10 years. Also great to hear Ghostface in amazing form as well, his verse in "Mean Streets" shows why he continues to be one of the most intriguing rappers of all time, such emotion and power in every line plus the interplay between him and Raekwon is just unstoppable, easily one of hip hop's best tag teams. The beats are almost all uniformly great as well, shockingly the two Dr. Dre produced tracks are actually two of my least favorite as their commercial laid back grooves just don't match the grimy street beats found elsewhere on the record. The RZA is amazing on this thing, his beat on "Black Mozart" is unreal and shows what an original he is while his beat on "Fat Lady Sings" shows his film score skills put to good use. J Dilla's beat on "10 Bricks" is another highlight. Producer Scram Jones excellent use of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on "Kiss the Ring" closes the album in a completely creative way as well. Raekwon proves over and over on this album that he is truly one of the best storytellers in all of hip hop, he is completely gripping on this entire record. You are completely transfixed on each line anxiously awaiting what is coming next. Best hip hop album of the year, highly recommended.

14.) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
35 minutes of pure candy coated goodness, this record is sure to lift up any sour mood you may find yourself in. I hear strong elements of Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Belle and Sebastian, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Velocity Girl (whose Archie Moore mixed the record). Unlike a lot of other younger noise pop acts, POBPAH really have a strong sense of melody and the production here is surprisingly pristine, not exactly crisp but not as "scratchy" as some other like minded records of the past few years. The songwriting is almost always top notch as well with over half the record sounding like potential singles to my ear.

15.) Mew - No More Stories Are Told Today I'm Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories the World Is Grey I'm Tired Let's Wash Away
More song oriented than their previous album And The Glass Handed Kites, which was basically one long suite, Mew's latest focuses much more on standard song structure and more upbeat tones/textures than their earlier work. That's not to say that this is filled with radio friendly pop songs as there is still plenty of great strangeness to go around. This is very dream like and reminiscent of spacey pop bands with a dark edge like The Cocteau Twins, however with a much more rockin' edge. They have also incorporated some dance beats on the great "Tricks of the Trade", have a riff-parade on the first single "Introducing Palace Players", and have almost an entire song played backwards with the opener "New Terrain". Crazy stuff, but it all makes sense when played in succession. Mew is a band that fully understands the concept of an album and how to sequence and arrange one quite perfectly. This even includes two intermezzo's and a reprise tacked on the end of the record for good measure. For all the ground covered here it never sounds like the band are trying to hard but instead actually sounds like they are having fun with all the prog-rock influences and sheer craziness contained throughout.

16.) Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light
A deep, dark record where even the brighter spots would otherwise be downers in any other context, Antony and the Johnson's third record is by far the most somber thing in his very impressive catalog. Not that his previous records were exactly uplifting but they did have their bright spots and were much more cathartic in their outward melancholy. This time around the sadness is completely inward resulting in Antony's most despairing record, only the utterly gorgeous "Kiss My Name" and the (very slightly) rocking "Aeon" let up from the despondency. This isn't to say that this record is an outright downer or that it isn't enjoyable because like other great sorrowful favorites from Nick Drake to Elliot Smith the music here is soothing and thought provoking in a way that happy pop music could never be. The arrangements here are simple and stunning, beautiful swirling string arrangements completely complimenting Antony's unique voice and impressive piano playing. The aforementioned "Aeon" may be my favorite moment here, around some simple repeating guitar notes Antony creates a dense tale of love that by the end turns into a dense web of sound. It is the song that most resembles his earlier work but it still feels like he is pushing new ground, its a perfect song on a near perfect album that only slightly pales in comparison to his first two sublimely accomplished records.

17.) Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Another classic by one of the most consistent bands of all time, The Eternal marks a lot of firsts for the always great Sonic Youth. It is their first record on Matador records after being on Geffen since 1990's Goo, it is the first with ex-Pavement bassist Mark Ibold, and it also marks the first time since their early days that there are so many short songs (over half the record's tracks are less than four minutes long). This brevity adds a do-or-die relevance to this record and makes the epics like "Anti-Orgasm", "Antenna" and especially the great creepy album closer "Massage the History" that much more monumental. This also plays like a compilation of sorts for S.Y. as there is at least one example of every "kind" of Sonic Youth song or sound here. While this doesn't make this the quintessential Sonic Youth record in the way Daydream Nation is, it still offers a good catch-up to those who haven't heard or dived into a S.Y. record in awhile. Lots of great guitar tones, interplay between Kim, Thurston, and Lee's songs, and some of the most creative uses of feedback crowd this album. Making it another welcome addition to their already near-perfect catalog as well as making it their best since 2002's excellent Murray Street.

18.) Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
From the first 20 seconds alone you can tell this record is going to be quite a departure from the previous two Arctic Monkeys offerings, in fact the surprises don't fade away throughout the entire album, the first track "My Propeller" features a much sludgier tempo then much of A.M.'s previous work. First single "Crying Lightning" goes back to their signature sound a bit but things get really (greatly) strange on the third track "Dangerous Animals" which really shows the influence of co-producer Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. Homme's influence is everywhere on this record which more often than not really sounds a lot like more like one of Homme's Desert Session discs rather than a proper A.M. disc. It is quite a strange matchup as I wouldn't initially think that these two great-in-their-own-way creative forces would necessary gel. The truth is they don't always, and at times this record really feels like a ship floating without a captain as it lacks the cohesion and overall punch in the gut feeling their first two records possessed. However, this dichotomy does make for a very interesting record, even if it isn't nearly as good as their previous two. I still must give a lot of credit to this great young band for not making the exact same record for the third time around. More than likely this is just a transitional effort and that they will find a successful marriage of Homme's influence and their own classic style on their next record but here we are left with a slightly messy, always interesting effort. Some examples of the strangeness are "Secret Door" which is seriously atmospheric, a quality I would have never guessed a band like Arctic Monkey's would posses. "Potion Approaching" has a great devil-may-care quality that both Homme and A.M. can stake as great character traits and it works wonderfully here. The second half of this record is chalk- full of slower numbers with lots of guitar effects (another Homme trademark) that more often than not work but lack the punch of the riff-rock that made their previous work so compelling (although the amazing "Pretty Visitors" is a classic and one of their best all time tracks, even featuring some of the best drum fills of the year) . All in all, I like this record and I am happy they decided to branch out a bit but it is still lacking in many spots which makes for a rather scattershot and frustrating listen. This is clearly an ever-growing band moving in a new direction and this departure does make their transition all the more exciting for what is to come.

