The Maldives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

These are the albums that defined my 2009. Some I consider to be the strongest local albums of the year while others held my attention and memory in a special way such that I kept coming back to them. While many of these albums are admittedly made by bands whom I’ve also developed a strong affinity for over the past year, this is an albums list, and not simply a “my favorite bands who over the last year put out a record list.” Seven of the top ten are acts I was not familiar with at prior to the start of 2009. This includes the Ironclads. Man, a lot has happened this year.

Though the concept of the “album” may not be as relevant as it once was, I still consider myself to be an album person, for me such a group of songs is an important body of work for helping me come to relate to and really like a band. A single song usually just doesn’t do it for me. Simply put, these are the releases from this year that I listened to all the way through, over and over and over again.

1. Listen to the Thunder by The Maldives on Mt. Fuji Records
Listen: Download an mp3 of “Tequila Sunday” courtesy of Mt. Fuji Records
If any band conquered Seattle in 2009 it was the Maldives. For so many reasons, this record was the most important record in my life this year.

2. Curse Your Branches by David Bazan on Barsuk Records
Listen: Stream the entire record at Barsuk.com
David Bazan isn’t simply a musician. He is a religious philosopher. You might say this is “The Book of Dave.” A deeply personal record with very real ramifications for those who might have questions like he did about the consequences and realities of his long held beliefs. Though I don’t count myself particularly religious, I identified. To my mind this is the best album about religion and family that Bazan has ever done.

3. Apple’s Acre by Nurses on Dead Oceans
Listen: Download an mp3 of “Caterpillar Playground” courtesy of Dead Oceans
Through the power of the Internet I came into the possession of a 30-minute single-file live recording of Nurses. I can say without hyperbole that this recording is the most played “song” of the last year on my iTunes. They are playful, unique sounding, and completely DIY. This is the quintessential example of what everyone hopes a Portland band can and will be.

4. The Space Between the Maps by The Ironclads (self-released)
Listen: Download an mp3 of “Alamagordo” courtesy of the Ironclads
Advanced garage pop that’s well traveled and downright bombastic. Inventive lead guitar work and imaginative storytelling are this foursome’s forte and the record is a successful recreation of their live aesthetic.

5. Lust for Life by Girls on True Panther Sounds
Listen: Watch “Laura” on Youtube
Sad Bastard pop that doesn’t make me sad. Sign me up!

6. Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers by Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers (self-released)
Listen: Get an MP3 version via KEXP Song of the Day
I’m waiting for one (or three) of these songs to be covered by Dolly Parton. Another record like this and Nashville is gonna scoop her up, post haste.

7. A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne on Stones Throw Records
Listen: Watch “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” on Vimeo
A DJ becomes a soul crooner, FTW. An album that you never want to turn off.

8. Keep it Hid by Dan Auerbach on Bloodshot Records
Listen: Download an mp3 of
What’s old is new again. More please. Other bands should take notes. The Blues are your friend, and mine.

9. Fanfarlo by Fanfarlo on Canvasback Music
Listen: Stream the record at Fanfarlo.com
Fronted by a clarinet playing choir boy, Fanfarlo take the cake for making this year’s most accessible orchestral pop record, and the best thing I heard out of the U.K. all year long.

10. I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers on Columbia
Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com
The Avett Brothers made a massive followup effort to Emotionalism, that drops the emo that marked it’s predecessor while striking a more hopeful and romantic note. This is another album that I feel wrong turning off in the middle.

11. In Dearland by Elvis Perkins on XL
Listen: Watch “Chains, Chains, Chains” Directed by Seattle’s Sean Pecknold
Elvis and his cohorts delve deep into old Americana and early rock for a record that is uniquely sad in it’s disposition, but overflowing with happy in the energy and passion of the full band performance.

12. Vecktamist by Grizzly Bear on Warp
Listen: Stream the Video for Two Weeks
Maybe this album should be higher on the list, but when I first got a hold of it I felt like it was just too much. Now, I’ve come to feel like this is a bold statement, and these guys are the vanguard of modern pop.

