2009 Top 10 Tag Team: Cody Rogers & Michael Duchnowsky
Posted 01/05/2010 06:07AM by Rick Gebhardt as Top 10
Cody Rogers' Top 10:
2009 was an odd year for me, musically. I expected big things and ended up disappointed for the most part, but at the same time, I found some true gems hiding beneath everything else. My list is pretty boring and generic compared to the heaps of post-rock and Converge you'll probably see all over the rest of the internet, but I don't really care. Here's to 2010. RIP Animosity, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, and Knives Exchanging Hands. You will be missed.
1. He is Legend – It Hates You
He is Legend has always been a favorite of mine, but It Hates You really stepped on the heads of everything else this year. If there was any album I expected to be disappointed by, it was this one, but that obviously wasn't the case. Schuylar Croom's vocal melodies invaded my brain for the better part of the year, and coupled with the rest of the band's grimy brand of Southern sludge, this album was simply unstoppable. There's something for everyone on this release, but don't expect to hear I Am Hollywood Pt. 2.
2. The Number Twelve Looks Like You – Worse Than Alone
Expanding on the experimental outburst that was Mongrel, The Number Twelve Looks Like You put together a collection of songs that was more electronic, more jazzy, and simply weirder. The band defines themselves with "The Garden's All Nighters", which is undoubtedly the band's greatest accomplishment and is flawless in composition, execution, and emotional output. While some may overlook the band as a group of sonic hipsters that have simply outgrown their scene kid surroundings, they are missing some of the freshest music that was released this year. RIP.
3. August Burns Red – Constellations
Constellations is a collection of metalcore songs that doesn't take too many chances or expand much on August Burns Red's typical style, but there is something remarkably grasping about the band's positive outlook and strong message. Most people stop reading at "Christian Metalcore," but songs like "Indonesia" and "Crusades" prove to be powerful even when ignoring the overt Christian slant. Jake Luhrs and crew make sure that the band's third album loses no steam on their way to metalcore super-stardom.
4. The Red Chord – Fed Through the Teeth Machine
The Red Chord lost a second guitarist and decided to re-focus their output for their fourth album, and it sure shows. Fed Through the Teeth Machine doesn't let up during any of its 12 songs, kicking ass all the way from the crushing opener to the melodic ending. The group's first self-production job re-invigorates their sound and makes up for the lack of a second guitarist, making sure that the rhythm section is tight underneath Gunface's quick leads. This album was the only one all year to receive a 4.5 from me.
5. Between the Buried and Me – The Great Misdirect
While The Great Misdirect didn't live up to its hype, that was basically expected. There were some stylistic missteps here and there, and "Swim to the Moon" still doesn't sit right with me, but this album still features basically everything that makes a good Between the Buried and Me album. It also wasn't Colors Pt. 2, which shocked a lot of people, including myself. Mistakes aside, this album was still better than 90% of the other albums released this year, and Tommy Rogers and crew know that. I'm eagerly awaiting album number six already.
6. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
This is Rae's long awaited sequel to 1995's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and it's obvious that he's been crafting it since then. Some of these tracks are flawless, and the sequel holds just as much weight today as the original did then. The fact that this wasn't an outright failure was shocking in the first place, but it was just as shocking for it to be more than just an "okay" or "necessary" album. I'm still kicking myself for not saving the money to go see him earlier in the year. If you're a fan of rap, don't hesitate to pick this up. You already knew that, though.
7. Advent – Naked and Cold
Joe Musten is still as pissed as ever. Advent's sophomore album took a stylistic change toward hardcore rather than sticking with Remove the Earth's metalcore approach, but the anger was intensified and the rough production made the dreary scenes the band wrote about even more foreseeable. One of the few bands that sound truly angry and concerned.
8. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster – III
This is the first Maylene album that hasn't just been rehashed, four-note Southern grooves. They still keep their flannel-shirt feel here, obviously, but it's actually original this time around, and the boys break out some more instruments than before. Oh- There's also a country song (as in, radio country) on this album. Pleasant surprise. Now give me back Schuylar Croom before things get ugly.
9. Paramore – Brand New Eyes
I was late to listen to this album because I didn't want to hear another album of whiny, depressing songs like 2007's Riot! I was pleasantly surprised, however, to have Hayley Williams' voice smack me across the face when I first heard "Brick By Boring Brick," and decided to give the disc a chance. While things still get melancholy, the band doesn't sound like a teenage girl's diary in sonic form anymore. Things have matured and Hayley seems apathetic instead of affected, pissed instead of wondering why things were her fault, making this one of the more entertaining albums this year.
