My Favorite 75 Albums Of 2009 — Dec. 7
Posted By Ben W. on December 7, 2009
It’s Pearl Harbor Day this beautiful Monday morning.
But oddly enough, the great country of Canadia takes center stage today on the countdown.
57. Post Electric Blues — Idlewild
I’d thought these Scottish rockers had broken up. That’s how bad their 2007 Make Another World album was. This record sees them developing a fuller, more American sound — with horns and bells. And while it can’t hold a candle to the band’s golden-era, 2000-2003 run, this is a pleasant surprise from a band I’d left for dead.
56. Dragonslayer — Sunset Rubdown
Spencer Krug streamlined Sunset Rubdown’s sound on this record. The songs are still often six-plus minutes with oddball structures. But the arrangements are more guitar-heavy and straightforward, while many of the melodies are more obvious than the band’s previous work. Ironically (and perhaps predictably), this doubles as the band’s least interesting release. Less demanding; less rewarding.
55. Middle Cyclone — Neko Case
This is a record that won’t leave me alone. I wrote if off as boring M.O.R. earlier in the year. But certain songs just kept sticking in my head, and I have to admit now, it’s a much better record than I originally thought. I still think it’s fairly middle-of-the-road. Case’s vocals are pretty enough to power through the boring moments, though.
Check back tomorrow for Day 8 of the Advent calendar countdown. We’ll be listing three albums every day from now through Christmas when we get to No. 1.
Click DAY ONE to view Nos. 75-73.
Click DAY TWO to view Nos. 72-70.
Click DAY THREE to view Nos. 69-67.
Click DAY FOUR to view Nos. 66-64.
Click DAY FIVE to view Nos. 63-61.
Click DAY SIX to view Nos. 60-58.
MY FAVORITE 75 ALBUMS OF 2009 (THE LIST SO FAR)
75. Man Of Aran (Soundtrack) – British Sea Power
74. March Of The Zapotec/Holland EP – Beirut
73. Changing Horses – Ben Kweller
72. It’s Frightening – White Rabbits
71. Living Thing – Peter Bjorn And John
70. Working On A Dream – Bruce Springsteen
69. 21st Century Breakdown – Green Day
68. Grrr… – Bishop Allen
67. Let The Dominoes Fall – Rancid
66. Kingdom Of Rust – Doves
65. Get Guilty – A.C. Newman
64. Hands – Little Boots
63. Further Complications — Jarvis Cocker
62. Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future — The Bird And The Bee
61. The Love Language — The Love Language
60. The Crying Light — Antony And The Johnsons
59. Don’t Stop — Annie
58. My Way — Ian Brown
57. Post Electric Blues — Idlewild
56. Dragonslayer — Sunset Rubdown
55. Middle Cyclone — Neko Case
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WTF is Bruce Springsteen doing on this list???