DecoyMusic.com

The end of the year has come (and passed), all of the individual top staff top 10 lists have been posted and discussed, we're all anticipating what is coming out in 2010, and we're already starting to think about what new bands to cover.  But we mustn't forget the wonderful albums that 2009 brought us.  There were a number of solid albums from old names and new, from across all musical spectrums, and throughout the year.  As is usually the case, we here at Decoy have quite the eclectic "best of" list, showing our diversity, yet also showcasing how wonderful some albums are as they showed up across many disparate lists.  So, without further adieu, enjoy Decoy's top 20 albums of 2009!  --Rick Gebhardt

20. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion



Dave Spak: I almost feel guilty putting this as my favorite album of the year. It is sure to take the same position on more lists than any other release. The fact remains, however, that this is without a doubt the record that has stuck with me the most throughout this year. Every time I listened to it since it was released back in January, I found a new track to obsess over, a new favorite lyric, a new captivating beat. Animal Collective is doing something special and unique and whether you like it or not, it is leaving its mark on people.

19. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2



Dan Goldin: So I may not cover rap and hip-hop on the site, but that doesn’t mean I don’t listen to a great deal of it. It’s become harder and harder to find the great hip-hop being made amongst the increasing loads of garbage, but in a year that further watered down the genre, Raekwon dropped his long awaited follow up of his classic debut album. Since 1995, Raekwon has released a pair of underwhelming albums, but finally returned with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II and the wait was well worthwhile. Raekwon reemerges with the raw gritty rhymes he’s become famous for, delivering what is without a doubt another Wu-Tang classic. Grimy street narratives are presented with the gusto as only a Wu-Tang member can, with the entire Clan coming together on the most important hip-hop release of the year.

18. The Number Twelve Looks Like You – Worse Than Alone



Cody Rogers: 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.

17. Evergreen Terrace - Almost Home



Jared Mehle: If one thing can be said about Evergreen Terrace is that they are consistent. You can always count on them to put together a solid album. Almost Home firmly cements that fact. Initially, I was put off by the shift in sound from Wolfbiker. I happened to be quite fond of that album and the direction the band took it. However, it didn't take long before Almost Home found it's way into my playlist daily. There's not anything bad to say about it.

16. Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect



Michael Duchnowsky: 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.

15. He is Legend – It Hates You



Cody Rogers: 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.

14. Thrice – Beggars



Stephen Harris: If anything, Beggars has proven that Thrice could write an album of Gregorian chant mixed with Flamenco-Polka-afrobeat fusion, and it would still be more compelling than most everything else ever released. After The Alchemy Index, most people wondered where the band could go next, and if they would resist burning out in the process. But the band soldiered on, adding a timeless feel to the music, and a new soulfulness to the vocals, creating one of the most listenable albums of the year.

13. Kevin Devine – Brother’s Blood



Andrew Beam: I’m very happy that this was able to stay in my top 10, because after my first listen I was all ready in love. Tracks like “Time to Burn”, “Carnival”, and “Brother’s Blood” really set the standard for a quality album. Kevin Devine proves he is a fantastic songwriter and completely shreds on many of these tracks, proving he’s more than just an acoustic guitar guy. A highly diverse album, the range goes from barn burners, to ballads about dead pets. Did I mention how amazing this guy is when it comes to lyrics? His intelligence is constantly on display, as well as his passion. It is a disc that begs for people to give him more attention.

12. Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King



Bill Lohr: People can talk and say all they want but when it comes to talent this band has it all. After suffering the loss of one of their founding members, LeRoi Moore, no one was certain about the future of this band. But, as always, DMB got back on their feet and released what could be one of their best albums to date. Big Whiskey…takes the sounds of old DMB and adds a hint of the new without straying too far from the sound fans first fell in love with.

11. Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic



Chris Conlan: At first listen to New Junk Aesthetic, I can honestly say I wasn't that impressed. After that listen, I came to the realization that I was I was completely wrong. How could I think anything bad about Every Time I Die? I'm dead serious when I say that because when it comes to consistency, this band is the epitome of it. On New Junk Aesthetic, you get ETID at their finest. Keith's vocals are cockier than ever and the music has a swagger to it that will make chicks just want to.....

10. Architects – Hollow Crown



Chris Conlan: Unrelenting and unstoppable are two words that come to mind when listening to Architects' Hollow Crown. They just absolutely destroy your speakers with tracks like "Early Grave" and "Follow The Water". This has got to be the heaviest record in 2009 (well at least in my opinion). Hopefully, these Brits pick steam up here in the states because it seems like the masses think Slipknot is a heavy band. Pfft.

9. Isis – Wavering Radiant



Dave Spak: With Wavering Radiant, Isis has upped the Tool influence and even took Adam Jones along for the ride. The result is their most gorgeous work to date. Isis has perfected the marriage of ambient and metal sounds to put them miles above their peers. Look no further than “Ghost Key” to hear the progression that this band has taken. It contains every element that makes them one of the most critically acclaimed metal bands of this generation. It is catchy yet contains devastatingly heavy guitars and breathtaking crescendos. The band creates an atmosphere like no other on this record and I blissfully get lost in it every time I press play.

