3. Phoenix - Bankrupt!
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a modern-day masterpiece. Immensely loveable singles like "1901" and "Lasso" are two of the best tracks of the entire 2000's, much less 2009. It also had an incredibly visual and insatiable eight-minute "Love Like A Sunset," probably the most artistic track created by the band. So why was Bankrupt! such a failure? It lacked the creative vision. Bankrupt! features a distinct Oriental influence, especially on lead single "Entertainment," which nearly promised great things from the French indie rock band. Currently revered as a "gem," it's more of a imitation. Songs like "Oblique City" and "The Real Thing" are smothered in seventy-eight effects that make the songs feel convoluted. All in all, it's ambitious, but ultimately a distant echo. Stick to Amadeus.