10. Death Cab For Cutie – The Open Door EP.
Recorded during the sessions for last year’s ‘Narrow Stairs’, this ep was released as a companion piece to that album. Both ‘Little Bribes’ and ‘I Was Once A Loyal Lover’ revealing a pomp that was hither to hidden from view, and the demo of ‘Talking Bird’ (just Ben Gibbard’s fragile voice and a gently strummed ukulele), in my humble opinion is superior to the version included on ‘Narrow Stairs’
9. Brand New – Daisy
Opening and closing with a gospel hymn, this album is more abrasive than their last, which seems to be the way with Brand New albums. The first time I listened to opener ‘Vices’, once the serene intro cuts out, well, , I very nearly had a toilet accident. Lyrically, the Smiths influence is as prominent as ever, musically, they’ve moved on from emo (as it used to be) to a kind of post-hardcore (as it used to be) cum grunge sound. It’s grown on me immeasurably since my first listen.
8. ISIS – Wavering Radiant
2006’s ‘In the Absence of Truth’ was somewhat of a departure for Isis, featuring much mellower moments than any of its predecessors. ‘Wavering Radiant’ however, see’s them return to a similar style as on ‘Panopticon’, Heavy as sin one second, hauntingly beautiful the next. There are a lot of bands doing the loud, quiet, REALLY FUCKING LOUD thing at the moment, but Isis are arguably the best at it, as this shows.
7. Mastodon – Crack The Skye.
Ridiculous. Completely bloody ridiculous.
Mastodon have flirted with prog before, but with Crack the Skye, they took it behind the bike shed and got it bloody pregnant. Rasputin, wormholes, astral projections, a paraplegic and his golden umbilical cord, It’d almost be too daft for Yes. Almost.
Much more accessible than anything that they have released previously, but not without the occasional bludgeoning riff, it’s best listened to when you can really take it all in. A veritable beast of a concept album.
6. Dark Was the Night
I nearly wet my pants (again…) with excitement when I first heard about this record, two discs of covers, original songs, and reworking of back catalogue stuff from artists such as Grizzly Bear, Bright Eyes, Arcade Fire, Iron & Wine, The National, Sufjan Stevens and Ben Gibbard. It doesn’t disappoint, and pointed me in the direction of some rather exciting new (to me anyway) music.
9. Brand New – Daisy
Opening and closing with a gospel hymn, this album is more abrasive than their last, which seems to be the way with Brand New albums. The first time I listened to opener ‘Vices’, once the serene intro cuts out, well, , I very nearly had a toilet accident. Lyrically, the Smiths influence is as prominent as ever, musically, they’ve moved on from emo (as it used to be) to a kind of post-hardcore (as it used to be) cum grunge sound. It’s grown on me immeasurably since my first listen.
8. ISIS – Wavering Radiant
2006’s ‘In the Absence of Truth’ was somewhat of a departure for Isis, featuring much mellower moments than any of its predecessors. ‘Wavering Radiant’ however, see’s them return to a similar style as on ‘Panopticon’, Heavy as sin one second, hauntingly beautiful the next. There are a lot of bands doing the loud, quiet, REALLY FUCKING LOUD thing at the moment, but Isis are arguably the best at it, as this shows.
7. Mastodon – Crack The Skye.
Ridiculous. Completely bloody ridiculous.
Mastodon have flirted with prog before, but with Crack the Skye, they took it behind the bike shed and got it bloody pregnant. Rasputin, wormholes, astral projections, a paraplegic and his golden umbilical cord, It’d almost be too daft for Yes. Almost.
Much more accessible than anything that they have released previously, but not without the occasional bludgeoning riff, it’s best listened to when you can really take it all in. A veritable beast of a concept album.
6. Dark Was the Night
I nearly wet my pants (again…) with excitement when I first heard about this record, two discs of covers, original songs, and reworking of back catalogue stuff from artists such as Grizzly Bear, Bright Eyes, Arcade Fire, Iron & Wine, The National, Sufjan Stevens and Ben Gibbard. It doesn’t disappoint, and pointed me in the direction of some rather exciting new (to me anyway) music.
[Edit] Silly me, how i managed to forget that this was released this year, i don't know...
5. J.Tillman - Vacilando Territory Blues
Josh Tillman is nothing if not prolific, this being the first of two albums he released in 2009, and one of seven which has recorded over the past five years. His voice, despite the fact that I'd never heard it before buying this album, was somehow instantly recognisable. The laid back folk, and his incredibly warm voice make for the perfect lazy Sunday morning album.
4. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
Selecting Josh Homme to produce this, their third album was never going to generate results that would appeal to the lad-rock section of their fan base. Lo-and-behold, ‘Humbug’ is a considerably darker beast that their previous two efforts. It’s also considerably heavier, not, however, without its tender moments; ‘Cornerstone’ is one of the best songs Alex Turner has written yet. ‘Humbug’ also contains one of the best lyrics of the past year…at least:
“What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?”
