Albums To Review
1-5
96-The Airborne Toxic Event-The Airborne Toxic Event
Best Track: Sometime Around Midnight
This is my favorite album of the year. The Airborne Toxic Event combines catchy, talented music with soul-gripping, heart-wrenching lyrics. “Sometime Around Midnight” is my favorite track, because every guy has been there or will be there sometime in his life. “Wishing Well “, “Gasoline”, “Innocence” and “Happiness Is Overrated” are also top notch. I will eagerly anticipate their sophomore release, whenever it comes.
92-Dave Matthews Band-Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King
Best Track: My Baby Blue
I was never a big fan of DMB, but I became a huge believer after this disc. From the full brass of “Why I Am” to the rock of “Seven” to the whispering, gut-wrenching, heart-on-a-platter “My Baby Blue” Dave wins at every attempt. I am now a fan. “Funny The Way It Is”, “Squirm”, and “Alligator Pie” are also great tracks.
89-Muse-The Resistance
Best Track: Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 3: Redemption
I love anything epic: thunderstorms, Sigur Ros, home crowds, panoramic landscapes, that F# from Whitney Houston in “I Will Always Love You”, etc. Muse is epic. Muse was one of the breakthrough artists of 2009. With song names like “United States of Eurasia” and “Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 2: Cross-Pollination” how could they not be? It’s a bold sound, and one that wins. My favorite songs are “Uprising”, “Guiding Light”, “I Belong To You”, and all three parts of the “Exogenesis Symphony.” I imagine they’re fantastic live.
85-Ingrid Michaelson-Everybody
Best Track: Are We There Yet?
Why do I love Ingrid so much? To start with, she’s got a great voice, and writes catchy melodies. What really gets me is her ability to write songs that are sentimental and sappy, but still somehow dark and rooted in actual life. Here are a few examples: “The battle with the heart is not easily won, but it can be won.” “They say that home is where the heart is, I guess I haven’t found my home. Are we there yet?” “Then I will take the chain from off the door.” “Happy is the heart that still feels pain, darkness drains and light will come again, swing open your chest and let it in, just let the love, love, love begin.” I guess we share a similar outlook on love and relationships: irrationally hopeful at every turn yet fully aware of the realities of life. Her music slays me. Yup, I’m a huge fan.
84-Dashboard Confessional-Alter The Ending
Best Track: Hell On The Throat
This was one of my favorite albums of the year. They just have a sound that I love. “Everybody Learns From Disaster”, “”Belle Of The Boulevard”, “Even Now”, “Water And Bridges”, “Hell On The Throat” are the best ones, highlighted by “Even Now” and “Hell On the Throat.”
6-10
83-Wilco-Wilco
Best Track: Solitaire
Talent oozes out of this recording like strawberry preserves out of a well-made PB & J sandwich. It made me pause for a few seconds as it washed over me. “Solitaire”, “One Wing”, “You And I”, and “I’ll Fight” are wondrous tracks.
82-Bon Iver-Blood Bank EP
Best Track: (Tie) Babys and Woods
The follow up to the brilliant For Emma, Forever Ago, Justin Vernon awes me again. Every single track transports you to a magical land. His music has an other-worldly aura to it. Much like the dish of ratatouille that impacted Anton Ego so much. Bon Iver’s music reminds us of simpler times. I eagerly await his next full-length release.
82-The Avett Brothers-I And Love And You
Best Track: I And Love And You
I only discovered the Avett Brothers this year, and was won over by their performance on the Letterman Show. They just have so much fun on the stage, and their songwriting is magnificent. Occasionally the bluegrass sound wins me over and this is one of those times. I’ve already begun listening to their older stuff, and it is simply fantastic. The title track is hard to beat. From “When at first I learned to speak. I used all my words to fight. With him and her and you and me” To “Three words that became hard to say. I and Love and You” the lyrics to this first song display the genius of the Avett Brothers.
81-Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Best Track: 1901
Phoenix was one of my absolute favorites from 2009. They’re music is different, happy, and makes you want to dance. And there’s just something about dancing. 500 Days of Summer and Slumdog Millionaire taught us that again this year. “Lisztomania”, “1901” “Lasso” , and “Rome” are my favorites, but every single song on this disc is a winner. I hope I get to see them in concert soon.
