Eargasm - Albums in 2009

Because there is nothing of much interest being released in the next few weeks, I decided to put this out a little early. These are the best albums of 2009, and you need to check 'em out.

See my FULL 2009 list at rateyourmusic.com
-click on the album art below for Lala.com streams.

15.
Russian Circles
'Geneva'

rating: fasho.

One of the best instrumental records I've heard in a long time. These guys understand how to convey emotion through their instruments, and words would only screw it up.

Download: "Death Rides a Horse"

14.
Letting Up Despite Great Faults
'Letting Up Despite Great Faults'

rating: fasho.

I've really been trying to get into the shoegaze and concrete genres lately, and I'm really starting to like LUDGF. After the first listen, I felt like the tracks were a little too repetitive to make this list, but I've since changed my mind and can't get enough of the relaxation these guys promote in their electrically buzzy, ambient sound.

No Lala stream available.
Download: "In Steps" | "The Colors Aren't You or Me"

13.
A Day to Remember
'Homesick'

rating: fasho.

Through the first few months of the year, this was basically the only record I listened to. People can say what they want about ADTR... that they're too corny, too poppy, too repetitive - but I love this band. They're completely sincere in the music they play, and they love it almost as much as they love their fans... So I, love this record.

12.
iwrestledabearonce
'It's All Happening'

rating: fasho.

This is probably the heaviest record that I actually enjoy listening to. These guys (and gal) are vicious and don't give a f**k what you think about them. They strategically place a combination of genres in the craziest positions... it's just a really fun record to listen to.

11.
Dance Gavin Dance
'Happiness'

rating: fasho.

'Downtown Battle Mountain' will always be one of my favorite CDs... I've listened to it hundreds of times and it never gets played out, but when Jonny left and was quickly replaced... all so they could put out that awful self-titled release, I thought Dance Gavin Dance was done for sure... 'Happiness', however has equipped the new DGD with an intensely different sound, and they're not going anywhere.

10.
Blessthefall
'Witness'

rating: fasho.

We break into the top 10 with probably my most surprising release of the year, an album I expected basically nothing out of that I really, really like. I think because I've seen so many bad breakups turn worse I just expected this band to fall off, but they're better than ever. If you like the screamo/hardcore genre, you pretty much have to like this album.

09.
Kingdoms
'Daughters of Atlas'

rating: fasho.

Number 9 marks the best EP of the year for me, which means a lot because I loooove early EPs. These first few songs the band release are the ones they care about the most, the ones they want to try and form a good impression with, and the ones whose quality depends on how far they will go in the future, and Kingdoms did it right. The flow of this album approaches perfection, and I can't wait to see what they come out with next.

08.
The Color Morale
'We All Have Demons'

rating: yaysh.

Give it up. These guys have been playing shows at the local level for years and they're finally getting the recognition they deserve. This is the first 4.5 star release on the list, and it's for a number of reasons. Track 4 - "Humannequin", has everything it needs to make a run for song of the year and every other track on the record has its place too. From the most menacing screams and heavy breakdowns to uplifting vocal choruses, this was one of the most anticipated releases for me - and it definitely lived up to the hype.

07.
Closure in Moscow
'First Temple'

rating: yaysh.

I didn't know what to think when I first heard this album. It was like stumbling across a pile of gold pretty much, because it was the first thing to ever really strike me as "Volta-esque", and it blew me away initially and has only gotten better. I was also lucky enough to see them play live, and they sounded better on stage than they do on the album. They're also all super down to Earth guys... this is a band you need to follow.

06.
Miss May I
'Apologies Are for the Weak'

rating: yaysh.

Easily the best metalcore CD I've heard in years. Almost as mind-blowing as BMTH's 'Count Your Blessings', this album has been at the top of my list of things to listen to since I heard the first track. I also saw these guys live this year with The Color Morale, I Set My Friends on Fire and Attack Attack! and it was one of the most entertaining shows I've ever been to. Go get this album.

