And now we have the yearly round up of my favorite albums of the past year. This is the best I've kept track of what's come out this year. A couple of quick notes before I get into the list.
First, I'm a little disappointed by hip-hop this year. A handful of great songs but no records that blew me away. The closest was Jay, Stay, Paid by J Dilla.
Secondly, mewithoutYou's "It's all crazy, it's all false, it's all a dream, it's alright", is probably the biggest flop of an album this year. Although songs have grown on me and as an album it's pretty good, to go from something as amazing as Brother Sister to this... it's hard to over look that.
And now for the Top 20.
20. Gifts from Enola - From Fathoms
Mylene Sheath put out some of the best post rock albums this year. From Fathoms is Gifts from Enola's second album and it's light years better then Loyal Eyes Betrayed. A nice combination of chaos and great post rock hooks.
19. Neon Horse - Haunted Horse: Songs Of Love, Defiance, & Delusion
Sometimes you need just a good, fun rock record. And Mark Salomon and Jason Martin have created just that.
18. Steph Modder - Hopes Got Me
It's kind of a shame that more people haven't heard Steph Modder's Hopes Got Me. Just a nice album. One of the best new voices in music.
17. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster - III
So I have to revise my thoughts on southern rock a little. Maylene and The Sons of Disaster do southern metal right!.
16. Jeremy Enigk - Ok Bear
Ok Bear might not be as grand of Return of the Frog Queen but nothing will be. Very similar to his last 2 solo efforts. Jeremy Enigk is one great song writer and Ok Bear is just another great pop record. Great songs. Too bad it was over shadowed by the return of Sunny Day Real Estate (which was also awesome).
15. Thursday - Common Existence
Their most raw album since Full Collapse. Thursday hasn't broken any new ground but Common Existence finds Thursday back creating passionate, furious music.
14. The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of Wars
The Chariot have created another chaotic masterpiece. A good hardcore album start to finish.
13. Tumbledown - Tumbledown
Who knew Mike from MxPx could put out such a great country. Songs about drinking, gambling, and love. It's country music at it's purest and Mike has pulled it off wonderfully.
12. pg.Lost - In Never Out
In Never Out is post rock. Fans of Explosions in the Sky shouldn't pass by pg.Lost.
11. Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder
Featuring members of Neurosis, St Vitus, Sleep, and The Melvins, Shrinebuilder had a lot to live up to. And they pulled it off. Finally, a supergroup that worked. This is doom/sludge/stoner metal heaven.
10. David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
The best thing David has done since Pedro the Lion's Control. Some of the most beautiful and heart wrenching songs he's ever written. Getting back to writing about his spiritual life was a good call and although this is his "breakup with God" record, David Bazan has still managed to paint beautiful pictures with his lyrics.
9. Isis - Wavering Radiant
Wavering Radiant captured a nice balance of metal and post rock. This album has a perfect blend of being heavy and beautiful.
8. Cave In - Planets of Old
4 songs of some of the best music Cave In has ever written. A perfect mix of all things good Cave In, taking the best from Until Your Heart Stops, Jupiter, and Pitch Perfect Black. If all bands need to break up for a couple years to come back and make music this good then it should be so.
7. Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive
The side project of Converge's bassist Nate Newton, Doomriders is just a straight forward kick ass heavy rock and roll band. Darkness Comes Alive hits me perfectly.
6. Russian Circles - Geneva
The post rock genre seems to be in a slight transition to a heavier sound and leading the pack is Russian Circles. Again, they've outdone themselves and great a record with more groove then their previous 2 efforts. Geneva will get your bobbing.
5. Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down
I picked this album up on a whim and it was worth it. Gone is the goofy pop punk Relient K of old. In their place is a mature band whose ability to write great songs still takes me by surprise. Forget and Not Slow Down is the most consistent album of song writing I heard all year. There's no clunkers on this album. It's a solid listen and people who still think Relient K is still singing about Marilyn Manson eating girlfriends, you should give this album a spin. It will change your opinion of the band completely.
4. Mono - Hymn To The Immortal Wind
Hymn to the Immortal Wind took all of 10 second for me to fall in love. Mono has always put out great albums but the play with strings on Hymn makes this album top them all. 10 minute orchestral pieces. Great album
3. Thrice - Beggars
I feel bad for having never really given Thrice their due because Beggars is fantastic. Dustin Kensrue is just a fine lyricist and musically Thrice seems to moved away from their early screamo roots beautifully. I feel like Beggars got lost in the shuffle this year and it's a pity.
2. Saxon Shore - It Doesn't Matter
No band, and I mean no band, has been able to move the sound forward and keep progressing and still continue to write and record music that's better then whatever they released before as Saxon Shore has. It Doesn't Matter might be the most upbeat sounding and keyboard driven record Saxon has produced to date. They aren't your typical post rock band and they're a better band because of it.
1. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
This might be a popular and almost hipster choice for my favorite album of the year but I don't care. I'm not trying to impress anyone anyway. Crack the Skye might not be Leviathan but that's ok. Crack the Skye has Mastodon progressing their sound into something far more then metal. It's an epic journey and it's my favorite album of the year! Nothing was better then Crack the Skye, Nothing!
Honorable Mentions:
Frank Lenz - Strickly Background OST
Hatebreed - Hatebreed
Caspian - Tertia
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