2009: The Year in Music (Favorite Songs, Albums, Whatever)

**Galefore** · 12-08-2009, 06:23 PM

This year has been incredibly, incredibly rich with great albums. Some may even be viewed as classics in some fabled distant future that we'll all be a part of, gathered around the youth who clamor for the buried treasures of our day and laughing, pretentiously, spitting "I liked Grizzly Bear before they were retro!"

But that time is not now. Now we can celebrate a year in music that was worthy of much excitement. The big releases have come and gone. Now we can sift through them and plug the one or ones we felt stood out farther than the rest.

I know for sure which one it was for me. It is Hospice, by The Antlers.

I must admit that I was originally not as keen on this one as I am now - not even remotely. I listened to it once and thought "this has some nice songs." And I remember putting Epilogue and Bear on and thinking "this is the saddest pair of songs ever" and playing them a lot for friends. But the whole album, much less the significance of every little word Pete Silberman was singing, hadn't hit me. I had to listen to it all at once and, in tandem, read the liner notes, and suddenly, all at once, I felt what they wanted me to feel. I don't know why, but it was an unbelievable experience to just soak up exactly what the narrative was aiming for. And aside from that, it's also musically fantastic; it's not just an incredible piece of literature (and it certainly is that), but it's set to some of the most appropriate and beautiful music you can expect to hear. I love this album, and it's been added to my exclusive and not-so-important-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things-to-anyone-else list of "Favorite Albums of All Time". Naturally, I can't think of another release this year that had the same effect on me as this one.

As for the other releases, I'm partial to Veckatimest a little more than I initially was, and I, like everybody else, loved Merriweather Post Pavillion. Bat For Lashes' Two Suns was a major success in my mind as well. I'll go into more detail regarding great musical experiences I had this year later in the topic. For now, I want to hear it from the rest of yers: What stuck out to YOU this year?

dooo iiiiiit

Bomby · 12-08-2009, 10:48 PM

Three words: Merriweather Post Pavilion

This is an album for the record books. Seriously. I mean, there were other good records like Further Complications by Jarvis and logos by Atlas Sound and Album by Girls, but I can actually see Merriweather changing the course of music in the same way Surfer Rosa did two decades earlier.

Vapor · 12-09-2009, 06:59 AM

I'm really not in the same music loop as you people, if I'm in one at all. :\

But I HIGHLY ENJOYED The Incident (Porcupine Tree) and Amor Vincit Omnia (Pure Reason Revolution). The Incident is my favorite PT album yet, and Amor Vincit Omnia was such a great pile of new sounds to me.

***Booyakasha*** · 12-09-2009, 12:55 PM

Clutch--Strange Cousins from the West is probably the best new album I've heard all year.

I also really liked Korpiklaani--Karkelo, Destroy Destroy Destroy--Battle Sluts, Alestorm--Black Sails at Midnight, Ahab--The Divinity of Oceans, and Skeletonwitch--Breathing the Fire.

**Galefore** · 12-09-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bomby

I can actually see Merriweather changing the course of music in the same way Surfer Rosa did two decades earlier.

You know, I kind of agree. Ever since it came out I've been throwing around Beach Boys comparisons (although lightly) and saying it's like a really indie Pet Sounds, although Veckatimest is sort of in the same vein, albeit poppier... But I do agree, Merriweather Post Pavillion has already had a huge impact and I expect it's going to be a staple item in the "Influences" lists of an entire generation of artists someday.

Bomby · 12-10-2009, 10:33 AM

Also worth noting is that Pet Sounds actually sold very poorly when it was first released. Merriweather might actually be the faster seller, not to mention the rampant piracy of these days.

Maybe I need to give it another listen or two, but I was actually somewhat lukewarm toward Veckatimest. I could probably think of at least 7 or 8 albums that came out this year that I liked more.

Jere · 12-10-2009, 01:16 PM

Im almost chocked that the Rerealeases of all the Beatles albums haven't been mentioned

Ohh and have a metal Xmas, that is a good one

**Galefore** · 12-10-2009, 01:23 PM

^I don't think anyone here had the intention of mentioning re-releases, but they're fair game too, I suppose.

***CaptHayfever*** · 12-10-2009, 03:43 PM

I haven't heard Here Comes Science from TMBG yet, & I can't even find Steve Burns's new record.

Weird Al's 'Internet Leaks' collection was good, particularly the middle 3 songs, "Craigslist", "Skipper Dan" (Al being genuinely tragic!?), & "CNR".

