The 9 of '09

2009 was a great year in music. Here at Digging For Days, I don't pretend to have heard every album that was released. I did listen to a quite a bit. So here is my end of year list- no pretense or hype here. Let the bashing begin.

9. Crash Kings by Crash Kings

Their energy is as infectious as their songs. Without a guitar in sight, these Kings deliver one great song after the other. Whether it's the sheer force of Raincoat or the charging 1985, Crash Kings know how to keep the fingers off the skip button. They deserve much more attention in 2010.



8. Raditude by Weezer

It's not Pinkerton. They haven't even tried to copy that album and you know what? Once you accept Weezer as the band they are now, you can sleep a little better at night. They turn up the pop of their brand of nerd pop/rock on Raditude and got bashed for it. One Lil Wayne collabo later on the super catchy Can't Stop Partying and you almost forgive them for turning their back on meaningful lyrics. With songs this toe tapping, I kind like the direction Weezer is headed.

7. Build Me This by Joshua James

Once billed as a quiet folk singer, James proved everyone wrong on his second album. Here he proved that he can rock with the best of them. But he didn't lose his core group of fans along the way. He blends his style of folk music with the volume turned way up. Black July is as stomping as a White Stripe song. Coal War is a modern take on a chain gang anthem. Joshua James pulled out all the stops here and it shows.

6. The Modern Electric by The Modern Electric

A little known band with a fondness for David Bowie with a rock edge. The Modern Electric deliver on the modern part of their name. They are at once a throwback to the '90s rock sound with a whole new twist. With a lead singer who can bend his voice to the brink and back again on such heart wrenching songs like Filming Our Favorite Lies. But it's the single Mistakes that shows their artistry; rather than explode, they hold back. Tease.

5. All I Ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson

Oh, Kelly how we missed you since you were gone. She took a break from her pop roots to get her dark side out on My December but came back full force on Wanted. My Life Would Suck Without You was the banging pop song we always wanted from her and she delivered. Her voice still remains front and center but heightened by the right hooks that let us proudly sing along with her in the car. A return to form CD that also grows the artist (Just listen to the hard rock Whyyawannabringmedown and the retro I Want You); well worth the wait.

4. Ursa Major by Third Eye Blind

We thought we were rid of the '90s alt rock kings. They went the way of Bush, Vertical Horizon, and Live. But Third Eye Blind delivered a very much labored over album Ursa Major like they had nothing to prove. Stephen Jenkins' snarl and overly worded lyrics are still intact as were the classic 3EB hooks. Don't Believe A Word is quite possibly their most rocking yet (and very The Who-ish). While Sharp Knife is a classic slow burner with a message. After all the delays, Ursa Major proved these '90s guys deserve a spot in the new millennium.

3. Revolution by Miranda Lambert

Out of left field Lambert delivered not only the best country album of the year, but one of the best period. With songs that hit you below the belt and in the face, Lambert's delivery and tone completely set the stage for the stories she is telling. The House That Built Me brings tears to my eyes just thinking about going back to my childhood home, while Me and Your Cigarettes creates one of the best metaphors, nicotine and love-(they're both addictive and bad for you). She should be sweeping the awards circuit this time next year with her most honest, heartfelt record to date.

2. Phrazes for the Young by Julian Casablancas

The Strokes front man was the last one of his group to strike out on his own and you know what they say about the last ones. Casablancas delivered a throwback to the '80s on tracks such as 11th Dimension. His songs went unexpected places and often changed without much warning. He kept an eye on the future without losing what made The Strokes. Left & Right in the Dark finds Julian bopping along with pop beat and a chorus that keeps finding hooks around every corner. With only 8 songs on this album, every one has something to love. All killer, no filler.

1. Aim and Ignite by fun.

No band found the pure bliss of music quite like fun. did this year. Led by the former lead singer of The Format, fun. delivered the most exuberant pop opus I've heard in quite a while. Washed in violins, background vocals, lush harmonies, excellent melodies and a hooks galore. Aim and Ignite did just that. It exploded what pop music can be. It doesn't have to be fake club beats and guests rap collaborations. Fun. reminded everyone that music is supposed to sound like- genuine lyrics wrapped around a clever hook. It doesn't get much better than the frenetic track ironically called Be Calm or the military drums on At Least I'm Not as Sad as I Used to Be. If Aim and Ignite was their debut I can't wait to see when they explode.

The Best Of...

