Rock and roll has always been a determining factor in my life (or rather that’s the way I like to see it). The night my parents met for the first time was due to a cancelled Lynard Skynard performance in 1977 (four members of the band and crew were killed in a plane crash). If my Mother’s plans weren’t altered by the bands awful fate she may have never arrived at my Father’s house for a party; years later I may have never been born. My first steps as a child was to “Stand” by R.E.M. – I’ve always loved the irony and how proud my parents were of their sons triumph.
I remember when my dad first brought home a CD player in 1993 he seemed eager to hook it into the receiver. The first and only CD we had at the time was a compilation album called “Hollywood Soundtracks” released by Blockbuster Video, the only song on the album we loved was “I’m gonna be (500 Miles)” by the Proclaimers. My sister and I played that one song over and over again- it was the first of many others. I can still picture the first CD’s that my father had brought home Soul Asylum’s “Grave Dancer’s Union” and Dinosaur Jr.’s “Where You Been” were among them.
I never bought CD’s as a kid because cassettes were always cheaper. The first cassette I bought was with Birthday money, it was Green Day’s “Dookie” only 27 days after its February 1st release date- I was a fresh 8 years old. 1994 is the year music became my hobby alongside comic books and action heroes. On Christmas in 1994 I received one of my most memorable gifts ever, it was a small and seemingly heavy package (for an 8 year old) and inside were Aerosmith’s “Greatest Hits”, The Cranberries “No Need to Argue”, AC/DC “LIVE” and Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and since that moment music encompassed my life like an addiction. I found myself glued to MTV in hopes of my favorite songs or scrolling through the radio on my boom box and care stereo. All the girls I fell in love with secretly listened to music their parents wouldn’t allow, while I listened to those same artists with my parents.
My first concert was at the Detroit Taste Fest in July of 1995, my parents took us to see Collective Soul only 4 months after their album “Collective Soul” was released- I was only 9. I told someone there that I saw Green Day at Woodstock and his exclamation was, “YOU WERE AT WOODSTOCK ’94″ and I said, “No it was on T.V.” he and his friend laughed, but looking back I think they thought it was awesome my parents brought my sister and I to the show. I’ve seen over a thousand concerts and am still trying to count.
It’s important to realize how pivotal black influence was on rock and roll, hell, they invented it along with the blues genre. The history of Rock and Roll will always be debated, but most agree that it was an evolution that hasn’t stopped. In 1995 my father asked me if I would like to go to Chuck Berry and Little Richard with friends of the family (he and my mother couldn’t go) and when I said yes my father went downstairs and pulled out his records. The song I remembered listening to was a humorous feel good song by Chuck Berry called “Ding-A-Ling” and I can still remember the image of a guy swimming in the water trying to protect his “ding-a-ling”. The concert I remember in fleeting moments, but I do know that I didn’t have a clue I was witnessing two of the most influential people in rock and roll. I also realized that day that it wasn’t a white-man named Michael J. Foxx from Back to the Future who wrote Johnny B. Goode.
Rock and Roll will reinvent itself forever, but what’s important to understand is that it should always evoke the raw emotions that inspire us to move both physically and mentally. Rock and Roll, at its best, will always be challenging. The genre encompasses the silence and the explosion and we the listener will mold it into our lives where we see fit. With regards to working with black children, it’s a shame they believe rock and roll is a white thing and I do my best to show them otherwise. They really enjoyed Chuck Berry, some even danced to it. This article is in honor of Black History and their endless influence on Rock and Roll. I would also like to say thanks for helping me build a foundation to stand on and move mountains with.
Take it as you will- my favorite albums of 2009. I would like to avoid a lengthy editorial about people and their opinions and simply mention that there is plenty of music I regret not knowing about. I hope that this list will lead others in the right direction. These albums were chosen for their full and unfaultering delivery. They also tend to be very emotive and progressive in nature.
Mumford and Sons “Sigh No More”
Progressive Folk Music that bellows passion. Unlike anything I’ve heard.
Manchester Orchestra – “Everything to Nothing”
My most listened to album of 2009. Every listen made the album more special.
Thrice – “Beggars”
Forward-Explosive and probably one of the best “rock” albums of 2009. The song Beggars is unyielding and is one of my favorite songs of the year.
Mew – “No More Stories are Told Today Sorry They All Washed Away”
Experimental-Progressive and right up my alley. Others my find this a difficult listen.
Julian Plenti – “…is skyscraper”
A suprisingly special album from the lead singer of Interpol. It reminds me of winter in the city.
Florence and the Machine – “Lungs”
This album makes me want to go to a concert every time I hear it. It causes me to dance. To cry. To Laugh.
Dredg – “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion”
If I could be in a band- this would be the one. Progressive rock founded in deep thinking. It sounds pretentious- but its just too advanced for some people. (Its hard for me to write with humor. Its my New Year’s Resolution.) You either love dredg or could give a shit.
Brand New – “Daisy”
This album is pure intensity and compassion.
Regina Spektor – ‘”Far”
An album full of unique songs driven by piano and vocals. A refreshing release from the angry rock music I listen to.
