Your top alternative albums of 2009

[WBIMDJ]

List your favorite Alternative albums of 2009 here. Here are my Top 10:

1) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

My vote for album of the year. Amazing band, was introduced to them this year, despite them being around since the late 90's. They come from the same city (Versailles) that spawned amazing French bands such as Air and Daft Punk. They certainly sound like it, too, with their dancey and catchy tunes. I was blown away the first time I heard "1901", I knew it was something special. Even a few months later it is now on a Cadillac commercial, I still don't mind and still dance to it when I hear it. You just don't get sick of brilliant music like this. I'm also glad that bands like this can still make it big on alternative radio nowadays. Absolutely brilliant. Pick it up today if you don't have it!!

2) Silversun Pickups - Swoon

Well, it's one of my favorite bands to come out of any scene in the last 5 years, so I may sound a bit biased here, but this album by the Silversun Pickups is just, well, amazing. "The Royal We", "Growing Old Is Getting Old", "Substitution", and the #1 Modern Rock single "Panic Switch" all shine on this amazing record. The best thing about this record, I've noticed is that it gets even better each time you listen to it. First time I heard it, it was great. Second time, even better. Third, fourth, you get the idea. No sophomore slump here, and the band showed they can shun critics with their comparisons to early Pumpkins material. Expect more amazing things from these guys in the years to come!

3. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

To me (and a lot of others), Franz Ferdinand can do no wrong. This is again proven with their 2009 release, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. Their brand of dance-punk via Glasgow is catchy, edgy and fun all at the same time. And also very appealing. While their last release, 2005's You Could Have It So Much Better, moved in a harder rock direction than the 2004 self-titled debut, this album shows the band returning to their dancey roots shown on the first album. And it still rocks hard too! Best tracks: "No You Girls", "Ulysses", "Lucid Dreams", and "Can't Stop Feeling".

4. Metric - Fantasies

An amazing effort by Canadian Indie band Metric. With the song "Help I'm Alive" getting generous alternative radio airplay, this band got some recognition this year, and it's definitely well deserved. Lead singer Emily Haines (also of Broken Social Scene) has an amazingly smooth voice to go over the electro-pop indie rock vibe present on the album. Some other highlights include "Gimme Sympathy", "Sick Muse", and "Gold Guns and Girls".

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have evolved quite a bit and exploring new synthy disco electronic type material on this new record, which is a good thing. Showing versatility and ability to write different types of music yet staying true to their roots shown on earlier releases such as Fever to Tell make this record a memorable one from this year. Standout: "Heads Will Roll"

6. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

Well, what can I say. When I first heard about this group's formation, I was literally drooling at the mouth. Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age on guitar/vocals, John Paul Jones (yes THAT John Paul Jones) of Led Zeppelin on bass, and David Grohl on drums makes for one legendary rock lineup. I had a chance to see them at the House of Blues in Boston before their album release this past fall. All I can say is that it was one LOUD show, one of the loudest I've been to. And that's exactly how the record is, loud and in your face. With Homme on vocals, it's easy to mistake a few songs for QOTSA hits, but it definitely works and you can hear the pure musicianship of these three men on record. It's almost too much to take. But get the record, and give it a few spins. It sure does rock, and is in my opinion the DEFINITION of what a "supergroup" should be. Thanks to these guys for keeping great musicianship and rock and roll going in 2009 and beyond!!

7. Passion Pit - Manners

Hurray for Passion Pit! Local band (Cambridge, MA) making it big on the national level, finally. I first heard this band back in 2008 at a showcase for local talent, and I knew they were special even back then. They won "Best New Local Artist" in the 2008 Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll, and in the following year actually played the WFNX Best Music Poll CONCERT in summer of 2009. They've come a long way, and it's no denying the great electro-pop they make is part of the reason for their popularity. All MGMT comparisons aside, this band is destined for greatness if they keep making music like this in the future. This record has some gems on it including "Sleepyhead", "Moth's Wings", "Little Secrets", and the song getting nationwide airplay, "The Reeling." It may not be for everyone, but it may be the best music you've heard all year. Give Passion Pit a try.

