Best Albums of 2009

Okay, so we took a little break, but we'll pick up the pace in the new year. Here's my list of my favorite albums this year. A little different than what you've probably seen elsewhere, but oh well.. Happy New Year!

1. DOOM - Born Like This
2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
4. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
5. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
6. The Dead Weather - Horehound
7. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
8. St. Vincent - Actor
9. Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
10. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
11. DJ Quik and Kurupt - BlaQKout
12. Cold Cave - Love Comes Close
13. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
14. O+S - O+S
15. Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
17. Theoretical Girl - Divided
18. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
19. The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning
20. Passion Pit - Manners
21. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
22. Method Man and Redman - Blackout! 2
23. Del the Funky Homosapien and Tame One - Parallel Uni-Verses
24. Isis - Wavering Radiant
25. The Mars Volta - Octahedron
26. The Lonely Island - Incredibad
27. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
28. U-God - Dopium

- Jake

Skipped It 'Til Now: Comet Gain - Broken Record Prayers

This week's "Skipped It 'Til Now" record isn't one that I skipped, rather it's the band themselves that I skipped. I haven't heard a whole lot of Comet Gain in my life. A friend recommended their album Tigertown Pictures a few years back, and I thought it was good, but I didn't take any strides to find anything else of theirs afterward. Well, after listening to their new compilation, Broken Record Prayers, I think I have a pretty good idea of what I missed, and I realize I missed a very good band.

Broken Record Prayers is a collection of songs from various releases of the Comet Gain discography. These tracks span about 10 years, but the sequence that they appear in here make it seem as if they were made especially for this album. Comet Gain's sound is sort of unique. I can't think of another band that sounds like them, which is a very good thing. They go from sweet dream-pop to fiery punk with no problem, such as on "You Can Hide Your Love Forever" and the rockin' "Orwell Liberty Dance." "Love Without Lies," the newest song on the record, is an intense post-punk beast with an awesome bassline and wonderful echoing vocals by singer Rachel Evans. It is followed by the Curtis Mayfield cover, "Hard Times," which is transformed from a '70s funk social commentary to a fierce, jangly (perhaps that's an oxymoron..) rock song. Comet Gain take several different approaches to nearly every song, so none of them sound the same, which makes the disc interesting throughout.

At 20 tracks, one would think that this comp would have its share of filler, but Broken Record Prayers is surprisingly strong and engaging. As a career-spanning compilation, this disc does a great job of showcasing the band's strengths and apparent consistency and can serve as a good introduction to a very talented band worth some attention.

- Jake

Lightning Dust's Ghostly "Never Seen"

I'm a sucker for spooky-sounding electronic/acoustic music, and Vancouver's Lightning Dust are the latest band to fill that void for me. Singer Amber Webber has a voice like a ghostly Bjork who can't let go of the material world. Her voice trembles and cracks, and it's enough to send shivers down your spine. This raw, emotional delivery is perfect for the song, "Never Seen," which has been a daily listen for me lately.

"Never Seen" is a dark, melancholy, emotionally-arresting synth dirge, complete with eerie double-tracked vocals and a distant, decaying beat. It really sounds otherworldly. The melody that kicks in at about 1:34 combines with Webber's ghost choir so perfectly that it makes me imagine spectral flames gathering in a dark cemetery for a chanting session. I'm so good at corny imagery.

At any rate, "Never Seen" is getting serious attention on my playlists, so check it out. Also worthy of mention is their synth-country jam, "I Knew," which is pretty cool as well. These tracks come from Infinite Light, Lightning Dust's second album, which I will be checking out very soon.

Lightning Dust - Never Seen
Lightning Dust - I Knew

- Jake

Twin Atlantic - I Like, Even If You'll Call It Emo

Okay...so I really have a thing for a Scots or Irish accent. Especially if same accent can be heard while the owner of said accent is singing. So, it's no big stretch that I'm a fan of bands like Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks. So, it's no surprise that I fell for the heavily accented, heavily emotional delivery of Sam McTrusty (sounds like he should be a cartoon character) as the frontman of Twin Atlantic.

There's plenty of the jangling, jarring guitar that often caused me to 4 or 5 star bands in SoM past, plus there's that something extra that always causes me to lean in for that closer listen. It's not just the emotional delivery, though that's always a key for me. Sure, it's going to get a few indie purists out there hollering at me about my emo leanings. Get over it! Nothing wrong with a little emo-appreciation. The genre isn't completely without merit, and if we're giving out emo merit badges, these kids deserve them.

"Light Speed" starts out with an infectious beat and groove, then slapped me across the face with the heavily accented, heavily emotional vocal delivery which is my weakness. Pretty with a gruff edginess, McTrusty's delivery is every young girl's emo-dream, wishing the young hottie singer was delivering each lyric right at her. Even this jaded and experienced girl isn't immune to that kind of angsty romance.

Listen to: Light Speed

"What Is Light, Where Is Laughter" is a little slower, less driven, less angsty, but it's still got plenty of drama and intrigue. It's got the special Brit Isles guitar sound that first rocked my world when Big Country released their self-titled album way back in the early 80's. You know what I'm talking about? That vaguely bagpipe-esque sound? It's here. The vocals are a little less raw, but just as pretty, and still accent heavy.

