The Best Songs of 2009

Best Of 2009

While the playlist above says 1-10, it's actually in "Countdown" order, so that the best song is last. Also, it's important to note that KISS is stingy with their on-line finds, so just know that "I'm An Animal" should be on this list too. Let's begin. (song titles link to lyrics / artist links to awesome youtube videos)

10. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I - Them Crooked Vultures
The first of FIVE side-projects on the list. This one is by far the dirtiest. The tale of emotionless people having selfish filthy baseless sex. Full of clever entendres- single, double, and the rare trois entendre, the main draw is the full stoner jam. If you're not convinced at first, stick around to around till the end for the song to really deliver the full fist.

9. I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson
I stopped being embarrassed of my love for Kelly a couple of albums ago. And its hard not to agree with me once you realize that she is singing directly to me on this one. Someone who will nurse this poor boy back to health from the mess left by the others before her. Perfect for a victim-card-playing drama queen like myself. Plus, how do you escape that hook?

8. Future In The Past - Chickenfoot
A real "kitchen sink" song. The last track on an awesome album, they really just tackle what the hadn't already on the rest. But like the rest of the album, the song is very cohesive. All parts moving equally. Sammy doesn't over-yelp, Joe doesn't over-shred, etc. It's got a really early '70s vibe, like Mountain or Cream. The track starts off with a near-ripoff of "Thank You" before quickly jumping to a swamp blues riff. Next movement goes into some middle east jungle boogie before ending on a huge arena-rock jam. It's simple- the points are not deep, but I still get the goose bumps.

7. Cornerstone - Arctic Monkeys
A pathetic story really. Rock star gets all the tail in the world and always blows it by asking if he can call them your name. We all have our days of pining and shouldn't be especially proud of it, but Alex Turner has a real way of describing his surroundings that brings a realness to the tale.

6. A Whole Lot Better - Brendan Benson
Simple pop awesomeness. I actually was not impressed with Brendan's album in whole, but this first song sticks in my head in a way that Paul McCartney was always trying to do in Wings, but failed. Plus, I like the indecisiveness of the song's protagonist. "I fell in love with you and out of love with you and back in love with you all in the same day" Exactly. Us crazies gotta stick together.

5. Peacemaker - Green Day
I thought in general, that Green Day's latest album was an attempt to capitalize on the stupid crazy huge (and deserved) success of American Idiot. It's still about youthful alienation and government control. Fine. But it's not as cohesive or hooky and there was just not enough reason to continue down the EXACT same path. Having said that, "Peacemaker" is high water mark in Green Day's creativity. Still tip-tapping on their punk roots but adding what, samba? I'm surprised Ennio Morricone is not a co-writer.

4. 15 - Marilyn Manson
No I'm not kidding. Manson very famously got dumped by Evan Rachel Wood in 2008. A so he makes an album filled with anger and disappointment. Typical. Then- he caps it off by ending with the most depressive thing this side of Joy Division. It's not "childish", but it is completely regressive of a dude with a broken heart. It's when a man really starts to admit that he needs things. Then he gets particularly stalky and dark. It's probably the best song of his career.

3. White Shoes - Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
No real band on this one, but that's the official album artist. It's hard to say why I love this song so much. I generally like songs that mean specific things to me. This one, with its oblique lyrics and loose folk strumming can take me in a different direction each time I hear it. When Conor returns to the quote, "Anything you wanna do" I get to pretend. Even though I do have that desperation, I get to pretend that I have the commitment to follow through with such a request.

2. Hang You From The Heavens - The Dead Weather
This one is straight up about one of the most awesome drum licks in the history of rock. Jack White rarely misses his mark and this is no exception. Power and thick sticky goo all over this riff. The singer Alison, often left me not believing her on the album. But on this song, even though I really don't like any pain in my pleasure, I'd still let her drag me by the hair anywhere.

1. Aeon - Antony & the Johnsons
If the voice doesn't break your heart while at the same time bringing you a spiritual awakening, then I can't help you. Let's do something differently. Let's take our power back.

Chickenfoot

By now, you've heard of this supergroup and their surprising success. Number 4 debut on Billboard's album chart. And since you probably know me, you know of my life's work of defending all of Sammy's life's works. I'm pleased to say that no defense is needed here- this is simply a great band.

Sammy had famously said some months ago something about rivaling Led Zeppelin. Well, the band quickly abandoned such blasphemous talk- but I understand the concept. If you can picture the time in the late sixties, early seventies; Led Zeppelin, Cream and others were championing a new, heavier, electric form of American blues which was enhanced by new studio techniques and psychedelia from the availability of drugs. The performers in these bands would generally do little more than riff out a basic chord structure and jam on it to their hearts content.

Led Zeppelin eventually took the ballgame to a bigger picture. Maybe it was Plant's sex appeal or maybe just the times. But Zep got some girls to the show and bigger venues were required. Soon, bands were exploiting whatever commerciality they could to grab similar cash, and arena rock was born. Arrangements became tighter, lyrics became safer and choruses got more pronounced.

At it's core, Chickenfoot are doing a very good job of holding on to that pre-arena power rock explosion. Like Zep, AC/DC and even Montrose; Chickenfoot revolves around riffs. It's all very loose and once the ball is rolling, there is no hook - it often doesn't even get back to the main riff. The rhythm section just kicks in and exploits the groove. Throw on some lyrics and a song exists. When an ending can't be contrived, you just get to the next verse, hold the one and then yell, "YEAH". More than a song, you've had a moment... a little relationship.

Satriani feels like he's been working his whole life to get to this point. I am quite familiar with his work, but his catalog is way too extensive for me to truly know. Mostly an instrumentalist and a "composer", I've rarely heard him this playful. Maybe I'm just so taken aback because I've been listening more to singer-songwriters these days. The Okkervil Rivers and the Bright Eyes. Where the song is written and performers are bought in to complete the song. This simply feels more organic than that.

So what about the reason that brought me here? How's Sammy faring? I've always said that I love Sammy most when he takes himself seriously. All that beach party stuff of the 2000's sort of fell flat for me. But here, Sammy keeps it as loose as the music. The lyrics are not structured in ways that he's done before- certainly not in 20 years. It's even how I describe David Lee Roth's lyrics. Where there is no "Johnnie working on the docks" who has tough times but still loves his lady. It's more about painting a broad stroked portrait, where you know what we're talking about, but the specifics aren't dwelled upon. It's about love, it's about never giving up, it's about overcoming, it's about positivity. And when the jamming kicks in, Sammy absolutely stands back and let it just be about the groove. He adds his, "uh" and "oh yeah" but he's not fighting with the band. This isn't a Sammy Hagar solo album at all.

On youtube, you can find "12 Days of the Foot" where the band tackle each song individually in interviews. And it's very entertaining. It's 10 minutes a piece, so have some patience. I'll throw my favorite song so far here at the end. And again, it's not going to bowl you over with literal importance, but you should see how the band starts with one groove, moves into a funky space, jumps a train to some Indian vibe, and the rides it out with a power jam. (4 1/2 of 5 stars)

Future Is The Past - Chickenfo...