13. Year in the Kingdom by J Tillman on Bella Union/Western Vinyl
Listen: Download an mp3 of “Earthly Bodies” courtesy of Western Vinyl
Just when I thought J Tillman’s voice was an ideal, he goes to work for the Fleet Foxes and comes out the other side an even stronger singer.

14. Logos by Atlas Sound on Kranky
Listen: Get an mp3 of “Walkabout” via FADER
This was my official go-to chill record this year.

15. The Life of the Of the World to Come by the Mountain Goats on 4AD
Listen: Download mp3 of “Genesis 3:23″ courtesy of 4AD
As many of John Darnielle’s albums can be, this one is a grower, that really hooks you after you listen to it by yourself for a while. Seeing the songs performed live with a bit of Darnielle’s humor added in between songs for context allowed me to listen anew, and understand better than how the songs initially came off on the record.

1. Widower by Widower (self-released)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

2. VS. by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, (self-released free digital EP)
Listen: Download EP via Myspace

3. The Moondoggies by The Moondoggies on Hardly Art Records (for Record Store Day), Ltd. Ed.
Listen: Stream at Myspace

4. Don’t Piss into the Fire/Magic Mtn Single by Arthur & Yu for a Sub Pop Singles Club release for Record Store Day
Listen: Stream via Myspace

5. Fun & Laughter Land of Talk on Saddle Creek Records
Listen: Watch “The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle)” at Vimeo

The ones I missed in 2008 and I banged the most in 2009:

Hometowns by The Rural Alberta Advantage (originally released 2008, digitally released with eMusic November 2008, then re-released by Saddle Creek Records in mid-2009).

We’re Still Here Missing You by Kaylee Cole (self-released in November of 2008)

The one from last year’s list that’s stood the test of time and stayed strong into this year

Caught In Trees by Damien Jurado, SOTS’s #20 Northwest album of 2008.
In retrospect, I should’ve probably lobbied for a top 10 spot for this album on that list.

“Eet” by Regina Spektor

Here is my list of thirty songs that dominated my iTunes, the songs that moved me to learn them on guitar, and the songs I will identify with 2009 forever. In no particular order. Though I suppose the top five could be my top five.

“Walkabout” by Atlas Sound + guest Noah Lennox from Logos (Kranky/4AD)
Listen: Get mp3 via FADER

“Technicolor” by Nurses from Apple’s Acre (Dead Oceans)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Dead Oceans

“Lisztomania” by Phoenix from Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“World News” by the Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (Rough Trade/Frenchkiss)
Listen: Download a live version via a Daytrotter Session

“Come Monday Morning” by Widower from Widower (self-released)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“At the Cut” by the Cave Singers from Welcome Joy (Matador)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Matador Records

“Comets” by Fanfarlo from Fanfarlo (Canvasback Music)
Listen: Stream at Fanfarlo.com

“Alamagordo” by the Ironclads from The Space Between the Maps (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of the Ironclads

“Young Heart Sparks Fire” by Japandroids from Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records

“Eet” by Regina Spektor from Far (Sire Records)
Listen: Watch the Video above, Stream at Myspace

“Walk Away” by The Maldives from Listen to the Thunder (Mt. Fuji Records)
Listen: Stream a Video from a KEXP In-Studio

“Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” by Mayer Hawthorne from A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Vimeo

“Ready, Able” by Grizzly Bear from Vecktamist (Warp Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“For Now” by People Eating People from People Eating People (The Control Group)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“Lust for Life” by Girls from Lust for Life (True Panther Sounds/Matador Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of True Panther Sounds/Matador Records | Watch the Video Below

“Lust for Life” by Girls (Safe Version)

“Lazerbeams” by Fresh Espresso from Glamour (Out for Stardom)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“The Town” by Macklemore from The Unplanned Mixtape (self-released)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis from VS. (Sound Records)
Listen: Download VS. EP courtesy of Ryan Lewis Productions

“You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying” by Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers from Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Stillness is the Move” by the Dirty Projectors from Bitte Orca (Domino Records)
Listen: Stream Track via Domino Records

