2009 is in the books, but there are still a handful of things to share to look back at the year that was. One of which is a 3 hour show I put together highlighting my favorite songs of 2009 over on WOXY. The show aired a handful of times over the holidays, but if you missed it, you can listen to the entire show on demand below.

Enjoy!

You can listen to the other DJ’s best of 2009 shows here.

Since I generally disagree with the idea of numerically ranking albums according to “which is best,” the following is a list of my personal 20 favorites. There are also some runner-ups and other miscellaneous acknowledgements. Enjoy!

Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
The band’s ninth album since they formed in 1985. Proves they haven’t slowed down one bit.

Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Easily my favorite pop album of the year. What’s perhaps most impressive is that they don’t seem to rely on technology to write great songs. No amps, drums, synths? Play it on an acoustic and it’ll be just as enjoyable. Don’t believe me? Check out the Take Away Show.

Fever Ray- s/t
Fever Ray is Karin Dreijer Andersson’s first solo project. Who knew The Knife being on hiatus would bring about such a wonderful result?

Califone- All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
I got a chance to meet Tim Rutili once. He rolled a cigarette and agreed to an impromptu interview with a nervous college radio kid. Listen to Funeral Singers all the way through, then listen to it again. Folk gems in the rough, from one of the most underrated songwriters of our time. Produced by the drummer of the Fruit Bats—random, huh.

Mt. Eerie- Wind’s Poem
The not-so-black metal follow up to Lost Wisdom showcases Phil Elverum’s talent as a noise musician, in addition to his usual knack for melody. He is, undoubtedly, a master of the dark arts.

Flaming Lips- Embryonic
One of my favorite albums of all time, The Soft Bulletin, came out a decade ago. Embryonic is far less accessible, but no less exciting. Still, don’t let anyone tell you that it’s more like “their old stuff.”

Years- s/t
Years is an experimental folk-rock solo debut, full of classical-sounding arrangements and drastically diverse instrumentation. Personally, I haven’t encountered an instrumental album as vivid or culturally relevant since Black Flag’s The Process of Weeding Out. Listen to Years while reading Thoreau’s Walden, and you’ll see what I mean. Looking closely, you’ll find that the man responsible is also member of Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene.

Japandroids- Post-Nothing
Originally released independently, later picked up and distributed by Polyvinyl Records, Post-Nothing is loud and relentless. However, the most threatening thing about the record is its pure, uninhibited catchiness. Like most punk kids, you’ll sooner find it talking about girls, drinking, and skating than burning the American flag.

Yo La Tengo- Popular Songs
Popular Songs is a nice encapsulation of Yo La Tengo’s extensive career. At times, it echos nearly every previous album, but leans most noticeably And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out. A calmer, more serious effort was sure to follow the release of the thrasher Fuckbook, which they released under the moniker Condo Fucks early in the year.

J. Tillman- Year In The Kingdom
I’m a sucker for minimalistic folk ballads. Known by most as the drummer for Fleet Foxes, Tillman holds his own as a songwriter. This one marked his second album of 2009, this one beautifully and creatively explores topics of spirituality.

Pomegranates- Everybody, Come Outside!
Iran- s/t
Built To Spill- There Is No Enemy
The Antlers- Hospice
Wilco- Wilco (The Album)
Timber Timbre- s/t
Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
Burning Hearts- Aboa Sleeping
Pains of Being Pure at Heart- s/t
Jason Lytle- Yours Truly, The Commuter

Honorable Mention:

Sunset Rubdown, Yim Yames, Animal Collective, Engineers, Lightening Bolt, St. Vincent, David Bazan, Grizzly Bear, M. Ward, The Dodos

Favorite Compilation: Dark Was The Night (obvs.)
Favorite Re-issues: (CD) Red Red Meat- Bunny Gets Paid , (LP) Red House Painters- Songs For A Blue Guitar

The year in music 2009, another list to fill out list season here on ENS. Your humble admin of Each Note Secure had an interesting year to say the least. But one of the main things that stayed consistent was great music. Each and every year since I started this site back in 2003, albums have encouraged me, surprised me and at times made me contemplate lots of things. This year was no different, with records I knew I would fall for like M. Ward’s Hold Time and the latest album from Wilco.

