Best Richmond Music of 2009

Richmond has no shortage of talented musicians and this year is no exception. However, there were a whole lot out there who made some big waves this past year. This is by no means a complete list and are in no particular order.

AGAINST GRACE
againstgrace.com
The guys in Against Grace have had quite the year. They’ve been opening for national acts like mae and Matt Nathanson and touring extensively in support of 2008's Monroe – including a trip to Japan last August to play for the troops. The band is currently working on a new EP and it’s just a matter of time before these pop rock giants get big.

Listen to "Radio"

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JONATHAN VASSAR & THE SPECKLED BIRD
jonathanvassar.com
This year, you couldn’t turn your head without hearing Richmond folk group Jonathan Vassar and the Speckled Bird – or seeing them perform. The former trio-now-turned quartet played numerous shows just about everywhere in support of their current release The Fire Next Time. In addition, Vasar also helped start The Listening Room, a show series for Richmond’s acoustic music community.

Listen to "Hole in the Ground"

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NO BS BRASS BAND
nobsbrass.com
There’s no denying that the boys from No BS Brass Band make a good party even better. Every time they played at the Camel, I felt that all that raw musical energy would literally bring the house down. The band released Alive in Richmond at the beginning of this year to an overwhelming crowd - and the energy never once stopped.

Listen to "Landmines"

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LIZA KATE
myspace.com/lizakate
Folk artist Liza Kate has a soft voice, but that doesn't make it any less powerful. With the release of her full length album Don’t Let The Dogs, Kate showcases her incredible talent from singing as well as songwriting. Some of her songs have the best word usage I've ever seen.

Listen to "O Sally!"

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VIBELICIOUS
vibelicious.com
Richmond DJ Jared Jones (also known as Vibelicious) has remixed for a wide variety of artists including RuPaul, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, La Toya Jackson and many others. He released his incredibly infectious version of the 80's hit "Shattered Dreams" earlier this year and I still can't get it out of my head.

Listen to "Shattered Dreams"

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PRABIR AND THE SUBSTITUTES
prabirandthesubstitutes.com
Prabir and the Substitutes played their last show ever this past week and I miss them already. The indie-pop rockers are known to many in the Richmond area for their energetic jangly rock and crazy stage antics. The band released an EP entitled Hello earlier this year and toured extensively on that before peforming their final show at the Ghost of Pop Festival. There's no way they're not making this list.

Listen to "Who's Going To Love You?"

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SAGE
myspace.com/shakaraentertainmentinc
Corey "Sage" Fauconier is a hip-hop musician and businessman whose actions match his lyrics. Based in Midlothian, Sage runs Shakara Entertainment, a an independently owned and operated urban entertainment company. This year saw the release of Built in Virginia, a collection of tracks by Virginia-based hip-hop artists in an effort to bring together the hip-hop community.

Listen to "Built in Va."

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AT THE STARS
myspace.com/atthestarsrock
The Brit-pop infused sound of rock band At The Stars is something not found often in the Richmond music scene. They released their new EP Oxygen & Rust last summer to an eager crowd, who had been waiting over a year for new material. The new EP is a bit more dynamic and improves upon their overall sound.

Listen to "Oxygen & Rust"

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MARIONETTE
marionettemusic.com
Indie-experimental-pop-rock band Marionette spent the last year and a half in hiding to record their newest album Facing You. They've been recording like crazy, changed band members, started families and kept supporting themselves with day jobs. Facing You is full of the dark, melodic goodness RVA has come to expect from Marionette along with a few surprises.

Listen to "Disappearing Act"

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THE ANIMAL BEAT
myspace.com/theanimalbeat
The guys in The Animal Beat have only been playing together for little under a year, but that doesn't stop them from proving their legitimacy as musicians with a lot to offer. With the release of their EP Ambient Jungle Noise, the guys start off with a bang and take you on a rock-filled ride.

Listen to "The Badge On Your Sleeve"

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There are so many more names out there and I expect to see them and hopefully some new faces in the new year. The Low Branches ... Conshafter ... Louisiana Territory ... possibly even Meade Skeleton. Let's see what 2010 brings to my ears.