No Merriweather Post Pavilion, Bitte Orca nor Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix here. Just 10 albums that were on constant rotation in 2009 (and check out the end for my favourite EP). Not necessarily critics' picks. Enjoy.
10. Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure
Transmitter Failure is by no means the perfect pop record, but it is certainly one of the better ones that I have heard in a while. Jenny Owen Youngs preserves much of her lyrical wit and emotional depth on her sophomore album, but she amps up and delivers more delectable and accessible tunes that touch people at an emotional level and gets them to boogie at the same time.Download:
Jenny Owen Youngs - Led to the Sea [MP3]
9. A Fine Frenzy - Bomb in a Birdcage
Like Youngs, Alison Sudol also upped the tempo from her debut to create a chirpier and feistier follow-up. Upbeat harmonies and arrangements are audible here, but Bomb in a Birdcage still retains some of that poignancy and fragility that Sudol is known for.8. Little Boots - Hands
Hands is a collection of dance-floor friendly electropop hits like the oft-heard "New in Town" and "Remedy". "Mathematics" is particularly memorable for its lyrics, since matters of the heart are broken down into mathematical formulas and equations. Some occasional misses but on the whole a delightful record for dancing to. Kudos to the talented Ms. Hesketh for writing and playing her own material.Download:
Little Boots - Meddle
7. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
With Humbug, Alex Turner and his friends threw the headiness of their previous records out the door. Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme helped them churn out a set of wryly dark rock anthems, which grows on you after repeated listens.6. Passion Pit - Manners
Cambridge, Massachusetts natives Passion Pit crafted this catchy indie dance-pop album. Manners sounds extremely coherent and solid when you listen to the entire album in one sitting.Download:
Passion Pit - Moth’s Wings [MP3]
5. Miike Snow - Miike Snow
Swedish group Miike Snow consists of Andrew Wyatt and producers Chris Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (aka Bloodshy & Avant, co-writers of Britney Spears' "Toxic"). With this type of pedigree, you would think their self-titled debut is loaded with commercial pop. However, nothing here is shrouded in excessive gloss. Injecting a dollop of Scandinavian twee-ness into the mix, this makes for a highly engaging indie-electro pop record indeed.4. Metric - Fantasies
Fantasies was not one of those LPs that I loved right from the start because I was accustomed to their older material. However, after a couple of plays, I was sold. It is consistently good from start to end. Lead singer Emily Haines' debonair personality and vocals shine through in most of the tracks, especially singles "Help I'm Alive" and "Gimme Sympathy".Download:
Metric - Help, I'm Alive
3. The xx - xx
The London quartet's (now trio) self-titled eponymous album is probably one of the best debuts of 2009. xx is minimalist chic, chill music. The underrated instrumental opener "Intro" sucked me in when I first heard the album, and I knew I had to have more. Best to listen to when alone: this is contemplative stuff.2. Florence and The Machine - Lungs
Florence Welch makes it all look so effortless. Lungs, the stunning debut from the London songstress and her band, features Welch's powerful voice and a medley of quirky yet intriguing songs.Download:
Florence and The Machine - You've Got The Love
1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Though the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have moved away from their original garage rock sound and embraced electro rock, It's Blitz! still lives up to its hype, buoyed by the collective talents of frontwoman Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase. Synthesizers make this album extremely energetic and appealing. Not to mention the album cover is pretty kick-ass too....and my favourite EP:
Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP
Fans of Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago will love this follow-up EP. Justin Vernon is the same tortured soul here, deeply introspective, but the 4th and last track on the album, "Woods", surprises everyone with the presence of the vocoder.Download:
Bon Iver - Blood Bank
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