411 Music Presents…2009 Year In Review: Part 1.1 - Staff Picks, Vol. 1

Posted by Mitch Michaels on 12.29.2009

The staff looks back one last time at 2009, as Eminem, Alice In Chains, Jay-Z and more make our Top Albums, Lady GaGa and Taylor Swift broke out to annoy us, Raekwon returned, Chris Brown did a bad, bad thing and, oh yeah, a guy from the Jackson 5 died...




PART 1.1: STAFF PICKS, VOL. 1
Well, folks, it's that time of year when every good music lover is making his or her lists and reflecting on the past 365 days of rock ‘n‘ roll. The esteemed staff here at 411 Music is no different. We've assembled all the 411 brothers and cousins for one last family holiday gathering. Put down your DJ Hero turntable for a moment and peep what really rocked our individual socks off this year.

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MITCH MICHAELS

(Editor, Newsman, Lord of the Quick ‘n' Dirty, Guy that put this shit together)

Top Nine Albums of 2009:

1. Eminem - Relapse: I have to admit it – when I first heard Relapse, I hated it. I despised the voice Em was using to sing on the album and the whole thing came off as ridiculously juvenile and violent. But then it somehow wormed its way into my brain and now I can't put it down. Eminem has made a mainstream horrorcore lite album – what the hell? But there's a lot to love on this record, from the Mariah diss to the chilling "Same Song & Dance" to the Dre banger "Old Time's Sake". And speaking of the good doctor – if you needed anymore evidence that he should be named producer of the decade, this is it.

2. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3: Sequels have been all the rage in Hollywood since even before this decade, but lately it seems that the trend has taken hold of music, too, especially hip-hop. Blueprint was a classic, while BP2 turned out to be kind of bloated and disappointing. With BP3, Jigga had to deliver to keep the franchise alive. And boy did he. Autotune's death certificate got the buzz going, but it was singles like "Run This Town" and "Empire State Of Mind" that had people buying this thing in droves. The best Jay's been since before Black.

3. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Live Anthology: Tom Petty fans have been promised a live album for years and years now, so this thing had to deliver. Five discs and tons of extra material later and, yeah, we're happy. Covering every era of the band, from the early days in LA to their triumphant 30th anniversary run, Live Anthology is everything you could want and more – hits, covers and over five hours of classic American rock & roll.

4. Drive-By Truckers - The Fine Print: A Collection Of Oddities & Rarities, 2003-2008: If it weren't for the overly wordy title and a couple of "original versions", The Fine Print could easily be mistaken for DBT's newest studio album. Heck, the guys (and girl) even returned to the studio to polish these one-offs up for an album release. From Jason Isbell's lost classic "TVA" to Patterson Hood's tough cover of Warren Zevon's "Play It All Night Long" to Mike Cooley's downright touching "Little Pony", Fine Print is more than a stop-gap as the DBT's look for a new label – it's an unearthed treasure.

5. Nirvana - Live At Reading: There hasn't been a lot of vault activity since Nirvana hung it up in 1994, so when this live recording was polished up and released, it was big news in the fan community. Live At Reading finds Nirvana playing the annual UK fest in 1992 at the height of their powers. Kurt Cobain had only just begun to fall apart, and the band showcases not only their manic pop energy, but their offbeat sense of humor. Twice as nice if you pick up the DVD.

6. Insane Clown Posse - Bang! Pow! Boom!: I was a fan of ICP during their Great Milenko/Jeckel Brothers heyday, but their output since has been very hit or miss. It was a great surprise, then, when they returned to the Dark Carnival mythology and re-teamed with producer Mike E. Clark for their latest album. A true return to form, ICP sounds more alive here than they have in years. So great it inspired me to catch the band live earlier this month and take my first 90-minute Faygo shower.

7. Weezer – Radtitude: While Raditude doesn't rank in the upper echelon of the Weezer canon (it's not even the best album not called Weezer), it still brought a big smile to my face. "I Want You To" is one of the best rock singles of the decade, and tracks like "Can't Stop Partying" and "Put Me Back Together" are some of the strongest, most moving moments in Weezer history. Besides, with Rebirth's track record and his legal troubles, this could be your last new Lil Wayne appearance for years to come.

8. Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.: You just couldn't deny "Boom Boom Pow". Fergie alone was a huge power to contend with, but when you team her up with will.i.am and the guys, they're damn near unstoppable. And I don't care how much you want to cry "overplayed", "I Gotta Feeling" made me feel good every time it came over the airwaves.

9. The Lonely Island - Incredibad: An early favorite of '09 and I still keep it in rotation. With all of its guest spots, Incredibad just doesn't get old. With their constant presence on "Saturday Night Live" (and the greatness of "Mother Lover" and that Reba McEntire song), you can bet there will be more Lonely Island goodness in 2010.

Most Annoying Album of the Year: Susan Boyle - I Dreamed A Dream. There are a LOT of people in this world that can sing, but only a few of them become music stars. Now, thanks to the internet and reality TV, people who do not have the true drive or ambition to make a career out of the music industry are saturating our airwaves, sending us from one one-hit-wonder to the next at a rapid pace. Where is this, the UK? Anyway, in a world of Adam Lamberts and other overnight sensation/has-beens, the worst has to be Susan Boyle, who is famous for being ugly. Can she sing? Sure. But why the fuck have two million Americans bought her CD? To hear neutered covers of The Monkees and the Rolling Stones? I just don't get this one, and hopefully in a few years SuBo will be viewed as the 00's "Macarena".

Biggest Music News of the Year: Michael Jackson Dies. When someone famous dies relatively young, it shocks the world. When that someone has sold a bazillion albums, touched a few kids and announced a big comeback/farewell tour, it blows our minds. Ever since Michael took his final curtain call in June, you couldn't go a day without hearing about some kind of post-MJ related drama. From his insane family to his shady doctor to his weirdo lifestyle to his MONEY MONEY MONEY, Michael left plenty behind for us to talk about.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Metallica – Verizon Center, Washington, DC. I've been listening to Metallica for over a decade now, but I'd never gotten to go to see them live until this past January. I'm kind of glad I waited, as we got to hear a ton of shit from their latest album, Death Magnetic. Watching how they transformed the Verizon Center into an intimate cave of metal, I realized why they're one of the biggest bands in the world. Not only due they absolutely fucking shred live, but they put so much detail and care into giving their fans a great night, you can't help but walk away happy.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: No New Dr. Dre Album. With Eminem returning and 50 Cent doing his thing, it looked like 2009 might be the year of the holy Aftermath trilogy – but that was just not to be. Despite tons of rumors early in the year, Dr. Dre's Detox still sits on a studio shelf somewhere, unfinished. No that he's working on Em's Relapse 2, it looks like 2010 might bring the same disappointment.

Biggest Surprise of the Year: John Frusciante Leaves The Red Hot Chili Peppers. John announced earlier this month that he and RHCP had parted company a while back during their "extended hiatus". The Chili Peppers have been firing on all cylinders since Frusciante made his return to the band in 1998, so losing the guitarist could pose a huge threat to the way this band sounds. With the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame snub and the lack of activity, it's been a tough year to be an RHCP fan.

Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Lady GaGa. Hands down, no new artist has made waves like GaGa. When "Just Dance" hit in late 2008, it looked like Lady G would be a one-off dance act. Instead, she's amped up her oddball image and utilized every medium to keep her face out there. Amazingly, she's been able to back it up with the music, too. While "Poker Face", "LoveGame" and "Bad Romance" have been more than slightly annoying radio and MTV staples, you can't deny how catchy they are.

Comeback Artist of the Year: Michael Jackson. When it comes to artists who have been away for a while and then came roaring back, you just can't overlook MJ, who made his big comeback by taking the ol' dirt nap. His sub-par Number Ones comp became one of the best selling albums of the year, his rehearsal footage became a #1 movie and suddenly it was cool to drive around blasting "Billie Jean" again. With his merch popping up in malls and grocery stores and anywhere else you can think, it's safe to say his career has been revived.

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AARON TITAN
(Keeper of the Music 3R's )


Top Nine Albums of 2009:

1. Mastodon – Crack the Skye
2. Lamb of God – Wrath
3. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
4. Eminem – Relapse
5. The Dead Weather - Horehound
6. Jay-Z – Blueprint III
7. Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of Day
8. Slayer – World Painted Blood
9. Muse – The Resistance

Mastodon and Lamb of God made two metal classic this year. Mastodon especially made heavy music beautiful on Crack the Skye.

