Of all the year-end music lists out there full of odd-bird indie-cred bullshit, we couldn’t find a single one that even remotely echoed our own tastes. But amidst the sea of inferior selections, there’s one general consensus: 2009 was a great year for music. So once again, in the spirit of wanting things done right, we’re doing it ourselves. Welcome to our Ten Best Albums of 2009.
Click the album cover on each album to read the original review, as well as maybe and audio/video sampling of the goodness you’re about to behold.
1. Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures’ debut album was one of the main sources of year/decade-end list time agony, as it’s only been out for five weeks and there’s still plenty of dust in the air from the hype explosion. With that said, it’s a rare occurrence when a band lives up to the ’supergroup’ predesignation so much that it deserves to be free of it. And this is one such band.
Josh Homme has said in a few interviews (not just ours) that the greatest thing in life is to be understood, and that musically, he and Dave Grohl have always had a special, rare understanding. That unique chemistry was a key ingredient of Queens Of The Stone Age’s 2002 album Songs For The Deaf. That album is a classic among its still-young generation, and yet Them Crooked Vultures was a one-upping follow-up from the moment it descended, with the extraordinary talents of John Paul Jones and Alain Johannes added into the mix.
Nothing short of a landmark album of explosive intergenerational talent, Them Crooked Vultures is a planet of popped-collar reptilian kings with wild eyes, razor teeth and twitching, rampant hard-ons, getting themselves off on the groove for the fun and the fuck of it, Rock doctrines be damned. For once, finally, a band has come along that makes the term ’supergroup’ its whimpering bitch, in all its terrible glory.
2. The Decemberists
The Hazards Of Love
The Decemberists have somehow outdone their phenomenal Crane Wife album, against all odds, with this grand, inspired vision of a narrative album that borders on a masterpiece. A seventeen-track supernatural love story of a jealous forest queen, a malicious shape-shifter, a child-killing rogue, and two ill-fated lovers, it’s a concept album with a devoted storyline and rich, full-throated characters. If you’re hungry for something new, something to believe in among the “hits” and shits on the FM dial, The Hazards of Love is not to be missed.
3. Brother Ali
Us
For the first time on record, Brother Ali fully shifts his focus from the autobiographical to a social narrative, entirely abandoning the self-prosthelytizing helium swagger that most emcees ride through their entire careers. Doing so is a literal unshackling of bonds for Ali, who sets upon this remarkable collection of stories like a seasoned street preacher. This time around, the hooks aren’t just head-nodders – they’re wrecking balls. Anthony “Ant” Davis of Atmosphere returns to the knobs, but concerns of repetition are quickly laid to rest as the album overflows with live beats and strings, as well as a real-live full horn section and the lush, soulful sound of an actual church choir in St. Paul, Minnesota. Reeking of truth and authenticity, Us is a dense sociopolitical masterpiece.
4. Dead Weather
Horehound
As much as we dig The White Stripes and the second Raconteurs album, as in awe as we often find ourselves of Jack White’s guitar playing, none of us were asking him for another band this year. It didn’t even seem like a third full-time obsession was even feasible, and so most of us assumed it would be merely a side dish, a half-assed garage jam one-off for kicks and nothing more. And maybe the original plan wasn’t any more ambitious than that, but what climbed out of our speakers in July was more formidable than we were prepared for. Horehound is a killer album, lean and mean, light on fluff and heavy on experienced songwriting from all members, including but in no way limited to (or by) Mr. White.
5. Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx
The shitkickers behind our pick for 2008’s album of the year pulled a bait-and-switch with Mariachi El Bronx, an album of English-vocal Mariachi songs. It’s a flamboyant step outside the box of what anyone might expect from one of the hardest-hitting hardcore punk bands to ever come out of Los Angeles. The taste of Mexican culture is strong, and the octane undercurrent that’s closer to the band’s original sound threatens to shake loose at any given moment – yet it never does. It’s a dangerously enticing flirtation with the punk aesthetic, and pogoes a remarkably thin line between tribute and all-out immersion.
