AllMusic’s Favorite Albums of 2009
December 15th, 2009 | 8:00 am est |
Matias Aguayo – Ay Ay Ay
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Antipop Consortium – Fluorescent Black
Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
Baroness – Blue Record
Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
The Black Crowes – Before the Frost/Until the Freeze
Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
Brandi Carlile – Give Up the Ghost
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Rosanne Cash – The List
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications
Dälek – Gutter Tactics
Dâm-Funk – Toeachizown
The Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Drake – So Far Gone (Explicit)
The-Dream – Love vs Money
Bob Dylan – Together Through Life
Fever Ray – Fever Ray
The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away
Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Jan Garbarek Group – Dresden: In Concert
Girls – Album
Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Hudson Mohawke – Butter
Shafiq Husayn – Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka
Japandroids – Post-Nothing
Norah Jones – The Fall
Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of Day
King Midas Sound – Waiting for You
La Roux – La Roux
Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster
Miranda Lambert – Revolution
Sondre Lerche – Heartbeat Radio
Little Boots – Hands
Madness – The The Liberty of Norton Folgate
Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do
Manic Street Preachers – Journal for Plague Lovers
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Maxwell – BLACKsummers’night
Mika – The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Os Mutantes – Haih…Ou Amortecedor…
Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
David “Fathead” Newman – The Blessing
Brad Paisley – American Saturday Night
Pelican – What We All Come to Need
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
Roberto Juan Rodriguez – The First Basket
St. Vincent – Actor
Shakira – She Wolf
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Sunn 0))) – Monoliths & Dimensions
Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years
The Swell Season – Strict Joy
David Sylvian – Manafon
Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi
Moritz von Oswald Trio – Vertical Ascent
Wale – Attention Deficit
Sara Watkins – Sara Watkins
Weezer – Raditude
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
The xx – XX
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Various Artists – 5 Years of Hyperdub
Classical Releases
Gerd Albrecht – Hans Werner Henze: Gogo no eiku
Lief Ove Andsnes – Shadows of Silence
Artemis Quartet – The Piazzolla Project
Cecilia Bartoli, Il Giardino Armonico – Sacrificium
Bartosz Cajler, Symphony Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Bialystok, Marcin Naleçz-Niesiolowski - Alexandre Tansman: Cinq Pièces; Violin Concerto; Suite Baroque
Cinquecento – Jacobus Vaet: Missa Ego flos campi
Dallas Wind Symphony – Lincolnshire Posy: Music for Band by Percy Grainger
Forde Ensemble – Spohr: Double Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
John Eliot Gardiner, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique – Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Hildegurls – Electric Ordo Virtutum
Paul Hillier – David Lang: The Little Match Girl Passion
Phil Kline – John the Revelator
Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich - The Berlin Recital
Kronos Quartet – Floodplain
Sir Charles Mackerras, Staatskapelle Dresden, Staatsopernchor Dresden - Schubert: Messe in Es; Mozart: Vesparae Solennes de Confessore
Jun Märkl – Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi; Les offrandes oubliées; Un sourire
Maki Namekawa & Dennis Russell Davies – Philip Glass: Piano Music
Jonathan Nott, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No. 9
Ralf Otto, Mainz Bach Choir – Mozart: Requiem (edited by Robert D. Levin)
Maria João Pires – Chopin
Bente Vist – Per Nøgärd: Seadrift
Xiayin Wang – Scriabin: Piano Music
Alastair Willis, Nashville Symphony Orchestra & Chorus – Maurice Ravel: L’Enfant et les sortilèges; Shéhérazade
Benjamin Zander, Philharmonia Orchestra – Bruckner: Symphony No. 5
some of my favourites who didnt make your list
The Antlers – Hospice
Times New Viking – Born Again Revisted
Micachu – Jewellery
Antony and the Johnsons – Crying Light
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Timber Timbre – Timber Timbre
Atlas Sound – Logos
HEALTH – Get Color
Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
A.C. Newman – Get Guilty
Thee Oh Sees – Help
Dan Deacon – Bromst
Islands – Vapours
Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
Thans a lot for your great website. You’ve given me a lot of good tips during the years.
