10 BEST RECORDS OF 2009 SO FAR THAT I ACTUALLY OWN
(listed alphabetically by artist/band)
Dan Auerbach- “KEEP IT HID”
I would consider myself a Black Keys fan, but honestly get bored by the two-person/guitar/drums/electric-blues-rock shtick pretty quickly (although I was very impressed by last year’s Dangermouse-produced “ATTACK & RELEASE”). When I heard that Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach was releasing a solo record, I was definitely curious to see what he would sound like without his other half. This record borrows a lot from Dan’s band (the Delta licks, the white-guy soul vocals, the rootsy vibe), and either expands on or detracts from it, depending on the song. From the voodoo groove of “I Want Some More,” to the Appalachian dream folk of “Goin’ Home,” Auerbach proves that his considerable talents as a songwriter and performer extend far beyond the constraints of the Black Key’s blues assault.
Andrew Bird- “NOBLE BEAST”
Picking up pretty much exactly where 2007’s “ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA” left off, Bird serves listeners another helping of intricate and delightful multi-instrumental wonder. However, this record lacks the wink of its predecessor; it seems without irony (not to say without gentle humor), and is a disarmingly sincere listen, from the most heartwrenching of violin parts to the most joyful whistle. Another rewarding aspect of this album is the particular emphasis placed on rhythm throughout, outlined by tight and frenetic drumming, claps, snaps, samples, strings, etc. The lyrics are decidedly abstract and generally intellectual in nature (you try to use the word “nomenclature” so successfully in a song), and Bird’s unblemished vocals seem more like another effective instrument in the fray than a sore-thumb human addition. What is most impressive about this record, however, is Bird’s attention to detail. No lyric seems unfitting, no sound seems out of place.
Bon Iver- “BLOOD BANK”
Okay, so it’s an EP. And a short one at that, with only four songs. But dammit, do those songs really count. The title track alone qualifies this release for inclusion in a “Best Of” list. The songs are a little more hi-fi than “FOR EMMA…,” and mark a successful sonic departure from that record’s haunting starkness into more expansive, experimental territory (see the hypnotic and lyrically minimalist “Babys,” and the AutoTune-taken-to-it’s-most-extreme-possible-application-that-actually-still-works, a cappella “Woods”). Still, all the great Bon Iver features we’ve come to know and love are there: bittersweetness, striking imagery, and Justin Vernon’s surprisingly soulful vocals.
Neko Case- “MIDDLE CYCLONE”
Moving even more in the direction that 2006’s “FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD” hinted at, this record further abandons Ms. Case’s noir-country roots in favor of a musical landscape more defined by initially unrecognizable sounds and ghostly atmospherics than twang (not to say that her earlier releases lacked those qualities completely). One could also posit that her time in the power-pop combo the New Pornographers paid off in all the right ways. This being said, throughout this record the most exciting aspect is definitely Neko’s decidedly non-pop approach to songwriting. Songs may or may not contain choruses, or really verses for that matter. Time signatures switch from section to section, and melodic instrumental lines pop in and out, helping to create a sense of shaky unease that perfectly compliments her dark, fairy tale-inspired lyrics (anthropomorphic tornadoes, talking spirits, lots and lots of animals). “MIDDLE CYCLONE” was at least partially recorded in a barn on her New Hampshire farm, and occasionally barn swallows, wind, and other natural sounds can be heard in the songs. These audio verite moments are just one contributing factor to the impression of organicism of the album as a whole. From start to finish, it sounds like a cohesive, natural piece, a glimpse into the personal and imagined world of a very talented musician.
Cymbals Eat Guitars- “WHY THERE ARE MOUNTAINS”
Thrown into widespread attention by a glowing review from Pitchfork, this album is a really great little slice of indie rock from a very promising Brooklyn band. The tunes are fresh, extended sequences of manic, punk-inspired bursts and noise punctuated by hazy passages almost like lullabies. The vocals can get a little screamy for my personal taste, but overall they compliment the often-angular arrangements. All musicians are obviously very talented, interweaving instrumental and vocal parts that would each be impressive on their own, but add up to something really thrilling all together.
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse- “DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL”
Maybe the greatest album of the year never to be released (Google it), I find it sad that the legal issues surrounding “DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL” are so far nearly superceding the music in the press the album is receiving. Basically, it’s a musical collaboration between Dangermouse and Sparklehorse, with a package designed by David Lynch. The who’s-who of talented singers provide vocals, from the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne and the Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, to Iggy Pop and Vic Chestnutt. For so many cooks being present, the result is surprisingly cohesive and indicative of incredible vision in all aspects of the project. I think this owes much to Dangermouse’s masterful production skills, and the fact that many of the vocalists sing similarly to Sparklehorse, meaning that the melodies he wrote fit the various voices very well. The mood is uniformly otherworldly and often disquieting (would you expect any less from the people involved), but always enjoyable and rewarding, and the record will surely go down in history as one of the great casualties of record industry banality/idiocy.