Mastodon – “Crack the Skye”
My favorite metal album of the year. Mastodon continually releases focused albums that surprise me. Metal music has been lost for quite sometime and Mastodon proves that hope is still out there. Isis’s “Wavering Radiant” is fantastic too.
The Mars Volta – “Octahedron”
One of my favorite bands since high school. I loved this album and its my favorite Volta album since Frances the Mute. Its not for everyone- also another band you either love or hate.
VAST – “You and Me”
Vast is special. Jon Crosby has evolved relentlessly since his first release back in 1997. “You and Me” is an Americana driven rock album that I’ve listened throughout the better half of 2009. Jon Crosby has also always been the underdog. Please don’t forget him.
These are the 143 albums I’ve listened to throughout 2009 and I am certain I am missing a few. It is in no alphabetical order even though it looks that way.
Arkaea – Years in Darkness
Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle
Constants – The Foundation-The Machine-The Ascension
Fever Ray – Fever Ray
Junius – The Martyrdom Of A Catasrophist
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The Fall of Troy – In The Unlikely Event
Karen O and the Kids – Where the Wild Things Are
Mew- No More Stories Are Told Today Sorry They All Washed Away
Bell X1 – Blue Lights on the Runway
White Rabbits – It’s Frightening
A Camp – Colonia
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
And so I watch you from afar – And so I watch you from afar
Animals as Leaders – Animals as Leaders
Anti-Flag – The People or The Gun
As Tall As Lions – You Can’t Take it With You
Baroness – Blue Record
Bear in Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Beirut – March of the Zapotec and Holland EP
Better Than Ezra – Paper Empire
Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
Billy Talent – 3
The Dirty Projecters – Bitte Orca
Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Bowerbirds – Upper Air
Brand New – Daisy
Built to Spill – No Enemy
Cage the Elephant – Cage the Elephant
Camel – Moonmadness
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Bat for Lashes – Two Suns
Clutch – Strange Cousins from the West
The Gallows – Grey Britain
Say Anything – Say Anything
Heavy Trash – Midnight Soul Serenade
Dark Night of the Soul – Dark Night of the Soul
Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones
Dead Prez and DJ Green Lantern – Pulse of the People
Diane Birch – Bible Belt
Dinosaur Jr. Farm
Discovery – LP
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
Dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Eg White – Adventure Man
Imogen Heap – Ellipse
Metric – Fantasies
Felt – Felt 3
Fiery Furnances – I’m Going Away
Florence and the Machine – Lungs
Girls – Album
God Help The Girl – God Help the Girl
Great Northern – Remind Me Where The Light Is
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms (Techincally 2008 with re-release in 2009)
Hayden – The Place Where We Lived
Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
The Dead Weather – Horehound
Ida Maria – Fortress Around my Heart
Idlewild – Post Electric Blues
Polvo – In Prism
Iron and Wine – Around the Well
Isis – Wavering Radiant
Japandroids – Post Nothing
Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
VNV Nation – Of Faith, Power and Glory
Julian Plenti – is… Skyscraper
K-OS – Yes
La Roux – La Roux
Late of the Pier – Fantasy Black Channel
Little Boots – Hands
Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine
Matthew Good – Vancouver
Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything to Nothing
Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
Murder By Death – Finch (Book Soundtrack)
Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – White Lunar
Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Raekwon – Only Built for Cuban Linx
Owen – New Leaves
Our Lady Peace – Burn Burn
P.O.S – Never Better
Passion Pit – Manners
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms
Peaches – I Feel Cream
Pearl Jam – Backspacer
Pelican – What We All Come to Need
Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson – Break Up
Placebo – Battle for the Sun
Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Pure Reason Revolution – Armor Vincit Omnia
Rebelution – Bright Side of Life
Amazing Baby – Rewild
Riceboy Sleeps – Riceboy Sleeps
Rihanna – Rated R
Basement Jaxx – Scars
Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free
St. Vincent – Actor
Simian Mobile Disco – Temporary Pleasure
Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer
Silversun Pickups – Swoon
Taken By Trees – East of Eden
Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
The Big Pink – The Big Pink
The Bird and the Bee – Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
The Black Heart Procession – Six
Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common Life
The Decemberists – Hazards of Love
The Longcut – Open Hearts
The Mars Volta – Octahedron
The Most Serene Republic- …And the ever expanding universe
The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World to Come
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Vast – Me and You
Muse – The Resistance
The Rifles – The Great Escape
The Swell Season – Strict Joy
The Temper Trap – Conditions
The Twilight Sad – Forget the Night Ahead
The Felice Brothers – Yonder is the Clock
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls
Those Darlins – Those Darlins
Thrice – Beggars
Tiny Masters of Today – Skeletons
Volcano Choir – Unmap
Two Fingers – Two Fingers
Tori Amos – Abnormaly Attracted to You
Wilco – Wilco
Wale – Attention Deficit
White Lies – To Lose My Life
Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
Wye Oak – The Knot
Moby – Wait For Me
Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Idlewild – Post Electric Blues
The Dodos – Time to Die
My Dear Disco – Dance Think LP
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Regina Spektor – Far
The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