05.
mewithoutYou
'It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright'

rating: yaysh.

Where do you start with mwY? One of the most amazing bands to see live led by one of the most amazing individuals in the music industry, they tear shit up as much as a few modest little Christian men can - It's pure emotional aggression and it's intense to be a part of. This album took a drastically different direction than many originally thought it would, but I'm all for bands changing it up and experimenting with different styles; and they did something right because this album never left the top 5 all year.

04.
The Dear Hunter
'Act III: Life and Death'

rating: absolutely.

The Dear Hunter have always been one of my favorite bands to follow since I first heard Act I. They have a uniquely addictive sound and they've finally mastered it with Act III. This album changes direction with each track... it's an up and down battle between tempos and styles, but it's awesome and I'm glad to have finally have an album of theirs that I can't stop listening to.

03.
The Fall of Troy
'In the Unlikely Event'

rating: absolutely.

My favorite band. End of discussion. A lot of people probably think this record is really lame because it's so different from the rest of what they've put out... but those people are just scared to like anything for its intrinsic worth. They're worried it's not heavy enough for their friends to like, or that Thomas is singing too much or Frank isn't screaming enough or whatever bullshit they can come up with just so they can be part of a scene of mindless followers that agree to like terrible music... but that's a rant I don't have the time to get into. Thomas accomplished what he wanted with this record and I can't get enough of their changing styles. Frank is the best thing that could have possibly happened to this band and Andrew is still the man... There is nothing The Fall of Troy can't do perfectly.

02.
Freelance Whales
'Weathervanes'

rating: absolutely.

Debut of the year. These guys are amazing. I really don't have much to say about them other than I can't stop listening to 'em. They found the perfect arrangement of accompaniment and melody and harmonization and just everything... it's just pleasant listening to this album. "Generator ^ 2nd Floor" is probably one of the most interesting songs lyrically that I have heard in a long time... I've only been listening to this for a month? or so... and it immediately jumped to one of my favorites of the year... these guys are going to be huge.

01.
Manchester Orchestra
'Mean Everything to Nothing'

rating: absolutely.

Andy Hull is a genius. He's a genius. He's a genius. I don't know how I managed to dismiss Manchester Orchestra until now... but in some ways I'm glad that I have been because now I have like 7 EPs and full-lengths combined that I have the pleasure of listening to. Did I say this guy's a genius?... Every song contributes to the overall theme of the record, and I've never felt such a strong emotion through music as I do in 'Mean Everything to Nothing'. I truly love this record, and really... no other record ever had a shot of getting #1 on this year's list.

tf presents: don't fix my smile... (snoh.nine)

Winter means a lot to me. A lot of you are probably complaining because it's cold. Because it's lonely. Because it's dark all the damn time and the comfort you once found in summer is nowhere to be seen... But I've had some of my best days in Winter, some I'll never forget, and deep down I know I miss it and I should be glad it's here.

I adopted Manny's idea of telling a story with this mix... and if you're expecting a happy, upbeat structure like my Autumn mix, you might want to go somewhere else. The main focuses of this mix surround love, loss, loneliness and the happiness you eventually find in knowing you were lucky enough to have ever loved in the first place. For me, it's like Winter... because parts of it suck, and I usually don't look forward to it, but once it's here I figure I should make the best of it - and I should smile anyway.

tf presents: don't fix my smile... (snoh.nine)
[Download!] [password = "snowflake"]

01. Lydia - All I See
02. Bon Iver - Skinny Love (for Michelle)
03. Death Cab for Cutie - Talking Bird (for Josette)
04. Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Our Younger Noise (for Kelsey)
05. Fall Out Boy - Love Will Tear Us Apart
06. Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most
07. Right Away, Great Captain! - Memories From a Shore
08. The Prize Fighter Inferno - Going Price For Home (for Mom)
09. Bayside - Winter (for Manuel)
10. Jason Mraz - Details in Fabric (for Samantha)
11. The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
12. Brand New - Jesus Christ (for Ray)
13. Company of Thieves - Even in the Dark (for Cory)
14. Straylight Run - The Perfect Ending
15. Manchester Orchestra - I Can Feel a Hot One (for Timothy)
16. Freelance Whales - Generator ^2nd Floor

if you didn't get a shout out, i still love you - i just didn't see a song that fit this playlist... so request one for the next mix - Spring!