77-Ben Harper & Relentless 7-White Lies For Dark Times
Best Track: Fly One Time
The instant I first heard this CD, in a yet-to-be-moved-into bedroom in Holland, Michigan, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites from the entire year. “Up To You Now” is a great track; “Skin Thin” is a haunting and brutally honest track: “Fly One Time” is one of the best tracks of the year; “Faithfully Remain” is just another of the intimate tracks where Ben Harper pours himself in front of you. That level of vulnerability wins me over instantly. The disc as a whole falls down a bit, but the sheer brilliance of those few tracks boosts it up.
11-20
76-Mat Kearney-City of Black & White
I got to see him a few years back at Hope College back when he mixed some mild rapping into his songs. He’s grown out of that and I love the direction he’s going. I love his voice. There are so many fantastic songs, but “All I Have”, “Fire & Rain”, “Closer To Love”, and “Never Be Ready” are the cream of the crop. The only quibble I have is that his lyrics can get cliché.
75-Ben Lee-The Rebirth of Venus
“Awake Is The New Sleep” is one my most favorite albums of all time, so Ben Lee has his work cut out on this one. He’s still got that infectious, happy, joyous sound that I love. “Surrender”, “Yoko Ono”, “Bad Poetry”, and “Families Cheating At Board Games” are the best tracks. My recollection before I gave this a recent listen was that it didn’t measure up to past efforts. My recollection was wrong. While not as good as the magical “Awake Is The New Sleep”, “The Rebirth Of Venus” is still great. Lyrics like “Loving you makes me want to write bad poetry”, and “I love pop music, this is how we do it, It's politics you can romance to” are what makes Ben great.
75-The Swell Season-Strict Joy
My expectations were huge for this disc, so it’s hard to judge how good it actually is. It disappointed relative to my expectations, but it’s still a great album. It’s not as good as their self titled album or the Once soundtrack. Still, songs such as “In These Arms” and “Somebody Good” make you want to care about someone with all that you are.
75-Pete Yorn-Back & Fourth
Unbelievable. I rank every single song in my iTunes library. A mere 2.6% currently sit at 5 star status (the bulk are 3’s). All eleven tracks from this album started out as 5’s. Even though only five still remain, it shows how highly I think of this disc. “Don’t Wanna Cry”, “Paradise Cove”, “Last Summer”, “Four Years”, and “Long Time Nothing New” stand above the rest. I don’t like the way it’s trending though; I like it less and less as time goes on.
75-The Decemberists-The Hazards Of Love
This was one of the releases I was most excited for. “A Bower Scene”, “The Hazard Of Love 2”, and “The Rake’s Song” are all great. It’s an incredibly ambitious album, full of electric guitar, driving bridges, country twang, dissonance, instrumental tracks, and ballad lyrics.
74-Jay-Z-The Blueprint 3
This was an amazing album. It’s just a great combination of beats, lyrics, and vocals. Alicia Keys could not have been more perfect on “Empire State Of Mind.” “Young Forever”, “What We Talkin’ About”, and “Haters” are also great tracks. I think the whole music scene is glad to have Jay-Z back.
72-Fruit Bats-The Ruminant Band
This is another diamond in the rough. It’s happy and unique. “Tegucigalpa” and “Being On Your Own” are my favorites.
72-The Dodos-Time To De
They’re talented, diverse sounding, and can even write. They win with this disc and are the type of artist that grows on me fast. Highly recommended.
71-Andrew Bird-Noble Beast
I’m glad I came back to Andrew Bird. Behind all the quirkiness you’re hit with initially, you’ll find a truly talented artist. His cerebral lyrics alone will keep you entertained for a while. “Natural Disaster” is a favorite track of mine.
70-Cat Stevens-Roadsinger
I absolutely love Cat Stevens’ voice. I didn’t like this one as much as some of his earlier discs, but his music is still enchanting. “Roadsinger” and “All Kinds of Roses” are well worth a listen.
