2009 First Quarter Favorites

It’s already been quite a year for music, not only in the quality of releases, but in the announcements of forthcoming 2009 releases. We are looking forward to releases from Bob Dylan, Grizzly Bear, Elvis Costello, another Jack White side project, Wilco,  Blur(?), Joe Henry, and there are surely many more announcements and releases to come.

So I’ve made a list of my ten favorite releases of 2009 during the first quarter (Jan.-Mar.) with a one-word descriptor of the album just for fun. It will be interesting to see how many of these are still on the list when December rolls around. Staying power is the mark of a truly great record.

Tone Marrow Review’s Favorite Records of 2009, Q1:

(In alphabetical order)

1. Amadou & Mariam, Welcome to Mali – “Joyful”
2. Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion – “Colorful”
3. Andrew Bird, Noble Beast — “Quirky”
4. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone (review coming soon) — “Natural”
5. Leonard Cohen, Live at London – “Legendary”
6. Dan Deacon, Bromst (review coming soon) — “Mountainous”
7. DM Stith, Heavy Ghost – “Spooky”
8. M.Ward, Hold Time (review coming soon) — “Dusty”
9. Buddy and Julie Miller, Written in Chalk (review coming soon) — “Homey”
10. N.A.S.A., The Spirit of Apollo – “Unified”

Yet, April is now upon us, and it may be one of the strongest months of the year as it will see the release of two records which are likely to be among the year’s best. I’m referring to Allen Toussaint’s The Bright Mississippi and, of course, the one and only, Mr. Bob Dylan’s Together Through Life. Check back for coverage of both of these records in April.