2009 Imagine Echoes Awards

Worst Band of the Year: New Found Glory
Is there really a need to elaborate anymore?

Song of the Year: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Heads Will Roll"
"Dance dance dance ‘til your dead" is what Karen O proclaims during "Heads Will Roll". That pretty much sums up the direction of the YYY’s 2009 release; synths trump the guitar, but the moments of intensity are still very audible, and "Head Will Roll" is the epitome of that. The chorus is infectious and the intensity is unyielding. This takes the cake as the best song of the year.

Comeback Band of the Year: Third Eye Blind
This speaks more to the lack of comeback bands than Third Eye Blind’s comeback - the novelty act that is Kiss still doesn't even come close. 2003 was the date of 3EB’s last release which wasn’t necessarily impressive and 2009's effort Ursa Major more or less follows in its tracks. It’s an album that was more suited to be an EP because one half is solid while the other half is seriously lacking. However, it was an album that received heavy anticipation from devout 3EB fan. It’s a shame Ursa Major couldn’t live up to their debut album, but it was nice to hear new material.

Moment of the Year: Lady Gaga’s VMA Performance
Lady Gaga’s eccentric nature wasn’t anything new in the pop culture world, but it was her bloody theatrical VMA performance which solidified the notion. 2009 didn’t have too many moments that truly stood out, and Lady Gaga was in a different league than the rest of the music world in terms of excitement and positive drama. The pop sensation rocked it like Alice Cooper and left little teenie boppers disturbed while earning major kudos from rock fans.

Album Cover of the Year: The Dead Weather: Horehound
The photo is dark and eerie and is a great starting point for the music that is encased in that fine jacket. It won’t turn heads but will certainly leave an impression.

Debut Album of the Year: The Dead Weather Horehound
At what point will I stop acknowledging a new Jack White album as a debut album? Well I suppose whenever he decides to stay put, but I certainly can’t knock the guy for bringing the world a different sound with each band he touches. Sometimes complacency doesn’t sit well with people, and Jack White certainly fits that category. The album carries a bluesy sound that drives hard with Alison Mosshard’s vocals leading the way. White pounds away on the drums while occasionally lending a helping hand on vocals. We’ll see where the road will take Jack White, but if he decides to continue with The Dead Weather, I certainly won’t be complaining.

Album of the Year: Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Nobody was ready for what Phoenix had in store for us in 2009, but for those who actually heard it, were pleasantly surprised. It’s a fun filled ride packed with jaunty rhythms and killer choruses. After the opening two songs which are unbelievably great, one would expect for the rest of the album to go downhill, but Phoenix was able to deliver a full albums worth of insanely good tunes.

Band/Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
Nobody in rock really took the throne this year. U2 hit hard and heavy with a fantastic album and bombastic tour, and even offset their carbon footprint for their over-the-top tour which essentially was like transporting a small country to and from each major city around the world. With that said, it wasn’t quite enough to capture the world like Lady Gaga. Some were enraptured by her style, some were engulfed by her on stage performances, but ultimately all were taken back by her music. The Fame may have been released in 2008, but Lady Gaga became a household name in 2009 by breaking records, deeply ingraining herself in the fabrics of pop culture and by weaving her unbelievably catchy songs into our heads. People can bark foul at pop all they want, but when someone like Lady Gaga comes around, we can all breathe a sigh of relief and hope that maybe pop isn’t so bad after all.