Journal

Mum Smokes - Easy/House Music (Gypsy Joker)
The Ancients - The Ancients (Luddite Folk)
Kellies - Kalimera (World of Freedom)
Love of Diagrams - Nowhere Forever (Forever)
Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career (French navy)
Darren Sylvester - Darren Sylvester (That's a nice haircut)
Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want (Once we walked in the sunlight)
Jeremy Jay - Slow Dance (Will you dance with me)
The Clean - Mister Pop (Loog)
Royalchord - The Good Fight (The good times)
Crayon Fields - All The Pleasures Of The World (Graceless)
Sonny & The Sunsets - Tomorrow is Alright (Stranded)
The Vera Violets - The Vera Violets (Dreams of Zena)
Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM (Heaven Can Wait)
Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling (Look like a fool)
Richard Swift - The Atlantic Ocean (The first time)
The Soundcarriers - Harmonium (Cannonball)
Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs (If It's True)
Bardo Pond - Peri (Chicken gun)
Night Control - Death Control (Star 129)
Thee Oh Sees - Help (Go Meet the Seed)
Euros Childs - Son Of Euro Child (How Do You Do)
The Sky Drops - Bourgeois Beat (Hang On)
Cate Le Bon - Me Oh My (The Digging Song)
Hush Arbors - Yankee Reality (One way ticket)
Brian Glaze - Green Living (Bad news)
The Strange Boys - And Girls Club (Should have shot Paul)
Smith Westerns - Smith Westerns (The glam goddess)
The Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders (The Ghost With the Most)
Beak> - Recordings 05/01/09 > 17/01/09 (Ham Green)
Charlotte Hatherley - New Worlds (Wrong Notes)
PJ Harvey - A Woman A Man Walked By (Black hearted love)
St Helens - Heavy Profession (Get Up)
HTRK - Marry Me Tonight (Rentboy)
Dolly Rocker Movement - Our Days Mind The Tyme (Coffin Love)
Norfolk & Western - Dinero Severo (Not for good)
Air - Love 2 (Be a bee)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures (Elephants)
Jonny Telafone - Mountain of Smoke (Still Sleeping)
The Bats - The Guilty Office (Two lines)
Julie Doiron - I Wonder What You Did With Your Day (Consolation Prize)
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone (Blood from a stone)
Ourself Beside Me - Ourself Beside Me (Holiday)
Peter Bjorn and John - Living Thing (Lay it down)
Zombi - Spirit Animal (Spirit animal)
Fu Manchu - Signs Of Infinite Power (Bionic astronauts)
The Orbweavers - Graphite & Diamonds (Last dance)
Vetiver - Tight Knit (More of this)
Girls - Album (Lust for life)
Iran - Dissolver (I Can See the Future)
Modular - Fantasías De Un Robot Psicodélico (Tour fantastico)
Burning Hearts - Aboa Sleeping (Iris)
Wagons - The Rise & Fall Of Goodtown (Keep Your Eyes Off My Sister)
Little Birdy - Confetti (Run run run)
My Laundry Life - My Laundry Life (Gravity is pulling hard)
Songs - Songs (Different Light)
Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy (Monkey)
Dreamdate - Patience (8 Sleevess)
Cassette - Jingle King (Day goes by)
MOONSPEED - Flowers of the Moon (Water's edge)
The Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away (Keep me in dark)
Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand (Let it grow)
Asobi Seksu - Hush (Glacially)
The Stabs - Dead Wood (No hoper)
Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong (Can't get over you)
Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence (Rule my world)
The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules (Rollercoaster ride)
The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath (Share the night)
Real Estate - Real Estate (Atlantic City)
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - Through The Devil Softly (Trouble)
Wilco - Wilco (The Album) (Bull black nova)
Wooden Shjips - Dos (Down by the sea)
Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream (Walking an a dream)
Loene Carmen - It Walks Like Love (Cheap glue)
M. Craft - Arrows At The Sun (Young and in love)
Martha Wainwright - Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris: Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record (Marie Trottoir)
The Super Vacations - The Super Vacations (Van.America)
Seapeoples - Blue Star (Song X for girl Y)
Pastels/Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets (Boats)
Legends Of Motorsport - Yeah Uh Huh (Cockroaches)
Thee Oh Sees - Dog Poison (The River Rushes (To Screw MD Over))
Cortney Tidwell - Boys (Oh, suicide)
Rally - Spoiler (Through Tin Ear)
Broadcast & The Focus Group - Broadcast and the Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age (Make My Sleep His Song)
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (This tornado loves you)
The Black Ryder - Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride (Outside)
Haruko - Wild Geese (Welcome to loveland)
Quiet Loudly - Soulgazer (I could sleep for days)
Inverness - Forest Fortress (Tongueling)
Dinosaur Jr - Farm (Over it)
Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Walkin blue)
Cheval Sombre - Cheval Sombre (Hyacinth House)
Julian Lynch - Orange You Glad (Andaza)
David Kilgour/Sam Hunt - Falling Debris (First one hit)
Florida - Dead Beat Sons (Heart crumbles)
Condo Fucks - Fuckbook (This is where I belong)
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Breakup (Relator)
Skyramps - Days of Thunder (Sky ramping)
Wye Oak - The Knot (Mary is Mary)
Dan Melchior Und Das Menace - Thankyou Very Much (Blue tentacles)


and some things that aren't really albums:

