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Best of the Year...so far!
Posted at 3:10 PM on June 30, 2009
by Mark Wheat
(50 Comments)
Happy New Half Year!! Can you believe it's the end of June?!?! Did some one press fast forward on this year? Some of our colleagues in the music press are taking the opportunity of reviewing what they think are the best albums released so far this year, both nationally and locally.
Some that have been mentioned are; Dirty Projectors, The Decemberists,
Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
I would add Conor Oberst and P.O.S.
Who would you suggest? Have we missed anyone?
Comments (50)
I'd add The Eels "Hombre Lobo" to that list. By far one of the best ALBUMS the year has seen in my humble opinion! I get chills just thinking about it...
I asked this same question on air today and here's some of the feedback I received..
Quentin said "For a 2009 album, Depeche Mode's "Sounds of the Universe" kinda blows me away :)"
Steve from Fergus, Ontario chimed in with his top 5.. Jason Lytle – Yours Truly, The Commuter The Legends – Over and Over Fever Ray – Fever Ray Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of. Mark Kozelek – Finally
Sarah Jirak emailed in her vote for Best Album: Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It's Blitz and went on to say .."I truly love this album, all the songs and cannot listen to it enough! I've shared it w/all my friends, and, they dig it too. Wish I could've made the show at First Ave...the album ROCKS!"
My personal faves right now are P.O.S.' Never Better, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix from Phoenix, The Idle Hands debut The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show, and Bitte Orca from Dirty Projectors.
We're talking about the Eels album on Musicheads tonight...I have a feeling Melanie and I are in for some disagreement!...
And since you asked, some of my favorites, in alphabetical order:
St. Vincent - Actor
Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan
Dark Was the Night
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Metric - Fantasies
Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
White Rabbits - It's Frightening
Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
U2 - No Line on the Horizon
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
John Vanderslice - Romanian Names
Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
If you had told me at the beginning of the year that my half-year list wouldn't include Camera Obscura, Phoenix, Eels, Wilco, or A.C. Newman, I would have been majorly bummed, but it's still been a great year so far.
Hopefully Spoon or Stars will put out a record by the end of the year.
I forgot to commend Wheat for including Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band's Outer South. Quite a streak Mr. Oberst is on.
I agree with Mac on a lot of his list. Some of my faves have included:
• M. Ward - Hold Time
• P.O.S. - Never Better
• Metric - Fantasies
• Dark Was the Night
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
• Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
• Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
I also loved the Outer South album, but I'm even more excited about this project coming up with Oberst, M.Ward + others.
A few of these have been listed already, but they're worth repeating.
Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career
Metric, Fantasies
Neko Case, Middle Cyclone
The Pains of Being Young at Heart, (self titled)
Passion Pit, Manners
Deastro, MoonDagger
Delorean, Ayrton Senna
AC Newman, Get guilty
Gregory Alan Isakov, This empty Northern Hemisphere
Jenny Owens Young, Transmitter Failure
Ray LaMontagne, Gossip In the Grain
Definately my favorite so far is Metric's "Fantasies." It's one of the few albums that I like every song. I also really enjoy "Swoon" by Silversun Pickups and, of course, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have put out another stellar release.
I have quite a few:
Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing
The Good News - [Self-titled]
Matt & Kim - Grand
Jim Ward - In the Valley, On the Shores
Char2d2 - Small Vampires EP
The Thermals - Now We Can See
Telekinesis! - [Self-titled]
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - [Self-titled]
Street Sweeper Social Club
All the lists are great but, does everone forget that Andrew Birds NOBLE BEAST was released January 20th of this year. That's my add to the list of his years "best of so far"
One I haven't seen on here is Akron/Family's Set Em Wild Set Em Free
at this moment I'm going with...
M Ward - Hold Time
Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
Doves - Kingdom of Rust
Animal Collective - Merriwether Post Pavillian
list is always subject to change
Eric: Noble Beast was pretty grand; for some reason, I didn't get around to listening to it for a few months. "Tenuousness" is one of the weaker tracks, I like the longer, less-radio-friendly songs more.
Shaun: I keep meaning to listen to Telekinesis!
