10 of the Greatest Albums of 2009

This has been said by everyone(probably because it’s fucking true), so I’ll get it out of the way before anything else: 2009 was a fucking great year for music. Great bands have resurfaced, new bands are taking up space on people’s iPods–hell, even shitty bands have had a good year. With all of the wonderful music that was released this year, many an album was donned ‘favorite’. However, for the sake of the blog and simplicity, I have whittled down my list to 10 albums. These 10 bands have written songs that won’t get out of my head. Each of these 10 albums’ artwork has been burned into my brain. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you…

10 of the Greatest Albums of 2009!

10. Japandroids – Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl)“Young Hearts Spark Fire”With powerful guitars and relentless energy, Japandroids have undoubtedly made a great first impression on the world’s collective eardrum with one of the strongest debuts of the year.
9. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – Self-Titled (Slumberland)“Young Adult Friction”Definitely one of the most engaging records of the year, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart’s debut full-length speaks volumes on the immortal spirit of youth. To put it quite simply, this album is full of unfiltered, unabridged, and unprotected love.
8. Cass McCombs – Catacombs (Domino)“Dreams Come True Girl”This album pretty much flew under my radar for a while which is a shame because it’s absolutely incredible. Undoubtedly, Catacombs is McCombs’ strongest effort to date as well as one of the year’s most memorable releases.
7. David Bazan – Curse Your Branches (Barsuk)“Please, Baby, Please”Curse Your Branches is one of the more cathartic records to get released this year. It is a window into the inner struggle of a man questioning the religious foundations of his very own life. This album is Bazan’s pink slip to God.

6. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (V2)“1901”Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix’s fourth full-length, is an absolutely wonderful album. I would go on and on about how each guitar stroke means the world to me but I think it will suffice for me to say that this album is just full of good songs. Listen to it if you don’t believe me. Your ears will thank you.

5. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains (Self-Released)“And The Hazy Sea”My first words after listening to this for the first time were “Holy fucking hell!”. For starters, it’s incredibly cohesive. Absolutely everything on this album fits. Every single fill and crescendo. Every bassline, every keystroke, and every brass and string instrument heard on this album plays a key part in this grand ensemble of sounds. Secondly, it’s a remarkable achievement alone that this album was self-released. And lastly, this album has set the bar pretty high for future indie bands that wish to blow people’s minds.

4. Girls – Album (True Panther/Matador)“Lust For Life”This album, simply-yet-aptly-named Album, is a perfect example of what happens when a band does absolutely everything right. The songs are solid, the vocals aren’t clear but they’re not indiscernible which sparks intrigue in the listener, the album isn’t so consistent that it’s boring and it’s not so erratic that it throws you off. In fact, it’s pretty perfect if you count out the fact that it’s almost devoid of new and innovative ideas, although that isn’t as detrimental as it sounds. By using the past to their advantage, the guys in Girls have written one of the most popular albums of the present.

3. Mission of Burma – The Sound, The Speed, The Light (Matador)“1, 2, 3 Partyy!!”This album is a pulsating work of post-punk art. From start to finish, this record has enough attitude to make you squirm in your shoes. It’s the album that makes other albums take a step back and walk in the opposite direction with one glance. I hate to mention it because it shouldn’t be an issue but these guys are in their fucking 40s! One in their 50s! And they’re packing more intensity in this record than people half their age? Fuck the hell off. It’s shameful to see younger bands burn out after an album or two while these guys are kicking even harder than they did when they first formed in the late 70s. Young people! Get your goddamn act together! These wrinkly, old men are putting you to shame!

2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)“My Girls”Before I begin, allow me to inform you that I really, really, really like this record and the only reason it isn’t slated one slot lower is because creativity and innovation pretty much flow through these men’s bloodstreams which results in their being stripped of their rare value. Now, the album. Of this entire list, Merriweather Post Pavilion was released the earliest. While people have rightfully pointed out that it’s the band’s most accessible album to date, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an easy listen. By expanding on the electronic elements they used on their previous album, Animal Collective has created a new and magical world of mind-bending soundscapes and infectious beats in which you can’t help but be cautious…right before you absolutely immerse yourself.

1. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (Domino)“Useful Chamber”At last, the number one album on the list, Dirty Projectors’ Bitte Orca. There are many things I can say about this album and if I had no restraint, I would try my absolute best to type them all out. However, for the sake of organization, I will compile my thoughts as best as I can. To begin with, this album is, for lack of a better word, unique. One could say that this band appeared out of nowhere but they would be dead wrong. This is actually their seventh full-length album but the first with such a refined sound. To the average ear, a majority of the music on here wouldn’t sound like music at all. But if you pay attention and absorb this album for what it is, you’ll find that this is what modern music has been lacking. These songs don’t need traditional songwriting elements to make an impact. They’ve bent and eaten the rules of conventional songwriting and established a higher level of appreciation for music that the world has been asking for. Bitte Orca could easily be the flagship record for the future of modern music. In short, change is not only good but overdue, and this album is the kind of different we need.

FYI: To purchase any album on this list, click on the label links ;)

The Photon God, 2009.