2009 – Yesteryear, Today, and Forever: Straddling the Swine and the Music

Another year trying to find good tunes. With it came a long and swashing ear full of waxed up, washed out, oldies but goodies, newbie’s with unoriginal material, and a few, very few diamonds in the rough. Not too shabby considering.

Thriller, 1983

The ongoing warfare’s across the seas, the inauguration of the 44th,and first African – American, President of the United States, an economic recession to remind us of yesteryear, brought on by the swine of our beautifully talented CEO’s of big business, thank you Bernie Madoff; and speaking of swine, it appears our love for pork came back to give us the flu this year, when the WHO declared the H1N1 influenza strain a global epidemic, and yes, the Olympics will not be held in Chicago, but in Rio De Janeiro. Lastly –apparently you can get a Nobel Peace Prize for saying you’re going to do good things for people. Has anyone ever had a Nobel taken back – you know, if they don’t come through?

Despite the times, the albums came out aplenty and without discretion –as per usual. Beyonce had a single at the beginning of the year titled "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," which found commercial success. This was a hotbox song on the charts very similar to Wanda Jackson’s “I Gotta Know” from 1956, not to say there’s any link between the two, but only –the sentiment hasn’t lost its calling, as can be heard from the plush lips of Beyonce. Speaking of Wanda Jackson, word is she and Jack White of the White Stripes have begun work in the studio to produce new recordings/songs.

The ladies of music seem to be on top of it this year –Lady Gaga put out albums with hits popping up all over the charts, while Madonna was donned the

Lady Gaga's Paparazzi

Meanwhile, rapper T.I. caught a year and one–day prison sentence for an illegal attempt to purchase firearms in Atlanta. A tough break –the extra day seems a bit too much of a slap in the face. Around the way in Cleveland, Ohio, a group by the name of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is coming at you once more with that tongue–twisting lyrical madness, those old school bass grinding beats, and just downright explicit rap songs. Where you guys were? Down the road Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent set a new record with the single “Crack a Bottle” in download sales. Eminem went on to release Relapse with Dr. Dre. Relapse held the highest grossing album of this year for a while.

The SXSW music conference set off this years festival mayhem, with middle aged hipsters, in their skinny jeans and throw back hairdo’s, carrying elite badges, which gave them complete access, to a lot of places.

‘Hey check it out, it’s Dinosaur Jr.’

You know, it wouldn’t matter so much if there were even a semblance of respect for the music and not the materialistic quality you assholes bourgeoisify.

Coachella, New Orleans Jazz Fest, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, ACL, and FunFunFun Fest really had everyone off the hook. FunFunFun brought us The Jesus Lizard and Death, which were the year’s reformed bands and the most dirty and memorable shows.

Blakroc, 2009

A bunch of bands split this year including The Violent Femmes over legal disputes, as well as The Cramps, The Rakes, and Harvey Danger. Other bands on hiatus are Bloc Party, The Knife, Stereolab, and NIN.

The bands keeping it on the level are The Dead Weather, Them Crooked Vultures, Dan Auerbach with Keep It Hid, The Black Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Animal Collective, The Mars Volta, Kings of Convenience, and The Flaming Lips. If you’re trying to catch a good live show, check out Crystal Castles, King Khan BBQ, The Black Lips, The Strange Boys, Ratatat, Dan Deacon, Built To Spill, or The Sword. Of course there’re a lot of other bands setting it off, but that’s another story.

The two albums wrecking shop this year would have to be Blakroc, a collaboration effort between The Black Keys and several hip – hop artists, which brought forth some of the best material in a long while. The other would be Harlem out of Austin, Texas who recently signed with Matador Records –This band rocks!

Music is a matter of rhythm, lyrics, production, and whether we like it or not, presentation. So dress the part, live it to the dirty pretty end, straddle the music, and don’t lose your head.

Catch you in next year's sound. Check it.

By Favian Rodriguez