Listen to: What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?

Vivarium is on pretty heavy rotation in my playlists right now. I'll hope some of you will look past the emo leanings and give these kids a chance. I think you'll be surprised and find yourself liking the heavy accents as much as I do.

Skipped It 'Til Now: Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

Why did I skip Sleater-Kinney's 2005 album, The Woods? I really don't have an answer for that. I've been a fan of the band since I first heard Dig Me Out back in the day. A new S-K record was an event... so now I'm confused as to why it took me such a long time to check their final album out. Well, I recently purchased The Woods from a clearance rack for the ridiculous price of $4, and it boggles my mind as to why such an awesome album could be ignored by anyone.

The usual brash and sassy sound of Sleater-Kinney has changed a bit on The Woods. There's an overall classic hard rock sound here. The record is LOUD, with cracks and pops adding a certain rawness to every song. It works pretty well from the very beginning as the opener, "The Fox," charges at you with distorted guitars and pounding drums. Singer/guitarist Corin Tucker's Aesop fable-worthy lyrics would seem to be in contrast with the raw music, but her voice (some people hate it, I love it) fits into the mix so well that she could say anything and it would work. Guitarist Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss are in top form as usual. The whole album continues in a similar fashion throughout, as hard rockin' behemoths like "Entertain" and "Let's Call It Love" threaten to blow out your speakers (can you believe I listened to it with headphones?). Even the lighter "Modern Girl" (oddly, my favorite) is pretty hard. Songs like "Wilderness" and "Rollercoaster" are more typical S-K fare, but they fit in with the rest of the songs well. For all its Hendrix-like aspirations, The Woods can be compared to previous S-K albums if you'd like, because there are a lot of flashes of things they've done in the past, but they all culminate into something new and forward-looking, making for a rather enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

The Woods is an extremely well-crafted album by an extremely competent band, and I'm ashamed of myself for taking so long to listen to it. There aren't any real issues with the record in my opinion. Can't say that there are any lulls or filler anywhere to be found, and it begins and ends strongly. I have read elsewhere that other listeners weren't fond of the quality of the recording, and while I can understand it, I think it works wonderfully. If you haven't heard The Woods, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It looks like it's selling for ridiculous prices.

- Jake

Song of the Day: Hungry Villagers' "Tree Full of Ghosts"

There's a song that keeps popping up when I'm listening to MP3s, and I can't seem to escape it. "Tree Full of Ghosts," by the Texas band, Hungry Villagers, is the song that I speak of, and it's a pretty nice song. I've been listening to this song for a couple of months now, and I've liked it from the first moment that I heard it, but after listening to it multiple times every day this week, I've decided that I love it.

"Tree Full of Ghosts" is a dark, melodic song that starts out with a bit of a folk-rock sound and then eventually builds into a bouncy, almost-gospel track with 4/4 drums. I'm not quite sure what the lyrics are about, something about a "heart full of soma" and an "occupation" that "files slowly past your door," but I get the idea that it deals with an inability to let things go and letting problems constantly live around you as a reminder of what may have happened in the past ("carving out your name/ in your hard wood/ of your tree full of ghosts"). Perhaps I'm totally off and that's just what I want it to be about because that's the type of thing that I deal with on a regular basis. Either way, it's an interesting listen, and the sound of the singer's voice really adds that melancholy vibe to it. The overall sound of the song is reminiscent of bands like The National and Interpol, just a little folksier.

Photo Courtesy: Last.fm

I don't know a lot about Hungry Villagers, but I'm interested in finding out more. They are a promising band with an already strong sound. I've read that they have relocated to Georgia to work on their full-length album, so maybe I'll be able to check out their live show. In addition to "Tree Full of Ghosts," check out "Little Fingers."

- Jake

In Rotation: Modest Mouse - No One's First, and You're Next

I’m always excited when there’s a new Modest Mouse release, even if the material isn’t new. No One’s First, and You’re Next is a collection of B-sides from the Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank sessions, and while all these songs have been previously released in one way or another, having them all compiled onto one disc makes for a pretty good EP.

No One’s First features 8 songs that sound like the two albums that they were originally made for, so if you’re a fan of those releases, then you’ll find a lot to like here. “Guilty Cocker Spaniels” features typical MM almost-rap/ranting vocals over layered guitars, and “Autumn Beds,” with its wonderful sing-along chorus, is possibly the catchiest track on the EP. The lengthy guitar workout, “The Whale Song,” is reminiscent of some of the stuff on The Moon and Antarctica. The common Modest Mouse themes of life, death, God, and the Devil are here in full force, and they are conveyed in the weird and feverish way that only singer Isaac Brock can convey them. The only qualm I have with the disc is that I would have preferred another B-side in place of “I’ve Got It All (Most)” considering that the song has been the most widely available track (it was on the “Float On” single as well as the deluxe edition of Good News..), and I’m not sure that it really fits here.

No One’s First, and You’re Next is another good Modest Mouse EP in the vein of 1999’s Building Nothing Out of Something and 2001’s Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks, collecting the odds and ends of their most recent albums. It’s not as strong as those other releases, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

- Jake