Allmusic list is very solid! And Scott showed us some pretty good records which were left out. The albums by Camera Obscura, Yo La Tengo, Atlas Sounds, Antony & The Johnsons, & Dan Deacon are some of this year’s greatest. Allmusic gave us a great mix of mainstream artists and indie acts. Some personal favorites of mine are also missing, but of course i won’t make a huge list, so i picked 2 that in my opinion are two of the most definitive albums of 2009: Bat For Lashes’ Two Suns & Florence + The Machine’s Lungs, both of them received a warm reception by music critics and are inside of almost every critic’s list released this year. I definitely recommend them, and Bat For Lashes’ first album “Fur & Gold” is also terrific, Heather Phares reviewed it, and she just captured the essence of the album with that review, she liked that album so much that saw Two Suns as a disappointment in comparison, she gave a 3.5, so obviously she liked it.
Now let’s talk about The Antlers. I still don’t get it why The Antler’s Hospice was left out, not only by Allmusic, but also by many other music critics. Allmusic at least has an excuse, they didn’t review the album, but other music critics reviewed it. They gave it positive reviews, some of them even rating it as high as 4.5 out of 5 stars, but left it out of their end of the year lists. It was largely underrated and it’s a really good album, one of this years’ best. Today, pitchfork named it one of the top 50 best albums of 2009, but not inside the top 20, as many fans were hoping since the website showed a lot of love for the band and the album.
FOr my money my top 5 of the year are
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Mars Volta – Octahedron
Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Soulsavers – Broken
Them Crooked Vultures – s/t
Runners up:
Baroness – Blue Record
Diablo Swing Orchestra – Sing along songs for the damned and delirious
John Frusciante – The Empyrean
How does Madness’ album make the overall list but is only mentioned once on the individual best of lists? Perhaps a little “editor-in-chief” bias?
Each to their own but surely Metallica’s mighty “Death Magnetic ” deserves a mention ? No band can have been under such pressure to deliver as they were and they did- in spades. Not for everybody obviously but for the GENUINE Metallica fan a real return to form. Not a dud track to be found, killer ‘tallica all the way.
Seriously? No Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3?
white denim-fits
jay retard-watch me fall
both very good,fun albums.
1. Flaming Lips-Embryonic
2. Baroness-Blue Record
3. Volcano Choir-Unmap
4. Dinosaur Jr.-Farm
5. Mastodon-Crack The Skye
The only albums from this year that will be saved after the coming mechanical revolution…
Also Mew, Grizzly Bear, Sunset Rubdown, and Black Moth Super Rainbow were good this year
Tegan and Sara’s ‘Sainthood’ and The Decemberists ‘The Hazards of Love’ have been left off of all the lists I’ve come across thus far. Is there a reason I don’t know of because this seems silly.
PEARL JAM!? HELLO? It is not even as if you are just being hipsters and couldn’t put such a “mainstream” band in there. You don’t have Pearl Jam but you have Mika? or Weezer? Come on!
Where’s the love for Thrice, Backstreet Boys, Mew, Say Anything, The Almost, Seabird, or Shane & Shane?
I appreciate the fact that you added some Metal releases, but really? No Alice in Chains? That is hands-down, the best album of the year.
to dsweeney:
yes, Death Magnetic is an amazing album, it did not make this list however, because that album came out in 2008, not 2009.
Good picks.. but missed some great albums;
Florence + The Lungs – Lungs
Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
Muse – The Resistance
Florence + the Machine ***
(boy is my face red)
Here are five of my favorites from 2009.
Album of the year: Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind
More than 25 years into their career, who could have expected such a monumental album to come from one of Canada’s most loved bands? With sixteen tracks spread over two discs, this is easily the closest thing to perfection in their storied catalogue in the past decade. And that’s no small feat. The Things We Left Behind is the perfect way to rekindle your love affair with one of Canada’s best bands.
Wilco – Ashes Of American Flags
I had initially pegged “Wilco (The Album)” the album to be my record of the year. And while Wilco delivered a solid record with their latest album, it didn’t stand a chance when released in the same calendar year as this live DVD. I dare you to watch “Via Chicago” and “Shot In The Arm” from this DVD and not be instantly awed by the band’s performances. If you have the chance to take in their Halifax show in March 2010, I would highly recommend it.
Mutemath – Armistice
Although I was initially taken back by a perceived inaccessibility in Mutemath’s new batch of songs, repeated listens of Armistice opened my ears to the dense layers of sonic goodness that was to be had. Is it math-rock? Alt rock? Whatever you want to call it, Armistice is a remarkable record and worthy of hearing for yourself.
The Skydiggers – The Truth About Us
Is it technically cheating that The Skydiggers make this list based on a retrospective? Regardless of whether it is or not, The Skydiggers are a band that has yet to truly be given their due success in Canada or beyond. After 20 years in the business, I dare you to argue that point after listening to this phenomenal collection of songs.
Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Without question, Mastodon’s Crack The Skye is the heavy metal album of the year. With a compelling mix of heavy metal, thrash metal and some progressive metal, the group delivers seven impeccably tight tracks on their latest record. The musicianship is mind-bogglingly great and helps to show metal bands of the future what they have to live up to.
What about Passion Pit’s Manners? I would say that’s my favorite of the year. Annie Hart from Au Revoir Simone released two great albums for two different groups this year: Simone’s Still Night, Still Light and Uninhabitable Mansions’ Nature Is A Taker, and neither one of these are on the list(the latter was not even reviewed by allmusic). Other great albums that were left off include Dragonslayer by Sunset Rubdown, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s self-titled debut(the year’s subsequent EP release, Higher Than the Stars, is superb too), along with YACHT’s See Mystery Lights, At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade, Two Dancers by Wild Beasts, and Real Estate’s self-titled debut. The Antlers’ Hospice being left out is definitely debatable also. Overall, the list is cool, but I think allmusic could have their ear turned closer to the indie scene. If you can’t already tell by my suggestions, I think this is where the best music came from this year. The fact that any Weezer album of the last 5 years is on any ‘best-of’ list is also depressing and scary.
Helloooooo???? Did you not listen to Blitzen trapper?
NICE JOB WITH THE WEEZER. RATITUDE WAS AN AWESOME ALBUM. SAY NO TO HATERS.
My top 15:
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
3. XX – XX
4. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
5. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
6. White Denim – Fits
7. Kyteman – The Hermit Sessions
8. Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up
9. Flaming Lips – Embryonic
10. Glossy Jesus – The Pale Face Of Johnny McDowd
11. Antony & the Johnsons – The Crying Light
12. V/A – Dark Was The Night
13. Anne Soldaat – In Another Life
14. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
15. Isbells – Isbells
My favorites of 2009 (pretty good year, truth be said!) :
14- Yo La Tengo “Popular Songs”
13- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart “The Pains of Being Pure at Heart”
12- The Horrors “Primary Colours”
11- The XX “XX”
10- St Vincent “Actor”
9- Bibio “Ambivalence Avenue”
8- The Very Best “Warm Heart of Africa”
7- Phoenix “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”
6- Fever Ray “Fever Ray”
5- Yoko Ono “Between My Head and The Sky”
4- Atlas Sound “Logos”
3- Mos Def “Ecstatic”
2- Wild Beasts “Two Dancers”
1- Flaming Lips “Embryonic”
Doves – Kingdom of Rust not on the best of for 2009 ?
Suggest you grab yourself a copy, have a few listens & then revise your list !
two dancers’ wild beasts should have been on that list!
I can’t believe all the love for the new Flaming Lips album. They’ve actually disappointed me with Embryonic. Best album of the year has to be Diablo Swing Orchestra. Fantastically fun album with amazing musicianship.
On a side note, quite a few albums I enjoyed this year were not given a review/rating on this site (Current 93, Oneida, Mono, Om etc). These are all established and acclaimed artists, so I don’t know why this is the case. Is it a case of too many albums, not enough time, or is there another reason?
Really wish I had seen some support for Circulatory System – Signal Morning. If you haven’t heard it, you should.
Embryonic by the Flaming Lips is easily the best album of the year. Easily.
02 Califone — “All My Friends are Funeral Singers”
03 Times New Viking — Born Again Revisited
04 The Antlers — Hospice
05 Soundtrack of our Lives — Communion
Most overrated album of the year: Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion
Lord noes! you got lady gaga and mika, but no Depeche Mode? blasphemy, I say!
Monsters of Folk, The Avett Bros, Blakroc are 3 I would of liked to have seen.
you forgot a sunny day in glasgow
in general, ‘09 was a weak year compared to some other ’00s like 2002, 2004 or 2008. Wilco (The Album) was my fave of the year, but it’s nowhere near YHF or anything that came before it. plus, i LOVE the Flaming Lips but totally did not get Embryonic. if someone can tell me what’s good about it, i would love to know… surprised to not see Monsters of Folk (epon.), 7 Worlds Collide (The Sun Came Out) or Metric (Fantasies is commercial but very good). but most of all, where is My Old, Familiar Friend by Brendan Benson? that guy can write some catchy s**t…
Elvis Costellos “Secret,profane & sugercane” got the god songs, sound and swing.
