The Top 30 Records of 2009: 10-1

10. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion



Many people's top record of the year, but this is no Pitchfork hipster shit. Still, can't hate on Animal Collective as their trippy electronic washes and submerged vocals create an organic atmosphere that makes you feel like you're trapped in a machine and camping out in the wilderness all at once. There was nothing like the quirky melodies of Merriweather Post Pavilion in 2009 and that deserves recognition.

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Listen: "In The Flowers"

9. As Tall As Lions - You Can't Take It With You



One of the most experimental albums of the year. Varying from bluesy barroom stomps ("We's Been Waiting) to philosophical Middle East-inspired chants ("You Can't Take It With You") to wrenching electronica ("The Narrows") these guys try on as many different styles as possible and pull it off. Dan Nigro's choir boy croons are still top notch and surprise lead vocals from bassist/jester Julio Tavarez and guitarist Saen Fitzgerald add refreshing variation in a track-by-track basis. Playin' it safe isn't always cool...

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Listen: "Circles"

8. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing



It was clear that Manchester Orchestra set up to create a masterpiece with Mean Everything to Nothing and they did just that. Andy Hull is a musician that I would challenge anyone to do anything other than admire. With songs like the slow-burning "Pride" and flawless "Shake It Out", the influence of 90s alternative groups such as The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana on the band is clear. Not the most accessible record on the list, but one of the most rewarding once you finally get it.


Listen: "Shake It Out"

7. Brand New - Daisy



The most polarizing disc of 2009. Brand New continues to challenge their fans to open their minds as far as possible to get with them...just check the spastic screams and jagged guitar lines in opener "Vices". Still, gems like the Jekyll and Hyde "Sink" (a personal favorite of mine), Modest Mouse-inspired "At The Bottom", and jam-oriented "Bought A Bride" and keep me coming back. Seems like Jesse Lacey and co. will be hanging it up soon, but if this is the album they end on, they'll go out like the came in...with a bang.

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Listen: "Sink"

6. The Black Keys - Blakroc



The Black Keys garage-blues and hip-hop were a match made in Heaven. Don't know how many times I listened to this consecutively, but if you could wear something out on an iPod, this album would be wrecked. While vets Mos Def and Wu-Tang members RZA, Raekwon, and even the late ODB hold down their spots, more mainstream MCs (especially Jim Jones and Ludacris) and virtual unknowns (Jay-Z sound-a-like NOE) bring their A-game as well. Meanwhile Patrick Carney's stomping kit work that you can literally feel inside your chest and Dan Auerbach's screechy riffing provide the perfect backing. Tied together with an abstract, borderline paranoid, feel don't even throw out the word "gimmick" about this collaboration...it's straight art and good shit at that.

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Listen: Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)(feat. Mos Def and Jim Jones)

5. Passion Pit - Manners



Hating the endless hipster dance parties this album inspired, I tried so hard not to like Manners. Well, I failed. That's just a testament to how infectious this band is. Using their three (yeah, three) keyboards and lead vocalist Michael Angelakos' upper-upper register falsetto to facilitate catchy electro-pop gem after catcy electro-pop gem. "Sleepyhead" put them on the map and "Little Secret' made for a second sure-fire single...and I think every other cut on the record (especially "Moth's Wings" and "Folds In Your Hands") could easily make a case for the next one. Listen to this from start to finish and try not to sing/dance along...impossible.

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Listen: "Folds In Your Hands"

4. Rx Bandits - Mandala



Surprisingly the first record Rx Bandits released sans horn section is arguably their best. Leaning more towards their progressive than ska roots, the tracks on Mandala flow smoothly together thanks to intricate guitar work, stellar drumming, and Matt Embree's soulful vocals. While songs like straight-forward rocker "Lonesome Only Friend" and my personal favorite "Bury It Down Low" hark back to The Resignation/...And The Battle Begun era, synth-driven "It's Only Another Parsec..." and oddball "Mientras La Veo Soñar" (complete with verses sung in Spanish) show off the group's more abstract side. No hate here for anything in the Rx Bandits's back catalog, but it seems like the more albums they put out, the better they get...I'd say that's a good trend.

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Listen: "Bury It Down Low"

3. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: End of Days




Kanye protege Kid Cudi ended up making the album Ye himself tried to make with 808s & Heartbreak. Mixing textured psychedelic beats (especially with Ratatat on the boards) killer hooks, and sensitively introspective lyrics about weed and girls, Cudi builds up a style all his own . Along with breakthrough hits "Day N' Nite" and "Make Her Say", some of the true standouts come from the likes of indie crossovers "Up, Up, and Away" and "Pursuit of Happiness", featuring a guest spot from MGMT. The way Lupe Fiasco redefined hip hop by bringing in skateboarding and comic books,the self-proclaimed Man on the Moon may have redefined the genre again...making him one of the brightest shining stars in a class of excellent young MCs in the process.

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Listen: "Pursuit of Happiness" (feat. MGMT)

2. P.O.S. - Never Better




By now you'll see a lot of hip hop records made the top 30 (8 to be exact). But P.O.S.' Never Better is the king of them all. Strecthing the definition of hip hop to it's most extreme limits, Stef Alexander utilizes punk rock bass/guitar lines ("Terrorish") live drums ("Let It Rattle", "Drumroll"), and head-spinning socially-concious wordplay. Doesn't really sound like it would work, right? That's the beauty of the record. Only P.O.S. could do it. Give the title track a listen and try and pin-point exactly how anyone else could pull that off. The theme throughout this record (and his amazing live shows) is that fitting in is overrated and Stef illustrates clearly with Never Better that taking your own route can stand you up above the rest.

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Listen: "Never Better"

1. Thrice - Beggars



If you remember when I first heard Beggars in early August, I said then and there it was my favorite record of 2009. Well, here we are at the end and it has stood the test of time. No one did it better all-around this year in a single album than Thrice. The complex, yet concise songwriting, album flow, vocals, instrumentation and lyrics are all unparalleled compared to the rest of the year's releases. A true music lovers album from start to finish, Thrice may have been more heavy (The Illusion of Safety), melodic (The Artist In The Ambulance), experimental (The Alchemy Index) with past releases, but I would argue this is their most complete effort. I'm metaphorically out of breathe with praise for this record so I'll spare any further description and close out the #1 spot and Top 30 list with one final piece of advice: just go listen to 'em.

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Listen: "The Weight"

Damn...that was exhausting and took much longer than I thought. Still hope you enjoyed checking out my recap of 2009 in music and I've already got a bunch of new stuff cooked up for 2010 and the next decade so stay tuned.