Premature Infatuation - Coheed and Cambria

who: Coheed and Cambria
why: have announced they will be releasing their latest album titled 'Year of the Black Rainbow' in April of next year. In case you didn't know, Coheed's discography tells stories surrounding The Armory Wars and 'Year of the Black Rainbow' will detail the origin of the past albums acting as a prequel.

What I'm really excited for is that the Deluxe version will evidently include a 300+ novel written by frontman Claudio Sanchez that will further detail the band's epic.

Boycottage - You Suck, You Dirty Pirates

who: Roger Manganelli (Less Than Jake and Rehasher)
why: was quoted on Punknews.org with the following statement concerning piracy:

"If you had to guess, how many Rehasher CDs were sold in the first month? The actual number is 60 CDs. Illegal downloading is killing bands, and a band like Rehasher feels it. I have found some download sites and added up over 3000 illegal downloads of the new record. With over $3600 invested in the making of the new record, the light at the end of the tunnel is very, very dim.

So, why don't we tour? Because, we would not be able to pay our bills. No one buys music, it's just accepted that you pay for your iPod or your computer, but the content, the music and movies,, Everyone just accepts that as "free" and there is no way to stop anyone from breaking those laws.

If you were one of the 60, thank you. i hope you enjoy the record. If you were one of the 3000, i still hope you enjoy the record, but, fuck. you suck."

I could potentially take some heat for this... but fuck YOU Rehasher, okay? You just made the worst move possible, by basically telling any of the 3000 people who have actually HEARD OF YOU that they suck. Do you think that's gonna make em buy your next record? No, so shut the hell up and remember that your music is nothing unless you're making it because you're doing what you love. I understand you need to get paid, and I do think something needs to be done about the music industry. Something needs to be done so that bands like yours are getting paid and Lady Gaga is left in the streets to shoot heroine or whatever drug it is she HAS to be on, but telling your fans they suck is plain uncalled for, dude. Who the hell do you think you are?

Where do you think you would be if something COULD be done about piracy? Do you honestly think more people would be paying to hear your shit? I mean seriously give it a rest... the bands that are successful are the ones who love what they do, don't bitch about how hard it is, and find their success through doing what they love and rocking the shit out of it. Not everyone gets to live out their dreams, do you see me making music? No. Because I don't have any talent... But I'm not gonna put out a shitty record and cry about how no one's buying it. If I bought every album I've ever wanted to listen to, I wouldn't be able to eat, clothe myself, or put a roof above my head... so I prioritize. And so is everyone else. You should feel lucky 60 people found the $10 to give you. If you're not making it, and you're gonna come out and tell your own fans that they suck, then go get a different job you dumbass.

A lot of bands today are getting the chance of a lifetime to live their dreams of playing music for crowds. I was just at a show a couple of weeks ago where after the show the bands were asking for donations so they could eat, but they put on a stellar fucking show and they appreciated that we were all there. We had to pay to drive there. We had to pay to buy the ticket for admission. We had to buy our own food. If they would have told us we sucked because we didn't buy their record, I would have punched them in the face, but I didn't have to - because they're musicians who love what they do. You should feel disgraced for your comments, Roger. It's pathetic.

Here's Rehasher's 2009 album 'High Speed Access to Brain'.
Check it out for yourself and see if it's worth it. If you don't like it, tell Roger you think HE sucks.

