Best of 2009: EPs and Singles, Part 2

Monthly Archives: December 2009

Best of 2009: Dave’s 111 Most Enjoyed Songs, Part Two

Written on December 31, 2009 by Dave in Music

Here is installment two. I’m not expounding just why I like all of these in order to get my list done and not have you sift through a novel to get a few songs. I already know that I forgot tunes from at least one band (whose album is actually in this picture) so this list is likely a worthless exercise, but here it continues nonetheless.

66. The Decemberists – The Rake’s Song
65. Ladyhawke – My Delirium
64. Darwin Deez – Radar Detector
63. Andrew Bird – Anonanimal
62. Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story
61. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton
60. Cut Off Your Hands – Turn Cold
59. Sea Wolf – Wicked Blood
58. Mason Proper – Safe For The Time Being
57. The Rest – Walk on Water (Auspicious Beginnings)
56. Dan Deacon – Snookered
55. Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension
54. Doves – Kingdom of Rust
53. Brazos – Day Glo
52. Dirty Projectors – No Intention
51. Bon Iver – Brackett, WI
50. Bombay Bicycle Club – What If
49. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
48. Volcano Choir – Island, IS
47. Miike Snow – Animal
46. Mew – Hawaii
45. Kid Cudi – Soundtrack 2 My Life
44. Mean Creek – Strange Man
43. Amazing Baby – Head Dress
42. The Antlers – Kettering
41. The Lovely Feathers – Lowiza
40. Death Cab For Cutie – My Mirror Speaks
39. La Roux – Bulletproof
38. Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over
37. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Young Adult Friction
36. Dirty Projectors – Useful Chamber
35. Annuals – Sore

Once again, I’m not listing each album so just go here to Amazon.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Best of 2009: Dave’s 111 Most Enjoyed Songs, Part One

Written on December 30, 2009 by Dave in Music

This list is mostly just self indulgent. In compiling it, I didn’t quite go the route of listing the songs with the highest play counts in iTunes, since the work I put in during the earlier part of this year was lost due to my well documented hard drive crash. It is also unlike a usual best-of list in that I’ve listed songs that I came to enjoy during 2009, regardless of which year the songs may have been released in. These may not be the best songs but were all enjoyed at various points of my year. I tried to limit using the same band multiple times because I probably could have included, in their entirety, several of my top albums of the year. Alas, I’m sure I’ve forgotten multiple songs and this list would probably be completely different if I completed it any other time. Oh well, this has, as I said, been created mainly for my own selfish reasons. And I already wish I had ranked things differently.

Oh, and I’m not going to link to each album so if you want to get anything just go to Amazon to purchase away.

111. Micachu & The Shapes – Calculator
110. Elizabeth & The Catapult – Taller Children
109. Riverboat Gamblers – A Choppy, Yet Sincere Apology
108. An Horse – Postcards
107. Jemina Pearl – Undesirable
106. Field – The More That I Do
105. Lily Allen – The Fear
104. Company Of Thieves – Oscar Wilde
103. Feist + Ben Gibbard – Train Song
102. Maxïmo Park – The Kids Are Sick Again
101. St. Vincent – The Party
100. The Sounds – No One Sleeps When I’m Awake
99. MSTRKRFT – Heartbreaker
98. N.A.S.A. – Gifted (Feat. Kanye West, Santogold & Lykke Li)
97. Major Lazer – Keep It Goin’ Louder (ft. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze)
96. Metric – Help I’m Alive
95. M. Ward – Rave On (Featuring Zooey Deschanel)
94. Andrew Bird – Fitz and the Dizzyspells
93. Throw Me The Statue – Waving At The Shore
92. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
91. Grizzly Bear + Feist – Service Bell
90. Tegan & Sara – Hell
89. Wild Light – California On My Mind
88. Cymbals Eat Guitars – …And The Hazy Sea
87. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home
86. The Dodos – Troll Nacht
85. Cass McCombs – You Saved My Life
84. Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man
83. The xx – Infinity
82. The Veils – The Letter
81. Wilco – One Wing
80. White Denim – Regina Holding Hands
79. Wavves – Cool Jumper
78. Washed Out – Lately
77. Trailer Trash Tracy’s – Candy Girl
76. Silversun Pickups – Substitution
75. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank, AB
74. The Rest – Sheep In Wolves’ Clothing
73. Photons – Glory!
72. The Peekers – Your Morning Toast
71. Kid Cudi – Up Up & Away
70. Ganglians – Valient Brave
69. Grizzly Bear – Slow Life (Feat. Victoria Legrand)
68. Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is The Move
67. The Limousines – Very Busy People

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Aren’t All Caves Cold?

