My Top Albums of 2009

It's here! It's here! My top albums of 2009! Though I had quite a busy year with the wedding and stalled a bit in hearing new music, with the help of my friend Rick I pulled through in the last half of the year and found some GREAT music. Well, great to me!

There is always a disclaimer before such lists, because of how haughty some people get regarding one's own opinion. Just remember that I haven't had a chance to listen to every release of 2009 (i.e., Say Anything), which may be because I don't have lots of time and it's not my job to listen to music all the time. These are my personal favorites of 2009, and I wouldn't expect anybody else's list to look exactly the same - the beauty of differing opinions. What are your top ten releases of this year?


01 fun. / Aim and Ignite
I think anyone who loved The Format has to love this album, and I love love love love it! It makes me laugh and bop my head from side to side. Upon first listen I wasn't sure exactly how I felt, but now I'm obsessed with it! Favourite songs: At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be), Be Calm, I Wanna Be the One ($5.99 via Amazon mp3)

02 Metric / Fantasies
A truly fantastic effort; while I've always loved Metric, I think they just 100% proved themselves to be a cornerstone of my music library with Fantasies. This was the hardest album to pick the songs apart, as I love each and every one of them. Favourite songs: Help I'm Alive, Sick Muse, Twilight Galaxy, Gimme Sympathy ($5.99 via Amazon mp3)

03 Florence + the Machine / Lungs
WOAH! was what went through my head after hearing the first song on the album, "Dog Days Are Over," and that sentiment continued throughout. I am in love with this woman's voice and her fun and sometimes kooky sounds. Definitely my fave discovery this year. Favourite songs: Kiss with a Fist, I'm Not Calling You a Liar, Dog Days Are Over ($7.99 on Amazon mp3)

04 St. Vincent / Actor
Again, another album in which I was hooked from the very first sounds. Her voice sounds delicate at times, and her songs are quite mesmerizing. It's interesting, never bland, and always lovely. This album's been on repeat for most of December. Favourite songs: The Strangers, Actor Out of Work, Laughing With a Mouth Full of Blood ($7.99 on Amazon mp3)

05 Paramore / Brand New Eyes
Yes! Finally Paramore grew up a bit and made the album I was hoping for! I liked Riot! okay, but there were only a handful of songs I liked compared to this album where each song sounds full - whether it's full of anger or happiness or vulnerability. There's only one skipper on this one (it has a breakdown and vocals like an Avril Lavigne song); the rest of the songs are a great achievement for this young band. Favourite songs: Misguided Ghosts, Where The Lines Overlap ($7.99 on Amazon mp3)

06 Dashboard Confessional / Alter the Ending
Of course Carrabba's showing up on this list! The guy (and his band) continue to grow; his voice may still be the same, but his themes are getting heavier. With the double-disc full band/acoustic packaging, there are some songs I prefer one way or the other, like I have for most of his discography - and if there's one thing this guy knows, it's his fans. Favourite songs: Get Me Right, Even Now, Water and Bridges, Hell on the Throat ($10.99 on Amazon mp3)

07 The Avett Brothers / I and Love and You
I don't even know what to fully make of these dudes, as I don't know much about them at all, but I do know that their album rules and it's a bit folky but different and it makes me smile a lot. I dare you not to smile during "Kick Drum Heart"! Favourite songs: Kick Drum Heart, January Wedding, The Perfect Space ($9.99 on Amazon mp3)

08 Neko Case / Middle Cyclone
You know how sometimes you like something so much that you know there's no way you'll be able to describe it's amazingness in any way for people to understand it? You have to tell them just to listen? Listen to Neko! This album is an epic beauty. Favourite songs: This Tornado Loves You, Vengeance is Sleeping, Middle Cyclone, Prison Girls ($5.99 on Amazon mp3)

09 Mandy Moore / Amanda Leigh
I had no idea this was going to end up being in my tops when I heard she was coming out with an album! However, upon listening and then getting to meet Mandy, I am a huge fan. Her voice is sweet and not overblown and this was on repeat for a good chunk of my summer! Favourite songs: I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week, Bug ($5.00 on Amazon mp3)

