mercredi 6 Jan 2010, 18h39m
Hello, here are my top 20 albums of 2009. I had no intention of mimicking any other end of year lists even though it does look like a lot of other lists i've read with a few critically rated albums. I bought about 200 albums this year and 70 of them were from this year. None of these albums are perfect but that's not to say that they lack brilliance and contain some of the best tracks of the decade and maybe even all time. I apologise in advance at some of my notes and explanations - I am no music journalist and only got a C at GCSE English doing a higher paper so lacking the excuse that I could have done better. Although I did narrowly avoid getting a first for my Uni dissertation! Anyway here's my list…
1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (Domino, 7/06)
This is my album of the year because… Their gig at Bristol's Arnolfini gallery was the best thing ever to happen in a place usually full of dull "art" which I can't be arsed to look in*. Needless to say Bitte Orca is the real work of art and is both an aural and experimental success. For some reason (because it is good?) I kept listening to previous effort Rise Above , and somehow they managed to better that album by a long way with an album of original material. Successfully merging different influences such as R&B and african guitar for Stillness is the Move, my track of the year. Quite simply Bitte Orca is album of the year as it has some of the best vocals, backing vocals, guitar parts and overall music made this year. Dave Longstreth's vocals maybe annoying to some but Amber Coffman and the other female singers are amazing vocalists. I just think that this album covers new ground and sets a standard for ambitious indie music for the upcoming decade. I am eagerly awaiting new material but I am dreading that Bitte Orca was a fluke as parts of it are almost impossibly sublime!
2.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz (Dress Up/Polydor, 8/03)
The pop album of the year no contest. With electro-pop tunes Florence and the Machine and Ladyhawke could never write and a classic Yeah Yeah Yeahs songwriting sensibility. If a lesser band went Synthpop like this it would be The change to a synthpop sound only affected me on the leading single and only weakfish (for YYYs) track Zero . My favourite track Hysteric is a ballad to rival Maps . Though not as good as Show your Bones, but better than Fever to Tell and the 2 EPs, this is another classic YYYs album and shows a band successfully changing and keeping their sound at the same time. Only time will tell what direction ten next album will take.
3. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (Pias, 21/06)
The 2nd Dinosaur Jr. reformation album is just as good as it's Predecessor Beyond and even though it's very similar to their other stuff it's still brilliant and is not as disappointing as this years Sonic Youth effort, in fact it's not disappointing at all. The only disappointment is that Lou's songs aren't as good as on Beyond. My highlights are the longer tracks Said the People and I Don't Want to go there which showcase J Mascis's peerlessly emotional guitar soloing.
4. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino, 11/01)
In pretty much every end of year list and like Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors it's in all the lists for a reason. The most accessible AC release to date it is a vast improvement on Strawberry Jam and a career highpoint. I was disappointed by their set at this year's Green Man festival like a lot of other people but this album is still amazing. Other people think that My Girls is the high point here but there are at least 3 better songs - Summertime Clothes with its sing-a-long 'I Want to hang around with you' chorus, Blueish with it's woozy yet sublime harmonies and the worldbeat/rave tinged Brothersport. I am excitedly looking forward to hearing/seeing what they come up with next after December's Fall Be Kind EP.
5. Asobi Seksu - Hush (Polyvinyl, 16/02)
An overlooked album by an overlooked band. Somehow this has been my most listened to album of the year but then I have had it since the start of February. I love this band so much I even went to a White Lies gig as they were the support act. I should have left after Asobi though as White Lies' Editors-meets-Spandeau Ballet Dirgefest couldn't possibly follow Asobi's shoegaze genius. Although this album is quieter and less thrilling than it's predecessor Citrus it is a well rounded album with it's fair share of beauty
6. The Pains of being Pure at Heart - The Pains of being Pure at Heart (Slumberland, 9/02)
Even though this album is relatively simple with similar chords and songs, it's still a piece of indiepop genius. Listening to the vinyl through headphones rang in my ears after every listen but it was worth it every time and still is. The only real non reverb drenched song is A Teenager in Love which is reminiscent of the band Black Kids and features lyrics about ' A teenager in love with christ and heroin' An EP Higher than the Stars was released in October but to me their Self titled LP is their best release and I get a buzz whenever I still listen to it.
7. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns (Echo, 6/04)
Apart from the Blur reunion at Glastonbury, Natasha Khan and her amazing live band's two Bristol gigs were my best gigs of the year (with great support from School of Seven Bells and Yeasayer). Two suns is although not as good as the live show a bloody good album. Coming across as a mix of Kate Bush and a tiny bit of Bjork she mixes childhood wonder with adult emotion and maybe a hint of sadness. Lovely stuff
8. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Warp, 24/05)
Dubbed This years Fleet Foxes before the Lp was released, Veckatimest has lived up to the hype although I hope that it won't be liked by Jeremy Vine on radio 2 like FF (although they should be on every Radio station if people's idea of a beautiful record wasn't Susan Boyle. Moving onwards and upwards from the excellent Yellow House, Veckatimest is probably the best crafted and arranged record of the year. I love the way in which the band utilise silence to make every instrument matter and also some lovely harmonies and (non head or pubic) hair standing on air moments like when the keyboards play on Ready, Able. Also features one of my tracks of the year Two Weeks.
9. Conor Oberst and the mystic Valley Band - Outer South (Wichita, 4/05)
A surprise for me was that this album as so good after last year's disappointing solo debut. Easily better than Conor's Monsters of Folk project (although they were/are amazing live). Most of the album is countryrock/pop and my favourite track is Roosevelt Room, a song performed by but not recorded (at least released) by Bright Eyes.
10. Alela Diane - To Be Still (Names/Rough Trade 16/02)
I borrowed this album off a work colleague and was instantly impressed. Alela's lovely voice and songs have soundtracked many a relaxed working spring or summer morning.
11. Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Matador, 9/06)
I was really excited about this album when i'd heard the internet previews but was disappointed when I heard the full Lp. Obviously it's good as it's Sonic Youth but there's no real element of surprise as it's all ground which has been covered by the band before. Hearing their last album Rather Ripped was a bit like that as well,l after following Sonic Nurse which is possibly the bands best album to date and Murray street which is also some of the band's best work. Despite this, if this album was by a new band it would probably be higher up this list. Let's just hope that their next album will hold more surprises.
12. BLK JKS - After Robots (Secretly Canadian, 21/09)
When i downloaded album opener Molalatladi from RCRDLBL.com it was the freshest most thrilling piece of rock music i'd heard all year. When I got this LP I was not disappointed and although the production is a bit murky at times and in no way as funky as the live show. There are loads of thrilling moments that sound like the Mars Volta at their best with vocalist and guitarist Linda Buthelazi's almost endless soloing. Album highlight Skeleton is the only track which sounds vaguely like TV on the Radio who they've bizarrely been compared to, and even then it's TVOTR gone reggae.
13. Eels - Hombre Lobo (E Works, 1/06)
It's good to have E (Mark Oliver Everett) back doing what he does best. This is one of Eels' rockier albums and is a lot better than their last Rock album Shootenanny. New album End Times is out in february and I hope that it's the Daisies of the Galaxy to this LP's Souljacker.
14. The Dead Weather - Horehound (3rd Man, 12/07)
Jack White's third best and Allison Mosshart's best band's debut Lp was a little disappointing on first listen but after seeing the live show I have listened to the album more. Like a lot of music it sounds better up loud.
15. Alessi's Ark - Notes from the Treehouse (Virgin/EMI, 4/05)
Producer and Folk monster Mike Mogis' overproduction couldn't stop Alessi's Ark from producing a nice folky pop record. I look forward to hearing her new material and hope it's a bit rawer sounding.
16. The Wave Pictures - If You Leave It Alone (Moshi Moshi, 3/05)
After seeing the wave pictures' charming yet rough around the edges live show I was pleasantly surprised by how good their albums were and at what a good lyricist and songwriter David Tattershall actually is. Not as rocky as last year's Instant coffee Baby and featuring Ex Herman Dune Brother Stanley Brinks on woodwinds, this album successfully evokes Brinxes former bands wonky charm as well as still sounding like the new Hefner.
17. Emmy the Great - First Love (Close Harbour, 9/02)
I waited of this the debut from Emma Lee Moss for a while now as i've seen her live 5 times so far. Although no other song here is as good as stand out track - We almost had a baby it's still a pretty good debut album.
18. Wildbirds and Peacedrums - The Snake (the Leaf label, 20/04)
I'd not really heard this band until they played the Arnolfini gallery's Mountain of 8 event in April. Even though for some reason i'd decided to sit upon a balcony far from the action, I was impressed by Mariam's voice and the percussion only sound. I will have to get a copy of their first album and see them live again up close.
19. The Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away
Despite being a simpler sounding album, I am not as excited about the Fiery Furnaces as I once was. This is more due to getting used to their sound as this sounds similar to Widow City to me. Nethertheless this is due to me listening to them too much rather than any lack of quality.
20. Taken By Trees - East of Eden (Rough Trade, 6/09)
This was one of my more successful impulse purchases. I was impressed by how Victoria uses 'world' musicians (from Pakistan) and makes them part of the song rather than as an afterthought. Nice cover of Animal Collective too
*I have an art degree and there barely is anything in the Arnolfini that interests me and I do like GOOD installation art.