Articles

Worst Album of the year: Kasabian
Worst Band of the year: Kings of Leon
Band Of The Year: Phoenix
Women Of The Year: Beyoncé
Man Of The Year: Justin Vernon
DJ/Remixer Of The Year: Aeroplane & Mr. Oizo
Song Of The Year: Jeffer - Boys Noize
http://www.last.fm/user/nalwor/journal/2009/10/18/33dcf0_listomania:_best_of_2009

Album Of The Year:..................

Good but need more listens: The Avett Brothers, Coconut Records, DatA,The Drums, Editors, The Flaming Lips, Gallows, Brendan Benson, Riceboy Sleeps, Krazy Baldhead, Paolo Nutini

Average albums: Golden Silvers, Cribs, Biffy Chryo,The Big Pink, Little Boots, Royksopp, Speech Debelle, Tegan and Sara, The Temper Trap, A A Bondy, U2, Weezer, Prodigy, Andrew W.K., Dan Deacon, The Dead Weather, Discovery,Japanoids, Rain Machine, Sparklehorse, Wavves, Arctic Monkeys, Au Revoir Simone

Overrated poop or just poop: The BPA, Dan Black,Dizzee Rascal, The Enemy, Esser, Fever Ray, Frankmusik, Girls, Green Day, La Roux, White Lies, Florence & The Machine, Jack Penate, Kasabian

Nice but instantly forgetable: Clem Snide, David Gray, Calvin Harris, Brakes, Imogen Heap, Islands, Jeremy Jay, Jesse Rose, The Juan MacLean, Magic Arm, Patrick Wolf

Great film, soundtrack worth a mention: Clint Mansell- Moon

Great few singles but boring album: Futureheads, Jay-Z, Major Lazer, Miike Snow, Mika, Phonat, Paolo Nutini, Pete Doherty, St. Vincent, Tiga, Wave Machines

Disappointing: Air, Basement Jaxx, Doves, Bob Dylan, Franz Ferdinand, Kid Cudi, Maps, Kings Of Convenience, Yacht

Most disappointing: SImian Mobile Disco

Close but no banana: De La Soul, Andrew Bird, Animal Hospital, Antlers, Bell Orchestre, Black Lips, Blue Roses, Bonnie Prince Billy, Delorean, Fever Ray, Health, Here We Go Magic, Horrors, It Hugs Back, James Blackshaw, Julian Plenti, Junior Boys, Laura Gibson, Lily Allen, Maccabees, MSTRKRFT, Noah & The Whale, Regina Specktor, Reigns, White Denims, Maximo Park, Moby

35 - Phrazes For The Young - Julian Casablancas 7/10

Short but packed with some killer hooks and choruses. What 'First Impressions Of Earth' should've sounded like.

Standout Track: Glass

34 - Fall Be Kind [EP] - Animal Collective 8/10

This e.p. makes the list just for 'What Would I Want? Sky'. Song is even better than 'My Girls'.

Standout Track: What Would I Want? Sky

33 - Journal For Plague Lovers - Manic Street Preachers 7/10

A pretty solid return from the only good band from Wales.

Standout Track: Jackie Collins Existential Question Time

32 - Dark Was The Night - Various Artists 8/10

A great collections of new and covered songs by some of the finest indie bands around.

Standout Track: Brackett, WI - Bon Iver

31 - Klang - The Rakes 7/10

"I just had a revolution, we've been f**ked by the institution, so we ain't got nothing to lose man"

Can't believe they've split up. One of the best Brit indie-rock bands.

Standout Track: The Final Hill

30 - The Resistance - Muse 7/10

Isn't the classic album i was hoping it would be but still, its Muse. hugely enjoyable as always.

Standout Track: Exogenesis: Symphony Pt 3: Redemption

29 - xx - The xx 7/10

One of the years best debut albums. Be interesting to see where they go next.

Standout Track: VCR

28 - The Kinks Choral Collection - Ray Davies 7/10

The legendary Ray Davies backed by a choir. Bliss!

Standout Track: Picture Book

27 - Live At The Hollywood Bowl - Van Morrison 7/10

Van Morrison plays Astral Weeks in all its full glory. The original album was music perfection and live it sounds just as wonderful. just wish i was there.

Standout Track: Sweet Thing

26 - Wilco (The Album) - Wilco 7/10

A few standout tracks but overall its a bit disappointing. Still, not including Wilco in a best of list would be like making a best of the 60s and not including The Beatles or the Stones. yeah, they're the 00s equivalent.

Standout Track: Solitaire

25 - Live in London - Leonard Cohen 8/10

Fantasmical! I've only listened to this a few times all the way through but each time i've enjoyed it so much. The sound is amazing and his interaction with the audience is so warm and intimate. Such a legend.

Standout Track: Who By Fire

24 - No More Stories Are Told Today, I'm Sorry, They Washed Away - Mew 8/10

Mew have always been one of those bands you have to keep an eye on cos you know they have the protential to make some amazing, and with this album i think they've finally done just that. Pretty stunning effort. Their strongest album by far.