8. Matt & Kim - Grand

The name of this Brooklyn-based duo means exactly what it is: Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino. If I could explain this band to someone in just one word it would be: HAPPY! That is exactly what they are all about, making music, being happy and making sure their fans have a good time. I saw them perform in an intimate venue (bar in Boston) and during their FUN performance a smile does not leave either of their faces. The stripped down sound (only instruments used are drums and synthesizer) works and gives the band a unique, poppy sound that indeed does help to keep the grin on your face. This album is great all the way through and retains that vibe. The fact that they incorporate this into their music certainly shows. I personally spoke to Matt after the show and he mentioned how this was his best summer ever since getting recognition for the song "Daylight." He even mentioned it made him ecstatic that his music could reach so many people. Matt's autograph on my poser: 'Thanks for making this great. - Matt' Check out: "Lessons Learned" (amazing video also), "Daylight", "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare", "Don't Slow Down"

9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Another Brooklyn-based band (they really are churning out some great groups lately) named Grizzly Bear puts out one of the out-of-left-field surprises for this year. When I first heard the song "Two Weeks" on an online Indie station, I was amazed. I had to look to see who did the song and the catchy sing-song chorus. Within a couple of weeks, my local alternative outlet WFNX was playing it also. I bought the album the next week. Great indie pop if that's your thing. Check out these guys, they're definitely a buzz in the Indie Rock world. Check out "Ready, Able" and of course "Two Weeks"

10. Regina Spektor - Far

Ahh, Regina. Besides being so ridiculously cute (Yes I know that means squat when it comes to music), she is a great singer-songwriter and I've enjoyed her previous efforts. I bought this one after hearing the song "Eet" which is a down tempo piano number, showcasing Regina's excellent vocals. On this album, Regina collaborated with several different producers. The result is a different sounding album with many different "sounds" but still retaining the Regina Spektor feel. I feel the first half of the record is the strongest, the second half is a little less consisten but still good. If you like Regina or are a fan of female songwriters in general it's a great buy.

 

[p_herring]

Cool thread, here's my top 20 (taken from a Facebook note I wrote earlier):

20) IDA MARIA – Fortress Around My Heart

Though the debut from this spunky U.K. drunken punk was released in 2008 overseas, us Yanks didn’t get our own physical copy until ’09 (of course, as always, the internet was there for anyone who lacked patience). Thankfully, Ms. Maria never runs out of steam throughout this entire 10-track blast (even the ballads contain some sort of restlessness) meaning that the record still stands up after repeated plays (even if you downloaded it last year). The way she can come across as both naïve and innocent while still maintain a reckless and drunk persona is truly charming, especially in the banger “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked.”

19) THE XX – The XX

Upon doing a little bit of research on this brilliant London trio, I found out the entire album consisted of night-time recording sessions which makes complete sense. The dense, atmospheric, sleepy yet paranoid nature is only one of the turn-ons their debut offers. Like the best new bands, it can be hard to exactly pinpoint the sound: trip-hop, ambient, post-punk, etc. There is nothing inherently intense about this record which, oddly enough, creates its own unique kind of intensity. The way the drums just barely sneak by, the pleading vocals, echoey guitar lines, it’s amazing how accomplished this young group sounds on their debut.

18) THURSDAY – Common Existence

During the 2001-04 emo/screamo boom, Thursday were one of the many bands unfairly tagged with those dirty words and also one of the many set up to be “The Next Big Thing.” Unfortunately, emo was one of the many genres fighting for the “next big thing” tag which inevitably made sure there was never any truly next big thing after all. After disappointing commercial sales with two major label releases the band re-grouped and jumped back to the indies, albeit major indies (Epitath). The result is a band continuing to refuse to rest on their laurels, mixing their trademarked post-hardcore with just enough experimentation to keep the results interesting. Like the best bands to emerge from this movement, they keep things just accessible while never sacrificing the intensity that makes it all work. The latter half may focus a little bit too much on shoe-gazey type material but still doesn’t mask the raw passion Thursday offers.