10 Band of Skulls / Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
To be honest, Lily Allen occupied this space for most of the time writing this post. I was wavering between her and Band of Skulls for a while and then I re-listened to them both today...sorry, Lily, I just love this trio's sound! There are some great hip-shaking songs on this album! Favourite songs: I Know What I Am, Honest ($5.99 on Amazon mp3)



Honorable mentions:
Lily Allen / It's Not Me, It's You
Brand New / Daisy
Them Crooked Vultures / Them Crooked Vultures
Yeah Yeah Yeahs / It's Blitz!
500 Days of Summer soundtrack
Phoenix / Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Stars of Track and Field / A Time For Lions
Monsters of Folk / Monsters of Folk
M.Ward / Hold Time

I'm not going to lie, this year some of my favourite musicians put out albums that I just never warmed up to, and felt a bit disappointed by:

Tegan and Sara / Sainthood
Muse / The Resistance

BUT I'M SO EXCITED FOR 2010!! Because I'm highly anticipating:

Motion City Soundtrack / My Dinosaur Life (um, yes, I've heard it, but we're going by release dates! And I'm ridiculously excited for everyone to hear it on January 19th!)
She & Him / Volume Two (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

There it is! Again, I ask, what are your top ten?! Are you totally with me on some of my choices?

Be calm.

I have a lot of catching up to do, I KNOW! My holiday weekend was sure fantastic - I'll have to tell you about it when I have more time.

For now, I hope you have all heard the new Motion City Soundtrack single, "Her Words Destroyed My Planet" ---- right?! Well, if you haven't, get on it - buy it for 99 cents at Shockhound.com! Also, have you heard the lyrics: I fell asleep watching Veronica Mars again...yeah, as an obsessive VMars lover, I was hooked upon first listen. (And if you haven't seen Veronica Mars, it's well worth the DVD price!)

Have you listened to it? What do you think? I love when the song kicks in after the intro and if I'm listening to the song alone in my room I usually have to get up and bounce around a little. I'm so very excited for January 19th, 2010 when My Dinosaur Life will be released. If you happen to be seeing Motion City in the next few weeks on tour with WEEZER, stop by their merch table where you can purchase this amazing Joe Ledbetter lithograph from the always-awesome Beth and I believe get a download code for the album!

Last night the dudes played the first show of the tour in Chicago and Jesse and the rest are pretty stoked - not only to be touring with Weezer but also to actually be playing shows and with Tony again! Anybody going to see the tour? Jesse said he had a lot of fun last night!

In other news, I came across something on the internet that got me really excited. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know I'm a huge Dashboard Confessional fan (my love has not faltered over the years...). Though he cancelled the tour that would bring him to New York for three nights in a row (yes, I would have done all three nights!), Carrabba and Lefler are touring acoustically with New Found Glory, who are also performing acoustically. They played their first show of tour two nights ago in LA and Spin.com had a good little recap, and the setlist made me happy!

Dashboard's setlist via Spin.com -

"Ghost Of A Good Thing"

"The Swiss Army Romance"

"The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most"

"Until Morning"
"So Impossible"
"For You To Notice"
"Get Me Right"
"Bend And Not Break"
"Up My Sleeve" (from John Lefler's Better By Design)
"Breakable" (Ingrid Michaelson cover)
Interlude: "Over The Rainbow" (Judy Garland cover)
"Carry This Picture"
"Stolen"
"Screaming Infidelities"
"Belle Of The Boulevard"
"Remember To Breathe"
"The Good Fight"
"Where There's Gold"
"Vindicated"
"Hands Down"

Encore:
"The Best Deceptions"

The whole So Impossible EP was played, as well as a lot from his first two albums and only one from my least favourite album Dusk & Summer. Strangely, they didn't play "Even Now" from their latest Alter the Ending - I would think it fits in so great with their set and I believe they've already filmed a video for it. I am now plenty excited for the tour to hit New York!

Also, I love the fun. album Aim and Ignite. You can download it for $5 on Amazon.com right now! If you loved The Format as I did, you would love this album. This is all old news, though, I'm sure.

Let me say it again for the bajillionth time in this post: LOVE! I apparently LOVE everything.

That's all I've got for the moment. Wait! PS - I'm on book 51 of the year now! Hurrah!