19.) Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Seriously what a voice... so rich, deep and full of emotion. She is a monstrous powerhouse of a singer and with lyrics that are witty, biting, and moving making Ms. Case a total solid force to be reckoned with. This record is yet another winner in a long line of winners (both solo and with The New Pornographers) featuring a much more outdoorsy/naturey vibe than her previous outings. The main reason for this change is more than likely due to the recording location of a barn in her new farm in Vermont, resulting in a very organic sound with a decidedly less country vibe. This slightly new direction is a very welcome thing as tracks like "Prision Girls" showcase an romantic moonlight vibe and others are just greatly performed works of art. The arrangements are beautiful on this as well making this one of her very best offerings.

20.) Baroness - Blue Record
For such an intense record there are many moments that can flat out be called "pretty" on this disc. Along with other heavy southern contemporaries like The Sword and Mastodon, Georgia's Baroness possess a beautiful sense of melody that shines throughout this consistently amazing 12 song record. Clearly exhibiting a inherited sense of album sequencing as well this thing flows along perfectly, balancing epic slow numbers and interludes next to more heavy prog-inspired numbers. Just one great example of this is how the relative calm of "Ogeechee Hymnal" is then followed up by the ridiculously insane "A Horse Called Golgotha" that drummer Allen Blickle makes sound like a gallop through the woods. The best moment here is the straight up anthemic "The Gnashing" which is just awe-inspiring, rivaling the Rocky theme or "Eye of the Tiger" in terms of sheer inspirational goodness. More psychedelically inspired than many of their heavier counterparts, Baroness came out of the gates wonderfully on their amazing debut and have clearly kept their footing for this even more brilliant follow-up.

21.) Passion Pit - Manners
The Chunk of Change EP showed major promise and set this band up for this eagerly awaited debut full length and this album delivers, showing considerable growth from the super impressive EP and taking all those considerable strengths and heightening them. "Moth's Wings" is just one of many utterly perfect, summary tunes that wouldn't sound out of place on a mixtape next to New Order or INXS's best stuff. While the great single "The Reeling" is also easily one of the year's best. The rest of the record has enough mood shifts, sugar coating, and good vibes to get past the point that lead singer Michael Angelakos falsetto may wear on some's nerves throughout the course of an entire record. But with this many good tunes this record really can't be faulted for anything except making you have face cramps from smiling too much.

22.) Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
Pretty much the dictionary definition of "Canadian Sound", Toronto's Great Lake Swimmers music conjures up all of the all stars from up north like Neil, Joni, The Band, etc. They, along side recent American favorites like Band of Horses, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, and Grizzly Bear are completely spearheading a new genre of folk rock I like to call "log cabin rock". I doubt this catchy phrase will spread but it does explain the sound of these great bands pretty accurately. This record, their fourth, has a very "full" sound almost reminding me of the vibe REM had circa Out of Time or Automatic For the People albeit with more of a country tinge. The brief "Still" is one of my favorite tracks of the year, absolutely beautiful and moving. A number of other tunes here have a certain mystique and beauty to them rarely found with current music. While some might complain that this record is too "polished" sounding especially compared to their previous releases, I tend to see this as a natural progression for this ever-growing band. Easily one of the year's (if not decade's) best offerings.

23.) Wilco - Wilco the Album
One would expect with this rather throwaway (albeit clever) album title that this would be a slight record, and with an opening track named "Wilco (the song)" as well as the slightly appreviated 42 minute length this could lead to even more evidence of this fact. Thankfully this is completely not the case with this fantastic record which is easily Wilco's best since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and while it may not be as far out as A Ghost Is Born it does feature some great studio experimentation on the fantastic "Deeper Down". The great "Bull Black Nova" is easily one of the best Wilco songs to date with great guitar freakouts and an overall paranoid feel. "You and I" a duet with Feist is classic Wilco circa Being There and is one of the prettiest things this great band has ever done. "You Never Know" has some brilliant harmonies throughout and "Solitaire" has a brilliant Nick Drake vibe to it. Most of this record is just a consolidation of all of Wilco's considerable strengths and the songs are played and written in a very distinct and direct way. Not necessarily a retread but a celebration of all they have accomplished, it is a brilliant and fun record, which is really all anyone should want in a band.

24.) Isis - Wavering Radiant
While I understand that epic prog-metal isn't for everyone, I certainly do have an affinity for any music that is both challenging and complex as well as emotionally charged and moving. Thus why I love bands like Isis. The only way to fully appreciate an album like this is by giving it your full attention and listening to the entire thing from start to finish. While all of the tracks are between 7 and 10 minutes long (except for the brief 2 minute keyboard intermission in the middle of the album) the tracks never seem over-long or tedious. Instead there are so many peaks, valleys, time signature changes, and surprises that you are literally hanging on every note in anticipation. While there are some "rocking" tracks especially the amazing closing duo of "20 Minutes/40 Years" and "Threshold of Transformation" the more melodic side of this band shows a lot more on this album, almost resembling a more metallic Meddle - era Pink Floyd, the addition of keyboards and organ adds to this comparison a lot as well. Like I said this is challenging stuff, and not for everyone, but for those willing to put the time in this is surely a record that will payoff in leaps and bounds.

25.) Dizzie Rascal - Tongue N' Cheek
Another winner for the UK's great Dizzie Rascal, production wise this is possibly the most over the top platter he has offered us yet. Much more electronic dance inspired beats than his previous UK grime offerings. This is also his most fun album to date, while it may not match the lyrical intensity and seriousness of his earlier classics (still touches a serious note on "Can't Tek No More" though) this record shows just how good Dizzie can be when he is just out to have a good time. Opener "Bonkers" is seriously one of the best singles of the year, if not the decade. It is a perfect example of this new direction, it is certainly the record's highlight and the beat by Armand Van Helden is just simply out of control. Other highlights include the laid back "Chillin Wiv Da Man Dem" whose beat sounds like a laid back soundscape worthy of an Air record and the great "Leisure" which shows what a great delivery Dizzie has even on a slightly laid back track. All in all this is the most varied record Dizzie Rascal has released to date, and while this may not equal his best it shows an exciting new direction for this great artist.

