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

Top Ten Albums of 2009: #9

Superdrag - Industry Giants

One of my more disappointing experiences of 2009 was chatting with Tom Fuller during his cursory and dismissive first spin of Industry Giants. Yes, the album features some true duds (“You’re Alive,” “5 Minutes Ahead of the Chaos”) and sure, you could make a case that it’s the worst Superdrag album. However, none of that changes the fact that hearing this band - the original lineup, no less - once again run through a rousing opener (“Slow to Anger”), captivating rock songs (“Everything Will Be Made Right,” “Deathblow to Your Pride”), and gorgeous ballads (“Live and Breathe,” “Try”), with a dazzling reggae-tinged rocker (“Aspartame”) thrown in for good measure, makes for one hell of a good time.

Top Ten Albums of 2009: #10

The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead

I first became acquainted with Scotland's The Twilight Sad through Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters, their solid but very unremarkable debut. The difference this time around is that, with the exception of a few well-placed ballads, blistering guitars now propel every track. The result is an album that doesn't feature any mind blowing numbers but is nonetheless thoroughly engaging from start to finish.

Top 25 Songs For October & November

25. Phoenix - Armistice
24. Beck - End Of The Day
23. Phoenix - Countdown (Sick For The Big Sun)
22. The Twilight Sad - The Room
21. Girls - Lust For Life
20. Phoenix - Girlfriend
19. Girls - Morning Light
18. Built To Spill - Nowhere Lullaby
17. Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit - However Long
16. Girls - Hellhole Retrace
15. Volcano Choir - Island, IS
14. Beck - Lost Cause
13. Volcano Choir - Still
12. The Twilight Sad - I Became A Prostitute
11. Beck - It's All In Your Mind
10. The Twilight Sad - Made To Disappear
9. Built To Spill - Life's A Dream
8. Built To Spill - Tomorrow
7. Pearl Jam - The Fixer
6. Phoenix - 1901
5. Built To Spill - Aisle 13
4. Okkervil River - For Real [Live On Austin City Limits]
3. Phoenix - Rome
2. Phoenix - Lasso
1. Phoenix - Lisztomania

Believe In What You Can't Feel

It took me nine months but I’ve completed my fourth official mix. I wish I could say it took so long because I worked so incredibly hard on it but really, the culprit was primarily laziness. Also, Believe What You Can’t Feel is about keeping faith that good things will happen when life is difficult, so I think falling on some harder times helped motivate me to finally finish it. If you’d like a copy, just let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Top 25 Songs For August & September

25. Lucero - What Else Would You Have Me Be?
24. The Beatles - The Inner Light
23. Modest Mouse - I've Got It All Most
22. Kid Cudi - Pursuit Of Happiness
21. Jay Z - Empire State Of Mind
20. Modest Mouse - Satellite Skin
19. Lucero - Tears Don't Matter Much
18. Lucero - Cass
17. Eliza The Arrow - Toast The Tiger
16. Lucero - Hate And Jealousy
15. Rock Plaza Central - Oh I Can
14. Lucero - The Only One
13. Lucero - On The Way Back Home
12. The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car)
11. Lucero - Coming Home
10. The Beatles - We Can Work It Out
9. Kid Cudi - Up Up & Away
8. The Dodos - Small Deaths
7. The Beatles - She Loves You
6. Lucero - That Much Further West
5. The Weakerthans - One Great City!
4. The Beatles - Yes It Is
3. Lucero - Mine Tonight
2. The Dodos - Troll Nacht
1. Lucero - She's Just That Kind Of Girl

Top 25 Songs For June & July

25. Neil Young - Just Singing A Song
24. Sonic Youth - Anti-Orgasm
23. Deerhunter - Disappearing Ink
22. Say Hi - The Stars Just Blink For Us
21. Paul & Linda McCartney - Too Many People
20. Green Day - 21 Guns
19. Paul & Linda McCartney - Dear Boy
18. Green Day - Restless Heart Syndrome
17. The Wrens - Pulled Fences (Live at Abbey Road)
16. Deerhunter - Famous Last Words
15. Say Hi - Elouise
14. Deerhunter - Circulation
13. Sun Kil Moon - Lily and Parrots
12. Green Day - Before The Lobotomy
11. Bat For Lashes - Moon And Moon
10. Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio
9. The Wrens - Surprise, Honeycomb
8. Bat For Lashes - Siren Song
7. Wilco - Wilco (The Song)
6. Say Hi - Dramatic Irony
5. Wilco - One Wing
4. Say Hi - November Was White, December Was Grey
3. Sun Kil Moon - Floating
2. Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others
1. Say Hi - Maureen