6. The Company Band
The Company Band
It’s no secret that we consider Clutch one of the most badass rock n’ roll acts working today, and we don’t mean to disrespect their Strange Cousins From The West by giving the big nod to this sibling, featuring Neil Fallon backed by members of Fireball Ministry, CKY, and Fu Manchu. Strange Cousins is highly recommended if you don’t have it already. With that said, The Company Band is a flawless album in its own right, and a cocky display of swagger and gnashing teeth.
7. Portugal. The Man
The Satanic Satanist
When we first discovered Portugal. The Man in 2007, we were impressed. 2008’s Censored Colors convinced us that they had true staying power. And then this year’s Satanic Satanist blew us away. Recorded in less than two weeks in Boston, the album is a rich, layered, inspired work of true art (as is its packaging, though I wouldn’t want to suggest that anything other than the quality of the music earned the album its spot in our top 10 list). Portugal. The Man reportedly already have another album slated for Spring 2010, entitled American Ghetto. This band fully deserves all the recognition we have given them over the past year or two, and more.
8. Arctic Monkeys
Humbug
Producer Josh Homme (who’s responsible for the #1 spot on this list) explained early on that “this is the record where they get weird, grow up and trip out.” And he’s right. The songs on Humbug are rarely very straightforward, running through several changes in both tone and tempo in a stark departure from the band’s previous full length albums. With Homme’s style stamp and the boys’ own desire to rise to the occasion, these young Brits have proven that there’s a lot more to their story than looking good on the dancefloor. After being taken under the wing of their rock n’ roll big brother, the Monkeys have learned how to fly.
9. Dredg
The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
When I reviewed Pariah in May, a few commenters took issue with my declaration that it’s a more mature and complete album than any of the band’s previous, and some made good cases for their points. El Cielo was called their “masterpiece,” and their comparatively poppier new direction seems to have disappointed some. In hindsight, El Cielo and Leitmotif may have deserved more credit at that time, but we stand by the claim that the band has developed impressively since, and that The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion is a true accomplishment. The production is refreshingly even-handed, and throughout an 18-track, 60-minute journey, all the characters encountered along the way are beautifully rendered with lush colors, from the background rhythms to the crisp percussion.
10. William Elliott Whitmore
Animals In The Dark
As we said in our review, “Whitmore’s the type of cat who can win over a room of people who’ve never heard of him in thirty seconds flat, and be shitfaced on shots of whiskey bought by his newfound fans before the show’s over.” We’ve seen it with our own eyes. This year’s Animals In The Dark couldn’t possibly have been quite as surprising as his debut was to us- By now we’ve come to terms with the fact that this white guy, barely over 30, sings like he’s walking around with the reincarnated soul of Howlin’ Wolf. But the sheer force of the songs on the album make it one of the finest of his catalog, and of any this year.
I was a tad surprised at Them Crooked Vultures being in the number one spot but upon reading further, you have put together a mighty fine top ten list. It is very refreshing to NOT see animal collective and all that nonsense in another top ten list for the year.
I am in FULL SUPPORT of your Portugal. The Man choice .. those guys put on an explosive live show and ‘The Satanic Satanist’ really shows the band as an ever changing group who will not let down.
Kudos with Mariachi El Bronx also ..
Happy Holidays!
Mangtooth
You guys forgot Mastodon.
@Mangtooth – Thank you sir, we appreciate the endorsement.
@Justin – No, we didn’t. It didn’t make the list.
This list does not contain the greatest prog-metal of the decade, MASTODON’S CRACK THE SKYE, wich is an instant classic, therefore I do not support it.
Cool – you go be over there then.
I loved Crack The Skye, but when I saw them play live on some TV appearances I kinda lost respect for them altogether. It was so horrible I could hardly believe it.
On the other hand, that Dredg album might sound better than any album I’ve ever listened to in my entire life. Amazing songs with PERFECT production. Doesn’t get any better.
crack the skye is not the greatest prog-metal album of the decade. but it was in the game. in the end it didn’t make the top ten cut, along with a bunch of other great albums.
no seriously tho, Lamb of God – Wrath, without a doubt metal album of the decade and easily a top 3 pick this year.
Decent list, seems a little fad-ridden for my taste, but not bad. TCV is a great album, but it won’t hold up over time. The same goes for Dead Weather, Mariachi, and Dredg.
