2009 Year-End List #6: Favorite Songs #40-21

Friends and celebrations have been taking up too much of my time lately. Not really, but I have had enough distraction keeping me from my year-end posts. Time to continue on.

HERE is a zip of songs #40-21. Download it and listen. Now, here are my thoughts.

(40) "Glacially" Asobi Seksu, from Hush (Polyvinyl)
Hush was a severe disappointment, but at least it lead to one really sweet jam. Asobi Seksu's brand of shoegaze pop is a bit too polished and is especially wussy, but "Glacially" is a pretty, upbeat number until the end, when things get slightly messy. The sort of tough, sparse shoegaze guitar at the end is the best part.

(39) "Stay by the Ark" Zoos of Berlin, from Taxis (self-titled)
This isn't the most accessible track from Zoos' masterpiece, Taxis, let alone is it the most obvious choice for favorite song. But, I think that is a huge part of why it is. Not that any point of the album is even slightly annoying or overwhelming, but "Stay by the Ark" is masterfully dowsed with subtleties, like the chopped up drums, its odd melody and the space between what little else is going on. It definitely only helps that it is so smooth.

(38) "What Would I Want? Sky" Animal Collective, from Fall be Kind EP (Domino)
Spoiler alert: this is not even close to the last Animal Collective song that will appear on this list. Could they have ended their year of years more appropriately than the surprise release of a new EP? Absolutely not. In spite of its challenging intro, the second half of "What Would I Want? Sky" is such a wonderful way to have capped off 2009. There is so much to like here: the 7/8 time signature, obviously the melodies and interesting chord changes (when they happen) and yes, even the Grateful Dead sample. But, most of all, this is Avey Tare's best vocal performance to date.

(37) "Lasso" Phoenix, from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
Based on my knowledge of Phoenix, "Lasso" seems to be the closest they have gotten to pop punk. It's a little more complex than that, and it's still ultra produced and poppy, but there is a bit more edge here in the guitars and drums (whether they are real or sampled). The song is fast and simply bad ass.

(36) "All We Ask" Grizzly Bear, from Veckatimest (Warp)
One of my musical characteristics, at least listening-wise, is that I am patient. This really comes in handy when listening to "All We Ask." This could have easily been the most boring song on Veckatimest. In fact, the song doesn't even get good until it reaches the point where there's only a minute left. All before that there are some nice things going, but it's not all that good, and is REAL boring. But, its final minute is the absolute best thing that happens on Veckatimest. It is so simple (there is only harmonies, stomps, claps and mellotron), and is completely worth the wait.

(35) "Nothing but Change Part II" Harlem Shakes, from Technicolor Health (Gigantic)
Technicolor Health is a collection of sort of interesting, quirky indie pop songs. It is mostly pretty lame. However, "Nothing but Change Part II" should be Harlem Shakes' pride and joy. It's not too far off from what Born Ruffians do, there is just more going on instrumentally. The song's greatest strengths are its unconventional structure and all around zaniness.

(34) "This Tornado Loves You" Neko Case, from Middle Cyclone (Anti-)
Everyone knows Neko Case has, like, the best female voice in modern music, right? It is showcased perfectly on the excellent Middle Cyclone, along with some gorgeous instrumentation. The ending to the song utterly crushes me.

(33) "Ancient Questions" Mount Eerie, from Wind's Poem (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
Have no idea how to explain why I love this song. It is sparse, understated, creepy and gorgeous. I've never been a big Phil Elverum fan, but "Ancient Questions" is my favorite song of his since "I Want Wind to Blow."

(32) "My Girls" Animal Collective, from Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
Duh, this song is incredible. My favorite thing about it is how tricky the rhythms are. The way the song starts with those twinkling synths makes you think there is a nice swing to it, then shaker comes in after the first verse and makes you realize the rhythm is more straight than you were expecting, and then when the slightly harder beat comes in during the chorus, it's just over. Oh yeah, and the vocals and melodies are awesome, and the lyrics share a nice sentiment too.

(31) "Get Up" Washed Out, from Life of Leisure EP (Mexican Summer)
"Get Up" is a dark, hazey summer jam that could have existed in a previous life in the 80s. The synths are big and warped, the beat is muddled but hard and Ernest Greene's voice is ideal.

