Best of other things.

3/4 and 4/4 rolled into one. Music and books. Here's this.

Top 10 music releases of 2009.

10. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young
9. Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
8. Dredg - The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion
7. Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
6. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
5. Against Me! - The Original Cowboy
4. AFI - Crash Love
3. Frank Turner - Poetry of the Deed
2. The Mars Volta - Octahedron
1. Jonah Matranga - You're 16, You're 23, You're 32



Key phrase being "music releases of 2009", this D.I.Y. box set of old demos and old tracks was one of the best collections of music. While they might just sound like unpolished tunes to someone unfamiliar with Jonah and the number of bands he's been in, this collection of tracks on 3 CDs (A total of 41 songs :) is an exciting look at the inside of this already so personal artist. Tracks from bands he's been in spanning from when he was 23 all the way to 32 show his progression as well as seeing how certain songs were shaped then compared to how they turned out on whatever album they were later released on. As a Jonah Matranga fan, this is a must have and one of the best items he's ever released.


Top 10 books I've read this year (and not necessarily released)...

10. The Informers
9. Pygmy
8. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. Slaughterhouse-Five
6. Everything Is Illuminated
5. Jesus' Son
4. Ender's Game
3. American Gods
2. The Walking Dead
1. The Dark Tower: book 7



I've written various times about my love for the Dark Tower series. I've hooked 3(going on 4...my mom just needs to start it) people on the series. One of which has finished the whole series and already wants to read it again, and the other is on book 4 and really liking it. That being said, I finished book 7 (the last in the series) early this year, I think back in January or early February even. It basically shook the pillars of heaven. I recently loaded the first book on my iPod nano to listen to it all again. I can't get enough and pretty much shit myself when hearing that Stephen King is working on another Dark Tower book (taking place between book 4 and book 5). I'm also reading the incredible graphic novels that have been coming out steadily this year. All I can say is that I can't recommend these books enough.

I plan on putting a top 10 _____________ in every blog I post this year. Similar to the top 5 idea on the nic cage is the anti-christ blog. We'll see how long it lasts :)