1. sunset rubdown
2. antlers
3. animal collective
Curumin-Japan Pop Show…..the show stopper of the year
Agree on the Doves Kingdom of Rust. Got to be in the tops of 2009. What about Neko Case? Middle Cyclone makes my list, too.
Black Joe Lewis – Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! and Gov’t Mule – By a Thread both received four star ratings on allmusic and have been among my favorites this year. Definitely worth a listen.
I think 2009 was a pretty bleak musicyear.
Much of the mentioned above was just above ok and sometimes even really boring.
Three albums stood out for me this year and none of you mention them.
Kent – Röd. (I understand noone mention them since they are and sing in swedish)
IAMX – Kingdom of welcome addiction. For eveyone who whine about Depeche Modes record (which sucked big time) not being presented but still havent heard this. Shut up!
Noah & the Whale – The first days of spring. Here its my turn to be shocked. Why dont you mention this one!?its an enormous accomplicement and a beautiful record. This years best and even one of the decades best.
Franz Ferdinand? Kasabian? Maximo Park?
Them Crooked Vultures is a must in any top 10 list this year
Cobalt – Gin
Mix it with one part The Hurt Locker to get the most timely entertainment of the year.
OMG, what are you people on? Where’s Chickenfoot? And what about the newest Creed and Incubus albums? I know that everybody has their own tastes, but your list consists of artists that I’ve either never heard of or wouldn’t go near with a 50-foot pole. Maybe I’m just into mainstream music and that’s why I’ve never heard of 99% of your list, but apparently either y’all aren’t into the mainstream (with the exception of Green Day and Lady Gaga) or you just don’t make time for it. It was just like last year when you left off Guns N’ Roses’ latest album. Don’t get me wrong, I think your website is awesome; we just seem to be on the opposite ends of the music spectrum….
For a band that’s been around for 30 years, this year’s release by The Church, “Untitled #23″, puts a lot of your list to shame. And Porcupine Tree’s “The Incident” gets at least honorable mention.
AIR – Love 2
You seem to have forgotten about one of the best records of the year…
Roman Candle – Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
for what reason is weezer on this list?
if nothing else, at least thank the editors for remembering that ‘death magnetic’ came out in 2008, because it seems that every metallica fan that feels the need to have their voice heard has forgotten this small fact.
My top 2 albums of the year didn’t make the cut, so I’ll add these to the list of notable omissions:
Bat for Lashes – Two Suns
Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer
Gracias Allmusic.com por una excelente y divertida información durante todo el año, coronada con estas listas de lo mejor del 2009 y los comentarios de los lectores. Feliz 2010 a todos los melómanos y melómanas del mundo.
Shakira, are u kidding¿?
Creed? Incubus? Hahahahahahahahaha….
what about M.Ward????
Well, interesting list. Not as bad as last year’s “indie fest” however some excellent alternative records are still missing – no mention for dream theater, katatonia and converge who have all surpassed themselves with releases this year. still, it’s progress. please give underground music a chance! As for the poster who said they hadn’t heard of these bands, well, you must just live on the radio waves…
Here some indie tracks to add to the running:
http://grandobservation.blogspot.com/
OK list. Included some records of dubious importance.
Here’s what you omitted:
Tom Petty – “Live Anthology”
Tom Waits – “Glitter and Doom Live”
White Rabbits – “It’s Frightening”
Vic Chesnutt – “At the Cut”
Tragically Hip – “We are the Same”
Steve Earle – “Townes”
Otis Taylor – “Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs”
Dave Matthews Band – “Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King”
various – “Dark Was the Night”
glaring omission:
PJ Harvey & John Parish – “A Woman A Man Walked By”
Levon Helm – “Electric Dirt”
Decemberists – “Hazards of Love”
maybe their distribution was a little too limited, but Bad Lieutenant isn’t getting any love…my hands down favorite in ‘09
The Low Anthem?
Great list. Love the website. Minor quibble: Yo La Tengo’s Popular Songs was left off.
U2, The Dead Weather, and Tegan & Sara should have been listed, too.
My top list of 2009 – some not mentioned:
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – “Beware”
Bat for Lashes – “Two Suns”
Dead Man’s Bones – “Dead Man’s Bones”
Bon Iver – “Bloodbank” EP
Prodigy – “Invaders Must Die”
Skunk Anansie – “Smashes & Thrashes”
Prince – “Lo-dus-Flower, MPL sound, Elixer”
Sarah Brightman – “Symphony Live in Viena”
Gorgoroth – “Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt”
My 2 personal favorites that noone mentioned:
Empire of the Sun – “Walking on a Dream”
Ben Harper & Relentless 7 – “White Lies for Dark Times”
Why was my post sensored?
