As the year winds down and every music aficionado comes out with their "Best Of" list before the new year, myself included of course, each list is never the same. Just after I posted my 10 Best of 2009 list, I got ridiculed, criticized and rarely praised. However, I cannot take offense to anything, that is how I looked at the year, as lame or as commercial it may have been. Much how I cannot change the lists of the following people, I feel each in their own right have some of the best ears and best taste of anyone I know. Take another look at 2009.
A very close friend and heavy contributor to this site since day one. Bill Reese is currently an editor at Playbill, a musician and former writer for Good Times Magazine. Take a look at Bill Reese's Top 10.
10. Mean Everything to Nothing, by Manchester Orchestra
9. I and Love and You, by The Avett Brothers
8. The Hazards of Love, by The Decemberists
7. Phrazes for the Young, by Julian Casablancas
6. Manners, by Passion Pit
5. Hometowns, by The Rural Alberta Advantage
4. Backspacer, by Pearl Jam
3. My Maudlin Career, by Camera Obscura
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, by Phoenix
1. The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe, by Illinois
Leah Marchesano is one of my favorite people I have met this past year. A fellow blogger for the website Turn Up the Sound and manager of The Royal Chains. Leah has fantastic taste, after all we did meet at a Glasvegas concert.
1. Primary Colours-The Horrors
2.Humbug-Arctic Monkeys
3.Fruit-The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
4.Ignore The Ignorant-The Cribs
5.Fortress Round My Heart-Ida Maria
6.The Resistance-Muse
7.Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix-Phoenix
8.Lungs-Florence and the Machine
9.Summer Of Hate-Crocodiles
10.Raditude-Weezer
Special note: 'I wanted to thank The Royal Chains, Adam Roddick and Dan Lawley, for giving me the best 2009 I could ever ask for. I love you more than you will ever know! I also want to thank Sal Bono for always asking my opinion and helping me whenever I need it, you are my #1 blogger buddy! 2010 will be big, let's greet it with peace and love.'
Jason Driscoll aka Jay Drizz will sometimes get on stage and sing with Therefore I am and can rock a Reno 911 outfit better than most of the cast members. Jay and I used to work at WQAQ at Quinnipiac University all through college. He has the most diverse ear than anyone I know and his list proves it.
1-Converge Axe To Fall
2-Mastodon Crack The Skye
3-Therefore I Am The Sound Of Human Lives
4-Every Time I Die New Junk Aesthetic
5-Cage Depart From Me
6-Gallows Grey Britain
7-Thursday Common Existence
8-Thrice Beggars
9-John Mayer Battle Studies
10-Kid Cudi Man on the Moon::The End of Day
My favorite DJ in New York City is one that most have never herd and yet those that have, praise him like a hero. Rich D Smoov has been cranking out beats since the 80's and has done everything from sing in hardcore acts to get a party started at any hour of the day.
1.Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics: Inspiration Information
2.Mos Def: The Ecstatic
3.Mastodon: Cracke The Sky
4.Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus
5.Doom: Born Like This
6.The Gaslamp Killer: My Troubled Mind ep /all killer
7.Raekwon the Chef: Only Built for Cuban Links vol 2
8.Krallice: Dimensional Bleed Through
9.Baroness: The Blue Record
10.Hatebreed: For the Lions
Last but certainly never least, one of my musical companions for years and someone who has witnessed some of the best and worst live acts along side me. Logo, like Jay Drizz has been working in music since our days at QAQ.
The Thermals-Now We Can See
Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3
U2-No Line on the Horizon
The Decemberists-The Hazards of Love
(500)Days of Summer Soundtrack
The Hold Steady- A Positive Rage
Two Tounges
Say Anything
N.A.S.A.- The Spirit of Apollo