Governor X's Top Albums of 2009

In my past life as a contributor to another blog, we all looked forward to the end of the year so we could share our top albums and movies of the year. I've decided to keep the tradition going here at Skynet, but given our laissez-faire attitude towards topics and workload, I'm leaving it up to the individual writers to share their lists if they choose. They can have it their way, like Burger King, but with less saturated fat.

I'm starting off by doing the top albums of 2009. It was a good year for music, so I've opted for a top 15. Ten is so confining anyway...

15. Chris Cornell - Scream
Chris Cornell could not have broken from his rock roots more than he did with Scream. Scream is Timbaland produced pop. Yes, really. Surprisingly enough its pretty good. Its something everyone must hear for themselves.

Download - Never Far Away

14. Muse - The Resistance
I liked this a lot more when it came out than I do now. Its creative and big, but after multiple listens I just don't feel it lives up to the praise I gave it earlier this year. Still, there's enough good here to recommend it.

Download - Resistance

13. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
I've warmed to this CD substantially since I declared U2 dead following its release, but its a sub par offering from a band this good. U2 phoning it in is still better than most bands at their best though, so it made the list.

Download - Magnificent

12. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
If you're looking for mindless Top 40 without the attitude of a Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson is always a safe bet. All I Ever Wanted is sugary enough to rot your teeth at times, but its a solid CD full of catchy beats that can get stuck in your head for days.

Download - All I Ever Wanted

11. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
I'm never really sure why artists put out a solo project that sounds exactly like their band. Phrazes for the Young sounds like it could be the 4th Strokes album. I love The Strokes, so that's perfectly fine by me. Casablancas did serve up a pretty mean version of that asinine SNL I Wish it Was Christmas Today song on Jimmy Fallon's show last night. I normally wouldn't have Fallon on, but Craig Ferguson had an opera singer as his musical guest. No thanks.

Download - Out of the Blue

10. 30 Seconds to Mars - This is War
Someone needs to tell Jared Leto he doesn't have to try so hard. 30 Seconds to Mars is a good rock band and doesn't need to get passed the fact that they have an actor for a singer. They're already passed that on talent alone. This is War is ridiculously over the top at times, and the 12 year old in me wants to giggle when they scream "WE ARE THE QUEENS" in Kings and Queens, but at the end of it all I find I really like the CD.

Download - Night of the Hunter

9. Stereophonics - Keep Calm and Carry On
This is hardly the best thing the Stereophonics have ever put out, but after multiple listens, its a pretty solid if slightly unimaginative CD. Sometimes its OK to just stick with what works.

Download - I Got Your Number

8. Weezer - Raditude
Every other Weezer album is good and its that time in the cycle. Weezer is just here to play good music and have a good time. Its a pleasant change from some other bands (including many I like) who think they're going to change the world. Be sure to pick up your Weezer Snuggie.

Download - Can't Stop Partying (featuring Lil Wayne)

7. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment
Adam Lambert was pretty much a disaster from beginning to end on American Idol, but his first solo album is exceptionally good for a pop CD. His wailing is impressive when he isn't using it to slaughter innocent Johnny Cash tunes. For Your Entertainment is basically the cotton candy of music, its delicious but has no substance or nutritional value. When that's precisely what you're looking for though, it delivers as well as anything.

Download - If I Had You

6. Tokio Hotel - Humanoid
Ich liebe Tokio Hotel and I don't care what you have to say about that. Its oddly liberating to have the musical taste of a German teenager. This is the second year in a row they've made my top ten.

Download - World Behind My Wall

5. AFI - Crash Love
I didn't like this initially, but I honestly can't tell you why. I love it now. Its more Sing the Sorrow than Decemberunderground and they are unrecognizable without ten pounds of makeup, but its one of the better straight up rock albums of 2009.

Download - End Transmission

4. Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.
The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) is just fun dance pop from beginning to end. There isn't much else to say here.

Download - I Got a Feeling

3. Placebo - Battle for the Sun
I'm pretty livid at these guys for not rescheduling their North American tour yet even as they add more and more European dates, but they're still one of my favorite bands and Battle for the Sun is one of their better albums. Its a good starter CD if you aren't familiar with their work.

Download - For What It's Worth

2. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Fifteen years ago, Green Day was singing about masturbation. Today they're singing about the American state of mind. Who saw that coming? Berkeley's finest captured the angst and anger of a nation disgusted with George W. Bush and his agenda on American Idiot, and have done it again with 21st Century Breakdown which is perfectly in tune with the exhaustion and "what now?" feeling of America in 2009.

Download - Peacemaker

1. The Used - Artwork
I've been a fan of The Used since they hit the scene in 2002, but there was always something lacking on their albums. They were more hit than miss, but never really tied it all together. Artwork is their first complete album and somewhat surprisingly, my favorite album of 2009. Never underestimate the power of raw rock.

Download - Born to Quit