Some others not mentioned:
Mindy Smith – “Stupid Love”
The Postmarks – “Memoirs at the end of the World”
Morrisey – “Years of Refusal”
Dead Man’s Bones – “Dead Man’s Bones”
New Moon Soundtrack
My Sister’s Keeper Soundtrack
2009’s best album? Of course, we all have our predispositions, but for any lover of rock/progressive rock, Porcupine Tree’s, “The Incident,” is an absolute masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and listen if you haven’t already.
I also think that Alice In Chains and Steve Earle should have made the list. Also Elvis Costello’s “Secret, Profane And Sugarcane”.
My personal list includes those, a couple that you did have on the list, as well as the new release from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Devil Makes Three and NOFX.
Polvo’s In Prism is the best album of 2009, front to back and over again.
Here are my Faves of 2009. I thought it was an incredible year for music. I found I didn’t have quite as many CDs that I merely felt were good, but found that I had a lot more that I felt fell into the great category.
Ten Faves of 2009:
1. Chuck Prophet–Let Freedom Ring!
2. Kris Kristofferson–Closer To The Bone
3. Greg Trooper–The Williamsburg Affair
4. Jonas Fjeld & Chatam County Line–Brother of Song
5. Avett Brothers–I & Love & You
6. Joe Henry–Blood From Stars
7. Jeb Loy Nichols–Strange Faith & Practice
8. Levon Helm–Electric Dirt
9. Beth McKee–I’m That Way
10. Jesse Winchester–Love Filling Station
The Next Ten:
11. Son Volt–American Central Dust
12. Geoff Muldaur & Texas Sheiks–Self-Titled
13. Ian Hunter–Man Overboard
14. Delbert McClinton–Acquired Taste
15. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit–Self-Titled
16. Bap Kennedy–Howl On
17. Eileen Jewell–Sea Of Tears
18. Lucero–1372 Overton Park
19. Andrew Bird–Noble Beast
20. Paul Burch–Still Your Man
Ten More I Really Loved:
21. Willie Nile–House of A Thousand Guitars
22. The Paperboys–Callithump
23. Wendy Bird–Natural Wonder
24. Tom Russell–Blood & Candle Smoke
25. Tom Waits–Glitter & Doom Live
26. Justin Townes Earle–Midnight At The Movies
27. Ruthie Foster–The Truth According To Ruthie Foster
28. Flatlanders–Hills & Valleys
29. Slaid Cleaves–Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
30. Allen Toussaint–The Bright Missippi
Ten Honorable Mentions That Should Have Been In The Top 30:
31. Guy Clark–Some Days The Song Writes You
32. Leonard Cohen–Live In London
33. Malcom Holcombe–For The Mission Baby
34. Frank Turner–Poetry of The Deed
35. Otis Gibbs–Grandpa Walked a Picketline
36. Drivin N Cryin–Great American Bubble Factory
37. Bob Dylan–Together Through Life
38. Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women–Selft-Titled
39. Chip Taylor–Yonkers NY
40. Black Joe Lewis–Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!
Ten More To Make An Even 50:
41. Loudon Wainright–High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project
42. Ian McLagan–Never Say Never
43. Sam Baker–Cotton
44. Swell Season–Strict Joy
45. Luther Dickinson & The Sons of Mudboy–Onward & Upward
46. John Fogerty & The Blue Ridge Rangers–Rides Again
47. Dirk Hamilton–More Songs From My Cool Life
48. Ben Sidran–Dylan Different
49. Buddy & Julie Miller–Written In Chalk
50. Darrell Nulisch–Just For You
I guess it’s a real testament to how strong a year it was musically when personal favorites such as Willie Nile, Tom Russell ,Buddy Miller, Bob Dylan, Dave Alvin, Guy Clark, Delbert McClinton, Tom Waits and the Flatlanders, amongst others, can’t even make my Top 10, and in some cases my Top 20. Notables that would have certainly been players if I had heard include the latest from Bill Chambers, J.J. Cale, Gurf Morlix, Band of Heathens, Todd Snider, Bottle Rockets, Scott Miller and Hans Theesink, amongst others. I won’t post my favorite reissues and historical releases yet, but it was also yet another strong year in that respective category too.
Happy 2010 to you all…..