17) PEARL JAM – Backspacer

Though their early catalog still holds many arena-ready anthems, Pearl Jam were never a band about fun. In fact, they spent the majority of a decade trying to undo most of the success they achieved. Even their acclaimed “return to form” 2006 release still felt very much like work. Backspacer features the bands shortest running time and hardest-hitting songs. The way they pummel through the first three songs displays the type of urgency of a band 20 years younger than them. It could be the W’s presidency ending, it could be the exclusive deal with Target or it could simply be the band members refusing to mellow out with age, but Seattle’s longest running lumberjack rockers have never sounded as vital and fresh.

16) PARAMORE – Brand New Eyes

Not many people would have guessed that the Warped Tour side-stage earnest emo rockers fronted by a girl with changing hair colors would have crossed into the big leagues but stranger thing have happened. As such, Brand New Eyes is both the typical and atypical follow up to smash album (Riot! for anyone not paying attention). Typical in that it sounds bigger, fuller and more accomplished while also being darker and not as bubbly. Atypical is that it’s actually better than its predecessor. Upon it’s release, the rumors of No Doubt/Fleetwood Mac-style relationship drama within the band finally came out and it’s easy to hear that all over the record. Thankfully, spitfire vocalist Hayley Williams never succumbs to lyrical clichés and the band themselves beef up their big sound with even bigger hooks that will still keep the Warped crowds pogo-ing while drawing in new listeners.

15) PASSION PIT – Manners

It’s hard to believe that, at this time last year, Passion Pit had just made it out of the “acclaimed CMJ band” phase and signed to a major label. Now, they’re packing 3000-capacity venues and it’s not hard to understand why: their full-length debut is one blast of pure electro/indie dance pop bliss after another. Michael Angelakos unique falsetto keeps the hooks coming while his band-mates make sure to keep feet moving on the dance floor.

14) YEAH YEAH YEAHS – It’s Blitz

After a riveting charge of post-punk (Fever To Tell) and the beautiful hang-over afterwards (Show Your Bones) the 3 Yeah’s (can I call them that?) decided to charge the dance-floor. Even though the band stretches out beyond their guitar/drums/snarly vocals combo, there is still enough spunky attitude from Karen O to please even the most jaded downtown scenesters. Don’t worry though, the band makes sure that fans of “Maps” are still satisfied as well with the haunting “Skeletons”, hands down the album’s best track.

13) ARCTIC MONKEYS – Humbug

The Monkeys decided to change it up on the their release and part of the credit should go to producer Josh Homme (who leads the sexiest groove-heavy band, Queens Of The Stone Age). The riffs may be slower but they’re thicker, with Alex Turner’s storytelling being as sharp and clever as ever. While the band hasn’t truly found their voice just yet, it’s a delight seeing them explore new territories and study up on the Black Sabbath riff catalog. As always with Turner, it’s his most twisted tales that garners the best results (see “Cornerstone”).

12) THRICE – Beggars

Like Thursday, Thrice was on their way to being another major-label casualty. After releasing the broad and ambitious Alchemy Index discs in 2007 and 2008 respectively the band decided to start fresh and, by doing that, produced is their most accomplished, coherent and efficient record to date. Similar to Radiohead’s In Rainbows (not in sound but in thought), the band decided to throw out all concepts and just play. Not only does Beggars yield Thrice’s strongest songs to date it also shows the band at their most confident, whether it be jangly riffs (“The Weight”) or straight up bids at classic rock radio (“In Exile”).

