50 for 2009: 10-1
The final part of the 50 for 2009 rundown! The top six entries were originally written for Sonic Dice but some of those entries have been expanded upon.
10. Röyksopp – Junior – Electropop has never sounded more fun in 2009. Junior, the third album by Norwegian duo Röyksopp, is another healthy balance of uptempo party stompers and downtempo ambience. From the joyous Happy Up Here to the spine-chilling Röyksopp Forever it’s one of the most enjoyable albums of the year. Robyn, Lykke Li, and Karin Dreijer Andersson all provided vocals that fit the criteria wherever needed. The ‘follow up’ album, Senior, comes out next year but it’ll have its work cut out to top this.
9. Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor (see original review here) – Also part of an intended double album strategy, The Bachelor is Patrick Wolf’s most varied album. He can now add rock star to his bow of many talents, as proven with Hard Times and Battle. Hell, he even managed to rope in Tilda Swinton for a cameo that almost steals the show entirely. But it’s definitely Patrick who has the centre of attention, as he presented his most ambitious and expansive album to date on his own terms. What he created was an epic pop album that never gets boring or dull.
8. Regina Spektor – Far – Sometimes, one skill can make an album from good to great. Take Far, Regina Spektor’s fifth album, as a classic example. Her lyrics throughout the record rank amongst some of the best that she has ever written and are a clear and exciting progression from her previous works. Of course, a lot of the songs featured also rank amongst some of her best, including Blue Lips and Man Of A Thousand Faces. Her delightful quirkiness is also still intact on songs like Machine, Eet, and The Calculation.
7. Morrissey – Years Of Refusal – It’s taken a while for me to finally get what everyone was talking about when praising Morrissey. Years Of Refusal is the album that made me realise that you know…he isn’t really bad at all. It’s an album that is heavy on rock and fury and passion that doesn’t feel bloated or overthought. For that reason, as well as having some tracks like It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore and Something Is Squeezing My Skull, it ranks as amongst the best of his recent output. Just a shame that his touring duties for the album have been beset by problems all year.
6. Passion Pit – Manners – Manners saw Passion Pit build on the promise shown on their Chunk Of Change EP and caused a frenzy on the music blogs of the world. The hype was justified as their songs are filled with massive hooks set amongst a sea of whirring and jubilant synths. Sleepyhead and The Reeling slayed crowds at festivals throughout the summer as well as on record. What’s more, the album itself shows that they have potentially a lot more to give in the future. In a year where the revival of electro pop continues to gather steam, this is one of the best to come out of it.
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz! – It’s Blitz! is a career best moment for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. After two near-hits in the form of Fever To Tell and Show Your Bones, this third effort successfully combined the band’s energy and groove, as well as the ability to make a beautiful lullaby, and added some synths to bulk their sound. You know when an album starts with a track as exhilarating as Zero that you’re in for a great listen. It continues with the insanely catchy Heads Will Roll and keeps on going for the remaining eight tracks. The icing on top is the artwork, probably the best artwork to grace any album in 2009.
4. Dan Deacon – Bromst (see original review here) – Bromst is zany, fast, and genuinely mad, but one of the most fun electronic albums of the year. Dan Deacon has always been one to create music that made you jump around the room like a loony person and some of the songs on Bromst are easily the most rewarding and satisfying of his recent output. The true definition of a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. It’s the definition of going all out and giving a damn about what the result is. Put simply, it’s just a brilliant dance album.
3. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (see original review here) – Two Dancers is an album that features higher-than-high vocal pitches, a cold and unfriendly exterior, and has some of the most striking songs you’ll hear from any band in the British Isles this year. Whilst most British bands gain success by looking towards their own record collections and figuring out how best to replicate it, Wild Beasts have emerged with a sound that is distinctively their own and it is one that makes this Kendall-based quartet stand out.
2. Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers – Journal For Plague Lovers was the album that saw the Manic Street Preachers finally recapture what made them such a brilliant band in the first place. It also managed to reignite my own enthusiasm for a band that I thought I’d never really get back into given their recent albums. Fired up by leftover lyrics written by deceased band member Richey Edwards, the band made thirteen songs filled with passion, invigoration, and a sense of purpose. Easily the best rock album and the most poignant album of 2009.
1. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns – Two Suns proved that Natasha Khan is one of the country’s leading singer talents, and, in a year where Little Boots, Florence, and La Roux were at the forefront of the solo female revolution, it was miles ahead of her newcomer rivals. It’s the most spellbinding listening experience of 2009 and one that mixes two different themes beautifully and coherently. If her future output is anywhere near this good then she could be a true superstar.
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Posted on December 16th, 2009 by Max
Filed under: 50 For 2009, Albums
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