Our Favorite Albums of 2009
Check out each writer's favorite albums of 2009.
We at HEAVE are big fans of giving everybody a voice, so this year we asked all of our HEAVE writers to give us their top three albums of the year. Screw something as limiting as a top ten list of 2009 – here is HEAVEmedia writer’s individual type three albums of the year.
Wes Soltis:
1) Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest – It’s almost what the Beach Boys would sound like if locked in a basement for a few months. A truly beautiful effort – and “Two Weeks” might have been the catchiest song of the year this side of Jay-Z’s “Empire State Of Mind.”
2) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca – An utterly fresh sound, Bitte Orca was something completely standoffish through one listen, but an engrossing and captivating album after each additional play through. Surely something that should be in your collection for years to come.
3) Yeah Yeah Yeah’s – It’s Blitz – They went from dingy garage rock to a pixie-sticked infused hyper charged dance rock sound – yet kept some of their heart-felt sound around to not alienate any of the fans. A risky move that paid off completely.
Mark Steffen:
1) Metric – Fantasies – What can I say? Emily Haines cannot do any wrong in my book. Sure, Live It Out was a disappointment. But Fantasies was everything you could want in an album. High-energy, smart songs, an addicting vocalist, material that is never overwrought or whining, and a live show/music videos to back everything up. Always intelligent, never pandering, Metric, by a long shot, put out my favorite album of the year. Number one. With a bullet.
2) Japandroids – Post-Nothing – Start to finish, this record kicks you in the ass. Yeah, it has a really pretentious name. Yeah, it’s two Canadian dudes without much schtick. And of course, it’s nothing totally new (a blend of really good garage rock and that Jesus and Mary Chain epic sound). But it’s the sheer fact that those things are ALL they bring to the table and they bring those things really well that kick it all home.
3) Ida Maria – Fortress Round My Heart – The guys from Sound Opinions called Ida Maria the Iggy for a new generation. I’m gonna have to agree. An infectious voice, utterly honest lyrics, and a frontwoman who not only has the ability to tear your head off, but enough charm and moxy that you’d still love her to death? Yes, please.
Miguel Harvey:
1) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective rang in the New Year in spectacular fashion, and nothing came close to topping them. From the original blurb I sent you: Merriweather is accessible enough to infiltrate the pop consciousness for the first time in the band's career, yet continues to embrace the bursts of noise and unique sound collaging of their earlier releases. Animal Collective's wide range of influences, layered, psychedelic approach to recording and flair for live improvisation qualify them as a hipster-friendly jam band for the Mac age.
2) Neko Case - Middle Cyclone - On first listen, it's, "Just another phenomenal Neko Case album." The songwriting and approach to arrangement that Case takes on Middle Cyclone is similar to 2006's Fox Confessor, and that made me think that the record (while excellent) was nothing particularly special as far as her albums go. As the year wore on, the songs stuck to me. Haunting, memorable, and utterly essential. Check out "Prison Girls," it belongs in a David Lynch movie.
3) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Ten meticulously structured, self-contained pop songs yield an even greater reward when played together. Not unlike the record's venerated namesake, Phoenix use deceptively simple melodic ideas to craft one little masterpiece after the other. Remarkably consistent, oddly familiar and endlessly replayable.
Ryan Peters:
1) Mastodon - Crack the Skye - Rather than obscure the story, the lacerating riffs and red-raw vocals give texture to the most emotionally engaging album of the year.
2) The Swell Season - Strict Joy - Most people know them as "those two people from 'Once,'" but on their second album, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova eclipse the movie-origin back story and create a disc that deserves to be heard on its own accord. It's soulful and lilting, and populated with songs about failed relationships and failed friends. That Hansard and Irglova used to be an item makes the album that much more interesting, as they sing to each other and about each other in the same breath. Plus, "Low Rising" was my second-favorite single of the year, behind Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind."
