I usually let my great writers handle the writing on the blog while I just sit back and bring in content, but they all felt like I should be a bigger part of the blog especially when it comes to lists like these, so I decided that they were right and began my first blog post on L.A.M.B.
Now after hours upon hours of listening, and then a few more hours of listening again, I finally narrowed my list down to my Top 15 of 2009. I tried my hardest to stay with Top 10 but there were too many albums that stuck out in my mind. Some I knew would be on my list from the first listen and others grew on me. Then there were the few that came out of left field and made me feel like if they didn’t get a spot I would have nightmares for weeks to come about my lack of commitment to good music. So here it is, my top 15 albums of 2009, and here’s to more posts coming from me and the LA Music Blog team in 2010!
#15. MR. GNOME – HEAVE YER SKELETON
At first, you might think you’re listening to a full band, but once you realize this is a duo you will be blown away by the amount of sound that they can produce! I look forward to seeing where this band goes in the future and hearing other music from them. If you haven’t already, check out our interview with Nicole from the band.
It’s that time of the week again…new album releases! As per usual, I’ve left my thoughts on the newest batch of albums to be birthed into the world of music. Let me know yours in the comments.
AC/DC, Backtracks [CD/DVD box set]
Tori Amos, Midwinter Graces – Tori takes a crack at a seasonal album with 2 original songs included.
Bobby Birdman, New Moods
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Live [live CD/DVD]
Bon Jovi, The Circle
Michelle Branch, Everything Comes and Goes The pop starlet releases her first solo country album.
Dashboard Confessional, Alter The Ending – For those of you who miss the old unplugged Dashboard, you can pick up a deluxe 2-disc version of this release and get all 12 tracks performed acoustic.
Echo and the Bunnymen, The Fountain
Theendisthebeginning, master machine
Melanie Fiona, The Bridge
Flyleaf, Memento Mori
Robyn Hitchcock, I Often Dream Of Trains In New York
Hollywood Undead, Desperate Measures
Hurricane Bells, Tonight Is the Ghost
Wyclef Jean, From The Hut To The Projects To The Mansion [EP]
The Killers, Live at Royal Albert Hall [CD/DVD]
MF Doom, Unexpected Guests
Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Xenophanes
mr. Gnome, Heave Yer Skeleton – You can check out our interview with Nicole Barille here.
Snow Patrol, Up To Now
Stereophonics, Keep Calm and Carry On
Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane – This is the group’s 7th full-length release so they must be doing something right in the studio.
My first response upon hearing mr. Gnome was to ask how many members were in the band. Fully expecting a 5 or 6-piece collaboration to be responsible for the huge sound coming out of my speakers, I was floored to learn that just two artists comprise the Cleveland group. Mr. Gnome utilizes a reverse White Stripes dynamic, with Nicole Barille on guitar and vocals and Sam Meister pounding away on the percussion. The result is something that I don’t think can be fully explained in words, but if anyone would be able to do it, it would be Barille. Check out our interview with the artist in which she talks about the origin of the band, their new album, and why creative control isn’t something they plan to give up anytime soon.
