2009: The Best So Far
The Moondoggies ::: Secret Set at The Blue Moon ::: photo by Abbey
We’re half way through 2009, which means it’s as good a time as any to reflect and share what were my favorite releases, songs, and shows in what’s proving to be an exciting year of music.
I’m not ready to list these in any sort of ranked order just yet, you’ll have to wait for Decemeber for that. But these are the albums, eps, songs, and shows that have helped make 2009 a memorable year of music, so far. (No Animal Collective or Dirty Projectors necessary!)
Best Albums So Far:
The Ironclads – Space Between the Maps Elvis Perkins In Dearland- Elvis Perkins In Dearland The Lonely Forest – We Sing The Body Electric J. Tillman – Vacilando Territory Blues Kaylee Cole – We’re Still Here Missing You Neko Case – Middle Cyclone The Curious Mystery – Rotting Slowly Nurses – Apple’s Acre Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid Shane Tutmarc – Shouting at a Silent Sky
I had to whittle down that list to a round, solid 10, which is pretty exciting considering there are albums scheduled to come out from the following bands in the remaining months of 2009:
The Cave Singers, The Maldives, The Dutchess and The Duke, Black Whales, Black Eyes & Neckties, Thee Emergency, J. Tillman, and David Bazan.
Bon Iver at Sasquatch ::: Photo by Abbey
Best EPs or 7” So Far:
Bon Iver – Blood Bank See Me River – The Great Unwashed The Moonodoggies – Terreberryy EP/Record Store Day EP What What Now – Self Titled 7”
J. Tillman ::: photo by Abbey
Best Songs So Far:
“We Sing In Time” – The Lonely Forest “Blood Bank” – Bon Iver “Steel on Steel” – J. Tillman “Shampoo” – Elvis Perkins “Alamagordo” - The Ironclads “Airplanes” – Local Natives “The Hardest Part” – The Moondoggies “Folding Chairs” – Regina Spektor “Magic Mountain” – Arthur & Yu “Gossamer Hair” – Pearly Gate Music “Driftwood Doll” – The Traditionist “Car Wreck” – Kaylee Cole “The Ballad of RAA” – The Rural Alberta Advantage “Coast of Carolina” – Telekenesis
(I have to admit, 2009 has been a year of albums/EPs/7” much more so than singles and songs, so I feel like this is more a list of my favorite songs from my favorite albums than the best singles or songs of ’09. I’ll work on broadening that a bit before December.)
The Whore Moans Play Our 2nd Blue Moon Birthday Bash ::: Photo By Abbey
Best Shows, So Far:
* David Bazan – House Show, Edmonds * Sound on the Sound Celebrates the Blue Moon’s 75th Anniversary * Ironclads CD Release Show at Holy Mountain (with What What Now, The Whore Hands) * Built to Spill does Perfect From Now On * Sound on the Sound’s 2nd Birthday Bash’s at The Blue Moon and Neumo’s * Blind Pilot at The Triple Door * Nurses at South Pole * Jenny Lewis at UW * Bon Iver at Sasquatch * The Moondoggies at The Blue Moon
Jonathan C #
No comments or backlash yet?. Wow. Alright, I’ll kick it off. Where are the artists of color? I don’t see a single MUSICIAN OF COLOR listed on here. Abbey, we’ve been tweeting about this already.
What’s above isn’t bad.
But as music writers, we SHOULD be well-rounded in what we listen to and go watch in person.
Abbey #
I agree about music writers needing to be well rounded Jonathan.
However just because an album, ep, song, or show wasn’t one of my early favorites of 2009 doesn’t mean I didn’t listen to or see acts that are more diverse (musically or otherwise) than what’s listed here.
This list is simply about what I loved the most.
Katelyn #
Actually, Abbey’s list does include several non-white musicians: Arthur & Yu, Thee Emergency, What What Now, and the Ironclads all have Asian or black contributing members who kick ass and take names.
As a music writer with a day job, I don’t have time to keep up with everything, and neither does SOTS (a site run by two very dedicated, talented but finite people). Abbey and I trade music and talk about what we’re listening to; I tell her about GMK, D. Black, and Khingz, she tells me about the Rural Alberta Advantage. I’m 100% positive she doesn’t screen her listening for white folks only. If this is what she loves the most so far, then this is what she loves the most so far.
Kelly Johnson #
Deer tick; born on flag day is killing as well check it out
Kelly Johnson #
wait i guess this is local my bad
Matt Brown #
“But as music writers, we SHOULD be well-rounded in what we listen to and go watch in person.”
Bullshit.
We all develop our personal musical likes and dislikes through exposure to different artists and styles. I’ve joked with certain local writers about dragging them along with me to see Cancer Rising or Madraso or other groups I love, but the truth is that I’d rather see individual journalists specialize in subjects they’re actually passionate about than read a bunch of crap by wannabe polymaths half-assing it.
It’s cool to see my friends at shows I didn’t expect them to attend, and it’s even cooler to read their impressions of that show afterwards. It’s not so cool to see a comment berating one of my friends for not applying Affirmative Action to her list of personal favorites – especially when such ignorance is shown regarding the diverse lineups of the bands she listed.
If you want to go out and become an authority on every style of music, Jonathan, I think that’s fantastic. I look forward to reading your comprehensive list of favorites, encompassing every conceivable ethnicity, nationality and gender of musician. It will be the fairest list in all the land, and you will be lauded as the perfect equal opportunity music critic.
In the meantime, I find it comforting that Abbey still loves Elvis Perkins as much as ever.
abbey #
Thanks for the recommendation Kelly, I haven’t had a good chance to sit with the Deer Tick album yet, but I will!
josh #
matt brown – you are my hero.
Matt Brown #
I just came back from lunch, during which I picked up a Weekly and read Jonathan’s comprehensive list of local favorites, encompassing every conceivable ethnicity, nationality and gender of musician.
Evidently, Champagne Champagne’s self-titled debut was supposed to make me want to dance and mosh at the same time. That assertion made me want to laugh and chuckle simultaneously, but I realized that the result would end up sounding too much like a chortle. I managed to restrain myself.
Jonathan C #
Ha Ha!
Matt Brown’s my newest fan…and Abbey..like I said, just wanted to spark conversation. Mission accomplished!
abbey #
What’s this “…and Abbey…” about?
I didn’t ask for anyone to comment on this post or over at the Reverb. To imply that I’ve sent my “cute big brothers” to stick up for me is patronizing. Those ‘big brothers’ are called readers, to imply they are anything but is demeaning. And probably not something you’d say to a male music writer.
As for being able to ‘fight my own fight,’ you are right, of course I can. However, when I realized that this didn’t seem to be about conversation or keeping me accountable, but rather about stirring shit or looking for ‘backlash,’ I chose to publicly disengage.
If you are interested in having a conversation or keeping me accountable regarding my responsibilities as a music writer — surely there are better places than Twitter and blog comments to do so.
Matt Brown #
The question is if this burst of online discourse will make my top 10 list of “Ridiculous Manufactured Feuds of 2009″ at year’s end…
Top-10 Chances? 30 percent—and even that’s a stretch. Despite all of his mawkish PC posturing at the top of this page and his embarrassing attempts to tap into the projected winter playlists of Seattle’s tiresome hipster glitterati in his latest Weekly article, Jonathan Cunningham appears to be getting slept on. My guess is it will take Cunningham at least five more sanctimonious comments on other writers’ posts before he becomes an Eric Grandy-sized pain in my ass.
andrewmatson #
only neko case would’ve made mine. interesting list.