3) Tie: Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3 / David Gray - Draw the Line - A lot of people were expecting "The Blueprint 3" to be some kind of revelation, redefining the genre the way "The Blueprint" and, arguably, "The Blueprint 2" both did. A lot of people still can't seem to acknowledge that Hova's latest album doesn't completely live up to the hype. Half of the album is near flawless, with tracks like "Thank You," "A Star is Born," "Empire State," and "So Ambitious." But other songs -- "Real as it Gets" and "Run This Town" -- sound like filler. As for "Draw the Line," I've said it before and will keep saying it despite the fact that no one really agrees with me: David Gray is maybe the best lyricist of the past 15-20 years. He's intelligent, poetic, and never uses a throwaway metaphor or trite simile. My favorite line on the album: "I’m the bottom line of the joke / I'm an ecstasy, spilling like bright egg-yolk / I’m the thoughts you’re too ashamed to ever share / And I am the smell of it, you’re trying to wash out of your hair."
Diego Baez:
1) Mos Def - The Ecstatic - Mos Def's Grammy-nominated fourth studio album takes its title from Victor Lavalle's debut novel about an overweight African-American schizophrenic, and blends the best of Def's experimental aesthetics with a deft, multi-culti sonic sampling and real talk and hip-hop. From the middle eastern-influenced instrumentals to the overlapping interludes and dark humor to cameos by Slick Rick and Talib Kweli and off-key crooning courtesy Georgia Anne Muldrow, The Ecstatic establishes M.D. as very much an artist of the 21st century.
2) Lil Wayne – Rebirth - I include on this list an album that has yet failed to materialize, not so much because of the new "sound" Wayne's apparently pushing, which, from what I've heard of it, is godawful, but because of the miserable attempts by artists trying to sell themselves as rap/rock crossovers that failure represents. Whereas "Pistola" off Mos Def's aforementioned album is xylophonic, catchy and manages to carry a (non-machine assisted) tune, "Hot Revolver" features Weezy drooling over Auto-Tune and sounds like something from the opening credits of a shitty sitcom circa 1997. He needs to hang up the guitar, and record a spoken-word album of him just talking over twelve or so beats, not unlike the incomparable, uninhibited end of Tha Carter III.
3) Michael Jackson - This Is It - Because the King of Pop (and arguably the first true crossover act [the man managed to transcend not only race and gender, but even many people's ideas of commonly acceptable or proper or, in certain thorny circumstances, Constitutionally-protected interpersonal conduct] to really succeed, i.e., Not only is his collabo with Slash on "Black or White" creative and original and still extensively sampled [and warranted a six-minute music video starring Macaulay Culkin that debuted across four networks, giving every one their highest ratings ever], but MJ did what lesser artists like Wayne and Kanye pretend to try and do: he tuned popular trends into Pop with a capital "P"; the man fucking invented the most successful genre of all time) can still go triple platinum worldwide in five weeks four months after his death.
Alyssa Vincent:
1) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion - who knew that the most experimental thing this band could do, would be to go mainstream? That move paid off in spades and produced their most relaxed, yet sonically gorgeous album yet.
2) Matt & Kim – Grand - Th ough their sound is slightly more polished, they still know how to make music that's insanely fun to listen to. You can practically hear them grinning through every track, and "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare" is my 2009 go-to sing-along song.
3) Bat for Lashes - Two Suns - Even with her ethereal voice and mystical lyrics, the album remains grounded thanks to earthy percussion. She remains one of the most original artists working right now.
David Sitrick:
1) Dinosaur Jr - Farm - Post-reunion Dinosaur Jr continues to impress, producing another quality album with Barlow back in the fold. Farm recaptures the classic Dinosaur Jr sound without being a total nostalgia trip.
2) Andrew Bird - Noble Beast - Bird's latest offering showcases more than ever his instrumental virtuosity and keen ear for elegant arrangements. The only disappointing thing about this album is the relative dearth of Bird's trademark whistle.
3) Bob Dylan - Christmas in the Heart - I challenge anyone to find a more fascinating collection of songs from this year than Bob Dylan's Christmas album. I don't necessarily know that it's one of the best albums of the year, but it certainly made me think about music more than anything else released in 2009, which earns its place here, as far as I'm concerned.
Amy Dittmeier:
1) The Flaming Lips – Embryonic - I'm bias since the Lips are one of my top bands in general, however even casual fans have to admit that Embryonic is a huge leap for this Oklahoma band. Take the fantastic imagery Wayne Coyne already weaves into his songs with the gritty psychedelic rock of the 70s and a good smattering of experimental rock. Then do a bunch of acid and run around in the Mojave desert. That's Embryonic in a nutshell.
