In 2009, I was most surprised to hear how – and how many – bands had changed direction. The quality of newbies that emerged also caught me off-guard. Even Moby made an honorable come back! It wasn’t an all-time favorite year for music, but it did round out the styles of the decade.
The albums below moved me most. And yes, they’re in order.
1. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
(This beautifully integrated album exceeded all of my expectations and finally allowed the quartet to receive much deserved appreciation from the media.)
2. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
(A timeless, feel-good sound that I bet even your parents would love!)
3. Themselves – CrownsDown
(A long awaited album from my most favorite Hip Hop duo. Possibly their best and most aggressive material yet. The title really should be, “BowDown!”)
4. Sea Wolf – White Water, White Bloom
5. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
(Ear candy, both charming and delicate.)
6. Bike for Three! – More Heart than Brains
(A cross-continental romance – compliments of Myspace – between Canadian Hip Hop & Western European Electronica worth checking out.)
7. Soulsavers – Broken
(Soulful, sexy, AND featuring Mark Lanagan? Hell yes.)
8. The Black Ryder – Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride
(Fuzzy female vocals and hypnotic instrumentation. If BRMC had a female singer, this is the direction I’d see them go.)
9. The Twilight Sad – Forget the Night Ahead
(As a fan from their start, I say this is the most accessible release. However, they stay true to their epic elements. The accent – thicker than ever – is a touch I enjoy most!)
10. WHY? – Eskimo Snow
(Why expect another Alopecia? This album’s experimental styling perfectly fits its lyrical journey.)
11. The Raveonettes – In & Out of Control
(Their 2009 tour poster suggests a great description for this record. The image is of a popsicle whose wooden stick is replaced with a knife.)
12. Editors – In This Light and on This Evening
(If this was the 80’s, I’d imagine this album would be changing your life! Dance…pretending doesn’t hurt!)
13. Memory Tapes – Seek Magic
(Delightfully, the best Electronica/Dreampop record this year.)
14. Gregor Samsa – Over Air
(If you enjoy Explosions In The Sky and/or Sigur Ros, then this is a no-brainer.)
15. Doves – Kingdom of Rust
(Doves take off into their most sonic state yet. Straightforward with just enough edge – what’s not to like?)
16. The Horrors – Primary Colours
(I must admit that I was never a big fan of The Horrors, so it was hard to believe the hype about their new sound. It hit home for the Shoegazer in me and has been in rotation since!)
17. A Place To Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
(The three of us are always asking “What happened to gritty Rock & Roll?” Exploding Head is a solid hold over until the next Black Rebel album.)
18. Sleepy Sun – Embrace
(Keep your eyes out for this bunch…my choice for 2009’s “Breakout Band”. Catching a live performance is highly recommended!)
19. Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us
(I’m still convinced that no modern band has mastered such a psychedelic sound. I can never get enough!)
20. Jeniferever – Spring Tides
(Jeniferever come from a land where layers shimmer and melody is considered tradition – Sweden! I need not say more.)