“Magic Mtn” by Arthur & Yu from Don’t Piss into the Fire Sub Pop Singles Club Record Store Day Release and Hardly Art Label Sampler (Sub Pop/Hardly Art)
Listen: Download Track at Amazon via Hardly Art

“Let Me Fall” by the Final Spins from THIS IS THEN/THAT WAS NOW (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Ed Jackson” by See Me River from The Great Unwashed EP (Aviation Records)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” by Say Hi from Oohs and Aahs (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Barsuk Records

“Please Baby Please” by David Bazan from Curse Your Branches (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Stream a solo version at youtube

“The Perfect Space” by the Avett Brothers from I and Love and You (Columbia)
Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com

“What Took So Long” by the Moondoggies (unreleased)
Listen: Download a live session version via Luxury Wafers

“Summer of Hate” by Crocodiles from Summer of Hate (Fat Possum Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Fat Possum Records

“Isabella” by Lands & Peoples from Lands & Peoples EP (self-released)
Listen: Stream via Bandcamp

“Norway” by Beach House from Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Sub Pop

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

These are the local songs I loved most during 2009. I can’t ennumerate the list, believe me I tried. My absolute favorites are at the top of the list, but once you get beyond the top five–I can’t really say what my 9th and 17th favorite songs are with a straight face.

What I can tell you is that these are all songs I played on repeat. That I know every word to. That I sang along to at shows. That mean something to me. That made me dance. That got stuck in my head. That I couldn’t wait to share with my friends and those of you that read the blog. If my 2009 was a mixtape, these would be the tracks.

* “What Took So Long” by The Moondoggies | download track courtesy of Luxury Wafers |
* “Alamagordo” and “Step to the Sea” by The Ironclads | download track courtesy of The Ironclads |
* “We Sing In Time” by The Lonely Forest | watch video from their sold out CD release show |
* “Technicolor” and “Lita” by Nurses | download Technicolor | download Lita |
* “Certainly Tonight” by Widower | watch video |
* “Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis | download Vs. EP |
* “Hard to Be” and “In Stitches” by David Bazan |watch video of In Stitches |
* “Scorpio” by Dutchess and The Duke  | download Daytrotter session of Scorpio |
* “Coast of Carolina” by Telekinesis | download track courtesy of Stereogum |
* “For Now” by People Eating People | listen to the debut album in its entirety on Myspace |
* “Lazer Beams” by Fresh Espresso | watch video |
* “Young Hearts Spark Fire” by Japandroids | download track courtesy of Spinner |
* “Raindrops” by Grand Hallway | download track courtesy of KEXP |
* “I Have Found (Redux)” and “Goodbye” by The Maldives | watch video of I Have Found |
* “All Things To All People” and “Going Home Soon” by M. Bison | download track courtesy of Obscure Sound |
* “The Running Kind” by Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers | download my other favorite Zoe song courtesy of KEXP |
* “Go Easy On Me” by Goldfinch
* “At the Cut” by The Cave Singers | download track courtesy of Matador Records |
* “Magic Mountain” by Arthur & Yu (with The Moondoggies) | watch video |
* “The Town” by Macklemore | watch video |
* “This Happens Every Time” by What What Now
* “I Was A River” by Pearly Gate Music | listen to a live KEXP session of I Was A River |
* “Down The Road” and “Let Me Fall” by Final Spins | download tracks courtesy of LHB |
* “Never Turnin’ Back” by Shane Tutmarc | watch video |
* “My Volvo” by Grynch | watch video |

Last week Hardly Art quietly posted to Amazon a sampler of 17 of the year’s more notable tracks from artists such as Le Loup, the Moondoggies and the Dutchess & The Duke, including a few special tracks that haven’t appeared anywhere else. Lucky us, they are offering it for free to the world.

It’s all here: a Dutchess & the Duke demo, an acoustic mix from the Pica Beats, and to my delight, as the final track, a song representing the fruits of the Arthur & Yu and Moondoggies live collaboration this summer. They chose to feature “Magic Mtn,” the B-side track from Arthur & Yu’s their 2009 Record Store Day EP Don’t Piss into the Fire, a track which garnered many repeated listens on my part. That being said, it’s also a track which I’ll admit I’ve relished even more as a live song with the backing of our fearless flannel fashionistas, The Moondoggies.

