Albums of the Year 2009

If you're not quite sure of how good 2009 was, take a look at 2010's most anticipated releases--yeah, 2010 can wait. To sum it up: Two bands (whose albums are among my favorites) released decidedly more popular music (Animal Collective, Yeah Yeah Yeahs). A couple of bands who have been around for a while, blew up with their 3rd and 4th albums respectively (Grizzly Bear, Phoenix). And after year-long delays, two highly anticipated female rappers released disappointing debuts. So here's how it looked for me, and remember you can play all by clicking the bar on the bottom.

10. BITTE ORCA dirty projectors

Everyone blew their load when "Stillness Is the Move" made it's way into their ears, but while that song was fun and accessible, the album was not. It may be intelligently constructed art-rock, but it was not the good time that its single appeared to be. That may not sound like an endorsement so here: it's still pretty good. "Two Doves"

9. FACE CONTROL the handsome furs

This was one of the more underrated releases of the year for me. It had some great hooks and excellent beats. Sufficiently rough sounding to still be considered a rock album, it's just an awesome time every time it spins. "All We Want Baby Is Everything"

8. TWO SUNS bat for lashes

"Pearl's Dream"

7. XX the xx

Debut of the year for certain. The hype factor behind this band became astronomical this fall, peaking at CMJ where they played nearly 10 shows, causing one band member to quit thereafter due to "exhaustion." The combination of an unconventional array of influences from dub-step to R&B was surprisingly good. The precocious teenagers' use of negative space in production showed maturity and delivery that was intimate and minimal. They created duets that emphasized the qualities of each singer, without being one of those bands that has its singers take turns, and they did it well (unlike, sorry, Chairlift). The pop-appeal of the album is similar to that of last year's indie-to-pop darlings, The Ting Tings who were claimed by the Top 40 charts and Victoria's Secret; can The xx avoid such a fate? "Heart Skipped A Beat"

6. VECKATIMEST grizzly bear

"While You Wait For The Others"

5. MY MAUDLIN CAREER camera obscura

Camera Obscura's brand of sixties pop was the happiest, most summertime album of the year. It was the first thing I reached for in the park, and it evoked images of friends jumping on sofas dancing. This is the sound of carefree. "Honey in the Sun"

4. MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION animal collective

Honestly I didn't like this until last week. I heard it when it came out, and I just didn't really like it, but I thought that was because I never really cared much about Animal Collective. Maybe it was the slow evaporation of the hype that allowed me to actually hear it, or maybe you just need to listen to it a lot, but now I dig it. It's more accessible than previous AC releases in that it doesn't sound like misplaced and accidental sounds. Now that I see (only) some of the order of the compositions, I think I'm seeing some of its greatness. "Brother Sport"

3. ACTOR st. vincent

At first it was only appealing because of the timbre of Annie Clark's voice. It was hard to hang on to some of the songs because their distinct sections and lack of hooks. It felt like the distortion and the piano licks were disagreeing like your girlfriend's parents at dinner. The difference is that now I like that. I like that Actor asks you not to ignore it, but to listen closely; every time you start to wander, the cacophonous crashing cymbals and screeching guitar chords wake you up and pull you back into it. "The Strangers"

2. WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX phoenix

Although not stylistically different from previous releases, this was the Phoenix album that simply blew up. When I heard "1901" for the first time last winter I was floored. I thought that it was the best pop song in years. And then I heard Lisztomania, saw the Brat Pack mash-up video, heard the album, and saw them live. I couldn't believe that I hadn't been listening to this band since United. The stuttered vocal delivery and ecstatic pop hooks made this album totally irresistible. I wanted to host dance parties to it; that would of course end with "Love Like A Sunset," the song that to me, knows more about the world than I do. "Lasso"

1. IT'S BLITZ! yeah yeah yeahs

I always had Fever To Tell and Show Your Bones, but I never loved them until It's Blitz!. With all the negative reaction to this album--that it was a discobeat sell-out--people overlook how massively it increased the band's fan base. That's usually an unpopular thing, and I understand why; I hate it too when "Heads Will Roll" is playing at TopShop and every other retailer on Broadway. Try to ignore it though, because It's Blitz! has the rough-enough production and the raw-enough screams to make you dance/jump/mosh/sing/fight. These songs may feel more like pop than any previous YYY's tracks, but their sound is perfectly current. The vulnerability of tracks like "Skeletons" are balanced against the shouts of "Dull Life." Master EP fans should not be disappointed, Karen O is still the same endearing rock star. The second time I saw the band this year, they played "Art Star" and "Our Time." This was the right album for one of the best still-living live bands, and it's best appreciated in a sweaty mob of jumping friends.