Top Albums of 2009: Part I

[Tom]

Man, Veckatimest is really dull.

[JimmyJazz]

Really? I'd rank it in my top 5 records this year. "Southern Point" is probabably my favorite opener so far on a Grizzly Bear album.

[Tom]

Yeah, the spirit of the album feels half-baked but the arrangements seem over done. It's sprawling in a way that it washes over you, but doesn't envelop. Some great singles in there but then again that's what I thought of Yellow Room and now I love it. This is definitely going to be a grower.

[Halitosis]

My top 10

Hatcham Social - You Dig the Tunnel, I'll Hide the Soil
DD/MM/YYYY - Black Square
Dan Deacon - Bromst
Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself
Fever Ray
Silversun Pickups - Swoon
The Horrors - Primary Colours
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Vs. Children

This year is amazing so far.

[parm]

Reservoir by Fanfarlo. Best album I have heard in years. Seriously. Like, Beirut and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire and everything all rolled into one. But actually really as good as that ought to be, and not in an overhyped, media-ish way. "The Walls Are Coming Down" is as good a song as you'll ever hear. Really.

[scarred]

Reservoir by Fanfarlo. Best album I have heard in years. Seriously. Like, Beirut and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire and everything all rolled into one. But actually really as good as that ought to be, and not in an overhyped, media-ish way. "The Walls Are Coming Down" is as good a song as you'll ever hear. Really.

Holy fuck. Why haven't I heard these guys before?

[parm]

Reservoir by Fanfarlo. Best album I have heard in years. Seriously. Like, Beirut and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire and everything all rolled into one. But actually really as good as that ought to be, and not in an overhyped, media-ish way. "The Walls Are Coming Down" is as good a song as you'll ever hear. Really.

Holy fuck. Why haven't I heard these guys before?

That was exactly my reaction too.

[fish across face]

I heard a free song from them on RCRDLBL.com earlier in the week and thought "Holy fuck. Has the singer from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah started a new band?"  Further investigation proves me wrong...

[TheFuriousWombat]

I just tracked down the fifth and final installment of the vinyl only limited edition remix series of Genghis Tron's 'Board Up the House.' This was a series where different labels put out a record containing a couple remixes each from various artists on the given label. The final one comes from Crucial Blast and has a remix by Tim Hecker and one by Nadja and one other band I haven't heard of. It's so, so good and chock full of awesome, heavy distortion. Cool stuff indeed and probably will end up on my list at year's end somewhere.

[spoon_of_grimbo]

i'm on my first proper listen of Devin Townsend's "Ki" and if the rest of the album holds up as well as these first few tracks, it could well be up with the best of this year!

[michaelicious]

I just got the the new Mika Miko album, We be Xuxa. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[theoryC]

My list updated:

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
mewithoutYou - It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright
Hecq - Steeltongued
The Antlers - Hospice
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Amadou and Mariam - Welcome to Mali
Maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
James Blackshaw - The Glass Bead Game
IAMX - Kingdom of the Welcome Addiction

I might switch Decemberists and Mastodon, and IAMX, Grizzly Bear, Fever Ray and Antony are all really close.

[fish across face]

OK, now heard 4 albums from this year I think are good.

Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
DJ Koze - Reincarnations
Lawrence English - A Colour For Autumn
J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid

If it gets to the end of the year and there haven't been 10 albums I like more than that Junior Boys one I'll be disappointed.  It's not that good.  Neither is the Dilla one, really, it's more a pleasant surprise that it's not quite shit.

Have a feeling that both the Seaworthy and Pillow Diver albums released this year will be pretty decent.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Damn it! New Eluvium album was pushed back to early next year There is an original film score that might get released by Matthew Cooper so that's something that might tide me over. Of course, I was a little worried about deciding if I liked the new Riceboy Sleeps album more than a new Eluvium album on my end of the year list and now I don't have to so that's sort of good.