I loved The Long-Playing EP from Y-O-U. It sucks, though, that they retired from original music right after releasing it.

Norah Jones's The Fall is...interesting. It's not as not-jazzy as she claims it is.

I can't think of any really good random singles from this year, oddly enough; usually there's something that sticks with me.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

Panfan · 12-10-2009, 05:42 PM

Merriweather Post Pavilion is the best album of the year, probably top 5 of the decade. No doubt. Loved Veckatimest and more people should've gotten Hospice. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II is one of the best hip hop albums to come out in recent memory (this year kinda really sucked for hip hop besides some stuff from Mos Def, Wale, Kid Cudi (though he didn't live up to the initial hype) and a few others).

I also really really think that Japandroids' Post-Nothing is one of the best albums in the noise rock/garage punk/lo-fi genre I've ever heard. It was praised by Pitchfork but it didn't seem to get the same amount of praise that other albums got.

Oh, and biggest letdown was Condo ****s' ****book. Especially coming from a band like Yo La Tengo.

More retrospective stuff later.

00TJ · 12-12-2009, 01:40 AM

I really enjoyed Wale's and Kid Cudi's debut albums, Cudi has a nice feel and it reminds me of early Bone Thugs.

Jay-Z's new album was pretty nice, aside from some of the sleeper tracks. A Star Is Born is one of the best songs of the year, J. Cole is shaping up to be a high quality rapper, Empire State Of Mind is a hit but I will be listening to it for some time now.

Slaughterhouse, holy ****ing hell, this album was amazing, when you get 5 MC's like Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce, you're gonna get some nice results. I really enjoyed the LP, they all did their thing but Joell outshined the rest of the group in most of the tracks, Budden coming in second.

Raekwon's new album is album of the year IMO. It was just as good as the first album and the Chef is one of the best emcees ever to touch a mic, so you can't go wrong.

Bomby · 12-12-2009, 09:58 PM

^ Raekwon's album is the best rap album I've heard in a few years, though I also haven't been as into rap music as I used to be in high school. I also rather liked the DJ Quik/Kurupt album BlaQkout.

12-08-2009, 06:23 PM	#1
Galefore EXPLOSION GOD OF MUSIC Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Some studio somewhere Gender: Posts: 8,275 Thanks: 1,361 Thanked 826 Times in 535 Posts Blog Entries: 5	2009: The Year in Music (Favorite Songs, Albums, Whatever) This year has been incredibly, incredibly rich with great albums. Some may even be viewed as classics in some fabled distant future that we'll all be a part of, gathered around the youth who clamor for the buried treasures of our day and laughing, pretentiously, spitting "I liked Grizzly Bear before they were retro!" But that time is not now. Now we can celebrate a year in music that was worthy of much excitement. The big releases have come and gone. Now we can sift through them and plug the one or ones we felt stood out farther than the rest. I know for sure which one it was for me. It is Hospice, by The Antlers. I must admit that I was originally not as keen on this one as I am now - not even remotely. I listened to it once and thought "this has some nice songs." And I remember putting Epilogue and Bear on and thinking "this is the saddest pair of songs ever" and playing them a lot for friends. But the whole album, much less the significance of every little word Pete Silberman was singing, hadn't hit me. I had to listen to it all at once and, in tandem, read the liner notes, and suddenly, all at once, I felt what they wanted me to feel. I don't know why, but it was an unbelievable experience to just soak up exactly what the narrative was aiming for. And aside from that, it's also musically fantastic; it's not just an incredible piece of literature (and it certainly is that), but it's set to some of the most appropriate and beautiful music you can expect to hear. I love this album, and it's been added to my exclusive and not-so-important-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things-to-anyone-else list of "Favorite Albums of All Time". Naturally, I can't think of another release this year that had the same effect on me as this one. As for the other releases, I'm partial to Veckatimest a little more than I initially was, and I, like everybody else, loved Merriweather Post Pavillion. Bat For Lashes' Two Suns was a major success in my mind as well. I'll go into more detail regarding great musical experiences I had this year later in the topic. For now, I want to hear it from the rest of yers: What stuck out to YOU this year? dooo iiiiiit

12-08-2009, 10:48 PM	#2
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Three words: Merriweather Post Pavilion This is an album for the record books. Seriously. I mean, there were other good records like Further Complications by Jarvis and logos by Atlas Sound and Album by Girls, but I can actually see Merriweather changing the course of music in the same way Surfer Rosa did two decades earlier.