High Speed Access To Brain - R...

In the Fresh - December 5, 2009

who: HORSE the band | The Chariot | Arsonists Get All the Girls
why: because last night at Reggie's Rock Club I was fortunate enough to see these three bands tear shit up.

Arsonists Get All the Girls - #21 on the list of bands I've seen live

First - These dudes opened the show last night only a few days after they were involved in a vicious car accident in which luckily no one was seriously injured. Second - they're talented. You've got a guitarist sweeping like a high school janitor on one side of the stage while the other is playing rhythm behind his back, the combination of highs and lows from their vocalists is intense, and their sound is a unique mixture of key leads, heavy beats and chorus-driven screams. This band has been through hell in the past few years with member changes, the untimely death of bassist Pat Mason... the list goes on and on - but they continue to make music and play it like they're on the top of the world.

The Chariot - #14 on the list of bands I've seen live

I'm going to be honest - I thought they were gonna suck. I'm not the hugest fan of their albums, but these dudes are gnarly... I now consider the bassist to be one of my idols. He was throwing his bass around like it was nothing, going completely ape-shit on stage and it was ridiculously entertaining. Come to think of it, everyone was acting crazy, but it was hard to focus on everything at the same time - their fans are die-hards and the pit was crazy. You need to see this band.

HORSE the band - #2 on the list of bands I've seen live

This is HORSE the band. They don't care what you think and that's what makes them awesome. This is the third time I've seen them live, and I have the time of my life every show. It's hard to explain why I love HORSE, so I'm not going to try too hard... but it's not because they're ridiculously entertaining, or their live sound is outstanding... I think it's just because you know they're giving you the best show they possibly can, and they're sincerely happy to play for you. Go check them out if you don't already know who they are.

Watch Out - The Avett Brothers

who: The Avett Brothers
why: because I never knew who these guys were until last night when they had a performance of the video posted below ("A Slight Figure of Speech") on Jimmy Fallon, but I like 'em and you should too.

P.S. - Don't be worried, I didn't post the wrong video on accident - they released their video through Funny or Die which I think is hilarious. If you wanna skip the comedy in the beginning and get to the song, fast forward to about 3:00

The Avett Brothers - Slight Figure Of Speech - watch more funny videos

Read All About It - August Burns Red

who: August Burns Red
why: because they made a couple heavy renditions of some Christmas classics that I thought were interesting enough to put up here, and everything else I've been reading has been kinda lame... so I gotta give you something.

Q&A - Glassjaw

who: glassjaw
why: because I almost wet myself when I saw this interview on Ryan's Rock Show. Glassjaw is one of the most influential bands of this decade, and probably one of the most influential of all time for me personally... and they're notorious for gaining their popularity through hating popularity, so interviews like this are extremely rare. In this interview, the band dives into what their past has been like, why they hate the music industry and how it's made them appreciate music in general. It's a must watch for sure, and a definite upgrade in comparison with a typical Tuesday Releases post that I could have done - because absolutely nothing of interest was released this week. Check em out and go support gj!

Premature Infatuation - Motion City Soundtrack

who: Motion City Soundtrack
why: have released another single from their upcoming 2010 release 'My Dinosaur Life' entitled "Her Words Destroyed My Planet" available for streaming on SPIN.com. I know this is like the third recent MCS post, but deal with it - because the end of 2009 has been shaping up to be pretty boring and it's one of the only things I'm looking forward to.

... - Adam Lambert

I would first like to start off this post by wishing everyone a Happy Belated Thanksgiving. I haven't had the time to read news or even watch much TV this past week since I've been home on break - and I hope you enjoyed your holiday!

who: Adam Lambert
why: because we don't need two Lady Gaga's you moron.

Tip: Quit terrorizing our eardrums with your ridiculously high voice and change majors from pop-idol to Broadway-slave where you'll also be more likely not to be criticized for your extreme over-the-top gayness.