And of course records that snuck up and demanded my attention like O + S and Neon Indian. It’s hard to rate this years releases too closely to albums from previous years yet, but I have a feeling that quite a few on this list will stand the test of time. Below, enjoy the list of my favorite albums of 2009, with brief commentary.

25. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains
One of the most in your face honest debuts I have heard in a long time.
24. The XX – S/T
Simple, yet complex and addicting.
23. O+S – S/T
Orenda Fink and Cedric LaMoyne piece together a complex puzzle of sound to create one of the most pleasant surprises of the year.
22. White Rabbits – It’s Frightening
The debut was good, It’s Frigtening is great.
21. John Vanderslice – Romanian Names
Quite possibly the best Vanderslice album to date.
20. Bad Veins – S/T
Cincinnati duo sees all their hard work come together and pay off big time.
19. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
This album even made me an AC fan, true brilliance.
18. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
Natasha Khan realizes the potential we all saw on her debut. A 2009 Kate Bush and Sinead O’Connor.
17. White Denim – Fits
Gritty, dirty soulful rock n’ roll that gets better with age.
16. Richard Swift - The Atlantic Ocean
Swift channels his inner McCartney for his best album yet.
15. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer Of Fear
More consistent second album still shows the lyrical transparency the debut introduced.
14. Monsters Of Folk – S/T
Super group lives up to the hype, delivers a strong collective effort.
13. St. Vincent – Actor
Combining Disney like pixie charm with guitar shredding tendancies and spot on instrumentation.
12. These United States – Everything Touches Everything
Hardest working band in America creates their most complete work to date.
11. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
It’s like dusting off a bunch of electronic physc records from the 70′s.
10. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Another band that won me over in 2009, this album was a favorite all year long and was worth the hype.
9. M. Ward – Hold Time
Help from lots of guests plus timeless sound and talent help M. Ward do it again.
8. Wilco – Wilco The Album
Poppiest and shortest album since Summerteeth is also the most fun the band has had in years.
7. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
Incredible talent and calculated turns help this album feel effortless.
6. The Twilight Sad – Forget The Night Ahead
Still selling real emotion in their songs, and I’m still buying.
5. Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
Better than the last two Black Keys albums combined.
4. We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls
My favorite debut of the year, this album of hard hitting lyrics and sound is beyond intoxicating.
3. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeaus Phoenix
Everyone finally realizes how great Phoenix is this year, heres hoping their back catalogue gets some attention now too.
2. Grizzly Bear – Veckitmest
Carefully crafted songs that will stand the test of time from a band that is still rising.
1. Doves – Kingdom Of Rust
The most complete album I heard this year from a band that is sadly overlooked here in the states. I’d encourage you to revisit Kingdom Of Rust if it didn’t hit you straight away, it’s worth another listen.

My favorite albums of 2008
My favorite albums of 2007
My favorite albums of 2006
My favorite albums of 2005

I’ve failed as a music blogger.  Much to my own disappointment, I was unable to list 20 albums from 2009 I really liked.  Mind you, it’s not that 2009 was a bad year for music…I’m just way behind on listening to most new music.

So instead, I made three different lists: a top 10 list for 2009 (I said most new music, not all), a list of honorable mentions and a list of albums that probably deserved to be on the list had I actually gotten around to listening to them.

10.  Thao with the Get Down, Stay Down – Know Better, Learn Faster
Thao’s follow up to We Brave Bee Stings and All is just as quirky, catchy, and smart as her lauded debut.  Instructions:  1.  Play “Body” on repeat.  2.  Check out the guest vocalist Merrill Garbus’ solo project, tUnE-YaRdS.

9. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - S/T -
Seattle’s MSHVB, one of the longest acronyms in indie rock, put out one of the most refreshing rock albums of the year, worthy of blaring in your car with the windows down (though maybe not this time of year).  FYI, the drummer is only 14 years old, which is both awe inspiring and makes me resent my parents for not making me learn an instrument in high school.

8.  Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
It’s Blitz! is a far cry from their breakout album Fever to Tell, but it doesn’t seem like many are complaining.  On their 3rd album, YYY decided to go electronic, proving once again, Karen O can do just about anything she wants and we will love her.   It’s still the gritty art rock from New York we fell in love with back in 2003 – just more refined, more focused, and more synthesized.

7.  St. Vincent - Actor
Actor, St. Vincent’s second album, was actually my first introduction to Annie Clark, the one-time member of the Polyphonic Spree and touring band member for Sufjan Stevens.   Actor finds Clark more evolved, writing from the perspective of women restless with their lives, using whimsical string arrangements and crunchy guitar riffs as the soundtrack.  I saw her at Sasquatch this year and was blown away – she could seriously shred!

6.  Blakroc  – S/T
This hip-hop side project from the Black Keys and rapper Jim Jones may have just come out, but it’s already in my top 10.  Guest artists include NOE, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Q-Tip, Raekwon, & RZA, with Damon Dash, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, behind the helm as producer.  Check out “Coochie” – apparently, The Black Keys are so badass that they resurrected Wu-Tang’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard to collaborate with Ludacris.

5.  Dark Was The Night compilation
It seems rare that a compilation would land a top 5 spot on a Best Of list, but this compilation is DAMN good.   The compilation, which benefited the Red Hot Organization, was produced by Cincinnati’s own Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The  National, so it was assumed it would be good.  But my god, each track is so good.  Try to name another compilation with so much talent – Sufjan Stevens, Beirut, Arcade Fire, Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear, The Books…you get the picture. I think ENS’ Dave Rolfes put it best: “This album was a hipster’s wet dream.”

4.  Pomegranates – Everybody, Come Outside!
Pomegranates’ follow up to their debut, Everything is Alive (Lujo Records) finds the beloved Cincinnati pop band more mature, both musically and lyrically.  They manage to hone their best influences into a fluid meshing of genres – art rock, pop, even some afro pop – without sounding pretentious.  Better still, the guys found distribution across the pond!

3.  Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Bitte Orca is hands down, Dirty Projectors’ most accessible album.  Dave Longstreth’s voice is still fairly divisive, and the album’s harmonies will still melt your brain, but the music itself is less jarring but will still attract fans of the band’s past albums.  

2.  Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Upon its release, Merriweather Post Pavilion was hailed as one of the best albums of the year.  Certainly, it’s the most likable.  I mean, even the guys at WOXY liked this one, which really says something (Shiv had a handful of unsavory things to say about Animal Collective prior to MPP)!  It’s definitely the most electrocentric (is that a word?), with more synths and beats that helped it appeal to the masses.  Personally, it’s not my favorite album (I’m more keen to Feels and Sung Tongs), but it’s hard to deny how good the album is.

1.  Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Honestly, it’s difficult to put into words the beauty of this album.  Grizzly Bear seem to have found their stride on Veckatimest, a lush chamber pop record that is both aurally stunning and more mature.  Less than two years after the band played in Cincinnati for the 2008 MusicNOW festival, the band found itself opening for Radiohead and reaching the Billboard Top 10.

Honorable Mentions
Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
M. Ward – Hold Time
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – self-titled

Still Need to Catch Up On These…
The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Monsters of Folk – s/t
Mount Eerie – Wind’s Poem
TuNe-YaRdS – Bird-Brains
Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster*
*Final note: I’m aware that this is last choice seems of place on an indie music blog, but I’m being honest here. I’m not ashamed to admit I loved Lady Gaga’s single, “Bad Romance.”  I am, however, ashamed to admit I once watched the video 7 times in one day.