21-30
70-Jason Lytle-Yours Truly, The Commuter
Jason Lytle first showed up in one of my daily musical podcasts. His music is driven by acoustic guitars and has a bit of an ethereal sound to it. I really do like it, but not in all moods. I look forward to exploring some of his earlier music. The first track is one of the best.
69-Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band-Outer South
It always seemed that I should like Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes. They had fantastic, witty, and dark lyrics. With this offering, Conor & The Mystic Valley Band jumped up a few notches. I like the slightly new sound, especially the prominence of the piano. “Ten Women” and “Bloodline” are a few goodies.
68-Bob Dylan-Together Through Life
Dylan’s masterful lyrics and gravelly voice all add to the mystique of someone we are lucky to have.
68-Rhett Miller-Rhett Miller
Completely unassuming, Rhett Miller continues to win me over. Tracks such as “Like Love”, “Caroline”, “Bonfire”, and “Sometimes” speak to how much I love his music. It’s great stuff.
66-Mark Geary-Ghosts
The gravelly voiced Geary writes some great lyrics in this album. This album was better than most on my list. Give “You’re The Only Girl”. “Mid-Nite Sun”, and “Ghosts” a listen.
66-Regina Spektor-Far
My complaint with Regina Spektor has always been that she relies on the unusual and the strange, while failing to capitalize on her best trait: her voice. “Samson” and “Braille” are two tracks that showcase her magical voice. For the eight minutes and seven seconds it takes to listen to them both, time stops. So with “Far” I was really hoping she showed off that phenomenal voice. I heard it a little on “Dance Anthem of the 80’s”, “Genius Next Door”, and “The Sword & The Pen” but overall I didn’t get what I wanted. On the plus side, “The Calculation” is an infectious track with a message I believe in; “Folding Chair” is just plain fun; and “Human Of The Year” is great all around. “Far” is a good effort from Regina, maintaining her status as a favorite of mine, just not in the upper echelon.
66-The Fray-The Fray
After “How To Save A Life” was obliterated on the radio by overplay, I was pretty sure I couldn’t like The Fray again. Without changing their sound, they came out with a disc that won me back. “Absolute”, “You Found Me”, “Never Say Never”, and “Ungodly Hour” are great tracks. Like Mat Kearney, they can be too cliché, but I’ll excuse them for it.
66-Dark Was The Night
Compilations are really hard for me to rate. I enjoy the one, unique sound of an artist. However the combination of all these fantastic artists on one mammoth album is hard for me to ignore. “Cello Song”, “Brackett, WI”, “So Far Around The Bend”, “Big Red Machine”, “Sleepless”, “Hey, Snow White”, and “Happiness” are all tracks that I love.
65-Delta Spirit-Ode To Sunshine
A welcome find for me; I can’t recall where I first head them. They mix up their sounds, while staying true to their own distinct sound. “People C’mon” is a driving song that gets you excited to live. Great disc.
64-Weezer-Raditude
I’ve really come to enjoy Weezer this year. He’s creative, catchy, and unique. This album is no different, with track #1, Can’t Stop Partying”, and “Underdogs” being the best tracks.
31-40
63-Sondre Lerche-Heartbeat Radio
My friend Jetter loves Sondre, so even though I’ve been pretty indifferent to his music, I keep giving him chances. (I did like the Dan In Real Life soundtrack) This really is a fantastic album; it’s happy music all the time. “Good Luck”, “I Cannot Let You Go”, and “Goodnight” stood out for me.
62-Norah Jones-The Fall
Norah has become one of my most favorite artists. Her voice really has to be one of the wonders of the modern world. This album has yet to do it for me. Her sound strayed a bit towards mainstream, leaving the sultry, dreamy, bring-you-to-your-knees music that is so wonderful. I’ll keep listening, hoping it grows on me.
62-Bonnie Prince Billy-Beware
They’ve got a hint of a twang, but overcome that in my mind. “Beware Your Only Friend”, “Death Final”, “Heart’s Arms”, and many more are exquisite tracks. I can’t quite put my finger on why I like them, but I’ll keep listening.
