Top 25 albums of 2009

Here it is... took me long enough to write up. I thought I was going to die before this was ever finished. On the bright side, creating this bad boy made me realize how many awesome albums came out this year. Good music always puts a smile on my face. Enjoy!

25. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight:Franz Ferdinand. Happy to have them back, and even happier to find out that they’ve still got it. “Ulysses”, “Lucid Dreams” and “No You Girls” all make the hipsters dance and shout. It’s not cheesy, it’s just good fun. I love it.

24. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing. Go buy the album on itunes, download “Tony the Tiger” and tell me you wouldn’t put this on your top 25 based on that one song alone. Do it. I dare you.

23. Silversun Pickups - Swoon. So I liked a few songs off of their first CD, didn’t think much of them. Then Swoon came out, and I died a little inside. This album is so good musically that I could actually listen to it without vocals. I never say that about anything. However, the lyrical content of the record is also top notch. Besides, the band would be nothing without Brian anyways. Faves: “Panic Switch”, “Substitution” and “Growing Up Is Getting Old”.

22. The Dream - Love vs. Money. He had me at “Rockin’ That Shit”. Haha. Leave it to the Dream to save all his best beats for his own little opus. “Love vs. Money” and “Love vs. Money 2” were listened to me on repeat by themselves for about two months. I can’t seem to get away from loving gun noises in songs (shoutout to M.I.A.).

20. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Ah, Phoenix I love your French electronic/rock so. With slightly catchier lyrics Phoenix found gold on this breakthrough album. “1901” is an instant classic. “Lisztomania” and “Lasso” are pretty close to brilliance as well. My second favorite CD to listen to when I was hungover this year…

19. Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name. It’s hard to listen to an electronic album all the way through, Deadmau5 has created the exception. Not just a hardcore house album, this crazy Canadian’s beats create a category of music all their own. Listen to the whole damn thing over and over… I dare you! Happens to be my favorite thing to do when I’m hungover. “Ghosts N Stuff” is sooo effing epic it hurts.

18. The Clipse - Til the Casket Drops. Pusha T and Malice drops some hot as rhymes over even hotter Neptunes beats. Love it all to death (no pun intended). Probably should be ranked higher, but it just came out a few weeks ago so I haven’t had time to let it all sink in. My faves so far include “Kinda Like A Big Deal”, “Showing Out”, “I’m Good” and “All Eyes On Me”.

17. La Roux - La Roux. One of the best dance albums of the year, and probably of the decade as well. People have been trying to make something that sounds this good since 1989. The vocal/production duo of La Roux take cues from classic acts like Yaz and Everything But the Girl, add some Nintendo-esque beats and go to town. This music makes me want to get crazy, like DDR crazy. My faves: “In For the Kill”, “Quicksand”, “Bulletproof”, “I’m Not Your Toy” and “Fascination”.

16. 50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct. Let’s be honest, 50 has kind of been a joke since Get Rich Or Die Tryin came out. Everybody loves a comeback though, and Self Destruct is 50’s chance at glory in the game once again. Back with some hard beats and a renewed sense of thug mentality, this CD makes me want to party like it’s 2004 all over again! Haha. “So Disrespectful”, “Psycho” and “Crimewave” make even ME want to commit crimes (not for real though)!

15. Trey Songz - Ready. Trey’s previous work has been kind of hit or miss for me, but this album was a big hit! There wasn’t one song that I didn’t care for (LIE, I HATE LOL : - ) just because of it‘s name). A great piece of hip-hop/R&B thanks to top notch production and vocals and growing vocal skills. Full of guilty pleasure gems like “I Invented Sex”, “Does He Do It” and “Say Aah”.

14. John Mayer - Battle Studies. Okay, John has kind of turned into a douche. He has made it a little harder for everyone to take him seriously. However, this record made me a believer once again. The guy can’t go wrong! He needs to breakup with superstars all the time! It makes for great music… haha. My favorite song is “Half of My Heart” which features Taylor Swift (who I don’t like, so you know it must be really good). Other highlights include: “Who Says” and “Assassin”.

