Moving on, yes, I'm back and better than ever. I was a little shocked that Beth hijacked me, wrapped me up tight and threw me in the basement with such abandon and that Josh took such delight in hijacking me while I was on "hiatus." A whole team of therapists later, I obviously had no idea the Running of the Mouth was becoming so ... um, loud.
No charges were filed -- thank your lucky stars that I dig you and your style, McEnroe, and har-dee-har-har on the Mustaine and Simmons gag, Josh -- but thankfully I am once again in control of my music page.
My condolences.
I'm going to dispense with the usual mouth-running this week and wish all of you a happy new year. I've been making some changes 'round these parts, all for the betterment of the Listening Room and yours truly.
But before I completely leave 2009 behind, there's one more activity I need to engage in, and it involves lists.
I love lists. Top 10 lists. Top 20 lists. End-of-the century lists. Love 'em all, and have waited months to deliver my Top 12 favorite albums of 2009. Josh is offering up his, too. (And the promotions department at the station asked me to do 12 instead of, say, 10, because the station is ... Never mind. You get the drift.)
You'll notice, too, I said "favorite." That means we're not going for "critically best." All that ever does is get people's blood pressure up in overheated and silly debates (we're talking music, not saving lives, folks), and they begin to throw plastic kitchen utensils at each other in lieu of water balloons, which never seem to be in stock in the break room when you really need them.
We're not that funny around here. A little funny, but not that funny. Besides, I haven't heard every album released this year, quite frankly, so there.
So without further adieu, and since I now apparently have to watch my back around colleagues like McEnroe and Daunt, here are my favorite CDs of 2009, in no particular order. Josh's follow.
Mastodon: "Crack the Skye." Easily the best metal album of the year, and easily one of the best records of 2009 -- period. It's been a long time since any band so deftly merged the thick haze of stoner rock like Pink Floyd and married it to the intricate, time-shifting proggy goodness of early Genesis. The band survived more inner turmoil in making "Skye" than any unit should have to endure ever and emerged with Mastodon's best album -- concept or otherwise -- to date.
Kelly Clarkson: "All I Ever Wanted." I am likely the only rock writer in America that has this album on his year-end list, and I'm saying it loud and proud: I love this album. It spent weeks in my CD changer and kept going back in time and again. You can argue that pop doesn't matter, but some truly does. Clarkson has the voice of a playful angel and this album is full of irresistible tunes that make you want to smile and cry and sometimes both. A legion of Kiss Army troops will be looking for my head again, but this is a must-own.
Maino: "If Tomorrow Comes." Many would argue that Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" is one of hip-hop's best efforts this year. I disagree. And I think this gem of an album has been widely overlooked. Not quite a concept record, "Tomorrow" bears similarities. It's a 14-song and five-skit collection of tracks that document Maino's trek toward his hip-hop debut. The anthemic "All the Above" was one of the coolest singles of the spring and summer, proving sometimes Auto-Tune can be used effectively.
Muse: "The Resistance." One of England's -- and now Europe's -- biggest bands, Muse members Matthew Bellamy (vocals, guitar, keys), Chris Wolstenholme (bass, keys) and Dominic Howard (drums) continue to push music's boundaries by merging prog rock, electronica and experimentation a la Radiohead in creating spacey, danceable songs that evoke stirring passion. Current single "The Uprising" is one of the sexiest tracks you can hear on the XM at the moment.
The Black Dahlia Murder: "Deflorate." Never mind that these guys hail from Motown. Who knew you could deliver face-searing death metal with a huge smile on your face? From the blinding strains of "Black Valor" to the final tatters of the disc's closer, the five-minute-plus "I Will Return" -- a near epic when your album's 10-song menu flies by a hair shy of 34 minutes -- this album absolutely punishes. Trevor Strnad's screams are comparable to the sounds humans might make during anesthesia awareness.
The Black Eyed Peas: "THE E.N.D." Gotta get that boom, boom, boom. Gotta get that "Boom Boom Pow." Gotta get your mitts on this album if you haven't yet, peeps. 'Cause it's fun, fun, fun. "I Got a Feeling" is one of the most infectious party anthems of the year, and deeper tracks like the bling celebration "Imma Be" and the globally conscious "One Tribe" deliver the goods in grand style. There's a reason you can't get away from will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie's best effort thus far -- it's too good.
Megadeth: "Endgame." While we're on the topic of endings, with "Endgame," Big Four thrash pioneer Dave Mustaine has unleashed the finest collection of songs since the glorious liquid metal trilogy of "Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?" "Rust in Peace" and "Countdown to Extinction." Megadeth's 12th studio disc is a return to old-school form and a literal clinic showcasing Mustaine's capabilities when it comes to his faith and devotion in worshipping at the Altar of the Gnarly Rock Guitar Riff.
