2009 Year-End List #10: Favorite Albums #20-1

Okay, I'm sorry this is taking so long. Finally, here are my 20 favorite albums of 2009. I promise in 2010 I will be much more timely with my year-end posts, ideally more like 2008.

Download a zip of one song per each of these albums (totaling 20, duh) via Medifire RIGHT HERE.

Alright, LET'S DO THIS.


(20) Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle - Bill Callahan (Drag City)
Another unsurprisingly great release from underground folk king Bill Callahan. Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle is his best since shedding the Smog name. These songs are wonderfully orchestrated and understated, and some of them, namely "Jim Cain," are the best of his career, as far as I'm concerned. Simply gorgeous.
Top jams: "Jim Cain," "The Wind and the Dove," "Rococo Zephyr," "Too Many Birds," "My Friend," "Faith/Void"


(19) Declaration of Dependence - Kings of Convenience (EMI)
Two folk records in a row! Declaration of Dependence is a bit more jazzy, rhythmic and perhaps even adult contemporary. Here, Kings of Convenience have crafted beautiful songs using only the bare essentials: vocals, acoustic guitars and some subtle strings and piano at times. They also successfully mime Simon & Garfunkel harmonies. This isn't usually my sort of thing, but hey, Nick Drake doesn't have to be the only person to have done this style of folk music right.
Top jams: "Mrs. Cold," "Me in You," "Rule My World," "Renegade," "Freedom and It's Owner," "Scars on Land"


(18) Waterparks - Alec Jensen (self-released)
Yup, Alec Jensen (both the musician AND the blogger) is a good bud of mine. And yeah, I play in a band with him. However, his talent and genius far outweighs any guilt I feel for including him on this list. I was a fan before friend, starting with his shockingly (at the time) great Best Friend EP, and his shit just keeps getting better. His latest, Waterparks, perfectly captures his essence. There are pop, country and 90s indie rock moments thrown through a lo-fi (in this case, simply meaning recorded at home) filter, showcasing his best work yet. I can't wait to hear what he does next.
Top jams: "Incarcerated," "You Do it Sometimes," "1989/1994," "Shear Us Sheep," "Elegance," "Waterparks"


(17) Farm - Dinosaur Jr. (Jagjaguwar)
If you've even only heard one Dinosaur Jr. song, then you should know exactly what to expect here (90s indie rock with really loud guitars and wanky solos). Farm is their second album since their 2007 reunion, and it is even better than that year's Beyond. In fact, I might go so far as to say that this is my favorite Dino Jr. album, period.
Top jams: "Pieces," "I Want You to Know," "Your Weather," "Friends," "See You," "Imagination Blind"


(16) Watch Me Fall - Jay Reatard (Matador)
Weird that I didn't check out Jay Reatard's music until this, his final album (due to his recent death, which I am not going to say anything about). I just recently downloaded 2006's Blood Visions, and have never listened to any of his 7"s, so I have no idea how to judge this against those. But, it seems like Watch Me Fall was a good place to start. This is some nice, versatile Buzzcocks-esque pop punk with a lot going on like layers of guitars (electric and acoustic) and keyboards every once in a while. The album features great melodies, really fun songs, and some of the absolute best sections of songs I had heard all year.
Top jams: "It Ain't Gonna Save Me," "Before I Was Caught," "Can't Do It Anymore," "I'm Watching You," "My Reality," "Hang Them All"


(15) Received Pronunciation - Pants Yell! (Slumberland)
Another album I have to thank my boy Travis Bravender for. Also, another top notch 2009 album from Slumberland Records. On Received Pronunciation, Pants Yell! play a smart brand of indie pop. The songs are subtle and never get very loud, and their structures aren't traditional. The guitars get pretty jangly, which is totally my jam these days, the vocals are hushed, and the melodies are slight, which is pretty cool too. There isn't anything to freak out about here, it is just a nice, very solid record that hit all the right sweet spots.
Top jams: "Frank and Sandy," "Rue de La Paix," "Cold Hands," "Got to Stop," "Marble Staircase," "Not Wrong"


(14) Psychic Chasms - Neon Indian (Lefse)
Of this new, poorly named "glo-fi"/"chillwave" trend, Neon Indian's Psychic Chasms is by far the best of it. I won't deny that it's quite top heavy (the second through fourth tracks are three of the best songs I heard in '09), but as a whole, it is still damn good. It is synth-heavy pop that is very 80s, very summery and technically very warped sounding (as if it were recorded to shitty cassette tape, which, maybe it was). I'm not sure how much for real this guy is, but I hope its a lot.
Top jams: "Deadbeat Summer," "Laughing Gas," "Terminally Chill," "6669 (I Don't Know if You Know)," "Mind, Drips," "Local Joke"