In short: 17 free tracks from one of Seattle’s best houses of musical talent. You know what to do.

Happy Monday.

Rodriguez ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

In recent years, the mantle of urban philosophy has been held aloft by the hip-hop generation, reflecting the turmoil of forgotten and ill-served neighborhoods where hustling was a way of life. In the decade before “Rapper’s Delight” began making waves, Detroit’s Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, known to most as simply Rodriguez, was committing his own brand of urban philosophy to song. Through two albums released in 1970 and 1971 he remained largely unnoticed in the U.S. and gave up his musical career after his label dropped him and went out of business.

Last year Seattle label Light in the Attic re-released his first LP Cold Fact, and the response from fans was immediate. This year the label has re-released his second LP, Coming from Reality and arranged for an assortment of summer dates throughout the U.S., bringing Rodriguez to Seattle for the first time ever. Tuesday’s sold out show at the Triple Door had Rodriguez backed by San Fransisco’s the Fresh & Onlys, complete with an additional four piece brass section.

Apparently every music writer in town was in the house, though each came off with a completely different take on the night. Minor sound level issues acknowledged, I definitely felt I was witnessing a moment in history and in the presence of a pure thinker. Garbed completely in black, the now 67 years old Rodriguez, retains an effortless image of cool. Dropping philosophical bits of wisdom on all manner of subjects between songs, I began to get a sense of the colorful person portraying the unvarnished reality of Vietnam-era America, and began to perceive Rodriguez’s songs not simply as songs, but as extensions of his own personality.

This unflinchingly honest nature certainly led to a few laughs, but embedded in his comments were larger themes acknowledging the frailty of humanity. If occasionally causing discomfort, this perspective also made night that much more poignant considering Rodriguez’s own obviously advancing age, the 800-pound gorilla in the room that most would probably rather not have been constantly reminded about. Encouraging hooting and hollering from the crowd throughout the set turned a normally staid Triple Door into a something else entirely, in the process earning huge grins from our protagonist; one excited compliment about a nice smile led Rodriguez to respond, “I know it’s bullshit, but keep talking baby.”

Thoughts of mortality aside, any time spent with Rodriguez seems memorable by default, and this night especially so for me. To have been a witness to the Second (or is it Fourth?) Coming of Rodriguez was a privilege, for his deep thoughts and general presence, as much as for the music. Often to be on the stage is to put on airs, but to experience Rodriguez is to have an epiphany about just how ridiculous one’s own airs amount to in the face of living a full and rewarding life.

If you missed it, catch a few videos from Tuesday night after the jump…

Rodriguez ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Rodriguez ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Rodriguez ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Arthur & Yu with the Moondoggies ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Flickr: Rodriguez at the Triple Door with Arthur & Yu, June 23, 2009

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Arthur & Yu ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Last night following a really great house show by David Bazan in his hometown of Edmonds (more on that later), we trucked on down to the Conor Byrne for an unpublicized warmup for Arthur & Yu’s new backing band, Hardly Art labelmates the Moondoggies. With them all barely able to fit on the pub’s stage, the band went through about seven or eight songs with a minimal amount of tentativeness. And the harmonies! Good stuff.

They play Saturday May 23 at 5.25pm on the Yeti Stage.

Arthur & Yu ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Grizzly Bear at Neumos ::: Photo by Josh

A few of my Sasquatch Gotta-See’s, with some mp3’s:

Grizzly Bear
Monday May 25th at 1.20pm on the Main Stage

In my first live review of Grizzly Bear from over two years ago I called their show a “transcendental experience.” It sounds a tiny bit cliche I know, yet to this day, the sentiment rings true. Standing front row in the swirl of their building harmonies is one of those experiences you are constantly trying to recreate. It’s almost impossible to believe they can recreate the setting of the album live, yet they did just that and more, to the point where you need to see and hear it again to confirm that you weren’t just having a magnificent hallucination.