Lol. I would have put “Crack the Skye” on here as well, but that’s ok. Admittedly I’m not familiar with most of this list, so it’ll give me some good choices to check out next time I’m on a music-buying spree.
WEW was totally shot-shitfaced at a San Diego show to the point where I wasn’t sure if he’d make thru the last 2/3s of the set, but never underestimate the man, his raw passion, or his liver’s ability to process.
The Bronx frighten me.
Dead Weather…yeah…no.
The Britishness of the frozen primates was charming to me for all of 5 minutes. Homme or not, they do nothing for me.
This list wasn’t much of a surprise, but interesting to read, as usual.
Also, one that I’m surprised isn’t on your list… Mars Volta. This is the first album of theirs that I can even sit through. I dig it.
it almost was. i had that, before the frost, black gives way to blue, mandala, and big whiskey on my original list (with some others).
Skwerl, how can an album that was “in the game” as possibly one of the greatest prog-metal albums of the decade not make your list? Is prog-metal at such a disadvantage that it would need to be the hands down best of the decade for that genre to earn a spot amongst the 10 best this year? I don’t quite get that reasoning.
Other than that, nice list (although everyone disagrees on something, as is custom). Surprised not to see Dredg higher considering the review you gave it, though.
While I would have dug Lamb of God over lets say Arctic “Blow Smoke Up Our Ass Not Even Homme Can Help Us Make a Great Record” Monkey’s, I am not shocked it didn’t make it here. I don’t really come to antiquiet for metal.
But Mastodon, fuck what you saw on TV, 99.8% of bands sound like Michael Jackson’s taint on TV. Did anyone else see the Jawbox reunion? I mean come on. Mastodon best file a police report against y’all, because they got robbed.
by ‘the game’ i meant the top ten of 09 kristján, not the greatest prog-metal album of the decade. and no, no genre is at any disadvantage. this list doesn’t even accurately display our tastes in music overall. we both like hip hop, but aside from brother ali, this year didn’t really bring any classics. metal fared better overall, but we decided to focus on the top 10. we have a big best of the decade list coming soon.
as for the reviews and ratings… the star ratings come directly from the review authors, while this was more of a collaborative effort. there were compromises. there had to be.
Those compromises kept a few of the albums being mentioned here from being included. But rather than complaining about what you *don’t* see listed, why not check out something here you’re not familiar with? If not, what the fuck else is the point? We’re here to share the love with you. Brother Ali’s ‘Us’ album is brilliant. Audiophiles and knob-twisters can spend days picking apart Dredg’s new one. Whitmore’s got more soul than just about any white boy I’ve ever laid ears on. Check ‘em.
You guys were making me nervous. As I was working my way down the list I was afraid Dredg wouldn’t make an appearance. I would have placed them a little higher, 3 or 4. Overall a great list. Thank God that this is an Animal Collective free site. So tired of the hipster bullshit surrounding those guys. Plain and simple, they are terrible. Super disappointed to see Mandala not make the cut. That is the best album that nobody is talking about. RX Bandits never get the credit they deserve. Keep plugging away boys.
@Johnny Firecloud – Whitmore’s only got more soul than the average white man because Michael Jackson died this year.
@JohnnyFirecloud – of course. That’s why we read end-of-year lists, not just to discuss each others’ opinions but to perhaps learn about great new stuff. This website has already introduced me to Portugal, The Man and Dead Weather this year (I may have heard about them eventually but still, credit to you for gettin’ the word out first) and after reading the list above I will most certainly be checking out Brother Ali.
A very good idea.
I definately would have put portugal higher, that was the first album in a long while that has pulled me in like that. Gonna have to check out whitmore, dont remember seeing that around here.
Hmmm… it’s hot in here! Who brings the beers!?
I’ll just throw one little more stone at you for the “Mastodon Indicent”, as I like to call it.
I wasn’t going to, but I just had to.
And I’m still waiting those beers
Best albums lists are reminding me how much bias comes into play. I think I’ve seen like 5 already all the with completely different ideas of what makes for the best album. Silly of me to think AQ might stay away. Satanic Satanist was not that good. It was bland and doesn’t seem to break any new ground.
