2009 Year-End List #7: Favorite Songs #20-1

Ok, finally, here we are! On to my 20 favorite songs of 2009!

Download a zip of #20-1 RIGHT HERE.

Please, enjoy.

(20) "Madagascar" Lake, from Let's Build a Roof (K)
Here is quite the slow jam from one of the great surprises of 2009. "Madagascar" is a sparse number with an awesome two chord progression manhandled by wurlitzer, and borders on R & B if it weren't for the nonchalant vocals and downtrodden mood. This is Lake at their best and absolute smoothest.

(19) "Ultimate Satisfaction" Bear in Heaven, from Beast Rest Forth Mouth (Hometapes)
This lone true highlight from Bear in Heaven's critically acclaimed Beast Rest Forth Mouth would fit perfect in a horror film. It expresses anxiety and desperation quite appropriately, at least musically. I could see this used for the final escape scene from a monster or murderer, where there is only one survivor. It's a little dramatic, but only explodes in little spurts during the choruses, only to die off fairly quickly. "Ultimate Satisfaction" is an awesomely dark, electronic yet organic nightmare, and I love it for that.

(18) "In the Now" Cursive, from Mama, I'm Swollen (Saddle Creek)
"In the Now" is Cursive's most purely emo track since 2000's Domestica, and it also might just be my favorite song of theirs since then. It is simple, fast, noisy and more dynamic than they've been in a while. No bells and whistles here, just bad assery.

(17) "Deadbeat Summer" Neon Indian, from Psychic Chasms (Lefse)
I'm bummed I didn't look into Neon Indian until fall, because "Deadbeat Summer" would have easily been my top summer jam. Hazy and warped like all this other "glo-fi"/"chillwave" stuff, what sets "Deadbeat Summer" and Neon Indian in general apart is simply the fact that chief member Alan Palomo's songs, melodies and voice are the best in this new genre. This just sounds and feels so much like summer, even when falling into the depths of January.

(16) "Useful Chamber" Dirty Projectors, from Bitte Orca (Domino)
After spending most of the year debating with myself, I have decided that "Useful Chamber" is not only the most insane track from Bitte Orca, it is the best. It is weird, really fun, and all over the place without being too all over the place. As the album's centerpiece, it is the sum of all that is good about the entire thing.

(15) "Taste" Animal Collective, from Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
Why does no one ever talk about this song? Whenever I listen to MPP, "Taste" is the song I look forward to hearing most. It is the brightest and most accessible part of the album. I can't help but bob my head along every time. Everything about it is perfect, but mainly the reggae beat, video game synths, and the wonderfully vague lyric, "Am I really all the things that are outside of me?" I'm still trying to decide on what that means to me, but I like the way the question feels.

(14) "About Face" Grizzly Bear, from Veckatimest (Warp)
"About Face" is the least dynamic song on Veckatimest, but that's the way I like it, I think. An arpeggio guitar line with nothing much else going on aside from some subtle percussion and vocals, really. It doesn't really go anywhere, which is nice when the mood is just right. Other than that, I'm not really sure how to explain why I love this one so much.

(13) "Hazel" Junior Boys, from Begone Dull Care (Domino)
Talk about a fun dance song with a really great chord progression. With "Hazel," Junior Boys do what they do best: sing some nice breathy vocals, demonstrate their immaculate skills with 80s synth sounds and like I basically stated earlier, show off those great chord progressions that they know how to use flawlessly
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(12) "Wilco (The Song)" Wilco, from Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch)
2007's Sky Blue Sky was such a let down, and thankfully, Wilco (The Album) is a nice pick-me-up from that. Apparently, Jeff Tweedy and co. decided that they can still rock (let alone release a good album again) while being appealing to fathers. "Wilco (The Song)" is the most triumphant example of that.

(11) "River" Akron/Family, from Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free (Dead Oceans)
I have a few friends who are really into Akron/Family, so I decided with Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, I'd give them a fair chance. It's a pretty good album, but overall fairly underwhelming. I did take away three sweet jams, "River" being by far the best. It is a constant build, while still somewhat maintaining pop song structure. It is also utterly gorgeous.

(10) "When I'm Gone" Vivian Girls, from Everything Went Wrong (In the Red)
Noisy and sloppy girl punk done superbly. I wouldn't consider Vivian Girls the most talented group of musicians around, and I had been a naysayer for a while, but since I saw them live last summer, I've been a fan. The melody, harmonies and ascending bass line make "When I'm Gone" Vivian Girls' best song yet.