As a result of such abilities in the two years since the band has been catapulted to new heights, and in my opinion few bands are as deserving of the honor. The main stage is where these guys belong. I’ve refused to listen to a leaked copy of Vecktamist in anticipation of hearing fresh performances of the new songs on the Main Stage and experiencing them that way at first this time. This band is the reason to show up early on Monday. The fact that their set will overlap with Horse Feathers’ infuriates me to no end.

MP3: “Cheerleader” by Grizzly Bear from Vecktamist, out May 26 courtesy of GB’s spiffy new website

School Of Seven Bells
Monday May 25th at 3.10pm on the Yeti Stage

It’s taken me a while, but each time one of their songs passes my ears now I must admit that I’m entranced. Luckily nothing else is really going on at the time of the School of Seven Bells set Monday afternoon, so I’m headed up to the Yeti stage to relish a chill moment before the mayhem of Monotonix (another gotta-see in my opinion) and Girl Talk.

MP3: “Connjur” by School of Seven Bells from Alpinisms courtesy of Ghostly Intl.

Arthur & Yu (with special backing band the Moondoggies)
Saturday May 23 at 5.25pm on the Yeti Stage

I finally got interested Hardly Art band Arthur & Yu after picking up their record store day EP with the songs “Don’t Piss Into the Fire” and “Magic Mtn.” Playful, poppy and psychedelic, are all words I’d use to describe their music. That labelmates the Moondoggies are backing them up seems like a natural fit and a special Sasquatch development that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Once again the overlap of an Animal Collective start on the Main Stage is somewhat annoying, however these are the choices we must make at festivals I guess.

MP3: “Come to View (Song for Neil Young)” from In Camera (courtesy of Hardly Art)

The forecast for the east side of the mountains for the rest of this week is looking good. Upper 70’s and mostly sunny. Let’s hope it keeps up through the weekend.

Following the acclaimed re-release last year of his first studio album, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez’ second studio album Coming From Reality is seeing its re-release today, nearly four decades after it was recorded and originally released. Seattle’s own Light in the Attic Records is of course once again the culprit behind both the album’s vinyl and digital re-release.

Simply known to most as Rodriguez, in 1971’s Coming From Reality his second and final studio album, he continues his ruminations on the situation of the disaffected urban everyman. It shows that during that time the cloud of Vietnam hung over America’s head and the idea of rock n’ roll still held water as a rebellious act. Mixed among the heavy protest and the meandering poetry though is a genuinely romantic soul with a keen sense for creating delicate and uplifting love songs.

MP3: “Heikki’s Suburbia Bus Tour” by Rodriguez from Coming from Reality courtesy of Light in the Attic Records

Rodriguez thought he’d reached his height as a popular musician in another life on another continent, but last year’s re-release of 1970’s “Cold Fact” re-focused American attention his music, so much so that he’s scheduled an irregular set of summer dates across the U.S., a list that now includes an Austin City Limits appearance in early October.

Rodriguez will be making his way to Seattle as part of a week of west coast dates in June, taking the stage at the Triple Door on Tuesday June 23rd. Courtesy of Light in the Attic Records, we’ve got two tickets to give away to his appearance at the Triple Door where he’ll be supported by Arthur & Yu. And since we want to make sure all of our readers have a chance on this one, we’re going to say you’ve got until Thursday May 7th at 5pm PST to drop a comment in this post, and at that time we’ll randomly choose a winner of two tickets to this Triple Door show. If you don’t see your comment right away don’t worry, it’s there, we’ve just got to approve all first time commenters.

As of right now tickets are available on the Triple Door site, for $20 each. How long that will last I don’t know.

Update: Check his Rodriguez’ just released Daytrotter Session!

The Stranger has gathered together a group of up-and-coming Seattle bands for a showcase called “The Young Ones.” Taking over Neumos, and a venue across the street called Sole Repair (a former shoe shop turned bar), what the Stranger thinks are some of the best new bands in town will be playing. It’s a benefit for Real Change as well, so you have double the reason to go.