Lists, lists, lists. Seems like everyone and their brother make an end-of-the-year best-of list. Well I'm no different. BUT instead of falling into the hype of who critics say was the best, I am making a list of the albums I actually bought this year. Because if an album was supposedly so great, then I would have bought it and enjoyed it. So here you go, the best 10 of 2008 that you can actually listen to.

10-The Bird and the Bee Sides- Relient K
Relient K has been regrouping after losing a member and has come out of it even better than before. This album is two in one; it has a lot of demos, b sides, and other rarities, which aren't really that great. BUT the new stuff called The Tennis EP is Relient K at a whole new level. They embrace a little southern twang in their sound with banjos sprinkled throughout Where Do I Go From Here, and let everyone have their turn taking lead vocals to some surprising results, such as the rollicking The Last, The Lost, The Least. Relient K- Myspace

9-Viva La Vida- Coldplay
I did not enjoy Coldplay's last album X&Y. It was too much of the same. I was hesitant to pick up Viva La Vida, but after hearing the epic nature of the title track, the pounding Violet Hill, and the very melodic Strawberry Swing, I knew this wasn't the same Coldplay. Sure it is still piano driven music, but Chris Martin's delivery is lower and even the instrumental Life in Technicolor is mesmerizing. It lands at number 9 on my list because the album is very uneven. But the good outweighs the bad.
Coldplay-Myspace

8-Red Album-Weezer
That album cover could have been enough to drive me away, but I'm glad it didn't. While the songs are very hit and miss, when Weezer is on their game, you get epic songs like Dreamin', which changes tempo and even has birds chirping on it. Sure Pork and Beans was classic Weezer, but what we haven't come to expect from Rivers and the guys is a change in song structure. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived not only has different song structure but has every single music genre included in it. A great album that shows some real growth. Weezer- Myspace

7-Detours-Sheryl Crow
Dubbed as her most personal yet, Sheryl Crow shines on the bouyant Love Is Free. She tackles everything from the price of gas, to the war in Iraq, to her newly adopted son, and her break up with Lance Armstrong. Each song has a great hook and meaningful lyrics to back it up. A solid effort from an artist who put out the most relevant album of the year. Sheryl Crow- Myspace

6-Vampire Weekend-Vampire Weekend
A very different sounding band that mixes African drum beats and reggae into a pop/rock sound that was made for lazy days. A Punk is one of the best songs to come around in years. Vampire Weekend gets style points for finding the perfect sound to accompany you at the beach. Vampire Weekend-Myspace

5-Wanderlust-Gavin Rossdale
He may get no respect because of his 90's rep, but Gavin Rossdale knows his way around a hook. Wanderlust is filled with straight forward rock and he is not apologizing for it. There are the required ballads but these are not sugary or sappy in any way. On the track Frontline, Gavin wonders why he is still living his rock lifestyle on the road with a wife and kid at home. Excellent album for someone who's more famous for his wife than his music. Gavin Rossdale- Myspace

4-Pretty.Odd.- Panic At the Disco
Who knew dropping the '!' from their name would cause such an uproar. But if that is what it took to get Panic to refine their sound, then it was worth it. Pretty.Odd. is filled with catchy songs from beginning to end. Here they sound like they have finally discovered The Beatles, and are showing their influences in their music. They go from kooky circus music, to folk, to pop, and back again, all the while proving it doesn't matter if you left out the excitement from your name. Panic At the Disco- Myspace

3-Dig Out Your Soul-Oasis
Who still cares about Oasis? After Wonderwall didn't they break up? Well, I still care and no they didn't. Dig finds Oasis getting their swagger back with their best album since What's the Story (Morning Glory)? First single The Shock of the Lightning, proves that they are ready to take America radio back, if only we would let them.
Oasis- Myspace

2-Whisper War- The Cab
Never has an album been so great from the first song to the last. I mean it, every song has a killer hook, interesting arrangements, and great lyrics. Now don't get me wrong, this is very much a pop/rock album and band. They understand that songs at their very heart must have a great melody. And you get that with The Cab in spades.
The Cab- Myspace

1-Only By the Night-Kings of Leon
I've always liked some of their songs, but never an entire album. The Kings finally got it right when they backed away from the sloppy playing and singing and accepted who they were. With Only By The Night, the Followill boys achieve a zenith in music- great melodies, interesting vocals, solid songwriting, and accessibility. Kings of Leon are reaching for the back of the stadium and beyond on soaring tracks like Sex On Fire and Use Somebody with the latter finding them at their most vulnerable. The best album of 2008. Kings Of Leon- Myspace