26.) Converge - Axe to Fall
Man oh man, sometimes records even leave the most skeptical of listeners absolutely breathless. Anyone even slightly interested in the most insanely fast and crazy guitar riffs ever put to tape need to check out this band and this record immediately. After the first track "Dark Horse" and the faster than f*ck riff, you will surely be hooked. It is just one of many jaw-dropping moments found on this masterpiece of a record. Converge has continuously remained one of the most consistent and utterly brilliant bands in all of hardcore. While this is pretty metallic stuff, I am never apt to calling Converge a metal band. Although the slower tracks here do have a sludgy grind that would fall into said genre they are just to fast and too inclined to math rock tendencies to fully be called a metal band. The first 11 tracks here are all brutal in your face barn-burners all featuring abbreviated track lengths, some even under 2 minutes, that offer no break from the sheer intensity.. The two final tracks here finally offer some sort of relief to the utter madness of this record. "Cruel Bloom" starts as a Tom Waits-esque ballad before breaking down into a heavy as f*ck slow grind-fest, and the epic 7 minute closer "Wretched World" is an experimental masterpiece showing great versatility and ending this instant classic in great style.

27.) PJ Harvey & John Parish - A Man a Woman Walked By
Following their last billed collaboration, Dance Hall at Louse Point by 13 years (although Parish worked heavily on Harvey's last record 2007's White Chalk) this record marks a great leap for both artists. While this album does push many musical and emotional boundaries, what is most remarkable about it is it's warped sense of fun. Sure it is a rather dark affair but the sheer merriment lies in it's warped sense of humor and total sense of mischief. While you never quite know what you are going to get with each successive PJ Harvey record (or even what you are going to get from track to track) these surprises make her one of the most consistently intriguing and vital artists. I love how the slightly somber "Leaving California" is followed up by the brief yet rocking "The Chair" and then that is followed up by the organ filled "April". The entire thing is full of surprises (check out the explosive/chaotic title track) and completely rivals Dance Hall at Louse Point and the many highlights of Harvey's career.

28.) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Back with a new dance pop direction , this is a refreshing new start for this great band. Opener "Zero" is just massive, a huge song with a colossal chorus and a mammoth sound. "Skeletons" is another highlight, which has an 80's cinematic feel, it is heartbreakingly gorgeous and totally sounds like it could have been used during a great breakup scene in a John Hughes movie. "Shame and Fortune" is another winner slightly reminding me of their older sound circa the first half of Fever To Tell. "Dragon Queen" is a gem that has a great gothy 80's vibe. "Hysteric" may play a bit too close to the "Maps" playbook to be considered a true classic but it is still a rather moving ballad nonetheless and the majestic album closer "Little Shadow" is just a completely moving masterpiece. All in all the band sounds content and comfortable on this record while still searching and exploring new ground.

29.) Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong
After a near perfect 22 minute debut album, (which mixed 60's garage rock, shoegaze, noise rock, and spector-esque girl groups all into a slightly creepy musical extravaganza) expectations were pretty sky high for this years follow up. Although Everything Goes Wrong lacks the immediacy, spontaneity and utter freshness of the debut in many ways this sequel equals their first offering. First off, the extended running time (a whole 36 minutes!) gives us a lot more to sink our teeth into, the songs are a bit more varied this time around (although some admittedly lack the energy of the best from the debut), and the low fi production is a bit more experimental and polished (though hardly slick). Basically this is a classic sequel, a longer more stretched out younger cousin to the bands debut, but with an offering that good you can't really fault this band for just giving us more of the same.

30.) The Mars Volta - Octahedron
After releasing the manic and insanely good The Bedlam in Goliath, The Mars Volta have mellowed out a bit here on the follow-up Octahedron. While this was originally dubbed their "acoustic" record, that is not an accurate description, however, this album does possess a much mellower vibe than their previous outings. Obviously, this being The Mars Volta, this surely doesn't not have a campfire/singalong acoustic feel to it at all but rather a more spaced-out Pink Floyd vibe. The band uses this new direction to great degree and it opens up their sound a lot. "Cotopaxi" actually sounds the most like Omar Rodriguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala's old band At the Drive-In and while this is really the only true full-on "rocker" here it is a welcome moment for an otherwise slower tempo-ed experience. While I miss some of the crazy time signatures and just out of nowhere surprises of some of the previous Mars Volta records, this is definitely a welcome change and a great record in it's own right.

31.) The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
After their third album (and first/only misstep Pretty In Black) The Raveonettes could have been left for dead, they were dropped from their major-label deal, their momentum was slowed, and it looked like we may not hear back from them. What a shame that would have been as this was one of the most exciting bands of the decade on their first two releases, thankfully for us they bounced back with 2008's wonderfully loud Lust Lust Lust, this album, the follow up, is more slowed, varied and slightly better in comparison. This band has always had a fetish for Phil Spector and The Jesus and the Mary Chain but nowhere have these two influences been more apparent than on the opener "Bang!" a great fun summary tune that sounds like it could have been released in 1963 (except the lyrics may be a bit to telling for that time). Elsewhere on this great disc the dichotomy of poppier than thou music with extremely sinister lyrics ("Boys Who Rape", "Suicide", "Breaking into Cars") works just wonderfully. When things do get dark musically like on the great "Break Up Girls!" it is nothing short of perfection, it really feels like the soundtrack to a great 60's horror flick. Hopefully they can keep this stride and momentum up as it seems like this band is at a peak right now.

