Top 20 Albums Of 2009!
It took forever to decide what order to put them, as they're all great and there was even a couple that didn't make the list...but finally I made the decisions...
:20
THE ANTLERS HOSPICE
MP3 ♫ Atrophy
:19
DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL ALTER THE ENDING
MP3 ♫ Everybody Learns From Disaster
:18
PAPER ROUTE ABSENCE
MP3 ♫ Carousel
:17
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA MEAN EVERYTHING TO NOTHING
MP3 ♫ Shake It Out
:16
METRIC FANTASIES
MP3 ♫ Gimme Sympathy
:15
KINGS OF CONVENIENCE DECLARATION OF DEPENDANCE
MP3 ♫ Renegade
:14
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE LUNGS
MP3 ♫ Kiss With A Fist
:13
MAXIMO PARK QUICKEN THE HEART
MP3 ♫ The Penultimate Clinch
:12
GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS LOST CHANNELS
MP3 ♫ Everything Is Moving So Fast
:11
THE SWELL SEASON STRICT JOY
MP3 ♫ Low Rising
:10
FEVER RAY FEVER RAY
Sounding like a bastard lovechild of Bat For Lashes, School Of Seven Bells and Bjork; Fever Ray (half of The Knife) may very well get overlooked. With drawn out darkened grooves, no frills, no smashing anthemic numbers, no breakaway pop hits, their debut self-titled album is a surprisingly sublime listen. It's brooding, building and borderline amazing.
MP3 ♫ When I Grow Up
:09
JENNY OWEN YOUNGS TRANSMITTER FAILURE
American JOY has never sounded as good as on her sophomore album, Transmitter Failure. Incorporating a full band on most tracks, Jenny unleashes classic indie folk-pop with insightful lyrics and catchy sing-a-long hooks.
MP3 ♫ Last Person
:08
THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE RULES
Norwegian Erlend Oye - one half of King Of Convenience - gives us a new offering from his second band Whitest Boy Alive, who comprises of mainly German bandmates. Abandoning synthetic sounds heard on previous releases, Rules is made up of 100% 'real' instruments. Knowing that, it's quite impressive to hear what electro-lounge pop-grooves they manage to accomplish. Slick and 'funky', this album is a testament to modern digi-chic bands to put away their laptops.
MP3 ♫ High On The Heels
:07
THE TEMPER TRAP CONDITIONS
The Temper Trap seemed to appear from nowhere when their single Sweet Disposition first appeared on Virgin adverts across the UK. Their debut album Conditions quickly followed. Falling neatly between TV On The Radio and Kings Of Leon, Australia's Temper Trap have become popular, relying on their strong rock grooves to craft an accessible and engaging debut.
MP3 ♫ Love Lost
:06
WHITE LIES TO LOSE MY LIFE
White Lies purposely changed their sound to appeal to the mainstream. At least they got it right. This debut from the London based band may be focused around morose subject matter, but almost every songs is an anthemic number reminiscent of early Arcade Fire or The Killers. With their brilliant live shows, and songs you can't help but chant to, White Lies has hit a winning formula.
MP3 ♫ Unfinished Business
:05
LONGWAVE SECRETS ARE SINISTER
New Yorkers Longwave finally got signed to RCA Records after an independent release and an impromptu EP. Secrets Are Sinister is a heavy but melodic record, produced by the same guys who worked with Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. With throbbing bass, epic guitar riffs and endless drums, these guys really know how to rock with romance.
MP3 ♫ Satellites
:04
THE XX XX
London based teens The XX slipped easily onto the music scene with their debut XX, grabbing attention from both contemporary music lovers and critics alike. Their subdues beats, backed by heartbeat bass and dark, programmed sounds are the perfect skeleton to the melodic 80s style electric guitar riffs and joint vocals from Oliver Sim and Romy Madley. Their understated first effort - self-produced by Oliver Sim - shows a raw talent of composition and how to make something great out of very little.
MP3 ♫ Infinity
:03
TELEPATHE DANCE MOTHER
Finally lesbians who don't play melancholy ballad folk/rock! Brooklyn based Telepathe have been around for a while churning out mediocre experimental EPs, but this year, finally released their debut full length Dance Mother. With a great mix of chilled electro, peppered with dance numbers, Dance Mother is triumphant in style and execution
MP3 ♫ In Your Line
:02
DANIELLE ATE THE SANDWICH THINGS PEOPLE DO
Ukulele extraordinaire Danielle Anderson's self-released album Things People Do (the only independent release on this Top 20) is simple, stripped down and captivating. Beautifully recorded in her kitchen, she crafts perfect little love songs using her obviously big imagination to dream up the most poignant adjectives for human emotions and behaviours. Outstandingly insightful, delicate and honest.
MP3 ♫ Ecosystem
:01
TEGAN & SARA SAINTHOOD
With a more matured sound, Sara Quin creates delicious cryptic indie-pop while Tegan Quin brings the emotional coasting rock. For the first time, the differences between the two on this latest offering are more obvious, but that creates a balanced album of all upbeat gems, with lyrics intensely focused on relationships, love and family. Poured from the heart, there's not one track I'd skip.
