Best Albums of 2009: PD Version

This decade has finally come to an end and before I divulge my '00s "Best Of" list, here are my personal favorites from 2009. Enjoy this list for what it's worth. Depending on your preference of genre, these albums are definitely worth while.

10. The Swell Season – “Strict Joy” [Alternative]

Best tracks: Paper Cup, In These Arms, The Verb


9. Baroness – “Blue Record” [Metal]

Best tracks: A Horse Called Golgotha, Swollen And Halo, War Wisdom And Rhyme


8. Clutch – “Strange Cousins From The West” [Rock]

Best tracks: Minotaur, Freakonomics, Let A Poor Man Be


7. Andrew Bird – “Noble Beast” [Alternative]

Best tracks: Oh No, The Privateers, Natural Disaster


6. The Bakerton Group – “El Rojo” [Rock, Psychedelic]

Best tracks: Life On Lars, Chancellor, Work ‘Em


5. The Avett Brothers – “I And Love And You” [Alternative Folk]

Best tracks: Tin Man, I And Love And You, And It Spread


4. Tom Waits – “Glitter And Doom Live” [Singer/Songwriter, Alternative]

Best tracks: Going Out West, Metropolitan Glide, Singapore


3. Justin Townes Earle – “Midnight At The Movies” [Alt-Country]

Best tracks: They Killed John Henry, Mama’s Eyes, Walk Out


2. Mastodon – “Crack The Skye” [ Metal]

Best tracks: The Last Baron, The Czar, Divinations


1. William Elliott Whitmore – “Animals In The Dark” [Folk/Americana]

Best tracks: Hell Or High Water, Hard Times, Lifetime Underground

Artist of the Decade

It won't be hard to predict who my choice for this prestigious title will be. I decided to lay this out there before I unveil my top of the decade because his releases alone could fill out most of my top 10. That doesn't make for a very interesting list. I have loved the White Stripes since the first time I heard them (while this tribute is specifically dedicated to Jack, want to assure everyone that I appreciate what Meg has given us too). So, I've decided to list the top 10 reasons why Jack White is my artist of the decade for the 2000s. I've been reading a lot of blogs saying Kanye deserves the title for "transforming" the world of hip hop or that Animal Collective earned it for reasons I can not comprehend or that it should be George Strait (if you're into that kind of thing). For me there's no close second place (although second place would probably be Danger Mouse). The reason Jack runs away with it for me is because he came with quantity and quality. I challenge anyone to come up with one other artist who was as productive during the 00s as he was. Let's take a look:

2000: Second White Stripes album De Stijl is released.

2001: He follows that up the very next year with their breakthrough, White Blood Cells.

2002: What? No album released? What a slacker.

2003: White Stripes' Elephant is released, probably their most acclaimed album to date. Not one to sit on his hands, Jack also contributes 5 songs to the Cold Mountain Soundtrack and even plays a minor role in the film

2004: Van Lear Rose is released. Jack produced it and performed on it. It was Loretta Lynn's rebirth album, in the way American Recordings was for Johnny Cash. If you've never heard it, do yourself a favor.

2005: The White Stripes' Get Behind Me Satan is released.

2006: The first of Jack's side projects is formed and The Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers is released.

2007: White Stripes are back AGAIN with Icky Thump.

2008: The Raconteurs' Consolers of the Lonely is released. Do yourself another favor.

2009: Jack's second side project, The Dead Weather, releases their debut, Horehound. Jack releases Fly Farm Blues, his first track under his own name since the Cold Mountain Soundtrack, for It Might Get Loud, the documentary about him, the Edge and Jimmy Page.

No one can deny the man is prolific. The amazing thing is, however, that all of these (with the possible exception of Broken Boy Soldiers) are simply outstanding albums.

Bless you Jack. Here's hoping we get more of the same in the teens.

Irish Rhythm And Blues

"Do you not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once, say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!" Fot those of you who have never seen this "movie that rocks" it is Alan Parker's "The Commitments."



The film was released in 1991 and the soundtrack earned a Grammy nomination in 1992 for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group. The movie is about Jimmy Rabbitte, an aspiring music manager from Dublin, Ireland who is tired of the "shitte" music being shoved down his throat and sets out to assemble a band who plays only rhythm and blues. The result is a brilliant film directed by none other than the man who gave us the film version of "Pink Floyd's The Wall". The song is a musical (similar to how "Once" could be categorized as a musical) in the sense that there are many scenes in which the band plays full renditions of R&B songs like "Mustang Sally" and Wilson Pickett classics. Trust me, there is no singing dialogue. I only recently saw the film myself and the soundtrack is completely deserved of the Grammy nomination. Below is a clip from the movie in which The Commitments lead singer Deco Cuffe, played by a then 17-year-old Andrew Strong, sings Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness." For those of you who have seen "Once" or are fans of The Frames and/or The Swell Season, Glen Hansard plays the lead guitarist, Outspan Foster.



"Is this the band then? Betcha U2 are shittin' themselves." - Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.

For The Swell Of It

New Daytrotter session released today. The Swell Season play a great 5 song set and close with an unreleased song.

