This list represents the strongest 25 albums we heard in 2009 from bands based in the Northwest. We approximated the Northwest as Vancouver to the North, Eugene to the South, Boise to the East, and the Olympic Peninsula West. Even though we snuck in a few Portland bands and a Vancouver band, this is largely a list of Seattle releases. We did our best to feature the vast array of the Seattle Sound in 2009, though there’s no denying some genres fared better than others–genres that you might be surprised by, genres we were surprised by. If there was any doubt left, 2009 proved Seattle isn’t just a rock town.

2009 was an incredible year for local music in Seattle. There’ve been some unnecessary put-downs of Seattle’s musical output in 2009, because the scene didn’t spawn a new Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, or Death Cab for Cutie, and the biggest local record label didn’t sign a single Seattle band. That’s “the industry” and Sub Pop’s loss, not ours. Just because the rest of the world isn’t blasting The Maldives or Macklemore yet (or even if they never do) it doesn’t reflect poorly on the scene or the talented folks who call Seattle home. From our front row vantage point, Seattle had an embarrassment of riches in the local music department.

The local hip hop scene bubbled with excitement and slowly-but-surely burgeoned into a topic on everyone’s lips, thanks to the energy of head-turning acts like They Live!, Champagne Champagne, Fresh Espresso, Macklemore, as well as the notorious antics of Mad Rad. Across town from Pike St., Ballard Avenue continued to cultivate a tight-knit community of Americana and rockin’ country bands where pedal steel and fiddle were the instruments du jour. The Maldives, The Moondoggies, Sera Cahoone, Zoe Muth and so many others inhabited both the stages and the bars at the Conor Byrne, the Sunset Tavern, Hatties Hat, and the now 15-year-old environs of the Tractor Tavern, feeding a spirit of collaboration and verve. King Cobra, a rock club which opened up in 2008 in the wake of the Crocodile Cafe’s closing, shut its doors after barely a year of rough business–just in time for a newly revamped Crocodile (without the Cafe in the name) to reclaim its place in March as one of the premier venues in Seattle to see live local music.

While Seattle didn’t spawn a new Fleet Foxes sized success in 2009, we certainly won’t be surprised if a few of the many bands on this list find national attention come 2010. No matter what, we’ll look back on 2009 with warm nostalgia as a vibrant year of local music, when we saw these bands play in living rooms and local bars: the year Seattle knew the words before everyone else could sing along.

25. Zebra by Karl Blau (K Records)

Psychedelic shape-shifter Karl Blau creates an utterly Northwest soundscape that identifies strongly with the output of the Haight-Ashbury facilitated psych movement, as well as the more modern creative likes of Grizzly Bear. “Waiting for the Wind” reminds me of Esquivel’s avant, arty piano, while “Welcome in NW” sounds like it was banged out of an actual sixties basement, fueled by homegrown psilocybins. “‘Tha Ole Moon Smile” makes me do a “Is this a Sixto Rodriguez cut I haven’t heard?” double-take every time. Each new song turns in a completely different direction. By the end you’re left dazed, trying to decipher where you started and what just happened. What happened was Blau presented a reverent journey into musical history through a warped and hazy Technicolor filter. [Josh]

24. From Slaveships to Spaceships by Khingz (self-released)

Much like D. Black’s record this year, Khingz’ From Slaveships to Spaceships finds an MC ignoring hip-hop’s self-imposed strictures about toughness and content, and succeeding through sheer force of purpose and humor. Even though MC Khalil Equiano left town for a while and now lives in British Columbia with his significant other, he obviously loves his hometown scene and returned to the Northwest with this new album in tow, showcasing a rapid-fire rhyming style and spitting dense, wordy verses filled with references to science fiction and his former life on Seattle’s Southside. This is another record distinguished by its brazen autobiographical nature and the surety of the conclusions that follow. “Intellect is a weapon,” he says in “Escape Society.” “You’re at war, please respect it, your struggle is a blessing, embrace, don’t deflect it.” Hip-hop was once widely known as a vehicle for imparting social understanding, and Khingz’ latest is his contribution toward seeing it return once more to that primary function. [Josh]

