Wednesday, December 23, 2009

2009 (Thank God It's Over) Top Ten

I'd written grand essays on everything on this list, took one look, and decided to edit with a meat hook. My top ten, with runners-up, each in 5 words or less.
And although some of these seem particularly obvious, I took special care to leave off anything "important" - I just put what I listened to the most this year.
Go to itunes and sample anything you don't know - it's been a very good year for music.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, if you got this you know you are loved.

Cheers,

John


10
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns

naive • sincere • smalltown • storytellers


9 (tie)
Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy
Thermals - Now We Can See
Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels

still • searching • for • another • R.E.M.


8
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

Pavement • Modest • Mouse • solid • pop


7
Sonic Youth - The Eternal

music • still • equals • art • Yaaaaaay


6
Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

Rock/Folk? • Folk/Rock? • who • cares • listen


5
Washed Out - Life Of Leisure

lovely • floating • dance • or not


4
Atlas Sound - Logos

funny • scary • sunny • dark


3
Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do

fun • funny • dancehall • get • up


2
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

psychedelic • americana • shimmering • noisy • beautiful


1
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

screw • hipsters • listen • anyway

(HOLIDAY EXPERIMENT: Play Veckatimest for your mom or grandmother sometime without telling them what it is, they'll be delighted you did.)



Runners-Up

The xx - xx

post-coital • austere • ambivalent • smooth • glassy


Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

singalong • smart • straightforward • energetic


The Antlers - Hospice

sad • deep • cathartic • beautiful


Wish I had room for: Fuck Buttons, Surfer Blood, Cold Cave

Happy New Year!

John

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