Best of 2009: 20 - 11

More great albums!

(Previous) (Next)

20: Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Newcomers Fanfarlo are off to a very hot start with Reservoir, an epic indie-rock album that I think was criminally overlooked this year by most everyone. Between the strings, the horns, and the anthematic choruses, it's about impossible to find something to dislike in the well-crafted songs on their debut. (More from me)

Mp3s via Obscure Sound

MySpace


19: Sissy Wish - Beauties Never Die

Norwegian singer Siri Ålberg, or Sissy Wish, is another of those artists I feel has been criminally overlooked in 2009. Beauties Never Die showcases her inventive pop style, covering a variety of territory over ten tracks that add up to one of the best pure pop records released this year. (More from me)

MySpace


18: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

Though sometimes reminiscent of groups like Pavement and Built to Spill, Cymbals Eat Guitars have established their own remarkable identity on their debut, Why There Are Mountains. It's an indie rock record like they used to make 'em, but with a decidedly modern twist - and it's great. (More from me)

MySpace


17: Romona Falls - Intuit

I didn't hear this until late in the year, but Intuit, the first effort from Ramona Falls (the side project from Menomena member Brent Knopf) is an absolute stunner. The exquisite arrangements and spectacular melodies show Knopf has plenty to offer both with and without his bandmates.

MySpace


16: Miranda Lambert - Revolution

So I'm not typically much of a country fan, but it's impossible to deny that Miranda Lambert's Revolution is anything but an outstanding record. Her gorgeous voice and strong songwriting makes this 15-track sprawl of her latest work (and work very well) in all its excess and eclecticism.

MySpace


15: fun. - Aim and Ignite

Ex-Format member Nate Ruess' new band is one I suspected I'd like just fine, but I'm now certain that Aim and Ignite is the best work Ruess has yet done. The orchestral indie music comprising this debut more than lives up to the goofy band name, with ten unabashedly sunny pop tunes. (More from me)

MySpace


14: Will Stratton - No Wonder

Singer/songwriter Will Stratton has released his second great album in a row at the age of only 22, establishing himself as a genuine and bright new talent. His writing is superb, his delivery mature and poised, and his musical talent quite apparent on the beautiful No Wonder (More from me)

Who Will (MP3)

MySpace


13: Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I still think I prefer Phoenix's previous effort, It's Never Been Like That, but the many strengths of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix makes that difficult to say definitively. Besides sporting a couple of this year's biggest singles, the entire album fits together smoothly for one great pop-rock record. (More from me)

MySpace


12: Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Mos Def's The Ecstatic is a wealth of ideas and styles, but in many ways it seems to be without many distractions, a pure rap album with a clear sense of purpose. Sure it has 16 tracks, but it's still lean, mean and wholly absorbing - a near masterpiece as far as I'm concerned.

MySpace


11: Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Neko Case has been so solid this decade, and Middle Cyclone is yet another example of her genuine talent and inimitable style. With an impressive supporting cast, Case offers a varied and consistently enthralling set of folk-r0ck tunes that compare well with her best work. (More from me)

MySpace

(Previous) (Next)

Freshman Class: Best Debut Albums of 2009

Before I unveil my picks for the best albums of the year AND the decade, I'll throw out a few other lists here. Like the title says, this is for bands that released the best debut LPs (EPs were considered but none made it) this year. Keep in mind this doesn't disqualify these bands from appearing in the overall "best of" list. Guess I'll just start from the top with this one:

1. DM Stith - Heavy Ghost

Singer/songwriter DM Stith (born David Michael) released this year's best debut album and one of my personal favorites for the entire year overall. Haunting, dark, and wholly absorbing, Heavy Ghost is an unforgettable trip through Stith's delightfully strange mind. The combination of sincere, insightful lyrics - often dealing with the artist's struggle with faith and religion - and swirling instrumentals - a combination of eerie harmonies, sweeping strings, and acoustic guitars - makes this a musical experience you're not likely to forget.

Pity Dance (MP3 via Asthmatic Kitty)

MySpace


2. fun. - Aim and Ignite

It's a little strange to consider fun. (yes, lower case AND punctuation intended) true newcomers as all three members have been involved in other projects (The Format, Steel Train, Anathallo), but this seems to be a permanent new project for the boys who have made a fantastic album their first go-round. With the high vocals and sharp writing of ex-Format frontman Nate Ruess to lead them, the trio makes explosive orchestral pop music as consistently fun and fresh as anything released this year. Fun indeed.

MySpace


3. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

Right from the opening of the lead track, "And the Hazy Sea," on Cymbals Eat Guitars' first record - I was hooked. The indie rockers take influences such as Pavement and Built to Spill and add plenty of their own unique identity to craft rough, dynamic rock 'n' roll tunes that I have returned to again and again throughout the year. The formula of guitars, drums, and bass is simple and straightforward, but the band is full of ideas which they consistently execute to perfection.

MySpace (download non-album track "Tunguska")


4. Fanfarlo - Reservoir

British indie collective Fanfarlo are, in my humble opinion, one of the most overlooked bands this year. Not just because they've created a stellar first album, Reservoir, but because I think their sound is so universally appealing. Using plenty of brass, strings, percussion and a little of everything else, Fanfarlo's style of epic indie pop is lush, full and beautifully presented. And with strong songwriting thrown into the mix, the results are consistently spectacular.