Putting together a year end list is always daunting, but as this will be the first one that I have had open to public observation the process has been downright agonizing. Before I get into my list I wanted to cover two ground rules that I have always followed: it’s about the original release date and no compilations allowed. This immediately rules out The Low Anthem and the Dark Was the Night collaboration organized by the Dessner brothers of The National. I have seen them on many lists already, but they are just not for me.

Also, up until this year have kept out EPs as well, but as the format seems to be growing as a way to quickly get music out to the masses I slotted one in at the bottom of the list. This is not to say I view it as the twentieth best album, but more so my favorite EP of the year.

And away we go:

20 – Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer EP – Basically a continuation of the great tunes that came from 2008’s “Furr” this EP is short and sweet but hey, isn’t that what EPs are supposed to be? With that out of the way, let’s move on…

19 – fun. – Aim and Ignite – These guys opened for Manchester Orchestra at the Mad Hatter earlier this year and put on a great show. The album dropped late summer and is full of quirky over the top pop that has a wide range of influences from Weezer to Queen. This has to be the most appropriately named band of 2009.

18 – Bad Veins – S/T – If you are reading this then you probably already know enough about the album by this local duo. Great energy, great sound, and a wonderful album release show on Fountain Square back in July the night that the MPMF line-up was rolled out. If you weren’t sure as to how vibrant the Cincinnati music scene is, that was the night it stood up and smacked you in the face.

17 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz! – Quite different than albums of Karen O and company in the past this one is full of electronic beats and at points can be very bright and fun, then somewhat dark soon thereafter. It’s the back and forth that make his a good album from front to back.

16 – Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Outer South – Continuing his move away from Bright Eyes moniker and theme, this album featured some gems featuring Conor on vocals (‘Nikorette’ and ‘Ten Women’) as well as some gems featuring other band members on vocals (‘Air Mattress’ and ‘Bloodline’). Having caught the boys live in Louisville at Headliners, it was even clearer that it was less about Conor and more about the band.

15 – Wilco – Wilco (The Album) – Confession time: I am as big a Wilco fan as there is, but this album left me a little disappointed honestly. There are a handful of great songs on this record, but some of the songs just seem like filler too. The greatness of tracks like ‘Bull Black Nova’ and ‘Sonny Feeling’ plus Wilco’s reputation got the album to #15 but could not push it higher in my book.

14 – Swell Season – Strict Joy – Released late in the year, this one has left quite an impression on me. I was late to the Swell Season party after the release of “Once” (I’ll blame that on not being a movie guy) but was looking forward to this one and t does not disappoint. Quiet, and somewhat heartbreaking, this is one that if released earlier in the year may be higher on the list.

13 – Vandaveer – Divide & Conquer – I consider one of my luckiest moments of the year to be when I was asked to help out with ENS, and one of the reasons I think that is because it helped me get to know Vandaveer. I was asked to review their show in the Parlour at Southgate and I have been an admirer ever since. This album features a full band which is vastly different than the live show these days but it comes across wonderfully, especially on “A Mighty Leviathan of Old” among others.

12 – AC Newman – Get Guilty – Clangy guitars and a familiar voice (New Pornographers) ramble throughout this album. While it feels rawer than a New Pornographers album, it of course has the same catchy hooks and makes for some great sing-alongs. Released back in January it is likely to be overlooked on many year-end lists which is a damn shame.

11 – Passion Pit – Manners – Definitely a departure from my standard format, it’s awfully hard to pass up a collection of songs that are instantly catchy. I’m pretty sure that if this had made its way out before MGMT (it wasn’t close) that Passion Pit would be held in as high regard as MGMT. Their show at The Mad Hatter ranks as the one show I wished I’d seen most this year in Cincinnati.

10 – Monsters of Folk – S/T – “Supergroups” are hard to pull off, but these guys seemed to have done it. While I do believe that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole this album was far from disappointing to me which was tough considering my high expectations. Sure there are only a few songs that truly are collaborative from a vocal standpoint, but for the most part they did a nice job carving out a sound that is Monsters.