Most Annoying Album of the Year: Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown. I've listened to it once through and appreciated a few of the songs, but didn't it feel like they were trying to reproduce the epicness of American Idiot? In a way, I wish they would've went the route they did when following Nimrod with Warning, doing something unexpected and really, something that just felt different than what we just heard the last go-around.

Biggest Music News of the Year: Michael Jackson Dies. I think Michael Jackson's death had to be the biggest shocker of the year. I mean, I wasn't in tears or anything when I learned about it, but it was a huge deal and still has influence in the top music news headlines almost half a year later. I'm certainly tired of hearing about it and how his brothers are cashing in on their renewed celebrity status, but that doesn't mean Jacko's death wasn't a huge deal.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Girl Talk. Usually, I go to no less than ten concerts per year, but man oh man, graduating college and starting out on my own with a career, I just had less time and money. However, I did make it to a few. Though I haven't attended it yet, I'm anticipating that the Girl Talk concert I'm attending on New Year's Eve will be concert of the year for me. He packs in a lot of fun with his live show and I just know I've got one of the best DJs spinning for me as I dance into 2010. Other shows that were super-enjoyable for me this year were Les Claypool, the Rockstar Mayhem Tour (Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Killswitch Engage), the Pedal to the Metal Tour (Mudvayne, Black Label Society, Static-X), and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown. Well, a lot of the bands I have dug for a while released new music this year and really, I just wasn't feeling the new stuff at all. Was it my changing music tastes as I've gotten older? Did the bands just blow it this time around? Maybe one or both! But I was really disappointed with the latest releases from Green Day (21st Century Breakdown), Atreyu (Congregation of the Damned), and Shadows Fall (Retribution).

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift At The VMAs. The whole Kanye/Taylor Swift thing was pretty surprising, as nobody saw it coming, especially Taylor herself. In the end, that moment did more for her career than she'll ever admit. More people now know who she is and sympathize with her, and in the end, wouldn't it make it easier to buy someone's product if you feel for them?

Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Lady GaGa. No question about it! She's literally one of the most popular artists of the last decade and the past year and a half has just been huge for her. I admit that I tried to pick up some GaGa concert tickets for my girlfriend as a Christmas present and was unable to procure any. SOLD OUT MAN! She's a big fuckin' deal!

Comeback Artist of the Year: Michael Jackson. I mean, he would've always been beloved for his music, but the man's reputation had been totally tarnished. Who's going to tarnish a dead guy who's been worshipped all year long and left behind 3 kids? Not that Paris' reaction live on TV at MJ's funeral wasn't valid, but she pretty much cemented his comeback this year with her short speech and tears. Is it sad that his comeback was made possible mainly by his death? Yeah, but that's what happened people!

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CHRIS CROWING

(Flying Crow, Reciter of the Music Alphabet )

Top Nine Albums of 2009:

1. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue: Just an awesome comeback by the grunge legends and this record is proof positive that great musicianship and passionate songwriting is timeless and will win out over any and all trends.

2. Mastodon – Crack the Skye: Mastodon continue to mature, adding whole new vistas of layered progressive metal goodness.

3. The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die: Stunning comeback following the hit-and-miss Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned. A sterling mix of old school rave and nu-school break-core makes this the dance record of the year.

4. Gallows – Grey Britain: Showing that hardcore has more than skinheads and beat-downs, Gallows breath fresh, angry life into an increasingly stale genre.

5. Muse – the Resistance: Indulgent, exuberant and after you get over that fact that it isn't Absolution, it's an engaging, wonderful record.

6. Killswitch Engage – Killswitch Engage: Killswitch continue to be the best at what they do, and while this record doesn't show an evolution for the band, this is still an example of top notch melodic metal-core.

7. DevilDriver – Pray For Villains: Possibly the fastest climbing metal band this year, for this writer at least. Pray for Villains is an awesomely direct record, and shows DevilDriver more than ready to tangle with the heavyweights of the genre.

8. Heaven & Hell –The Devil You Know: You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but it seems that these old dogs could teach the young pretenders some. An assured, confident display by a band well versed in its own legend.

9. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures: What can I say, it's Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones, awesomeness was always going to happen. While it's a little too much the Josh Homme show and perhaps a little too close to QOTSA for true greatness, it's still one of the rock releases of the year.

Most Annoying Album of the Year: Lady GaGa - The Fame. If only for spawning some of the most over-played and mind melting singles of the year like "Let's Dance" and "Paparazzi" and "Poker Face".

Biggest Music News of the Year: RIAA Sues Woman For $2 Million. The case where one lady in the US was fined a ridiculously large amount (in the millions of $) for downloading a paltry number of songs. This ruling sets a dangerous precedent for the free transfer of music, and if it is rolled out, it spells the death knell for small bands hooked to industry deals that often rely on word of mouth and rampant file-sharing to increase their fan-base.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Metallica – The SECC, Glasgow. It's always a big thing for me to see Metallica, but this show was head and shoulders above their festival shows and was probably the best gig I've ever seen. In a big year for shows, due kudos must also be paid to awesome shows by Alice in Chains, Skunk Anansie and 36 Crazyfists.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: Missing Shows. Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails excluded Scotland from their touring schedule (what makes London & Manchester so special, eh?), I only found out about Faith No More playing in Edinburgh two days before the show and LONG after it had sold out, and proposed UK tours by Filter and Stone Temple Pilots never materialized. Ah well, there is always next year…

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Rage Against The Machine Takes On "The X Factor". The seemingly spontaneous and ultimately massive campaign to stop "The X Factor" winner getting to the Christmas number one spot. It didn't matter if we didn't succeed, the fact that such a huge number of people have decided that they will not have the homogenized mass-media manufactured pop nonsense rammed down our throat, and we need to make a stand is a landmark moment in music history. There comes a time when you need to take a stand against the darkness, and this festive season hundreds of thousands of us started to draw a line in the sand. The surprise is that it seems there may be many more folks than I would have expected who, like myself are disaffected at the way product and unit shifting has overtaken musical creativity, individuality and passion. It is a GOOD surprise.

Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year: JLS. In a year where fresh rock kill has been thin on the ground (Five Finger Death Punch and DevilDriver can't really qualify for ‘breakthrough') and most of my best discoveries have been older bands like Russian Circles, I have to go with the runners-up from last year's "X Factor" – JLS. Outgunning the winner, Alexandra Burke, with a string of number ones, their first proper theater tour next February sold out almost immediately and they have scaled up to a full-scale arena tour in 2010. That isn't bad for the LOSING finalist.

Comeback Artist of the Year: Alice In Chains. This is a toss up between two acts, but Alice in Chains win out over Skunk Anansie if only because they released a full album and their comeback is of a more refined (older) vintage. Black Gives Way to Blue is my record of the year, and their live show at the Barrowlands was my #2 show of the year – the best thing is, this comeback feels like the start of a whole new chapter…

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LUCAS WESLEY

(Midweek Music Newsman)


Top Nine Albums of 2009:

Over the past few weeks I've been asked to and/or willing submitted this list in various incarnations more than once. It has changed every time. Here's another change.

1. Dan Deacon - Bromst
2. Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard - 'Em Are I
3. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
4. Girls - Album
5. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
6. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
7. Brother Ali - Us
8. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
9. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

Expect consistency somewhere around 2015.

Most Annoying Album of the Year: Bria Valentine - Elixir. This is a hard one. I don't really listen to mainstream radio or watch TV, so I hardly get bombarded by anything. Sure, when I'm at the mall or something the PA system can play some annoying tunes from time to time, but it's not like I notice with great attention. The closest thing I can have to answer, I guess, would be Bria Valentine's Elixer. Famously added on to two Prince albums I liked, the album was unnecessary and just got in the way.

