Top 15 of 2009

Well, this is going to be my last post here. I received a threatening email from Blogger about my last post and now all of my old files have been deleted and my fileden account suspended. I think my mistake was trying to praise Them Crooked Vultures in my previous post - the interests of John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme are just too powerful I guess. But anyway, one month late, here are my top 15 albums of 2009. The top 4 could almost be in any order, but I painstakingly came to a final decision. Since the mp3's in my previous posts no longer work, I've done my best to provide links to either 100% legal songs or myspace pages. I don't understand how way more illegal blogs than mine continue to survive, but with the coming semester, I don't have the time or energy to figure it out. It was fun while it lasted.

15. Handsome Furs - Face Control
I'm Confused
Radio Kaliningrad
buy
14. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
previously
Cheerleader
Listen to the much better tracks "Two Weeks" and "While You Wait For the Others" here
buy13. Dead Man's Bones - Dead Man's Bones
I like Half Nelson as much as the next person, but Ryan Gosling teaming up with a children's choir to make music? Suspend your disbelief, because this is a hauntingly beautiful album. Check out "Pa Pa Power" or "Lose Your Soul" if you can find them somewhere, or "My Body's a Zombie For You" on their myspace.
buy12. Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
Califone continue to put out great record after great record and put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen. This release goes along with their Sundance film of the same name.
Funeral Singers
Ape-Like
buy11. Swan Lake - Enemy Mine
previous post
Spanish Gold, 2044
A Hand At Dusk
Spider
buy10. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Your enjoyment of Bitte Orca will depend on how much you like music that is challenging, often amelodic, and always unpredictable.
Listen to "Useful Chamber," "Temecula Sunrise," and "Stillness Is the Move" here.
buy9. Nirvana - Live At Reading
Not sure if this counts, as it is the official release of the well-known 1992 bootleg. But this is one of the best live recordings I've ever heard. Nirvana's always well-chosen cover songs are particularly special.
Watch some footage here.
buy8. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
previous post
Idiot Heart
buy
7. A.A. Bondy - When the Devil's Loose
previous post
myspace
buy
6. Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy
I never got around to posting about this album - only about their outstanding performance at First Ave. Unlike most reviewers, I think I still prefer their last album You In Reverse to this one. But There Is No Enemy was on constant repeat for months after its release. So grateful that one of my favorite bands are still churning out great records.
myspace
buy
5. Obits - I Blame You
This album has grown on me more since my only above-average review in my previous post. Excited to hear where this band goes next.
Pine On
Two-Headed Coin
buy
4. St. Vincent - Actor
previous post
myspace
buy
3. Dinosaur Jr - Farm
previous post
I Want You To Know
and a few more songs here
buy2. Prairie Cartel - Where Did All My People Go
I can't believe I didn't write about this album when it came out. Not only is it 80 minutes of top-notch electronic, spacey rock music (highly highly highly recommended for fans of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, or The Faint), but includes Scott Lucas (of favorite band Local H "fame") and Blake Smith (of Fig Dish and Caviar "fame"). Bands like The Prairie Cartel are why I started this blog in the first place. For something completely different, but equally inspired, look for the Bob Dylan & The Band inspired Scott Lucas & The Married Men record George Lassos the Moon out next month.
myspace
buy
1. Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love
I've been listening to this album over and over since my original discovery. It earns the top spot in 2009 for the excitement of having an unknown band turn into a favorite in such a short amount of time. Absolutely stunning.
Vampire
While We Were Dreaming
buy

Farewell!

Disappointments and Honorable Mentions of 2009

I've narrowed my list of the top albums of 2009 to 15. However, before posting it, I thought I would mention a few albums that just missed the cut, along with some of my biggest disappointments of the year (far from the worst of the year, but records that fell short of my expectations for one reason or another).

Disappointments

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
I loved his last 2 albums, particularly Armchair Apocrypha, but just couldn't get into this one.
buy

Superdrag - Industry Giants
I've been a huge fan of everything Superdrag's done since the mid-90's. They are way more than a one-hit wonder. But Industry Giants just isn't very good.
buy

The Thermals - Now We Can See
2006's The Body the Blood the Machine=Brilliant; 2009's Now We Can See=Mediocre
buy

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
buy
Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
buy
OK, so both of these are actually quite good. In fact, Josphine even comes close to earning an honorable mention. But looking at everything Jason Molina's done in Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co., and as a solo artist, Josephine ranks pretty low. MPP is enjoyable enough, but deserving of nearly universal praise? No way, and it is particularly disappointing in the context of Animal Collective's fantastic (and huge) back catalogue and coming off 2007's career-best (if you ask me) Strawberry Jam.

Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
buy
The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World To Come
buy
These 2 albums are truly disappointing. I was ready to re-embrace Wilco after the mostly boring Sky Blue Sky, but the only thing worthwhile about Wilco (The Album) is the cover art. Even as Wilco reaches impressive peaks with their live performance, they are hitting new creative lows. Coming off Heretic Pride, one of my favorites of John Darnielle's many releases, The Mountain Goats really stumble here - even though most critics seem to disagree. Songs about Bible verses? If anyone could pull that off, it would be John Darnielle, but The Life of the World to Come is neither quirky enough or emotionally satisfying to hold my attention.

Honorable Mention

The xx - xx
Listen if you like Young Marble Giants...
buy

Blackout Beach - Skin of Evil
Cloud of Evil
buy

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Listen if you like 90's indie rock...
buy

Iran - Dissolver
buy

Julie Doiron - I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day
buy

Flaming Lips - Embryonic
A daring return to eccentric form.
buy

Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free
buy

MV & EE - Barn Nova
Summer Magic
buy

Now the sinners have all gone home

I almost got my shit together around Thanksgiving to write a nice post about American empire, historical violence, and William S. Burroughs - in an effort to at least maintain some respectability as a blogger - but last semester was truly hellish and it never happened. Well, the upcoming semester looks to be even worse, but at least we don't start until the 19th. So, even though it will be depressingly late, a best of 2009 is in the works. Stay tuned.

But first, to jolt the blog back to life, here are a few tracks from the very recently discovered, one-man-plus-helpers band Digital Leather. Created by Shawn Foree, the 2009 album Warm Brother is too new to my ears to make my forthcoming list, but it definitely deserves recognition. The sound is hard to pigeonhole and definitely not for everyone - but think Silver Jews + Pink Mountaintops (who WILL be making my year-end list) + drugs + a heavy dose of synths. Enjoy!

Digital Leather - All the People
Digital Leather - Hurts So Bad
from Warm Brother
buy