2009 marked some personal numerical milestones for me; I turned 50, celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss but most frightening my daughter turned 18.\u00a0 How did that happen?<\/p>\n
So I am continuing a recent tradition with my yearly music review.\u00a0 As I considered my favorites from the year it became obvious that many bands on the list were acts I had seen live.\u00a0 5 of my top 10 CD releases were bands I enjoyed perform this year, including one and two which I saw in the same night!\u00a0 If you are a music fan you absolutely must go out and see live music.\u00a0 My year included the SXSW live music overload, Phish for the first time in Jones Beach, NY, and two iconic artists closing the old Spectrum in Philly.\u00a0 I was also fortunate to witness a crazy number of quality World Caf\u00e9 Live shows, a jazz series celebrating the greatest music recording of all time (Kind of Blue) at the Kimmel, and even Daniela Cotton in someone\u2019s back yard!\u00a0 Because the list is dominated by shows I have included my top 5 shows at the end.<\/p>\n
My top 10 CD list is as always all over the map.\u00a0 But if there is a subtle trend it is a return to some basic rock and roll.\u00a0 The accompanying CD (which can be down loaded from ITunes) is a great rock n roll mix if I do say so myself!<\/p>\n
With that here is my Top 10 CD\u2019s of 2009 and a few honorable mentions:<\/p>\n
The Avett Brothers \u2013 I and Love and You \u2013 This CD will be on every top 10 list at the end of this year and it should.\u00a0 Two brothers, Scott and Seth write and harmonize the many beautiful ballads.\u00a0 The Avett Brothers had quite a strong underground following until now.\u00a0 Produced by Rick Rubin, this CD puts them in the musical mainstream.\u00a0 The CD is mellow but all the songs tell interesting stories told through gorgeous melodies.<\/p>\n
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears \u2013 Tell \u2018Em What Your Name Is <\/strong> \u2013 All out, rowdy,\u00a0 blues based, blistering rock n roll.\u00a0 I saw them the same night as the Avett Brothers at the WCL, both for the first time.\u00a0 And what are the odds that these two CD\u2019s end up at the top of my list.\u00a0 Black Joe Lewis is a young guy from Austin, clearly influenced by James Brown, with a full brass section supporting his high energy songs.<\/p>\n Pearl Jam \u2013 The Fixer<\/strong> \u2013 Not one of their classics but a return to a little edgier rock.\u00a0 Breathe is a beautiful ballad which could be a wedding song.\u00a0 The CD opens with 4 all out rockers similar in style to earlier releases.\u00a0 Eddie Vedder continues his excellent song writing, powerful vocals and support by one of rock\u2019s best bands.<\/p>\n Jay Z \u2013 The Blueprint 3<\/strong> \u2013 Hova bringing the goods once again.\u00a0 Yes it is the same braggadocio but he has fun delivering it.\u00a0 He gets help from a rap all star line up including, Kayne, Rhianna, Young Jeezy, Kid Cudi and Alicia Keys but only \u2018the Sinatra of rap\u2019 can make \u2018the Yankees hat more famous than the Yankees do\u2019!\u00a0 Hysterical.<\/p>\n Dave Matthews Band \u2013 Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King<\/strong> \u2013 Have you ever listened to a CD and not thought too much about it but it keeps sneaking back into your rotation?\u00a0 Dave Matthews was this type of listen.\u00a0 He pays tribute to a long time sax player Leroi Moore who passed away last year (complications from an ATV accident), with a sax solo to open the CD and featured throughout.\u00a0 There is an emotional under current to the the GrooGrux King (Leroi\u2019s nickname) throughout the CD.<\/p>\n Green Day \u2013 21st Century Breakdown<\/strong> \u2013 Who would have thought that fifteen years ago when this cocky punk band released Dookie, they would be capable of some day producing a classic rock opera and following up it up with an even better rock opera?\u00a0 This story about Christian and Gloria dealing in an 21st Century America is confusing but loaded with great catchy pop tunes.\u00a0 I saw their live performance with my son (Liam\u2019s first concert) and although loud the show was wildly entertaining.<\/p>\n XX \u2013 X<\/strong> \u2013 Dreamy, mystical soundscapes, the music from this English foursome debuted late in the year with a significant buzz. The band members are all barley 20.\u00a0 They make interesting use of space (ala Miles). The CD was recorded at night and it has an almost eerie nighttime sound quality.<\/p>\n Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band \u2013 Outer South<\/strong> \u2013 Conor Oberst was pretty busy this year.