Tom
Thank you TAK for finally mentioning Polvo. It really is one of the year’s best and it’s suprising to me that so few have pickedup on it. Here is my list of unheralded gems:
(1)Polvo: In Prism;
(2)Great Northern: Remind Me Where the Light Is;
(3)Sea Wolf: White Water, White Bloom;
(4)Longwave: Secrets are Sinister;
(5)Ramona Falls: Intuit;
(6)The Sleepover Disaster: Hover;
(7)Other Girls: Perfect Cities;
(8)The Rifles: The Great Escape;
(9)Port O’Brien: Threadbare;
(10)Lightning Dust: Infinite Light;
(11)Deastro: Moondagger;
(12)The Aliens: Luna;
(13)A Place to Bury Strangers: Exploding Head;
(14)Dinosaur Jr.: Farm
(15)The Mary Onettes: Islands
All of these albums are excellent–among the best of the year really–and if you have indie-minded taste you should definitely give them a listen. Happy New Year.
It’s fascinating to see so many different opinions on so many albums, especially since the average person on the street (and those that say “the album is dead” or “there’s no good music today”) doesn’t even know many of these exist. Yes AMG lists Lily, Gaga, Little Boots and Green Day -and even gave a nod to Weezer- but the comments mostly chart territory completely removed from these.
One thing we can mostly agree on is there was no shortage of interesting music in 2009 (even if it is endlessly debatable how much of it was truly special or which is the “best” of it).
For a one-stop listen-and-watch review of 200 from 2009- including many of the artists in the AMG list and comments above (especially recommended if you think The Lips’ Embryonic is one of the albums of the year… or don’t get what the Flaming fuss is all about):
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FAD2910DD4C30761
2009 was a good (though not spectacular) year. Lots of solid material from veteran artists, and a few notable newbies to boot.
Here’s hoping 2010 is just a tad more exciting.
1. Future of the Left – “Travels With Myself and Another”
2. Boston Spaceships – “The Planets Are Blasted”
3. Brakes (Brakes Brakes Brakes) – “Touchdown”
4. Superchunk – “Leaves In The Gutter (EP)”
5. Built To Spill – “There Is No Enemy”
6. Japandroids – “Post Nothing”
7. The Bats – “Guilty Office”
8. Boston Spaceships – “Zero To 99″
9. Yo La Tengo – “Popular Songs”
10. Idlewild – “Post Electric Blues”
11. Willie Nile – “House Of a Thousand Guitars”
12. Mark Olson and Gary Louris – “Ready For The Flood”
13. Sonic Youth – “The Eternal”
14. The Love Me Nots – “Detroit”
15. New Model Army – “Today Is A Good Day”
16. The Estranged – “Static Thoughts”
17. Meat Puppets – “Sewn Together”
18. Reigning Sound – “Love and Curses”
19. PJ Harvey and John Parish – “A Man A Woman Walked By”
20. Neko Case – “Middle Cyclone”
My favorites of 2009:
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band – “Between My Head and The Sky”
Living Colour – “The Paris Concert”
Nels Cline – “Coward”
Group Doueh – “Treeg Salaam”
Group Bombino – “Guitars of Agadez vol. 2″
Here is a random top 15 of really great 2009 albums in my opinion:
Molly Berg + Stephen Vitiello: The Gorilla Variations
Matthias Bossi: Last Show On Earth
Broadcast And The Focus Group:Broadcast And The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults Of The Radio Age
Bill Callahan: Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh: Overloaded Ark
Evangelista: Prince Of Truth
Fred Frith: Nowhere. Sideshow. Thin Air.
Lisa Germano: Magic Neighbour
Liza Kate: Don´t Let The Dogs
Lhasa: Lhasa
Mickey Finn + Cuong Vu: Gagarin!
Minamo: Kuroi Kawa – Black River
Jessica Pavone: Songs Of Synastry And Solitude
Pere Ubu With Sarah Jane Morris: “Long Live Pere Ubu!”
Katherine Young: Further Secret Origins
Happy New Year, world!
The year boring? No, just me getting older and always less time and will to stay in touch with whatever went on in the music scene this year. Getting older means looking for old albums reissued and looking for vinyls in fleamarkets. So what can I put as CD’s of the year? Don’ t get mad at these titles….
1 – Black Ice / AC/ DC
2 – Kiss / Sonic Boom
3 – Franz Ferdinand – Tonight : Franz Ferdinand
I know…not even THEIR best…but what the heck…
p.s.
These three titles are the only ones I bought with the year 2009 on them.
And I find very annoying staying half an hour reading 150 titles.