9 – Dawes – North Hills – Picture a dark and empty bar towards the end of the night in 1972 with a band playing in the corner. That band is Dawes and that is a very good thing. While this album has been out just over a few months it keeps getting more impressive with each listen as they play a sound that harkens back to the early 1970s but also somehow feels fresh for 2009.

8 – M Ward – Hold Time – Seriously Matt Ward has to be the hardest working man in music. She & Him, Monsters, and his own solo career keep him in our musical conscience throughout each year and he continually sets the bar very high with each project. This album is a little more polished and more hopeful than older Ward albums, and features some guests which is also new, but it still impresses from start to finish. With his continued progression into an all round musician, I can see how he may have lost some folks, but he didn’t lose me.

7 – Andrew Bird – Noble Beast – You ever have a record that makes sense start to finish as an album while none of the songs stand out at GREAT, well that’s what Noble Beast was to me. A total team effort as the album fits together nearly perfectly including my favorite three song stretch from “Anonanimal” through “The Privateers”.

6 – Pomegranates – Everybody, Come Outside! – Am I a homer for putting this album this high? Maybe so, but it is a great record. I read somewhere that listening to this album with headphones was like candy for your ears, and that about sums it up perfectly. Here’s to hoping for nothing but the best for these local guys as 2010 starts to unfold.

5 – Slaid Cleeves – Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away – While this may be a little too country for most ENS readers it is a beautifully crafted piece of work even if it is a little dark. Songs like “Cry”, “Dreams” and especially the hangin’ day hymn “Twistin’” make me stop in my tracks on each and every listen.

4 – Neko Case – Middle Cyclone – Take the siren from New Pornographers and let her do her own thing too. Some songs are pop, others are quite quiet, but it all fits together to make a collection of tunes that fit together nearly flawlessly. It’s like the perfect mix of New Pornographers pop and reflective heartbreakers.

3 – Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health – While these guys didn’t make it through the year as a band they put out a dynamic release back in the Spring before calling it quits in the Fall. It’s fun, its bright, and fits really well together which makes it unfortunate that we can’t expect to see these New Yorkers back together any time soon, if ever.

2 – Elvis Perkins in Dearland – S/T – A huge leap forward from the 2007 release “Ash Wednesday”, this album starts with ‘Shampoo’ and only gets better. Direct, thoughtful, textured, and diverse, this album was unlike many in 2009. The band that Elvis brought along for the ride added so much to the album it almost made me wonder how much better “Ash Wednesday” could have been.

1 – The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You – What do you get when you put together a hard working touring band and Rick Rubin? Well, if that band is the Avett Brothers then you get the best album of 2009. The brothers Avett were already musically and lyrically gifted, and Rubin brought out the best in these guys and the result is near perfection. This is an album that is timeless and classic and that is why I have it picked as top of 2009.

20. 7 Worlds Collide – The Sun Came Out
The most underappreciated record of the year brought together the titans of the rock world (Radiohead, Wilco, Johnny Marr) to create, for lack of a better way to explain it, classic rock. If you’re a fan of straightforward classic rock, you’ll like this album. If not, you haven’t listened to “The Weight” enough.

19. Dark Was The Night Compilation
This album was a hipster’s wet dream, bringing together the best and brightest of the chamber-indie world. There are too many standout tracks to point out just one, so I’ll just say it’s two albums of sexiness for your ears.

18. St. Vincent – Actor
The best use of layered vocals this year goes to Annie Clark as St. Vincent. While I wasn’t a huge fan of her debut album Marry Me, for some reason I was sucked in by her guitar-shredding, beautifully layered effort here.

17. Rain Machine – S/T
TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone (the guy with the beard and the falsetto) stepped out on his own this year with his solo debut as Rain Machine. Much darker, slower, and more stylistically straightforward than his TVOTR material, Rain Machine wasn’t a groundbreaker, but a satisfying listen nonetheless.

16. Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
Technicolor Health was the catchy, fun summer album of the year for me. Reminding me of a combination of David Byrne, Bob Dylan, Modest Mouse, TH truly was an amalgamation of a wide array of sources into one jumpy effort.

