Top 11 Albums and Songs of 2009

So, I’m taking a quick break to talk about my favorite tunes of this year. 2009 saw a lot of new music, so did 2008, and I’m sure 2010 will too. Anyway, these are the albums and songs I found myself listening to the most this year. I’m sure you won’t agree with the list, hell, I’m sure I won’t agree with the list. But, nevertheless, here it is. As you know, “Top 10″ lists are for Rolling Stone and David Letterman, I am not on par with either of them so I do “Top 11″ lists.

Top 11 Albums of 2009.

11. The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z:

The man can retire as much as he likes, but he’s going to have to keep coming back. Why? Because we need him. Blueprint 3 more than makes up for the Blueprint 2 and totally solidifies itself as one of the premiere rap albums this year. Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon could have filled this spot, but he has yet to prove himself to me. Jay-Z has crafted a fine album here and it demands to be listened to. I mean, who else could “make that Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can?”

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Run This Town feat. Rihanna and Kanye West

10. Aim and Ignite by Fun.:

When The Format disbanded and we heard (or didn’t hear) that Nate Ruess was starting a new band and releasing a new album, I think we were expecting a mere sequel to what The Format previously had done. I was wrong. Nate and Fun. have made an excellent album that is endlessly enjoyable and heartwarming. It feels more personal than anything he has done so far and that comes across when listening. There is a period in the bands name for a reason. They are fun. Period. End of story.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: All the Pretty Girls or The Gambler

9. Hospice by The Antlers:

It’s hard to write about this concept record. It’s hauntingly beautiful, sad, funny, and eloquent beyond belief. But it’s hard to write about it. I guess it’s just that we all deal with death in so many different ways and now we all have this to help us. That’s probably the greatest thing about this album. Yeah.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Bear (although this should be heard all the way through)

8. Battle Studies by John Mayer:

I was never a John Mayer fan, I dug his music and would make fun of the way he says “body” in “You Body is a Wonderland,” but I was never a fan. I am now a fan. This album just does it for me. I couldn’t listen to anything else for a long long time. The album just wouldn’t let go of me, and I grew to love his other stuff too. John Mayer, job well done, I’ll see you on Twitter.

Tracks to listen to if you haven’t: Assassin

7. Wilco (The Album):

Wilco coming out with another album must have been what it was like when Picasso or Michaelangelo came out with a new painting or sculpture. How can you do anything but be amazed by the final product? I can’t fathom how good this album is, I can tell you that I think it’s more like A.M. than anything they’ve recorded in a decade. I can tell you that I like that a lot. And I can tell you that I really enjoyed this fucking record.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: I’ll Fight

6. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective:

A true masterpiece. I probably listened to this more than just about anything else this year, especially when I got home this summer and could listen to it with the windows rolled down in my car. It’s like The Beach Boys and a synthesizer got into a car wreck and created this beautiful, beautiful album.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Summertime Clothes

5. Say Anything by Say Anything:

Being that they are my favorite band, I did my best to not take that into account when placing them on this list. For me, this was my most anticipated album of the year. I wanted to hear this SO badly. When I listened I heard a much more mature Max Bemis. It’s clear that he’s married, that he’s now a Christian, and that he’s concerned with other matters than what drugs he took this morning. Yes, this entire album makes me want nothing but to hear …Is a Real Boy again, but this is pretty damn good in its own right. There is some brand new things done musically and lyrically here and I love it. The horns on “Less Cute” are fantastic and the story of “Death for my Birthday” is one of the coolest I’ve heard. Bemis isn’t faltering, he is merely growing up. And I’m going to be along for the ride.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Ahh… Men

4. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers:

I was only introduced to the brothers, Avett, this year by my good friend Jared Corak BUT I quickly digested their entire discography and fell in love. So when their new album came out this year, I scurried across Manhattan looking for a copy and what I found was so much more incredible that I could have imagined. This is their best record, hands down, and it is filled with songs of longing, the road, and life. A must listen.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Kick Drum Heart

3. Working on a Dream by Bruce Springsteen:

This album owns, deal with it. The man is older than EVERYONE on this list and he’s making better music and performing better shows than just about all of them. Often times as artists get older they lose that spark, The Boss is still burning nice and bright. This record is poetic, and fun, and epic on every scale. It takes balls to start off an album with an 8 minute operetta about a cowboy named Outlaw Pete, but Springsteen has plenty of balls. I had the privilege to see him live this year and he performs the hell out of this record.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Lucky Day

2. Manners by Passion Pit:

This album does everything Merriweather Post Pavilion does, and does it better. I can’t think of a more infectious album from this year, the album is sheer fun from start to finish. If you want to have the most fun this year, then listen to this record.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: The Reeling

1. A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne:

Straight out of the 60′s and 70′s comes this years best album. It’s a close finish, I really like Manners but this album just does something. Hawthorne’s first effort is ripe with originality and nostalgia, and there are more catchy hooks than any other album this year. Do yourself a favor and go buy this album.

Track to listen to if you haven’t: Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’

As a little bonus here are 11 of the best tracks this year.

Top 11 Songs of the Year

1.     Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z feat Alicia Keys

2.     Little Secrets by Passion Pit

3.     Bad Romance by Lady Gaga

4.     My Girls by Animal Collective

5.     Left & Right in the Dark by Julian Casablancas

6.     Cousins by Vampire Weekend

7.     Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus

8.     Say Please by Monsters of Folk

9.     Air Mattress by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

10.  If I Had You by Adam Lambert

11.  Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear

~ by ripgrimey on December 29, 2009.