So keep it simple! 3 are more than enough!
Sadly there is no five star album for 2009.
There are so many bands out there these days. I love this year end list from allmusic because it inspires everyone to chime in with what they see as omissions. Thanks to everyone who has lobbied for their personal favorites. Despite being an avid music fan I’ve discovered some artists I didn’t even know about and I’m the happier for it. As for the Diablo Swing Orchestra, OMG! I love it! My favorite of 2009? The Avett Bros. – I and Love and You. Thanks again, everyone! I love learning of new music and I have you to thank for today’s lesson.
Favorite 3 from 2009
-hazards of love
-the incident
-hospice
looking forward to the national in 2010
#1 Album of the year 2009 “this is war” by 30 Seconds To Mars.
hands down
thanks
How dare your list not exactly coincide with mine, and my exquisite not-to-be-faulted ear not be celebrated by all that it deems worth appearing on said list.
let’s go ahead and give some love to super furry animals, too. 2009 Song titles like “white socks/flip flops” and “very best of neil diamond” and a thick welsh accent, well, anyway, no i changed my mind, it’s flaming lips is the best like you all say. no, weezer, no, bat for lashes. i’ll go back to gazing in my own reflection, sonically. and practice my black eyed peas moves.
The last Weezer album is horrible. Totally subpar. And I’m a fan. Very surprised to see it mentioned.
What about Kylesas “static tensions”?
Nowhere did anyone mention David Bazan’s first solo release “Curse Your Branches”. Shame shame. If you’re not familiar with his previous work, he was the creative force behind the indie rock band Pedro The Lion.
1. Thee Oh Sees: Help
2. Bassholes: … and without a name
3. Ty Segall: Lemons
4. Death: … for the whole world to see
5. Heartless Bastards: The Mountain
6. Times New Viking: Born Again Revisited
nuff said
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE = best albums of the year!!! also, you left off Wild Beasts – Two Lovers and Jamie T.’s Kings & Queens!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF???
There’s a lot of really good music in all these lists, but I’m surprised that no one has my number two for 2009: Mumford & Sons – Sigh no more. Thomas Dybdahl is another favorite.
My biggest hope for 2010 is that Damien Rice will release yet another masterpiece.
The best album of the year that’s not on here is easily jj’s jj n*2. I still can’t see why this record hasn’t gotten much more attention.
Regina Spektor – Far
Me thinks many of you need to get out of the house/laid more often.
Where’s Axe to Fall by Converge?
Killer album.
Really shows this depth of this band. Proggiest tracks they’ve ever done and slow doomiest.
No Russian Circles? This list is incomplete!
1. Frank Turner – Poetry of the Deed
2. Westbound Train – Come and Get It
3. Chuck Ragan – Gold Country
4. Madness – The Liberty of Norton Folgate
5. Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
6. Big D and The Kids Table – Fluent in Stroll
7. Ben Nichols – The Last Pale Light in The West
8. Austin Lucas – Somebody Loves You
9. Lucero – 1372 Overton Park
10. Mighty Mighty Bostones – Pin Points and Gin Joints
You missed:
Shrinebuilder – s/t
Isis – Wavering Radiant
House Of Broken Promises – Using The Useless
Great to see Pelican on the list – awesome album.
Not a bad year at all in music and AMG I think you’ve done a pretty fair job here. Here are some that I didn’t see mentioned by anyone and (IMHO) warrant further consideration:
1. Prefab Sprout “Let’s Change the World With Music”
2. Pet Shop Boys “Yes”
3. Mark Olsen & Gary Louris “Ready For The Flood”
4. Paolo Nutini – “Sunny Side Up”
Cheers!
I don’t know if these have been mentioned yet.
1. Cortney Tidwell – Boys
2. Angel Deradoorian – Mind Raft ep
3. Jonsi & Alex – Riceboy Sleeps
BRAND NEW – Daisy
First off, I love this web site. Great reviews and it’s helped me find a lot more of what I like.
But if both Lily Allen and Shakira (both embarrassing, quite frankly), Weezer’s latest half-assed offering, and Girls’ “Album” (most overrated album of the year) are on your list of favorite albums of 2009, yet White Denim’s “Fits” is not, you need to add somebody with some real taste.
Just saying.
Built to Spill – There is No Enemy
Some albums that should be added to the list:
Magma – Emehntehtt-Re
mauldlin of the well – Part The Second
Transatlantic – The Whirlwind
The Decemberists – The Hazards Of Love
Miriodor – Avanti!