15. The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
The Mountain Goats threw a curveball to its audience, as each track is named after a different Bible verse and thematically structured around the given text. With string arrangements by Arcade Fire’s Owen Pallett fleshing out the beautiful song structures, Darnielle truly has returned to form.

14. Tom Waits – Glitter and Doom Live
The first disc of this two disc live record is culled from Waits’ 2008 tour and acts as a recent “Greatest Hits”, per say. The second is 45 minutes of Waits stage banter. Only Tom Waits could get away with this and have still referred to as brilliant.

13. The Dead Weather – Horehound
Down home blues and raunchy attitude from the hardest working man in rock’s other OTHER band. While Jack White may get all the attention, without The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, this record wouldn’t stand on its own two feet. She’s probably the only chick in the world that can make you forget that White’s even there.

12. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
“Lisztomania” and “1901”, two of the best songs of the year, start off this record. Even if the rest of the album was awful (which it most certainly isn’t), this record would probably make my list. Call me what you want, but this is just good pop music.

11. Flaming Lips – Embryonic
I’ve always thought the Flaming Lips were a bit noisy with their rock, but for the first time in their careers they truly embrace the noisy freakouts their known for on Embryonic. Like the Bird record, I doubt this will win any new fans, but damn if it doesn’t satisfy the freaks.

10. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
While not as initially catchy as his previous works, Noble Beast gave a peak into a different side of Bird. He recorded the album rather quickly in Nashville, Tennessee, taking himself out of his usual comfort zone, and taking listeners into the even deeper recesses of Bird’s mind. And while it may not win over too many new fans, Beast will certainly please the Bird disciples.

9. Atlas Sound – Logos
Bradford Cox won me over this year with this effort. Hushed and introverted, Logos offers more with each listen than any other record this year. Definitely the headphones record of the year for me.

8. Bon Iver – Blood Bank EP
Give me more Justin! That’s what I was screaming when this brief 4-song EP closed. What it lacks in length, it makes up for in kick-ass songs. If this is a glimpse of the future with Bon Iver, sign me up.

7. Monsters of Folk – S/T
Getting all these egos together could have been a disaster, but as it turned out, Monsters of Folk is an effort worth the wait, and the time. This was the grower of the year for me, as with each listen, a different song became my favorite track from the album.

6. Wilco - Wilco (the album)
Americana’s modern heroes were fully back to the forefront this year with an effort that can best be described as fun. Wilco have exorcised their demons, and have come out better for it on the other side.

5. M. Ward – Hold Time
Indie rock’s favorite troubadour is making a strong case as this generation’s Dylan. Hold Time is M. Ward’s most self-assured, stylistically complex, and ultimately rewarding album to date.

4. Royal Bangs – Let It Beep
Beeps, bops, boops, spits, and spats. The most frenetic album on my list is easily Royal Bangs’ Let It Beep; but that’s also what makes it so great. Catchy in its hooks, and schizophrenic in it’s style, RB’s music doesn’t fit easily into a genre, and I have a feeling they like it that way.

3. White Rabbits – It’s Frightening
Who said good hooks were dead? White Rabbits sophomore effort was easily the most played record of the year for me, and one that certainly won’t leave my rotation any time soon. Watch out Spoon, your apprentices just might be better.

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion/Fall Be Kind EP
Count me among the Animal Collective converts after Merriweather Post Pavilion. Similar to the Grizzly Bear phenomenon, AC went a much more accessible route with this release, and it paid dividends. Adding even more electronics, and really taking cues from Panda Bear’s solo effort Person Pitch, MPP provided one of two groundbreaking musical moments of the year.

1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
While Yellow House was an exceptionally polarizing record, no one could doubt the complete catchiness tracks like “Two Weeks” and “All We Ask” this time around for Grizzly Bear on Veckatimest. Perhaps the most unlikely Billboard Top 10 of the year, these classically-trained, chamber pop masters have reached a wider audience (Jay-Z and Beyonce were seen at a show in Brooklyn) and greater heights than many anticipated.