Top Ten Albums of 2009: #5

Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy

















Pitchfork nailed it for a change: "[E]asily the best Built to Spill album of the decade-- an improbable late-career reawakening and heartening evidence that becoming dependable doesn't mean having to settle for being predictable."

Top Ten Albums of 2009: #6

Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen

Top Ten Albums of 2009: #7

A.C. Newman - Get Guilty

Top 30 Songs of 2009

30. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)
29. A.C. Newman - All My Days And All My Days Off
28. Superdrag - Deathblow To Your Pride
27. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Some Trees (Merritt Moon)
26. Pearl Jam - The Fixer
25. Andrew Bird - Anonanimal
24. The Antlers - Wake
23. Superdrag - Aspartame
22. Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire
21. Illinois - Broken String
20. Phoenix - 1901
19. The New Pornographers - Hey, Snow White [Destroyer Cover]
18. Japandroids - Wet Hair
17. Built To Spill - Aisle 13
16. Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others
15. Wilco - Wilco (The Song)
14. Kid Cudi - Up Up & Away
13. The Dodos - Troll Nacht
12. Superdrag - Try
11. Phoenix - Rome
10. Say Hi - Maureen
9. Japandroids - I Quit Girls
8. Kevin Devine - Carnival
7. Phoenix - Lasso
6. Cursive - Let Me Up
5. Ida Maria - Oh My God
4. Kevin Devine - Brother's Blood
3. Phoenix - Listzomania
2. Bon Iver - Blood Bank
1. Illinois - Are You Coming With Me?

Top Ten Albums of 2009: #8

The Antlers - Hospice

Much has been made of Hospice’s subject matter and with good reason - the album’s unflinching discussion of mental illness, abortion, death, dying, and ill-fated love is legitimately haunting. However, the Antler’s debut also owes a major debt to compelling songwriting and clever arrangements. Without the potent horns that close “Bear,” the resounding organ that signifies liftoff on “Wake,” or the memorable melodies throughout, the listener’s desire to reach for a drink - if not a razor blade - by the time front man Peter Silberman concludes the album with coos of “You're screaming, and cursing, and angry, and hurting me, and then smiling, and crying, apologizing,” would not be nearly as strong.

Top 25 Songs For December

25. Old Canes - Flower Faces
24. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Janglin
23. Vivian Girls - Can't Get Over You
22. The Antlers - Kettering
21. Old Canes - Little Bird Courage
20. Ida Maria - Morning Light
19. Cass McCombs - You Saved My Life
18. Ida Maria - Keep Me Warm
17. The Antlers - Two
16. Ida Maria - Stella
15. Japandroids - The Boys Are Leaving Town
14. Ida Maria - Queen Of The World
13. Califone - Krill
12. Ida Maria - Forgive Me
11. The Antlers - Bear
10. Regina Spektor - Hero
9. Califone - Funeral Singers
8. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home
7. Japandroids - Crazy/Forever
6. The Antlers - Wake
5. Japandroids - Sovereignty
4. Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire
3. Japandroids - Wet Hair
2. Ida Maria - Oh My God
1. Japandroids - I Quit Girls