Daytrotter: The Swell Season 2009

Best of the 1990's - Take 2

I've been thinking about the end of the year and end of the decade lists quite a bit lately. When I saw PD's last post I thought he was totally stuck in the 90's. The idea seemed irrelevant to me given all the exciting things that have happened over the last 10 years. Then I read his list and decided it was actually a worthwhile exercise, a good warm up for the other two big lists. I decided to create my own list for two reasons. First, I realized I've never actually gone back and done inventory on the 90's before. Reading through PD's list evoked memories from what will probably be the most concentrated period of change and growth I'll experience in my entire life. I entered the decade as a skinny little mullet-headed teenager and left it as a college graduate on the cusp of medical school and marriage. And I can't think of a single experience from that era without hearing an associated soundtrack. Today I can't imagine life, or even a single day, without music and it was during the 1990's that I learned how to love it. That alone is reason enough to go forward with this exercise. The other reason I created a list was because I knew I could make a better one. I'm kidding of course, however while PD's list is impressive, I felt a second perspective was warranted.

The biggest challenge for me in compiling this list was deciding what criteria to use. Many albums from the 90's are ones that I loved then and love now, rock solid efforts that defined our generation and have been a major influence for me and for many of the bands who will show up on my 00s list. Examples include most of the albums at the top of my list. Others on the list were albums I never knew existed when they were released, but only came to appreciate their brilliance years later, for instance In "An Aeroplane Over The Sea". Then finally, there were dozens of albums that were an integral part of my life when they came out, but have slowly drifted out of my rotation as the years have passed. I haven't lost interest them and they are still just as significant to me now as they were then, but, like many of the friends I shared them with, we've drifted apart. Though these albums, like "Metallica" and "Siamese Dream," are further down on my list, they are no less important. I love pulling out these CD's because they instantly bring me back to a time when life was simple and responsibilities few. So, in the end I decided I'd use a combination of all these. I tried to only choose one album from a particular group or artist to keep it diverse, however there were a few exceptions.

30. Slayer - "Seasons in the Abyss"
29. Smashing Pumpkins - "Siamese Dream"
28. Oasis - "(What's the Story) Morning Glory"
27. Butter 08 - "Butter 08"
26. Metallica - "Metallica"
25. Alice in Chains - "Jar of Flies"
24. Neutral Milk Hotel - "In An Aeroplane Over The Sea
23. Weezer - "Weezer"
22. Guns n Roses - "Use Your Illusion 1 and 2"
21. Ben Lee - "Something to Remember Me By"
20. Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Doggystyle"
19. Elliott Smith - "XO"
18. Nine Inch Nails - "The Downward Spiral"
17. Beta Band - "The Three EPs"
16. Money Mark - "Push the Button"
15. Billy Bragg and Wilco - "Mermaid Avenue"
14. Air - "Moon Safari"
13. Pavement - "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain"
12. Janes Addiction - "Ritual de lo Habitual"
11. Pearl Jam - "Ten"
10. Beck - "Odelay"
9. Faith No More - "Angel Dust"
8. Nirvana - "Unplugged in New York"
7. Wilco - "Being There"
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
5. Mr. Bungle - "California"

4. Radiohead - "The Bends"

3. Beastie Boys - "Check Your Head"

2. Johnny Cash - "American Recordings"

1. Radiohead - "OK Computer"

90s Best

In anticipation of the year coming to a close. I am preparing my best of 2009 and the best of the decade that is passing us by. With that in mind, I want to give homage to quite possibly the greatest decade for music, the '90s. Of course, I went through middle school, high school and college in this decade therefore I have some fond memories. These are the albums that shaped that decade for me. My best of the '90s.

30. The Commitments - "The Commitments: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" [1991]
29. Pearl Jam - "Ten" [1991]
28. Soundgarden - "Superunknown" [1994]
27. Stone Temple Pilots - "Core" [1992]
26. Foo Fighters - "The Colour And The Shape" [1997]
25. Metallica - "Metallica" [1991]
24. Fiona Apple - "Tidal" [1996]
23. Morphine - "Yes" [1995]
22. Alice In Chains - "Dirt" [1992]
21. Spacehog - "Resident Alien" [1995]
20. Chris Cornell - "Euphoria Morning" [1999]
19. Monty Montgomery - "Mirror" [1999]
18. Danzig - "Danzig II: Lucifuge" [1990]
17. Live - "Throwing Copper" [1994]
16. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" [1991]
15. Rage Against The Machine - "Rage Against The Machine" [1992]
14. Weezer - "Weezer" [1994]
13. Radiohead - "OK Computer" [1997]
12. Opeth - "Still Life" [1999]
11. Jeff Buckley - "Grace" [1994]
10. Faith No More - "Album Of The Year" [1997]
9. Nirvana - "Nevermind" [1991]
8. Refused - "The Shape Of Punk To Come" [1998]
7. Helmet - "Meantime" [1992]
6. Tool - "AEnima" [1996]
5. Mr. Bungle - "California" [1999]

4. Portishead - "Dummy" [1994]

3. Toadies - "Rubberneck" [1994]

2. Primus - "Sailing The Seas Of Cheese" [1991]

1. Megadeth - "Rust In Peace" [1990]

Led Bone

The best live act in New Orleans, Bonerama, recently released a 5 song EP entitled "Hard Times".