62-A Fine Frenzy-Bomb In A Birdcage
Her inaugural CD “One Cell In The Sea” boasted dreamy, happy, stunning vocals that brightened your day. It’s a testament to her that I enjoyed that CD even though I don’t usually enjoy this type of music. “Bomb In A Birdcage” took a great step forward musically, while retaining the sound that makes her tick. “What I Wouldn’t Do”, “The World Without”, and “Bird of the Summer” were my favorite tracks. I’ll keep listening with pleasure!
62-David Crowder Band-Church Music
The David Crowder Band has written some great songs that have stood the test of time, namely “O Praise Him” and “Here Is Our King.” As his last CD wasn’t as good as his earlier work, I was interested to see where he went with this one. He went a tad harder, a tad fuller. “Alleluia, Sing”, “The Nearness” “Eastern Hymn” , “We Are Loved”, and “Oh, Happiness” were my favorites. Overall, this was a solid effort.
62-Spiro-Elephant Song
This is a really mature offering from Aaron Spiro. He showed off a lot of different styles. A definite win. “Beautiful” is my favorite track.
62-Green Day-21st Century Breakdown
Green Day has always been a band whose music I would listen to and enjoy when I stumbled across it, but wouldn’t seek it out. It does hold a special place in my heart as the Husky Pep Band performs “Basket Case” every game. That’s why this disc surprised me. I though it was great. It’s upbeat, sometimes happy, sometimes dark, but is another disc only for certain moods.
61-Matisyahu-Light
I love it when good music surprises me. This music is infectious and toe tapping. I am definitely listening to his older stuff.
61-Blue October-Approaching Normal
It’s a pretty good disc, fueled by the middle tracks: “Been Down” through “Blue Skies.” Unless they surprise me, they’ve maxed out their talent. It’s a good result; just don’t expect them to win any awards.
59-Lou Barlow-Goodnight Unknown
Another find from NPR’s All Songs Considered podcast, I finally tracked down a full disc to give a listen. He needs to stick to the quieter stuff like “The One I Call” and stay away from the sound of “Sharing” and others. I’ll have to see either if his music grows on me, or he grows as a musician. Either are definite possibilities.
41-50
58-Bon Jovi-The Circle
Maybe this is another case of low expectations, but this album took me by surprise and didn’t let go. Just like we’ve come to expect, Bon Jovi’s songs make you want to sing them at the top of your lungs with larges groups of people. “We Weren’t Born To Follow”, “When We Were Beautiful”, and “Lean To Love” stood out.
58-Volcano Choir-Unmap
The vanguard effort of Volcano Choir, Unmap both thrilled and failed. Evoking images of Bon Iver, the hauntingly beautiful music soothes. Echoing the sentiments of my musical genius friend Ben, it also feels like they were afraid to do things. The album starts with a great sound, and then fails to wow for the rest of the album. Get excited if they improve.
58-Jay Sean-All Or Nothing
This is a rare disc from a top 40 artist that I actually like, surpassing the likes of Eminem, Maino, Ke$ha, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Lady Antebellum. While not usually a fan of R&B, this disc just wins. “War”, “Down”, “Do You Remember”, and “Lights Off” are the highlights.
57-Mika-The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Life In Cartoon Motion was a revolutionary album. The follow up continues with Mika’s fantastic sound, but fails to wow in the same capacity. It’s always fun, and I love the occasional driving piano, but it’s a step sideways for Mika.
56-Away We Go Soundtrack
This movie was good, not great, except for a few breathtaking lines and the acting performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal. The soundtrack is the same way: good, not great. Alexi Murdoch is super chill, but rarely inspiring. The Bob Dylan song brought the score up a bit.
52-Bloc Party-Intimacy
After not liking them at all, I gave them another shot. It’s absolutely crazy music, but if you’re in the right mood, it’s fantastic. “Trojan Horse” and “Talons” are my favorites.
52-Monsters of Folk-Monsters of Folk
An “American supergroup consisting of Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes” (thanks Wikipedia), Monster of Folk is a very highly regarded group. I didn’t like this disc the first time I gave it a listen, but it has grown on me. The talent is very evident, but again the twang drives me away a tad.