The Cavalcade - Meet Me In The Rain EP (Voices)
Ash - The A-Z Series (Arcadia)
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - 2009 Tour EP (Phansasthma)
The Cavalcade - Edition 59 [#38] (No strength)
The Twerps - EP + CD-R (I Fought Fings)
Pearl Harbor - Calistonia Dreamin' CD-R (Lost @ sea)
Pearl Harbor - Something About The Chaparrals (Sunburn)
The Mayfair Set - Young One EP (Junked)
Rally - Parroting EP (All I know...)
Best Coast - Art Fag 7" (Sun Was High (So Was I))
warpaint - Warpaint EP (Billie Holiday)
Kurt Vile & the Violators - The Hunchback EP (Damn you)
Dirtbag - Reverse the Curse (Who do voodoo)
The Frowning Clouds - Diamonds & Clubs (Lovin You)
God Help The Girl - Stills EP (Stills)
The Carrots - Doing Our Part 7" (Doing Our Part)
Broadcast - Mother is the Milky Way (In here the world begins)
Thee Oh Sees - Tidal Wave (Tidal Wave)
Flying Scribble - Animation in My Head (Animation in My Head)
Dick Diver - Arks Up (Walk for room)
Wooden Shjips - Contact 12" (Contact)
Brown Recluse Sings - The Soft Skin (Rotten Tangerines)
The Laurels - 7" (Wandering Star)
Stan Hubbs - Stan Hubbs (Let's go on back to camp)
Jimmy Hawk - Born On A Mountain (All the boys)
Florida - Florida 7" (Icarus)
Denim Owl - The Dream Pocket (Knitted Soup)

9/1 The Stradlins
(Klubb Ivan, Nässjö)
16/1 Henry Fiat's Open Sore, The Shamalamas
(Bryggeriet, Nässjö)
23/1 Who Knew
(Roter Salon, Berlin)
24/1 The Gutter Twins, Duke Garwood
(Babylon, Berlin)
24/1 Minnaars, The Have
(White Trash Fast Food, Berlin)
30/1 Ossler
(Kafé DeLuxe, Växjö)
31/1 Hellfuckers, Moranes, Hammok Safari, Tomorrow Will Never Come
(Juventum, Eksjö)
2/2 Royal Sister
(Hotell Högland, Nässjö)
4/2 The Tallest Man on Earth
(Stadsbiblioteket, Jönköping)
7/2 Onine, Modern Caveman
(Bryggeriet, Nässjö)
11/2 Jens Proud Project
(Bryggeriet, Nässjö)
13/2 Scratchy & Mono
(Bryggeriet, Nässjö)
19/2 Supersuckers, Nashville Pussy
(KB, Malmö)
20/2 Since Our First Guitar
(Vinylbaren, Malmö)
20/2 Ossler
(Inkonst, Malmö)
21/2 The Wave Pictures, PENS
(Debaser, Malmö)
2/3 Wendy McNeill
(Hotell Högland, Nässjö)
6/3 Itchy Daze
(Hotell Högland, Nässjö)
13/3 Danko Jones, Graveyard
(Folkets Park, Huskvarna)
20/3 Pernilla Andersson
(Hotell Högland, Nässjö)
27/3 Jay Reatard, The Mojomatics
(Debaser Slussen, Stockholm)
28/3 Midnite Stalkers, Zombiesuckers, Suicide Syndicate
(Brother Tuck, Stockholm)
3/4 Thåström
(Folkets Park, Huskvarna)
11/4 The Working Man
(Lingon, Jönköping)
25/4 Division of Laura Lee, Abbey Orchestra
(Pub Babar, Tranås)
2/5 Markus Krunegård, Spleen United, The Skull Defekts, Florence Valentin, le galaxie, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Ättestupa, I'm From Barcelona, Hajen, Au Revoir Simone, Fatboy, Du Pacque, John ME
(Popadelica, Huskvarna)
8/5 Salouh, Pistolese
(Slottsstallarna, Växjö)
15/5 Perssons Pack
(Stadshotellet, Eksjö)
27/5 David Gedge
(The Rift Shop, Barcelona)
27/5 Zu, dälek, Agent Ribbons
(Sala Apolo, Barcelona)
28/5 My Bloody Valentine, Andrew Bird, The Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, Lightning Bolt, The Vaselines, Spectrum, The Bats, Women, Veracruz
(Primavera Sound, Barcelona)
29/5 Shellac, Fucked Up, The Drones, The Mae Shi, The Extraordinaires, Sunn O))), Art Brut, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Sleepy Sun, Bat for Lashes, Crystal Stilts, Damien Jurado
(Primavera Sound, Barcelona)
30/5 Sleepy Sun, Crystal Stilts, Bowerbirds, Ponytail
(Parc Joan Miró, Barcelona)
30/5 Sonic Youth, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, Neil Young, Th' Faith Healers, Plants and Animals, The Jayhawks, Chad VanGaalen
(Primavera Sound, Barcelona)
31/5 Plants and Animals, Karl Blau, Klaus & Kinski, Angelo Spencer
(Parc Joan Miró, Barcelona)
5/6 Tysta Mari, Villa Nova Junction, The Tarantula Waltz
(Brotsabofestivalen, Nässjö)
12/6 Neil Young, Olle Ljungström, Pixies, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Seasick Steve
(Where The Action Is, Stockholm)
13/6 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Fever Ray, Loney Dear, Hello Saferide, Jenny Wilson, Tiger Lou, The Magic Numbers
(Where The Action Is, Stockholm)
3/7 Villa Nova Junction, Foxy Roxie
(KB, Malmö)
4/7 Ram Di Dam
(Debaser, Malmö)
8/7 Cult of Luna, Kings of Leon, Twiggy Frostbite, The Weakening, Franz Ferdinand, Shotgun Crackers, The Gossip, Dropkick Murphys, Ozomatli
(Hultsfredsfestivalen)
9/7 Totalt Jävla Mörker, Karin Park, The Dora Steins, Marnie Stern, White Lies, Regina Spektor, Baddies, Prince of Assyria, Tilde, The Virgins, The Federales, Howling Bells, Bruket, Peter Bjorn and John, moofish catfish, Priscilla Ahn, The Berndt, Raubtier
(Hultsfredsfestivalen)
10/7 Love Is All, Lenka, Convoj, Lowood, A Camp, Victims, Madness, Graveyard, Anna Ternheim, The Boxer Rebellion, Markus Krunegård, Den stora sömnen, Skansros, The Heart Strings, Dungen
(Hultsfredsfestivalen)
11/7 Thåström, Pretty Whores, Kid Cudi, Klaxons, Pilgrimz, Andreas Grega, Ólafur Arnalds, Ice Cube, It's a Musical, Bonne Idée, Cilihili, Monde Yeux
(Hultsfredsfestivalen)
16/7 Knegarn
(Nyfiket, Jönköping)
18/7 Metallica, Primal Scream, The Cult, The Hives, Machine Head, Mastodon, Cradle of Filth, Lamb of God, The (International) Noise Conspiracy
(Sonisphere, Hultsfred)
25/7 Orkester Gul, Cassetto, Apa State Mental, The Nykels
(Möllevångsfestivalen, Malmö)
29/7 The Smittens, Nils Folke Valdemar sings:
(Kulturhuset, Jönköping)
30/7 Jens Proud
(Pinnen, Nässjö)
1/8 Familjen, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Haunted, Marina & the Diamonds, Agnostic Front, Fontän, Franke, Körsbärsfettera
(Emmabodafestivalen)
6/8 Ten Feet High, SIXSIN
(Stadsparken, Nässjö)
8/8 Klassresan
(Lingon Kök & Bar, Jönköping)
13/8 Evan Parker
(Röhsska museet, Göteborg)
13/8 Hajen
(Annedalskyrkan, Göteborg)
13/8 bob hund
(Götaplatsen, Göteborg)
13/8 Fontän
(Parken, Göteborg)
14/8 Glasvegas, Antony and the Johnsons med Göteborgs Symfoniker, Robyn, Band of Horses, Beirut, Bon Iver, Vivian Girls
(Way Out West, Göteborg)
14/8 Vetiver, The Morning Benders, Jessica Lea Mayfield
(Pusterviksbaren, Göteborg)
15/8 My Bloody Valentine, Vampire Weekend, Calexico, Patrick Wolf
(Way Out West, Göteborg)
15/8 Deerhunter, Gang Gang Dance, Let's Wrestle
(Trädgår'n, Göteborg)
28/8 Wildfire Willie & The Ramblers, Christian Kjellvander, Sator, Stefan Sundström
(Eksjö Stadsfest)
29/8 Magnus Lindberg, The Tarantula Waltz, Prince of Assyria, Finn Loxbo, Owe Thörnqvist, Pistolese
(Eksjö Stadsfest)
7/9 Dan Viktor
(Hotell Högland, Nässjö)
12/9 Pierced Arrows, MASSHYSTERI
(Debaser, Malmö)
18/9 Ingen Sympati, el Camino, Tomorrow Will Never Come, Yoshi Did It
(Zebra, Nässjö)
19/9 Staffan Hellstrand
(Zebra, Nässjö)
25/9 Babian, Knivderby, Klassresan
(Folkets Park, Huskvarna)
27/9 eMiL Jensen
(Skillingehus, Skillingaryd)
2/10 The Drones, The Early Days
(Debaser, Malmö)
3/10 Malcolm Middleton, The Pictish Trail
(Debaser, Malmö)
9/10 bob hund, Knivderby
(Folkets Park, Huskvarna)
17/10 Sousou & Maher Cissoko
(Östanåskolans aula, Eksjö)
23/10 Mustasch
(Folkets Park, Huskvarna)
30/10 Brendan Benson, Cory Chisel
(Debaser, Malmö)
30/10 Band Of Joy, Baba Ottokar
(Kontrapunkt, Malmö)
31/10 Motorpsycho
(Debaser, Malmö)
13/11 Mattias Alkberg, Invasionen
(Bongo Bar, Jönköping)
14/11 Anna Ternheim
(Växjö Teater)
20/11 stoke on trent
(Zebra, Nässjö)
4/12 MASSHYSTERI, Damage
(Pub Babar, Tranås)
9/12 HEALTH, The Black Heart Procession, The Pastels
(Primavera Club, Barcelona)
10/12 Retribution Gospel Choir, Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Black Heart Procession, The Pastels, me and the bees
(Primavera Club, Barcelona)
11/12 School of Seven Bells, Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, So Cow, A Place to Bury Strangers, Tara Jane O'Neil
(Primavera Club, Barcelona)
12/12 Wave Machines, A Place to Bury Strangers, Port O'Brien, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Deer Tick
(Primavera Club, Barcelona)
19/12 Fearless Division, Ingen Sympati
(Zebra, Nässjö)

