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Last Active 01-06-16 7:07 pm
Joined 09-06-08
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| Top 10 Albums Of 2009
My 10 favourite albums released in 2009, in order | | 1 |  | Manchester Orchestra
Mean Everything To Nothing
My favourite album this year by a distance. Mean Everything To Nothing is a huge step up from their promising debut, which itself was pretty good. Songs such as The Only One, I Can Feel A Hot One and The River are all stunning, and the fact that these are only among the highlights make this the clear standout release of 2009 for me. | | 2 |  | Converge
Axe To Fall
Not quite as good as Jane Doe, but this album still hits hard. The opening quartet of Dark Horse, Reap What You Sow, Axe To Fall and Effigy is probably the most intense beginning to an album this year, and the rest is pretty great too. There is a small mid album dip, but the likes of Cutter and Wretched World ensure the album ends on the high it deserves. | | 3 |  | Mastodon
Crack The Skye
This was my first experience of Mastodon, and it proved an excellent introduction being their most accessible yet. It can drag a little at times, but songs such as Oblivion and Divinations could go down as metal classics, and if I had to pick one metal album from 2009 that will be remembered in years to come, this would be it. | | 4 |  | Franz Ferdinand
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
This probably wouldn't be anywhere near as high if I wasn't such a Franz fanboy, but as it is I loved this album. The addition of extra synths freshened up the bands traditional sound, retaining the bands relevence into the new decade. Seeing these songs live only increased my enjoyment of the record. | | 5 |  | Silversun Pickups
Swoon
Forget the Smashing Pumpkins comparisons, Silversun Pickups have their own sound, and on Swoon they almost perfected it - on the first half at least. The second half, while also good never reaches the heights seen in the first, with the first five songs all among the best released this year. | | 6 |  | White Lies
To Lose My Life
This band and album didn't recieve much love here, but I personally loved White Lies debut. It's true that there is very little originality, with the band drawing influence from Joy Divistion, Editors et al, but the songs they write more than make up for this. The album is very consistant throughout with ten very solid songs, the best of which, Death is truly astonishing. | | 7 |  | Pearl Jam
Backspacer
Although I am a big fan, I wan't expecting Pearl Jam's new album to be anywhere near my top 10. Like the majority of their fans and critics, I couldn't see them getting out of the creative slump they found themselves in, but Backspacer proved me utterly wrong. An energetic, upbeat and accessible record, this is a great comeback, and for me, their strongest work since the classic Ten. | | 8 |  | Gallows
Grey Britain
I didn't particually like their debut album, but this grew on me rapidly after I initially dismissed it also. The songs are better, the riffs are better and the production is much better, making for an all together stronger set than their first. The intense vocal performance of Frank Turner was another highlight of my punk record of the year. | | 9 |  | Arctic Monkeys
Humbug
They promised a heavier darker sound for their last album, but with Humbug, Arctic Monkeys finally delivered. The change in sound to me at least sounds like a natural evolution, and I for one find this to be a far more enjoyable record than Favourite Worst Nightmare. Also the clear highlight, Cornerstone, is for me the best song released by anyone this year, | | 10 | | Yeah Yeah Yeah's
It's Blitz!
I haven't heard either of their earlier albums yet, but I'm sure to listen after hearing this. Opening duo Zero and Heads Will Roll are two of the best pop songs of the year, but even these are overshadowed by softer moments, particually Skeletons which is truly awe inspiring. Like Crack The Skye, this is one of the albums that 2009 will likely be remembered for. | |
AliW1993
12.23.09 | Honourable mentions to the albums by Between The Buried And Me, Noah And The Whale, Coalesce, As Cities Burn and Animal Collective, all of which could have featured here if they'd had a little more time to sink in. | EVedder27
12.24.09 | awesome 1! 5 and 7 made my list as well although I disagree that 7 is their strongest since Ten. | klap
12.24.09 | good stuff, agree with 10 although i didn't think i'd call them pop songs haha. never understood the smashing pumpkins comparisons with pickups besides his vocals i guess | AliW1993
12.24.09 | I enjoy Vs and Vitalogy, but for me Backspacer is more consistantly good than either of those. | EVedder27
12.24.09 | Idk we probably have differing opinions on PJ but I would say that all their 90's records are better than Backspacer.
Rudy: I think people compare them because of the layered guitars too. | klap
12.24.09 | people who make that comparison should have a lobotomy | EVedder27
12.24.09 | true that | DaveyBoy
12.24.09 | Great read Ali. Pretty diverse too, so well done.
I must say that I actually liked what I heard from #6. Nothing outstanding, but I'm definitely not a hater. It will be interesting to see what they come up with next. | Asiatic667
12.24.09 | Needs moar Penistoe | ART36
12.24.09 | Good list. PJ, Arctic Monkeys, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs almost made my list (all great records). |
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