my musical 2009

last year, i started my best-of post with the realization that 2008 had a dearth of excellent music. 2009 was almost the exact opposite for me. when i started compiling this list, i probably had a good 20 albums that could have easily gone on the list. for everyone's sake, i trimmed the list down and added a few notables in addition to my top ten (none of this top 15 bs, will).

listen while you read.

2009

deep breath, here we go:

in no particular order, the albums that didn't make the top 10 list:

neko case, middle cyclone

not as good as fox confessor brings the flood, but still an excellent album. her voice alone would be enough to recommend the album, but song writing takes it to a new level. there's an entire novel in the line, "this tornado loves you."

tokyo police club, elephant shell/a lesson in crime/smith ep

we all have guilty pleasures. we can admit our musical ones, but leave them off the "best of" lists. i'm using the runner up section to get tokyo police club in there. the music is fun, rowdy, and yet with a tight delivery. plus there's a song about the future robot take over. what's not to love?

bear in heaven, beast rest forth mouth

this one is hard not to put on the top 10. if i'd had more time to digest the album in it's entirety, it probably would be on there. i had the singles "wholehearted mess" and

"lovesick teenagers" on repeat for a few months.

dirty projectors, bitte orca

the dirty projectors were a slow development for me. i bought the album because of will atkins and then couldn't really get into it. after roughly a dozen times through, the album just clicked for me and i couldn't get enough. listen to it in it's entirety.

top 10, because i'm too

lame too order them and don't have the wherewithal to do it, you choose the rating.

the mountain goats, the life of the world to come

like will said, the is great songwriting pretty much at it's peak. heavy material, excellent music, though if you've never heard them before, the lo-fi style will take getting used to (this album is a step up, production wise). he/they are quickly becoming some of my favorite songwriters. david dark has an excellent article on the mountain goats here.

japandroids, post nothing

i've said most of what i think about this band already. loud and fast garage rock at it's best. just play the first song, "the boys are leaving town" and you're in. i'm really disappointed i missed them live.

camera obscura, my maudlin career

camera obscura continues to define excellent pop music for me--somewhat sentimental, derivative of a classic style in good way, and extremely easy to play.

jj, jj no. 2

i listened to a lot of electronically leaning music this year. while jj doesn't easily fall into the category of electronic, i can't help but think of them that way. at the same time the music is pretty and accessible. check out their rip of lil' wayne's "lollipop" on "ecstacy."

until the avalanches release another album, this is my pseudo tropical, electronic album of the year.

m. ward, hold time

m. ward is an old favorite of mine. hold time does not disappoint. he continues his brand of pleasant folk. it makes me want to learn an instrument to play while i sit on the porch. if it's possible, i mean that in the least sentimental way. this is music to be heard and played in community. which is probably why he has so many collaborators.

bibio, ambivalence avenue

speaking of the avalanches, i think they had a lot of influence on the bands i loved this year. bibio has a unique mix of sampled sounds (if not recognizable samples, they at least sound like they're pulling clips from somewhere), beats, and instruments sound well aged. it's as if they sat down with a portable record player, a drum machine and a guitar and took the best tracks they could churn out in one sitting. sometimes esoteric, not quite dance-able, but still very accessible. right up my alley. check out "sugarette" or the title track.

passion pit, manners

previous contributors have already said what should be about passion pit. it's fun, like a block party. i seriously can't stop listening to this album. against her will, my wife knows all their songs (and grudgingly likes them). the only thing i'll add is that their ep chuck of change is an absolute must, and has a cool remix of "sleepy head."

so i kind of lied, i'll add "top 3" to the following, they are interchangeable.

the antlers, hospice

i posted about this album, so i won't say much more. this is could be the best dramatic/depressing rock album of th decade. i don't really know what that means, but i love this album. you should only listen to this album in it's entirety, but "two," "antophy," "bear," and "wake" are some of my favorites. beautiful and sad art at it's best. check out their takeaway show. amazing (many thanks to ben for the link).

The Antlers - Two / Epilogue - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

the xx, xx

again, so much has already been said, i don't have much to add. i can find almost any occasion to play this album. it surprises me now that it took me a little while to get into it. subtle and almost dance-able (i really need another descriptor). in a word this album is sexy. which is probably appropriate given much of the lyrical content. again, i can't get enough. the spoken/whispered word delivery is beautiful. if you haven't, listen now.

phoenix, wolfgang amadeus phoenix

the pop album of the year, easily. all i'll say is that i was afraid i'd serious overplayed this album, but kept on playing it and never got tired. seriously, this is why pop music exists. well delivered, tight music.