Much like last year, 2009 was full of not an awful lot that I really got into, although again the quality stuff was absolutely golden. There should also be special mention made of the several truly special EP releases of 2009: Ed Harcourt’s Russian Roulette, My Jerusalem’s Without Feathers and The Breeders’ Fate to Fatal certainly worthy of note and purchase this year.
So it’s a bit odd that a few weeks ago I was struggling to come up with a top 10, and now I find myself struggling to keep it down to just 13. But there you go.


1. Soulsavers - Broken
Northern English types Rich Machin and Ian Glover decide to make a film soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist, and invites a few chums along to help out. At the centre of all this is the voice of Mark Lanegan at the very top of his game, and he is very capably assisted with many ego-free cameos from the likes of Mike Patton, Gibby Haynes, Jason Pierce, Richard Hawley and others, not least a delightful 3rd act with Rosa Agostino (aka Red Ghost) at the forefront of the latter proceedings. A delicately-balanced album that is wonderfully held together by the writer/producers and something that will certainly improve with age, given its timeless quality apparent from the very start.


2. Matthew Ryan - Dear Lover
An occasionally uncomfortable listen, but a beautiful one. Matthew Ryan’s Dear Lover isn’t the cheeriest album you will ever buy, but he writes and performs these songs on such a fragile and delicate fashion that it’s hard to tear yourself away once you start listening. There are some silver linings on offer to balance out the dark clouds however, and the overall result is a tremendous work of genuine emotion. Full of subtle anthems (if that doesn’t seem like a huge contradiction) and genuinely moving moments, this deserves every success.


3. Creature With The Atom Brain - Transylvania
Belgian psych-rock combo put out another corker of an album. Not quite as manic as previous effort I am the Golden Gate Bridge, but a lot more measured and infectiously rhythmic. The big draw for most will be the the appearance (yet again) of Mark Lanegan, but once you’re in there’s plenty to hang around for and savour.


4. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul
Like Soulsavers’ Broken, this is a fantastic collection of collaborative work centred around the heart of two people - in this case, messrs. Mouse and Horse - with the great addition of David Lynch. Sadly, an increasingly arsey record industry desperate to cling onto a hopelessly outdated business model (especially in this age of increased collaboration and co-operation as documented all the way through this list) has meant that this album hasn’t actually been released and probably never will be. So everyone nicked it, and (in this case) good on ‘em. Because if we hadn’t, then nobody would have got to hear a quite incredible album and obvious labour of love for all involved. A victory for the artists and fans, a possibly catastrophic mistake by the majors.


5. Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut
As I type this, Vic’s death by suicide is being confirmed by his record label. Which will ironically mean that the recognition that largely eluded him during his lifetime (and sadly the money that would have helped alleviate the horrific medical bills that have plagued him all his life and ultimately contributed to his death) will now be afforded to him. In this purely musical respect, this is a wonderful thing as Vic was a truly gifted songwriter and performer, casting a dark eye over life’s misfortunes and unfairnesses, yet always tempered with a vicious humour as though he acknowledges that he gets whatever cosmic joke the universe is playing on us all, and on him in particular.
At the Cut is in turn angry, melancholic and knowing, and given the benefit of cruel hindsight his two albums released this year in close succession will always be connected with his passing in a similar way to In Utero or Pink Moon. Hopefully the sad event of Vic’s passing will bring more people to his music and all the plaudits he so richly deserved.


6. Various - Summers’ Kiss: A Tribute to the Afghan Whigs
A tremendous labour of love from Afghan Whigs fansite Summer’s Kiss, bringing together friends and colleagues of the band as well as contributions from fans both well-known and otherwise. Not sure if it’s down to the quality of the songwriting of the original tracks or the care that the artists assembled here (and indeed the album’s curator) have invested, but there’s not a duff track on here.


7. Various - We Are Only Riders: The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project
Another tribute album featuring various colleagues, fans and friends, all thanks to a cassette tape found in an attic. This is something that could have turned into a very maudlin affair, but instead it’s a joyful and fond farewell to a talented songwriter and friend to the performers on the record, and a great musical treat for the rest of us.


8. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
Collaborations and general musical get-togethers are becoming more and more common recently, and unlike the (mostly) bad old days of the 1970s supergroup where egos clashed and fought for supremacy, nowadays they come across more as genuine meetings of minds and a desire to just make good music.
A coming-together of Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones always looked incredible on paper, but as soon as the secret of the band’s existence slipped out, expectations went stratospheric. Thankfully, these were pretty much met with the help of a bunch of no-frills, well-played rock music with each player complimenting and supporting the others as if they’d been playing together for years.


9. The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Duckworth Lewis Method
If Australia had won The Ashes series this summer, this would have been the bitterest album to be released in 2009. As it stands, we bloody well won, so hooray for this lovely reminder of a wonderfully victorious summer’s cricket and hooray for the most quintessentially English album since The Village Green Preservation Society. Even if it was the brainchild of two guys from Ireland.


10. Tara Busch - Pilfershire Lane
What would probably happen if Kate Bush and Syd Barrett were one and the same person. A somewhat mad album to be sure, but one where every sudden idea change fits perfectly and makes each song work. Quirky loveliness.


11. Jeff Klein - 33
A 23-minute gift from Jeff celebrating his 33rd birthday, this was available for free download through his myspace site for fans. A really nice gesture, and some real gems available within, including a Joni Mitchell Christmas tune, a cover of Yazoo’s Only You and an alternative visit to My Jerusalem’s own Under Your Skin amongst various ideas and auto tunings. A truly nice gesture from artist to audience, and some great songs to go with it.


12. Vetiver - Tight Knit
More cheery, breezy and folky pop from Andy Cadic and pals. A happy little counterpoint to some of the darker efforts in this list, it evoked those long and lost childhood summertimes from a time when The Carpenters ruled the Earth. And in Strictly Rule, Vetiver gives us one of the finest songs of the year.


13. Voivod - Infini
The second (and final) Voivod album recorded after the death of guitarist Denis “Piggy” D’Amour, using riffs recorded on his laptop and bequeathed to the rest of the band. Not quite as immediate as previous album Katorz, but it’s both a fitting tribute to their fallen bandmate as well as a great final farewell from (at least this incarnation of) Voivod.

I couldn't come up with a top ten, but here are my top seven albums of 2009:

1. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
2. Vetiver - Tight Knit
3. Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand
4. Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, the Commuter
5. Adam Franklin - Spent Bullets
6. Jeremy Enigk - OK Bear
7. Sonic Youth - The Eternal

After reading 324607028 end of the year lists, I felt compelled to make my own. Let's go for 324607029!


MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2009


25. Songs of Shame – Woods



Okay, I admit it, I like the album artwork a lot better than the actual album.




24. Your Heart Is A Glorious Machine – Sometymes Why



Having Ruth Unger essentially tell you she’s going to rape you is a pretty off-putting way to begin an album. Thankfully, the ladies manage to contain their sexual aggression for the rest of the record.

http://new.music.yahoo.com/sometymes-why/tracks/slow-down--215771346


23. Born on Flag Day – Deer Tick



Not nearly as much fun as their live set, but a good step forward for Rhode Island’s gravel-voiced contingent.




22. Upper Air – Bowerbirds



Need… more… bearded indie-folk...




21. Sea of Tears – Eilen Jewell



One of the most consistent recording artists of this decade.




20. Midnight At The Movies – Justin Townes Earle



Gotta love that photograph. Oh yeah, and the music’s good, too.




19. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures



I was getting used to John Paul Jones the bluegrass producer. But I guess he’s also a pretty good rock bassist, huh?




18. Electric Dirt – Levon Helm



Even better than Dirt Farmer.




17. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Phoenix



This is probably ranked a bit low. I thought it was a lock for the top 10 the first time I heard it. Call it the “Cadillac Effect”.




