Best of 2009: 10 - 1

The best of the best albums released this year in my humble by usually correct opinion:

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10: Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Veckatimest is the second great album by Grizzly Bear and - in some ways - a more ambitious work than its predecessor (though it's difficult to say which is really better). With its detailed arrangements, mind-blowing vocal harmony and just exceptional songwriting, Veckatimest is a truly accomplished album.

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9: Wildbirds & Peacedrums - The Snake

There's a certain primal element to the music of husband and wife duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums that isn't capture often in music. Their limited palette of drums and vocals (mostly) is striking, and somehow never feels lacking or bare on The Snake, which is a uniquely fantastic record. (More from me)

There Is No Light (MP3)

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8: Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer is Sunset Rubdown's most epic statement yet, an indie rock album made in the fashion of late 80s metal records - eight songs totaling 48 minutes of grandiosity and excess. Yet somehow it doesn't seem too over-the-top or dramatic, it's just a thoroughly compelling experience. (More from me)

Idiot Heart (MP3 via Pitchfork)

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7: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

A divisive record among fans of the band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz is, to me, their most accomplished record yet, despite the very different approach used here. Instead of jagged guitar lines and yelping, we mostly get a mixture of synths and beautiful melodies - I'll take it. (More from me)

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6: Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Another band that broke out in a big way this year is Dirty Projectors, who had previously existed more on the fringe before vaulting themselves into the indie spotlight with tunes like "Stillness is the Move." Bitte Orca finds just the right balance between the group's avant-garde style and pop accessibility.

Solange Knowles' cover of "Stillness is the Move" (via Stereogum)

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5: P.O.S. - Never Better

Stefon Alexander (P.O.S.) hasn't really made a rap-rock album with Never Better, he just bleeds a punk attitude into his stellar rhymes and organic beats. He's ferocious yet positive, abrasive yet approachable, disgusted at the current state of affairs but hopeful for a better future. Simply amazing. (More from me)

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4: St. Vincent - Actor

Annie Clark, a former Polyphonic Spree member, has made serious headway with her sophomore solo effort, Actor. The arrangements are strange, but entrancing, and her lovely voice adds a layer of mystique to the music that begs for repeated and careful listens. It's a wholly absorbing and beautiful album. (More from me)

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3: The Antlers - Hospice

I just kept coming back to Hospice, the latest from indie newcomers The Antlers, coming away each time feeling more affected by the experience than the last. From the opening wash of "Prologue" to the echoed refrain of "Epilogue," it is a haunting and emotionally rich listen unlike any other.

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2: DM Stith - Heavy Ghost

It's difficult for me to overstate how much I love this album. DM Stith's debut, Heavy Ghost, sounds like nothing I've heard before. It's dark and moody, yet expressive and full of life - and full of remarkable musicianship from a guy I hope to hear much more from in the future. (More from me)

Pity Dance (MP3 via Asthmatic Kitty, upper right corner)

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1: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

I'm kinda tired of writing about Animal Collective, but they deserve all the praise they've received for this truly special album and their great EP, Fall Be Kind, which came out late this year. Released in January, the LP remains the best of this year and one of my favorite of the decade. (More from me)
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Review: St. Vincent - Actor (* * * * 1/2)

Like her choice of album art for her sophomore solo effort, Actor, Annie Clark’s music is often beguiling, though her experimental pop style has won her more than a few fans since her debut in 2007. The former Polyphonic Spree member’s decision to go it alone under the moniker St. Vincent seems to have been an excellent one, as her new album expands on the promise of her debut, Marry Me, and further establishes Clark as one of indie rock’s premier new songwriters. Apparently, Clark’s more orchestral style stemmed from using Apple’s Garage Band to write many of the songs, which were then fleshed out with her signature guitar playing, strings, woodwinds, and more to give her often eerie narratives the proper background. Whether it was the unique songwriting approach or simply a series of great musical ideas, Actor is a truly exceptional record even by Clark’s own high standard.

She wastes no time in getting things off the ground with “The Strangers,” a relatively sparse tune with her gorgeous voice floating over synthetic beats, keys, and the occasional burst of heavily distorted guitar. It’s a striking song that ushers in a sense of immediacy and urgency that continues throughout Actor despite the album’s relatively mid-tempo nature. On many of the songs, the vocals are introduced almost immediately (and no later than thirty seconds in), serving as a constant reminder that as abstract or strange as the music may occasionally be, this is primarily a songwriter’s record. Clark’s lyrics stir up a mixture of emotions that are often slightly unsettling, made more so by music that’s consistently beautiful but never predictable or stationary. Especially eclectic are “Marrow,” which starts eerily with soft vocals over simple synthesizers before erupting into a distorted plea for help that’s genuinely startling, and “Black Rainbow,” which gently carries on until it begins to devolve into a noisy, hazy climax of guitar, drums, and sinister string arrangements.

Sitting squarely and appropriately in the middle of the record is the hauntingly elegant “Laughing with a Mouthful of Blood,” the perfect combination of Clark’s love of both dramatic arrangements and simply stunning melodies. The following half of the album, aside from the aforementioned “Marrow,” is slightly more relaxed but no less compelling. “The Bed” churns slowly and thoughtfully, “The Party” is refreshingly approachable in its gentle pop presentation, and closer “The Sequel” is a brief and lovely final thought. By the end of the record’s 39 minutes, you’re left with what I’ve found to be a rare feeling of real satisfaction, unmarred by weak or distracting moments that plague so many albums by promising and talented artists. That’s not to say that Actor is perfect, but it’s certainly great enough to warrant the high praise it has received.

The production, the sequencing, and the presentation on Actor are all top-notch. In fact, it can be accurately said that Annie Clark doesn’t so much show promise now as she realizes and fulfills it. Of course, she has so much time to continue to impress us that we can’t cap her potential here, but Actor should receive its proper dues as much more than just a transitional piece leading to future greatness. St. Vincent has arrived, and everyone should be getting on board.

Last Word: Actor, Annie Clark’s sophomore effort as St. Vincent, is a mature, complex, and remarkably gripping blend of intriguing experimentation and beautiful melodies.