23. Life On Earth by Tiny Vipers (Sub Pop Records)

Each time I listen to this record I’m reminded that I should probably mentally prepare myself before taking in a whole Tiny Vipers record, unsure if the tears that will inevitably form in my eyes are due to the inherent sadness being communicated, or if I can attribute it to the effect of the one-of-a-kind voice of Jesy Fortino. Four songs in, “Dreamer” hits the headphones; as she coos, “I’m dying for a way out,” I feel as though I’m vibrating on an inter-dimensional frequency, able to sense every haunting ghost, able to see each person’s natural aura of sadness in hues of deep blue. Even though I know this record isn’t for everyone, and though I can’t guarantee you’ll like this record as much as I did, I can guarantee it will change your perspective. If you let it, Life On Earth will overwhelm you. Whether you like it or not, the remainder of your day after a listen is liable to be heightened emotionally because of it. [Josh]

22. The Way We Live by Erik Blood (self-released)

It’s very possible that Erik Blood went around to every hot studio in London ,yoinked every good idea he heard and used it for himself. If he didn’t, maybe they should be coming to him, because he clearly has lots of good ideas. Early on, the title track, “To Leave America,” and “Home & Walk” all synthesize the best of the expansive guitar and organ Brit-rock sound (think Doves), while later in “Broken Glass” and “Too Early & Too Late” we’re notified Blood also has a handle on turning uncomplicated rhythms into sonically interesting pop songs that also sound modern. My one criticism of the record would be that the material is all over the place, and maybe he should have stuck to a rock record instead of including the final two R&B inspired cuts. But then again, “Better Days” is one of the stronger tracks on the record, fusing soul-ish singing with very rock backing to unexpectedly great results. There is something to be said for being able to do experiment with anything and make it sound not just good, but as good as those who do it best. [Josh]

21. Ali’Yah by D. Black (Sportin’ Life Records)

Though much of the recent focus on Seattle hip-hop has been tied to the so-called “3rd-wave” of party rap, one can’t ignore the continued influence of the second wave and its socially conscious approach to concept and performance. In his second album, Ali’Yah, D. Black does a 180 from his previous effort–a stereotypical rap record where he thought he had to be hard–instead opting to be completely REAL about his choices, his identity, and his mistakes. The record is an indictment of his former gangsta self, and by dropping in “The Return,” “I can’t associate with them fake ones/to add to their fake bullets coming out of fake guns,” he’s no doubt turning his back on old friends and the possibility of success by usual means. Yet one can only come away from this record with the conclusion that D. Black is not only confident in his conviction, but righteous. As I said earlier this year, “the force of his example on this record serves to quash any weak retorts that it’s not so easy to turn your back on the game. Not simply inflammatory words, he’s genuinely attempting to engage a nuanced conversation from the inside.” [Josh]

20. Shouting At A Silent Sky by Shane Tutmarc (self-released)

For almost the entirety of his musical career, Shane Tutmarc has been on a journey through history, beginning with an intense interest in classic pop lyricists before more recently being entranced by the gospel recordings of Elvis and the songs of the South. Billed as his first solo effort as Shane Tutmarc, Shouting At A Silent Skyis also probably the most complete, and therefore satisfying, of his recent records–though the Traveling Mercies records are notable themselves for their raw pre-rock quality. By recruiting a few ringers to form his studio support (local producer Johnny Sangster among them), Shane was able to focus on just being Shane at the mic, and the practiced performer really showed through. If Shane’s music occasionally seems styled from another era, just remember that when they came up with the term ‘Rock n’ Roll’, this is what they were talking about: dirtied up blues and church numbers warning about “Crimes of Passion” and the dangers of “Idle Hands.” [Josh]

Read the rest of Sound on the Sound’s Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2009 after the jump

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Damien Jurado - sheets from Chelsea on Vimeo.

2009 saw a huge increase in sites collaborating with bands to do all kinds of video and audio sessions. I suspect we’ll be delving into that shortly as well. These were the ones that in my mind floated above the rest this year.