16. Oh My God, Charlie Darwin – The Low Anthem



“Set the sails I feel the winds a'stirring
Toward the bright horizon set the way
Cast your wreckless dreams upon our Mayflower
Haven from the world and her decay”




15. Gather, Form & Fly – Megafaun



I think “The Longest Day” might be my favorite song of the year.

http://lala.com/zZgc


14. Before The Frost… - The Black Crowes



Great idea for them to record these songs live at The Barn in Woodstock. Also, all I want for Christmas is Chris Robinson’s poncho:




13. There Is No Enemy – Built to Spill



I heard “Hindsight” at a Best Buy a couple weeks ago. I couldn’t decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Determining the quality of the album requires less thought.




12. Radiolarians II - Medeski, Martin and Wood



I still haven’t listened to the finale to the Radiolarians series, but I certainly enjoyed part 2.




11. Horehound – The Dead Weather



Jack White doesn’t sleep.




10. Ten Years On – The New Mastersounds



Britfunk?




9. Popular Songs - Yo La Tengo



The second best Yo La Tengo album of the year.




8. Historosity – Vijay Iyer Trio



“This is a great-sounding record.”
-everyone with functioning ears




7. Fuckbook – Condo Fucks



“You can’t put a covers album by an inside-joke band in the top 10!” Don’t tell me what I can’t do!




6. The Knot – Wye Oak



I feel like I'm probably overrating this a little, but whatever; I really enjoy it.




5. Tight Knit – Vetiver



Indie... folk... beards... yes...




4. Up Here – Soulive



Funky enough to make al-Zawahiri breakdance.




3. Middle Cyclone – Neko Case



The Golden Rule of Making Lists: “If it has a half-hour song consisting of only frog noises, it has to make the top 3.”




2. Farm – Dinosaur Jr.



I wish I got a ride from a leafy monster...




1. Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear



It's just great art.

As 2009 draws to a close, its a great time to reflect on the wonderful year we've had. One special way to reflect is with lists of things that were important to us. Specifically: music that blew our minds in 2009. We've compiled "Best of 2009" lists from select members of the Trekky Records Collective. Here's what they loved:

Martin Anderson (Trekky Records Management)

01. Megafaun- "Gather, Form & Fly"
02. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
03. Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
04. MidTown Dickens- "Lanterns"
05. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
06. Chris Darrow- "s/t + Under My Own Disguise" (Everloving reissue)
07. Phil Cook and His Feet- "s/t"
08. The Dodos- "Time to Die"
09. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
10. Slaraffenland- "We're On Your Side"
11. Volcano Choir- "Unmap"
12. Califone- "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers"
13. Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Julie Doiron- "I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day"
16. Tinariwen- "Imidiwen Companions"
17. Hammer No More The Fingers- "Looking for Bruce"
18. Vetiver- "Tight Knit"
19. V/A- "Ghana Special" (Soundway)
20. Phosphorescent- "To Willie"

12"s/7"s/EPs/Singles:
01. High Places/Soft Circle- split 12"
02. Superchunk- "Crossed Wires" 7"
03. High Places- "I Was Born" single
04. Mark McGuire- "VDSQ - Solo Acoustic Volume Two"
05. Bell- "Magic Tape" 7"
06. No Age- "Losing Feeling" EP
07. Whatever Brains- "Saddle Up" 7"
08. Horseback- "MILH IHVH" 7"
09. All Tiny Creatures- "Segni" 12"

Most looking forward to in 2010: Gayngs (you've never really partied unless you've partied to Gayngs)

Clare Connolly (Auxiliary House)

1. Jonsi & Alex- "Riceboy Sleeps"
2. Jack Rose- "Dr. Ragtime & Pals" / "s/t" (RIP)
3. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
4. Real Estate- "s/t"
5. D Rider- "Mother of Curses"
6. Love of Everything- "Ghosts & Friends"
7. Owen- "New Leaves"
8. Richard Youngs- "Under Stellar Stream"
9. Mount Eerie- "Wind’s Poem"
10. Jackie O Motherfucker- "Ballads of the Revolution"
11. Kurt Vile- "Childish Prodigy"
12. Neon Indian- "Psychic Chasms"

Wil Donegan (Auxiliary House)

Trembling Bells- "Carbeth" (I think my favorite? That and megafaun. http://www.myspace.com/tremblingbells First song. All of them. Rock it. Don't judge me for her voice)
Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
Marvellous Boy- "Calypso From West Africa" (Honest Jon's)
The xx- "s/t"
The Clientele- "Bonfires On The Heath"
True Widow- "s/t" http://www.myspace.com/truewidow (Listen to Duelist, and loud...)
Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
Open Strings: 1920's Virtuoso Recordings and New Responses
Vetiver- "Tight Knit"

Things I discovered this year that are not new but I like a lot:

Wire (why was I not told how good this band is?)
Souled American (Fe and Flubber are awesome records)
Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance
Jim Ford (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-2-3JUim54)
Kath Bloom and Loren Conners

Will Hackney (Trekky Records Management, Lost In The Trees)

1. Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
2. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
3. Built to Spill- "There is No Enemy"
4. Wye Oak- "The Knot"
5. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- "Beware"
6. Mirah- "(A)spera"
7. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
8. St. Vincent- "Actor"
9. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
10. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
11. Karl Blau- "Zebra"
12. Neko Case- "Middle Cyclone"
13. Why?- "Eskimo Snow"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Drake- "So Far Gone"
16. The Beatles- Reissues

Josh Kimbrough (Butterflies)

Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
D. Rider- "Mother of Curses"
Joan of Arc- "Flowers"
Jim O'Rourke- "The Visitor"
Yo La Tengo- "Popular Songs"
Megafaun- "Gather, Form, and Fly"
Birds And Arrows- "Starmaker"
Deleted Scenes- "Birdseed Shirt"
Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"

Seamus Kenney (Lost In The Trees)

Ray Davies- "The Kings Choral Collection"

Jon Mackey (Auxiliary House)

Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Baroness- "Blue Record"
Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
David Bazan- "Curse Your Branches"
The Twilight Sad- "Forget the Night Ahead"
Dawes- "North Hills"
Molina & Johnson- "Molina & Johnson"
Hi Ho Silver Oh- "Put It All In One Place and Burn it"

Joe Norkus (Embarrassing Fruits)

BEST:
(in no order)
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Sonic Youth- "The Eternal"
Dinosaur Jr.- "Farm"
Deerhunter- "Rainwater Cassette Exchange"
Girls- "Album" (suck it!)
Big Star- "Keep An Eye on the Sky" (reissues)
Veelee- "Two Sides"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- "s/t"
Nirvana- "Bleach" (deluxe edition)
Polvo- "In Prism" (!!!!)