Top 25 Songs For May

25. The Thermals - At The Bottom Of The Sea
24. Jeremy Enigk - In A Look
23. Illinois - How Do You Feel?
22. Jeremy Enigk - Make Believe
21. Kevin Devine - I Could Be With Anyone
20. The Thermals - When I Died
19. Lily Allen - 22
18. Lily Allen - I Could Say
17. Weezer - Heart Songs
16. Neil Young - Wrecking Ball
15. Lily Allen - Everyone's At It
14. Kevin Devine - Yr Husband
13. St. Vincent - Black Rainbow
12. Weezer - The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn)
11. Illinois - An Open Door
10. St. Vincent - The Strangers
9. Lily Allen - Who'd Have Known
8. Weezer - Pork And Beans
7. Illinois - Broken String
6. Jeremy Enigk - Late Of Camera
5. Kevin Devine - Another Bag Of Bones
4. Illinois - Missing Piece
3. Kevin Devine - Brother's Blood
2. Kevin Devine - Carnival
1. Illinois - Are You Coming With Me?

Top 25 Songs For April

25. Art Brut - Am I Normal?
24. Matt & Kim - I'll Take Us Home
23. Death Cab For Cutie - My Mirror Speaks
22. Superdrag - Slow To Anger
21. Youth Group - All Of This Will Pass
20. Youth Group - Two Sides
19. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Like Blood Does
18. Superdrag - Cheap Poltergeists
17. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
16. Youth Group - One For Another
15. Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
14. Superdrag - Everything Will Be Made Right
13. Silversun Pickups - It's Nice To Know You Work Alone
12. Cymbals Eat Guitars - And The Hazy Sea
11. Art Brut - DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshakes
10. Matt & Kim - Daylight
9. Kevin Drew - Love vs. Porn
8. Superdrag - Aspartame
7. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Cold Spring
6. Superdrag - Live And Breathe
5. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)
4. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Some Trees (Merritt Moon)
3. Superdrag - Try
2. Superdrag - Deathblow To Your Pride
1. The New Pornographers - Hey, Snow White [Destroyer cover]

Top 25 Songs For March

25. Neko Case - Vengeance Is Sleeping
24. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Inland Sea
23. Cursive - Mama, I'm Satan
22. Cursive - Caveman
21. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Halycon Days
20. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
19. Beirut - My Wife, Lost In The Wild
18. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Isis Unveiled
17. Rivers Cuomo - I Was Scared
16. Cursive - Donkeys
15. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Insatiable Two
14. Weezer - Falling For You
13. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Contender
12. Rivers Cuomo - Walt Disney
11. Neko Case - People Got A Lot Of Nerve
10. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Tenure Itch
9. Rivers Cuomo - Paper Face
8. Cursive - What Have I Done?
7. Rivers Cuomo - Can't Stop Partying
6. Weezer - Jamie
5. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Bells Of Creation
4. Cursive - From The Hips
3. Beirut - My Night With The Prostitute From Marseilles
2. Cursive - I Couldn't Love You
1. Cursive - Let Me Up

Top 25 Songs For February

25. Franz Ferdinand - Katherine Kiss Me
24. Lemuria - Who Would Understand A Turtle
23. Lemuria - Rough Draft
22. Franz Ferdinand - Bite Hard
21. Franz Ferdinand - Send Him Away
20. A.C. Newman - Like A Hitman Like A Dancer
19. Franz Ferdinand - Twilight Omens
18. Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams
17. A.C. Newman - The Palace At 4 AM
16. Lemuria - It's Not A Lie, It's A Secret
15. Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls
14. A.C. Newman - All My Days On And All My Days Off
13. Franz Ferdinand - Live Alone
12. Lemuria - Hours
11. A.C. Newman - The Heartbreak Rides
10. Lemuria - In A World Of Ghosts...
9. Andrew Bird - Oh No
8. A.C. Newman - Thunderbolts
7. Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses
6. Lemuria - Lick Your Lips
5. Lemuria - Bristles And Whiskers
4. A.C. Newman - Prophets
3. A.C. Newman - There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve...
2. Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
1. Andrew Bird - Anonanimal