32.) Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
After a band releases an utterly perfect debut it is almost always impossible for said band to ever properly follow it up (see The Strokes and The Futureheads), Franz Ferdinand is no exception to this and although their second album wasn't a complete disaster it surely didn't hold a candle to their utterly flawless debut. Part of the problem was that they essentially recorded the same album again albeit with less strong songs and a completely muted sense of urgency. This album, their third, is a great return to form. This completely does not follow any of their previous records blueprints and features a completely new dance rock direction with heavy synth touches and funky basslines throughout. While this still has some definite rock touches like the monstrous "Turn It On", there are more examples of trippy dance tracks like "Twilight Omens" and "What She Came For". The latter of which has a great bass line and is easily the funkiest thing this band has ever recorded. "Live Alone" is a great electronic track that sounds almost like something that would be on DFA. The synth-led "Can't Stop Feeling" is another highlight sounding like The Faint only with more sense of melody. All in all this is a very exciting record that only gets more interesting with each repeated spin. Also worth checking out is the dub remix album Blood which was released a few months after this and features spacey dub remixes of most of the songs here, it is a good companion piece to this very impressive record.

33.) Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
A full fledged folk-country record may be seen as a total departure for most artists but Ben Kweller seems at home and completely comfortable on this very impressive record. While any pop or rock convictions are completely abandoned here, his songwriting has not strayed, nor has his sense of melody which is in full flight on these 10 super catchy songs. Rollicking piano, pedal steel guitar, and dobro pop up everywhere on this thing and provide an authentic feeling of Americana throughout. With 10 songs in 35 minutes this never overstays it's welcome and remains a very fun light-hearted listen. With amazingly enjoyable songs like "Fight" and "Sawdust Man" you can't help but be entranced with the jovial mood throughout. Even the ballads here have a great not-too-heavy hearted feel throughout. While some of Kweller's more indie/pop fans might be a little thrown off by this countrified departure this remains one of his most consistent and best albums.

34.) Jeremy Enigk - Ok Bear
Out of all his solo outings this record is by far the most "rock" influenced and while there are still some strings and organs they are mostly used as "color" for these songs and not as the backbone for the arrangements. This album is much more akin to his work in Sunny Day Real Estate and The Fire Theft, actually sounding like it could be the follow up to either of those bands final releases. Not that this could be confused for SDRE's guitar heavy classic first two albums as Enigk has matured past the youthful energy of those releases but this also doesn't feel as heavy handed as some of SDRE's latter work, The Fire Theft record, or even his last solo album. This album feels like a comeback of sorts for Enigk and is probably the best album he has made since SDRE's 1998 opus How It Feels To Be Something On he just sounds much more energetic and alive here than he has in years. Songs like "In a Look" show how much he can make a great rock song when he just keeps it simple. While this doesn't even sound or feel like the same man who made 1996's masterpiece Return of the Frog Queen it is still a triumphant return to form for one of my all time favorite artists.

35.) The Von Bondies - Love Hate and Then There's You
Starting off utterly perfectly with the energetic "This Is Our Perfect Crime" which is just one of many examples here of how the 5 year break between this and The Von Bondies previous album didn't hault any of the great spirit and vitality of this amazing Detroit band. This is just great rock n' roll played like each song is the last one that will ever be played by this band with total do-or-die urgency. The chorus of "The Chancer" actually repeats the word "Alive" over and over again and truly shows how life-affirming great rock n' roll can be when played with just the right amount of attitude and simplicity. Speaking of simplicity, it is here in droves, but never in boring or predictable ways. Instead this is just expertly played garage rock albeit with a shiny surface. That shiny surface never takes away from the greatness and raw emotion exemplified on this monster of an album. And while some may still miss the raw sound of their debut, this is definitely less polished than their breakthrough second album Pawn Shoppe Heart. This is also a stronger album song for song showing this band at a creative peak, hopefully we won't have to wait another half decade for the follow up.

36.) Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
With Josh Homme on guitar and vocals, Dave Grohl on drums, and John Paul Jones on bass pretty much any fan of rock music should be excited for this record. While this resembles a Queens of the Stone Age album more often than not, it is still pretty varied and the verses on "New Fang" almost have a Disipline-era King Crimson vibe to them. "Elephants" starts with a Zeppelin-esque riff that is just killer and then goes into a total freak out session that is just simply unstoppable. "Scumbag Blues" gives a nod to the ultimate power-trio of the past, Cream, and is a total jam complete with an amazing John Paul Jones organ solo reminiscent of "Trampled Under Foot". The records seems to drift along a bit towards the end (still good though) showing that maybe this "supergroup" is not greater than the sum of it's parts, which is a bit disappointing but completely understandable. All in all there is absolutely nothing wrong with another great Queens of the Stoneage album with amazing drumming, solid bass playing, and cool organ tidbits. If this was just credited to unknown musicians instead of these three monsters, it would be easier to listen to objectively but as it stands it is just a totally solid outing that is well worth anyone's time.

37.) Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
While Tegan and Sara's last album, The Con, was set up to be a masterpiece as it completely expanded their sound and was the largest and most atmospheric thing they have done to date, this follow up actually betters it in many ways. This time around, T&S along with producer Chris Walla, go straight for the throat. Abandoning much of the texture of their previous record, this is a much more direct and energetic record, sounding much more like the duo's earlier work albeit with a great electronic edge on some tracks. This is completely not a step backwards for them though as the songwriting is sharper and the songs themselves are pretty much all winners. For an album that seems to sound so immediately accessible this is also an album that only gets better with repeated listens, slowly revealing lots of great sonic details and lyrical twists. Again these identical twin sisters have not repeated themselves but have made another great album showcasing their extraordinary talent.

38.) Discovery - LP
Featuring Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot, this electronic debut differs very much from both members main bands. This is the way side projects like this should work though as one's that tend to stray too close to home almost always pale in comparison to the artist's main gig. On paper this shares many similarities to the Postal Service's classic 2003 album Give Up with two indie vets Jimmy Tamborello and Death Cab for Cutie's vocalist Ben Gibbard working as a duo creating a simple electronic work. The main difference between these two records lies mostly in the fact that Tamborello's main forte is electronic work while the two members in Discovery are merely just testing the waters. Also, Give Up was a much more seriously emotional record, one that was meant to be taken as a piece of art while this record is clearly an album made completely for fun's sake. As such, the Postal Service record is a much more solid and cohesive work while this album feels like really enjoyable sketches. Not that these tracks don't succeed as many of them are quite great but they are great in cliched ways, stealing from many years of musical trends from dub reggae, new wave, and even modern auto-tuned R&B jams. As a guilty pleasure this album succeeds beautifully as it is not always that one can be in the mood for "serious" music and this offers a good fun 29 minutes of delicious electro-funk.