WORST:
(as seen on Pitchfork's "Best New Music")
Animal Collective- "Merriweather Post Pavilion"
Dan Deacon- "Bromst"
Wavves- "WAVVVES"
The Antlers- "Hospice"
Dirty Projectors- "Bitte Orca"

Lee Shaw (Embarrassing Fruits)

Hammer No More The Fingers- "Looking For Bruce"
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Karl Blau- "Zebra"
Kentucky Nightmare- "Take Her Favour"
Wavves- "Live in Barcelona"

David Straughan (Endless Mic)

Raekwon- "Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt. 2"
Elvis Costello- "Sulphur to Sugarcane"
Sean Price- "Kimbo Price"
Peter, Bjorn & John- "Living Thing"

As 2009 draws to a close, its a great time to reflect on the wonderful year we've had. One special way to reflect is with lists of things that were important to us. Specifically: music that blew our minds in 2009. We've compiled "Best of 2009" lists from select members of the Trekky Records Collective. Here's what they loved:

Martin Anderson (Trekky Records Management)

01. Megafaun- "Gather, Form & Fly"
02. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
03. Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
04. MidTown Dickens- "Lanterns"
05. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
06. Chris Darrow- "s/t + Under My Own Disguise" (Everloving reissue)
07. Phil Cook and His Feet- "s/t"
08. The Dodos- "Time to Die"
09. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
10. Slaraffenland- "We're On Your Side"
11. Volcano Choir- "Unmap"
12. Califone- "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers"
13. Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Julie Doiron- "I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day"
16. Tinariwen- "Imidiwen Companions"
17. Hammer No More The Fingers- "Looking for Bruce"
18. Vetiver- "Tight Knit"
19. V/A- "Ghana Special" (Soundway)
20. Phosphorescent- "To Willie"

12"s/7"s/EPs/Singles:
01. High Places/Soft Circle- split 12"
02. Superchunk- "Crossed Wires" 7"
03. High Places- "I Was Born" single
04. Mark McGuire- "VDSQ - Solo Acoustic Volume Two"
05. Bell- "Magic Tape" 7"
06. No Age- "Losing Feeling" EP
07. Whatever Brains- "Saddle Up" 7"
08. Horseback- "MILH IHVH" 7"
09. All Tiny Creatures- "Segni" 12"

Most looking forward to in 2010: Gayngs (you've never really partied unless you've partied to Gayngs)

Clare Connolly (Auxiliary House)

1. Jonsi & Alex- "Riceboy Sleeps"
2. Jack Rose- "Dr. Ragtime & Pals" / "s/t" (RIP)
3. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
4. Real Estate- "s/t"
5. D Rider- "Mother of Curses"
6. Love of Everything- "Ghosts & Friends"
7. Owen- "New Leaves"
8. Richard Youngs- "Under Stellar Stream"
9. Mount Eerie- "Wind’s Poem"
10. Jackie O Motherfucker- "Ballads of the Revolution"
11. Kurt Vile- "Childish Prodigy"
12. Neon Indian- "Psychic Chasms"

Wil Donegan (Auxiliary House)

Trembling Bells- "Carbeth" (I think my favorite? That and megafaun. http://www.myspace.com/tremblingbells First song. All of them. Rock it. Don't judge me for her voice)
Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
Marvellous Boy- "Calypso From West Africa" (Honest Jon's)
The xx- "s/t"
The Clientele- "Bonfires On The Heath"
True Widow- "s/t" http://www.myspace.com/truewidow (Listen to Duelist, and loud...)
Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
Open Strings: 1920's Virtuoso Recordings and New Responses
Vetiver- "Tight Knit"

Things I discovered this year that are not new but I like a lot:

Wire (why was I not told how good this band is?)
Souled American (Fe and Flubber are awesome records)
Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance
Jim Ford (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-2-3JUim54)
Kath Bloom and Loren Conners

Will Hackney (Trekky Records Management, Lost In The Trees)

1. Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
2. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
3. Built to Spill- "There is No Enemy"
4. Wye Oak- "The Knot"
5. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- "Beware"
6. Mirah- "(A)spera"
7. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
8. St. Vincent- "Actor"
9. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
10. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
11. Karl Blau- "Zebra"
12. Neko Case- "Middle Cyclone"
13. Why?- "Eskimo Snow"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Drake- "So Far Gone"
16. The Beatles- Reissues

Josh Kimbrough (Butterflies)

Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
D. Rider- "Mother of Curses"
Joan of Arc- "Flowers"
Jim O'Rourke- "The Visitor"
Yo La Tengo- "Popular Songs"
Megafaun- "Gather, Form, and Fly"
Birds And Arrows- "Starmaker"
Deleted Scenes- "Birdseed Shirt"
Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"

Seamus Kenney (Lost In The Trees)

Ray Davies- "The Kings Choral Collection"

Jon Mackey (Auxiliary House)

Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Baroness- "Blue Record"
Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
David Bazan- "Curse Your Branches"
The Twilight Sad- "Forget the Night Ahead"
Dawes- "North Hills"
Molina & Johnson- "Molina & Johnson"
Hi Ho Silver Oh- "Put It All In One Place and Burn it"

Joe Norkus (Embarrassing Fruits)

BEST:
(in no order)
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Sonic Youth- "The Eternal"
Dinosaur Jr.- "Farm"
Deerhunter- "Rainwater Cassette Exchange"
Girls- "Album" (suck it!)
Big Star- "Keep An Eye on the Sky" (reissues)
Veelee- "Two Sides"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- "s/t"
Nirvana- "Bleach" (deluxe edition)
Polvo- "In Prism" (!!!!)

