Top 50 Albums of 2009

Coming on the heels of a terrible year for music, 2009 started out with a deluge of promising releases, and for the most part, was crowded in the 'absolutely great' echelon. As I look back at it now, though, the year wasn't as deep in great releases other years. Normally, I've over one hundred albums that I'm trying to squeeze down to fifty, but this year it wasn't too hard to get it down to fifty... only having to whittle off 10 or so. So without further ado... here they be.

Playlist: Top 50 Albums of 2009

1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

By far the most accessible release from Dave Longstreth and co., Bitte Orca is still complicated enough to no doubt fluster more than a few ears. There wasn't a better three song sequence in recent memory, with the 1-2-3 punch of "Stillness Is The Move," "Two Doves" and "Useful Chamber." They admirably pulled off the songs live on tour (and on TV appearances), even with the degree of difficulty.

Review, June 9, 2009

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2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Stream / Purchase [mp3

2009 began with a bang thanks to this release in January, easily topping all of the releases in the 12 months prior. Because it leaked a month early, last year's "top 50" list felt insignificant in comparison, and MPP wound up topping most folks list this year.

Review, January 20, 2009

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3. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Hard to believe that once upon a time, Grizzly Bear was thought of as lo-fi. Veckatimest is teeming with precision and bursting with moments of harmonizing glory, as if alternating between lakeside surgery and wondrous visitations from the Lord (the album was finished in a church). Perfect follow up to 2006's Yellow House.

*Unless you settled for that unfinished leak that made the rounds, in which case I say to you "Dump that noise and pony up for the real thang, Son!"

Review, May 26, 2009

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4. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The Lips return to the weird, after spending a few years dropping their quirks on the long-incubating Christmas on Mars project. Freed up experimentally, Embryonic doesn't concern itself with being loved by all, instead is bathed in paranoia and dread. If you're looking for bunny suits and confetti explosions, keep moving.

Review, October 13, 2009

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5. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Review, June 23, 2009

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6. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Review, May 26, 2009

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7. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Review, August 4, 2009

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8. Polvo - In Prism
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Review September 8, 2009
Download: "Beggar's Bowl" [mp3]

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9. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Review September 29, 2009

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10. Girls - Album
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

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11. St Vincent - Actor
12. Atlas Sound - Logos (review 10/20/09)
13. The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa
14. Micachu and the Shapes - Jewellery (review 04/07/09)
15. Volcano Choir - Unmap (review 09/29/09)
16. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer (review 06/23/09)
17. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
18. Neon Indian - Pyschic Chasms
19. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
20. Islands - Vapours (review 09/22/09)
21. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (review 03/03/09)
22. The Xx - The Xx (tv preview 11/09/09)
23. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (review 03/24/09)
24. Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx... Pt. II
25. Real Estate - Real Estate (review 12/01/09)
26. Mission of Burma - The Sound, The Speed, The Light (review 10/06/09)
27. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
28. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (review 06/23/09)
29. The Antlers - Hospice
30. DOOM - Born Like This
31. Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band (review 08/04/09)
32. Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans (review 08/18/09)
33. Os Mutantes - Haih or Amortecedor (review 09/08/09)
34. Royksopp - Junior (review 01/29/08)
35. Foreign Born - Person to Person (review 06/23/09)
36. Art Brut - Art Brut Vs. Satan (review 04/21/09)
37. Wavves - Wavvves (review 03/17/09)
38. They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science (review 01/15/08)
39. Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand (review 02/24/09)
40. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
41. White Rabbits - It's Frightening (review 05/19/09)
42. Sonic Youth - The Eternal (review 06/09/09)
43. Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light
44. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
45. Cass McCombs - Catacombs
46. Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People-- Lazers Do
47. Maxwell - BLACKsummer'snight
48. The Minus 5 - Killingsworth (03/19/08)
49. Dark Was the Night
50. Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications (review 05/19/09)

Previously: Best Albums from 2008, Best Albums from 2007