39.) Slayer - World Painted Blood
Easily Slayer's best record since 1994's Divine Intervention if not 1990's Seasons in the Abyss (which may be my favorite Slayer record...although one cannot not really deny Reign in Blood) this thing is just brutally relentless and more focused than anything the band has done in the last 15-20 years. Key weapon/drummer Dave Lombardo (who came back for 2006's uneven Christ Illusion) is just simply on fire here, it says a lot when a drummer's fills are just as memorable as the two lead guitarists riffs and solos. The songs here really stand out on their own a lot more than any recent Slayer record as well. The creepy melodic breakdown in "Human Strain" is the best mid-tempo they have done since the title track to Seasons and the wah-wah boogie during the chorus of "Americon" is another standout moment showing some great diversity. While most of their 80's thrash metal peers have recently embarrassed themselves more often than not, Slayer remain complete untarnished and just as brutally intense as ever and they made yet another classic record after being together for 27 years, not many bands in any genre can stake claim to that accomplishment.

40.) Leonard Cohen - Live in London
Recorded live at London's O2 Arena on July 17th 2008, this shows the great Leonard Cohen's during an extremely impressive 26 song set lasting just shy of three hours. Shockingly intimate especially before a crowd of 20,000 people it really feels like he is playing to a small coffee house at times. The band is extremely impressive holding pretty true to these songs original arrangements for the most part and never over-doing it by any means. Cohen seems to be in a jovial spirit throughout, genuinely grateful of the very appreciative crowd. The career spanning set list is pretty amazing as well, although it is missing a few personal favorites it does a great job of summarizing his entire career and when put together these 26 tracks really give a great introduction to Cohen's expansive catalog for the newcomer. Any performer that could run through this much wonderful material in one night should be held in high regard but when said performer does it after not playing live for 13 years it is all the more impressive. All in all it is not bad when a 73 year old has another career peak.

41.) Pelican - What We All Come To Need
The fourth album by the very technical, almost entirely instrumental, and completely amazing Pelican is another riff heavy masterpiece of post metal stoner rock. Each song is in many ways it's own epic journey here; complete with towering crescendos, peaks and valleys, and a arty sense of dynamics. Eight of these epic aural assaults are presented here and never does this album seem same-y or meandering. Instead the listener is just anxiously awaiting the next riff, bass line, drum fill, or time signature change. This leaves the listener with a entirely edge-of-your-seat experience and even during all the craziness you get an entirely beautiful moment like this album's gorgeous title track which is almost shoe-gazey in it's utter relaxed mode. The shoegaze vibe continues on the haunting closer "Final Breath" which is the only track here with vocals.

42.) Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
If The Strokes debut Is This It? brought to mind 1977 in both sound and look with it's Lower East Side CBGB vibe and Talking Heads/Television/Lou Reed influence. Then this, Julian Casablancas debut record, is completely 1982. Much like Pete Shelley left The Buzzcocks after three classic albums and took an electronic left turn with his debut album, Casablancas does almost the same here. But while Shelley's debut was a complete departure from the pop-punk of his former band, this is more of a half turn. While this is filled with electronics, at times this still heavily resembles his former bands work. Not surprisingly the best songs here are the ones that most resemble The Strokes work, the excellent "River of Brakelights" is a highlight as are the excellent first two tracks. When he tries too hard to push the boundaries is when the major problems occur. This is a very self indulgent record, very unlike the excellent sunny day pop of bandmate Albert Hammond Jr.'s two solo records. He literally throws everything at the canvas here not caring about what sticks and works, it is a mess but a hell of one and deserves some accolades for it's sheer bombast. All in all it is a very interesting record loaded with perhaps too much sonic detail but underneath some of the craziness there are many moments that work and make for a very intriguing listen.

43.) The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Concept albums can be tricky enough but when the term "rock opera" is mentioned it is almost always a time to run and hide. Fortunately the Decemberists have never quite been like other bands, and this, their second rock opera in a row (!) is a surprisingly rather good (if slightly flawed) record. Starting off on a very strong run of songs, the album hits a major wall with the seventh track "Isn't It a Lovely Night" which is a total momentum killer. It is just one of a number of songs here that at times make this hour long record feel three times its length. This record is really just one long continuous song and should always be taken in at one sitting. This is the best way to experience it as the songs don't hold up on their own as much when they are not placed next to each other in context. There are lots of reoccurring themes about Margaret (the main character) as well as reoccurring musical moments throughout. While this story is clearer than the one presented on their previous record The Crane Wife this album on the whole is not nearly effective. The Crane Wife just simply had better songs, and less of them (only 10 compared to this albums 17). This doesn't make this album bad by any means, at times it is actually the most inspired and rocking The Decemberists have ever been, even evoking some prog metal influences at times. Still of all their albums this one is my least favorite, which shows just how great this band actually is, if this ambitious and wonderful record is their least favorite of mine it only further proves how fantastic and invincible their stellar discography truly is. But I still hope on their next outing they cut some of the pretentious that made this such a difficult album and go back to making tighter and more effective records.

44.) Weezer - Raditude
Last years self-titled "red" album was a huge comeback after 2005's horrid Make Believe which was an album so bad that it really made me question why I ever liked this band. Of course one listen to either of Weezer's classic first two albums would answer that question immediately and while nothing will ever compare to the "blue" album or the wondrous, perfect Pinkerton almost every one of their albums since has it's own merits. Raditude the band's 7th album is a great nostalgic record that lyrically looks back fondly on growing up and musically pushes the envelope, even making strides on the growth they showed on the "red" album and while this album isn't as conceptually successful as it's successor it is still a rather impressive follow up. On first listen this album may seem a bit disappointing especially after all the great left turns from the "red" album but this is a great pop record that does reveal it's pleasantries throughout repeated listens. Even the Lil Wayne cameo on "Can't Stop Partying" is completely not an embarrassment (and let's be honest it had the potential to be a trainwreck) another surprise is the sitar infused vibe of "Love is the Answer" which somehow turns out to be another complete winner. It is these chances and risks that could make or break an album like this and they prove to give this album a unique sense of adventure which coincidentally makes this a riveting listen. I am not saying this album is going to change anyone's life the way Pinkerton might or that it even compares to their completely underrated 2002 masterpiece Maladroit but this is another trophy for the long great Weezer discography.