WORST:
(as seen on Pitchfork's "Best New Music")
Animal Collective- "Merriweather Post Pavilion"
Dan Deacon- "Bromst"
Wavves- "WAVVVES"
The Antlers- "Hospice"
Dirty Projectors- "Bitte Orca"

Lee Shaw (Embarrassing Fruits)

Hammer No More The Fingers- "Looking For Bruce"
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Karl Blau- "Zebra"
Kentucky Nightmare- "Take Her Favour"
Wavves- "Live in Barcelona"

David Straughan (Endless Mic)

Raekwon- "Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt. 2"
Elvis Costello- "Sulphur to Sugarcane"
Sean Price- "Kimbo Price"
Peter, Bjorn & John- "Living Thing"

#1 Sleepy Sun - Embrace
Guess I gotta thank The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound for putting me onto this marvelous group. When I found out vocalists Rachael Williams and Bret Constantino were to record with Assemble Head on their own latest outing I thought I'd better check them out to keep me busy while i patiently waited for "When Sweet Sleep Returned". As it turned out "Embrace" caught me totally off guard, and blew me the fuck away. Better than anything i could have expected. I've been keeping tabs on them all year, checking out videos of all their performances and i gotta admit I'm a total sucker for everything they do. Ridiculously awesome riffs, lovely spacey jams. They've another new album just around the corner, and from what I've heard so far it's going to slaughter!



#2 Sholi - Sholi
If it weren't for the now-defunct indiepassion blog i'd have never discovered this wonderful and totally unique gem. It was the first album to blow me away this year, way back in early February. Some would carelessly tag this as indie garbage but that simply isn't the case. The musicianship and songwriting is very unique, with each song comes a lovely melody as well as an excellent aggressive drive. Their style is balanced, emotive, hypnotic, intelligently composed and all the while incredibly technical. Oh, and i didn't even mention the drumming on this record. Good lord, just download and listen to the dude tear it up! - P.S. "Spy In The House of Memories" totally sounds like some modern indie/King Crimson hybrid, really fucking cool.



#3 The Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - When Sweet Sleep Returned
I've mentioned it a dozen times prior, but god damn it do love Tee Pee Records. Everything they put out is golden, and this was no exception. I was completely obsessed with Assemble Head last year when i discovered their previous record "Ekranoplan". There's just something about their sound that i can come back to again and again. Not to harp on the meaningless, but i'd unkowingly rack up 50+ spins of their albums and have them jump up into my most played here on last.fm without even knowing it (and certainly without getting sick of them). While they might not have changed it up much from album to album, it's certainly no less enjoyable. Can't wait to see what they do next. If it's more of the same i won't mind at all.



#4 Ancestors - Of Sound Mind
Ancestors' 2008 debut was one of my favourites so naturally i was keeping tabs on this baby! What we have here is essentially 4 fucking huge pieces, each clocking in at around 15 minutes - and a series of short and contrasting interludes. They've added so much to their already-scorching sound here and almost sound like a completely different band. The production is truly something to behold. I absolutely love the keys spread all over this album, the bluesy guitar solo's are very tasty as well. Running in at just over an hour usually pushes it for me, but i still didn't want this one to end. It smacked me right from the get-go. Keep an ear out for these heavy motherfuckers!



#5 The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
The Decemberists' earlier work never really clicked with me, but to be fair i don't think i ever really gave them a chance. It was because of this i was completely blown away with "Hazards", a beautiful collection of songs and recurring themes all arranged to perfection. That break down in "A Bower Scene" is one of the coolest things i've heard in a long time! Gotta give their earlier stuff a second chance asap.



#6 Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below
The buzz on this crazy bunch has been steadily picking up momentum ever since the Letterman performance earlier in the year. It seems as if everyone who caught them that night instantly fell in love with them. I managed to pick a copy up from Amazon for pocket change and now it's become one of my favourites of the year. It's big and wild, easy to sing along with, completely over the top and most importantly, it's just a really entertaining listening experience.



#7 Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
I really didn't know what to expect with this. It's good enough to hold up to the band's legacy, and at this point in time i guess that's all we can ask of it. I still don't really like "Lessons Learned" and especially "Take Her Out", but everything else holds up. "When The Sun Rose Again" is excellent. The highlight has to be the haunting "Private Hell", which one could guess narrates Layne's final days, as well as the closing title track which ends too quickly, further serving it's purpose. A fitting tribute to Layne, and a fitting swan song for the band should they choose not to continue.



#8 Greater California - All the Colors
This here's another gem i stumbled upon while browsing the aforementioned indiepassion blog. They're from Long Beach, L.A. Road trips, cookouts, sunny days and beaches, Pet Sounds and nostalgia. All that good cheesy stuff comes to mind. Produced by Ikey Owens of TMV but don't let that give you the wrong impression. This is totally melancholic and chilled. My favourite "midnight album" of the year.



#9 Imaad Wasif - The Voidist
Given Tee Pee Records' reputation as one helluva heavy label i gotta admit i was a little hesitant while reading about this Canadian fella, who is primarily known as the touring guitarist for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I decided to check out all three of his solo albums, including this, his latest. The debut was very dark and mellow which brang to mind Elliott Smith at first. In contrast, his second album "Strange Hexes" with his current backing band Two Part Beast (a modern Crazy Horse in the making) is fucking loud, and it fucking rocks! His latest "The Voidist" mixes the two elements into one great and unique record. Clearly his best so far.



#10 Balmorhea - All Is Wild, All Is Silent
Gotta be honest, I didn't think much of this after my first few listens. A few months after release i returned to it and it slowly infected my psyche. Every time i listen i imagine some wonderful film in which this would comfortably suit as a score. The landscapes of No Country & There Will Be Blood come to mind. Hell I've never even visited the US, but i sure do love Balmorhea's latest Americana-tinged release.