\u00a0 The Bright Eyes front man released this CD with a much more upbeat and diverse back up, the Mystic Valley Band.\u00a0 His other project was the super group \u201cthe Monsters of Folk\u201d with Jim James of My Morning Jacket and M. Ward.\u00a0 Outer South shows Conor is not always an emo dweeb and can actually kick it on guitar.<\/p>\n The Derek Trucks Band \u2013 Already Free <\/strong>\u2013 Derek is probably the greatest slide guitarist alive.\u00a0 This CD was made in his new studio built next to his southern home that he shares with his wife Susan Tedeschi and their kids.\u00a0 Derek writes and plays but leaves the vocals to Doyle Bramhall and his wife. The music is southern blues based with some R&B and jazz influence.<\/p>\n The Airborne Toxic Event<\/strong> \u2013 Mikel Jollett was a former music critic that launched a career making music after in one week his girlfriend dumped him,\u00a0 found out his mother had cancer and he himself was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.\u00a0 The result is a surprising upbeat collection of catchy, poppy, songs that received some radio play early in the year.<\/p>\n Honorable mentions: Dinosaur Jr.<\/strong> with a great return CD, Monsters of Folk<\/strong>, and for all you folks that still yearn for your college and high school songs Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs<\/strong> (previously with the Bangles) did an interesting CD of covers from the 60\u2019s and 70\u2019s.<\/p>\n Top 5 Shows<\/strong> Pearl Jam<\/strong> \u2013 PJ played the final 4 shows ever at the Spectrum.\u00a0 My wife and I saw the second show.\u00a0 All four shows were epic as Eddie Vedder and band tried to play all the songs in their catalog.\u00a0 They opened our night with \u2018Animal\u2019 and never let up.\u00a0 They featured a different Who cover in the encore each night.\u00a0 PJ never disappoints but this was great even by their lofty standards.<\/p>\n Black Joe Lewis and the Avett Brothers<\/strong> at the Non-com Convention at the World Caf\u00e9 live.\u00a0 If you have not witnessed a show at the WCL you are missing one of the finest music venues on the planet.\u00a0 Black Joe Lewis rocked the upstairs room to finish the show.\u00a0 I had never heard of the Avett Brothers and was stunned by their talent.<\/p>\n Randy Brecker <\/strong>\u2013 The Kimmel Center hosted a jazz series celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the release of Miles Davis\u2019s \u2018Kind of Blue\u2019.\u00a0 This CD is arguably the greatest piece of recorded music by some experts.\u00a0 My all time favorite CD was released the day I was born so Miles and I kind of celebrated turning 50 together.\u00a0 The series highlighted a different instrument each night but Brecker plays trumpet so naturally was the best in the series.\u00a0 And for the first time in my long concert going career I guessed the opening song, Freddy Freeloader.\u00a0 If you ever attended a show with me you know my obsession with the opening song. Funny thing followed in that I guessed correctly again at the very next show I attended after being wrong for so long!<\/p>\n The Hold Steady<\/strong> \u2013 2009 SXSW \u2013 At this week long music festival in Austin there is always one show which defines the trip.\u00a0 This year it was the Hold Steady with their fun, sing along, lively show.\u00a0 The week continued to be a crazy fun festival\/conference for musical junkies as 1800 acts played over four days!\u00a0 Yes, 1800 bands, that is not a typo.<\/p>\n Enjoy the holidays and hope 2010 is awesome.\u00a0 Get out and see some shows and treat your self to new music!\u00a0\u00a0 VZ<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 2009 marked some personal numerical milestones for me; I turned 50, celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss but most frightening my daughter turned 18.\u00a0 How did that happen? So I am continuing a recent tradition with my yearly music review.\u00a0 As I considered my favorites from the year it became obvious that many bands on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":383,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions\/383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSpringsteen<\/strong> \u2013 Saw Bruce twice this year in the old Spectrum which is about to be torn down.\u00a0 Both times I went with some of my sisters who attended their first concerts ever many moons ago with their big brother in this very venue.\u00a0 The October show was just a week before the final Pearl Jam shows and featured Bruce and the E Street band performing entire albums straight through.\u00a0 My night was Born to Run which is an all time music album never mind just Bruce\u2019s recordings.\u00a0 No one puts on a better show than the boss!<\/p>\n