51-British Sea Power-Man of Aran
Their first disc “Open Season” was a big favorite of mine, so I was eager to listen to their follow up effort. The opening track, which is also the title track, is a haunting, instrumental piano track. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the whole CD is instrumental. “Boy Vertiginous” evoked memories of Sigur Ros. It was okay, but I wanted some lyrics!
51-Porcupine Tree-The Incident
A pretty tough band to pin down, Porcupine Tree ranges from almost metal at times, to a more alternative sound, to even a slight poppy sound. I feel like they’re really talented; I just need more time to see how I feel about them. They’ll get a modest grade to start.
51-Susan Boyle-I Dreamed A Dream
I can’t give this one the greatest of scores simply because she’s a singer, not a writer. That said, “I Dreamed A Dream”, “You’ll See”, and “Who I Was Born To Be” are swelling, inspiring tracks.
51-60
50-Grand Archives-Keep In Mind Frankenstein
Their self-titled disc was a good start, so again, I was eager to give this one a listen. I’m finding that a group’s second disc really defines their sound. Definitely more laid back than their first album, this one kept them constant in my mind. “Oslo Novelist” and “Willoughby” were my favorites.
49-Kanye West-808's & Heartbreak
Rap has been making a huge push in my listening habits within the past year, mostly thanks to Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3, and my discovery of Akon. Kanye isn’t quite as talented as a handful of other rappers. “Welcome To Heartbreak” has a great, driving beat. “See You In My Nightmares” features the ever-entertaining Lil Wayne. I still prefer Graduation and The College Dropout, but a good disc nonetheless.
49-Patrick Wolf-The Bachelor
He’s crazy, quirky, and catchy. I love his use of strings in his songs. You definitely have to be in a certain mood to listen to his music, but he’s crafted a niche for himself. He’s progressed since his first disc, which is great to see.
49-Howie Day-Sound The Alarm
Well, I was trying to move away from the overly poppy, singer-songwriter, usually sappy music, but this one got me more than I want to admit. We all know that Howie isn’t the most talented musician out there, but I’ll still come back to this album, especially “No Longer What You Require.”
46-Imogen Heap-Ellipse
As I reflected on Imogen, I realized that I’m not that big of a fan. She has an intriguing sound, and “Hide And Seek” is a breathtaking song, but overall she relies on the quirky as an easy way out. From “I Megaphone” to “Speak For Yourself” to “Ellipse” all her albums sound basically the same. I can only take so much of a sound that makes you feel like you’re suspended in clouds while being bombarded with bubbles and the occasional piece of fruit.
46-Flight of the Conchords-I Told You I Was Freaky
Their self-titled CD was so witty, inane, and comedic that it was hard for this one to measure up. It still captured the sound and style that the Flight of the Conchords are known for, but didn’t really impress me further.
46-Mindy Smith-Stupid Love
She was going to be hard pressed to improve upon such brilliant and beautiful tracks as “One Moment More” and “Out Loud.” Add to that I’m moving away from this sort of sound and this album was merely alright. She still has that stunning voice, but often fails to show it off. The slight country twang drove me away a bit too. If you happen to like female vocalists and blugrassy/country music this is a huge win.
46-Switchfoot-Hello Hurricane
This album pleasantly surprised me, really liking tracks “Needle And Haystack Life”, “Always”, and “Sing It Out.” Perhaps it was my low expectations, but Switchfoot showed me something.
46-Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavilion
What is all the hype about? They’re in the same arena as MGMT and Phoenix, but the majority of their music is a cacophony of white noise (I don’t even know if that makes sense). When they turn down the electronica and the wailing, maybe I’ll give them another chance.
46-Melody Gardot-My One And Only Thrill
Her voice is heavenly, but this just isn’t my style. If you happen to like jazzy female vocalists, you will absolutely love her.
61-70
46-Passion Pit-Manners
When I heard that they compared to MGMT and Phoenix I got really excited. Then I listened to them and realized that although they do have a similar sound, they don’t have the same talent. Maybe they’ll grow into it a bit, but for now, they’re below average.
