While watching Headbangers Ball I thought it was fitting to finally blog/post my albums of 2009. I usually stop buying music around early December to make the Holiday shopping easier but this year I did have a few albums sneak in more towards mid-December, and they are all welcome. So, lets start the close of 2009 with my album picks of the year.
If you have read last years blog/post you'll notice I kept some of the same format but them added some stuff and subtracted some stuff. I may be moving towards a perfect award system or it just may be the year that determines the final list. As last year I don't really talk about each album, I know I should, I will make it a point, time permitting to talk more on each category. But, if you have any questions or want a response feel free to post a reply. Anyway, lets do this.
Music Awards 2009
Sponsored by With Teeth Exposed
This list was compiled from 47 albums purchased or downloaded legally.
Metal/Hardcore Album of the Year
Mastodon “Crack the Skye”
Honorable Mention
The Chariot “Wars and Rumors of Wars”
The Black Dahlia Murder “Deflorate”
Between the Buried and Me “The Great Misdirect”
Rock/Alternative Album of the Year
Murder by Death “Red of Tooth and Claw”
Honorable Mentions
Yeah Yeah Yeahs “It’s Blitz!”
mewithoutYou “It’s All Crazy!, It’s All False!, It’s All A Dream!, It’s Alright!”
Rise Againts “Appeal to Reason”
Folk/Country Album of the Year
Star Anna “Crooked Path”
Honorable Mentions
The Avett Brothers “I And Love And You”
Hip Hop/Rap Album of the Year
The Roots “Rising Down”
New Artist (too me) Album of the Year
Grizzly Bear “Veckatimest”
Honorable Mentions
Okkervil River “The Stage Names / The Stand Ins” (Two Albums)
Grizzly Bear “Yellow House”
Rediscovered Album of the Year
Mastodon “Leviathan”
My brother introduced me to Mastodon in early 2000 right before we left for a Poison the Well show. It was a few year later that I moved away from burned copies or mix cd's with their music and bought their Blood Mountain release and then Remission. Once I got Crack the Skye right when it dropped and loved it I knew I had to complete the collection and get Leviathan. Having their new release plus rediscovering music my bro introduced to me and I fell in love a few years back was the perfect combination that kept Mastodon almost constantly played this year.
Honorable Mention
Ghostface Killah “Ironman”
Most Played Track of the Year
(tie)
Bowie Poison the Well “II/III”
Ghostrider Rollins Band “The Crow”
Album Art of the Year
(tie)
The Chariot “Wars and Rumors of Wars”
Hand printed and numbered, you can 't beat that innovation and craftsmanship and DIY attitude that's been the backbone for hardcore music and what keeps the love for it strong.
The Black Dahlia Murder “Deflorate”
A new album with a metal cover that could hold strong when metal covers were at their best when albums were still on vinyl and the thirteen year old boy that just discovered metal would just stare at the cover while listing to the album. I sat in the Best Buy lot for a good moment just admiring this cover.
Album of the Year
Poison the Well “Tropic Rot”
Honorable Mentions
Mastodon “Crack the Skye”
Murder by Death “Red of Tooth and Claw”
Poison the Well is one of my all-time favorite groups, a title only shared with the Deftones. And as exciting is having one of my favorites putting out some new work and being almost certain it was a shoe-in of my album of the year there is also a lot of room for disappointment. Not because of the work but because of the anticipation and hype placed of the new album. But, Poison the Well delivered and not only meet my crazy notions but blow them away. They are my number one album, if that means anything, not because of my love for the band but because they put out a great album, one that will be listened too and loved like new and old down the road.
Metal of 2009
There were five metal albums nominated or won my silly awards this year.
Mastodon “Crack the Skye”
Poison the Well “Tropic Rot”
The Chariot “Wars and Rumors of Wars”
The Black Dahlia Murder “Deflorate”
Between the Buried and Me “The Great Misdirect”
2009 was a great year for metal. Here are ten albums that should be honored. The other ten, in no real order, metal or hardcore albums that should be listened too, bought and worshiped.
1. Zao “Awake”
2. Dethklok “Dethalbum II”
3. Job for a Cowboy “Ruination”
4. Gwar “Lust in Space”
5. Every Time I Die “New Junk Aesthetic”
6. Despised Icon “Day of Mourning”
7. Bury Your Dead “It’s Nothing Personal”
8. Behemoth “Evangelion”
9. Austrian Death Machine “Double Brutal”
10. The Banner “Frailty”