45.) Bob Dylan - Together Through Life
Dylan's unbelievable comeback starting with 1997's Time Out of Mind, continuing with 2001's classic Love and Theft, and following up with 2006's Modern Times is one of the best hat tricks in music history. So good in fact it even rivals the best work of his career (which obviously says a lot) and while this album may break his winning streak, it is still a enjoyable 10 track 45 minute album that never really overstays it's welcome but is also not as consistently stunning as the aforementioned records. The tossed-off quality of this record adds to it's many charms but the overwhelmingly casual nature is also it's biggest flaw. For such an off-the-cuff record, written and recorded rather quickly, it's spontaneity is refreshing and makes this a breezy listen. In fact, one of the first times I listened to this record was Easter Sunday of this year, driving an hour to the shore with my dad, windows down on a beautiful spring day. It was a perfect way to experience an album of this nature as this doesn't require deep analyzation or even demand many repeated listens. It's charms are all out front, unlike the deeper nature of some of Dylan's other work this is a very topical record. While this album certainly won't be as timeless or attain instant classic status like Love and Theft it is still a completely enjoyable record whose light-heartedness is a welcome turn at times.

46.) Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Yet another winner for the always consistent if not very surprising Pearl Jam. Starting out with a pair of great Pearl Jam by numbers rockers that don't stand apart from anything they have done previous (but are still pretty great) the album really gets it's legs with "The Fixer" which is literally a perfect lead-off single and just an amazing song in it's own right, easily one of Pearl Jam's all time best. This is followed by "Just Breathe" which is a Who-esque ballad complete with stirring strings that narrowly avoids being melodramatic but will work nicely as a "lighter song" in their shows. "Amongst the Waves" is another great surf/ocean related song that could serve as a conceptual sequel to the great "Big Wave" from their last record. Speaking of their last record, this album does in many ways feel like it's lesser counterpart. Although the off-the-cuff qualities here make this a more light-hearted and fun record it doesn't have the overall classic feel of it's predecessor. Instead this is totally the "lesser sequel" and while I love brief records this one may be a little too slight in it's songwriting to really compete with some of Pearl Jam's best records (Vitalogy/Yield/Pearl Jam). It is still a completely welcome and great detour for the band and proves they don't take themselves too seriously despite being one of the biggest bands on the planet. Other highlights on this include "Unthought Known" which is a classic Pearl Jam anthem while "Supersonic" (not a JJ Fad cover although that would have been amazing) is a classic 80's new wave rocker. All in all this is another winner and betters many of their records but still falls just a wee bit short in the end.

47.) Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
The opening track of this "supergroups" record has a trip-hop beat and a harp, with their given name of Monsters of Folk, this definitely comes as a total shock. Although with members of Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, and M. Ward, these are surely artists that tend to experiment more often than not, so this (kind of) makes some sense. Although this song (and most of this album) really are not the standard definition of what Folk music is, it still carries the freewheelin' spirit of some of folk's (and folk-rock's) best troubadours. Things get onto a total Traveling Wilbury's vibe with the record's second track, the great "Say Please" and this continues even more so on the following "Whole Lotta Losin'". While "Temazcal" and "Man Named Truth" sound like outtakes from either of Conor Oberst's last two solo albums. "The Right Place" sounds like My Morning Jacket circa It Still Moves which is a bit of step backward considering the tremendous growth MMJ has been through since then. "Baby Boomer" is a winner, a collaborative effort from all four members about loving thy neighbors that has a backporch drunken afternoon quality to it. "Ahead of the Curve" sounds like it belongs as an extra track from Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, it perfectly exemplifies the happy/sad vibe Oberst was brought here to do. "Slow Down Jo" may be my favorite song M. Ward has ever written and when you add the harmonies of his bandmates here it is brought to the stratosphere, a haunting masterpiece complete with steel drums. Another gem is "Losin' Yo Head" which shows the great Jim James in full rock-out mode. Still, like the majority of all collaborative efforts, the magic arrives when all of the members leave their comfort zones and fully absorb each other's influence. Unfortunately this only happens sporadically but when it does it is pure heaven and when it doesn't we are left with some great solo tracks from some of my favorite artists, so it ends up being a win/win situation. Truly any record that has this harmonies this great could only be described as truly heavenly, and when a record ends on such a jaw-droppingly gorgeous note that is "His Master's Voice" you are looking at a near classic.

48.) Jay Z - The Blueprint 3
Consistency and longevity are not normally adjectives used to describe many artists, but Jay Z definitely embodies both of these traits and executes them greatly here on his 11th album. While this certainly is far from his best work (Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, The Black Album) it is also far from his worst album which many critics stated this year (have they not heard Kingdom Come?). Either way, it is impossible to not compare this to his previous work. Not only does the title dictate this but the subject matter here is pretty much stuck on the "best rapper ever" note throughout the entire record. He really seems like he is lacking subject matter throughout the record, despite this and to Jay Z's credit he has an extremely great knack for saying the same thing in many interesting ways. As always, he proves why he is one of the best ever. Even when he doesn't sound overly inspired he manages to throw a line or two that will just floor you. His sense of humor is in full tact here as well. The beats are almost all first rate with Kanye, Timbaland, No ID, providing the majority of them. While there are a number of complete winners here the bad songs are what ultimately bring this album way down, the best example of this is the flat awful album closer "Young Forever" which is simply unlistenable and proves how out of touch Jay can be at times. Either way it is hard to fault a victory lap, which essentially this album is, I just hope next time out Jay gets a little more inspired and gives some more memorable subject matter.

