Welcome to the annual “Top Albums of the Year” list. As I expected, 2009 was an amazing year for music. Putting together this list was much harder than I anticipated. There were so many quality albums that did not make the cut and I’m sure I’ll kick myself two months from now for leaving something off. At this point in time, I’m confident that this list accurately represents my idea of the must-own albums of 2009.
Fuzzy Lion Top Albums of 2009.
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25. Spiral Stairs – The Real Feel Best Tracks: “Cold Change” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “True Love” / “Wharf Hand Blues” |
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24. Imogen Heap – Ellipse Best Tracks: “First Train Home” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Wait It Out” / “Between Sheets” |
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23. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast Best Tracks: “Oh No” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” / “Effigy” |
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22. The Clean – Mister Pop Best Tracks: “Tensile” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Are You Really On Drugs?” / “All Those Notes” |
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21. Kevin Devine – Brother’s Blood Best Tracks: “Time To Burn (Another Bag of Bones)” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Carnival” / “It’s Only Your Life” |
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20. Dashboard Confessional – Alter the Ending Best Tracks: “Everybody Learns From Disaster” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “I Know About You” / “Belle of the Boulevard” |
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19. Silversun Pickups – Swoon Best Tracks: “There’s No Secrets This Year” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Panic Switch” / “It’s Nice To Know You Work Alone” |
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18. Two Tongues – Two Tongues Best Tracks: “Wowee Zowee” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Crawl” / “Tremors” |
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17. The Low Anthem – Oh My God, Charlie Darwin Best Tracks: “To Ohio” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Champion Angel” / “The Horizon Is a Beltway” |
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16. Blue Roses – Blue Roses Best Tracks: “Greatest Thoughts” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Can’t Sleep” / “I Am Leaving” |
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15. Moby – Wait For Me Best Tracks: “Wait For Me” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Slow Light” / “Mistake” |
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14. Headlights – Wildlife Best Tracks: “Dead Ends” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Secretss” / “Telephones” |
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13. Mike Doughty – Sad Man Happy Man Best Tracks: “(I Want To) Burn You (Down)” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Nectarine (Part Two)” / “(I Keep On) Rising Up” |
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12. Pearl Jam – Backspacer Best Tracks: “Just Breathe” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “The Fixer” / “Speed of Sound” |
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11. Fanfarlo – Resevoir Best Tracks: “Drowning Men” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Coments” / “Ghosts” |
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10. Great Northern – Remind Me Where the Light Is Best Tracks: “Warning” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Mountain” / “Story” |
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9. Metric – Fantasies Best Tracks: “Gimme Sympathy” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Help I’m Alive” / “Collect Call” |
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8. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs Best Tracks: “More Stars Than There Are In Heaven” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “If It’s True” / “All Your Secrets” |
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7. Jónsi & Alex – Riceboy Sleeps Best Tracks: “Happiness” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Atlas Song” / “Daniell In the Sea” |
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6. Wheat – White Ink, Black Ink Best Tracks: “El Sincero” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Changes Is” / “Music Is Drugs” |
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5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz! Best Tracks: “Hysteric” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Skeletons” / “Zero” |
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4. Regina Spektor – Far Best Tracks: “Folding Chair” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “The Calculation” / “One More Time with Feeling” |
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3. Phoenix– Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Best Tracks: “Countdown” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “1901″ / “Love Like a Sunset, Pt. II’” |
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2. Passion Pit – Manners Best Tracks: “Moth’s Wings” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “Sleepyhead” / “Let Your Love Grow Tall” |
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1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone Best Tracks: “Magpie To the Morning” Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. “I’m an Animal” / “Middle Cyclone” |
Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone was my favorite album of 2009. Not only is Neko my favorite female vocalist of all time, every track on Middle Cyclone is hauntingly beautiful and extremely well written. The record also features guest appearances by her New Pornographers cohorts, which is always a positive in my view.
I am super excited for some albums on the horizon of 2010, most notable the new Frightened Rabbit album as well as Jónsi’s (of Sigur Rós) solo effort. Eels also has a new album coming out very soon which appears that it may be my favorite since Daisies of the Galaxy.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support and here’s to an amazingly musical 2010!
I’d completely forgotten that Kevin Devine’s Brother’s Blood came out in 2009. Good call, that record deserved to be on a lot more top 10 lists (including mine.)
I agree. It’s a highly underrated album. I think it’s because his last couple haven’t been up to par in my opinion, but “Brother’s Blood” is a home run.