[Koremora]

^ This year should be a good year for ambient.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Already has been! Riceboy Sleeps, almost everything off Sound&Fury (Paseridae, Mirrored Silver Sea, Felicity Mangan, Pefkin ect. ect.), that new Concern album, an album by Barn Owl, a new 7" by Starving Weirdos, a new Metal Rouge album, a Taiga Remains/RV Paintings split LP, Belong's 'October Language' on vinyl, that awesome Glass Armonica album by Zach Wallace, a new Ilyas Ahmed album, a new Sylvain Chaveau album...oh yeah and new albums by Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words, Hildur Gudnasdottir, Library Tapes, Seaworthy, Eluder, Jasper TX, The Alps...probably a whole lot more too I'm just not thinking of/aware of.
Point is, you're right. But I still wanted a new Eluvium album.

[skydivingninja]

My first few favorite albums this year:

Dredg-The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Dream Theater-Black Clouds & Silver Linings
The Mars Volta-Octahedron
Bruce Springsteen-Working on a Dream

Gonna be checking out Chickenfoot and a few others and see how those fare.

[valley_parade]

Belong's 'October Language' on vinyl

Where where where I want this.

[MusicScribbles]

Guys, the new Dirty Projectors album is ace. Bitte Orca guys, Bitte Orca.

[Johnny C]

Bitte Orca guys, Orca Bitte.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Belong's 'October Language' on vinyl

Where where where I want this.

http://www.geographic-north.com/

180g vinyl, only $13. Sure to be packaged nicely too if the handful of previous GN releases are any indication.

[frullic]

why even start this thread now? the new Rammstein album is coming out in october...


Yes, I am a R+ fan and a convicted arson

[Aegir]

The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Steve Carter - Signal Fire
The Beach Boys - Summer Love Songs (yes, it's a compilation but it includes new remixes)

[Gridgm]

why even start this thread now? the new Rammstein album is coming out in october...


Yes, I am a R+ fan and a convicted arson

...wow

[Akeboshi]

Some new considerations, in no particular order:

IQ - "Frequency"
British prog rockers who do not focus so much on technical skill.  Instead, their INCREDIBLE vocalist and very talented musicians build a symphonic, emotional wall of sound.  It's pretty intesne, so check it out.  Great stuff. 

Jessie Kilguss - "Nocturnal Drifter"
A truly wonderful cabaret-style singer/songwriter who no one has listened to yet.  Her lyrics are pointed and powerful, and her entire album is a strange smattering of MANY genres all which seem to blend well to her beautiful, passionate voice.

Grant Campbell - "Expecting Great Things"
Grant Cambell has a rich and beautiful baritone voice.  It's not often you find a baritone singing folk/acoustic-rock songs, but MAN does this guy nail it perfectly.  In addition to a fabulous singing voice, his lyrics and songs are great.  "Fingerpicked acoustic guitar underscores his expressive, Waits-like gravelly vocals in songs of emotional catharsis, fear of loneliness, spiritual bravery, adult responsibility and, of course, the sought-after redemption of love."  This is truly the beginning of a fantastic artist, CHECK HIM OUT.

[valley_parade]

Belong's 'October Language' on vinyl

Where where where I want this.

http://www.geographic-north.com/

180g vinyl, only $13. Sure to be packaged nicely too if the handful of previous GN releases are any indication.

Thanks! Will order one ASAP.

[Zombiedude]

Guys, the new Dirty Projectors album is ace. Bitte Orca guys, Bitte Orca.

You should listen to this guy.

[fish across face]

How does the latest Dirty Projectors compare to their other albums?  Had strong recommendations circa The Getty Address but didn't enjoy that one much.  Same kind of sound?

Also, didn't that Belong album come out in 2007?

[Johnny C]

The two most recent Dirty Projectors records have been more full-band affairs, and they've also been more concerned with actual songs - the interesting textures remain but the melodies and structures are a lot more accessible.

[fish across face]

^ Full-band sounds like a point against, but actual songs are always a plus.  

Just read an interview where the main guy was raving about Mariah Carey and Beyonce, which for me is definitely several points in the Dirty Projectors' favour.  Will investigate...

[tender]

I do love Stillness is the Move. You should check out the CD, Fish.

[scarred]

KEXP gave me a track off of the new Eels record. It's actually really good.

[Johnny C]

^ Full-band sounds like a point against

Weird opinion, man. They excel as a live act, so why wouldn't they try to replicate that on record?

[fish across face]

Basically, when it comes to albums, I tend to enjoy almost anything over recordings of a (typical line-up) band playing. 

