My Favorite 75 Albums Of 2009 – Dec. 2
Posted By Ben W. on December 2, 2009
It’s day two in our Great 2009 Album Advent Calendar Countdown, which finds us counting down my favorite 75 albums of the year three at a time.
Today we have a couple of young bands who really made waves in 2007 only to give us disappointing follow-ups in 2009, and a rock ‘n roll veteran putting out arguably the most uneven album of his career.
72. It’s Frightening – White Rabbits
I had such high hopes for this one after their Fort Nightly debut was great and the lead single to this album, “Percussion Gun,” was even better. And the signed up Brit Daniel on production duties? Yeah, this one was supposed to be a lot higher than No. 72 on my list. Sadly, the songwriting just isn’t good enough to garner much excitement. They have two drummers, and that’s one more than good songs on this album. Not a good ratio.
71. Living Thing – Peter Bjorn And John
“Young Folks” made them indie stars – or at least got them some airplay at Urban Outfitters – back in 2007. And this album is good enough to prove they’re not one-trick ponies. “It Don’t Move Me,” “Nothing To Worry About” and “Stay This Way” are quality singles. But I can’t really see listening to this album five years from now.
70. Working On A Dream – Bruce Springsteen
Maybe the oddest thing in music journalism this year was Rolling Stone’s indefensible five-star review of this album. It is not a five-star album. In fact it includes some of the worst songs of the Boss’ career (I’m looking at you “Outlaw Pete” and “Queen Of The Supermarket”). What we have here is not a modern classic, but a very uneven album that finds the veteran rocker at his best now when he’s writing quieter, prettier songs (see the lovely “Last Carnival” and “The Wrestler”).
Check back tomorrow for Day 3 of the Advent calendar countdown. We’ll be listing three albums every day from now through Christmas and we get to No. 1.
Click here to view Nos. 75-73.
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
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I am not the biggest fan of PB&J, but it beats a deli meat sandwich.