12-09-2009, 06:59 AM	#3
Vapor Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: WHERE IT'S AT Gender: Posts: 5,211 Thanks: 314 Thanked 413 Times in 249 Posts	I'm really not in the same music loop as you people, if I'm in one at all. :\ But I HIGHLY ENJOYED The Incident (Porcupine Tree) and Amor Vincit Omnia (Pure Reason Revolution). The Incident is my favorite PT album yet, and Amor Vincit Omnia was such a great pile of new sounds to me.

12-09-2009, 12:55 PM	#4
*Booyakasha* SuperMod of War Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Wisconsinland Gender: Posts: 9,945 Thanks: 157 Thanked 1,481 Times in 763 Posts	Clutch--Strange Cousins from the West is probably the best new album I've heard all year. I also really liked Korpiklaani--Karkelo, Destroy Destroy Destroy--Battle Sluts, Alestorm--Black Sails at Midnight, Ahab--The Divinity of Oceans, and Skeletonwitch--Breathing the Fire.

12-10-2009, 10:33 AM	#6
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Also worth noting is that Pet Sounds actually sold very poorly when it was first released. Merriweather might actually be the faster seller, not to mention the rampant piracy of these days. Maybe I need to give it another listen or two, but I was actually somewhat lukewarm toward Veckatimest. I could probably think of at least 7 or 8 albums that came out this year that I liked more.

12-10-2009, 01:16 PM	#7
Jere Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sutme Gender: Posts: 3,648 Thanks: 404 Thanked 331 Times in 256 Posts Blog Entries: 3	Im almost chocked that the Rerealeases of all the Beatles albums haven't been mentioned Ohh and have a metal Xmas, that is a good one

12-10-2009, 01:23 PM	#8
Galefore EXPLOSION GOD OF MUSIC Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Some studio somewhere Gender: Posts: 8,275 Thanks: 1,361 Thanked 826 Times in 535 Posts Blog Entries: 5	^I don't think anyone here had the intention of mentioning re-releases, but they're fair game too, I suppose.

12-10-2009, 03:43 PM	#9
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	I haven't heard Here Comes Science from TMBG yet, & I can't even find Steve Burns's new record. Weird Al's 'Internet Leaks' collection was good, particularly the middle 3 songs, "Craigslist", "Skipper Dan" (Al being genuinely tragic!?), & "CNR". I loved The Long-Playing EP from Y-O-U. It sucks, though, that they retired from original music right after releasing it. Norah Jones's The Fall is...interesting. It's not as not-jazzy as she claims it is. I can't think of any really good random singles from this year, oddly enough; usually there's something that sticks with me. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

12-10-2009, 05:42 PM	#10
Panfan AND HE PRAYS Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grayskull Gender: Posts: 18,806 Thanks: 1,405 Thanked 2,247 Times in 1,337 Posts Blog Entries: 15	Merriweather Post Pavilion is the best album of the year, probably top 5 of the decade. No doubt. Loved Veckatimest and more people should've gotten Hospice. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II is one of the best hip hop albums to come out in recent memory (this year kinda really sucked for hip hop besides some stuff from Mos Def, Wale, Kid Cudi (though he didn't live up to the initial hype) and a few others). I also really really think that Japandroids' Post-Nothing is one of the best albums in the noise rock/garage punk/lo-fi genre I've ever heard. It was praised by Pitchfork but it didn't seem to get the same amount of praise that other albums got. Oh, and biggest letdown was Condo **s' **book. Especially coming from a band like Yo La Tengo. More retrospective stuff later.

12-12-2009, 01:40 AM	#11
00TJ Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Gender: Posts: 185 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I really enjoyed Wale's and Kid Cudi's debut albums, Cudi has a nice feel and it reminds me of early Bone Thugs. Jay-Z's new album was pretty nice, aside from some of the sleeper tracks. A Star Is Born is one of the best songs of the year, J. Cole is shaping up to be a high quality rapper, Empire State Of Mind is a hit but I will be listening to it for some time now. Slaughterhouse, holy ****ing hell, this album was amazing, when you get 5 MC's like Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce, you're gonna get some nice results. I really enjoyed the LP, they all did their thing but Joell outshined the rest of the group in most of the tracks, Budden coming in second. Raekwon's new album is album of the year IMO. It was just as good as the first album and the Chef is one of the best emcees ever to touch a mic, so you can't go wrong.

12-12-2009, 09:58 PM	#12
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	^ Raekwon's album is the best rap album I've heard in a few years, though I also haven't been as into rap music as I used to be in high school. I also rather liked the DJ Quik/Kurupt album BlaQkout.