49.) Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream
While not as striking or memorable as his previous album Magic, Working on a Dream is yet another solid winner for the Boss. Where Magic showed some despair and sadness creep into the tunes, here the mood is more positive but not overly sappy. The opener "Outlaw Pete" is a complete gem, an 8 minute epic that reminds me of something that could have been on The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle (plus my 7 year old nephew somehow memorized the entire song which is not only impressive but completely awesome!). "This Life" is a total Brian Wilson homage and another winner here as is the blues romp "Good Eye". There are many more highlights on this record that all sound great while you are listening to it but sadly very few of these cuts stick out after the record is over. The production by Brendan O' Brien is super pristine and detailed but almost a little too glossy to really get to the dirt of these songs. I definitely think a rawer production would have added some much needed edge to many of these great songs. A perfect example of this is the acoustic ballad "Tomorrow Never Knows" which is just layered with strings and detail. Had this been recorded rawer (like Springsteen's acoustic masterpiece Nebraska) the song would have succeeded much more. Still Brendan O' Brien is a great producer (check his work on the last Mastodon record and on Springsteen's own Devil's and Dust) but he just adds to much "wall of sound" treatment here. There really is no need for a backwards guitar solo on a Springsteen track and then one pops up on "Life Itself". These are all rather small complaints but they are flaws nonetheless. Still it is another great (if slightly flawed) addition to the already untouchable Springsteen discography.

50.) U2 - No Line On the Horizon
Starting off undeniably strong with an amazing title track that recalls their last great title-track album opener "Zooropa" from 1993, this shows U2 at a perfect balance of experimental and the familiar. After this utterly perfect start, this album veers a little and lacks any resemblance of focus on many of these tracks. As much as I normally love the Eno/Lanois contributions, I feel that they should have let U2 be a little more organic here as some of the sonic experimentation sounds a little forced at times. Still there are many jaw-droppingly beautiful moments here, most notably the ballad "Moment of Surrender" which is a complete and total instant-classic. "Stand Up Comedy" is probably the best rocker here, with "Magnificent" and "Unknown Caller" trailing closely behind. "Fez-Being Born" is the best experimental song here with the opening resembling one of the sonic soundscapes off The Unforgettable Fire. "White as Snow" should be better than it is but misses it's mark slightly but it's slight faults are nothing compared to the lead off single "Get on Your Boots" which is a total embarrassment and one of the worst songs U2 has ever recorded. The album's two closers "Breathe" and "Cedars of Lebanon" are worthy of inclusion but are both a bit underwhelming with the former having some of Bono's most cringeworthly lyrics ever. All in all, the album is a bit of a disappointment but credit has to go to the band for at least trying to change their style and experiment a bit even if it doesn't always succeed in the way Actung Baby or Zooropa did. A solid if not spectacular effort.

51.) Rain Machine - Rain Machine
As all expectations for anything TV on the Radio related are going to be naturally sky high, it makes listening to TVOTHR's Kyp Malone's first solo endeavor rather hard to do with an objective and open mind. With that being said when taken on it's on merits and while trying hard not to compare it to any of his main band's work this is a pretty compelling disc in it's own right. Obviously not in the same league with any of TVOTR's masterpieces but still striking nonetheless. The album starts off pretty strong with "Give Blood" resembling a TVOTR track albeit with some interesting backing female vocals. "New Last Name" is the best ballad here mostly due to it's abbreviated length, which brings me to the main criticism of this record, the songs are just far too long (especially during the seemingly never ending second half). The records best song is the great "Smiling Black Faces" which uses Malone's versatile voice to great effect. "Hold You Holy" sounds like a TVOTR outtake with a huge sounding chorus and layers of guitars and effects. While this definitely has it's moments and is completely worth checking out, there are a lot of moments (like the entirety of "Love Won't Save You") that you wish would have stayed in the vault. Not a perfect record, but not a throwaway either.

52.) Ghostface Killah - Ghostdini the Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City
Despite this album's incredibly chaotic (and totally amazing) title, the subject matter here is completely streamlined. Focusing solely on love (and sex) this is completely missing the anything goes stream of conscious style that is normally Ghostface's trademark. This is Ghost's full fledged R&B album and while he still has some classic lines that only he could create and get away with it is missing some of the fire of his earlier more street influenced work (he must have used it all on Raekwon's last record). The production here is strictly out of the modern R&B playbook. Meaning overly slick beats, auto-tune, lots of guests, and just an annoying overall way-too-poppy feel. Even the dirtier songs, which normally would be funny, here are just disturbing (I'm looking at you "Stapleton Sex"). This is still Ghost, one of my all time favorites, so this obviously has some redeeming moments. A couple of highlights are the seventies soul drenched "Stay", as well as the laid back "Forever", the sappy "Paragraphs of Love" shows a great emotional side missing from most hip hop (and the piano laced beat is great as well), and the futuristic "She's a Killah" is brilliant as well, but the best track here is by far the excellent "Guest House" which is sadly the only song here that can really compare to any of his previous classics. Another criticism is, besides the great John Legend, the guest spots here are too plentiful and strangely weak. It is almost like Ghost is the guest here instead of the other way around. Still Ghost has more than enough one liners to save this from being a complete failure and for that it is totally worth a few spins (and a spot on this list).

Best Remasters/Reissues of 2009

1.) The Beatles - The Mono Box/The Stereo Box
By far the most eagerly anticipated remaster project of all time. This much delayed venture finally came out this year after almost every other classic rock band's catalog was remastered a decade or so previous. A bit unfair considering it is The Beatles and all, but the timing was kind of perfect making this many people's first (and probably last) CD related purchase in some time, as a simple download would not cut it for something this relevant. So whether you went for the Mono or the Stereo box or just the individual remasters you really can't go wrong with anything Beatles. Rather than go into each individual album's merits (of which there are far too many to count) I will speak of the two box sets both of which are worth owning. First off, the Mono box doesn't include Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, or Let It Be as these were never mixed or released in Mono, so if you pick up the Mono box set you will need to get these individually or by picking up the stereo box set as well. The Mono box also features the mixes that were what The Beatles and George Martin spent the most time working on and are considered to be the definitive mixes of these albums. And yes, there are many differences between the two mixes. The earlier albums are much punchier and crisper in Mono, and the later albums feature some songs in completely different pitches "She's Leaving Home" and "Helter Skelter" for example. Having heard both box sets, I feel the need to own both (I am a bit obsessive but still). I enjoy the earlier albums in Mono (especially A Hard Day's Night the best early Beatles album that absolutely kills your brain on the Mono mix), and I prefer the latter albums in Stereo (especially The White Album). So both are worth hearing, for the money The Mono set is clearly better (especially for including the original 1965 stereo mixes of both Help! and Rubber Soul as bonus tracks) but the stereo still has it merits. While owning both or spending over $200 for one of these bad boys is out of most people's perception of common sense, for us obsessives there is nothing as moving and beautiful as the music contained within these boxes. These are the greatest pop songs/albums of all time and a background for everything I listen to now, plus I can count back to my childhood everytime I listen to these tunes and remember the first time I heard every note by this band and am immediately taken back there. So if that's not a reason to be obsessive I don't know what is.