(30) "The Strangers" St. Vincent, from Actor (4AD)
I'm glad Annie Clark decided to get weird and tough and on her 2009 album. Don't get me wrong, I liked her more singer/songwriter oriented chamber pop stuff, and that is a huge element of most of Actor's leading track, "The Strangers." But, towards the end the gnarly, distorted guitar comes in, and it is bliss. I remember the first time hearing it and thinking, "Wow, Annie, you really grew some balls!" Maybe her next album will sound like a weirder version of The Breeders.

(29) "Island, IS" Volcano Choir, from Unmap (Jagjaguwar)
Volcano Choir is a collaboration between Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) and Milwaukee's Collections of Colonies of Bees (some of who used to be in an old Polyvinyl technical instrumental band I loved called Pele). The combined effort led to an interesting, albeit unsurprising result. "Island, IS" is the album's best track by far, featuring a soft but confusing rhythm, Vernon's soulful singing and some awesomely edited, finger-tapped guitars. I wish the whole album was this good.

(28) "The Dark" Woods, from Sunlit 7" (Captured Tracks)
I'm not sure if this song would suffer or benefit from lowering the pitch of its vocals, which are comically high. They're kind of charming, and I guess the song would be pretty standard sloppy guitar pop otherwise. Woods' full length from this year, Songs of Shame, was totally underwhelming, but thanks to Travis for showing me this terrific jam with its catchy melody and very strong ending.

(27) "Cannibal Resource" Dirty Projectors, from Bitte Orca (Domino)
"Cannibal Resource" is Dirty Projectors at their most Zeppelin-esque. Dave Longstreth's vocals aren't so ridiculous here, but the girls' back-up vocals sure are. The drums are very much Bonham in both sound and feel. I guess there are other songs on Bitte Orca where the guitars sound more like Jimmy Page, but overall, I can't shake how much "Cannibal Resource" sounds like a 90s indie rock band with R & B singers trying to be Led Zeppelin. And, I love it.

(26) "Helium Hearts" Super Furry Animals, from Dark Days/Light Years (Rough Trade)
2009 was the year that I finally decided to give Super Furry Animals a chance, and they did not disappoint one bit. "Helium Hearts" is a catchy, wonderfully orchestrated psychedelic pop gem.

(25) "Beach Comber" Real Estate, from Real Estate (Woodsist)
Real Estate sound like a less clever and more bored Pavement who care much more about how their clean-channeled guitars sound together than their vocal melodies (not that their vocal melodies are bad by any means), and this is easily their best song. The best part of "Beach Comber" is the tight jam session that doesn't go anywhere but doesn't last too long at the end.

(24) "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare" Matt & Kim, from Grand (Fader)
Matt & Kim are loud, yelpy, whiney and thus, obnoxious. I should hate them. But their 2009 album, Grand, had three songs that I loved. "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare" is the best of those three. The piano sounds great and is a really nice touch. The stomp/clap percussion comes in perfectly and doesn't change, which is smart. And, while the chorus melody is memorable, but isn't even close to my favorite (that honor goes to "I'll Take Us Home"), the melody during the verses is superb. "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare" was a pleasant surprise, for sure.

(23) "Tunnelvision" Here We Go Magic, from Here We Go Magic (Western Vinyl)
Sometimes repetition can be wondrous, and Here We Go Magic really nail that with "Tunnelvision." Nothing really changes aside from layers of acoustic guitar and vocals being added on. The soft tip-tap of the drums pretty much never intensifies either, making this the slowest of builds. It all is really beautiful.

(22) "Before I Was Caught" Jay Reatard, from Watch Me Fall (Matador)
Another page of choppy, yet chimey pop punk taken from the book of Buzzcocks. As simple a song as this is, Reatard is at his absolute best here.

(21) "Legal Tender" Handsome Furs, from Face Control (Sub Pop)
Face Control is the second album from Handsome Furs, which features Wolf Parader Dan Boeckner and wife Alexei Perry. Just like the first one, it is only an okay record. But, Face Control's lead-off track, "Legal Tender" is a true jam. Boeckner's got that blue collar swagger going, and it's interesting to hear it in this electro-punk context, especially when the barrage of chimey synths come in on the last chorus. This might be the best Wolf Parade-related song since anything from 2005's Apologies to the Queen Mary.