Top 10 of 2009
2009! What a year! This was the most difficult end of year list I’ve ever compiled!!! So much good music! I chose my top ten favorites and then there are like 15 honorable mentions! Just because they are honorable mentions doesn’t mean I don’t love them dearly! All of these albums have been on heavy rotation on my ipod, in my car, on my stereo this year! I’ve also been lucky enough to see a lot of them live (thank you Lolla!)
Also… Check out all the females on my list! My feminist side is bursting with joy for that!
Hope you enjoy! I was very bored today so I took the time to add links to my favorite songs!
*clicking the links will take you away from this page*
1- Dan Auerbach- Keep It Hid
Unquestionably without a doubt the #1 album of the year! So glad I had the pleasure of seeing Dan Auerbach and the Fast Five live not once but twice this year! They were one of the highlights of Lollapalooza and my 2nd show in Nashville this year! If you don’t already know it… Dan Auerbach is ½ of The Black Keys (my 2nd favorite band ever). The fast five include members of Texan band Hacienda along with Patrick Hallahan (drummer for My Morning Jacket, my 3rd favorite band ever).
Check out:
“Heartbroken In Disrepair” “I Want Some More”And my video from the Nashville show
“When the Night Comes”2- White Lies- To Lose My Life…
So close to being number 1 on the list. It probably ties with Dan Auerbach to be honest! I also saw this band twice this year. Once at Lolla and once opening for Kings of Leon in Nashville. I dare you not to like them!
Check out:
“EST” (which I believe stands for electric shock therapy)
“Taxidermy”Maybe I love them so much because dancing in the rain to this song during Lolla was one of those indescribable moments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB-tYixtGqg3- Ida Maria- Fortress Round My Heart
Norwegian rock goddess Ida Maria is like a talented less white trash version of Courtney Love. Her album is exceptional from start to finish with tales of love, insecurity, and neurosis. I also had the pleasure of seeing her at Lolla this year. On stage is where the Courtney Love-esque behavior comes into play only less white trash and more for performance purposes. You’ve probably heard “You Keep Me Warm” on that annoying lotion ad on TV.
Check Out:
“Oh My God”“I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”“Stella”4- Monsters of Folk
What do you get when you combine a few of music’s most talented…you get pure bliss in the form of Monsters of Folk! Then again maybe I’m biased because Jim James owns a little piece of my heart.
Check out:
“The Right Place”“Say Please”5- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros- Up From Below
I only recently discovered Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Proof that love at first sight (or in this case listen) exists! The music is so magically wonderful you don’t even stop to think about all the hippies dancing around a big bus in the music videos!
The first song I heard by them “Home” (was played after the cake was cut/served at the wedding of Nathan Followill and Jessie Baylin… I can always find a way to throw Kings of Leon in there!) It’s probably the most romantic love song I’ve ever heard.
Check Out:
“Home”“40 Day Dream”6- Florence + the Machine-Lungs
Florence Welch…what can I even say… just listen and let your mind be blown to pieces! Surprisingly she’s only 23 years old but looks and has the talent of someone older!
Check Out:
“You’ve got the Love”“Kiss with a Fist”7- Yeah Yeah Yeahs- It’s Blitz
Get your leather leather leather ooon and start dancing! Karen O. is probably one of the more consistent female figures in rock music these days and she never fails to deliver the goods rather it’s through her music or her unique fashion (she‘s the Lady GaGa of rock)! This album got me through some long walks on the treadmill this year!
Check Out:
“Zero”“Heads will Roll”“Runaway”8- Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
I’m a sucker for a good band from the south! These guys were the first band I got to see at Lolla this year! They were a perfect way to start a great weekend of music!
“Pride”“I’ve Got Friends”“I Can Feel A Hot One” (one of my favorite songs of all time)
9- Justin Townes Earle- Midnight at the Movies
JTE is my newest love! I only discovered him when he opened for Dan Auerbach earlier this month but it was an instant love! He is the son of musician Steve Earle and named after Steve’s best friend Townes Van Zandt (who is/was amazing himself). He really lives up to his namesake and his famous father’s talent while at the same time is able to stand apart from them and make a name for himself. His music is a fusion of bluegrass/rock/country that he blends together perfectly.