Biggest Music News of the Year: Michael Jackson Dies. The notion of anything else filling this slot is just absurd. Six months later, there's hardly anything left to say about it...unless, that is, you're a news reporter...which I guess we are. As much as the death affected me and made us all sad, as a society we really should be over it by now. Nonetheless, no one event affected record sales more, no one event got a greater fan response, and no one event made absolutely ever human on Earth talk about the same thing for quite as long.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson & John Mellencamp: I only saw a few major concerts this year. I saw some minor ones, too, but those were all in bars or small clubs, and they don't really live up. I guess I'll go with the Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cougar show, but that needs the asterisk that it stands without any major competition. Which, I suppose, is entirely my fault. There were also concerts by Amanda Palmer, Dinosaur Jr. and Brother Ali, amongst many others, that I considered. But Bob and friends win since I actually saw them.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: Ben Folds Presents University A Cappella. I am a fan of Ben Folds. I am a fan of silly A Cappella arrangements. I was not at all a fan of Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella. I don't know if this really counts, but no other album greatly disappointed me this year, so I'm going to go with this. It feels weird picking such a fringe one off experimental idea, but I'm sure back in the 70's people called Metal Machine Music a disappointment, so I don't feel that badly about it. Dishonorable mention to N.A.S.A, but a) the failure of the experiment was somewhat expected and b) "Gifted" is still jam of the year.

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Bob Dylan Releases A Christmas Album. Part of me wants to say the death of Michael Jackson again, but when you really weigh all the factors, it wasn't that surprising, just sudden. The Pavement reunion announcement was kind of shocking, but deep down inside I know that no reunion is actually surprising. I can't think of anything else, so I may as well have a laugh of it and say Bob Dylan releasing a Christmas album. I mean, seriously. First of all, he's Jewish. Then again, he was way into Jesus once. And while on a logical level I acknowledge that as a folk artist it makes sense to reinterpret all popular song, still. Just think about it. Bob Dylan released an album that contains the song "Here Comes Santa Claus." And as far as anyone can tell, he did it without the slightest bit of irony. Maybe it isn't the biggest surprise, but the biggest "what the fuck?" Definitely.

Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Girls. Breakthrough is hard to define. I'm naturally inclined to go with best debut, which is a tough battle between Neon Indian and Girls, though as my top albums list showed, it's probably Neon Indian. But breakthrough implies some kind of burst into the mainstream, which kind of leaves me out of my element. I revise my inclination to point to Lady Gaga, but I feel like she had her breakthrough the same day "Just Dance" debuted two years ago. Sure, she's only gotten bigger and better, but that's not enough. That leaves me back at square one. I guess I'll just go with Girls since it has kind of a middle ground, receiving significant buzz in comparison to Neon Indian and also being really, really good.

Comeback Artist of the Year: New York Dolls. Of the 55 albums I heard this year, none were comebacks. Sure, Sonic Youth, Prince, New York Dolls, Daniel Johnston and Bob Dylan are all old, but they have steady release schedules. An album three years after an album of consistent quality is not a comeback, it's par for the course. Commercially, the biggest comeback of the year was unquestionably Michael Jackson, but I'd rather not be so morbidly cynical. Part of me is itching to say Pavement, but let's save that for next year when it really happens. The only actual comeback I heard this year was The Slits and, to put it nicely, that was not the comeback of the year. I guess I'll go with the cheat answer I've been working on and say the collaboration of New York Dolls and Todd Rundgren. The two entities hadn't combined since the Dolls 1973 debut, so despite steady schedules from both, it's a comeback. Kinda. Sorta. Who cares?

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MAC SCARLE
(Reviewer )

Top Nine Albums of 2009:

1. The Horrors - Primary Colors
2. Morrissey - Years of Refusal
3. Silversun Pickups - Swoon
4. Gallows - Grey Britain
5. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
6. Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
8. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
9. Blacklisted - No One Deserves to be Here More Than Me

Most Annoying Album of the Year: The Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.. There's plenty of music out there I don't like, but can understand the appeal. I will never, ever understand the appeal of the modern BEPs. Ever. It's the worst kind of pop music and it just refuses to die. Anyone else remember "Joints & Jam"? Yeah, me neither.

Biggest Music News of the Year: Michael Jackson Dies. Can't really look past the passing of Michael Jackson on this one, as much as I'd like to get creative.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Morrissey - Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 4/4/09: People I knew who had seen Morrissey before left sort of disappointed, but it was my first time and also quite possibly the happiest moment of my life. My favorite musician of all time and some good friends - and the added bonus of the opening band (The Courteeners) actually being pretty damn good.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: Oasis Breaks Up. It isn't the first time, but it looks to be the last. Though there's talk of continuing the band, I hope they don't. Time to say goodbye to one of the best, if not the best, bands of the last 20 years.

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Chris Brown's Assault On Rihanna. Chris Brown ended up being such a shithead. That was such a bummer.