Video: Damien Jurado - unknown session by vimeo user Chelsea (4 songs) - see above

Audio: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - KEXP Audioasis Session with live strings and horns (4 songs & Interview)

Video: J Tillman (full band) - Rockfeedback session (25 minute set & interview)

Video: Nurses - Left | Right Hand In Rhythm session (3 songs) - see below

NURSES IN RHYTHM from Left | Right Hand on Vimeo.

Audio: Local Natives - Daytrotter Session (4 songs)

Video & Audio: The Moondoggies - Luxury Wafers Session (six songs)

Audio: Pearly Gate Music (full band) - KEXP In-Studio Session (four songs)

Video: Phoenix (acoustic) - La Blogotheque Take Away Show (three songs) - see below

Phoenix - 1901 - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

The Maldives and Moondoggies Sing-Along ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

2009 was an inspiring year for live music locally. My favorite shows ranged from intimate living room gatherings to huge festivals. They spanned genres from horror punk to hip hop to Ballard Avenue twang. They were almost all exclusively local, though I’ve seen a number of great touring bands in 2009. My hometown is where my heart is musically. Lucky for me (us all really) it was a banner year for local music, with a new found energy in the air and coming off the stages of Seattle. 

Seeing that we have a couple weeeks left in 2009, I’m hopeful there’s still another show in my near future that will be worthy of being dubbed a favorite. Considering how great 2009 has been, it would surprise me more if that didn’t happen. While this list isn’t ennumerated, it is in a hierachal order of most cherished towards the top.

David Bazan in an Edmonds, WA Living Room

Bon Iver at Sasquatch

Black Eyes & Neckties Final Show - Halloween in Bellingham

Doe Bay Music Festival

Nurses in a South Seattle Living Room

The Moondoggies at The Blue Moon

 The Maldives Three Night Stand at The Tractor

The Lonely Forest, Telekinesis, and The Globes at the Showbox

 Blue Moon’s 75th Anniversary Shows

The Rural Alberta Advantage at The Sunset

 The Ironclads Final Show Before Hiatus

Widower with Pearly Gate Music at the Sunset

 Fresh Espresso at Seattle Weekly’s Reverb Festival

Hey Marseilles and all of the Bean Room Shows at Cafe Vita During Capitol Hill Block Party

J. Tillman and Pearly Gate Music at The Sunset

A Gun That Shoots Knives and Doctor Doctor at Neumos

Mad Rad at Sasquatch

The Ironclads CD Release Show with The Whore Hands and What What Now at Holy Mountain

D. Black CD Release Show at The Crocodile

The Lonely Forest at Bumbershoot

Though I don’t have a photo to include with the list Regina Spektor’s sold out show at the Paramount is also one of my very favorite concerts  of 2009.

Pearly Gate Music at the Sunset Tavern ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The album to be released by Pearly Gate Music on Barsuk Records next year is without a doubt my “Most Anticipated Release of 2010.” Self-professed shut-in Zach Tillman doesn’t write his songs with a voice quite like any other songwriter I’ve heard. With a mix of dry humor, confessional romanticism and old school folk songwriting, he strums away at his nylon string guitar and sings spiritually, the songs representing a process of personal catharsis it seems as much as a performance for others who happen to be in the room.

In Seattle, Pearly Gate Music is usually an entire band made of Tillman’s brother and some fellow Siberian conspirators. This picture is of Bill Patton, pedal steel guitarist of that band.

Pearly Gate Music opens for J Tillman at the Crocodile on Friday December 11th.

Pearly Gate Music ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Though the news of this has been bubbling around for a little while now, Barsuk updated their site today with official news that Pearly Gate Music, AKA Zach Tillman, was the newest band to join their roster. As a part of the announcement they’ve promised a full length debut out next year, but nothing more than that. Pearly Gate Music is currently peddling a tour EP titled “Daddy Wrote You Letters…” which you can get on an big nationwide tour that Tillman is opening for his better known older brother Josh Tillman, or hear the title track on Pearly Gate Music’s myspace.

