The Top 75 Albums of 2009: Part Two – 50 to 2616.12.09
Here is the second part of my three part countdown of the top albums of 2009. If you like anything that you see/hear please make sure you get out there and support the artist(s). Also, if you have feedback – constructive or otherwise – I’d love to heat it. Enjoy!
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50. Said The Whale – Islands Disappear
Canadian wonder kids from the left coast who have a penchant for crafting each song as its own unique little story or experience. Their sunny optimism doesn’t hurt either. #rock #popharmonies
Listen To: Holly, Ontario, Emerald Lake, Alberta
49. David Bazan – Curse Your Branches
Interesting folk rock juxtaposing acoustic guitars with keyboards, with lyrics that carry so much weight they strain the listener’s ears to dissect them. #creamykeyboards #melancholyfolk
Listen to: When We Fell, Bless This Mess
48. Grammatics – S/T
An all too rare combination of varied musical styles melding together to create something that is the sum of its parts, rather than an abomination. #violin #artrock
Listen To: Shadow Committee, D.I.L.E.M.M.A
47. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
For a band that has been around since ‘84 it was surprisingly pleasant to discover and ultimately ease into their catalogue from this solid offering of prolific indie-rock (with a hint of Wilco?) #rock #institution
Listen To: Here To Fall, Avalon or Something Very Similar
46. Trash Talk – Shame
Take no prisoners thrash. Played with the ferocity and conviction of a band that has nothing left to lose. Short, furious burst of musical rage. #hardcore #thrash
Listen To: East of Eden, Birth Plague Die
45. The Hood Internet – Mixtape Volume 4
How do you get all the cool kids to dance? Simple. Take one half pitchfork-approved indie and blend with equal parts ring-tone dance hits. Set to schizophrenic and serve over chilled redbull. #mashups #coolmeetscooler
Listen To: No Reason To Like You Better, Get Like Pterodactyls
44. Sherwood – Qu
When I think about how to describe Sherwood, the only thing that comes to mind is a modern Pet Sounds. Sunny California pop with fantastic harmonies and piano-driven melody. #do-wap #rock
Listen To: Hit The Bottom, No Better
43. Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg
Punk-rock for the aspiring poets; but far from the prototypical three chord progressions that label evokes. Instead you find a record that gets deeper with every consecutive spin. #punk #gangvocals
Listen To: Living Saints, One Hit Back
42. Future Of The Left – Travels With Myself And Another
A calculated release of razor-sharp wordplay and riffs backed by some of the best drumming I heard all year. The stories woven are as absurd as they are spell-binding. #straightuprock #songsasstories
Listen To: Arming Eritrea, Land of My Formers
41. Metric – Fantasies
By no means a complete revolution, Metric finds themselves refining their crowd-pleasing indie pop and relying more heavily on Ms. Haines lifting voice. #pop #leadsingersvehicle
Listen To: Satellite Mind, Gimme Sympathy
40. The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life And Death
Casey Crescenzo’s dramatic music opus enters its third act; building on its characters and expanding the scope of what a concept album can be. Never mind the fact this is some terrific multi-instrumental rock. #rockopera #epicscope
Listen To: In Cauda Venenum, The Lake And The River
39. Volcano Choir – Unmap
Weirdly I can’t really stomach Bon Iver’s other work, however Unmap really sticks with me. Beautifully textured tracks which at times resembled abstract mashups more than they did singular works. #softindie #collective
Listen To: Island, IS, Youlogy
38. Apostle Of Hustle – Eats Darkness
Bombastic bass lines and tempered drumming over a wide array of second-hand samples fed through the Dance GeneratorTM. Toe-tapping or head-bobbing, these Broken Social Scene alumni will get you moving. #disco #funk
Listen To: Perfect Fit, Soul Unwind
37. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Exactly as the title suggests, this collection of Maudlin contemporary-pop is straining to break free and fill its listeners ears with happy sounds and well placed flourishes. #indie-pop #strippeddown
Listen To: The Sweetest Thing, French Navy
36. The Bloody Beetroots – Romborama
130BPM candy for the dance floor. The tracks might seem disjointed, but every single one is a banger ready to get the most relenting hipster grooving. Justice-lite is the closest approximation.
Listen To: Warp 1.9, It’s Better a DJ on Two Turntables
35. Coalesce – OX
Forefathers of modern hardcore arrive back on the scene ten years later without skipping a beat. Howling guitars and constantly distorted bass prove there are still tricks left to teach the upstarts. #abrasive #guitarstunedtodropF
Listen To: Designed To Break A Man, The Comedian In Question
34. Atlas Sound – Logos
A kaleidoscope of sound that makes use of Brandon Cox’s talent at creating abstract pop while making sure that the wide array of talented guests share the spotlight as well. Bonus points for the creepy cover art. #artpop #spacefolk
Listen To: Walkabout, The Light Has Faded
33. Florence And The Machine – Lungs
A grandiose debut bristling with energy and passion usually reserved for much more matured artists. Imagine a traveling gypsy caravan brimming with tassels, instruments and soulful vocals. #broadway #songstress
Listen To: Dog Days Are Over, You’ve Got The Love
32. Sights & Sounds – Monolith
Post-hardcore which goes for sweeping soundscapes rather than cheap thrills. Songs that build upon each other until they come tumbling down in thunderous crash of introspective lyrics and powerful guitars. Rocks like Thrice’s Vheissu. #wallofsound #hardrock
Listen To: Sorrows, Neighbours
31. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
Low-fi disco that isn’t afraid to get a little bit silly. Full of fuzzpop jams intertwined with nuggets of 80’s pop culture nostalgia. #hazysummers #synth
Listen To: I Should’ve Taken Acid With You, Deadbeat Summer
30. Every Time I Die – New Junk Aesthetic
The one-sheet for this album promised to tear a hole in the earth – and it sure as hell delivered. Blending the best parts of furious hardcore, blistering metal, and rock sensibility to create a set of tracks that will instantly get your adrenaline rushing. #cirlcepits #brokenguitars
Listen To: For The Record, Wanderlust
29. Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport
A cut of sci-fi experimentation layered over hypnotic beats. DIY sound experimentation that grabs hold of your senses and doesn’t let go until the last note is played. #instrumental #experimental
Listen To: Surf Solar, Olympians
28. Mt. Saint Helens Vietnam Band – S/T
Great indie-rock that separates itself from the contemporaries by building on a sense of frenetic urgency that drives all aspects of their tracks, from the dancing guitars to snapping vocals- aided by a smart rhythm section. #rocknoise #13yearolddrummers
Listen To: Albatross, Albatross, Albatross, Who’s Asking
27. Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do
Diplo and Switch team up to smother their high-gloss electro all over the unsuspecting world of reggae and dancehall. The outcome is a brilliantly executed set of club smash hits destined for remix nirvana. #electro #takebacktheclub
Listen To: Hold The Line, Keep It Goin’ Louder
26. Acres of Lions – Working
Pop-rock that lulls you off to dreamland with its exceptional ballads only to snap you back with quick with bouts of high-energy enthusiasm that will have you chanting every word. Think “The Middle” era Jimmy Eat world, or “Stay What You Are” era Saves The Day. #rock #smoothvocals
Listen To: Coronado’s Dead, Working
Make sure to come back tomorrow for the final 25 picks of 2009!
