We’re more than halfway through 2009 so, hey, why not a little list? That’s what the people over at SPIN are thinking: They just put together what they consider “The 20 Best Albums of 2009 … So Far.” It isn’t in any order, but each entry comes with a brief declarative writeup explaining why the record was chosen. For instance, “[BLANK] throws herself into every song as if it’s all a big finale, which makes for an auspicious beginning.” Or, “[BLANK] won’t double as anyone’s dance-party playlist. But it’s an uneasy, bracingly honest soundtrack to life after fame.” And, “With the economy tanking, homes being lost, and folks switching to survival mode, America may need [BLANK]‘s back-to-nature fantasias more than ever.” Any ideas? (Hint: That last one is not Sarah Palin.) Before we get started: Your favorite bookmarks of the such and such is > than such and such are both here. And there are a couple Mercury Prize 2009 nominees. Of course, the accompanying image ought to be helpful, too.
Ida Maria – Fortress Round My Heart
Peter Bjorn And John – Living Thing
Blk Jks – Mystery
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Amadou & Mariam – Welcome To Mali
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Regina Spektor – Far
Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications
Bat For Lashes – Two Sun
Mavado – Mr. Brooks… A Better Tomorrow
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Sa-Ra Creative Partners – The Age Of Love
Antony And The Johnsons – The Crying Light
See the list in its contextual photo gallery with accompanying blurbs over at SPIN.
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where’s Marilyn Manson’s ‘The High End Of Low’?
Noticeably missing from the list… Manchester Orchestra, Vetiver, Bowerbirds, Decemberists, Attack In Black, Noah And The Whale, Jason Lytle, Kevin Devine, Sonic Youth, Slow Club, Cymbals Eat Guitar
Gotta agree with Joey T. on this one. Not that these album aren’t good. But this list is pretty expected. No curve balls, no interesting finds. Just a standard list. Spin is okay … I got nothing against it … but that’s kinda why most rock magazines are pretty lame. Doesn’t anyone actually go out and search for music? Listen for new sounds, unique artists, etc? Spin has come a long way — but still has room to go.
Some picks I’m glad to see (BLK JKS, Grizzly Bear, Wilco, Phoenix), some WTF-picks (Ida Maria, Peter Bjorn & John, Antony & The Johnsons) but overall, considering this is a major print magazine, this isn’t a half bad list. Akron/Family, Dinosaur Jr. and Black Lips are all up there for me as well.
Pet Shop Boys Yes should be on the list. They are still making great music!
Looks like Eskimo Snow will be in the second half; it’s AMAZING!!!
the pains of being pure at heart???????????
Such shameless self-promotion!
control + f
“mos def”
1 match
list is rather fair; predictable for spin…id like to see silversun pickups and cursive up there as well
Ehhhhh-heeeeeeeeeeeeee. Shh’mon now where is Dragon Slayer?
hey where is……..get a life all of you keyboard glued music posers. listen to what you like and shut up. stop trying to convince someone about which album is better with your extremely lame greater than signs. why would anyone care about someone’s opinion on this? if you like an album so much, get off your damn computer and go enjoy the music. the world is a sad sad place.
get a job.
Nothing electronic? Don’t people@Spin go dancing?
I do. Happy Up Here’s still my ringtone.
you guys are all lame for caring
Yay for Bat For Lashes’ “Two Suns”; what a wonderful album! Phoneix’s “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” and Yeah Yeah Yeahs “It’s Blitz!” are great too. I agree that St. Vincent’s “Actor” should have been included on the list. I loved the album instantly upon first listen. I would have liked to see IAMX’s “Kingdom of Welcome Addiction” #My personal album of the year so far –though no one else really knows who they are unfortnuately# Florence and the Machine’s “Lungs”, Laura Malring’s “Alas I Cannot Swim”, The Joy Formidable’s “A Balloon Called Moaning” and The Dead Weather’s “Horehound” among others. But of course, I’m not going to get worked up over the lack of inclusion of certain albums this like some, if not most of you. There’s only so many albums Spin can list, and there’s no way they can make EVERYONE happy!
I like Spin, and I like you guys, but I like Sunn O))), Kylesa, Future of the Left, and Wolves in the Throne Room more. But we can all still bro it out over a beer. I’ll even let you guys listen to Animal Collective or Grizzly Bear for awhile.
Oh and I agree with the person who mentioned Royksopp’s “Junior”. It’s one of my top electronic albums of the year so far, after “Kingdom of Welcome Addiction”. But Spin seems shun electronic music in general, so I”m not surprised it isn’t included in the list either.