Handsome Furs - Face Control
Obits - I Blame You
Megafaun - Gather, Form, & Fly
Red Cortez - Hands To The Wall EP
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Andrew Bird - Useless Creatures
Akron/Family - Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
Fanfarlo - Reservoir
The Wooden Birds - Magnolia
The Antlers - Hospice
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Brakes - Touchdown
P.O.S. - Never Better
Screaming Females - Power Move
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
as for Andrew's record... it's great, but i don't like it quite as much as his last 3, and i prefer the instrumental album that came with it actually (it's stunning).
so far:
Handsome Furs - Face Control
Obits - I Blame You
Megafaun - Gather, Form, & Fly
Red Cortez - Hands To The Wall EP
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Akron/Family - Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin
Andrew Bird - Useless Creatures
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
Fanfarlo - Reservoir
The Wooden Birds - Magnolia
The Antlers - Hospice
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Brakes - Touchdown
P.O.S. - Never Better
Screaming Females - Power Move
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
as for Noble Beasts... it's a great record, but i don't enjoy it nearly as much as his last 3-4 unfortunately. in fact I much prefer the instrumental disc 'Useless Creatures', which is stunningly gorgeous.
kinda feel the same about M. Ward's 'Hold Time', fabulous record, but more of the same (and i'm saying this as someone who holds him as my fave singer/songwriter post '00)
gah, sorry for the double post... hit enter on the first one before I was done typing
a couple that are just on the cusp as well:
Brakes - Touchdown
The Thermals - Now We Can See
Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Passion Pit - Manners
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar (although the more I listen to this, the more i think it'll move up quite a bit)
St. Vincent - Actor
Doves - Kingdom of Rust
Need a Bigger Boat by BPA is the most listened to on my iTunes hands down.
I have to add
Dark Night of the Soul, Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse
Blood Bank (EP), Bon Iver
Far, Regina Spektor
and
The Mountain, Heartless Bastards.
I've listened to Far at least once a day since All Songs Considered posted it and I bought it the second it came out.
Yeah I'd have to say:
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
Metric - Fantasies
The Bird and the Bee - Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
Those are the ones that I'm loving.
Metric - Fantasies
The Sounds - Crossing the Rubicon
Doves - Kingdom of Rust
Handsome Furs! Yes, I forgot that one, Solace. For some reason (probably since I equate that Entry show with the freezing cold) I thought that was released last year. Excellent addition.
I can't believe the Hazards of Love is missing from everyone's comments! It's my #1 release of the century!
As of this year, I'm loving:
St. Vincent - Actor
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
Rancid - Let The Dominoes Fall
Iron & Wine - Around the Well
Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
The Decemberists - Hazards of Love
I didn't read that anyone put the new Iron & Wine on their lists. I thought it was a great mix of music that chronicled a great artists' ventures.
Never Better-P.O.S
Blood Bank-Bon Iver
Hold Time-M.Ward
Wilco S/T
Merriweather Post Pavilion- Animal Collective
Outer South-Conor Oberst
Grand-Matt & Kim
Those are in no particular order execpt for the first album, which is my favorite.
The best song of this year so far has to be Love Vigilantes by Iron & Wine. I don't have the album yet but that song is a piece of beauty.
the Iron & Wine release is fantastic, but i don't really consider compilations (ie: Dark Was The Night) as albums.
i usually keep a seperate list of compilations/soundtracks/re-issues
Some of my favs this year:
Isis: Wavering Radiant
Mastodon: Crack the Skye
Julianna Barwick: Florine
Eleni Mandell: Artificial Fire
Odd Nosdam: T.I.M.E. Soundtrack
Super Fury Animals: Dark Days/Light Years
Tori Amos: Abnormally Attracted to Sin
Japandroids: Post-Nothing
Manic Street Preachers: Journal For Plague Lovers
POS: Never Better
My favorite album of the year, nothing even comes close, is:
Bike For Three! : More Heart Than Brains
Bike For Three! is a collaboration between Buck 65 and Belgian electronic music producer Greetings From Tuskan (an artist I was not familiar with prior to this album). What an album. Buck 65 has never sounded better and the music is absolutely amazing.
Honorable Mention:
Gossip
Metric
Depeche Mode
And because I am feeling a bit snarky today; my least favorite release:
Art Brut vs Satan
My favorites so far:
Grizzly Bear: Vekatimest
The Whitest Boy Alive: Rules
Nomo: Invisible Cities
P.O.S.: Never Better
Mirah: (a)spera
The Field: Yesterday and Today
and some EPs:
Allá: (digs)
Abe Vigoda: Reviver
Beirut/Realpeople: March of the Zapotec/Holland
I'm pretty sure the new beard rock album of the decade will be on my Best of the Year list, at the end of the year.
WILCO (the album)
Jeff Tweedy is my favorite songwriter since.... That I'll need to think about. I'll get back to everyone on that. First thought, since John Lennon but that can't be right, is this album a tribute to George Harrison?
My faves:
(which is similar to a lot of others here...)
Manchester Orchestra, Mean Everything to Nothing
The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love
Grizzly Bear, Vekatimest
Iron & Wine, Around the Well
Passion Pit, Manners
Lykke Li, Youth Novels
Silversun Pickups, Swoon
Is anyone else sick of Animal Collective? Sorry, but it's on my list of overplayed and overrated...
Ergh, it's hard to keep up with all this great music...