Top 35 Songs For December & January

35. Taylor Swift - Fearless
34. Taylor Swift - Breathe
33. Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
32. The Jealous Sound - Turning Around
31. Kanye West - Coldest Winter
30. Will Sheff - Ex-Girl Collection [Wrens cover]
29. Smoking Popes - The Corner
28. Deerhunter - Operation
27. Taylor Swift - You're Not Sorry
26. Smoking Popes - Into Summer Sky
25. Kanye West - See You In My Nightmares
24. The Dodos - God?
23. The Jealous Sound - Got Friends
22. The Killers - I Can't Stay
21. The Dodos - The Season
20. Kanye West - Paranoid
19. Taylor Swift - Fifteen
18. Charles Bissell - It Ends With A Fall [Okkervil River cover]
17. Kanye West - Welcome To Heartbreak
16. Smoking Popes - If You Don't Care
15. The Dodos - Ashley
14. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
13. The Dodos - Walking
12. The Dodos - Fools
11. The Killers - Losing Touch
10. Smoking Popes - First Time
9. The Dodos - Winter
8. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
7. Taylor Swift - Forever And Always
6. Taylor Swift - Love Story
5. The Dodos - Undeclared
4. Kanye West - Street Lights
3. Bon Iver - Blood Bank
2. Kanye West - Robocop
1. The Dodos - Jodi

Top 50 Songs of 2008

50. Brendan Canning - Churches Under The Stairs
49. Earlimart - Before It Gets Better
48. The Dodos - Fools
47. Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave
46. The Dodos - Winter
45. Deerhunter - Twilight At Carbon Lake
44. Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice
43. Cloud Cult - Everybody Here Is A Cloud
42. Bound Stems - Sugar City Magic
41. Hot Chip - Wrestlers
40. Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
39. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
38. Cloud Cult - Love You All
37. Bon Iver - Flume
36. Of Montreal - Nonpareil Of Favor
35. TV On The Radio - Family Tree
34. The Subways - Shake! Shake!
33. T.I. - Whatever You Like
32. The Dodos - Undeclared
31. Okkervil River - Blue Tulip
30. Bound Stems - Crossed Off Together
29. Say Hi - Northwestern Girls
28. T.I. - Ready For Whatever
27. Foals - Big Big Love (Fig. 2)
26. Bon Iver - Stacks
25. Kanye West - Street Lights
24. Okkervil River - Bruce Wayne Campbell On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979
23. Able Baker Fox - Brand New Moses
22. Oxford Collapse - B-Roll
21. We Are Scientists - Let's See It
20. Tokyo Police Club - Juno
19. Death Cab For Cutie - Bixby Canyon Bridge
18. Black Kids - Hit The Heartbreaks
17. Vivian Girls - I Believe In Nothing
16. The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
15. The Walkmen - New Country
14. Nada Surf - See These Bones
13. The Hold Steady - One For The Cutters
12. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
11. Kanye West - Robocop
10. Death Cab For Cutie - Cath...
9. The Hold Steady - Slapped Actress
8. The Dodos - Jodi
7. Okkervil River - Calling And Not Calling My Ex
6. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
5. Bound Stems - Winston
4. Local H - Simple Pleas
3. Local H - The Summer Of Boats
2. Okkervil River - On Tour With Zykos
1. Bon Iver - The Wolves (Act I And II)

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I'll either post the December Top 25 this weekend or just combine it with January's list.

Top 10 Albums of 2008

10. Able Baker Fox - Voices
9. Kanye West - 808's & Heartbreak
8. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
7. Bound Stems - The Family Afloat
6. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
5. Local H - Twelve Angry Months
4. The Dodos - Visiter
3. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
2. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Honorable Mention: Death Cab for Cutie - The Narrow Stairs, T.I. - Paper Trail, The Subways - All or Nothing, Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornados), Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls

Top 25 Songs For November

25. The Subways - I Won't Let You Down
24. I'm From Barcelona - Paper Planes
23. Matthew Sweet - Burn Through Love
22. Deerhunter - Little Kids
21. I'm From Barcelona - Andy
20. I'm From Barcelona - Ophelia
19. The Subways - Move To Newlyn
18. The Rosebuds - Another Way In
17. Bound Stems - Clear Water & Concrete
16. The Subways - Lostboy
15. Bound Stems - Passing Bell
14. Bound Stems - Cloak Of Blue Sky
13. The Subways - Strawberry Blonde
12. I'm From Barcelona - Rufus
11. Bound Stems - Taking Tips From The Gallery Gang
10. Deerhunter - Twilight At Carbon Lake
9. Matthew Sweet - Feel Fear
8. The Subways - Alright
7. I'm From Barcelona (featuring Soko) - Gunhild
6. Bound Stems - Sugar City Magic
5. The Rosebuds - Nice Fox
4. The Subways - Shake! Shake!
3. Bound Stems - Crossed Off Together
2. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
1. Bound Stems - Winston

