In This Economy?

I’m not sure if you guys knew this but it is a rule that, as a blogger, I have to post some sort of year-end music list. If I don’t do it someone will actually come to my house and revoke my blogging license… which would just be devastating.

So, with that said, here is my favorite music from 2009.

The Top 10(ish) Albums from 2009

10. A THREE-WAY TIE!!!

Yep, this one was a tie. And honestly the only reason it was a tie was because I wanted this to be a top ten list and not a top twelve list. I love multiples of five. Truly.

So, starting with Drake and his mixtape So Far Gone — I don’t listen to a lot of rap (a fact that will become extremely obvious as you get through the rest of this list), but rondostar turned me on to this now well-worn Drake mixtape a few months back and I found myself listening to it on repeat for several weeks after. Like any mixtape, it’s got some duds, but the good songs on this thing are really good. And I’ve got to give credit to any rapper who successfully sings/raps over a pre-existing Lykke Li song (“Little Bit”). It’s like he knew exactly how to appeal to my indie music nerd sensibilities. Well played, Drake. Well played.

Then moving on to Florence and The Machine and her album Lungs — This album is REALLY over the top. And that over-the-top-ness is both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. Most of the songs on this thing start out small and then progressively balloon out into insanely overproduced epics in the span of 3-4 minutes. On most of the songs this works out well (even if it’s a little humorous at times… I mean there’s a song called “Howl” which turns into an epic about werewolves… yeah) and on some of them it works out to perfection (like the ridiculously titled “Cosmic Love”, which was one of my favorite songs of the year). All in all, it’s a fun ride that shouldn’t be taken too seriously to be enjoyed.

And finally there is jj and their album No. 2 — This album sounds like a bunch of stoned Scandinavians doing Enya covers. And I love it for that. There is no subtext or complicated, overarching idea that you need to understand to get into this album. It’s much more simple than that. If you like soothing music (Steel drums? Yes, please) and pleasant vocals about partying on tropical islands then you’ll probably like this album. Yeah. That’s it.

9. Tegan and Sara — Sainthood

I’ve been a big fan of Tegan and Sara for a few years now and with each album they seem to reach down and find something extra. While this album overall isn’t quite as great as their last one it does have some of the best songs they’ve ever written. Songs like “Hell” and “Sentimental Tune” really perfect their sound… at least until the next record comes out. Good stuff.

8. xx — xx

These Pitchfork darlings actually managed to live up to their own hype with this debut album. The whole thing kind of manages to seem effortless. As if the band members didn’t have to work very hard to create such interesting yet listenable compositions. This album, more than any of the other ones on this list, has that “can’t put my finger on why I really like it but I really like it” vibe. Give it a listen and see hear for yourself. Oh, and that album cover is awesome.

7. The Big Pink — A Brief History of Love

This album is big. Every level of every thing on every song sounds like it’s turned all the way up and somehow it really works. It’s glorious excess. Then on top of all that, you add a sneering dude spouting chauvinistic ramblings and it all adds up to create a record that demands to be played loud. By the time the title track drops you’re so adjusted to the style that the curveball it throws hits you hard… and it, like most everything else on this record, really works.

6. Metric — Fantasies

Metric cleaned up their sound with this one and the result is the best overall album they’ve ever made. All of the songs seem to have more focus, and the hooks are consistently great. Some of the songs seem to go on a bit longer than necessary, but on songs like “Help I’m Alive” and “Sick Muse” the hook is so good that you can’t really blame them. It’s a consistently great record that should really be checked out. Now. Do it.

5. Matt & Kim — Grand

Energy is the name of the game on this one. I tend to love overly energetic music. Stuff that really makes you tap your foot. Matt & Kim happen to be some of the best producers of this type of music going right now. As a whole this album is nothing spectacular (and it’s also quite short), but when you drop a track in here and there it really works to get you going. By the end of the year I was still listening to songs off of this record (and it came out last January), so that has to stand for something. Right?

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — It’s Blitz

Best album title of the year. Best album cover of the year. And one of the best overall albums of the year. Some people shat on them for “going soft” on this record but I really didn’t see it like that. In my opinion they’re just playing to one of their major strengths. I honestly prefer Karen O’s sexy purring/singing to her death wail so I was overjoyed with songs like “Hysteric” (which is one of the best songs I’ve heard in years) and “Skeleton”. And the production, while different, really didn’t miss a beat. The drumming is still some of the most cunningly complicated you’ll come across (Brian Chase = total badass) and the shit ton of sounds dropped on top of all that makes this album one you have to hear. It’s a classic. For reals.

And that album cover is so rad. Gah.

3. Camera Obscura — My Maudlin Career

This one sneaked (snuck? snook? snuckered?) past the Yeahs at the last minute because of the replayability of it. Album opener “French Navy” can seriously be played over and over and it’s just the beginning of this consistently incredible album. Like a few of the other records on this list, this album is an example of a band finally nailing it. Previous Camera Obscura albums had been spotty, but this one has a clean and concise sound throughout. It’s excellent. In every way.

2. Bat for Lashes — Two Suns

I forgot about this album for about three or four months, so when I rediscovered it around August I was overjoyed. Nothing that came out this year was more densely layered with interesting elements, sounds and Karate Kid-themed songs (not joking). The whole thing is supposed to be some sort of concept album, and while the overall idea behind that eluded me the simple beauty of a lot of these songs did not. “Two Moons” is pretty much a perfect song and “Daniel” isn’t far behind. I’m actually listening to it now as I write this… so yeah, it’s good.

1. Phoenix — Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

It’s so good. If you haven’t heard it by now then please stop reading this and seek it out. Declaring this the album of the year was almost a no brainer.

I don’t know what else to say. Just pick it up. Now.

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In conclusion, it is really hard for me to write positive reviews of stuff. I’ll admit it. I have to tip my cap to the millions of writers out there who dole out the good along with the bad. After trudging through this list and using words like “incredible”, “great” and “amazing” waaaaay too much I now know something I can work on for Tony-Ten.

In the meantime though I’ll stick to my strengths and close out with this:

And the worst album of the year is…

Creed — Full Circle

Fuck you, Creed. And fuck all your fans. Yeah.

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And with that I’m done. Please feel free to list your own favorite music from 2009 in the comments. Or just berate me for not including Grizzly Bear OR Animal Collective in my list. Don’t worry. I can take it.

Happy 2010, everyone. And happy listening.

Tags: music

This entry was posted on Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 2:43 PM and is filed under Humor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.