2009

It's been a funny old year, starting off with moving house, friends emigrating, more grey hairs appearing and a sleeping disorder. Album-wise, it's also been a bit hit-and-miss. I've not really heard anything outside of the 'hardcore' tag that really jumps out, but that could also mean that I've not really been looking. Within this favoured genre of mine though, there have been some real gems from both home-grown talent and from our overseas counterparts. Here we go :

Albums:

10. Thursday - 'Common Existence'

9. BATS - 'Red In Tooth & Claw'

8. Brand New - 'Daisy'

7. Every Time I Die - 'New Junk Aesthetic'

6. Pearl Jam - 'Backspacer'

5. Future Of The Left - 'Travels With Myself And Another'

4. Alexisonfire - 'Old Crows/Young Cardinals'

3. Mastodon - 'Crack The Skye'

2. The Ghost Of A Thousand - 'New Hopes, New Demonstrations'

1. Converge - 'Axe To Fall'

Future Of The Left is a surprise entry, considering I only got it last week but it's totally fucking killer. They also put on one of the best shows I have seen all year, at the Bully back at the end of November. It was a tough choice between Converge and TGOAT, but ultimately after listening to them side-by-side, you just cannot deny the brutal assault of 'Axe To Fall'.

Tracks :

10. Super Furry Animals - 'The Very Best Of Neil Diamond'

9. New Found Glory - 'Tangled Up'

8. Mariachi El Bronx - 'I Would Die 4 You'

7. These Arms Are Snakes - 'Washburn'

6. Taking Back Sunday - 'Sink Into Me'

5. Converge - 'Dark Horse'

4. Every Time I Die - 'Wanderlust'

3. Cave In - 'Retina Sees Rewind'

2. Pearl Jam - 'The Fixer'

1. Thursday - 'Circuits Of Fever' / 'Friends In The Armed Forces'

Having two choices in the number one spot may be cheating, but the two Thursday songs listed are important for different reasons. First of all, 'Circuits Of Fever' sees Thursday pushing themselves further into shoegazing territory, with one of the most epic outros they have ever written, and with 'Friends In The Armed Forces', the year's finest rock song. Add to that the presence of Walter Schreifels on backing vocals and my decision is easily swayed.

Honorable mentions:

Albums:

Coalesce - 'Ox'

Sonic Youth - 'The Eternal'

Poison The Well - 'The Tropic Rot'

Tracks:

Mastodon : 'Divinations'

Double Dagger - 'The Lie/The Truth'

Dananananakroyd - 'Black Wax'

Gigs / Shows:

5. Future Of The Left, Bullingdon Arms Oxford

4. Hundred Reasons, O2 Academy Oxford

3. Gaslight Anthem (Plus Bruce Springsteen cameo), Hyde Park Calling

2. The Bronx, Camden Electric Ballroom

1. Every Time I Die, O2 Academy Oxford