More Please.
3. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
The Flaming Lips have never been afraid of weirdness; this is the band who released one album across four discs…to be listened to simultaneously.
Over the past decade, they have steadily become less willfully odd, and with 1999’s ‘The Soft Bulletin’, released one of the last classic albums of the last century. Embryonic isn’t weird as such, just different…different to its predecessors, different to anything else I’ve heard this year... A sprawling, squalling, freaked out (man), psychedelic jam from start to finish. It doesn’t even matter that Karen O features on two songs.
It’s THAT good!
2. Animal Collective – Merriwether Post Pavilion.
Well, d’uh.
Animal Collective’s eighth studio album was the soundtrack to my summer, utterly euphoric in places, the beach boys-esque harmonies, bleeps and laid back psychedelia made for a completely immersive listen, and it features, in ‘My Girls’ and ‘Brother Sport’ two of my favorite songs of the year.
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
There’s so much I could write about this record, it’s difficult to know precisely what to write… Merging 60’s pop, jazz, folk, psychedelia (again…) and classical influences, this album is an absolute gem. It took me quite some time to really appreciate it, but now I do, it’s an album I’m sure I’ll be returning to in five, ten years time.
Honourable mentions:
Cave In – ‘Planets of Old’
4. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
Selecting Josh Homme to produce this, their third album was never going to generate results that would appeal to the lad-rock section of their fan base. Lo-and-behold, ‘Humbug’ is a considerably darker beast that their previous two efforts. It’s also considerably heavier, not, however, without its tender moments; ‘Cornerstone’ is one of the best songs Alex Turner has written yet. ‘Humbug’ also contains one of the best lyrics of the past year…at least:
“What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?”
More Please.
3. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
The Flaming Lips have never been afraid of weirdness; this is the band who released one album across four discs…to be listened to simultaneously.
Over the past decade, they have steadily become less willfully odd, and with 1999’s ‘The Soft Bulletin’, released one of the last classic albums of the last century. Embryonic isn’t weird as such, just different…different to its predecessors, different to anything else I’ve heard this year... A sprawling, squalling, freaked out (man), psychedelic jam from start to finish. It doesn’t even matter that Karen O features on two songs.
It’s THAT good!
2. Animal Collective – Merriwether Post Pavilion.
Well, d’uh.
Animal Collective’s eighth studio album was the soundtrack to my summer, utterly euphoric in places, the beach boys-esque harmonies, bleeps and laid back psychedelia made for a completely immersive listen, and it features, in ‘My Girls’ and ‘Brother Sport’ two of my favorite songs of the year.
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
There’s so much I could write about this record, it’s difficult to know precisely what to write… Merging 60’s pop, jazz, folk, psychedelia (again…) and classical influences, this album is an absolute gem. It took me quite some time to really appreciate it, but now I do, it’s an album I’m sure I’ll be returning to in five, ten years time.
Honourable mentions:
Cave In – ‘Planets of Old’
Mariachi el Bronx - 'Mariachi el Bronx'
Monsters of Folk – ‘Monsters of Folk’
Pelican – ‘What We all Come To Need’
2009 has largely consisted of catching up on the stuff I missed out on in 2008, notably the Fleet Foxes EP & album, TV On The Radio’s ‘Dear Science’ and Elbow’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’. As a result, I’ve not bought as many of this year’s releases as I would have liked to, other records, on the strength of what I’ve heard, that may have made this list include: The Low Anthem’s wonderfully titled ‘Oh My God, Charlie Darwin’, the self titled debut from Telekinesis! & Mars Volta’s ‘Octahedron’ amongst many others. No doubt 2010 will consist of catching up on those… along with new albums by Midlake, Massive Attack, Eels and Broken Bells (The Shins’ James Mercer and Dangermouse – otherwise known as Brian Burton, one half of Gnarls Barkley) and that’s just the first three months of 2010 looks like I won’t be short of stuff to listen to!
Monsters of Folk – ‘Monsters of Folk’
Pelican – ‘What We all Come To Need’
2009 has largely consisted of catching up on the stuff I missed out on in 2008, notably the Fleet Foxes EP & album, TV On The Radio’s ‘Dear Science’ and Elbow’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’. As a result, I’ve not bought as many of this year’s releases as I would have liked to, other records, on the strength of what I’ve heard, that may have made this list include: The Low Anthem’s wonderfully titled ‘Oh My God, Charlie Darwin’, the self titled debut from Telekinesis! & Mars Volta’s ‘Octahedron’ amongst many others. No doubt 2010 will consist of catching up on those… along with new albums by Midlake, Massive Attack, Eels and Broken Bells (The Shins’ James Mercer and Dangermouse – otherwise known as Brian Burton, one half of Gnarls Barkley) and that’s just the first three months of 2010 looks like I won’t be short of stuff to listen to!
Happy New Year!
7 and 8 ftw!
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