10. Molotov Solution – The Harbinger
Speaking of people being pissed off, Nevada's Molotov Solution really does not like the president, or government at all, for that matter. The slam-turned-deathcore band has undergone some significant changes since 2005's split with Germany's War From a Harlot's Mouth, yet the themes remain the same. Their brand of groove-laden deathcore and conspiracy theorist lyrics are infectious, and while there are definitely some more generic songs on The Harbinger, I haven't stopped playing it in the car since I first reviewed the album. Deathcore doesn't appeal to many music critics, but if you want to check it out, this is a good place to start.
Honorable Mentions:
Reign Supreme – Testing the Limits of Infinite
Method Man & Redman – Blackout! 2
Knives Exchanging Hands – The War of Speech, The Weapon of Words
Set Your Goals – This Will Be the Death of Us
Touché Amoré – ...To the Beat of a Dead Horse
Michael Duchnowsky's Top 10:
1. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
Everything about the lyrics on this CD sound honest and right to me. The music flows just right, none of the tracks feel like filler and the odd timed melodies are beyond menacing. This CD was there to ease my summer troubles and lifted me through the rest of the year.
2. Brand New - Daisy
Everything about this CD amazes me (except the first track). I find no dull moments on this bad boy. Every Brand New CD has this effect. The music is very haunting at times with just the perfect amount of breaks to find its right line of harmony. If I had to pick any other CD in the world to be number one besides my pick, I'd say this beats everything else out by a HUGE landslide.
3. Woe Of Tyrants - Kingdom of Might
Anyone who listens to Metal will have to agree that these guys are unstoppable. There isn't a slow minute of music on this entire record. From start to finish this a non-stop shredfest. These guys in their 20s have more technical ability than most people will in their entire lives and they've proven that they're a true force of speed and talent on Kingdom Of Might. This CD is full of true Metal showmanship.
4. Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect
At first I couldn't wrap my mind around liking this. It came off as a very spaced out bore. Then one day it came to me, this is Between The Buried And Me, these guys are GIANTS. So I sat down and gave it what it needed, my full respect. On The Great Misdirect they cut out the basic chorus, repeat chorus deal and ran with the ball in an ambient, noise, sabotage epic metal flow. There's even the right amount of Electronica in here. I still feel there's a bit of room where they could have kept up the pace, but I mostly enjoy this to its full potential. This is just what 2009 Progressive Metal needed or what I needed from 2009.
5. Kevin Devine - Brother's Blood
Kevin Devine has always been very inspiring for me and this time around he pulled no punches. Brother's Blood takes you on a little journey through Kevin's brilliant (often dark) imagery and honest heart felt poetry. While keeping the music on all different levels of extreme, Kevin can keep the flow and harmony constant from one minute to screaming with bitterness and angst in another. For me this is a must have for 2009.
6. Zombi - Spirit Animal
Pure bliss. The finest little mesh of bass, synthesizers, keyboards and joy. I can listen to this any time, any day. A two man assault on the Space Rock nerd in me.
7. Converge - Axe To Fall
Everything about Axe To Fall gives me chills. Perfect guest appearances by amazing artists. Great time signatures and rhythm changes. Converge are pioneers if not inventors of New England Metalcore and Mathcore. There really isn't enough good stuff to say about Converge. Any year they put a record out you can bet it's going to be a good year for music.
8. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - Worse Than Alone
On Worse Than Alone, The Number 12 Look Like You took their scattered catalog of ideas and ran even further away from anything formulated. Good mesh of randomness and actual songs.
9. HORSE The Band - Desperate Living
I had given up on H to the B after The Mechanical Hand. Desperate Living reminded me of why Horse The Band were ever enjoyable to me. On this effort they decided to allow the keyboard lead the way as they kicked the listener in the head with their brand of progressive "Nintendocore" madness. Explosive time signatures and split second song changes. From a relaxed minute of peaceful ambience to their explosive style of hyper keyboard pounding blast beats. Horse The Band re-gained me as a fan on Desperate Living.
10. Arsonists Get All The Girls - Portals
I had a few different choices for my tenth, but through out the year I listened to this over the other choices. This CD has its moments. While to me it's really not the greatest batch of music, Arsonists Get All The Girls went back from a band nearly on the verge of splitting up to putting out a pretty damn creative piece of art. They follow the now popular formula of beating the hell out of the keyboards, letting your singer scream his brains out, shred the shit out of your guitar till your fingers bleed, harmonized, blast beat brand of what kids are calling "Metal" these days.