Written on December 29, 2009 by Dave in Music

Later today I plan on getting at least the first installment of my favorite songs of 2009 out. But I have some running around to do today and it’s not ready. So here is a post I drafted way before our albums countdown began. It’s probably been written about a ton since then and I think featured in a commercial, but anyways I liked it then and still do now, so it’s worth it.

Cold Cave – Life Magazine (mp3) from Love Comes Close

1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Best of 2009: EPs and Singles, Part 3

Written on December 28, 2009 by Andy in Music

To finish up our brief look at what we think were the best EPs from this past year, we’ve got four of ‘em. I had originally planned on three, but I forgot about one of my favorites. I won’t tell you which I left off of my original list.

Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer

Previously sold exclusively at their shows, Blitzen Trapper’s Black River Killer EP is an extension of their 2008 release Furr. At just over 17 minutes for 7 songs, it’s a quick showcase of what Blitzen Trapper does best – their unique, Northwestern take on indie-folk. Black River Killer will further endear them to previous fans, while offering enough to reel in new ones as well.

Blitzen Trapper – Big Black Bird (mp3) from Black River Killer EP

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s Higher Than the Stars EP is a nice companion to their acclaimed self-titled debut that came out earlier in the year. Their shoegaze influenced twee-pop is as affecting as here as on their debut, but it doesn’t expand anything in a new direction. Their formula works well, and with the 4 remixes tacked onto the end of the EP, it shows that even if it’s reorganized, it’s still just as good.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Falling Over (mp3) from Higher Than the Stars EP

Bon Iver – Blood Bank

Three of the four songs on Bon Iver’s January EP Blood Bank were written for his now-epic (and two years old) For Emma, Forever Ago. Not included because they didn’t fit thematically, they work here as their own separate entity. Aching and melodic, Blood Bank is a stellar look at where Bon Iver has already been with his last release, and where he could very well go with his next.

Bon Iver – Woods (mp3) from Blood Bank EP

The Static Jacks – Laces

We found out about The Static Jacks after discovering Amie Street in May. They were our first giveaway on the blog, and their September EP Laces showed marked improvement over their previous EPs. Gone are the rough edges while their testosterone-fueled and handclaps version of garage rock is retained. It’s upbeat, confident, and shows off a band ready to own their piece of stardom.

The Static Jacks – My Parents Lied (mp3) from Laces EP

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Best of 2009: EPs and Singles, Part 2

Written on December 27, 2009 by Andy in Music

Today we continue our look at some of our favorite EPs from the past year; we’ve got one more of these set for tomorrow as well.

Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind

As if 2009 wasn’t busy enough for AnCo, their Fall Be Kind EP was released at the end of November. (The EP, interestingly, contains the first licensed sample of The Grateful Dead on “What Would I Want? Sky.”) It’s signature Animal Collective – space-y, psychedelic rock that’s cementing them a place at laser light shows across the nation twenty years from now when our kids are getting stoned.

Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky (mp3) from Fall Be Kind EP EP

Death Cab for Cutie – The Open Door

Since their move away from Barsuk, reviews of Death Cab’s material has gone steadily downward. It may just be coincidental, but the indie goodwill they’d built up prior seems to have been waning. With The Open Door, the band released a few of the tracks from the Narrow Stairs sessions. A little less produced and polished than what ended up making the cut for that album, the songs sound much better.

Death Cab for Cutie – My Mirror Speaks (mp3) from The Open Door EP

Josh Rouse – Valencia

After a quiet couple of years, Josh Rouse took the unconventional route with his recent Valencia EP. Comprised of the leftovers from his forthcoming LP, Valencia is an excellent pre-cursor to what should be an excellent album. It’s upbeat, influenced by his current residency in Spain, and warms up the long winter nights with hints of the impending spring.

Josh Rouse – Easy Street (mp3) from Valencia EP

0 Comments - Leave a comment!