MP3s via Obscure Sound

MySpace


5. Memory Tapes - Seek Magic

Dayve Hawk has been around for a while now, releasing music under one moniker or another, but Seek Magic is his first wide-release effort. He makes highly detailed electronica that's difficult to describe but very easy to enjoy, using a variety of effects, instruments and his own vocals in a way that occasionally brings to mind artists like LCD Soundsystem but remains unique to Hawk. The eight songs of his debut cover quite a bit of territory yet they work as a cohesive and compelling whole in one of this year's best first efforts.

Blog (lots of free tunes)

MySpace


6. Deastro - Moondagger

Deastro is another one-man electronica project (it's a theme, you'll see one more down the line), though Randolph Chabot has received a bit less attention than some of his peers. He's no less talented, however, and the mixture of organic and synthetic elements comprising his music makes for a fascinating sound on his debut, Moondagger. Chabot's lyrics are filled with both bizarre sci-fi references and sentimental declarations, yet somehow his sincerely positive attitude makes it all work with his energetic electro-rock style.

Grower EP (Free Download)

MySpace


7. jj - jj n° 2

It's possible that the musicians behind Swedish pop group jj have been unveiled, but as of a few months ago, it remained a mystery. But their music speaks plenty for itself anyway, appropriately receiving accolades across the 'net for its smooth, sultry tropical style. With heavenly female vocals, sunny, relaxed beats, and sharp production, jj n° 2 is a brief but absolutely gorgeous record that effectively puts jj on the map, whoever they are.

Ecstasy (MP3)


8. The xx - xx

They've even shared the stage with jj, but lower-case letters aside, The xx has little in common with the Swedes. Now a trio (down a member after some exhaustive touring), The xx creates sparse, haunting pop music led by dual vocalists Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, whose soft voices enhance the captivating melodies and darkly sexy lyrics. The album does take some patience and the right setting to really come alive, but when it does, the results are striking.

MySpace


9. Capybara - Try Brother

Capybara is definitely the least visible band on this list, but it's not for lack of making amazing music. Their slightly freaky folk sound is often subdued but consistently interesting and always melodic, and their debut album, Try Brother, is quite an opening statement. The songs shift and twist, build and subside, rarely going where you expect but entertaining consistently. Capybara deserve more credit than they've been given for this first effort, but hopefully it's a sign of even better things to come.

Soft (MP3)

MySpace


10. Pictureplane - Dark Rift

The third solo electronica project on this list, Pictureplane is the musical project of Travis Egedy. Egedy is more focused on the club/dance side of things than his peers, but his fractured beats, insistent synths and often listless vocals aren't exactly a recipe for mainstream attention. His proper debut, Dark Rift, is a sprawling collection of avant-garde loops and scratchy production that somehow form cohesive and engaging songs that have certainly made him a person of interest in the indie scene.

MySpace

Review: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains (* * * *)

Everyone loves the idea of discovering the next big thing, but for every significant find, there are countless false alarms. When chatter started to build around the blogosphere about unsigned newcomers Cymbals Eat Guitars, I had enough on my plate and figured that a couple weeks would be enough time to let the buzz die down a bit. Of course, the buzz didn’t die down; it escalated quickly, with stellar reviews pouring in and comparisons to Modest Mouse, Pavement, and Built to Spill being thrown about with abandon. So I arrived a little late to the party, but I quickly came to realize what all the fuss was about. Why There Are Mountains is truly an exciting debut that lives up to the majority of the hype surrounding it, and Cymbals Eat Guitars have what appears to be a bright future ahead of them.

The music does often sound much like the sum of the aforementioned influences, but the band never takes too much from any one source. Instead they use what they borrow to build a foundation from which they create something that is very much their own. The nine tracks of Why There Are Mountains come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some emphasizing the group’s bombastic tendencies, some showing remarkable restraint, and most including a little of both. Opener “And the Hazy Sea” explodes from the speakers with crashing guitars and pounding drums before subsiding into a more delicate verse punctuated by bouts of shouting and noise that come and go throughout the track’s six minutes. It’s intense, raw, and unusually structured, with plenty to discover upon repeated listens.

From there, the record jumps into a more immediate number, “Some Trees (Merritt Moon),” which blazes through two minutes of gritty alternative rock after a slow-building introduction. “Living North” follows a similar pattern, with blaring guitars underlining singer Joseph D'Agostino’s earnest yelp in a brief blast of punk-inspired rock ‘n’ roll. Most of the songs, however, follow the pattern established on the opening track, with dynamic, seemingly formless songs transitioning from moments of tranquility into messy, noisy climaxes and back again. The fantastic “Cold Spring” rambles along with swirling strings adding a nice touch before the song takes off in a blissfully frenetic eruption of sound, while “Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)” blends bouncy pop melodies with moments of screamed nonsense.

Cymbals Eat Guitars also create some standout tunes with some of their quieter, subtler numbers. “Share” gently floats along on layers of distortion under D’Agostino’s faint, hazy vocals, slowly taking on additional layers of trumpet, percussion, and acoustic guitar until the joyous, upbeat finale finally takes off. “What Dogs See” feels almost removed from the rest of the album, with eerily reverbed backing vocals creating a claustrophobic, intimate feeling which transitions smoothly into the next track, and though it works best within the context of the album, it’s a worthwhile detour just the same.

Whatever the stylistic approach, Cymbals Eat Guitars match their youthful eagerness with serious musical chops and a sense of exploration that bodes great things for their future as a band to watch. Why There Are Mountains is not a flawless album, but it’s close enough to provide for 45 minutes of thoroughly compelling music. Confident, talented, and just a little uncool, these guys indeed have ‘the next big thing’ written all over them.

Last Word: With remarkable talent, a wealth of great ideas, and a love for 90s indie rock, Cymbals Eat Guitars have created one of the most solid debuts of 2009.