I’ll give to you for the Dead Weather and Them Crooked Vultures
@Plastilina_Ve: Beers are on me! But they only go to Mastodon-lovers and people who understand the fact that Crack The Skye is easily amongst the top 3 albums of 2009.
Mastadon yada yada yada… go get your own websites and put up lists then. I mean who really thinks these things are definitive? How many cds came out this year? How many have you heard? oviously these are skewed towards the authors interests
We’d have called the piece Antiquiet’s Favorite Albums of 2009, but we trust our audience to grasp the fact that the word “best” is entirely arbitrary in music. But here, I’ve got an olive branch for the vaginally sandy Mastodonites. Fuuuucking whiners!
Im looking forward to exploring some of the top ten bands here ive not heard, as @Kristian Atli said. Ive got last years list to thank for discovering The Bronx, now jamming out of my speakers at least once a day. Thankyou Antiquiet for opening my ears.
Great list, I don’t like hip hop so I would swap Brother Ali with Black Gives Way to Blue (anyway it was voted no. 1 by “Classic Rock” so it is somehow cool it isn’t on every list) or Before the Frost…. both great albums, but list is fantastic.
Great list guys ! If I would make a list it would have : Them Crooked Vultures, Hore Hound, Company Band, Hazards of Love, Animals in the Dark for sure.
With All great music from 2009 I’m still have in heavy rotation 2 albums from 2008 –
Parlor Mob’s “And You Were A Crow” ( fuckin’ fanastic album for every Zeppelin fan with coping them mindlessly like Wolfmother) and GN’R”Chinese Democracy”
All in all this is a pretty good list. Thanks antiquiet for introducing me to that new Portugaul. The Man album, its in my top three for this year.
As for Mastadon Crack The Skye, it very well may be the best prog metal album of all time. But if any “metal” album should be on the list, I would have to put Isis’ newest album. This is probably my most listened new album of the year, and I think a much better album then Mastadon. just my thoughts though
I am very surprised that the new Wolf Mother Album wasn’t in this top 10.
then you’re new to antiquiet, or a regular with a sense of humor. either way, welcome and merry holidays.
I seem to be the only one who doesnt think the TCV album was that good at all. But ah well. Merry Xmas y’all
I agree with Stoo. They’re sick live, but the album itself is sorta like cafeteria food. Nothing special.
good list.. however, if anybody had known National Skyline’s Bliss and Death album.. they’d be number one by far. good list, but you missed out on that record 100%. Check it out.
It’s best not to mention GNR’s cd around these parts.
And i’m insulted there’s no mention of Chris Cornell. I mean TImbaland and the grunge Jesus? It’s a match made in heaven. What possibly could go wrong?
@Jared – are you kidding? We didn’t miss out on National Skyline at all – they’re from our town. They sound like the lower end of Dave Grohl’s ballady self-indulgence mixed with some cousin of Jared Leto’s level of self-importance . I gave it two full listens – that album’s not within screaming range of the top 50 of 2009.
What are you all with that non – Guns N’ Roses mention, I know about leaks but Guns N’ Roses isn’t prohibited here.
Are you guys planning to make any “The best of decade list” ? That would be interesting to hear your opinion on albums of decade…
Still 2009 was great year in music , but there is new STP album coming soon….. and some glam albums….
Anyway I still would like to know what” Yuengling” is ….
Yes Peter, our Best of the Decade list should drop on or closely around New Year’s Eve. As for Yuengling, seein’ aint tastin’, but here’s a lead. http://www.yuengling.com/
yeah looks cool, I will look for in California , but I doubt Americans can make really good beer, anyway beer is quite weak, clean vodka or absint – that’s what is cool !
Best this best that.
My favorite this year was Behemoth’s… with Slayer’s as a close second.
Next year is a big year for deathmetal though… Arsis, Spawn of Possession and Necrophagist are all due up next.
Oh and fucking Decrepit Birth too! Hot shit.
Yuengling is easily my favorite beer. Skwerl do they have that in Cali?
no yuengling in cali. i can understand your skepticism peter, and by and large american beer is indeed piss. but yuengling comes from our oldest brewery, in pennsylvania. it’s an exception.
oh so now you really got me thinking, but it can’t be bought in Cali so maybe in NYC ? But I have a feeling it is only available in Pennsylvania. And have you ever tried “?ubrówka” ?
sorry “Zubrowka” you can’t write it properly in English !
