Top Albums of 2009

In no particular order, here is a list comprised of what I feel are the top albums of 2009 thus far, or up to December 1^st.

The xx - xx

Released August 17^th on Young Turks Records

Hailing out of London, England is a group of three, once four, friends that met while attending Elliott School. They came together to form what is now known as The xx, and have since generated a ton of hype with their debut self-titled album which was released on August 17 on Young Turks Records. The album is quite addictive from the intro track, and once we begin delving into the album to their previously released singles like Crystalised and Islands, tracks 3 and 4 respectively, the lush vocals, emotive guitars and clever use of samples come together and pave the way for a quality post-punk/electronic album.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Here's a band I have not been following since the release of their 2009 album entitled Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Released on May 25, their synth-charged electro pop makes you want to dance and the catchy vocals make you want to sing, which can make Phoenix great for a dance party, live show or just having fun. Having not discovered this band until mid-summer, I have to say I was disappointed when I found out that I had been missing out on the Phoenix. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend checking them out. My personal favorite tracks from this album include 1901 and Lisztomania.

Dinosaur Jr. - Farm

J Mascis, you are the man. If you don't know these guys by now then shame on you, we can't be friends. The band went on an eight year hiatus from '97 to '05, and has since released two awesome albums. Farm, the ninth and most recent release, consists of much more catchy songs that tend to stick around in my head more than any of their other albums. This ranks up there with You'reLiving All Over Me. This album was released on June 23 on the Jagjaguwar label. Favorite songs off the album include the first two tracks, which are Pieces and I Want You To Know.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatamest

This Brooklyn based indie experimental rock band is in the process of making musical history. Their newest album entitled Veckatamest is their third full length album, released on May 26 on Warp. I originally found out about this band while watching adult swim on Cartoon Network, the song On a Neck, On a Spit came on and I immediately went to my computer to search for the song name and artist. This was around the time when Yellow House was just recently released and Grizzly Bear was gaining some traction as a band. A shout out to adult swim is due for sparking my interest in one of my favorite bands to this day. Veckatimest combines the sound of the better songs from Yellow House with beautiful technique and execution. Favorite tracks include Southern Point, Two Weeks and of course Cheerleader.

Japandroids - Post-Nothing

Here is a band that came out of nowhere. Actually, here is a garage rock duo that comes from Vancouver. It's pretty amazing to me that this band is only comprised of two people because they produce such a big sound, yet Brian King (guitar) and David Prowse (drums) are the only factors here. I practically listened to this album all summer, and it fits the season perfectly. Songs like Heart Sweats and Young Hearts Spark Fire are so full of energy I just want to run around jumping and dancing and shouting with no clothes on. If you want to join me I shouldn't be hard to spot. Released on April 29 on Polyvinyl, Post-Nothing has grown to be one of my favorites.

Miike Snow - Miike Snow

At the recommendation of a friend, I checked out Miike Snow (along with previously mentioned Phoenix) and was immediately hooked on the first song, which is Animal. I am really getting into electronic dance music, so this was a perfect addition to the huge collection of beats I had already accumulated within the genre. Reminiscent of The Postal Service with a more dance feel, there's something really fresh about this band, and I can't quite figure out what it is. Formed in Sweden in 2007, their self-titled debut album was released worldwide on August 4 on Downtown.

Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs

Much like Dinosaur Jr, Yo La Tengo goes way back, to before I was even born. They formed in 1984 in Hoboken, New Jersey, and being from the tri-state area myself I have even more respect for them as a rock band, but I won't let that create any bias. Popular Songs is the title of their newest album, released on September 8 on Matador, which makes for a total of 12 albums in YLT's repertoire. If you know Yo La Tengo, you know they have a pretty consistent sound from album to album. Popular Songs is not very different from previous albums for the exception of the opener Here to Fall which has some darker tones to it, but ranks as my favorite track off the new album as it is a brilliant way to start the album. From that point on, the songs pick up the pace and before you know it 72 (yeah, it's a long one) minutes have passed. My favorites has to be "If It's True" (If it's true / I don't mind / there's a million other things that keep me up at night) followed by the single Here to Fall.

DOOM - Born Like This

Mr. Metal Fingers once again displays his lyrical superiority and creative genius as a producer with his 2009 album Born Like This. The man also gives respect to his once friend and legendary hip hop producer J Dilla (RIP) throughout the album, using samples and dropping words over his beats. DOOM has a delivery like no other rapper in the game, and I think it's due to a combination of his sense of humor and straight natural skills for spitting and producing. He is and will always be one of my favorites in the hip-hop game. I have trouble picking favorites, as most of his tracks are of the same caliber quality, but tracks that stand out to me are Ballskin and Gazzillion Ear.

Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Mos Def comes out with his fourth solo album entitled The Ecstatic, released on June 9 on Downtown Records. This album starts off so dope with "Supermagic", where Mos can be heard rapping with authority over a tight ass Oh No beat. Overall, I think that if you are a fan of Mos Def you will love this album, and if you are not a fan there's a small chance this album will get you into the world of Mos Def. That's really all I have to say about The Ecstatic, but it is ultimately a brilliant hip-hop album that will be getting abused by my CD player. Tracks that stick out to me are Supermagic and Auditorium.

Port O'Brien - Threadbare

Best known for their hit "I Woke Up Today", Port O'Brien strikes again. This is a band that uses elements of acoustic and folk-rock to produce catchy songs that are fun to sing along to. Their wayfaring style is fairly reminiscent to those of The Decemberists. Threadbare was released on October 6 on TBD records. This band has grown on me so much I've been forced to include it in my top ten reviews, and I would also like to thank my friends for the recommendation. Songs like My Will is Good and Tree Bones are what makes this album stand out from the rest.