“Mama’s Eyes” (cause as JTE put it…every southern boy is required to write a song about his mama)
“What I Mean to You”“Halfway to Jackson”10- Heartless Bastards- The Mountain
I really just wanted another band with a chick in it in my top 10! Not really but it makes me happy to see all the females represented in my list! I’m not sure why I like Heartless Bastards so much… maybe it’s the name, the unique vocals, or the great songs. Maybe it’s all of the above!
“The Mountain” (not an official video but it works so you can hear the audio)
“Out at Sea”Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)
Blakroc- Blakroc : The Black Keys (yeah Dan Auerbach makes the list twice this year) with some of todays best hip hop artists. This is quality a rock hip hop album and not that late 90’s/ early 00’s nu-metal crap.
Try:
“Ain’t Nothin Like You” Ft. Mos Def and Jim JonesGossip- Music for Men : Seeing this in the honorable mention section makes me sad because it’s such a great album! There were just too many good albums this year to choose from. Beth Ditto is seriously my hero. She’s so talented!
Try:
“Heavy Cross” Biffy Clyro- Only Revolutions: Again sad this isn’t in the top 10! They’re just a great band! They need to be bigger in the U.S.!
Try:
“Captain”The Airborne Toxic Event- The Airborne Toxic Event: Another band I got the pleasure of seeing at Lolla. Really amazing! I’ve turned a lot of people on to these guys so if you listen I can promise you’ll like!
Try:
“Wishing Well”Bon Iver- Blood Bank EP: Okay so it’s not technically an album but it’s still beautiful! Put it on when it’s cold and snowing outside, light some candles, and cuddle under a blanket and you’ll have heaven.
Try:
“Blood Bank”Arctic Monkeys- Humbug : They never fail to bring quality music!
Try:
“Cornerstone”Kasabian- West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum: They win for best album name! Great album, I think they are kind of unique from all the other bands that get tossed in the same genre as they do.
Try:
"Happiness"Or if you want more mainstream try
“Fire”The Avett Brothers- I and Love and You: Again I can’t get enough of hairy southern boys…
Try:
“I and Love and You”The Features - Some Kind of Salvation : First band signed to Kings of Leon’s new record label. They have amazing taste. Enough said!
Try:
“Lions”Thrice- Beggars : One of my favorite bands ever! So sad it didn’t make the top ten cut but it’s missing something that all their previous albums has. Still amazing though!
Try:
“In Exile”Bat for Lashes- Two Suns: Another amazing Lolla artist!
Try:
“Pearls Song”Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavillion: Sometimes it’s hit and miss with me and this band but I really like this album!
Try:
“My Girls”Cory Chisel (and the wandering sons)- Death Won’t Send A Letter: I actually just discovered this album last weekend! I went to see some live music with a friend in Nashville and behold there was Cory Chisel! It’s been on repeat ever since! Had this album been in my life longer it would probably have made top 5 but it doesn’t seem fair to give him top spot after less than a week of hearing it!
Try:
“Born Again” and
“Tennessee”Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More: The British version of hairy southern folk rock!
Try:
“White Blank Page”Temper Trap- Conditions: You probably remember this song from the movie 500 Days of Summer and most recently the annoying Rhapsody commercial.
Try:
“Sweet Disposition”The Dead Weather- Horehound: What’s a yearly album list without Jack White!?
Try:
“Hang you from the Heavens”Them Crooked Vultures- Them Crooked Vultures: Just by band members alone this is a mandatory item. Josh Homme and Dave Grohl just automatically get put on the list!
Try:
“Mind Eraser (No Chaser)”Worst album of the year goes to Atreyu! Yeah I said it… my once beloved band put out the worst album I’ve ever heard!
*wipes sweat from forehead* Whew! That was hard! I can’t wait for all the amazing music in store for 2010! (Kings of Leon, Jessie Baylin, lostprophets…I could go on but I won’t!)
