First off, Happy New Year! And excuse the lateness of this post.
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix
Phoenix is a band that I should have known about before now; they sound unlike anything yet manage to capture the sound of classic dance and pop rhythms. Believe it or not, this is not their debut album. Since I had never heard of Phoenix before I assumed that Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was their first record, but I soon discovered that it is their fourth. Songs like "Lizstomania" and "1901" are filled with original ideas and thumping and catchy beats. A definite must-listen.
Fantasies - Metric
Once again getting late to the party and getting into a band with their fourth record, Metric's album Fantasies came out of nowhere (at least for me) and blew me away. Emily Haines has the voice of a goddess, and the rest of her bandmates craft superb pop/rock/synth jams. "Gimme Sympathy" is probably the single best song on the record, but "Help I'm Alive" and "Sick Muse" are equally as great. Metric is now my favorite female-fronted band of all time (sorry Paramore, you're still overrated in my book).
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
By reading my review of this album, you already know I love it. Why? Simple: it's pure, unadulterated rock. John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme take parts of their bands and mesh them together, and the result is something rarely seen today, a supergroup that lives up to the name: they really are super, superhuman in fact. "Elephants" is exactly what you think it is, loud, stomping, and grandiose. "New Fang" is fast and furious. If you like your rock dirty, loud, and sexy, Them Crooked Vultures is for you.
Ellipse - Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap may have a funny name, but she can definitely write a song. Mixing traditional pop songwriting with computerized beats and beeping synth riffs, Ellipse is an exceptional album. Songs like the dreamlike "First Train Home" and "Wait It Out" show off Heap's exceptional voice and songwriting ability. However, to see the songs in their full glory you have to see her perform them live, most times all by herself. Here's a clip. Now do yourself a favor and check out someone who is really pushing the boundaries of pop music.
Cage the Elephant - Cage the Elephant
It's hard to describe Cage the Elephant, almost impossible in fact. They sound like nothing I have ever heard before, but still have slight traces of folk, punk, and rock. On their self-titled debut album, Cage the Elephant craft some really odd yet completely engaging tunes like "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" and "In One Ear" and slow it down a bit with the excellent "Back Against The Wall". Check this album out if you like bands that aren't afraid to do their own thing and who sound completely original.
Crash Kings - Crash Kings
Not since I heard Kings of Leon all those year back (five to be exact) has a new band really grabbed my attention. Crash Kings have the same dirty hard rock sound that isn't really around anymore. Take equal parts Kings of Leon, Incubus, and Foo Fighters, speed it up a bit, and add in some piano, and you've got yourself Crash Kings in a nutshell. At the same time, Crash Kings' songs are strangely melodic, with a hidden pop element. Regardless, their self-titled album is filled with incredible songs like "Mountain Man" and "14 Arms". This record is definitely my favorite debut of the year and Crash Kings are definitely a band to look out for.
Of course there were a BUNCH of other great albums that came out this year, but if I included them this would go on forever, and to be honest I'm running out of adjectives to describe them. All of these albums deserve your attention and are all considered the best of the year by me. So see those five links to the right? Yeah, don't take those too seriously. Those five along with these albums are all fantastic and represent the best in music (at least in my opinion) for 2009.
Here's hoping for a great new decade of fantastic music!
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