Standout Track: Introducing Palace Players

23 - The Crying Light - Antony and the Johnsons 7/10

Beautiful melodies and the voice is as haunting as ever but overall, a little dull. Disappointing follow up to 'I Am A Bird Now'.

Standout Track: Aeon

22 - Unmap - Volcano Choir 7/10

Some of the songs and ideas seem a bit unfinished, but its Justin Vernon and the guys a genius.

Standout Track: Island, Is

21 - Two Suns - Bat for Lashes 7/10

A beautiful and bewitching album. I love how she writes from the heart and pours herself in to every song.

Standout Track: Daniel

20 - March of the Zapotec - Beirut 7/10

A short but pleasant listen.

Standout Track: Venice

19 - A New Tide - Gomez 8/10

Comeback of the year for me. Gomez have always been consistent in making beautiful, catchy pop songs but not since 'Bring It On' have they brought together such a strong collection of songs in one album. This deserves more attention.

Standout Track: Little Pieces

18 - Manners - Passion Pit 7/10

Its hard not to like this album. Full of infectious vocals hooks, stomping pop rhythms and danceable synth grooves. Its just a little too much like Scissor Sisters than MGMT for me, and I always confuse the names of their songs because they all kinda sound the same.

Standout Track: To Kingdom Come

17 - The Ecstatic - Mos Def 8/10

The finest Hip-hop album of the year.

Standout Track: Quiet Dog Bite Hard

16 - Pourriture - Mr. Oizo 8/10

Mr. Oizo remixes some of his best songs from 'Lambs Anger'. Sound better than the originals.

Standout Track: Steroids (Mr. Oizo Remix)

15 - Kings & Queens - Jamie T 8/10

The boy from Wimbledon has done it again creating another polished album of modern pop brilliance.

Standout Track: The Man's Machine

14 - The Uninvited Guest - Siriusmo 9/10

This is serious dance music. I'm sure this guy will soon be recognized as one of the biggest names in the genre. Incredible stuff!

Standout Track: High Together

13 - Elvis Perkins In Dearland - Elvis Perkins 8/10

Folk album of the year.

Standout Track: Doomsday

12 - Jewellery - Micachu 9/10

Produced by the brilliant Matthew Herbert, this is one of the most exciting and fresh albums of the year. So many clever ideas and arrangements. Micachu is a real talent. Like Kate Bush and PJ Harvey she has that star quality. A future British music icon.

Standout Track: Ship

11 - Resevoir - Fanfarlo 8/10

Standout Track: I'm A Pilot

When i first heard this i was overly critical thinking it was a poor British attempt at doing a Beirut but the more i listen to it the more i love it.

10 - Tarot Sport - Fuck Buttons 9/10

" A clusterfuck of noise and emotion".

Standout Track: olympians

09 - The Invisible - The Invisible 8/10

Maybe a little high but this is a great British debut. Definitely worthy of the TVotR comparison and should of won the Mercury Prize this year.

Standout Track: Ok

08 - Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors 8/10

Songs like Stillness Is The Move and Two Doves are so beautifully crafted. The whole album is just breathtaking.

Standout Track: Stillness Is the Move

07 - Veckatimest - Grizzly Bear 8/10

It's not 'Yellow House' but still a very polished album. Keeps you coming back for more.

Standout Track: Two Weeks

06 - It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs 9/10

Every song is a gem.

Standout Track: Hysteric

05 - Flashmob - Vitalic 9/10

Its been over 4 years since 'OK Cowboy' but this was so worth the wait! Monster electronic future anthems. French music rules the dancefloor.

Standout Track: Terminateur Benelux

04 - Two Dancers - Wild Beasts 9/10

I was expecting something good after their promising debut but never thought it would be this good. Beautiful falsetto vocals, glittering guitars and shifting rhythms. Its an astounding piece of work. Best British album of the year.

Standout Track: All The King's Men

03 - Power - Boys Noize 9/10

Listening to this album, and' Jeffer' especially, i finally realise why so many people in the dance blogosphere hold them in such high regard. These guys are incredible.

Standout Track: Jeffer

02 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective 10/10

For most of the year it's been my favourite album of '09 but after seeing them twice headlining this year and both times leaving disappointed ive kinda lost a bit of love for AC. Still, theyre one of the most exciting and creative bands out there and this album is already a classic.

Standout Track: My Girls

01 - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix 10/10



Been a massive fan since hearing Too Young off the Lost In Translation soundtrack back in 2002. One of the songs of the decade. They've made some great songs since - If I Ever Feel Better, Long Distance Call to name a few, but their albums haven't really been that strong and have left them under the radar... up till now. theyve finally made their standout album and one that is worthy of critical acclaim.

this is an awesome indie-pop album, from start to finish i can listen to this album over and over again and never get bored. full of catchy melodies, inventive pop hooks and infectious grooves. This is their 'Is This It', their 'OK Computer', 'Hunky Dory', 'Sgt Peppers'. This is a pop masterpiece.

Standout track: Love Like a Sunset