Ranking albums in numerical order is a pointless exercise at best, but something about it is just so much fun that I can’t resist. It’s not just a matter of expressing your own personal taste, but it also forces you to think very carefully about the music you listen to (something people don’t do enough of, I say. If they did, most pop music wouldn’t suck so bad). It can stimulate discussion with like or unlike-minded fans, and might even introduce you to something cool you’ve either overlooked or forgotten about. Plus it’s a great way to make fun of your friends for liking something lame.
You wouldn’t know it from reading the year-end lists of the major music websites and magazines, but some really awesome music was made in 2009 (Yeah Pitchfork, I’m looking at you… I’ve been reading that website for a solid decade now, and I can’t remember ever seeing a more boring year-end list) If you find my list biased towards freaky noise or skuzzy guitar fuzz and that I totally shoulda put Jigga’s latest Blueprint retread on or whatever, then make your own goddamn list and prove just how wrong I am. I welcome it. But be ready to talk about it intelligently, ‘cause I won’t let you off easy. The criteria is simple… any musical piece released for the first time either commercially or online as long as it was done so legitimately (that is, with the blessing of the artist in question) during this past calendar year. Anyways, there were at least a hundred albums that were better than Meriwether Post Pavilion this year, so here’s 50 of ‘em.
50. At War – Infidel
How did I miss these guys the first time around? I guess the really nice thing about the thrash revival is the number of old ‘B’ and ‘C’ level thrash bands that have returned as going concerns. It’s nice to see Kreator and Exodus and Testament are still going strong, but what about the ones that never made it big in the first place? Case in point are former also-rans At War, whose war-themed thrash in the `80’s left them a mere footnote in the annals of metal. But, lo and behold, they are back with a new album which boasts a modern production and plenty of machine gun double bass drumming and tank-tread riffage. Of course, that wouldn’t mean much if the songs weren’t good. Fortunately, At War place enough hardcore shoutalongs among the savagery to keep things interesting. The breakdown at the end of R.A.F. is a particular highlight.
49. Municipal Waste – Massive Aggressive
Once kings of the “party thrash” genre, Municipal waste have gone and gotten all growned up on me! It seem just like yesterday that screaming “MUNICIPAL WASTE IS GONNA FUCK YOU UP”
between pilsner shotgunning sessions was the only way to spend a Friday night. Well, now they’re back and expanding their songwriting to include such topical fare as horror movies, the Chernobyl disaster (which happened when Bonded by Blood was still state of the art) and not listening to what the media says. Well, at least they can still rip like D.R.I. on a speed bender. Blink and you’ll miss ‘em.
48. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Xenophanes
The world of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez must be a crazy one. Not only is the guy a phenomenally talented musician and song arranger, he is also massively prolific, recording multiple solo albums per year while also finding the time to form one half of the core duo behind the Mars Volta as well as do all sorts of guest appearances on other people’s records. Many have said that if these guys had a better self-editing process they’d be true world-beaters, but I’ve long accepted the sometimes scattershot nature of every recording from the Mars Volta and their spinoffs as simply part of their charm. What a surprise then, that not only is Xenophanes consistently entertaining from start to finish, but also upstages the last two records made by Rodriguez-Lopez’s regular band and rivals the first 3 `Volta albums for being the best thing he’s ever played on. Xenophanes is simply bursting with musical ideas, but also contains enough placid moments to allow you to catch your breath. There are also enough liquid guitar interludes and vocal turns (albeit in Spanish) to almost resemble -gasp!- a conventional guitar rock album! Unlike much of his previous work, this album is as enjoyable as it is accomplished.
47. Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire
Skeletonwitch play blackened thrash that is thoroughly modern. The name of the game in music today is combining genres to form new permutations, and Skeletonwitch have hit upon a hybrid that will please metal heads who wear both capes and eyeliner OR steel toed boots and jeans. Technically adept and willing to experiment with various elements from sometimes conflicting styles, Skeletonwitch remain at the forefront of the metal pack with their sophomore release.
46. Ancestors – Of Sound Mind
Bigger, although not better than their debut, Ancestors take the same approach for twice as long and come back with an enormous double album which follows the same formula as Neptune with Fire. There is some filler here, as those interlude tracks add nothing but length, but screw ‘em. The important thing is, the jams are awesome, and that’s all anyone cares about anyways. Fortunately, Ancestors have stuck to their guns instead of trying to write real songs, and just concentrated on bludgeoning the listener with heavy riffs before taking flight with some spacey organ supported psych excursions. For that, I salute them.
45. 3 Inches of Blood – Here Waits Thy Doom
I used to hate these guys. I found the singer’s voice insufferable, which is generally a make or break proposition with me. But it seems they got a new singer, and although his approach isn’t too different from the other guy’s, it’s not quite as over the top. Not only that, but the band has lost most of its deathly leanings and concentrated on making thrashy power metal similar to Ontario’s Cauldron. The songs are anthemic, but still raw, hitting the sweet spot between `Maiden and Cryptic Slaughter. That’s enough to change my mind about ‘em.
44. Pelican – What We All Come To Need
43. Jesu – Opiate Sun
Justin Broadrick’s sound on his Jesu project has changed very little on this post metal EP, but if you enjoy his cross pollination of ethereal shoegaze and the heaviest of metal as much as I do, that’s not a problem at all.
42. Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy
By now it shouldn’t be a surprise what a new Built to Spill album sounds like, but there are enough interesting touches here to keep the veteran indie rock band interesting, and of course, Doug Marsch writes some catchy melodies and plays the hell out of his guitar. There’s nothing here as astonishing as “Goin’ against Your Mind” or even “Conventional Wisdom” from You in Reverse, but the album has more good songs and is probably better overall. It’s a grower too.
41. Snail – Blood
These guys were out of their time in 1993. Though they once shared stages with the likes of Sleep, this Santa Cruz hard psych group did not go on to bigger and better things, instead releasing only a single album before breaking up, too spacey and too heavy for labels looking to sign the next Pearl Jam. Flash forward sixteen years, and stoner rock alumni are everywhere, getting written up in SPIN, auditioning for Metallica and playing in mediocre super groups with John Paul Jones. Seems the time was right for a reunion! Seriously though, with the number of bands out there copping Snail’s formula (HEAVY sub-Sabbath riffs, psychedelic noodling, rocker dude vocals) it’s hard to blame them for jumping back on the bandwagon, especially since the album is so good. Moreover, it just makes you wonder why if these guys couldn’t make it, how come Fu Manchu are on their tenth album?
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