Music of 2009

I don't have the time to do write-ups now, but I wanted to post my Best of 2009 lists. First up is music. I've listed 25 albums, but only the top 10 are ranked (the rest are alphabetical). I've also listed my list of favorite songs that would fit onto one of those silly compact discs. Again, should be a pretty good mix of critically acclaimed and ignored, elitist and populist, and maybe even a little wizard rock. I've also included a list of albums I was underwhelmed with. Feel free to weigh in:

Top 25 Albums (Or, My Favorite 25 Albums), 25-11:
Bob Dylan - Together Through Life
Brand New - Daisy
The Bravery - Stir the Blood
Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Four Year Strong - Explains It All
Fun. - Aim and Ignite
Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
The Lawrence Arms - Buttsweat and Tears [EP]
The Lonely Island - Incredibad
Muse - The Resistance
New Found Glory - Not Without a Fight
Paramore - Brand New Eyes
The Parselmouths - Spattergroit
Passion Pit - Manners
Thrice - Beggars
Top 10:
10) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9) Set Your Goals - This Will Be the Death of Us
8) Franz Nicolay - Major General
7) The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
6) Metric - Fantasies
5) Brendan Benson - My Old, Familar Friend
4) Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
3) Meg and Dia - Here, Here and Here
2) Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
1) Big D and the Kids Table - Fluent in Stroll



The following is a list of albums that, for whatever reason (well, I'll actually give you the reasons), I was underwhelmed by this year. Some probably just require more listening, but I was let down initially. Here's my "All-Meh" Albums of the Year:

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (I just don't get this band - Zzzzzzzzz)
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug (Album title captures all too well its mood)
The Dead Weather - Horehound (A few standouts, but a LOT of filler)
Eminem - Relapse (Just... not good. At all... lost his edge)
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown (Can you go back to writing good pop-punk songs, please?)
Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing (I tried... and tried, but this record doesn't do much for me)
Silversun Pickups - Swoon (The band is a one-trick pony... with one leg)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures (definitely need to listen to this one more... but it just seems like another QotSA record)
Weezer - Raditude (Fun enough, but Rivers has spent his cachet by now)

Finally, the songs. Rather than trying to rank them (harder than albums), I've just included my 'Best of 2009' playlist. Fits on a CD or an iPod! Here it be:

Big D and the Kids Table - "Not Fucking Around"*
The Bravery - "I Have Seen the Future"
Brendan Benson - "A Whole Lot Better"
Chuck Ragan - "Glory"
Death Cab For Cutie - "Little Bribes"
The Decemberists - "The Rake's Song"
Dredg - "Saviour"
Foo Fighters - "Wheels"
Franz Nicolay - "Nightratsong"
Fun. - "All the Pretty Girls"
Jay-Z (et al.) - "Run This Town"
The Lawrence Song - "The Slowest Drink At The Saddest Bar On The Snowiest Day In The Greatest City"*
The Lonely Island - "Like a Boss"*
Lucero - "What Are You Willing to Lose"
Meg & Dia - "Black Wedding"
Metric - "Gold Guns Girls"
New Found Glory - "Listen to Your Friends"
Paramore - "Playing God"
The Parselmouths - "Being a Veela Is Easy"
Passion Pit - "Little Secrets"
Phoenix - "1901"
Tegan & Sara - "The Cure"
Thrice - "The Weight"

*One of these is the best song of the year. For the life of me, I can't decide right now. Thanks for reading!