#11 Stardeath and White Dwarfs - The Birth
Hot damn, this caught me by suprise! Absolutely love the Floyd influence. But there is really so much more going on here, hell i was half expecting Coyne No. 2 to rap along with that wicked digi-happy beat from "I Can't Get Away". The best Coyne-family release of the year! Bring on that family gathering-dsotm cover already.



#12 A.A. Bondy - When The Devil's Loose
A.A. Bondy has been one of my favourite folk discoveries of the last few years. He obviously takes his cue from the greats, and it shows. However it's this sophomore release of his where he's really fleshed out his own familiar sound. "A Slow Parade" & "Oh The Vampyre" are two of my favourite songs of the year.



#13 Truckfighters - Mania
These guys have been steadily chugging along as the new Kyuss over in their native Sweden for a few years now. From release to release they have tightened up a little but this here, their latest, is the real deal. They really stretched out here and it's payed off as one of the best rock albums of the year, for me anyway. It's straight up classic desert rock with a little 90's grunge thrown in for good measure. Tell me the vocal harmonies on the closer "Blackness" don't sound a hell of a lot like Cantrell and Staley! Awesome.



#14 Kings of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence
This is wonderful late night listening. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's just as excellent at all times of the day and night. I probably won't listen to it a whole lot but when those nights come this is what I'll be reaching for. I'm liking it better than their previous so far.



#15 Hopewell - Good Good Desperation
Leave science behind and imagine for a moment if you will, a mass orgy the likes nobody has ever seen before, in which Perry Farrell and his original band of addicts somehow, someway, impregnate Jason Simon and his band, Dead Meadow. Stay with me.. ok so these four or five little messed up children grow up and form a band of their own, yeah you know it, Hopewell. The science works!



#16 Mouse On The Keys - an anxious object
Discovered this fantastic Japanese jazz band from TheSirensSound blog last year. The drumming especially is excellent. The second half of the album in particular is mind blowing. The funky 'Double Bind' has one of my favourite beats in a long long time. The next track 'Soil' cruises along at a nice pace before unleashing an absolutely incredible extended sax solo, the definitive highlight of the album for me. Good funky jazz fusion/post-rock with nice beats, a fun listen.



#17 Black Math Horseman - Wyllt
Progsychedoomic-Metal? Nah, fuck tags. But this is a welcomed fresh breath among those genres mentioned. The whole album is solid but i have to mention the closing track. Boy oh boy is it heavy. One of my favourites of the year. Lead singer Sera Timms has one hell of a possessed, demonic-like howl to her. Yes, her.



#18 Blakroc - Blakroc
I didn't even see this one coming. I'm not the biggest fan of The Black Keys but i like what they did here and in turn i guess I gotta check out more of their work. A few of the MC's annoy me but for the most part i enjoy it all. I love the first Mos Def track, as well as the RZA & Pharoahe track the most. I enjoyed the studio videos, seeing how everyone interacted and how the project came about through it's stages. I read they are compiling all that into some kind of documentary soon, should be cool.



#19 Quest For Fire - Quest For Fire
Why is it that when i first seen this creepy artwork of a seemingly drug-fucked human being slobbering all over his/her/it's own breasts (???) I was instantly set on obtaining the album? What does that say about me? At any rate, i did notice this was on the wonderful Tee Pee Records label and knew right away of the quality waiting to be discovered. Fortunately for me, this was but one of the many awesome psych releases of '09.



#20 Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder
How could this ever possibly live up to the huge expectations of most fans? I mean let's face it, to have these four influential giantlemen of all things heavy in the same room is fucking big. Having said that, if you can put all that bullshit to the side and just let this one slowly burn through, you WILL see the light! If you dig this, check out the latest Ancestors' record posted up top. Trust me on that.



#21 The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Strange, strange, strange. I gotta give 'em credit for changing it up, but good lord! All i know is after 5-10 listens of the latest Lips album i still can't quite get my head around it. Like i said, strange. One can only wonder what other kinds of strange Uncle Coyne & co will unearth to us come decade number four! I can't wait to find out.



#22 Mastodon - Crack The Skye
For one reason or another this was my introduction to the mighty Mastodon. Gotta admit this is pretty kick-ass, i don't much care for the vocals though. I see this moving up the list in time. It's been a pretty fucking heavy year though...



#23 Black Bonzo - Guillotine Drama
This was probably my most anticipated album of the year and while it certainly isn't bad, i figure i might have hyped it up too much. Nothing was going to live up to what i was expecting. Hell, i don't even know what i was expecting. I can't really fault the album.. the songs are great and the band is continually adding new and interesting dimensions to their already awesome brand of "retro" prog-rock. Gotta admit that's one god-awful cover design though. I'm just glad this band exists, to be honest.



#24 Serpent Throne - The Battle Of Old Crow
Sabbath worship at it's finest. You could probably con someone into thinking this is a lost Iommi, Geezer & Billy Ward jam record. It really is spot on.. although completely instrumental. Bottom line is while I'm listening to this album it fucking rocks. But when i'm not i tend to completely forget about it. In a way that kind of sums it up. It'd be interesting to hear these guys lay down some vocals on top, but i guess that's not what it's about.



#25 Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Sure i knew of them and a few of their earlier hits, but until "Humbug" i had never given a shit about the Arctic Monkeys. Decided to check this out after learning of Homme's involvement. Yep, "his" sound is definitely present. This is pretty cool.




Honourable Mentions:
Radio Moscow - Brain Cycles
Mono - Hymn To The Immortal Wind
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Gösta Berlings Saga - Detta Har Hänt
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
Astra - The Weirding
Bowerbirds - Upper Air
Grizzly Bear - Vecktamist
Latitudes - Agonist
John Zorn - O'o
Whitetree - cloudland
Long Distance Calling - Avoid The Light
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Zu - Carboniferous
Crystal Antlers - Tentacles
Vetiver - Tight Knit
Foreign Born - Person to Person
Isis - Wavering Radiant
Lisa O Piu - When this was the future


Feedback/Comments:
So what do ya think folks? Feel free to comment on any shared tastes or anything else. Come on, let me have it for not ranking "Merriweather Post Pavilion" - you know you want to.

Anyway, that will do for now. Cheers.

Marcus :]