2.) Radiohead - The Bends - Deluxe Edition
EMI, having lost Radiohead before the release of the great In Rainbows were desperate for new product by one of their biggest acts, so without the bands consent or input they decided to re-release all of their 6 EMI albums this year into deluxe 2-disc packages. While some of these remasters are simply pointless (I'm lookin' at you Pablo Honey), others are simply vital (The Bends). While us die-hards would have much preferred a simple B-sides/rarities collection rather than shelling out loot for these rather expensive packages, one cannot complain with the wealth of rare material presented here. As previously mentioned The Bends is the best of the bunch, the second disc on this platter collects all of the B-sides from this era resulting in 14 completely new songs as well as some live tracks from this era. The 14 B-sides almost sound like a great lost album between The Bends and Ok Computer with some of the later Nigel Godrich produced tracks like "Talk Show Host" really pointing the way to their more experimental future work. While the B-sides from Ok Computer are just as vital there were a lot less of them and they are much more conveniently available on the CD Single of "Airbag". As for Kid A, there were no singles from this album so there are obviously no B-sides, just some live and alternative takes. Amnesiac is the second best of this reissue series with some great B-sides and rare stuff from these sessions. Finally we have Hail to the Thief whose B-sides surely have their moments but can't live up to the previous platters offerings. All in all, this is a rather expensive and frustrating way to get some of the most important music of the past twenty years, but in the case of The Bends it is completely worth it.

3.) Morrissey - Swords
Ever since his tenure with The Smiths, Morrissey has always been an artist who takes his singles just as seriously as his full length albums. Also just like his former band, Morrissey has been releasing most of these singles (and their related B-sides) on countless compilations over the years. Some of these compilations are absolute classics (Hatful of Hollow, Louder Than Bombs, Bona Drag), mostly because of the wealth of otherwise unleased or extremely rare material and also because some of the best moments were only available on said compilations. Lately there has been a plethora of "greatest hits", "best-of", and "deluxe" collections that will contain a small number of new/rare tracks with a wealth of previously released material making it very frustrating for the dedicated fan like myself to collect all of the material needed to have a complete Moz collection. This compilation can be rewarded for having 18 non-album tracks, unlike other compilations like My Early Burglary Years and World of Morrissey which frustratingly mixed B-sides with songs already released on his proper albums. While not all of these songs are complete winners, there are enough gems here to warrant this worthy (even if it is still missing a few stray b-sides and rare songs that would have easily fit here). Also, for a collection of songs rather than a proper album, this is surprisingly cohesive, mostly because this collection focuses only on songs from Morrissey's last three albums (all of which are classics). While this album may be frustrating for us diehards who already purchased most of these songs on countless other sources, it is still kind of nice to have them all together in a convenient long-playing format giving us an extra bonus Morrissey album this year.

4.) The Vaselines - Come Feel the Vaselines
Super jangly and utterly perfect, Scotland's Vaselines made some of the greatest twee indie pop of all time. This 2 disc compilation is a complete treasure trove of pop nuggets, the first disc contains everything this band recorded from 1986-1990 including two EPs and their only full-length Dum-Dum all in chronological order while the second disc is chalk-full of demos and live tracks. While the live tracks on the second disc are good for a bonus, the first disc here is truly the bee's knees featuring some of the greatest Scottish pop this side of The Jesus & Mary Chain or Belle & Sebastian. Perhaps the greatest single thing about The Vaselines is just how totally raunchy and dirty their lyrics were. Almost every single song they wrote was explicitly about sex, with titles like "Rory Rides Me Raw", "Dying For It', "Sex Sux (Amen)", and "Monsterpussy" you can see where they were going but musically these filthy songs were all delivered in such a happy tongue-in-cheek manner that it makes the lyrics seem all the much more dirty (and fun). All in all this is one of the greatest compilations of low-fi indie pop ever assembled and completely essential to anyone even remotely interested in some of the most beautifully fun pop music ever recorded.

5.) Modest Mouse - No One's First and You're Next
For an odds and sods record rounding up stray tracks from their last two (great) albums this truly shows just how impressive MM is as this plays like a amazing new EP and not just simply a collection of leftovers. Every song here is a total winner and they sound great together on this brief but wonderful 8 track collection. In terms of highlights " Satellite Skin" sounds like it could have been a single, "Perpetual Motion Machine" uses the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to create a New Orleans style jam that only MM could muster up, and the building "History Sticks To Your Feet" is a complete and total brooding monster. The fact that not only is this Modest Mouse's third (!) rarities/b-sides compilation (1999's Building Nothing Out of Something and 2001's Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks came before) but all three are complete highlights in their pretty untouchable discography shows how great this consistently entertaining band is.

6.) Nirvana - Live at Reading '92
Recorded on August 30th 1992 during Nirvana's headlining gig at England's Reading Festival, this shows the band in it's full live rock peak. With an expansive set list spanning the highlights from their entire career including songs from all three of their albums, b-sides, and covers this is pretty much the most perfect Nirvana set list one could ask for. There is a complete jovial and fun sense throughout this show especially through the laughter at the beginning of "Sliver" and the mumbled verses of "In Bloom". It is quite a document of this band at the peak of it's powers, unlike the scattershot live compilation From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah which drew from a large number of different shows and thus reflects different moods, this shows the band during one 80 minute long run blasting through highlight after highlight. When put next to their Unplugged album this shows both sides of this incredible band in two totally different vibes. Hearing the entire crowd singalong to "Lithium" is sure to give you chills no matter how sick of the song you may be. There are too many highlights to even mention here, and while a lot of these songs have been completely played out on radio hearing them in this raucous live setting completely restores their vitality and makes them reborn again.