Great choice for alb-o-year. Vultures’ are soundin’ kickasssssss. If you fucknuts who spout off without actually hearing the entire album listened to an ENTIRE album, the words you say may carry some weight(much like your women do-HA!!) By the way, I do(-oobie) believe Steve Vai should get honorable mention for his massive guitar efforts this past moon, along with thunderous applause for his ear-splitting, rectum-reaming, nipple-hardening, nerd-stompin’, fucknut-smackin’, poon-soakin’ “LICKS.” Guitar licks; pay attention f#gg@ts!!!
yeah, you can get yuengling in nyc… i think you can even get it as far southwest as tennessee. but it isn’t shipped much further than that as far as i know.
have heard of, but haven’t had zubrówka (not sure how to do the dot over the z thing either).
Yep, sippin that shit up in Nashville, Third Man style.
Great, I’m visiting friend in NYC so I will buy some and bring to Cali and see if it lives up to it’s reputation.
Skwerl you must try it especially mixed with Apple Juice but it is also great clean, I see that I must bring You some Polish specialities soon , you don’t know what are you missing ( shame “real” Absint can’t be transfered to USA)
Cool list.Glad to see The Bronx (in its mariachi encarnation)there, going to check out some bands i didn’t know of.
But still i miss Mastodon’s “Crack The Skye” and on a more personal list Down’s III should be listed on any heavy and hard rock list or maybe it’s just me pulling for a band i really like.
cheers.
@FernandoDANTE I’m a little late, but cheers! to all of us, Mastodon whiners! Celebrate!
@Ricardo B. I LOVED Down III, it should be listed somethere for sure. Cheers to you too!
Love Rock N’ Roll and its friends.
This list appears to be paying ‘Homme-age’ to Johnnys and Skwerls man-crush!
Seriously though, nice work boys – love the list, and don’t take this to seriously for two reasons 1) Im a huge Kyuss fan and 2) Im an Aussie and we take the piss out of everything.
No Parlour Mob or White Denim?
Parlor Mob is one of the best band I’ve heard in years , but I think their CD was released in 2008. Anyway AWESOME Band and even better Live, which is rare thing in Today’s music
White Denim is the best band nobody is talking about.
I’ve seen a thousand identical declarations about a thousand shitty bands, but you might be onto something with this White Denim business. The tracks on MySpace are pretty good/trippy.
Give ‘em a chance Johnny. I agree that there are alot of people saying the same thing but these guys kill it. Their new album Fits is ridiculous. Check out the video for “I Start to Run” Would love to see a review. Hope you enjoy it. The joy of sharing music is the greatest. Happy New Year all.
[...] Our #1 album pick for 2009 is an undeniable classic right out of the gate. As I said before, this one is special – a very rare melding of classic, psychedelic blues-rock authenticity [...]
I love this site because I see it as the anti-Pitchfork of the interwebs. It most accurately reflects my taste in music and I appreciate it for that. But it appears to me you guys are gay for Josh Homme just like Pitchfork is for Radiohead. QotSA is epic, as well as any other thing Josh is involved in but there is no way, no fucking way, that TMV should be at the top of this list. There are dozens of albums more deserving of that title. Same with Songs For The Deaf; while the whole album is excellent it really isn’t the best album of the decade. It isn’t even the best album in their catalog, R and Lullabies were much better. Well anyway I just wanted to point it out and get it off my chest.
[...] John Paul Jones & Alain Johannes were still chasing the material that would become our pick for album of the year, still working to conquer the myriad of tempo changes and trap-door song shifts which sound, as [...]
[...] The Dead Weather’s first album was another notch in Jack White’s Third Man belt, a high-octane offering exploding with sexual tension and leather-jacket ashtray bravado. Fused in two weeks’ worth of jamming sessions with Rock cohorts Alison Mosshart, Queens of the Stone Age’s Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence of White’s own Raconteurs, Horehound was a lurching blues-punk carousel where whiskey-grit attitude hit just as hard as any instrument, and could very well be the most important band member on the record. It was mean, it was absolutely soaked in sexual tension, and it was among the finest albums of the year. [...]