It’s time again for the year-end, favorite records round-up. Why 14? That’s just how long my list turned out to be. So here’s 14 great records from 2009 in no particular order:
The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
There’s been a lot a talk about this one. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise from a band that really seemed to have run out of fresh ideas.
Jim O’Rourke – The Visitor
I read in an interview with Jim O’Rourke that he no longer owns a stereo. This seems to be one of the most pretentious statements from a guy with a history of being pretentious. It seems like this may have been good thing though. He’s picked up right where is last pop-oriented albums left off.
Karl Blau – 96
I didn’t know anything about Karl Blau until I heard this record. Apparently he’s been putting out records for a while in several different styles. This one is kind of a lo-fi, bedroom R&B jam.
Bowerbirds – Upper Air
Simple, earnest folk tunes backed up with minimal rhythm section. They basically created a 2nd, better version of their first record for their sophomore.
Blues Control - Local Flavor
I don’t think I can really sum this one up in a few sentences. Somehow kind of has the vibe of Robert Wyatt’s Rock Bottom without really sounding anything like it at all.
Tortoise – Beacons Of Ancestorship
This seems to be the year for fresh new stuff from bands that either broke up or had gone stale (i.e. Dinosour Jr., Polvo, Flaming Lips). Tortoise comes back doing what they do well and keeping it engaging throughout the entire listen.
William Fowler Collins – Perdition Hill Radio
Very organic sounding noise collages. Some if the most accessible ambient noise I’ve heard in a while.
Circulatory System – Signal Morning
This is a pretty concise album compared to other Circulatory System stuff or even going back to Olivia Tremor Control. The outcome is a pretty darn listenable album that’s short enough to digest without becoming overwhelming.
Jon Hassell – Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street
The best example of carrying the torch of 70s electric Miles I’ve probably ever heard, stylistically and in spirit.
Oneida – Rated O
This is not a ranked list, but I could safely say this is my favorite record of 2009. Onieida did not hold back on this one with a triple album’s worth of relentless droning riffs–part metal, psych, garage and even some dancehall thrown in. This album has not left my iPhone all year and “Ghost in the Room” was practically on repeat the whole time.
Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want
I got kinda hooked on these guys after seeing them open for Vetiver at the Chopin Theater. Very intimate show. This isn’t my favorite album of theirs but it still stayed in pretty heavy rotation this year.
Double Dagger – More
Kind of a mix between Shellac and Fugazi with a bit of Steve Reich thrown in. Great record, but I miss the songs about typography.
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
We all know it’s a great record, so probably best to just read one of the other thousand year-end top lists for a more eloquent review.
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Here’s another that made quite a few lists this year. I was really hoping this would be as good as it turned out to be. I played Rise Above to death a couple years back and had a hunch their next record was going to expand and perfect that sound. Indeed it did.