Top 25 Songs For October

25. Of Montreal - Triphallus, to Punctuate!
24. Oasis - Bag It Up
23. Annuals - Down The Mountain
22. Oasis - I'm Outta Time
21. Tokyo Police Club - The Harrowing Adventures Of...
20. Annuals - Springtime
19. Brendan Canning - Something For All Of Us
18. Tokyo Police Club - Nurse, Academy
17. Brendan Canning - Chameleon
16. Of Montreal - And I've Seen A Bloody Shadow
15. The Replacements - Careless
14. Tokyo Police Club - Graves
13. Tokyo Police Club - Sixties Remake
12. Brendan Canning - Hit The Wall
11. Tokyo Police Club - Your English Is Good
10. Of Montreal - An Eluardian Instance
9. Vivian Girls - Never See Me Again
8. Tokyo Police Club - Centennial
7. Annuals - Always Do
6. Brendan Canning - Churches Under The Stairs
5. Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave
4. Of Montreal - Touched Something's Hollow
3. Of Montreal - Nonpareil Of Favor
2. Tokyo Police Club - Juno
1. Vivian Girls - I Believe In Nothing

Fuck Yes

November 3, 2004 is one of the hardest days I can remember. I woke up, confirmed that the worst had happened, and then left 32 Wheeler to head to class. I recall seeing some small children on the walk over and wanting to cry. When I arrived at my poly sci class with Harry Hirsh, everyone was a mess. For an hour, we talked about what had happened: some ranted and raved, some sat quietly, despondent, and some seemed close to tears. We all did our best to make sense of something we didn’t understand.

What I remember best is that at some point, someone suggested or implied that Barack Obama, my hometown senator who’d recently caught the nation’s attention at the DNC, might help the Democrats finally wrestle back control of the White House in 2008. Harry, who I always found to be incredibly intelligent and an astute political observer, quickly dismissed this idea, commenting that our best chance of electing a Democratic president again would be to nominate a charismatic candidate from the South who could siphon off a few Red States. I thought that made a shitload of sense.

Barack, thank you for somehow making this all come true.

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The Top 25 will belatedly appear this weekend after I turn in my seminar paper.

Top 25 Songs For September

25. The National - 90-Mile Water Wall
24. The National - Available
23. T.I. - On Top Of The World
22. T.I. - 56 Bars
21. TV On The Radio - Love Dog
20. The National - Slipping Husband
19. TV On The Radio - Stork And Owl
18. Local H - Michelle (Again)
17. Sigur Ros - All Alright
16. Bon Iver - Blue Tulip [Okkervil River Cover]
15. The Walkmen - On The Water
14. Sigur Ros - Salka
13. Local H - Taxi-Cabs
12. Sigur Ros - Fljótavík
11. Sigur Ros - Hafsól
10. Local H - The One With 'Kid'
9. Oxford Collapse - Featherbeds
8. T.I. - Live Your Life
7. TV On The Radio - Family Tree
6. T.I. - Whatever You Like
5. T.I. - Ready For Whatever
4. The Walkmen - New Country
3. Oxford Collapse - B-Roll
2. Local H - Simple Pleas
1. Local H - The Summer Of Boats

Top 25 Songs For August

This is easily the least inspired Top 25 I've ever compiled. Hopefully I'll shape up this month.

25. Coldplay - 42
24. Shearwater - Leviathan Bound
23. Shearwater - Rooks
22. Earlimart - Face Down In The Right Down
21. Earlimart - Time For Yourself
20. Coldplay - Lost
19. Shearwater - On The Death Of The Waters
18. Earlimart - Song For
17. Okkervil River - Singer Songwriter
16. Shearwater - Century Eyes
15. Shearwater - I Was A Cloud
14. Alkaline Trio - Love Love, Kiss Kiss
13. The Streets - Dry Your Eyes
12. Sigur Ros - Festival
11. Alkaline Trio - Calling All Skeletons
10. Okkervil River - Pop Lie
9. The Hold Steady - The Swish
8. Shearwater - The Snow Leopard
7. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
6. Shearwater - Home Life
5. Coldplay - Life In Technicolor
4. Sigur Rose - Gobbledigook
3. Sigur Ros - Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
2. The Promise Ring - Red & Blue Jeans
1. Earlimart - Before It Gets Better