Favorite bands of 2009

[macker]

Originally Posted by troutman

Just an observation, but I'm interested in how people approach music. Are the lyrics the most important thing for some people in assessing music? I think I'm normally the opposite - I'm first attracted to how something sounds, and the lyrics are only icing on the cake for me.

Good question! For me the music has to have some momentum to it as I primarily listen to music on long runs or at the gym so I agree that it has to sound good and not be the type of music that you will get sick of quick. A couple of songs that don't fit this mold that I can think of are : RAA : Frank, Ab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dySSnXzLwcw
and Patrick Watson : Big Bird in a Small Cage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXVwWffkv4w
At first these songs aren't the best sounding songs ever but they are harder to shake as they are lyrically a couple of the more interesting songs I have heard this year. Hayden is also an amazing song writer but the music can be a bit boring yet I still listen to stuff he wrote in the 90's and it still sounds good today. Well written and never overplayed. Most of the over played music today is not well written. So I guess a bit of both for me...I have some mindless candy that I listen to just to mix it up but the most interesting artists have the most interesting lyrics for sure! Anyone else use that songmeanings.net site?

[Torture]

I think people are embarrassed to admit they like mainstream music as well. Like out of all the favorite albums posted here, nobody has the new Pearl Jam, nobody lists anything from Kings of Leon, or U2, or any one of a number of big name bands that released new CD's this year. Heck, Nirvana released a live album this year and it didn't make anybodies top albums of 2009 list?

That's cause Kings of Leon sold out and they're starting a clothing line...

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Nope, this album isn't what I would term hard. But it ain't soft. It's a solo project.

Do you limit yourself to only hard music?

Patterson Hood's band is far from soft.

No I don't limit myself - I picked up Hayden's latest, for example. But I'm still surprised at the lists that people are coming up with, which are relatively soft overall, that's all.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Well there's always the metal thread which surfaces now and again...

But I agree, I'm somewhat shocked every time I look at one of these other threads and realize that unless people are posting in the metal thread, they sure do listen to a lot of soft, unaggressive music. There's no punk demographic at CP, you would think, for example.

I think people are embarrassed to admit they like mainstream music as well. Like out of all the favorite albums posted here, nobody has the new Pearl Jam, nobody lists anything from Kings of Leon, or U2, or any one of a number of big name bands that released new CD's this year. Heck, Nirvana released a live album this year and it didn't make anybodies top albums of 2009 list?

That's because punk and metal have degenerated into jokes. Punk used to be about an attitude, and an anti-authority "screw-you, we don't give a crap" mentality. It's turned into a bunch of skater kids, with ######ed tattoos, singing about their fratboy-esque antics or how much they hate their parents for making them clean their rooms.

And habby pretty much covered metal with his cookie monster analogy, but I'll add onto that by saying I have not heard an original metal song in years. Crappy, over-the-top noise, with generic lyrics.

I'm not sure how you can lump Pearl Jam into the "hard" group. A good 75% of their new album is among some of the softest stuff in their entire catalogue. That being said, it's also their best album in a good 10-15 years.

Some of the bands that stood out to me this year:

Wilco
Mother, Mother
Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
Metric
Said the Whale
Tortoise
Peter, Bjorn and John
The Swell Season
Islands

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Torture

That's cause Kings of Leon sold out and they're starting a clothing line...

Is this true?

Kings of Leon really went after the pop market hard this time around. It seems like an image consultant made them the adult version of the Jonas Brothers and their music was nicely "polished" up as well. I think they really have some good music in their catalogue but I haven't really enjoyed the direction they've gone recently. Sex on Fire is a catchy tune but its seems pretty obvious its an attempt to play up the image they've cultivated. At least their old songs about boning chicks were kind of raw and interesting.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Is this true?

Kings of Leon really went after the pop market hard this time around. It seems like an image consultant made them the adult version of the Jonas Brothers and their music was nicely "polished" up as well. I think they really have some good music in their catalogue but I haven't really enjoyed the direction they've gone recently. Sex on Fire is a catchy tune but its seems pretty obvious its an attempt to play up the image they've cultivated. At least their old songs about boning chicks were kind of raw and interesting.

Yeah, I don't mind the new album, but it's really obvious what they were going for. That being said, I think "Use Somebody" is one of the worst songs I've ever heard.

[carom]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

No I don't limit myself - I picked up Hayden's latest, for example. But I'm still surprised at the lists that people are coming up with, which are relatively soft overall, that's all.

I was really into chilled out music this year. Lots of ambient, psybient, dark and ethereal wave, post-rock, chill out, baroque pop, and the typical indie/college/import rock. The chilled out thing might just be a phase, i seem to go through musical moods that can last months.

EDIT: I am just starting to get back to my punk rock roots. I just started listening to the swinging utters, dunno how I missed them before.

[BuzzardsWife]

im afraid to post here in case i get the wrong year

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

im afraid to post here in case i get the wrong year

Every thread needs a spectator.