(13) How I Became Illustrated - The Word Play (Suburban Sprawl)
Hailing from the Detroit area, The Word Play are another band of buddies of mine. I have had these songs since late 2007, so I have spent a lot of time with them. How I Became Illustrated is a fantastic ode to the best of 90s indie rock. Built to Spill and Pavement are represented just about flawlessly here, and there are even some hints at DC art-punk soldiers Q and Not U. But, this album isn't just a tribute. It takes these influences and puts a new jagged, angular spin on them, reinventing the genre. These boys make me so proud!
Top jams: "The Critic Darling," "Action," "Nervous Driver," "Winning Prizes," "National Opera," "Tuning Out"


(12) Dark Days/Light Years - Super Furry Animals (Rough Trade)
I don't think Super Furry Animals' newest, Dark Days/Light Years, has even been released in the States yet, but it is a wondrous psychedelic pop juggernaut. It is simply awesome. There are so many different genres and sounds presented here, but it is a cohesive whole with ties to all the right 60s and 70s bands. The songwriting, musicianship and originality are all very impressive. It is a dynamic, never boring, keep-you-on-your-toes kind of pop record with too many memorable melodies to keep track. I don't love absolutely every song, but this is a fucking doozey of an album.
Top jams: "Moped Eyes," "Inaugural Trams," "Cardiff in the Sun," "The Very Best of Neil Diamond," "Helium Hearts," "White Socks/Flip Flops," "Lliwiau Llachar"


(11) Everything Goes Wrong - Vivian Girls (In the Red)
Who knew an all-girl band could sound so tough? Not I. Nor did I realize Vivian Girls were any good until seeing them at the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival (and yes, they are total babes). Everything Went Wrong is a huge improvement over their critically loved, self-titled 2008 effort. The songs are still very lo-fi and drenched in reverb, but thankfully there is more variety in the production style and chord progressions. It doesn't hurt that the songs are even better.
Top jams: "Walking Alone at Night," "I Have No Fun," "Can't Get Over You," "The Desert," "When I'm Gone," "I'm Not Asleep," "You're My Guy"


(10) Actor - St. Vincent (4AD)
I thoroughly enjoyed St. Vincent's 2007 debut, Marry Me, but at times it sounded a little too singer/songwriter-y for me. On Actor, Annie Clark, the babe of all indie rock babes, has shed those singer/songwriter constraints, and has created a fascinating, ballsy and often times distorted record. It's still pop, and it's still gorgeous, but Clark got a bit more daring and damaged, or something, experimenting with some darker and more bad ass soundscapes. I totally prefer this.
Top jams: "The Strangers," "Save Me From What I Want," "Actor Out of Work," "Laughing With a Mouth of Blood," "Marrow," "The Party"


(9) Veckatimest - Grizzly Bear (Warp)
For most of the year, I thought that Veckatimest didn't even come close to touching Grizzly Bear's first claim to fame, 2006's Yellow House. Then, when I revisited it for the last time before getting this list completely in perfect order, I realized that I actually do like this better. Not by all that much, but its just that while the best songs on Yellow House blow any song on Veckatimest out of the water, there is just a higher number of songs on the latter that I like than on the former. I prefer the mood and overall sound of Yellow House over Veckatimest's poppiness, but it also has a song or two that I don't really like. I can't say that about Veckatimest. And, the more complex drumming definitely doesn't hurt. Regardless, Grizzly Bear is unique and awesome, and this album rules.
Top jams: "Southern Point," "Two Weeks," "All We Ask," "Cheerleader," "About Face," "While You Wait for the Others," "I Live With You"


(8) Real Estate - Real Estate (Woodsist)
The ultimate trend of 2009 seemed to be lazy summery songs about lazy summers, or something like that. Real Estate did this the best, and not just because of song titles like "Beach Comber" and "Pool Swimmers." Their Pavement-esque, shimmering guitars, bored vocals and bittersweet chord progressions perfectly represent a summer full of good friends, drinking and feeling depressed about being unemployed (which just so happens to be exactly what my summer was, how about that). Without question, the MVPs of Real Estate's self-titled record are the two guitarists. Dear lord do those guitars sound fucking gorgeous.
Top jams: "Beach Comber," "Pool Swimmers," "Suburban Dogs," "Atlantic City," "Fake Blues," "Snow Days"


(7) Popular Songs - Yo La Tengo (Matador)
Leave it to Yo La Tengo to be just awesome. One of the longest running bands in indie rock are part of a small but elite line of bands who have released nothing but stellar albums for many moons (Radiohead and The Sea and Cake are at the front of that line with YLT while Animal Collective are getting there). Needless to say, I was not surprised at all when I discovered that Popular Songs was as good as I was expecting it to be. Over the past couple of releases, the band seems to have expanded from the respected niche that they created into the territory of insane amount of variety plus cohesiveness. Much like 2006's I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, Popular Songs sounds like what I think a YLT mixtape would sound like, while still entirely sounding like YLT. There is a motown song, a chimey ode to The Byrds, a song that sounds like YLT covering 90s YLT, and so many others. Not only do they rule for that, but I love that they have the balls to close the album with three songs that are each more than ten minutes long (actually, I can't believe I'm saying that). Gah! They are SO AWESOME.
Top jams: "Avalon or Someone Very Similar," "Nothing to Hide," "If It's True," "I'm on My Way," "When It's Dark," "All Your Secrets," "And the Glitter is Gone"


