Albums of the year - 2009

For a few years now I have been a member of a Google group for readers of a Classic Rock magazine. About this time each year we all share our thoughts on the best albums of the previous year. What follows is a cross posting from the Google group to my own blog with my thoughts on records of the year 2009.

Album of the year for me was The Black Crowes with "Before The Frost...Until The Freeze". I bought this on a whim and the back of a good CR review and was blown away by it. Recorded live in the studio and continuing the more rootsy (but still rocking) vibe of Warpaint, I love this record, including the controversial disco song, 'I Ain't Hiding'. The closer to the album 'The Last Place That Love Lives' is one of the most beautiful modern rock ballads I've heard.

The others that make my top ten, in no particular order, are:

2 - Chickenfoot
Got it for Christmas and I love it already. I hope we get more from them of this quality but if not this will leave a fine supergroup legacy.

3 - Bigelf
Another Christmas gift. Took a couple of listens but I definitely think this will be a firm favourite for many months to come.

4 - Crippled Black Phoenix, 200 Tons Of Bad Luck
Lovely modern prog in the more laid-back Floyd style. Glad I took a punt on this on the strength of CR's review.

5 - Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue
As good as anything from their glory days. The new singer fits in almost too seamlessly

6 - Dream Theater, Black Clouds And Silver Linings
Not their best and in danger of getting into rut if they're not careful but anything by DT is good in my book.

7 - Muse, The Resistance
The next logical stage of development from their last two excellent albums. Great stuff and probably the most mainstream prog band in the country and so one that might hopefully introduce the masses to some of the great music there is out there but which get missed by stuck up mags like NME, Nojo etc..

8 - Rammstein, Lieb Ist Fur Alle Da
The best they've done imho.

9 - The Parlour Mob, And You Were A Crow
Yes, it smacks of a Led Zep rehash but when it is this good, who cares. This is what I keep expecting The Answer to be everything I buy one of their records.

10 - The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Communion
Discovery of the year. A great, diverse double album with a strong seventies influence. Worth checking out if you missed them in 2009.

Just outside the top ten were:

Them Crooked Vultures - only bought recently and still growing on me. Could go either way.

Shinedown, The Sound Of Madness - On a par with Nickelback's Dark Horse album. One to watch for the future.

Steel Panther - At last comedy rock that is as good as it is funny.

Porcupine Tree, The Incident - Still not convinced it is up there with other albums of recent years. I agree with whoever said it is their Animals because that isn't Floyd's best but it has a certain charm to it.

New Device, Takin' Over - good debut that promises much for the next album.

Loaded, Sick - more rocking than I thought it would be (I suspected more of a punk approach). Good but not great.

Hot Leg, Red Light Fever - pretty much what you'd expect from Justin Hawkins but not sure it has the longer term staying power of The Darkness' debut.

The Answer, Everyday Demons - I want to really love this band but I suspect they just haven't got down on record their alleged strength which is in their live performance. This is better than Rise but doesn't live up tp the hype.

Chris Cornell, Scream - looks like the hip-hop approach may have been a one off now Soundgarden are back but this was better than the chart pap I hear in HMV.

Saxon, Into The Labyrinth - They just get better with age.

Queensryche, American Soldier - Not a stayer like Mindcrime or Empire but a good album with a brave concept.