Favorite Albums of 2009

Here is a list of my favorite albums from the year 2009 in descending order from 11 to 1. 1 is the best. 11 is the least best. There are 11 albums because 10 are too few. 12 are too many. May your list not be as cool as mine. While I respect The Dirty Projectors' valiant effort called Bitte Orca, it's really not my thing so it didn't make my list but it made everyone else's instead. That's good.

11. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix--Phoenix

A good friend turned me onto Phoenix this year. I wasn't as hip as you as I didn't run out and buy their album after I watched Lost in Translation. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is extremely catchy and fun. I haven't gotten bored of it yet.

10. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey--Cracker

This new Cracker album is my favorite since The Golden Age. All the songs are great. Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me is as good as anything Lowery has ever written.

9. There Is No Enemy--Built to Spill

It's probably unfair to the many new bands making so-called waves this year, but Built to Spill is always guaranteed a space on my list. Hindsight is my favorite song of the year and the entire album is consistently great.

8. 3 Rounds and a Sound--Blind Pilot

Blind Pilot's album is the only debut album on my list. See...I like new stuff too. It's a mellow, folky outing, kind of like Vetiver or something. I hope these guys continue to make good music and don't end up being part of a "supergroup" like Monsters of Folk or Chickenfoot.

7. Welcome Joy--The Cave Singers

Pure dark-folk goodness. Welcome Joy is a welcome joy to behold or some such shit. I really dig it.

6. White Water, White Bloom--Sea Wolf

A perfect album for teenage girls who like moody, romantic lyrics full of natural imagery. Pitchfork hates this album because it comes from a band that is part of the Silverlake music scene. "Love the music/hate the scene" is my motto. Fuck pretension. Fuck Pitchfork.

5. Tight Knit--Vetiver

One of the most relaxing listening experiences I had this year. The lead singer looks like he's retarded, but his songwriting ability proves otherwise. I wish Wishing Well made the album, but it's a pretty great exclusive 7" that assholes like me can show off.

4. It's Frightening--White Rabbits

Yes, they sound like Spoon. That's a great thing. Britt Daniel produced this album and it really compliments the White Rabbits musical sensibilities. If the first two tracks don't blow your mind, perhaps some Dirty Projectors will.

3. Wilco (the album)--Wilco

I don't know what it is about the new Wilco album that I like so much. I just love it. I've listened to it more than anything else on my list and in my iTunes library by far. Everything comes together like it's supposed to. Wilco making great music.

2. Embryonic--The Flaming Lips

Wow. The Flaming Lips completely shredded my expectations with this record. They abandoned the ELO tendencies of their last two albums and released a dirty, dark, dreary, distorted mess of music that perfectly compliments the Silver Trembling Fetus Christmas tree ornament I recently bought from their website. To top it all off, they just released an amazing cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. Genius. Absolutely genius.

1. Crack the Skye--Mastodon

A perfect concept album. A perfect metal album. A perfect rock album. An amazing live show. Mastodon rules.