This trombone quartet (playing as a trio in the clip below) and killer backing band play funk, jazz and rock like no other. On this release they cover Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks" and the result is one of the grooviest covers ever. This song alone is worth the price of the album. Check out this live performance. For those with a short attention span start at 6 min. 30 sec. Brilliant.

The Shape Of Metal To Come

I recently purchased the new Baroness album "Blue Record" and have been spinning it non-stop for about a week. This is a follow-up, actually more of a companion piece to "Red Album" which was released in 2007 and named Revolver magazine's "Best Album of 2007". For those who are not familiar with Baroness, think Mastodon with influences of The Moody Blues, The Allman Brothers Band, Thin Lizzy and King Crimson. You could either categorize "Blue Record" as a metal or hard rock album as it has a classic rock groove throughout. Even those not into extreme hard core metal would appreciate this album as it grooves with a definite Southern rock vibe. Much of this is due to the production of John Congleton who has also produced The Roots, William Elliott Whitmore, and one of the best albums of 2008, Black Mountain's "In The Future." That all being said, this album is still METAL through and through!



Best tracks: "A Horse Called Golgotha", "War, Wisdom and Rhyme" and "Swollen and Halo."

Rating: 4 out of 5

Monsters of Folk

SHANGRI-LA 10-13-09 Yeah, it took me awhile to get to this album, but it was seemingly worth the wait. The initial offering from this independent music supergroup (of sorts) is sharp throughout, filled with spiritual undertones, and is definitely an album that would fit well in the background while you and some friends enjoy a few cold ones by a campfire. My favorite cut is "Temazcal", a hauntingly beautiful Oberst offering which includes the lyric, "The love we made at gunpoint wasn't love at all". "A Man Named Truth" evokes the feel of southern-style folk songs complete with mandolin, baritone guitar, and a quietly driving beat. Jim James aching vocals on "Magic Marker" are reminiscent of Acoustic Cistuoga, but less pained and more philosophic. I wish I would've had the opportunity to catch these guys in Omaha, as I've heard the live performances have been amazing. Here's to hoping they come back around for another lap...

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Seasons in the Abyss

This isn't news, but Seasons in the Abyss is awesome.

I forgot.

I listened to it tonight while biking home from work. Probably 10 years since I listened to it all the way through.

Slow news day.

The Look and Feel of the Co-op

How is the selection of album covers chosen for the Co-op header.

Pink Floyd - Animals
The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
Pearl Jam - Ten
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
Ray LaMontagne - Till The Sun Turns Black
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Iron Maiden - Live After Death
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Depeche Mode - Violator
Primus - Frizzle Fry
Beck - Odelay
REM - Automatic For The People
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Steven Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
TV On The Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog
William Elliott Whitmore - Song Of The Blackbird

REM - Reckoning replaces AFTP
Huey Lewis and the News - Sports replaced Temple Of The Dog

Any omissions or corrections that need to be made?

Dirty Projectors

The Dirty Projectors' album Bitte Orca has been one of my favorites so far this year and has spent considerable time in my rotation. Their music is unconventional, but in a very satisfying way. It's challenging, but not challenging like med school and residency, where you're exhausted, frustrated and confused when it's over. It's more of a challenge like finishing the NYT crossword; you put some work into it and at times it may seem like you're not getting anywhere, but if you stay with it and see it through, it all comes together so perfectly in the end. Their vocal efforts are comprised by Dave Longstreth, the lead singer, and three female singers Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle. They make great use of flowing harmonies, but also create dissonant sounds at times, part of the challenge, but also part of the reward. In a similar way, they'll take a straight-forward song structure and bust it apart with an abrupt change in the time signature. Anyway, they came to town last night and I got a chance to see them at the Aladdin Theater. Their show did not disappoint. Before seeing them, I really liked about half the songs or so on the latest album and anticipated hearing those. What I didn't anticipate was that the songs I'd previously just overlooked took on a whole new life seeing them live. It's like the gaps in the record were completely filled in. For me, Bitte Orca is now a 9 track masterpiece. Useful Chamber was one song that really paid off last night. The way it builds to the chorus and then lays back on those slightly dissonant voices before building again to finish it out took me by surprise. The other song that surprised me was Remade Horizon. The ladies have a vocal solo later in the song where they employ a technique called "hocketing" which was used in 13th and 14th century vocal music and is basically the sharing of a melody by multiple people. It's amazing. I've posted a link to a video of Dave and the ladies demonstrating it. It drags on, so you might want to skip toward the end. At any rate, seeing and hearing them perform it live is incredible. I think it would even impress the likes of Mike Patton and Reggie Watts. If you do watch the video, Dave also plays a sample of them hocketing with a guitar melody, which is also awesome.

Wascally Wabbits

Daytrotter just recorded and released a session with the "White Rabbits". Click on the link below and listen to the recordings.

Daytrotter: White Rabbits 2009

I strongly recommend checking out the Spoon, William Elliott Whitmore, and Mew sessions as well.