(9) "Silver Trembling Hands" The Flaming Lips, from Embryonic (Warner Bros.)
One of two songs from Embryonic that sound remotely close to anything I've heard the Lips do before. Not as dark sounding as most of the album, "Silver Trembling Hands" is more of the psychedelic pop that the Lips are known and loved for, and still is impressively unique.

(8) "Love is a Wave" Crystal Stilts, from Love is a Wave 7" (Slumberland)
Alec and Travis were way into Crystal Stilts' 2008 album Alight of Night. I didn't hate it or anything, but I sure didn't love it. The Love is a Wave 7", especially the title track, has gotten me very interested in what these NYC lo-fi post-punkers will do next. Such an awesome, bad ass song.

(7) "One Block Wonders" Cryptacize, from Mythomania (Asthmatic Kitty)
Cryptacize feature singer/songwriter Nedelle and former Deerhoof guitarist Chris Cohen. It completely makes sense, as Nedelle's voice rings true, and the lead guitar melody totally sounds like Deerhoof. I didn't really give two shits about the album, but "One Block Wonders" is incredible with its subtly off rhythms and wondrous melodies.

(6) "The Sweetest Thing" Camera Obscura, from My Maudlin Career (4AD)
Each of the past two records that Camera Obscura have released have unleashed one of the greatest songs of that given year. In 2006, it was "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken," which was my favorite song of that year. This year, it's "The Sweetest Thing," which didn't quite make it to the top, but close enough. Everything about this amazing pop song is perfect, so I'm not even going to go there.

(5) "Knotty Pine" Dirty Projectors featuring David Byrne, from Dark Was the Night (4AD)
Interesting that my favorite Dirty Projectors song of the year didn't even come from Bitte Orca. Earlier in 2009 saw the release of the Dark Was the Night compilation, and its lead-off track was this bone blowing collaboration between Dirty Ps and Talking Heads' David Byrne. "Knotty Pine" is short, rhythmically inexplicable and all of the vocal performances are top notch. It seems to be equally Dirty Projectors and David Byrne's baby. It cannot be stopped.

(4) "Terminally Chill" Neon Indian, from Psychic Chasms (Lefse)
While being slightly less memorable than "Dead Beat Summer," "Terminally Chill" is slightly better. Not sure why, aside from that it's even more summery. Regardless, here is my electronic pop jam of 2009.

(3) "1901" Phoenix, from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
I don't know that I would consider "1901" Phoenix's best song of their career, but its pretty damn close. It is awesomely produced, clever and simply awesome, much like all of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. I guess it just stands out a little more than the rest.

(2) "Walkabout" Atlas Sound featuring Noah Lennox, from Logos (Kranky)
When "Walkabout" was first released to the internet in August (I think it was then, at least), and I saw that Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) was involved, I lost my shit. I had seen Bradford Cox (aka Atlas Sound and lead dude from Deerhunter) play this song at the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival, and it was the best thing I heard that weekend. When it was posted on the web, I wondered if this was actually that song, and when I discovered it was, in spite of my shitty unemployment, all was well with the world. I was making claims like, "song of the year," and "my life is so much better because I finally don't have to hum this song to myself all the time." Obviously it didn't turn out to be my favorite song of the year, but it might as well have, because, I think at least, that it has quite a similar feel to the #1.

(1) "Brother Sport" Animal Collective, from Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
Here they are again. Animal Collective. Four songs in my top 60 of the year. And, "Brother Sport" is the cream of the crop. The first time I heard a proper version of it (not a live video recording of it), I automatically assumed it would be my favorite song of 2009. It's THAT kind of song. The hopeful lyrics and bright tone of the song pretty much told me 2009 was going to be the best year ever. It most definitely wasn't, in fact it was one of the worst I've experienced yet. But, the song instilled in me this hope and yearning for a positive attitude. Even the chaotic, annoying and way too long middle section of the song gets me really excited because I know what I have to look forward to, which is the lengthy ending, where Avey Tare and Panda Bear's harmonies have never sounded better. The end is the greatest musical orgasm I've ever experienced in my life. I'm not saying "Brother Sport" is the greatest song of all time or anything, but the way that it ends is so incredible, I have no other words to describe how I feel. WHAT A SONG.