top ten albums of 2009

by Sean

10. WILCO (THE ALBUM) by wilco

Wilco (The Song) [LISTEN]

One of my all-time favorite bands releases a decent Wilco record. But, a decent Wilco record is good enough to be top 10 of the year for me.

9. DRAGONSLAYER by sunset rubdown

You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II) [LISTEN]

I was once a Wolf Parade fan and am now a fan of pretty much anything Spencer Krug does. This was a pleasant surprise for me.

8. I AND LOVE AND YOU by the avett brothers

I And Love And You [LISTEN]

Nothing I can really rock to like Emotionalism’s “Die, Die, Die”, but, the title track is great and this is a consistently good record all the way through.

7. WHY THERE ARE MOUNTAINS by cymbals eat guitars

Wind Phoenix (Proper Name) [LISTEN]

My favorite debut of the year and they’re only 20 years old. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for these guys.

6. BITTE ORCA by dirty projectors

Cannibal Resource [LISTEN]

Hadn’t even heard of them until this was released, and after seeing them live I will definitely be keeping my ear out for whatever else they have to offer.

5. MANNERS by passion pit

Sleepyhead [LISTEN]

After hearing Manners for the first time I was sure Passion Pit would be the MGMT of 2009. I’m not sure if they’ve quite reached that point but there are some great dance party tunes on this one.

4. NOBLE BEAST by andrew bird

Oh No [LISTEN]

At this point I don’t believe Andrew Bird is capable of putting out a bad record.

3. WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX by phoenix

Lisztomania [LISTEN]

When an album begins with possibly 2 of the top 5 songs released all year (“Lisztomania”,”1901″) its pretty hard for it to be topped. Gets a little muddled down in the middle but finishes strong.

2. VECKATIMEST by grizzly bear

Two Weeks [LISTEN]

Grizzly Bear finally receives their critical due with Veckatimest. You may have to be in a certain mood to listen to this all the way through, but if you do you will be rewarded with a beautiful record.

1. MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION by animal collective

Summertime Clothes [LISTEN]

AC’s most accessible album to date, while still sticking to form. Named after a venue I have visited many times, MPP is proof that these guys from Baltimore may end up being one of the best of our generation.