Best Of 2009 — Tim Heyl
Posted By Ben W. on December 15, 2009
Tim Heyl is here to give you his top 10 albums and songs of 2009. His credentials? How’s this for credentials?
Best Albums Of 2009
10. Lost Channels — Great Lake Swimmers
A good record that unexpectedly found a spot in my rotation, and I’m not sure why.
9. Other Truths — Do May Say Think
Every time they release a record, you can pretty much pencil them in for a Top 20 appearance. This year is no different.
8. Watch Me Fall — Jay Reatard
Noticeably, towards the end of actually writing this list, I get tired of thinking of what to say about each record…you know, because I’m not a writer. So here we are, Jay Reatard, #8.
7. On My Way — Tap Tap
It’s rare that I give a mostly pure-pop album like this a second or third chance. His first album, Lanzafame, was immediately likable. I hesitate to use the word “grower” for this, but I guess I just did.
6. Beast Rest Forth Mouth — Bear In Heaven
What a weird, catchy record.
5. Veckatamist — Grizzly Bear
Admit it, the inner-hipster-hater in you wants to pretend this sucks. Unfortunately, it’s probably the most complete “album” of the year (or at least on my list).
4. So Cow — So Cow
For this one, I’m going to go ahead and do exactly what I hate about bad record reviews: “It’s like The Clean met Guided By Voices and had kids!”So there ya go, make of that what you will.
3. In Prism — Polvo
Somehow managed to make ’90s alt-rock feel relevant and not rehashed.
2. It’s Frightening — White Rabbits
It’s only with a bit of arm-twisting that I write so-called ‘best-of’ lists — mostly because they’re so definitive. I’d prefer to take these 10 albums and pick my order out blindfolded. It doesn’t work that way, so I ultimately pick this album for #2 even though according to Ben, it’s worse than Green Day. I mean that in the most sincerely sarcastic way, of course.
1. Admirations — Beaujolais
The Like Young was a pretty decent husband/wife band from a few years ago that ended in a nasty split. Fortunately for us, the break gave songwriter Joseph Ziemba a chance to turn out two great records in response. His most recent is a far cry from his simple pop/punk days of his previous band and gets better with each listen.
BEST SONGS OF 2009
10. “The Battle To Heaven” — Mono
9. “333″ — Malajube
8. “Beach Comber” — Real Estate
7. “Good Boys” — The Minor Leagues
6. “Sight, Flight” — Wye Oak
5. “The Lady Vanishes” — White Rabbits
4. “Got Nuffin” — Spoon
3. “Shackleton” — So Cow
2. “All Yr Songs” — Diamond Rings
1. “Fangela” — Here We Go Magic
– Tim Heyl
If you enjoyed reading about the kind of music Tim listens to, you may enjoy the music he makes. His band, The Most Powerful Telescope In The Universe, released its debut full-length in November. And like Green Day, it is much better than the new White Rabbits disc.
Seriously. A whole lot better. Go check it out HERE.
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Pretty excited to see Beaujolais on a year-end list, and in the #1 spot at that. Admirations, along with Love at 30, are two of the best albums I’ve heard.
You’re totally right on that Tap Tap record being a ‘grower’ – if I were to make a top ten list now, rather than two months ago, it’d be near the top.