11) THIRD EYE BLIND – Ursa Major

Outsiders will laugh at Third Eye Blind being on any list in 2009 but that only indicates they haven’t been paying attention. While other modern rock radio staples of the late 90’s/early 00’s faded into oblivion, Third Eye Blind’s fanbase only grew larger. Similar to the Weezer phenomen, since their music was no longer in the spotlight it was left to college student’s iTunes playlists providing the perfect soundtrack to every type of drama imaginable in a young person’s life. With Ursa Major, Stephan Jenkins offer more deceptive tales of struggle, sexual fascination, political disillusionment and who knows what else. It doesn’t hurt that the band throws the listener one hook after another but it’s that underlying beauty, those intangible elements that keep Third Eye Blind a step in front of their peers and still relevant 12 years after they snuck a song about oral sex and crystal meth on the radio. Time will tell if they ever are able to grab the mainstream’s attention again (if anything, “Bonfire” should do the trick) but the band seems content with playing to their growing legion of die-hards.

10) DREDG – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion

Initially written off as “just another nu-metal band, man” Dredg has somehow transformed into thinking man’s rock (a.k.a “prog rock”). Every album the band has released contains some sort of concept (though never really specified) and The Pariah is no different. However, that really doesn’t matter, since the band is able to inject all the interesting twist and turns you’d expect from a prog band while keeping enough melody and accessibility to entice listeners. Their reach may exceed their grasp at times but the hits far out-number the misses on this explosive sonic journey.

9) PHOENIX – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

If there was such a thing as a “breakout band” in 2009, with all the media fragmentation, that award would go to Phoenix. They were inescapable throughout 2009, starting with their jaw-dropping performance on Saturday Night Live in April and ending in some car commercial. Though the band has had a small but loyal following in the U.S. for years, it was Wolfgang that finally broke them with the masses. The band cleaned up the jangle-rock found on their previous release and injected enough dance grooves while keeping their quirks intact. Sure, the lyrics really don’t make a lot of sense at points but that doesn’t matter since the hooks keep listeners coming back for more.

8) BRAND NEW – Daisy

One of the most polarizing bands in modern rock releases perhaps their most polarizing record. One listen to opening track “Vices” reveals this is not the same band that wrote pop-punk kiss-offs to ex-girlfriends. Daisy puts squealing and dirty guitars right next to shoe-gaze mid-tempo stutters. It’s as if the band stockpiled Modest Mouse, My Bloody Valentine and Nirvana while adding their own unique twist to it. Thankfully, their sense of melody was not completely lost (see the excellent “At The Bottom”) but it still remains their most biting, vicious and brutal release.

7) 30 SECONDS TO MARS – This Is War

If this list was “most relevant titled album in 2009”, 30 Seconds To Mars would be on top. In early 2008, the band’s label dropped a $30 million lawsuit on them, claiming they had not fulfilled their contract. After much battle, the band and the label reached some sort of agreement but it’s hard to believe that it was anything but amicable after listening to this record. They say that conflict brings out the best in art and This Is War is a prime example. On previous releases, Jared Leto couldn’t seem to find that right balance between his love of electronics and his arena-rock ambition. This Is War is all ambition and it suits the band perfectly as big drums, big guitars, big choirs all feed the band’s unmatched desire to fight. The whole album feels like a band fighting for what is rightfully theirs and the songs bite hard enough to make you believe they’ve won the battle.

6) FRANZ FERDINAND – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

It’s a bit hard for Franz fans not be a bit frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm for this album while The Killers are able to headline arenas stuffing their albums with filler. Either way, these Scottish dance-rockers dropped their best album in the dog days of January which could have also had something to do with it. A loose concept about a night out on the town (only to end up in disappointment), the band hones in on the dance grooves while keeping the hooks intact. While their previous two releases were more of a collection of songs, Tonight allows each track to echo the mood of the previous and enhance the story, all setting the narrator up for the most ultimate-bummer of any Saturday night: going home alone.

