hi, i'm not too good at introducing these, so i'll start with a poem:
another year has come and past,
and the tunes this year have been a blast
this is my list; the cream of the crop
so let's see what album ends up on top!
(sorry)
10)
Morrissey -
Years of Refusal
steven patrick's most recent offering (aside from the b-side collection
Swords, which i'll be coming back to later in the best tracks of the year) is a fantastic rock n' roll record. yes, lots of hard (cock?) rock guitar + sometimes painful lyrics (come on, moz. the lyrics in
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris are fucking awful.) BUT you just gotta have fun with it.
9)
The Horrors -
Primary Colours
after a whole lot of musical growth since their debut
Strange House, the band has taken cues from
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
My Bloody Valentine and
The Cure to throw together a fantastic sophomore release.
8)
The Thermals -
Now We Can See
i actually just bought the album like...two months ago. but it's really good.
When I Died is a great opener, up to par (i'd say) with
Here's Your Future off
The Body, The Blood, The Machine, although i'm sure no one else will agree with me on that.
7)
Manchester Orchestra -
Mean Everything To Nothing
no one else likes this band, but fuck them. andy hull + co's sophomore release is almost too clean sounding, especially when compared with
Like A Virgin Loosing A Child, but the songs as a whole are so much stronger. the riff in
Pride is up to par with the best from
Led Zeppelin. holla.
6)
Japandroids -
Post-Nothing
i originally dismissed the band as pitchfork wank, HOWEVER, post-nothing is actually a fantastic debut. the album is chock full of wonderful guitars, energetic drums and the songs have more hooks than there are fish in the sea. super fun and highly recommended.
5)
The Decemberists -
The Hazards of Love
fuck pitchfork for hating on this album. not as good as
Picaresque, but it's not really trying to be. instead of focusing on great individual songs, the band proves here that the sum is greater than the parts. hazards a sprawling 17 song album about love and death. and metal.
4)
Silversun Pickups -
Swoon
if i didn't know better, i'd think it's 1992. harkening back to the lush sounds of
Loveless and
Siamese Dream with updated riffage, silversun pickups managed to put together a pretty solid release. bonus track
Ne Plus Ultra is better than the entire b-side of the album.
3)
Cursive -
Mama, I'm Swollen
one of
Saddle Creek's flagship bands, cursive continues to make great music years into their career. a monstrous improvement from the lackluster
Happy Hollow and bolstering songs like
From The Hips,
I Couldn't Love You,
Caveman and the epic
what have i done?[/track], cursive shows the doubters that they can still pack a punch.
2)M. Ward - [album artist=m. ward]hold time
fuck yeah folk. matt's second best album, only topped by
Post-War, shows that his songwriting post
She & Him (sartist]zooey deschanel still pops up on two tracks) is still fantastic. the production is pristine and his guitar work (as if anyone doubted) is second to none.
1)
The Antlers -
Hospice
i'm not too original for having this on the top of my list; as many others already have and many more will, but the album deserves as much recognition as possible.
there's not much i can really say that hasn't already been said about this album already. epic, beautiful, heartbreaking; the album hasn't gotten any less desolate and stunning since i first listened to it, and i doubt it will.
TOP TRACKS OF '09
10)
Japandroids -
Crazy/Forever
9)
Silversun Pickups -
There's No Secrets This Year
8)
Morrissey -
Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
7)
Cymbals Eat Guitars -
...and the Hazy Sea
6)
Paul Westerberg -
Love On The Wing
5)
The Decemberists -
The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
4)
The Antlers -
Epilogue
3)
M. Ward -
Stars of Leo
2)
Jeremy Enigk -
Late of Camera
1)
Cursive -
What Have I Done?
and at by the looks of it, 2010 should be fantastic. with releases coming from
Bright Eyes,
The Walkmen,
Sigur Ros,
The National, and
Titus Andronicus (to name a few), i'm sure 2010 will be full of wonderful music as well.
Morrissey