IQ – Frequency
5bridgeS – The Thomas Tracks
Porcupine Tree – The Incident
Muse – The Resistance
The Tangent – Down And Out In Paris And London
R.E.M. – Live At The Olympia
Phish – Joy
Monsters of Folk- MOF
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Outer South
Built to Spill- There is No Enemy
Big Miss by Allmusic and Others I feel
….but why do you not agree with me about everything? …clearly you are wrong.
I haven’t heard them all, but lots of good stuff last year… Mountain Goats was my favorite.
I’ll also 2nd Built to Spill.
I have one question…
Why is “Weezer – Raditude” on this list?
This album is a joke. It makes me hate weezer. And i am a big weezer fan. My only explanation is that rivers must have finally gone totally mad.
Can anyone explain how this could possibly be even considered for this list???
The Kingsbury Manx – Ascenseur Ouvert
While I’ll admit to being a friend of the band and therefore biased, I must point out that this album received glowing reviews from a number of quite reputable sources including Pitchfork (8.1) and this esteemed site. Look it up–you might really like it!
Air – Love 2
Someone else mentioned it above. Excellent album.
The Church “Untitled #23″ was an easy top 10 and missed on virtually every list i saw..
very powerful stuff from musicians who continue to evolve
Even if you’re not a Pearl Jam fan, Backspacer is a notable absence from this list. For goodness’ sake, Allmusic gave the damn album 4.5 stars.
Mi lista de favoritos:
1.Alambra Love Songs
John Zorn.
2.Sounds of the Universe
Depeche Mode
3.Manafon
David Sylvian
4.Embryonic
The Flaming Lips
5.Between My Head and the Sky
Yoko Ono
6.Horehound
The Dead Weather
7.Live from Madison Square Garden
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
8.No Line on the Horizon
U2
9.Beacons of Ancestorship
Tortoise
10.The Resistance
Muse
11.Quiet Nights
Diana Krall
12.Working on a Dream
Bruce Springsteen
13.Coward
Nels Cline
14.The Eternal
Sonic Youth.
15.What We All Come to Need
Pelican
Algunos discos que pudieran haber figurado en esta lista de 15: Two Suns de Bat for Lashes; Dresden. In Concert de Jan Garbarek; O’o de John Zorn; Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street de Jon Hassell; Wait for Me de Moby; In This Light and on This Evening de Editors; Fork in the Road de Neil Young.
Algunos discos que de ninguna manera pudieran haber figurado en esta lista de 15: Raditude de Weezer; The Crying Light de Antony and the Johnsons; Bitte Orca de Dirty Projectors; The Fame Monster de Lady Gaga; Le Roux de Le Roux; Fever Ray de Fever Ray; Logos de Atlas Sound; IRM de Charlotte Gainsbourg; LotusFlow3r de Prince; Mi Plan de Nelly Furtado; Lullaby de Jewel.
http://www.artefacto.com.uy/musica/themusicalbox.htm
Glad you finally included some country albums on the list. They are usually left off.
There is a disappointing absence of:
Mono’s Hymn To The Immortal Wind (4.5/5)
Pearl Jam’s Backspacer (4.5/5)
God Forbid’s Earthsblood (4/5)
Balmorhea’s All Is Wild, All Is Silent (4.5/5)
Any of the above would have made me ecstatic. Oh well, at least Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear made the list.
Seems everyone forgot–or hadn’t heard–my pick for ’09’s #2: Tune-Yards’ “Bird Brains.” (Mos Def’d be #1.) Also, Loudin Wainwright’s Charlie Poole tribute will probably stand the test of time where most of the above will not, including, probably, Mos Def and Tune-Yards. And tho’ I found Brad Paisley’s album to be a rare one for modern Nashville–namely “fun”–I ultimately found his gee whiz social observations to be racist. Give me “Willie and the Wheel” anytime…
1) Arne Weinberg ‘Alpha & omega’
2) The Orb ‘Baghdad batteries’
3) Ochre ‘Like dust of the balance’
4) Nosaj Thing ‘Drift’
5) Silkie ‘City limits’
6) Black Dice ‘Repo’
7) Monolake ‘Silence’
8) The Black Dog ‘Further vexations’
9) Dusk + Blackdown Vs. Grievous Angel ‘Margins music: redux’
10) Lone ‘Ecstasy & friends’
and last but not least:
11) Regina Spektor ‘Far’
No J Dilla or Raekwon? What gives?
12) Lusine ‘A certain distance’