Albums of 2009

10 - Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Favorite Tracks: Lisztomania

Another one on the top of various lists. I kept hearing it piecemeal and I kept liking what I was hearing. Too bad about their being French.

9 - Peter, Bjorn and John - Living Thing

Favorite Tracks: Nothing to Worry About

Not their best album, but a solid effort. I’ll never forget the first time I heard Lay It Down. I was in a trashy Euro-club in Vienna and the kids went bonkers. While I don’t know how to drop an F-bomb in German or Swedish, I felt slightly cooler for knowing that unlike them, I’d never have to learn.

8 - Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Favorite Tracks: Stillness is the Move

While I don’t love this entire album as much as some, Stillness is the Move, Cannibal Resource and No Intention are amazing songs.

7 - Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

Favorite Tracks: French Navy

Just popped this in recently and I still love it. Holds together so well as an album.

6 - Discovery - Discovery

Favorite Tracks: Orange Shirt

A great song of singles, especially the first side of the record. I hardly flip it over any more. Starts to get old if you are listening straight through, but their songs really stand out if you put together a mix.

5 - Metric - Fantasies

Favorite Tracks: Help I’m Alive

When I first heard this, I asked myself, why would I listen to Metric when I could just pop in the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs? The answer, of course, is becasue the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs are awesome and this album has earned the comparison.

4 - Matt & Kim - Grand

Favorite Tracks: Daylight

Is it possible this album just came out this year? Again, perhaps I should be embarrassed by this, but I refuse to be. The key here is the energy. When he sings, you can tell in his voice that he is smiling and it makes you smile too.

3 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

Favorite Tracks: My Girls

What can I add? This will probably end up being tops on the survey, and rightfully so. I’m just glad they finally dumbed down their music enough so that I could get into it.

2 - Yeah Yeah Yeah’s - It’s Blitz!

Favorite Tracks: Zero

I have this only in vinyl, and I’ve spun the shit out of it. While I’d like to listen to it in my car or on the headphones sometimes, I won’t let myself because listening to it still feels like an event.

1 - Passion Pit - Manners

Favorite Tracks: Sleepyhead

It’s almost come to the point where I have to be embarrassed by this, but when I’m honest with myself, I listened to this album more than any other this year.

Best concert of 2009

Los Campesinos!

Far better show than I anticipated. A rare Washington night where the crowd actually danced.

Biggest musical dissapointment 2009

The Decemberists; The Hazards of Love

I really tried on this album. I did. Concept albums either work brilliantly, or fail miserably. This is the latter. Unfortunately, I suspect this isn’t the last of the concept albums for Mr. Melloy.

Most overrated album of 2009

Grizzly Bear; Veckatimest

Maybe I just don’t get it.

Most anticipated album of 2010

Hot Chip; One Life Stand

Wait, should I put Chinese Democracy on here?

2009 | site by itscalledlove.com