No love for Camera Obscura?
This is why my free copies of Spin sit unread in my bathroom month after month. They just play it so safe, I could have predicted this list before I even read it. I do agree with some of their picks. But Sunset Rubdown, Camera Obscura, Dinosaur Jr. and Vetiver should all be on that list; Glasvegas, Regina Spektor, and Peter Bjorn And John should not.
Also, the first list that includes both Rural Alberta Advantage and Cass McCombs is my girlfriend.
Vetiver kinda sucks I think…
The only one that comes to mind is Jack Penate’s Everything Is New. Out in U.K. 8/18 in U.S. via XL.
Another list ya’ll: http://www.thedailyswarm.com/swarm/indie-yuppies-unite-nprs-best-albums-songs-2009-so-far/
i agree. i love how people can get so riled up about someone saying one album is better than the other. what personal satisfaction do these people get from:
a) claiming to be a self-professed music expert to complete strangers on the internet that they will never meet in the real world
b) wasting their precious time posting arguments on something that is purely opinionated like musical taste
c) actually increasing their mortality rate from an excess amount of cortisol entering their bodies by worrying so much about the absurdity of someone, for example, liking peter, bjorn and john more than st. vincent
these people really don’t understand just how foolish they appear to people who are actually “human beings” rather than internet addicted, musical wannabes. some people i just don’t understand…
All I can say is Grizzly Bear stank up the room all 3 times i was unfortunate enough to see them in the last 12 months.
No Elvis Perkins = this list is irrelevant.
I think this is a pretty decent list. I was surprised that Royksopp and Bill Callahan weren’t on there…those records are both pretty great.
A few people seem to like Future of the Left. I haven’t listened to the record but based on their Siren performance, I’m glad they’re not on here. Total butt-rock. They should hook up with Daughtry. Hopefully their recordings are much better than their live act.
And Wavves?? Really, Farmer Ted? I’m shocked they’ve made it as far as they have. They probably had money/knew someone who knew someone working for Pitchfork.
I’ll have to check out that Elvis Perkins, though. I see it mentioned here a few times and I don’t think I’ve ever heard him before.
Generationals CON LAW! Just out but this record is fiya SON!
When was Spin taken over by the folks at Paste? You know, the “We rock, but in a safe, mature way” magazine.
Agreed – more sunset rubdown!
Also: LOVE neko. but Florence’s Lungs should also be on this list. It’s freaking incredible. Passion Pit, as well.
Not really a full length album but distinct last of Cymbals Eat Guitars
they really should have just put the new built to spill record on there, even though its not out in till october. also the new flaming lips. I’m 80% sure both those albums will be my favorites of the year. Now burn me for not mentioning MPP, Bitte Orca, of Vecatimest. (though i do love those last two)
Spin at least tries to keep up, and that Prince covers record they gave away is awesome. I thought that the YYY’s record was disappointing, and I would have included the new Hayden record, as well as M.Ward, the Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Franz, and the new Dinosaur Jr. The new Lemonheads covers record is pretty fun as well.
I’m glad so many peeps mention the lack of St. Vincent.
Brilliant album.
Ditto on Elvis Perkins in Dearland. I’ve listened to that record more than any other this year.
My choice #1 choice is still the Pains of Being Pure At Heart. I would think they could find room for Passion Pit too.
yeah another vote for foreign born, how these guys aren’t getting more writeups i never know, seriously, one of the best if not the best album of this year so far
Telekinesis! Telekinesis! Telekinesis! Best debut album of 2009.
hmmmm…. don’t see A Woman A Man Walked By by PJ Harvey and John Parish. Boo.
Wow! That list sucks! The only deserving bands on this list are Mastodon, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear.
FWIW, great read on Wilco…. Some interesting Tweedy bits regarding Jay Bennett
I didn’t think TPOBPAH are all that interesting. Just really bland music with the excuse of being “pop”.
And am I the only person who actually liked the new Crystal Antlers album and the Lotus Plaza record?
Plus, does anyone else see an album development connection between Grizzly Bear and Lightning Bolt; with a strong, consistent breakthrough (Wonderful Rainbow, Yellow House) and a bit more ambitious follow-up that has some of their best work but a bit too much filler (Hypermagic Mountain, Veckatimest).
And people need to quit hating on Wavves. This is just the idiot backlash that happened to emo except it’s all happening to one guy. Give him a fucking break! I’m with ya Ted. Long live Woodsist!