46-Glee Cast-The Music, Vol. 1
It’s just a lot of really fun music, but it gets knocked down a bit for the fact that it’s from a TV show, and not really a single artist. As soon as the show goes away, so will the music. Within the album, the tracks ranged from ones I loved: “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, “Somebody To Love”, and “Sweet Caroline”, to ones I will likely never listen to: “Bust A Move”, Say A Little Prayer”, “Bust Your Windows”, and “Hate On Me.”
45-Black Eyed Peas-The E.N.D.
It’s catchy yes, but will not stay around.
44-Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
Everyone raves about Grizzly Bear, and while I have a bunch of their music and have tried to like it, I just can’t do it. After listening to Veckatimest beginning to end, I can say I like them more, but still not a whole lot. They’ve got a unique sound, but I can’t identify one sound that’s theirs. The jury for me is still out on this one.
44-John Vanderslice-Romanian Names
This is a pretty average album. “C & O Canal” is a fun song. Good sound, but nothing grabbed me.
44-Pearl Jam-Backspacer
This is classic, Pearl Jam, rock music. I think I would really like Pearl Jam; I need to give it some time.
44-Portugal. The Man-The Satanic Satanist
I liked their earlier stuff much better. They’ve still got a good sound; they just have changed in ways I don’t like.
43-Glee Cast-The Music, Vol. 2
It’s just a lot of really fun music, but it gets knocked down a bit for the fact that it’s from a TV show, and not really a single artist. As soon as the show goes away, so will the music. The music isn’t as good in this volume.
42-Harlem Shakes-Technicolor Health
This is a super catchy CD that I already know will never become one of my favorites. They’ve got a good sound, but not anything special. “Unhurried Hearts” is a favorite.
42-Neko Case-Middle Cyclone
Here is another of those critically acclaimed artists that I just can’t get into. Her voice just doesn’t do it for me. The lyrics are good, but not good enough to get her that good a score.
71-80
42-Mount Erie-Wind’s Poem
Mount Erie was raved about on NPR, so I had to give them a listen. They have a full, dark, and ethereal sound, fronted by few lyrics. While I enjoy Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, and others, Mount Erie really didn’t do it for me.
41-Third Eye Blind-Ursa Major
It’s a good, fun, rock album. It still can’t compare to their fantastic sound of the 90’s.
40-The Flaming Lips-Embryonic
Ever eclectic, I still don’t know what to think of this album. For now, I’m not the biggest fan; their Yoshimi album is still their best.
40-Paolo Nutini-Sunny Side Up
I didn’t like “These Streets”, and while this one was better, it’s still not that great. His sound is not very unique.
40-M. Ward-Hold Time
The other half of the fantastic duo “She And Him” M. Ward has a robust career on his own. Zooey Deschanel drives “She And Him” and this disc backed up that opinion. It’s a pretty pedestrian disc, with no tracks sticking out except the two that featured Zooey and the one that featured Jason Lytle.
40-Casting Crowns-Until The World Hears
They start with only average talent, but do produce a full sound and lyrics that are a small step above the usual, cliché Christian lyrics. Entertaining enough.
40-The Lonely Island-Incredibad
This isn’t going to get a great score, but I can’t even count the number of times I’ve howled “I’m On A Boat” with my friends at the most ludicrous pitches and volumes, all while watching T-Pain dance his magic across the screen.
40-Michael Buble-Crazy Love
We all know how great his voice is; this style of music just doesn’t do it for me. It’s boring, way too hopeful, and banal.
39-Son Volt-American Central Dust
I gave Son Volt a listen over a year and a half ago, and wasn’t a big fan. This disc was better, but still doesn’t measure up. The songs don’t seem to vary much throughout the album. “Jukebox Of Steel” is my favorite.
38-Mason Jennings-Blood of Man
I first discovered Mason Jennings on the “I’m Not There” soundtrack. (great movie by the way) His sound isn’t quite my style, but “Black Wind Blowing” is a good track.
81-90
37-Eminem-Relapse
I don’t know if Eminem has lost it, or if I’ve just grown tired of him. I’ve always marveled at his lyrics and how much better they are than every other rappers. Somehow, this album didn’t seem to have the same lyrical brilliance.