I recommend this recent video of the song “The River” to get acquainted, it was one of the songs that hooked us on Pearly Gate Music:

pearly gate music from correa on Vimeo.

Their tour visits the Crocodile on December 11th.

There’s something new on the internet about J. Tillman:

And I for one, love it.

First and foremost, I need to get this little rant out of the way. It is WAY too early for end of the year best of lists to start. It seems much like Christmas decorations, end of the year lists come out earlier and earlier every year. As if there is some secret competition to be first. So, since I’m apparently creating secret internet agreements, I’d like to create another: no best of lists until the day after Thanksgiving. Preferably not until the first of December.

Seeing that Amazon.com wasn’t privy to this secret agreement and considering the loads of love they gave to local bands, I’ll forgive them for jumping the gun and releasing their Best of/End of the Year lists yesterday. The Seattle based we-sell-everything-site gave a nod to a number of local bands, and we’re not talking Death Cab For Cutie; we’re talking legitimately local bands like The Maldives, The Nightgowns, D. Black, Grand Hallway and Throw Me The Statue.  It was a surprise, albeit an incredibly pleasant one, to see so many familiar names on the lists.

Here are the lists and the Northwest locals that Amazon shouted out:

Best Albums of 2009 

Featuring: David Bazan (86), Point Juncture, WA (81), Brandi Carlile (58), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (51), Throw Me the Statue (43), Cave Singers (29)

Best Songs of 2009

Featuring: The Thermals (90), Throw Me The Statue (89), Ramona Falls (88), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (82), The Nightgowns (73), Nurses (69), Grand Hallway (59), David Bazan (58), Death Cab for Cutie (54)

Outstanding 2009 Albums You May Have Missed

Featuring: Richard Swift (88), The Maldives (50), D. Black (12), The Dutchess & The Duke (11), J. Tillman (9), Point Juncture WA (5), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (2), Throw Me The Statue (1)

J Tillman ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

With today’s announcement of a month of November (and into December) dates in the U.S. supporting his new album A Year in the Kingdom, Josh Tillman has finished planning a busy few months of double duty. Starting this week, in addition to headlining, he’s taking his brother’s band Pearly Gate Music, a band in which he also drums, on a month long route through Europe. Then after a short break, beginning early November he’s taking the same group on the road for a clockwise traverse of North America.

MP3: “Earthly Bodies” by J Tillman from A Year in the Kingdom courtesy of Western Vinyl

Though Josh has taken his brother Zach’s band to Europe before, and down the west coast, this is Pearly Gate Music’s first nationwide tour. On December 11th, the Tillman brothers will wrap up their trek in Seattle at Neumos. Hopefully sometime in there we might actually see a Pearly Gate Music recording materialize.

Complete J Tillman European and North American Tour dates are below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

Girl Talk at Sasquatch 2009 ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Nurses are playing an in-store at Sonic Boom Ballard this Friday August 21st at 6pm. You really need to see this band. |myspace/nurses|

Due to popular demand a second Girl Talk show has been added, this one 21+ at the Showbox at the Market on Monday September 21st. Tickets are still available.

Harvey Danger has also scheduled a second early edition of the “last show ever” at the Crocodile and apparently there are still tickets left. Only $20. |twitter/thecrocodile|

David Bazan has scheduled a few house shows for the eastern U.S. including Philly, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at Bazan’s undertowtickets.com.

J Tillman has now joined the Billions Corp. booking and management family. Hopefully he’ll now be able to get the exposure he is ready for. |billions|

In other new big-time management news, Hey Marseilles is now represented by Fuzed Music. |tig|

And finally I know it’s a long way off but it seems that Land of Talk is finally finally finding it’s way back into the game and has a Seattle show scheduled for 11/5 at the High Dive. Tickets can be had at ticketweb.

Also this weekend at the PIC in South Seattle you can test drive a Kia and get tickets to a Santogold set happening on Sunday. Other acts lending their promotional power to Kia over the course of the weekend include No Age, Wavves, Chairlift and the Dum Dum Girls. See the poster below for complete details on times.