Best of 2009

I'll eventually get around to writing about each track -- for now, here's a link to the entire collection.

Addendum: This collection includes a number of songs from records that did not make my Top 25 Records of 2009 list; likewise, several of those records are not represented in this collection. That's just the way it is.

Honorable Mentions - 2008 Edition

Narrowly missing my top ten for 2008:

#11 Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Call It A Ritual

#12 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Lump Sum

#13 M83 - Saturdays = Youth

Kim & Jessie

#14 Santogold - Santogold
Penalized for having the most godawful cover art in recent memory.

Lights Out

#15 Young Knives - Superabundance

Terra Firma

#16 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals

Hands In The Air

#17 The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

Standing Next To Me

#18 Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Long Division

#19 Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us

Now

#20 Inara George with Van Dyke Parks - An Invitation

Duet

Best of 2008

Plenty of great music to choose from in 2008 -- and many best-of lists have already honored several of these records -- here are the 10 albums to which I found myself returning most frequently this past year:

#1 - The Week That Was - The Week That Was
There was no competition for best album of the year for me -- this record contains everything I love about music. It's even better with headphones.

Learn To Learn

#2 - Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
I'm not convinced that I wouldn't find these guys insufferable in person -- but on record, they're sublime. Great bass playing throughout, too.

M79

#3 - Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Believe the hype. And Robin's only 22? Damn.

Quiet Houses

#4 - School of Language - Sea From Shore
Two Brewis brothers, two Top 4 albums on my list.

Disappointment '99

#5 - Friendly Foes - Born Radical
Can't understand why this album isn't on more Best of 2008 lists -- fantastic and fun from start to finish.

Full Moon Morning

#6 - Robyn - Robyn
I've included "Konichiwa Bitches" in my DJ set for years -- glad that this album finally received a Stateside release in 2008.

Konichiwa Bitches

#7 - Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
So so so good.

100 Yard Dash

#8 - Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
Wonderful, literate rock.

Can You Tell

#9 - Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster. . .
Raucous Welsh people.

Death to Los Campesinos!

#10 - TV On The Radio - Dear Science
It took awhile to grow on me, but this is a great record.

Dancing Choose