Tend to.

But, reading back, you wrote nothing about what the "full band" line up is, what the arrangements are like, etc. so I'm probably off leaping to assumptions that they've taken out what I did find interesting about The Getty Address.

Either way, I'll go listen to the damn thing and stop writing purely academic stuff about my theoretical chances of liking a record. 

[David_Dovey]

I don't know what the general consensus about this band is but if Alexisonfire's Old Crows/Young Cardinals was a a bit more consistent it would definitely be top 5 material. As it is the first half is pretty unmemorable, and the second half kicks out the jams.

[Johnny C]

I used to like AOF a lot but Crisis was severely disappointing. If you're looking for a more consistent record, try either the self-titled or Watch Out!

The "full band" lineup on Bitte Orca runs the gamut from like three guitars, bass and drums to acoustic guitar and string section.

[Be My Head]

Listening to Pestilence's Resurrection Macabre, so far it's satisfying my need for fast brutal technical death metal nicely. A little formulaic however. Definitely not going to be one of my favourites.

Next on my list to check out: Atheist.

Should be mindblowingly good. If only they would hurry up and finish the fucker.

[valley_parade]

EELS

[TheFuriousWombat]

Just a guess: The new Black Heart Procession album will be awesome.

[David_Dovey]

Guys guys we can give up this silly search.

Regina Spektor.

[Clyde_Frog]

so far

Les Trucs - Schönen Gruß vom Getriebe

Gtuk - Illusions to the Max

Crystal Antlers - Tentacles

Artefacts For Space Travel - S/T

Americans In France - Pretzelvania

Neils Children - X.ENC

Intelligence - Fake Surfers

Wavves - Wavvves

hopefully soon

The Fuck Hornisschen Orchestra - Von Fohlen und Wäldern

The Ruling Class - ?

[bob, just bob]

not in any particular order

Ida Maria - Fortress round my heart
how has no one mentioned this yet? this is such a great album. such a great debut album, I really hope she goes somewhere

Mastodon - Crack the Skye
I thought this was their best offering in a long time, not that the other stuff was bad, I just thought this was better

Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
I love this guy, and I played this album for days when it came out.

Morrissey - Years of Refusal
I love Morrissey... that's all there really is to this one haha.

[SWOON! at My Gravitas]

Definitely Wavering Radiant, and probably Crack the Skye, unless a lot of mind-blowing music is released between now and 2010.  Which wouldn't suck.

I keep coming back to the Amesoeurs album, so that just might end up being one.

The new Wolves in the Throne Room album will almost certainly earn the coveted Made Me Cry award.

And both Pelican and Agalloch might release records later this year.  And I mean, if you're going to put something on a list, it might as well be an album by one of these guys.

[Johnny C]

That Amesoeurs record is pretty good.

The new Dino Jr. record is ace, it's like choice cut after choice cut.

[fangsanalsatan]

I've been giving these the most spins, especially the first two.

1. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
2. maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
3. Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country
4. Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind
5. Kylesa - Static Tensions

New Kylesa takes the cake for best sludge metal so far, shit's punk.

[Phaedra]

...Elfin Saddle, Do Make Say Think, Anonymeye, Sunset Rubdown,...

Holy shit, I got so excited when I saw that I signed into this account after like a year away to look for info but it looks like nothing's been released/confirmed yet?
They're pretty much my favourite band ever.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Yeah, no confirmations but I did hear a reliable rumor a while back. Forget the source but I know it was legit...doesn't mean this'll happen for sure but it would be nice! Although I'd honestly rather have a new album by The Drift.

[michaelicious]

Maybe people were talking about Ohad's solo album that came out under the name Years?

[TheFuriousWombat]

No, it was DMST. And it wasn't just people but someone involved with Constellation or something. Like I said, may have been he was mistaken or it got delayed or whatever.

[spoon_of_grimbo]

I used to like AOF a lot but Crisis was severely disappointing. If you're looking for a more consistent record, try either the self-titled or Watch Out!

i don't get this line of thinking at all.  the first one was too immature - just fairly lame screamo with a few odd highlights.  watch out was too dallas-heavy and a bit directionless.  crisis was where they hit a balance between the two, and hit their stride.