Grizzly Bear- “VECKATIMEST”
This is an early contender for my personal Best Record of 2009. It’s quite unlike anything else released this year that I’ve heard, and honestly, anything I’ve heard before. It’s hard for me to really describe what makes this album so wonderful. I’ll start by saying that it was mostly recorded in a church, and it sounds like it. It’s not a grand or epic album, despite the intermittent orchestral augmentation, or an occasional soaring chorus or two. The mood is mostly hushed, the melodies original and the harmonies delicate. The vocals and instrumentation are somewhat fragile even at their loudest, seemingly under constant threat of collapse under their own restraint. But repeated listens reveal that the tunes are anything but truly fragile; they broadcast a confidence and musicality that makes the final overall product something that can only be described as uniquely fascinating. This is album is not an easy listen. Its many layers and unexpected changes demand attention and a careful ear, and honestly deserve it.
St. Vincent- “ACTOR”
I don’t think I’ve spent enough time with this record to really delve into all of it’s dense indie-rock-pop glory, but I do know that the first few listens revealed undeniable quality. St. Vincent (real name Annie Clark) spins tuneful webs, assumingly using traditional instruments and means, but the result is anything but traditional. Guitars sound like horns, horns sound like voices, keyboards are used as percussive instruments, voices may or may not be vocoded. It’s an intense listen. That isn’t to say that there isn’t real beauty and reserve exhibited. The opening track is reaches to cosmic heights with a (dare I say it?) heavenly choir, tons of reverb, and a (maybe) sampled orchestra. Clark’s voice seems like it would be more at home in the 40’s or 50’s, the kind of even chanteuse croon more commonly seen in the jazz clubs of old movies. Nestled within the often extreme and always interesting arrangements, her voice provides a needed contrast, a familiar point on which to hold on as she takes the listener through one of the more unique soundscapes of the last decade.
M. Ward- “HOLD TIME”
Even though I have a huge love for folk-rock, this is actually the first M. Ward album I have ever owned (if you don’t count She & Him’s “VOLUME ONE”). I am not disappointed. M.’s ear for subtle sonic shades and arrangement is really impressive, as are his skills as a guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist. The sound of the record is decidedly vintage and almost uterinely warm, a calming musical womb in which songs drift by, not without purpose or interest, but rather without any intent of listener confrontation. It’s refreshing to hear a record that seems so… eager to be listened to, as inviting and warm as an album can be without seeming disingenuous, cheesy, or pandering. This being said, there are a few decided missteps, which can mainly be found in the album’s two covers, Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” (generally unexciting), and the standard “Oh Lonesome Me” (goes on too long; the charm of the pretty new arrangement, tempo, and mood wears off after the fifth minute). This is another one I bought recently and definitely need to spend more time with.
Wilco- “WILCO (THE ALBUM)”
So this one won’t officially be released until June 30th, but the leak has been widely available (including on the band’s website) for some time now. While Rolling Stone’s declaration of this album’s place being squarely between “BEING THERE” and “YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT” is not really accurate, I can pretty much see where they were coming from. In many ways, “WILCO (THE ALBUM)” is a culmination of every musical identity and stylistic skin of the band’s career, from alt-country and classic rock to avant-gardism and electronica. But also, it’s not like anything they’ve done before, if for nothing else than the way that it blends so many disparate genre tricks and markers completely seamlessly. There’s pretty (“You and I”), there’s nightmarish (“Bull Black Nova” [the stand-out track on an album full of stand-outs]), there’s good ole rock (“You Never Know,” “I’ll Fight”), and there’s the profoundly moving (“Everlasting Everything,” “One Wing”). Overshadowing, and often shaping all of these sub-moods and –sounds, however, is an incredible melodic awareness that Tweedy and Co. have never exhibited to this extent before. The more I listen to this record, the more I feel like it will become a defining moment for the band, one that will hopefully lead this already venerable and astounding musical collective to new heights.
WHAT DIDN’T MAKE THE LIST:
(None of it is really that bad, just not “Best Of” list material, although my opinions are subject to change by the end of the year)
Cursive- “MAMA, I’M SWOLLEN”
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit- “JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT”
Manchester Orchestra- “MEAN EVERYTHING TO NOTHING”
Super Furry Animals- “DARK DAYS/LIGHT YEARS”
2009 RECORDS I AM EXCITED TO GET IN THE NEAR FUTURE:
Wilco- “WILCO (THE ALBUM)”
Patterson Hood- “MURDERING OSCAR (AND OTHER LOVE SONGS)”
Neil Young- “ARCHIVES VOLUME ONE”
The Dead Weather- “WHOREHOUND”
Dinosaur Jr.- “FARM”
Sonic Youth- “THE ETERNAL”
