Zack's Top 10 for 2009

We've definitely been sleeping for a minute, but let's at least end out the year with a top ten list and a new year's resolution to fix all the mistakes we made this year.

So these were my top 10 favorite albums this year.

1. Akron/Family - Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free
Definitely one the most musically diverse and pleasing-from-all-angles album to come out this year. Akron/Family came back sounding more mature this time and adding a whole lot of Paul Simon influence (because really there ain't nothin' wrong with that). Each song really speaks with its own voice, but flows cohesively as a single unit. I've tried to catch these guys a number of time this year and hoping that the 2010 show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg will be first time seeing this ex-Angels of Light act.

2. Shook Ones - The Unquotable A.M.H.
If you knew me at all this year, you were well aware of fact that I've been listening to this album on almost constant rotation, I'm almost surprised I had time to listen to anything else this year. These sons of Bellingham, WA and Kid Dynamite have fully developed their own sound with the release of this album. Cutting back on break-neck speeds and moving more into mid-tempo song structures, the Shooks have added more melody and better vocals (both structurally and lyrically) to churn out one of my favorite records this year. Unfortunately, because of my work and class schedule I was unable to attend both their Brooklyn and Long Island shows during their East Coast tour with Off With Their Heads, but hey there's always next year right?

3. Cult Ritual - LP
Well if you want to talk about this year's flash-in-a-pan, saving grace, hardcore band, we need mention Cult Ritual. Hailing from Tampa, FL and seeming to erupt from nowhere with a kind of hype that I hadn't seen since the birth of American Nightmare, had hipster-hardcore kids shelling out oodles-of-dollars and traveling hundreds of miles to catch this shortly-lived, explosion of anger. I didn't believe the hype until I heard the record, but shortly after retrieving my jaw from the floor I quickly realized that I hadn't heard a band do Black Flag like this since Black Flag. Although this band no longer exists, you can be sure to catch the same kind of energy in their new projects Nazi Dust and Slavescene.

4. Magrudergrind - S/T
Truly a grind masterpiece for both the heart and soul. Although I was impressed with their 2007 full-length Rehashed, I was not expecting Magrudergrind to raise the bar for metal bands to the level they did on this release. This time returning with better songs and a better sounding recording, this release will utterly obliterate the listener with crushing distortion tighly weaved between break-neck-style blast beats and screams that might have Jacob Bannon running for the door. If you don't listen to this for music, at least listen to it for samples...

And uh, if you happen to be in NYC on January 23rd, you might want to check out this.

5. Obits - I Blame You
The brainchild of Rick Froberg of Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu fame, this Brooklyn-Based act seemed to gain critical acclaim in no time for their 2009 Sub-Pop released, debut full-length. With rumors of Sub Pop signing them solely-based on a bootleg recording from their first performance at NYC's Cake Shop, they certainly lived up to their hype upon recording their most recent release. A perfect blend of direction Hot Snakes had been headed, mixed with some early punk and some 1950's era-rock'n roll for good measure, you don't know what you've been missing if you haven't heard this record.

6. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
It's fucking NAPALM DEATH, 'nuff said. Go see them before you die, they're awesome.

7. Confines - Demo
Featuring the former singer of Cut The Shit/Bones Brigade, this mid-tempo hardcore act hailing from Boston has been every hardcore kid's wet dream since the break up of Cut The Shit and actually lives up to expectations. Featuring the additional bonus of members of Failures, you can't really go wrong. Please come to NY!

8. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse
The recording project of Scott Hull of Pig Destroyer (now featuring Katherine Katz of Salome) churned out another full length this year. Only this time around with better production quality, more interesting song structures and a better approach to vocals. I know its a drum machine, but it sounds so good on this record...

9. Them Crooked Vultures - S/T
If I had a separate list of albums that took my by surprise this year, this one would be right smack at the top. Usually most super groups wind up being a disappointment for me (i.e. Shrinebuilder), so upon first listen of this album I wasn't really expecting much. Now, I like Led Zeppelin as much as the next dude and I've never really been that much of a Queens of the Stone Age or Foo Fighters fan. So, when found myself being as impressed with the opening track 'No One Loves Me and Neither Do I' and the later track 'Elephants' as much as I was, I took myself by surprise (i.e. John Paul Jones kills it on this record and Josh Homme isn't annoying). Do yourself a favor and check it out, it might surprise you as much it did me.

10. Do Make Say Think - Other Truths
I would probably say that this might also be somewhere on my list of surprising albums for this year as well because I really wasn't expecting DMST to pop out another good album. Despite my on-going love affair with this band, I was running around with the idea that their last album was probably going to be their last listenable effort. I jumped right on the train of people that pre-ordered 2007's You, You're A History In Rust, because at that point the were one of my favorite bands. It was a good album, but not as solid as the rest of their catalog. I would say this album was on par and perhaps even a bit better than their last release, but not as good as 2003's Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn. Heading in a bit more structured/'rock' direction (similar to the style of the most recent A Silver Mt. Zion album), the group works with easier-follow-arrangements this time around (which you might recognize from their last record). So judge that how you will (because I don't want to say too much), but don't discredit this band yet, they still have some good songs to write.