I’m back. For how long is anyone’s guess. At least for this post and two more. For sure. After that, well, cross your fingers, America.
I’m starting my three-part series on the best and worst music of 2009. Today you will get my 5 most disappointing albums of the year. Parts two and three will cover the 50 best albums of this final year of the decade. I refuse to call it the “aughts” or the “naughties.”
Now, this list is not the WORST albums of 2009. Well, not all of them, anyway. They either really suck, or are OK but I expected much more.
These are in no particular order, except the last one sucks something hard.
Worst Comeback Album with a Fake Lead Singer
Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue
This album wouldn’t have even been good back when grunge was popular. I’m a huge Alice in Chains fan, but with a fake Layne singing, it just doesn’t work for me. When I heard this album was coming out, I didn’t expect much, but I expected more than what I got. One thing that made AIC different was their ability to merge tragic melodies with the heaviness of their music. With this one, all I hear is heavy and dated. Somewhere Layne Staley’s trackmarked arm just flinched.
Sophomore Album That Sounds Lazier Than Blog Lists
Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up
I really dig his first album. REALLY dig it. It has a groovy, laid back vibe that’s at times fun, serious, or both. But this thing he put out this year… I don’t hate it, but man, there’s zero effort there. It sounds like he took his first album, took everything out of it that made it good, ran it though some editing, recorded himself thinking aloud, and put it out. I hope he’s heavy on drugs or something, because that’s the only real excuse for the decline.
Proof That You CAN Catch Lightning In A Bottle, But You Can’t Let It Out At Will
Jet – Shaka Rock
Jet’s first album, Get Born? Classic. They brought back a vintage rock sound that was refreshing at the time. Their follow up, Shine On? Lagged a bit, but overall a good sophomore effort. Shaka Rock? Well, do I have to say anything? Can’t you just read the fucking title and figure it out? It’s boring, silly, and overall not good. Just no good at all. If I were to put together a Jet Greatest Hits album, it would be 75% Get Born, 20% Shine On, and 5% me shitting on Shaka Rock.
Worst Album From A Band I Really, Really Try to Still Like
Weezer – Raditude
I read a really good Rolling Stone article about Rivers Cuomo and the creation of this album and thought, hey, this could be neat! Weezer gets a bad wrap sometimes because their first two albums are so damn solid, nothing can match up. But even the mediocre Red Album from last year has more than a single on it. It’s actually got some ambition to it, misguided as it can be sometimes. But Raditude? The only thing I like is the name. The single, “I Want You To” is decent. After that, I think Weezer fell asleep in the studio. The name of the album promotes fun. There’s even a song with Lil’ Wayne! Guess what? It sucks. Out loud. Louder than anything on this album. Weezer sounds bored.
Worst Solo Album By Someone Who Should ALWAYS Front A Band
Chris Cornell – Scream
Chris Cornell was flat out awesome in Soundgarden. He did a great job with Temple of the Dog. Loved him in Audioslave. I also enjoy his other solo efforts. He’s proven he’s a musician that has a voice that lends itself to many different genres. Well, dancy-electro-rock is not one of them. Timbaland ruins this album. Well, that and the fact that it was ever made. Hey Chris, stick to what you know. This album is just awful. No more words.