13. Robin Thicke - Sex Therapy. I really don't like R&B. I usually don't listen to "slow" music. However, this blue-eyed soul man helped increase my adoration for this genre. With collaborations almost as diverse as Jay's record, album put together a solid sonic experience. "Sex Therapy" will change your life, not to mention "Shakin It For Daddy", and "Elevatas".

12. Passion Pit - Manners. The biggest surprise for me this year. Manners was originally a mixtape made for the lead singer's valentine a few years back. One listen to "Sleepyhead" and I was hooked. Not just something to tide me over 'til the next MGMT album, a band and album that truly hold their own. Faves: "Sleepyhead", "The Reeling", and "Moth's Wings".

11. Maxwell - BLACKsummer's night. Oh Maxwell YOU are my "bad habit". Another highly awaited/anticipated album from a classic artist. All 9 songs are uhmazing. "Bad Habits" is epic, "Pretty Wings" is gorgeous, and "Love You" is so classic that I need a new effing word for classic!

10. The xx - The xx. These kids are so good that they make me feel like crap. haha. Really though, I haven't like a slow-vibey-alt-rock album this much since the 80's. Truly a product of cool kids in the noughties, with obvious influence from both the Cure and modern R&B hipsters like Aaliyah. Love the combo. Faves: "Crystalised", "Islands", "Heart Skipped a Beat" and "Basic Space".

9. Third Eye Blind - Ursa Major. In all fairness I will admit my bias here, Third Eye Blind is one of my favorite bands of all time. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I waited 6 years for good reason! "Bonfire" is one of my new favorite songs of all time. Other standouts include: "Can You Take Me", "Sharp Knife" and "Water Landing" (which helped cure my fear of flying, seriously).

8. Drake - So Far Gone EP. All seven songs are good. Now the question is, can this guy, and will this guy, live up to the hype on his full length debut? I effing love him, so I am hoping so! My faves: EVERY SONG!

7. Jay-Z - The Blueprint III. Besides the fact that Jay is the greatest MC of his time, who else could collaborate on a record with Luke Steele from Empire of the Sun, Rihanna, Kanye, Alicia Keyes, Drake, Kid Cudi, and Mr. Hudson?! Not to mention the fact that "Empire State of Mind" is an instant classic/anthem... LOVE IT.

6. White Lies - To Lose My Life. So they ripped off Joy Division? I say, who cares?!!! I have been in love with this band since I saw them perform “Death” on Jules Holland. They can do no wrong in my eyes. Even though they do borrow from the best (the Cure, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen), the sound they have created ends up being all their own. I’m a big fan of: “To Lose My Life”, “Death”, “Unfinished Business”, “E.S.T.” and “From the Stars”. These songs make me want to direct a movie or something, just so I have images to play them to. Can’t get enough.

5. Florence and the Machine - Lungs. A handful of songs so epic that a band would kill to have written just one of them. Even my punkass little brother loves this CD. Instant classics include, but are not limited to: "Dog Days Are Over", "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)", "Howl", "Cosmic Love", "My Boy Builds Coffins".

4. Paramore - Brand New Eyes. Proving that punk never dies, the third album from Paramore was the most played on my ipod this year. I don't get sick of any of these songs, and some of them are still growing on me. "Ignorance", "Playing God", "Brick By Boring Brick", "Looking Up", "Where the Lines Overlap".

3. Lady Gaga - Monster EP. Ya, it's only 8 songs! Who cares?! Gaga's 8 songs are better than almost everyone elses entire discography's! "Bad Romance", "Telephone", and "So Happy I Could Die" are so good it hurts.

2. The Temper Trap - Conditions. Songs so big sonically, yet so small technically. I love this band. This is the best debut I have heard since a tiny little band called Coldplay released Parachutes. "Sweet Disposition", "Love Lost" and "Fader" are all classic songs, classic!

1. Kid Cudi - Man On the Moon. I could have chose this as number 1 if it only had "Cudi Zone" on it. This album single handedly changed everything about popular music and hip-hop. Love it. Can't even put it into a category. Best album of 2009 by far. Faves: "Soundtrack 2 My Life", "Simple As...", "Day 'n' Night", "Enter Galactic", "Cudi Zone", "Make Her Say", "Pursuit of Happiness", "Up, Up & Away"... pretty much every effing song!