Yup, there were so many great releases last year. However, since i constantly listening to chinese-pop and had a hard time grading which records should make the TOP 10, i decided that the best solution was to just pick my absolute fave albums of 2009 and write about it. Here then are my 5 precious picks.........
Muse-The Resistance-Musically, Muse are one eccentric Brit rock outfit. On this record, Matt Bellamy and co. get so overly ambitious and experimental, it sometimes sounds like they're on a galactic adventure. There are ridiculous samples of R&B(Undisclosed Desires), chaotic guitar riffs(Uprising) and epic romanticism(I Belong To You), not to mention classical piano passages, concert hall percussions and bilingual lyrics. Yes, it's bombastic, extravagant and crazy. But as a whole, I love The Resistance' cause it's so darn addictive. Most rock bands are scared of ridicule and so opt to constantly play it safe. That's never been the case with Muse.
Lady Gaga-The Fame Monster
-These days, it's difficult to find an album i love from start to finish. The last one was Gwen Stefani's 2004 solo debut Love. Angel. Music. Baby. When i popped Lady Gaga's album into the CD player for the first time, i knew The Fame was a winner all right. However, Gaga's repackaged album, The Fame Monster, is really something else. It's way better !!! Just when i thought Gaga couldn't get any better, she surprised me with 8 brand new, infections ditties, among them Bad Romance and Telephone. Gaga could've done Telephone all by herself, really, but by collaborating with Beyonce on it.....well, that's like adding icing to an already delicious cake!!
Kelly Clarkson-All I Ever Wanted-I've liked Clarkson from her Miss Independent days. Spunky with an impressive, slightly raspy voice, Clarkson could belt out angsty anthems and sound fantastic. Thus, it was a relief when she returned to form with All I Ever Wanted after the angry, rock-centric My December. She wisely collaborated with hit makers such as Max Martin and Katy Perry to produce winning, infectious tunes like My Life Would Suck Without You and I Do Not Hook Up. Even slower numbers like the Ryan Tedder penned Already Gone pack an emotional punch that is undeniably trademark Clarkson. Love it !!
The All-American Rejects-When The World Comes Down-When it comes to making music that sticks in our head for ages, The All-American Rejects are second to none. Four yrs on every time someone says, 'move along,' I start singing the AAR song. This could have gone on forever had the punk rockers not released When The World Comes Down. Now, Move Along had been replaced by Gives You Hell. The tune is so ridiculously catchy that I've sincerely not been able to move past it and listen to the rest of the album properly! Lyrics wise, AAR totally say it best.
Green Day-21st Century Breakdown-'Do you have the time to listen to me whine?' sang Billy Joe Armstrong back in 1994 and 15yrs on, I find that i'm still hanging on to his every word. The main reason for this is that despite the best endeavors of Sum 41, Yellowcard and their ilk, nobody does pop punk better than Green Day. Of course, their latest record, 21st Century Breakdown, isn't punk in the traditional sense. Or maybe it is. Punk, after all, is about breaking with entrenched notions. And in this the age of designer rock, a Queen-esque concept album is certainly one way to stick it to radio, MTV and The Man.
Some other remarkable albums
1)Mika- The Boy Who Knew Too Much
2)Rob Thomas- Cradlesong
3)Florence And The Machine- Lungs
4)The Cast of Glee- Glee: The Music Vol 1
5)Kris Allen- 1st Debut Self-Titled Album
