stacy is off participating in her favorite pastime (watching period piece movies with Brittney and Tawney) so i decided to finish my 2009 music list. actually, stacy just got home and said, "another list? you just did one and it was dumb). so yes, another list (i promised there would be two) that i hope you enjoy more than my wife. i was hoping to hear some more stuff before i posted this, but i started studying for the bar this week (sucks, btw) so this will have to do.
20. Bonfires On the Heath by The Clientele – quintessentially British in the best way (you know, sullen, morose and moody)
Hear this: I Wonder Who We Are
19. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers – Roots/Americana played with punk zeal
Hear this: Laundry Room
18. Real Estate by Real Estate- as comforting as a nap on warm summer’s day
Hear this: Beach Comber
17. These Four Walls by We Were Promised Jetpacks – help cure my need for energetic guitar rock when Pela disbanded
Hear this: Roll Up Your Sleeves
16. My Maudlin Career by Camera Obscura – my wife made me listen to this one a lot and I liked it
Hear this: French Navy
15. Begone Dull Car by Junior Boys – sounded bloated at first, grew on me in a major way
Hear this: Hazel
14. The Eternal by Sonic Youth – lots of out-of-tune guitars and singing, and a constant reminder of how I never thought I was going to hear again after their show
Hear this: Anti-Orgasm
13. Conditions by The Temper Trap – their sound is a bit derivative on this debut (The Edge could have played the intro on the song I chose and the vocals are very post-Buckley/Yorke style falsetto), but overall a strong effort and certainly a band to watch
Hear this: Sweet Disposition
12. Bromst by Dan Deacon – more restrained in some areas than his last album, though still as zany as ever; if you don’t like the sound of cartoons making electronica, this will be an assault on your ears
Hear this: Snookered
11. Manners by Passion Pit – there are a ton of electro-pop acts out there at this point, this is a good one
Hear this: Folds In Your Hands
10. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix – lots of great pop songs that sound terrific set to car commercials
Hear this: 1901
9. It’s Blitz by Yeah Yeah Yeahs – several towering singles, and everything in between is just as good
Hear this: Heads Will Roll
8. Fever Ray by Fever Ray – dark and beat heavy sound from one half of The Knife (the sister half)
Hear this: Seven
7. Wilco (the album) by Wilco – a lot of what you expect from Wilco at this point (some great pop tunes and some experimental gems)
Hear this: Bull Black Nova
6. Actor by St. Vincent – best album ever inspired by Disney soundtracks
Hear this: Marrow
5. Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors – like Animal Collective, these guys finally let us into their bizarre pop world
Hear this: Stillness is the Move
4. xx by The xx – highly stylistic and accomplished debut album
Hear this: Heart Skipped a Beat
3. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear – cut a couple songs in the middle that are bit flat and this could have been among the best albums in the decade
Hear this: While You Wait For The Others
2. Merriweather Post Pavillion by Animal Collective – crazy kaleidoscope of sound and texture
Hear this: Guys Eyes
1. One Small Boy by Cori Connors - Cori has a reserved spot at the top of my list any year she makes an album; we just wish she'd do it more often! :)
Some other stuff I liked: See Mystery Lights by Yacht, Humbug by Arctic Monkeys, Welcome Joy by The Cave Singers, Moderat by Moderat, Born on Flag Day by Deer Tick, Know Better Learn Faster by Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, It’s Frightening by White Rabbits, Logos by Atlas Sound, Drift by Nosaj Thing, Born Like This by DOOM