5) AFI – Crash Love

These Bay Area goth-punks poured out any ounce of hardcore they had left and turned up their glam-pop influences on Crash Love. Previously, AFI was known for mixing the best elements of hardcore, punk and (most recently) pop. Here, they offer us 12 delicious slabs of goth-tinged glam-pop with vocalist Davey Havok upping the ante in his delivery. The band explores various styles, most noticeably power-pop, while still giving devoted Warped Tour fans solace with crashing guitars. Most importantly, the record shows considerable growth in songwriting which is what every band should strive for when they reach their 8th release.

4) GOSSIP – Music For Men

The Gossip has been soaking up dance-floors with a post-punk spin for a while now. Music For Men is their Rick Rubin-produced major label debut and it shows the band honing in on their strengths while voluptuous vocalist Beth Ditto shows off her pipes once again. The band keeps the jerking, dance-ready beats while Ditto bellows over them addressing the various ins and outs of romance. Thankfully, the Rick Rubin production enhances the bands best strengths as her vocals soar, the beats hit and wobbly guitars wrap around it all.

3) MUTEMATH – Armistice

Similar to Dredg, Mutemath is in a league of their own. They employ enough studio trickery to turn off those who enjoy simple pop music yet are still too accessible for those listeners who value their Animal Collective and Liars records. Lucky for us, the band shows no desire to confine to any particular scene and keeps their jazzy-infused prog-rock intact on Armistice. While the band initially set out to “embarrass” the first record, Armistice finds them broadening their original template and experimenting just enough to find stronger results. The record sizzles when the band is able to incorporate U2-style arena-ready hooks while fusing electronic and jazz elements to please those digging deeper. The overall meaning of Armistice falls into the standard “searching for meaning in life” but lucky for us, the band never succumbs to clichés and manages to keep the listener hanging on at every turn.

2) MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA – Everything To Nothing

In 2009, the mainstream was mainly focused on a group of preacher’s sons from Tennessee who sang songs about having their sex on fire while needing to “use somebody.” What they missed was another small-town Southern boy whose raw rock band released one of the best records of 2009. Manchester Orchestra did what every band should do on their second release: get better. In fact, they got much better. Frontman Andy Hull pulls no punches as his voice cracks, sizzles and wails over the bands meat-and-potatoes Southern-inspired rock. The phrase “classic indie rock” came up a lot in reviews and it’s fitting. These songs deliver all the rawness that makes “indie” these days with enough bite and melody to live on for years afterwards. Another point to note, it’s nice to have a band doesn’t skip on the rock part of indie rock (see “Pride” for proof). Hull has claimed he has over 28 full-length albums already written which means we’ll be seeing more of this excellent band in years to come.

1) GREEN DAY – 21st Century Breakdown

2009 was a confusing year for many. While the previous year ended in hope for many, this year brought that same hope crashing down for a large portion of America. As such, no album better demonstrated the disillusionment, confusion and overall chaos that Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown. About everything and nothing all at once, the band took the ambition they laid forth on American Idiot and beefed up the sound. It may be easy to call this another “rock opera” but it’s much more about how the band has broken free of their conventional sound. No longer afraid to layer songs with piano, strings and big drums, Green Day are now at the forefront of “big important rock bands” which means they are stepping into a league alongside U2 and The Boss. Of course, the saving grace for those who don’t care for concepts is always the songs and no band did that as well as Green Day in 2009. Their hooks and melody remain as sharp as ever on this release as Billie Joe has an uncanny ear for melody. Cynics will argue that the band should get back to their 2-3 minute blasts of pop-punk but, through history, the best rock bands have always listened to no one but their own internal instincts. Green Day did just that on 21st Century Breakdown and made the best record of the year.

 

[WBIMDJ]

Awesome, informative and well thought out post as usual, P Herring. You certainly are one of the most well versed music people on here. Great stuff! I'll have to check out The xx album, it sounds promising (WFNX has just added their song "Crystallized" into rotation). Also wanna check out the Gossip and Manchester Orchestra records. Thanks again.