Lotta lotta music to digest this past year. Here are some of my favorites. (Click the “Click here to start download” button. 72.45MB file, single track.)
Track listing and commentary follows:
Artist, Album, Song Title
Ben Frost, By The Throat, The Carpathians
I hate to take this song out of context but it’s creepy and engaging enough to lead us off for a 2009 retrospective.
The Flying Skulls, Lift Off, El Jefe Deconstruxion
If this shit don’t make your head bounce off…
The Raveonettes, In and Out of Control, Suicide
This band hasn’t let me down yet. Very solid record.
Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca, Stillness is the Move
This band intrigues me to no end (they covered Black Flag’s ‘Rise Above’ a few years back). And this song I find to be brilliant.
Wavves, Wavvves, California Goths
Rock. And Roll.
Au Revoir Simone, Still Night, Still Light, Shadows
Record is so-so, but this track was a standout for me everytime it popped into my ears.
The Big Pink, The Big Pink, Dominos
Really dug this record on the first few listens, then it sort of lost ground to other recordings, but I still think this song is top-notch.
Fever Ray, Fever Ray, When I Grow Up
I wish I could play you this entire album. Haunting and emotional…one of my fave records of the year.
Gui Boratto, Take My Breath Away, Les Enfants
Mellow and enjoyable with buttered toast.
De La Soul, Are You In?, Pick Up the Pace (Run)
You can’t fuck with De La.
The Juan MacLean, The Future Will Come, Accusations
Listened to the shit out of this record. I love the refurbing of early Human League dynamics. Many, many standout tracks on this one.
Spinnerette, Spinnerette, Ghetto Love
My favorite opening track of the year. I <3 Brody.
P.O.S., Never Better, Been Afraid
All thanks to Happy In Bag for turning me on to this record.
tUnE-yArDs, BiRd-BrAiNs, Sunlight
I love the bass line and the whole flow of this song. The album is pretty experimental lo-fi so buyer beware.
Passion Pit, Manners, The Reeling
Even though they shat upon KC, it’s still a fun record.
Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Fences
Believe the hype on this band. This record is tight from start to finish. Every track a winner.
HEALTH, Get Color, We Are Water
Thank you, Gilmore. My favorite “new-to-me” band of ‘09.
Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Summertime Clothes
Heavy rotation on this record this year. Amazing production. I would love to see them do these songs live and direct.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz!, Hysteric (Acoustic Version)
Preutopia’s most-listened to record of ‘09. If you want your heart completely melted I suggest listening to this with your 18-month-old and having her sing along with it (or any of the other more downbeat tracks).
The Lonely Island, Incredibad, I’m On a Boat (Ft. T-Pain)
Shawtay! This song could induce a riot amongst seafarers.
