The 11 Best Albums of 2009: 12-22 (Part 4)

I've noticed that my excitement for new releases is much lower than it used to be. When a new Pearl Jam album came out...I lined up at midnight at Tower Records just to be the first to buy it. I still go buy albums the day they come out...but it's usually a Tuesday ritual rather than a special treat. But this year...there were a few albums that got my juices going. The 4 unreleased Beck albums were quite nice since they were unavailable in a store. But these were given away for free. So, as cool as they were...anyone could get them. But there was another unreleased album that I got fanatic over. That would be the Sparklehorse/DangerMouse album...why? Because it was never available anywhere. Not to download. Not to buy. Getting a copy wasn't just exciting...it was like a treasure hunt. For those few days while I tracked down each song, I was excited over a new release since...as I had been when waiting in line at midnight.

New month means new $5 albums. Check out the store for the new Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Alec Ounsworth, Major Lazer, new Green Day, Wale, Dodos, My Morning Jacket, and a buttload of Christmas albums.

Here is the 11 Best Albums of 2009: 12-22 (Part 4):

12. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
13. Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day (Straight Into A Storm)
14. The Black Crowes - Before The Frost...Until the Freeze
15. The Dead Weather - Horehound
16. White Rabbits - It's Frightening
17. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
18. Regina Spektor - FAR
19. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul (Revenge)
20. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
21. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
22. Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine (Little Sad Eyes)

The Unknown: The Black Crowes - Rustic Cabin in an Evergreen Woods

Some bands can't do it. They need songwriters, producers, mastering, and guest vocalists to make their albums worthy. Put these bands on a stage with only their instruments and their voices to carry them...and most flop harder than fat guy on a high dive. That's what amazes me most about the Black Crowes. Here's a band that just writes good music. Kind like what bands used to do back in the day. How novel. On their new album (Before The Frost)...they perform all their songs live in a studio session inside a barn. That's right...inside a freaking barn!!! Take that Fall Out Boy. It's not only one album's worth of material...it's two. That's right a blues rock album and country album. And it's only $3.99. Linkin Park's new album was $14.99 and it was only 36 minutes of music. Guess which band is overcompensating.

The Black Crowes - Rustic Cabin in an Evergreen Woods

1. Rainy Day Woman #12 and #35
2. Don't Wake Me
3. Waitin' Guilty
4. Somebody's On Your Case
5. 99 lbs.
6. Song of the Flesh
7. Just Say You're Sorry
8. Sunday Buttermilk Waltz
9. It Must Be Over
10. You Don't Have to Go
11. Mellow Down Easy

12. Darling of the Underground Press

Buy The Black Crowes new album (Before The Frost...Until the Freeze) now for only $3.99. Come on people...you can't beat that deal with a baseball bat. (I don't know what that means)