Rob Thomas: "Cradlesong." This choice will probably bring more heat down on me than Kelly Clarkson, but whatever. Listening to "Cradlesong" is like squatting in a buddy's basement while he hashes out a bunch of hooky toe-tappers, only there's a pretty colorful assemblage of instruments scattered on the floor. The genial, tribal-like wood-tapping and dissonant tones that open "Her Diamonds" foreshadow only a sampling of what's to come throughout the "Cradlesong" experience. Thomas' warm vocals wrap you up like a blanket.
Darius Rucker: "Learn to Live." Former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Rucker possesses a blue-collar, down-home ethos that suits his aw-shucks attitude perfectly on "Learn," which boasts bouncy, listenable tunes that the whole family can enjoy. Rucker's shift from ruling the pop charts with his former bandmates in the multiplatinum-selling Hootie and the Blowfish to embracing the earthy twang of country music should surprise no one. Hootie was always a little bit more country than rock 'n' roll.
Pearl Jam: "Backspacer." Pearl Jam's ninth studio effort earned the Seattle band -- now two decades old -- its first No. 1 song since 1996. Single "The Fixer" was catchy and as solid as anything in the band's back catalog, impressive when you consider PJ's pedigree. There's punchy rockers and jangly garage-style noise, but there's also some fantastic ballads: "Just Breathe" and "The End." Pearl Jam, once accused of being a Nirvana ripoff, have evolved into one of rock's most important bands. These tunes would be jaw-dropping live.
The Dead Weather: "Horehound." You could argue that former Detroiter and White Stripes frontman Jack White has taken on one too many projects, what with the Raconteurs still out there as well. While "Horehound" is a little more diluted than White's other projects, he's still one of those artists you're afraid to stop watching, always curious about what other sounds he might coax out of his guitar. But get this: White's on drums for this gig. Worth your time if you haven't given this a shot.
Lamb of God: "Wrath." Fans complained that this Virginia-bred speed metal act had gone soft when it employed big production on its previous effort, "Sacrament." That was hogwash, but the band returns to a more gritty state of mind on "Wrath." A few gimmicky blast beats don't distract, because guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler make sure every fret of their axes gets some love and hate with sickly serpentine riffs. Vocalist Randy Blythe expands his range, and drummer Chris Adler is surgically precise on the double bass. Killer.
(That's it for me, loyal readers. Josh's top 12 are next in line. See ya next week. And by all means, keep rockin'. -- James)
Them Crooked Vultures: "Them Crooked Vultures." Some of the best new music I've heard in years, musically at least. Josh Homme's lyrics are a little out there, but what's behind his singing more than pushes that to the side on this unique, powerful album.
Bob Dylan: "Together Through Life." Dylan continues his run of superb albums over the last decade with this Texas-tinged effort. Most of the songs were co-written by Grateful Dead collaborator Robert Hunter, which adds a new element, and simpler lyrics change things up a bit for Dylan.
Miranda Lambert: "Revolution." A collection of great songs, most of which were written by Lambert herself. While I'm not a huge country fan, this one has found its way into my CD player over and over again since I got it.
Dave Matthews Band: "Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King." By far the band's best effort in years. It's not spectacular from start to finish, but it has some great highs and the lows are nowhere near the highs of "Everyday" or "Stand Up."
Levon Helm: "Electric Dirt." A bit more upbeat than his previous release, "Dirt Farmer," Levon lends his legendary voice to a collection of covers and originals that are pure Americana.
Derek Trucks: "Already Free." One of the best guitar players in the world right now, this is Trucks' best solo effort to date. His songwriting has come a long way.
Gov't Mule: "By A Thread." Not to be outdone by his Allman Brothers counterpart (Trucks), Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule also put out an outstanding record this fall. Aside from the pair of politically charged songs, this collection boasts great track after great track.
The Dead Weather: "Horehound." Seems like everything Jack White touches turns to gold these days. On this project he is the drummer, showing off his stick work behind The Kills' singer Alison Mossheart.
Pearl Jam: "Backspacer." While not on the same level as their 2006 self-titled release, "Backspacer" is still a solid effort from the grunge survivors. The mellower, acoustic stuff stands out more than the louder tunes, but all in all a good listen.
30 Seconds To Mars: "This Is War." I really enjoyed this album. It's powerful and incredible singing from Jared Leto takes this band to a whole new level.
(To round out my top 12 of 2009, a compilation and a live DVD get special mention on my list.)
Pearl Jam: "Ten" reissue.
"It Might Get Loud": The extraordinary electric guitar documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White.
(That's it for me, too. CD and concert news will return next week. Happy new year. -- Josh)
The ABC12 Listening Room staff: James Chesna, editor-in-chief; Josh Daunt, managing editor, photographer; LeeAlan Weddel, contributing editor, staff writer, photographer; Beth McEnroe, staff writer, photographer; Gwen Mikolajczak, staff writer; Chris Harris, photographer, staff writer; Eric Fletcher, chief photographer; Randy Cox, photographer; Chris Carr, photographer; Jessica Reid, contributing photographer; Bill Harris, contributing photographer; Shawn Light, contributing writer; Robin Chan, contributing writer.