Honorable Mentions:
The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate
Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
Cattle Decapitation - The Harvest Floor
National Sunday Law - La Storiadi Cannibali
Revocation - Existence Is Futile
Comments
Minnesota
Huh. We finally see BTBAM on some lists. Guess it didn't catch on with as many people in comparison to Colors.
West Haven, CT
Paramore.... really Cody?
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Minnesota
Agreed.
Spokane, Washington
it's about time someone had August Burns Red in their top 10.
2009 Top 10 + Honorable Mentions:
http://www.decoymusic.com/users/3534/top_tens/2009
Current Listenings:
Devil Sold His Soul - "Blessed and Cursed"
Rocky Votolato - "True Devotion"
The Effort - "Wartime Citizens"
My Epic - "Yet"
Minnesota
I know someone else who will :-)
Wilmington DE
I think Mike's top 10 list is the most similar to mine then anyone else that works here. Brand New, BTBAM, Number 12, and Converge are all good picks. I suprised so few people have Number 12 on their list at all.
Listening to:
East of the Wall
Maps and Atlases
The Roots
Sunwrae
West Haven, CT
Yeah, I had 2 number 1's. I sort of just started putting down Cd's I liked and let them sort themselves out. I think Converge should have been 5 and Kevin Devine 6.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Hillsborough, NC
Haha, yeah dude. I'm a sucker for it.
West Haven, CT
I forgive you, I like your list. My little brother's name is Cody. I forgive you both.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Dubuque
I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan of the ABR disc. Maybe it's me, but I've been finding their stuff boring as of late.
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West Haven, CT
No ABR for me.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
West Haven, CT
Idknow about your list Cody.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Boston, MA
Colors made my top 10 for 2007 but The Great Misdirect wasn't even close to making it for 2009. It's just didn't do it for me. In their defense, it's gotta be hard to follow what most fans consider a masterpiece.
You're an idiot
Stereo Typing
Please read my bullshit. I need attention.
Baton Rouge
I think He is Legend is a noble choice for album of the year. On sheer listening time, I don't think anything from this year has bested it in my player. I'm not huge on the Paramore except for the last track. When the music falls out and it's just her voice...huge. Makes me hope for something big from them next time. That voice can't go to waste.
As for the second list, I have never heard of Zombi, but I will be checking them out based on that album cover alone.
Boobs
West Haven, CT
At first I thought their latest CD was a piece of trash. It's a grower. You really need to listen to it while forgetting that Colors exists.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
West Haven, CT
Zombi are a two piece band from PA. Two guys a couple of synths and madness. If you like instrumental music and "space rock", you'll love this band.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Spokane, WA
http://www.decoymusic.com/users/12973/top_tens/2009
Bryan Albrandt
Chapel Hill, NC
Zombi review: https://www.decoymusic.com/reviews/zombi-spirit-animal
Hillsborough, NC
It's all good. I didn't expect many people to agree with metalcore/deathcore for a top 10 list, or at all, for that matter. I know Molotov and Paramore are odd, but I really got into them. I'm also not one to listen to many new artists, either.
And He is Legend and Paramore both got me in the sense that the vocal melodies are incredible. In fact, some of the best moments on The Great Misdirect were Tommy's background harmonies with himself, a la Queen. But yeah, Schuylar Croom's performances on It Hates You just blew me away. Literally, they've been stuck in my head since the album came out.
Lehigh Valley, PA
ABR has been boring for me since...FOREVER! Again, i may be biased, but I played with them years ago many times and they have always been pretentious asswads.
I never liked The #12. Brand New can kiss my ass, the BTBAM album is not that great.
However, sad enough, I will support Paramore hahahahahaha. It was catchy as shit.
West Haven, CT
Well I can't judge you on your lack of music knowledge or taste because you are from PA.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Lehigh Valley, PA
That doesnt make any sense. And nothing you say makes sense anymore because you changed your name on here hahaha
West Haven, CT
My name was changed, so I decided to put my real name and It makes plenty of sense, I hate PA. :)
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Lehigh Valley, PA
Mike, can we just be internet friends and put our demographic differences aside?
West Haven, CT
You know how I'm found of everyone on this site
Of course you and I are friends.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.