Music 2009

I was thinking about doing a top ten list for this year’s, but that is pretty boring. Any numbskull with a blog can make a top ten list. Instead of a top ten list, I thought I’d make a specific category for my favorite CD’s so far this year.

Album my daughter is most likely to steal from me in her teens: Green Day’s 21^st Century Breakdown.

Not by any stretch my favorite CD of the year and I’m in no way a big GD fan, but I can see this being the type of music kids still listen to 10 years from now. Aside from being such a popular band, GD has done the best job at making popular anti-establishment music. Much our generation we stole the Doors and Jimmy Hendrix, our kids will steal Green Day. Writing that is sort of depressing since we realize GD’s shortcoming is their ability to create punk pop like no one else. Our kids will just want it since Wikipedia will tell them that Green Day was cool.

Album most likely to be a trivia question on a Genius Edition of Trivial Pursuit: Steve Martin’s ‘The Crow: New Songs for the Five-string Banjo’

“This comedian released a critically acclaimed record in 2009, years after his last funny movie”. I was totally surprised when I listened to the album and found it sort of enjoyable. It is what it says it is; new banjo music. No dueling banjos or hillbilly music, but Steve Martin walling away.

The album that would have been great if it was 4 songs shorter: “Street Sweeper Social Club”.

The released two teaser songs associated with the NINJA tour, and I was really excited. It was like Rage against the Machine mixed with the Flobots. And that is how the CD starts off. I’m not sure I’m ready to describe how the CD ends, but let’s just say it’s like me 3 hours after a 10oz Red Bull.

Album most likely to be remixed into a dance CD: “The XX”.

I might be dating myself here, but do they still do that sort of thing? I always liked it when they took a good song and dropped a techno beat behind it. I’m more likely to walk into a Church than a club at this point in my life. I digress. Great CD, but not something you’d want to listen to on a run. Angelo put it best by saying “perfect for the cold rainy days of DC”. I haven’t gotten my fill of this CD and I’ve been listening to it daily for the last 2 weeks. Love it.

Biggest disappointment from someone who obviously knows better: The Dead Weather’s “Horehound”.

My open letter to Jack White: Dear Jack, how can you make a CD where you basically don’t do anything besides play the drums? I know you’re busy wasting everyone time bedding your supermodel wife and putting out forgettable Raconteurs (yeah, I said it, FORGETABLE!) albums, so you have to limit yourself a little. But please remember, that your most critically acclaimed and most popular music involved Meg playing the drums. Now, I know you’ve done a good job at hiding it, but we both know that Meg has the IQ of a donkey. But your ability to carry her through some amazing albums and unforgettable performances is part of what makes you my musical idol. Horehound just makes me nostalgic for the old days when you did all the difficult things for a two person band. Now you do the easy part on 4 person band and the sum of the parts is barely mediocre. Please Jack, take this time to realize your window is closing and your opportunity for great music is limited. You can make average CD’s with so and so from a band that just couldn’t make it over the hump, or you can make amazing music with Meg the drum playing donkey. Make the right choice. Jon

The Album I’ll be listening to in 5 years: Modest Mouse “No One’s first and your next”

MM is the last band that I really want to see in concert that are still good enough to make me want to see them. This isn’t there best work, but it’s hard to quantify what they do since most of their CD’s sound adlibbed at the time they recorded them. I’ll be listening to them for at least the next 5 years, but I’m not sure they’ll stand the test of time. I’m not sure you can listen to Modest Mouse on the way to the soccer game or Disney world.

The album I’ll be listening to in 10 years: “Wilco the Album”

Okay, it’s official, I’m a Wilco fan, but I have no real desire to see them in concert if not for the fear that the place will smell like patchouli oil and pot. And everyone knows I hate smell of patchouli oil. This is a very solid album if you are a Wilco fan. Their albums are produced to the point of perfection. There is never a doubt about what sound they are trying to make. If these guys had died in a fiery plane crash 4 years ago, they’d be huge and everyone would have a copy of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. But since planes don’t crash like they used to, they are forced to make music that changes with the times. This album is easy enough for old people to listen, but enough rock and roll to make you feel young.