MP3 ♫ The Cure
ENJOYED THIS LIST? JOIN FOR EXTRA FRIENDS ONLY 'GOODIES'.
:20
THE ANTLERS HOSPICE
MP3 ♫ Atrophy
:19
DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL ALTER THE ENDING
MP3 ♫ Everybody Learns From Disaster
:18
PAPER ROUTE ABSENCE
MP3 ♫ Carousel
:17
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA MEAN EVERYTHING TO NOTHING
MP3 ♫ Shake It Out
:16
METRIC FANTASIES
MP3 ♫ Gimme Sympathy
:15
KINGS OF CONVENIENCE DECLARATION OF DEPENDANCE
MP3 ♫ Renegade
:14
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE LUNGS
MP3 ♫ Kiss With A Fist
:13
MAXIMO PARK QUICKEN THE HEART
MP3 ♫ The Penultimate Clinch
:12
GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS LOST CHANNELS
MP3 ♫ Everything Is Moving So Fast
:11
THE SWELL SEASON STRICT JOY
MP3 ♫ Low Rising
:10
FEVER RAY FEVER RAY
Sounding like a bastard lovechild of Bat For Lashes, School Of Seven Bells and Bjork; Fever Ray (half of The Knife) may very well get overlooked. With drawn out darkened grooves, no frills, no smashing anthemic numbers, no breakaway pop hits, their debut self-titled album is a surprisingly sublime listen. It's brooding, building and borderline amazing.
MP3 ♫ When I Grow Up
:09
JENNY OWEN YOUNGS TRANSMITTER FAILURE
American JOY has never sounded as good as on her sophomore album, Transmitter Failure. Incorporating a full band on most tracks, Jenny unleashes classic indie folk-pop with insightful lyrics and catchy sing-a-long hooks.
MP3 ♫ Last Person
:08
THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE RULES
Norwegian Erlend Oye - one half of King Of Convenience - gives us a new offering from his second band Whitest Boy Alive, who comprises of mainly German bandmates. Abandoning synthetic sounds heard on previous releases, Rules is made up of 100% 'real' instruments. Knowing that, it's quite impressive to hear what electro-lounge pop-grooves they manage to accomplish. Slick and 'funky', this album is a testament to modern digi-chic bands to put away their laptops.
MP3 ♫ High On The Heels
:07
THE TEMPER TRAP CONDITIONS
The Temper Trap seemed to appear from nowhere when their single Sweet Disposition first appeared on Virgin adverts across the UK. Their debut album Conditions quickly followed. Falling neatly between TV On The Radio and Kings Of Leon, Australia's Temper Trap have become popular, relying on their strong rock grooves to craft an accessible and engaging debut.
MP3 ♫ Love Lost
:06
WHITE LIES TO LOSE MY LIFE
White Lies purposely changed their sound to appeal to the mainstream. At least they got it right. This debut from the London based band may be focused around morose subject matter, but almost every songs is an anthemic number reminiscent of early Arcade Fire or The Killers. With their brilliant live shows, and songs you can't help but chant to, White Lies has hit a winning formula.
MP3 ♫ Unfinished Business
:05
LONGWAVE SECRETS ARE SINISTER
New Yorkers Longwave finally got signed to RCA Records after an independent release and an impromptu EP. Secrets Are Sinister is a heavy but melodic record, produced by the same guys who worked with Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. With throbbing bass, epic guitar riffs and endless drums, these guys really know how to rock with romance.
MP3 ♫ Satellites
:04
THE XX XX
London based teens The XX slipped easily onto the music scene with their debut XX, grabbing attention from both contemporary music lovers and critics alike. Their subdues beats, backed by heartbeat bass and dark, programmed sounds are the perfect skeleton to the melodic 80s style electric guitar riffs and joint vocals from Oliver Sim and Romy Madley. Their understated first effort - self-produced by Oliver Sim - shows a raw talent of composition and how to make something great out of very little.
MP3 ♫ Infinity
:03
TELEPATHE DANCE MOTHER
Finally lesbians who don't play melancholy ballad folk/rock! Brooklyn based Telepathe have been around for a while churning out mediocre experimental EPs, but this year, finally released their debut full length Dance Mother. With a great mix of chilled electro, peppered with dance numbers, Dance Mother is triumphant in style and execution
MP3 ♫ In Your Line
:02
DANIELLE ATE THE SANDWICH THINGS PEOPLE DO
Ukulele extraordinaire Danielle Anderson's self-released album Things People Do (the only independent release on this Top 20) is simple, stripped down and captivating. Beautifully recorded in her kitchen, she crafts perfect little love songs using her obviously big imagination to dream up the most poignant adjectives for human emotions and behaviours. Outstandingly insightful, delicate and honest.
MP3 ♫ Ecosystem
:01
TEGAN & SARA SAINTHOOD
With a more matured sound, Sara Quin creates delicious cryptic indie-pop while Tegan Quin brings the emotional coasting rock. For the first time, the differences between the two on this latest offering are more obvious, but that creates a balanced album of all upbeat gems, with lyrics intensely focused on relationships, love and family. Poured from the heart, there's not one track I'd skip.
MP3 ♫ The Cure
ENJOYED THIS LIST? JOIN FOR EXTRA FRIENDS ONLY 'GOODIES'.