8. Set Your Goals - This Will Be the Death of Us



Jared Mehle: Summertime is prime for cruising around with your windows down and the music turned up. I was anxious to get my hands on Set Your Goals latest effort for most of the first half of the year. I was hitting their MySpace page daily. When it finally dropped, there was little to be disappointed about. Ironically, for an overall summertime favorite, I wish the song Summer Time was a B-side.

7. Katatonia – Night Is the New Day



Rick Gebhardt: Oppressive. Melancholic. Heart-wrenching. Gripping. They’re all words that could describe Katatonia’s latest album. There are also many other words that could be used, but I’m almost certain everyone will have a slightly different take on this album. Personally, it resonates with me in a way that no other album released this year could. It is heavy musically, lyrically, thematically, and stylistically. Each song toys with you, allowing you to feel as if Katatonia may be allowing something resembling hope enter into their songwriting, only to systematically tear down those glimmering moments in a grueling deconstruction of concepts. This album is the epitome of what a heavy album should sound like, setting the bar even higher than they previously did with The Great Cold Distance.

6. Dinosaur Jr. – Farm



Matt Murphy: The retro rockers have done it again. Following up their tremendous return to form on Beyond, Dinosaur Jr. shows that the quality of that album wasn’t just a fluke. With a sound that is instantly identifiable, infectious and rocking at the same time, Farm is arguably the best indie album released this year and perfect no matter the time, day or place.

5. August Burns Red – Constellations



Rick Gebhardt: Is metalcore a simplistic genre? Sure. It’s really the nu-metal of our day, when you think about it, but that also doesn’t change the fact that when it’s done well, it’s still a very viable genre. August Burns Red, once again, have proven they know how to create an album that will make you run just a bit further, do a couple more push-ups, or have you grunting out just a few more reps. Constellations is undeniably intense and will have your adrenaline pouring forth. Also, this time around the band included a few melodic moments that feel completely natural and allow some of the songs to build up to even more intense breakdowns.

4. P.O.S. – Never Better



Rick Gebhardt: Maybe I’m biased since I live in Minnesota, but over the last few years it seems like the only interesting rap or hip hop to be released has come from the Rhymesayers and Doomtree camps. P.O.S., this year, has catapulted the hip hop genre forward. Taking numerous creative chances with the varied and unique approaches on Never Better, P.O.S. has stepped up his craft, outperformed the rest of his catalog, and proven that innovation is still something that is achievable in this genre.

3. Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything To Nothing



Stephen Harris: Everyone knows that this band is the saviors of rock and roll, and this album only added to their scripture. Everything on this album shows the band improving. The guitars are heavier and more creative, the rhythms and percussion are crazier, the lyrics are more biting and singer Andy Hull is quickly moving into the territory of the best singers of all time who sounds like they need to be in an institution. A flawless album.

2. Brand New – Daisy



Andrew Beam: I really would like to say that there is no emotional bias involved in this choice, as they are a band that I have held so dearly to myself, but I would also have to admit to being in total denial. Regardless, I listened to this album nearly six times in a row upon first getting a hold of it, which probably annoyed anyone that lived near me. A monstrously raw effort, Brand New pushed the limits of its loyal fans as they drove some away, pulled them in closer, or scared off anyone who heard about them and decided to give this album a shot. Singer Jesse Lacey brings his voice to a shrilling scream throughout most of the album, as the entire ensemble produces their heaviest and spookiest disc to date with songs like “Vices”, “Sink”, and “You Stole.” This will only confuse fans even more when they think of what will come next

1. Converge – Axe to Fall



Dave Spak: Every time Converge releases a new album I think to myself, “There is no way this could be as good as the last one.” Yet without fail, it is as good if not better. I was absolutely floored after my first listen through Axe to Fall. Kurt Ballou’s guitar work is impossibly fast and the rhythm section is as thunderous as it has even been. Jacob Bannon’s vocals still sound like someone was running a cheese grater over his vocal cords while they were recording and the lyrics are as heart wrenching as ever. Songs like “Reap What You Sow” are evidence that this may be their best work since Jane Doe.

Michael Duchnowsky: 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.

Daniel Alcinii: Converge’s Axe To Fall quickly grew to become a monster comparable to the likes of 2001’s Jane Doe, arguably the bands best release. For 30 minutes the monster is force-fed abrasive screams from a variety of guests, blast beats from Ben Koller unforgiving kit, and technically sound guitars. Ironically enough, what I find to be the two best tracks on this record are the tortured avant-garde closers “Cruel Bloom” and “Wretched World”. Axe To Fall is truly an axe that fell.

Bill Lohr: Jacob Bannon might be one of the craziest dudes alive. This album sounds like a war from start to finish. Simply Amazing.

Corey Mack: This band can do no wrong, like a fine wine getting better with age. The songs are tighter and even more chaotic.