OK, let’s try this again.
I kind of jumped the gun on making my “Best Albums” lists a couple of weeks ago. In that time, I’ve already changed a few things, and discovered a couple of more albums that deserve a place on the list. And not only that, but I’ve been listening to a lot of music lately from the last few years and I realized I completely overlooked a few that would easily be a part of the best of the decade releases. So let’s just say those previous lists were tentative, and these are the definitive lists. They’re definitely final…
For now.
BEST ALBUMS of 2009
1. Light – Matisyahu
2. Fiction Family – Fiction Family
3. Wilco (The Album) - Wilco
4. The Resistance – Muse
5. The Hazards of Love – The Decemberists
6. Swoon – Silversun Pickups
7. The Incident – Porcupine Tree
8. Farm – Dinosaur Jr.
9. Far – Regina Spektor
10. Black Clouds and Silver Linings – Dream Theater
This was an interesting year for music. While many pop groups still create singles and push for the iTunes-driven market of people gobbling up one song at a time, several bands have been going back to the basics. Instead of releasing catchy singles, some of the albums this year have been entirely album-driven. And not only are bands going this direction, but the market is beginning to as well, with Apple unveiling the iTunes Albums concept earlier this year.
The best examples of album-centric releases are from Porcupine Tree and The Decemberists. In their latest albums, the bands tell a narrative that flows from the opening track to the finale. It makes it difficult to find individual songs that really stand out because the same melodies will be reused multiple times throughout, similar to a symphony with clear overtures and themes. However, the albums as wholes are fantastic when consumed in their entirety, which can be debated that is how they are exactly designed to be used in the first place. They might not catch your attention the first time, but as you listen to them repeatedly, you begin to discover many nuances and layers that you didn’t realize existed before. It’s an incredibly challenging yet rewarding method of creating music.
The biggest surprises this year for me were Light by Matisyahu and Farm by Dinosaur Jr. The reason is that I’ve listened to previous albums by both groups, but I never was huge fans of them. They were entertaining to listen to once in awhile, but that’s about it. However, especially in Matisyahu’s case, their latest attempts are huge leaps and bounds over their previous work. Light is an album that started off fairly low on my “Best Of” list when I first heard it. However, over the months it has slowly climbed higher and higher, especially in the last few weeks. I decided to play it while driving and the track “So Hi So Lo” came on. Something clicked. I starting hearing things I hadn’t heard previously. I started paying attention to the lyrics more. Suddenly, I discovered an album that is so incredibly rich with layers of not only musical creativity and genius, but lyrical significance as well. Almost every track has a message or moral behind it that is poignant and well established, combining Matisyahu’s signature blend of rock and rap styles to create a beautiful fusion of genres. If you haven’t heard it yet, you really should. It’s definitely the best album to come out in 2009 in practically every single way.
And Fiction Family’s self-titled album was a mistake for not belonging on the original list. I thought it was a 2008 album, but it actually came out in January of ’09. It is at the top, as it is such a great freshman release from the Sean Watkins, Jon Foreman collaboration.
And now, here is my updated ” Decade” list. I don’t foresee this changing at all, especially with the change to the number one spot for this last year. And remember, they’re not ranking in any way. I simply listed them by year of release, as it would be too hard to place them any other way.
The albums that are new to this list over the old one are in bold.
THE BEST ALBUMS OF THE DECADE
20. Light – Matisyahu (2009)
19. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008)
18. Oracular Spectacular – MGMT (2007)
17. Fear of a Blank Planet – Porcupine Tree (2007)
16. Under the Iron Sea – Keane (2006)
15. Eat, Sleep, Repeat – Copeland (2006)
14. The Crane Wife – The Decemberists (2006)
13. Eager Seas – Watashi Wa (2006)
12. Takk… – Sigur Ros (2005)
11. Why Should the Fire Die? – Nickel Creek (2005)
10. Come On, Feel the Illinoise! – Sufjan Stevens (2005)
9. Hide Nothing – Further Seems Forever (2004)
8. Funeral – The Arcade Fire (2004)
7. Futures – Jimmy Eat World (2004)
6. The Final Straw – Snow Patrol (2003)
5. Transatlanticism – Death Cab For Cutie (2003)
4. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Wilco (2002)
3. Origin of Symmetry - Muse (2001)
2. Electric Boogaloo – Five Iron Frenzy (2001)
1. Parachutes – Coldplay (2000)