Neon Musical Insight

2009 was undoubtedly a big year in music. Animal Collective kicked off the year with Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was questionably their most accessible album to date. They ventured more into the world of dance and electronics, and created what can only be best described as a sort of “Postmodern Pop”. Dirty Projectors released the widely celebrated Bitte Orca – another album that featured a Brooklyn band delving into the world of pop and catchy melodies — while newcomers the Antlers (also from Brooklyn) chronicled the sad and tragic play out of events that ultimately led to the death of a close one that would make even Plath proud.

For the past decade, Brooklyn has proven to be the epicenter of cultural trendsetting musical outlets, but in 2009, Brooklyn bands made it look like they were the only one’s that mattered.

2009 also seemed like the first year where indie acts were absorbed, and nearly uncontrollably obsessed with the world of hooks and harmonies (at least on a much larger scale), as opposed to shunning them away with post-punk rebellion. Indie music was now being significantly acknowledged by the mainstream world, especially once Jay-Z was sighted at Grizzly Bear show in Brooklyn — with his lovely arm candy Beyoncé close by — in which he afterwards stated:

“What the indie-rock movement is doing right now is very inspiring. It felt like us in the beginning. These concerts, they’re not on the radio, no one hears about them, and there’s 12,000 people in attendance. And the music that they’re making and the connection they’re making to people is really inspiring.”

It felt like 2009 was truly the first year where admiration wasn’t limited to a performers specific genre, and that really, anything were possibile… at least in terms of music. Everything eventually overlaps. Maybe the crash of the music industry won’t turn ot to be so bad after all…

Neon Musical Insight present’s it’s 25 Finest Albums of 2009:

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The end of 2009 marks the end of another decade, this time, the first of the 21st century. Many fortunate and not so fortunate things occurred. We lost two of the largest towers in the world, and for some of us, family members and friends who remain irreplaceable. We as Americans had to be individually resilient, especially with a barbaric nitwit representing our country. Our economy dropped to a disastrous level, and we are still digging our ways out of the metaphorical hole.

With the bad came the good though, and in 2008, we made a CHANGE that hopefully was for the better by electing our first African-American president ever. In an effort to avoid a full-on political rant, the discussion of music’s metamorphosis is a fluid and easy transition.

The closing of thousands of music retailers over the decade was single-handedly the most heartbreaking effect of the internet for many music lovers. Artists, at first, put up worthy cries of rebellion, before eventually joining in on the support of peer-to-peer services, realizing that overall, the more ears exposed =’s higher tour revenue.

It was easy to miss the assistance of a knowledgeable sales associate and the warmth felt when being surrounded by like-minded people — yet free leaked copies months ahead of time before their official release date were hard to deny. Still, vinyl made a worthy comeback, and even managed to outsell the CD format in 2008 and 2009, with sales continuously rising. For music lovers, this proved our authenticity and support. In the age of the internet, the fan became just as important as the musician.

Trends in music took unprecedented turns this past decade as well, beginning with Garage Rock-Revival bands. New York was once again the coolest place in the world for a musician to be. Art rock was making a strong comeback in the indie world, re-intellecualizing what was considered cool. The folk-rock realm stepped up as well, creating some of the most inspiring, lush, and downright bizzarre music, with a genre being penned as “Freak Folk”.

I can safely say that music remained inventive and curious throughout the decade. Sure genericness was inescapable for many, but at the core of it, creativity persevered. Sometimes, it’s hard to not feel like there cant be a more exciting time to be a music fan than right at this very moment…

Neon Musical Insight presents to you it’s “10 Finest Albums of the Past 10 Years”

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Easily the hardest decade to decide on — maybe because it was the first decade where I was properly introduced to music — the 90’s undoubtedly had a diverse impact on the music world. Hip-Hop was blooming and developing into something with substance, whether it be through the “Native Tongue” movement of groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, or through a more gritty, gangsta approach with rappers like N.W.A., and 2pac.

The dance community was becoming enveloped in British trance/trip-hop through the eyes of Portishead and Massive Attack, while a little thing called “Grunge” was dominating the rock community and basically the entire world. Indie rock may have formed in the 80’s, but it wasn’t until the 90’s that it really began to pick up momentum with goups like Pavement and Neutral Milk Hotel laying the foundation out for more obscure bands today. The 90’s offered a lot, but unfortunately, all wonderful things come to an end. Still, we cannot help but glance back in retrospect with wide eyes and cheerful smiles.

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I’ve decided to run a top 10 list of 80’s albums based on my opinion (which can be argued as being factual) solely. The 80’s unfortunately catches a bad general rap from mainstream society that typically only remembers the fond times for it’s blonde feathered bangs, and drunken metal/acoustic ballads (I’m pointing my finger at you Bret Michaels.) But I know you, the reader can recall a more innovative, and intellectual time, where bands held pretentious outlooks because they damn right deserved to. I may be talking like I lived through this colorful decade, but truth has it that I was actually only born in the middle of it. Still, these albums have changed my life, and the natural views that I have to surviving in this crazy world.

I could only imagine what it must’ve been like living and experiencing some of these bands live, and first getting your hands on a 7″ like “Unsatisfied” or ” Ceremony.” The reason why I chose to run only the top 10 (as opposed to 25 and so forth) of the decade is because I like the notion of the ten greatest albums over a ten year span. Keeps things interesting…

So without further ado, I present my Top 10 Finest Albums of the 1980’s.

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