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Music
The top local CDs of 2009
Hot Topics
By Don Thrasher,
Contributing Writer
2:53 PM Thursday, December 17, 2009
Another year is coming to a close, so that means it’s once again time to look back at some of the top local music releases of 2009.
As always, there were plenty of other worthy CDs in contention, including the debut from The Tony Red Band, Dulahan’s “Mist of the Irish Sky,” “Getaway Car” by 8 KOunt and Kris N’s “Lo-Fi Movement,” but there’s never room for everyone at the top.
What follows are the top 10 full-length albums and top five EPs released by original rock, country and folk acts from the Dayton area this year.
1. Sleepybird “The Sadness Will Last Forever”
The third self-released LP from Sleepybird is loaded with stark but dynamic folk songs that blossom into cinematic, chamber-pop epics. This is definitely the group’s most expansive album yet, with beautiful tracks such as “Dreams of Sorrow,” “Drunk Dialer” and “Exploding Into Tiny Stars.”
2. The Werks “Synapse”
The second album from this local jam band was released early this year and helped propel this hard-working act to a national level. Infectious songs such as “Headin’ South” and “Gameplan” will grab the listener and lead them happily through a dizzying listening experience that’s worthy of many return trips.
3. Towhee “What We’ve Done”
The sophomore release from this local indie pop outfit follows the same template as the group’s 2007 full-length “Streetlights.” The spellbinding guitars, dreamy vocals, lingering melodies and introspective lyrics are still in place, but Towhee raises the bar with a better use of dynamics and a greater sense of song structure.
4. Magic Jackson “Freak Tab”
This funk-rock wrecking crew is known primarily as a live act, but this debut CD proves Magic Jackson is more than just a party band. Cuts like “Penny Says,” “Chuchi” and “Psychobabble” reflect the power of the group’s stage show with subtle tweaks, while “Meat Finger” marries a Parliament-style groove with dirty guitar and synthesizer.
5. Yakuza Heart Attack “Yakuza Heart Attack II”
The second self-titled full-length from this inspired instrumental outfit is overflowing with bubbly, 8-bit keyboard passages that draw heavily from video games. There’s also an obvious affection for punk, electronica, prog-rock, film soundtracks and avant-garde music, which comes out in stand-out cuts like “Tears of the Judge” and “Power Surge.”
6. Romeo Champagne “Guilt to Consume”
With four distinctive songwriters contributing to the mix, this CD could be a jumbled mess. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s hard to pin down the group’s sound, which draws successfully from progressive rock, funk, jazz fusion, reggae and blues, but labels won’t matter once you’re carried away by the rock-solid grooves and solid musicianship.
7. Scott Barker “This Is Me”
This country singer-songwriter relocated from Bellbrook to Albuquerque, N.M., shortly after this album was released in June, but that doesn’t diminish the quality of this compelling collection of timeless country songs. Cuts like “Oh My Lord” and “This Is Me” are highlighted by clever lyrics and a strong sense of Nashville songcraft.
8. Wake Up Mordecai “Too Young For the Disco”
Johnny Callon, who records as Wake Up Mordecai, is something of a teen phenom. The material on his debut EP 2008 was fairly crude, but totally engaging. Callon took it up a notch with his new full-length, which is more mature and overflowing with instantly intoxicating pop nuggets like “Bach Called” and “That’s What She Said.”
9. He Laughs He Learns He Loves “Say Yes to Everything”
With its various influences, from punk, indie pop and metal to electronica and progressive rock, this local band has never met a sound or style it couldn’t fit into a song. There’s a lot going on in each track, but these sonic deconstructionists manage to arrange their disparate interests into a challenging but ultimately rewarding listening experience.
10. The Rebel Set “Across the Relentless Sea”
The follow-up to the group’s 2008 debut, “Ghost Town Silence,” is a high-octane collection of songs about life in Middle America. The Rebel Set began as a modern rock band with an undercurrent of rockabilly and roots rock, but any hint of the retro guitar-rock-vibe has been wiped away in favor of a distinctive keyboard-driven sound.
Five EPs
1. XL427 “Yesterdays Forever”
Andy Ingram, the mastermind behind XL427, is a pop-rock fanatic and it shows on his wonderful debut CD. Songs such as “Snohomish County” and “Killers No More” are delectable slices of melodic rock that will have pop fans yearning for more.
Motel Beds “Go For a Dive”
2. PJ Paslosky was inactive for several years. Thankfully he revived this band last year and has been playing live. More importantly, he’s recording again. This three-song disc, a sugar-sweet blast of indie-pop, is a teaser for a series of EPs set for release in 2010.
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2:25 PM, 12/24/2009