37-Arctic Monkeys-Humbug
A very popular group, the Arctic Monkeys just doesn’t cater to my tastes.
37-Taylor Swift-Fearless
She’s got a good enough voice, and she does know who her audience is and what they want. That audience is not me. I’ll pass on the ballroom dancing, rain falling, swooning, and general irrationality she sings about.
36-U2-No Line On The Horizon
I’ve never been the biggest of U2; their music all sounds the same. Outside of “Joshua Tree” which was a brilliant album, they’re very pedestrian as a group. This disc didn’t change that opinion in me. Sure they wrote a few goods tracks, 2, 3, and 4, namely. They don’t deserve the hype.
36-Peter Bjorn & John-Living Thing
Here is another group that has been met with critical acclaim that I struggle to enjoy. I really don’t like the lead singers voice. “Living Thing” is a good track.
34-Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson-Break Up
We all like a good break-up mope, but this just failed. Pete Yorn should stick to what he’s best at, songwriting, and Scarlett should stick to what she’s best at, being absolutely gorgeous.
33-Handsome Furs-Face Control
They’re just too weird. I’ll give them some style points, and “All We Want, Baby, Is Everything” is a fun track, but overall they lose.
31-Tegan & Sara-Sainthood
I’m not a big fan of Tegan & Sara, but really want to like them. My favorite musical artists end up being the ones I didn’t like initially, so I always hold out hope when I don’t like an artist that I know is talented. New verdict: I still don’t like them. The sound just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll keep coming back to them every now and then.
30-K'Naan-Troubadour
There isn't anything here to get excited about.
27-John Mayer-Battle Studies
After reinventing himself with Continuum, and showing how talented he really is, this album just failed. He regressed to the poppy sound of his beginnings, even attempting to piggyback off the popularity of Taylor Swift’s sound. It’s too bad.
91-101
26-Ke$sha-Animal
Ok, so this one doesn’t really belong here as it was released in 2010, but Tik Tok is such a catchy song. I mean, when I begin and end my New Year’s Eve night by listening to Tik Tok, it’s got to be special right? I was not really impressed. Outside of “Your Love Is My Drug” no track boasts a beat as good as Tik Tok. You heard it here first, she’ll never write a song as good as Tik Tok ever again.
25-Rihanna-Rater R
This was a very blah album. Typical top 40 pop/r&b.
24-Iron & Wine-Around The Well
I want to like Iron & Wine so bad, and I find their lyrics mesmerizing, but their music simply boring. Their talent is undeniable, I just can’t enjoy it.
23-Owl City-Ocean Eyes
The music, lyrics, and singing are passable, but you would be hard pressed to find a less original band. They smack of Postal Service, Death Cab For Cutie, and every boy band. The breathy, cliché music is just plain bad. “’Cause I’d get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lighting bugs as they tried to teach me how to dance.” I just threw up in my mouth.
22-Colbie Caillat-Breakthrough
She’s just too wishy-washy, sappy, and optimistic for me. Her improvement begins when she writes about real life.
22-Lady Gaga-The Fame Monster
I only tolerated her music for a while; now I can’t stand it. I’m not sure what draws people to her.
21-50 Cent-Before I Self Destruct
Contrived and unimaginative, this one failed. Better luck next time fitty.
20-Papa Roach-Metamorphosis
It's great to rock out on while driving through Indiana and Ohio, which speaks to the quality of all involved.
20-Vertical Horizon-Burning The Days
When you take into consideration the talent level of Vertical Horizon, based off their past efforts, this was a truly magical album. However, when measured against other albums, it does not stack up.
17-Joe Henry-Blood From Stars
Too much twang here for me. His sound was too much for me to listen to, so I didn’t really get to evaluate his talent or his songwriting.
6-Lady Antebellum-Lady Antebellum
Had I just never listened to any Lady Antebellum song? I kept seeing songs on iTunes top songs, so I downloaded the whole album and gave it a listen. To my horror, it’s country music. Sorry, Lady Antebellum, I consider interpretative dancing with streamers to be more of an art form than country music.
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