I've got Iron and Wine's Around the Well, Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus, and Wilco (The Album) all stacked in a pile of albums that I have yet to really listen to. But I have played them at least once each, and I loved what I heard. Sam Beam's cover of Stereolab's "Peng! 33" has to be one of the best songs I've heard all year.
As for now, I haven't been able to put down Veckatimest since the day it was released, so that's what I'm calling my favorite of the year thus far. Animal Collective's MPP is up there too, but I honestly haven't listened to it since late March. And yeah, that album has kind of gotten over-hyped.
Posted by Jane | July 2, 2009 2:13 PM
Is anyone else sick of Animal Collective? Sorry, but it's on my list of overplayed and overrated...
----------------
Yes! I agree with you 100%
Posted by Jane | July 2, 2009 2:13 PM
Is anyone else sick of Animal Collective? Sorry, but it's on my list of overplayed and overrated...
----------------
Yes! I agree with you 100%
Posted by Jason | July 2, 2009 3:11 PM
THANK YOU.
Also, this may be a bit premature, but I'm loving the new Placebo album...
I gotta disagree with the Animal Collective disses. It's absolutely, one of the most unique but still accessable albums that's come out this year. I think it deserves the hype.
The Decemberists Hazards Of Love is something I don't particulary enjoy listening to on my stereo but loved seeing live. I was disappointed that they didn't bring that live energy to the album.
I keep forgetting about Bat For Lashes...stunning album. Anyone that can pull off a love song about Daniel from the Karate Kid is cool in my book... Definetly one of my favorite albums of '09!
Posted by Melanie Walker | July 2, 2009 4:02 PM
I gotta disagree with the Animal Collective disses. It's absolutely, one of the most unique but still accessable albums that's come out this year. I think it deserves the hype.
------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it is a bad album at all. I just don't think it is the bees knees. I have to say that I appreciate that this band is getting attention at all, I just don't think the album is worth all the attention they are getting. I would rate this album 3 our 5.
Oh, I forgot to mention Bill Callahan's Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle! That is definitely one of my favorites of the year.
By far, no competition in sight - Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Runners up - The Lemonheads - Varshons , Dinosaur Jr - The Farm.
I admit this was harder than I thought - hope springs eternal for fall releases...
I am saddened and shocked to see that meWithoutyou's album It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright is not on here.
Seriously!
bests:
phoenix
discovery
white rabbits
sidenote:
jason - totally agree on art brut suckiness. when i hear that stupid "comics and chocolate milkshakes" song i get so annoyed i want to cut something.
If you haven't picked it up yet or haven't seen her perform live hurry and find out where the album's selling and where she is next....MARIA ISA's "Street Politics" it's a most def best kept and who would have thought came from the state of the snow.
Glad you got this ball rolling Mark. A few '09 favs in no particular order:
Passion Pit - Manners
Gospel Gossip - Dreamland EP
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
Me And My Arrow - One
Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Daughters Of The Sun - Rings
Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid
Apostle Of Hustle - Eats Darkness
The Daredevil Christopher Wright - In Deference To A Broken Back
I've got Todd Snider's "The Excitement Plan", tied for first place With The Eel's "Hombre Lobo". And The Obits, "I blame you" nipping at their heels.
i'll second the distaste for Art Brut's latest... esp. the DC Comics & Chocolate Milkshake song (one of the most annoying songs in The Current's rotation)
i really dug Art Brut's debut, but they've basically put out the same record 3x now and with diminishing returns every time.
it's unfortunate because I was really excited about them the first time i saw them at Primavera Sound Festival in 2005, but i kinda feel like the schtick wore off really quickly with them
Hey hey, don't sleep on Big Bruce and his new album Lunchbox. He's from St. Paul and it's time for Soul Hop to start making it's way to the fore front. Check it.
The Eels - Hombre Lobo
POS - Never Better
Decemberists - Hazards of Love
Dan Auerbach - Keep it Hid
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Conor Oberst - Outer South
Did I skim through too fast or has no one mentioned "Cryptomnesia" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez yet?
Others worth mentioning:
M.Ward - Hold Time
Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, The Commuter
And definately Bromst by Dan Deacon
Iron and wine-Around The Well
The Decemberists-Hazards of Love
Portugal. The Man, is about to release their latest album, and it sounds truly amazing. Hard to believe, but these guys just keep getting better and better. My vote for Album of the Year, already, is without a doubt:
Portugal. The Man "Satanic Satanist"
Dito on loving Andrew Bird's Noble Beast and also Iron & Wine's Around the Well.
The tenderness of these two albums cuts through the BS and helps me to really feel in these calloused times.....
I've been favoring dreamy pop music lately, the best so far this year - Halloween Alaska, Champagne Downtown; Silversun Pickups, Swoon and Metric, Fantasies.
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