Brian Edwards's: Most Notable Artists and Albums of 2009
Written by Brian Edwards
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INTERESTING A list of the most notable artists and albums of 2009
Best Newcomer: Lady Gaga
Now, I admit that I wasn’t the biggest Lady Gaga fan when “Just Dance” hit the airwaves, and I admit that I quickly labeled her as “gimmicky” and “over the top” when I saw her live performances and videos. But, Lady Gaga has done enough in the last couple of months to turn all of that around for me, and she has done so in a really profound way. It took a couple of watches of her “Bad Romance” video for me to finally ‘get it’, but when I did, it hit me like a bag of oranges. Lady Gaga is a total artist. She has a concept, an image, and a style unlike any one else in mainstream music today. But in the sea of artists who are constantly trying to be different (*cough* Rihanna* cough*), she sets herself apart by actually being *good* at being different. Her tunes are catchy and she’s got a voice that can bring the house down. Yes, she is weird. There’s no doubt about that. But, sometimes you have to push the limits in order to usher in a musical revolution, and she’s got the talent, the vision, and the attitude to do just that. It’s time to get with it, or get lost, people.
Seriously Overrated: Shakira – She-Wolf
After reading review-after-review lauding Shakira’s third English studio album, I decided that I would pick it up and give it a listen. I mean, I’ve liked all of her previous stuff and the single “She-Wolf”, as different as it was, wasn’t bad. Sounds like a safe bet, right? Wrong. This album, simply put, is bad. I really have no clue what every one who gave this album a good review is talking about. This album is basically just 40 minutes of Shakira making uncomfortable noises, mumbling bizarre lyrics, and talking about her vagina. Now, in her defense, that’s basically what all of her albums up to this point have been, but at least back then her albums had a little more depth to them to back up her weirdness. (Oral Fixation vol. 1 and 2 were instant classics). Really, there are only two good songs on this album, in my opinion (“She-Wolf “and “Lo Hecho Esta Hecho”) The “She-Wolf” music video is just way out of control at times. It’s just an acid trip filled with odd dance moves, cages, caves, and nude body suits. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love watching Shakira roll around half-naked and feel herself up as much as the next guy, but instead of thinking that she is taking on a new musical identity, I just think that she is losing her mind.
Seriously Underrated: Mos Def – The Ecstatic
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I really can’t get enough of Mos Def and “The Ecstatic” is truly an album for Mos Def lovers. It has beastly lyrics, fat beats that are lush and funky, and its got that mad style and swagger that Mos Def has become famous for. The album also features a team of some of the industry’s finest producers and DJs (Madlib, Chad Hugo, Oh No, & Preservation). “The Ecstatic” is pure hip-hop at its finest and running on all cylinders. Surprisingly though, it seems to have flown under the mainstream radar. I personally think that it’s a monstrous album and I would rank it up there with Mos Def classics like “Black on Both Sides” and “The New Danger.” But, I really can’t say enough words to do it justice, so if you haven’t checked it out, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. Pretty Flacco is the truth!
Biggest Disappointment: Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
I really have a sore spot for the Blueprint 3. This album had all the makings of being one of the best of all time: A matured and seasoned Jay-Z, a killer production team, viral marketing and advertising, plus Jay-Z seemed primed for more greatness after the fantastic “American Gangster” album. Now don’t get me wrong, the album wasn’t bad, but after all of the build up, it ended up coming of as a tad luke-warm. It packs a serious punch in the beginning with “Run this Town” and “DOA: Death of Auto tune”, but he doesn’t really follow through with anything really dynamic. The rest of the album just kind of unwinds into a lackluster grouping of songs with nothing that’ll really stick in my head for any significant amount of time. All-in-all, I appreciated listening to this album, but I expected something way better.
A Pleasant Surprise: Norah Jones – The Fall
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this record when I saw that it was coming out. Ever since the good old days of Norah Jones when she was crooning “Don’t know why I didn’t come”, I’ve had mixed feelings about her. I’ve felt at times that I didn’t really know who she was or who she was trying to be as a musician, and I have a feeling that she didn’t really know either. Still though, I picked up the album just for the sake of checking her out. But, what I got out of this album was WAY more than I expected. She’s taken on a whole new sound, slightly tempering the bluesy folk in favor of a more alternative rock-like approach. Yes, it’s just as weird as it sounds at first, but it’s really, really good stuff once you get accustomed to it. The tone of the album is steeped in bitterness, as it is clear that Norah’s writing has been influenced by the split with her long-time boyfriend and bassist, and she really make you feel it with songs like “Tell yer Mama” and “Chasing Pirates”. “The Fall” is a searing, powerful, and poignant work that takes you on a musical journey through the depths of Norah Jones’ soul and to the outer edges of her musicianship.
Best Album: The Mars Volta – Octahedron 
This was a really difficult choice to make. There have been a myriad of really fantastic albums this year (Honorable mentions go to: Grizzly Bear, Regina Spektor, Mos Def, and Animal Collective). But, I really think that in the field of amazing albums that have come out in 2009, this album stands out as particularly impressive. The funny thing is, an album like Octahedron, which is perceived to be the weakest Mars Volta album yet, would likely be a magnum opus for most other rock ensembles today. However, I think that this album is a triumphant musical invention and is actually one of the Mars Volta’s best yet for a number of reasons. I think that this album serves as a great opportunity to become familiar with the remarkable talent that the Mars Volta has without being completely blown-away by their trademark craziness. As an avid Mars Volta fan, I can concede that some (or most) of the material in their four albums prior to Octahedron is probably a bit too extreme for the average listener. Octahedron, in this context, can be seen as the “eye of the storm”, as their intensity level is turned down quite a bit (especially after the raging nuclear explosion that was “Bedlam in Goliath”). But, this is where the true beauty of Octahedron lies. In this medium, the listener can very clearly perceive the genius of the band at both an individual and collective level. Each track is perfectly crafted from beginning to end, with each band member adding a touch of their personal style and brilliance to the cooperative effort without out-shining one another. It’s the first Mars Volta album that is completely accessible to a wide-audience, and it is done so without sacrificing too much of their signature style. The tracks have an impeccable order, easing in with the lilting ballad “Since we’ve been wrong” and hitting successive emotional highs (“Teflon” and “Cotopaxi”) and lows (“Copernicus” and “Twilight as my guide”) before rising to an epic finale in “Luciforms”. Having had prior knowledge of Mars Volta music, I feel like this album is an indication of profound musical range and temperance. Any band that has the capacity to push the music boundaries the way that the Mars Volta has in the past, but then turn around and produce a demure album like Octahedron is truly brilliant in my eyes.
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