It's that time of year again: finals are around the corner, Winter Break is in the near future, and Hawthorne- Longfellow Library is packed full with students who are only awake because of Red Bull and 30-minute naps. That's right, 2009 is slowly coming to an end.
And what a year for music it has been. The King of Pop died, Kanye West showcased his insanity for the thousandth time and a balloon boy floated through the sky. OK, that last one wasn't music-related but someone should seriously make a song out of that. Anyway, because I like making lists, here are my picks for best albums of the year.
Best Albums of 2009:
10. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, "The Pains of Being Pure At Heart"
A strong debut from this Belle and Sebastian-esque Brooklyn band.
9. Girls, "Album"
A sad yet summery debut from a promising young band.
8. Washed Out, "High Times"
Trippy synthpop. Imagine Boards of Canada if they were more concerned with making people dance.
7. Jeremy Jay, "Slow Dance"
A unique and simply compelling album from a man who can't decide if he's happy or sad.
6. Neon Indian, "Psychic Chasms"
Extremely catchy and dancey synthpop.
5. Dirty Projectors, "Bitte Orca"
Dave Longstreth, lead singer of Dirty Projectors, is a fascinating human being. He has a bizarre way of making music (the band's last album was a reworking of Black Flag's "Damaged" entirely from memory). I have no idea what Bitte Orca is about, but Longstreth knows exactly where he wants to take each song and he does it in his own unique, quirky way which is what makes the album so compelling.
4. Dan Deacon, "Bromst"
I don't even know what to say about Dan Deacon—you just have to listen to him to understand. His sound is unlike anything in music these days. I once read his style described as constantly toeing the line between captivating and annoying and I think captivating ultimately wins out. On "Bromst," every song has so much going on that trying to dissect the different layers is impossible. Instead, taking everything in all at once leaves the listener exhilarated and wanting more. Deacon is one of the most unique artists making music today.
3. Wavves, "Wavvves"
If there was an award for most polarizing act of 2009, Nathan Williams, frontman of Wavves, would surely win. Some people loved his lo-fi aesthetic and others couldn't stand it. To me, "Wavvves" embodies everything fun about making music in the 2000s; a few low-quality recordings and some internet exposure are enough to create a huge amount of buzz. At 36 minutes, "Wavvves" is a short album but its non-stop energy makes up for what it lacks in length.
2. Animal Collective, "Merriweather Post Pavilion"
Any year that Animal Collective comes out with new music is a good year in my book. This band could scream on an entire album and people would love it (oh wait, they have done that). "Merriweather" is AC's electronic opus; swirling synths and looped samples drive the album forward. Each song is complex and multi-layered, like "My Girls," the closest the band has come to an electro-dance single. Who knew that the band famous for chanting over simple drums could make such a danceable pop anthem?
1. Grizzly Bear, "Veckatimest"
"Veckatimest" is a modern masterpiece. It is the first album that the entire band worked on together throughout the writing process and Grizzly Bear took the raw beauty of "Yellow House" and turned it into something more refined while retaining their unique, flowing song structure. Every single song is something to marvel at and new subtleties emerge with every listen. "Veckatimest" proved that Daniel Rossen and Ed Droste are the dream team of indie rock, able to write songs of astonishing depth. Like other great indie rock bands of the 2000s like Modest Mouse, Grizzly Bear has a distinct sound and its members know exactly what they are doing. "Veckatimest" was an easy choice for best album of the year.