My favourite music of 2009, wherein I list things I like and make pithy comments. See also, from 2008. Not a great year in music, but as always, a bunch of new artists on the scene with a fistful of good tracks – will you remember them next year?
Top 10 Albums of 2009
10. Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian Prefuse 73
Like Flying Lotus’s Los Angeles (2008), Prefuse 73 offers an album suitable for narcoleptics, schizophrenics and those otherwise suffering from attention deficit disorders. Micro-songs chock-full of texture and beats, each its own little rush.
9. Embryonic The Flaming Lips
Sprawling across two CDs, the Lips cover a broad sonic and emotional landscape. Perhaps the the most musically rich and interesting albums of the year.
8. It’s Blitz Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Still darlings of the indie rock world, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound less raw in this release, but turn out some well-tuned pop-rock songs with a hint of disco.
7. Sketch on Glass/Maybes Mount Kimbie
Incredibly well-executed electronic music that has elements of dubstep, minimal techno and ambient. One of my favourite discoveries of 2009.
6. Tarot Sport Fuck Buttons
The Fuck Buttons continue their excellent form, following on from 2009’s Street Horrsing. Sit back, turn it up, and let it wash over you. Each track takes you somewhere, sometimes through harsh, brutal terrain, but you are always rewarded for it.
5. Fever Ray Fever Ray
There’s not a whole lot of difference between Karin Dreijer Andersson as “Fever Ray” and Karin Dreijer Andersson plus brother Olof as “The Knife”, but who cares. Distorted, creepy vocals and superb synth work. Also, the best live show I saw all year.
4. Junior Röyksopp
I am at risk for losing my visa if I do not include a Norwegian band, so I’m delighted that Röyskopp released the excellent Junior this year. An incredibly solid pop/dance release brimming with stand-out tracks.
3. The Crying Light Antony and the Johnsons
A little less bombast (by Antony standards), it took me quite a few listens to appreciate the sublimeness of this release. An album that lifts your spirit in parts but still offers lots of opportunity for crashing down in melancholy.
2. First Love Emmy the Great
Another discovery of 2009, First Love is both a hugely under-appreciated release and hugely impressive debut. Singer-songwriter/pop-acoustic kind of a thing, with excellent lyrics, catchy melodies and good production.
1. Merriweather Post Pavilion Animal Collective
No surprises here I suppose as Merriweather Post Pavilion topped most best-of lists for 2009. It indeed includes some excellent tracks, although disappointing as an album. If you ignore some of the filler tracks but bundle in Fall Be Kind which was released later, you can make your own Animal Collective Ultimate 2009 Album.
Best compilations
- 5: Five Years of Hyperdub: An excellent primer on the general dubstep scene with some of the best.
- The Sun Came Out 7 Worlds Collide: Collection of world-class musicians getting together in New Zealand to bang out some tracks for charity. A highlight is the singing and song-writing of Phil Selway (Radiohead’s drummer).
- Dark was the Night: Hipster heaven.
Also enjoyed were…
Didn’t quite make my top 10, but are worth a listen were:
- Arrivals Worriedaboutsatan: Sparse, atmospheric, brooding techno.
- Bitte Orca Dirty Projectors: When its good, its very good, but a bit scatter-shot.
- Dragonslayer Sunset Rubdown: Tortured rock
- Flashmob Vitalic: French house music to the letter
- In and Out of Control The Raveonettes: Same Raveonettes shtick of 50s-styled surf rock and dark lyrics
- Miike Snow Miike Snow: Long-time producers and remixers, the Miike Snow project debuts with a decent electronic pop effort.
- My Maudlin Career Camera Obscura: Warm and glowing tweeish pop.
- Numbers Lucent Squarepusher: The EP is a return to form after the diversion of 2008’s concept album Just a Souvenir.
- March of the Zapotec/Realpeople Holland Beirut: The first EP features some lovely instrumental pastiches from Zac Condon’s bender in Mexico, the second featuring some of his electronic tendencies.
- Scars Basement Jaxx: Nothing unexpected from the Jaxx duo as they continue doing what they do best.
- Two Dancers Wild Beasts: Electro-rock
- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Phoenix: Excellent but oh-so sugary.
Overrated
The top three most overrated albums of 2009 are:
1. Actor St. Vincent
2. Album Girls
3. Real Estate Real Estate
Tracks
Some favourite tracks from albums not mentioned above:
- Babys Bon Iver ≡
- Belated Promise Ring Iron & Wine ≡
- Boat Behind Kings of Convenience ≡
- Crying Lightning Arctic Monkeys ≡
- Feel Like Taking You Home Brendan Benson ≡
- Gently Alcoholic Faith Mission ≡
- Hit the Wall Tada Tátà ≡
- I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet The Field ≡
- Jiggery Pokery Duckworth Lewis Method ≡
- My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille Beirut ≡
- Moth Burial & Four Tet ≡
- Neopolitan Dreams Lisa Mitchell ≡
- Two Weeks Grizzly Bear ≡
- Walkabout Atlas Sound (with Noah Lennox) ≡