Black lips’ 200 million thousand absolutely smoked these albums. Yep.
I’d have to put this list on my list, The Best of the “So Far” Lists of 2009, So Far.
I really like the indie things they’re doing with it by calling it unordered (when the very nature of a list is an ordered thing. Otherwise it would be a group or a collection. (Granted that may be hair splitting)). Though I may have some minor quibbles with the choice of 20 items which seems like playing it too safe. I mean it’s hardly a stretch. You know really go out on a limb with 22 or 23. (But then I deleted SPIN out of my Favorites list for just such utter predictability as having lists in multiples of 5.) But publishing it at 07.22.09 8:07 AM — Genius!! So Random. So Indie. Especially when the first Google result of this time is the Crave or Save comparison from Emily’s Cupcakes and Cashmere site, (BTW Forever 21 > Lanvin) where you can check out these choice ‘brief declarative write ups’: “saw BLANK … enamored with the striking gemstones paired with a casual, grosgrain ribbon” and “BLANK packs the same dramatic punch, but with a much more manageable price.”
now, what in the fuck are you talking about?
Some people take hipster bashing so far that no one ends up knowing what they’re talking about.
Go back to hipster runoff, man.
Magazine? You mean Grizzles and AC exist outside of the internet?
Also, where the fuck is Swan Lake!?
Where’s (insert album I like)? I think it is the best album of the year. I do not like (band/album you like), and I don’t see how you could possibly like that.
Let’s not forget that Bruce Springsteen’s Working on a Dream came out this year–I’m in love with the queen of the supermarket!
Timber Timbre
oh yeah! another list of bands that no one will care about in 5 years. Great job SPIN!!! woohoo!
Word. Hey Nic, I know you.
since when do people care this much about what SPIN has to say?
Many good albums have been mentioned by the commenters here. I don’t follow Spin …. do you? Maybe it’s because I’m an old fart but my fav this year is the Derek Trucks Band – Already Free. It’s just a bunch of truly remarkable musicians playing stunning unadultered music. I like indie too and my top 20 must include Patrick Wolf, Sunset Rubdown and Beirut. Finally, two thumbs up for the best geriatric comeback of the year ….. bravo to Leonard Cohen – Live in London.
Very MOR. Exactly what I’d expect from a mainstream mag.
Micachu rocks!
The Oxygen Pones ‘Harmony Handgrenade’ Nuff said
I love Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast. Just wonderful. (And I saw him in Amsterdam – wow!).
Hey, what about The Rest – Everyone All At Once? A beautiful album. Imagine Arcade Fire, The National and Mercury Rev went into the studio together.
Other favorites so far: Wilco, Phoenix, Doves, Harlem Shakes, M. Ward, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, Bishop Allen.
Totally with you on Noble Beast.
And why could I predict this list before I even clicked to read it?
Because these bands are collectively considered ‘cool’. Speaking of collectively, this is the first Animal Collective album (and I’ve given them all a chance) that doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable and anxious. But they’re awful live… Just throwing that out there.
No they’re not. Just because they make you uncomfortable doesn’t mean they’re bad performers. MPP isn’t even in my top ten and I still think you’re being a dipshit.
Glasvegas’ album is an absolute dirge. It’s horrible. I’m Scottish so I need no extra encouragement to get behind a Scottish band, but it’s just wall-to-wall feedback and gawdy crooning. There are a thousand better Scottish bands who deserve the coverage Glasvegas get.
TOP 5 So far
GRIZZLY BEAR_VECKATIMEST
NEON INDIAN_PSYCHIC CHASMS
ATLAS SOUND_LOGOS
THE DODO´S_TIME TO DIE
MAJOR LAZOR_GUNS DONT KILL PEOPLE….LAZORS DO
DIRTY PROJECTORS_BITTE ORCA
THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE_HOMETOWNS
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE_MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILLON
YACHT_SEE MYSTERY LIGHTS
WHO MADE WHO_THE PLOT
What a crime to have Glasvegas up there. Seriously shoot your self.
My favourite album so far is Florence and the machine ‘Lungs’ There’s not one bad song on that album. Sheer greatness
where can i hear white denim
Where’s St Vincent’s “Actor”? The Antlers’ “Hospice”? Patrick Watson’s “Wooden Arms”?
This list is far from finished!
I’ve been rocking that probably harder than anything else this year. NOMO’s invisible cities also outplays a lot of albums on this supremely predictable list.
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