Comeback Artist of the Year: Michael Jackson. I guess, in some sort of weird way, it's Michael Jackson, isn't it? How many people were buying copies of Thriller and Bad from places other than thrift stores until a few months ago?

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BRIAN BERRY
(Editorus Emeritus )

Top Nine Albums of 2009:

1. Girls - Album
2. The Horrors - Primary Colours
3. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
4. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
5. Atlas Sound - Logos
6. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
7. Why? - Eskimo Snow
8. Metric - -Fantasies
9. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another

Most Annoying Album of the Year: The Raveonettes - In And Out Of Control. Their 2008 album Lust Lust Lust was easily the best of their career, ending up at #2 on my 2008 albums list but In and Out of Control feels rushed. Perhaps the Danish duo just slopped together songs that didn't make the cut from their last album. Regardless, this album is silly, boring and obnoxious. This is the first time where I can hear The Raveonettes faltering on their Jesus & Mary Chain aping, shoegaze, noise pop. I'll be the first person to tell you that any man who commits sexual assault should have his nuts hacked off but do we really need a song with the title "Boys Who Rape Girls Must Be Destroyed" with a chorus "Boys who, boys who rape girls, rape girls must be must be destroyed"? Definitely one of my bottom 10 albums of the year.

Biggest Music News of the Year: Michael Jackson Dies. I can't imagine putting anything else here. His music was very important to me growing up with Thriller and Bad on the turntable constantly and me begging my mom to rent The Making of Thriller tape from the video store over and over and over again. He was getting ready for the biggest tour of all-time as evidenced in the film This Is It and I'm saddened to know I'll never be able to see one of my favorite musicians of all-time. Put your prejudices aside - Michael Jackson was the real deal and the greatest music performer of all-time.

Favorite Concert of the Year: Sonic Youth - The Independent, San Fracicsco, 8/3/09: Ticketweb announced less than an hour before the onsale, and less than a week before the actual show, that Sonic Youth would be performing at the very intimate Independent club. I ditched my tickets for SY's show at the amazing Fox Theatre in Oakland for the night prior (a sold out show of around 3000 seats) in favor of the approximately 500 capacity Independent. Tickets sold out in less than 1 minute and I managed to get two. Immediately, the market value went from $35 (face value) to over $150 a ticket and people were offering to pay more. I held onto mine. Openers Sic Alps proved themselves as an amazing opener with their psychedelic noise pop but Sonic Youth blew the crowd away. The 2 hour set was heavy on their fantastic new album The Eternal but they also delved deep into the archives with songs like "Expressway To Yr Skull" and "Bull in the Heather". The show was really loud but 2 weeks of tinnitus is worth it when you can see one of your all-time favorite bands in a small club. Runners up: Holy Fuck @ Bumbershoot (Seattle), Billy Bragg @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (San Francisco), Wilco @ Greek Theatre (Berkeley), Girls @ Swedish American Hall (San Francisco), Echo & the Bunnymen w/ Orchestra @ Fox Theatre (Oakland).

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Pavement Reunion. My favorite band of all-time, Pavement, will be reuniting in 2010 for a world tour, with headlining slots at many festivals and a stronghold on my bank account. Even though I started listening to them in 8th grade (16 years ago) I only had the chance to see them live once before they disbanded in 1999. Pavement are one of the most important, as well as successful, indie bands of all-time and their influence continues on with indie bands and alt-rock bands that are relevant today. I'm glad Stephen Malkmus and company could put their differences aside, even if it's just for the money because I'm going to pull some serious Phish-phan shit and follow them all over the country in my dinged up Toyota Tacoma.

Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Girls. Girls started gathering a heavy buzz in the San Francisco Bay Area over a year ago with acclaim for their live show and EP. That buzz caught on nationally with their debut disc, Album, becoming one of the best reviewed works of 2009. Frontman Christopher Owens' upbringing in the Children of God cult made for a great back-story but their music outshines the biographical hype: '60s psychedelic pop mixed with the noise of '80s shoegaze, Beach Boys surf-pop, and a touch of Nirvana. These guys are the sound of San Francisco and they're going to help bring more city bands to the surface.

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Hey, you're only partway done! Make sure to check out PART TWO of the 2009 Year In Review Staff Picks!