2) Kid Cudi - The Man on the Moon - Cudi is bringing back class to hip hop. The Man on the Moon not only has some major pop sensibility ("Make Her Say" is an orgy of Midwest hip hop that you can still get down to) but is also probably one of the better concept albums I've heard in a while.
3) Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures - Dave Grohl. Josh Homme. John Paul Jones. Enough said.
Andrew Macnider:
1) Passion Pit - The Reeling - Having listened to this entire album nearly 30 times since its release, with 67 plays for Sleepyhead alone, The Reeling commands its presence as my favorite album of the year. 67 times!!!
2) Kid Cudi - The Man On The Moon - Cudi's debut album's dream-like escape and stream of consciousness lyrical flow will have me listening time and time again in the new year. Plus, having rare guests within the hip-hop world like Ratatat and MGMT is a welcome experiment that mesh well with the Kid.
3) DOOM - Born Like This - Maybe it takes doing an album with an Adult Swim cast, but DOOM just gets me. Head nods all around for this post 3-year hiatus/name change creation from the artist formerly known as MF Doom.
Joe Roth:
1) Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter - Richard Hawley has officially replaced Morrissey in the realm of impassioned and witty lyric writing. His ability to raise spirits and simultane vanced/langs/en.js" type="text/javascript"> // --> ously crush them with his gift, is not unlike shooting up a speedball. Truelove's Gutter is the most soul stirring and awe inspiring album of 2009.
2) Pet Shop Boys – Yes - Nearly 25 years into their career, the Pet Shop Boys have managed to record their best album. Yes, is a start to finish example of sophisticated synth pop genius.
3) The Horrors - Primary Colours - Sinister psychedelic garage from a band pretty much cast off as skinny-jeaned fashion victims. Seldom does the follow up album make an impact as engaging as this one.
Dominick Mayer:
1) P.O.S. – Never Better - This is one of those rare, fantastic moments when you can hear an artist finding their sound. If he doesn't become one of the biggest MCs in the country after this, we're all doomed.
2) Andrew Jackson Jihad – Can’t Maintain - Angry folk-punks stop being scared of everything and start enjoying life a little bit. It’s as vital as punk rock has sounded in years.
3) Matt & Kim – Grand - Making it okay to unironically fall in love with pop music again - one fantastic record at a time.
Andrew Scott:
1) Mewithoutyou – It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All A Dream! It’s Alright. - While I was writing my review for this album, I certainly wouldn’t have labeled it as one of my albums of the year. In spite of this, in the weeks following my write-up of the album, I can to love every minute of it. While it differs greatly from their past albums, the lyricism and folk theme of this album were unsurpassed by anything else I heard this year.
2) Portugal. The Man – The Satanic Satanist/ The Majestic Majesty - Another album I was fortunate enough to review, this album was just about perfect all the way through. Taking more of a minimalist outlook this time, The Satanic Satanist is a no-nonsense, straightforward rock album. During the recording of the album, the band cited The Beatles as a major influence for the album, and this influence shines through. While they stray away from their usual experimental tendencies, every song is well-constructed and a joy to listen to.
3) fun. – Aim & Ignite - An all-around great pop album, Aim & Ignite, stays interesting and inventive while still maintaining its catchiness. “Benson Hedges” is this album’s only folly.
Everett Salyer:
1) Guns N’ Roses- Chinese Democracy - The long awaited (15 years) album from Guns N’ Roses gave us a peak into the narcisstic and neophobic Axl Rose. It wasn't as good as it should have been, but still came out surprisingly good.
2) Pet Lions - Roman Holiday - These breakout Chicago artists captivated me with their catchy and bouncy indie-pop tracks.
3) Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague - "The Godfathers of Death Metal” have brutally punished us once again with blast beats, ultra low chunky guitars, and the signature vocal growls, but Evisceration Plague had some more ethereal moments that proved the group continues to grow in the genre.
Benjamin Kessel:
1) Eels - Hombre Lobo - The heart-wrenching tale of a hirsute man falling in love with a local beauty is the most ambitious project Mark Oliver Everett has tackled yet.
2) Clutch - Strange Cousins From the West - If I said anything about this album I'd be gushing like a 12-year-old at a Hannah Montana concert.
3) The Swell Season - Strict Joy - A late entry for this category, all I can really say is that when you get this album, you'll wake up every morning singing "Feeling the Pull," too.
Posted by Wes Soltis on Dec 18, 2009 @ 9:00 am