(6) Let's Build a Roof - Lake (K)
Here is my surprise album of the year. Lake's Let's Build a Roof came out of absolutely nowhere. I have no idea why I even retrieved it. Boy am I glad that I did, though. The songs here balance a line between bright, lo-fi indie pop and smooth and subtle R & B, often times combining the two. The recording quality is so appropriate for the songs; everything sounds just perfect. There's a lot of those chimey guitars that I love, and the band uses electric piano in all the right ways. Every song is good, more than half of them are fantastic. Get this album.
Top jams: "Breathing," "Gravel," "Madagascar," "Loose Wind," "Remote Control Cars," "Don't Give Up," "Christmas Island"


(5) Begone Dull Care - Junior Boys (Domino)
In 2008 I claimed that Hercules and Love Affair's self-titled record featured the best electronic music I've heard since Daft Punk's Discovery. Then I finally got into Junior Boys' So This is Goodbye, which slightly has an edge over Hercules and Love Affair. In 2009, them boys finally followed that up with an even better one: Begone Dull Care. With the exception of the loud and awesomely funky "Hazel," these songs are smooth, slow jams with incredibly smart chord progressions and blips and bloops that are present but not overbearing. Jeremy Greenspan's vocals are breathy and completely fitting. Alright, so this might be my favorite since Discovery.
Top jams: "Work," "Dull to Pause," "Hazel," "The Animator," "What It's For"


(4) Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix (Glassnote)
Okay, so, now we have arrived at the Obvious Zone. If you at any point have talked 2009 music with me over the past six months or so (and happen to remember anything from the interaction), these top four albums shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Now, this was Phoenix's year, wasn't it? If everyone and their mom didn't already come to like them with 2006's It's Never Been Like That, they sure did with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The car commercials sure didn't hurt. I must admit, it is entirely deserving. I would be completely fine hearing Phoenix on top 40 radio. They are slickly produced, pure pop/rock, and their sound would sort of fit the format. Also, they are the best group doing this. Not only is their production impeccable, they have clever and amazing songs to boot. They deserve to be huge.
Top jams: "Lisztomania," "1901," "Fences," "Lasso," "Countdown (Sick for the Big Sun)," "Girlfriend"


(3) Taxis - Zoos of Berlin (self-released)
Zoos of Berlin are the best band in Detroit. Appropriately, I think I can say that Taxis is my favorite release to come out of Detroit as well. This album is pretty damn close to perfect. There isn't one moment here that I don't like, and I happen to even love most of them. The influence of Berlin-era David Bowie is evident, but there is a lot more going on than just that. The recording is somehow pristine without being too nice (if that even makes sense). They combine jazz, R & B, post-punk and pop with an Eno sort of ambience to create something entirely new and original. This just rules so hard.
Top jams: "Century Rail," "Black in the Sun Room," "Water Town," "Doctor Vine Passing," "Stay by the Ark," "Electrical Way," "Coliseum"


(2) Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors (Domino)
What an improvement from 2007's Black Flag reinterpretation, Rise Above. Don't get me wrong, I really like that record, but Bitte Orca is leaps and bounds better. This is almost what I would imagine Led Zeppelin would have sounded like had they tried to record an R & B album. Sans "Remade Horizon," which sounds like a really obnoxious and bad Vampire Weekend song, this record would have been flawless. The guitars are a bit less wanky, David Longstreth's vocals are more tolerable, the girls vocals are even better and the rhythms are tighter while still being tricky. Bitte Orca ended up being exactly the album that I hoped for. If only they would have used the two songs from the single they recently released instead of that damn "Remade Horizon," this might have been number one.
Top jams: "Cannibal Resource," "The Bride," "Stillness is the Move," "Two Doves," "Useful Chamber," "No Intention"


(1) Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective (Domino)
Ah, here we are. Does this look familiar? Almost every blog and magazine seemed to love Merriweather Post Pavilion more than anything else in 2009, and rightfully so. It is the best. Even though I might not consider it my favorite Animal Collective record, they keep getting better in the way that each album sounds completely different than the prior one, and they are learning to balance their bizarre experiments with sounds and rhythms with being more accessible. The first time I heard this, I thought it would retain the number one spot all year. I'm glad I was right, because I love the hell out of this band. And, with how great and somehow still different the surprise Fall be Kind EP that saw release at the very end of the year was, I have no idea what to expect next aside from something incredible. Needless to say, I am excited.
Top jams: "My Girls," "Also Frightened," "Summertime Clothes," "Daily Routine," "Taste," "Lion in a Coma," "Brother Sport"