A couple days late is better than never. Here are my favorite records of 2009 that were released between January 1 and June 30. To see some startling changes check this list after the first quarter.
1. Mos Def — The Ecstatic
Hip-hop at its finest. This is a great comeback for Mos Def. I won’t say any more here, just read my lengthy review.
2. Allen Toussaint — The Bright Mississippi
Terrific set of old jazz standards by one of the elder statesmen of R&B/pop. This record never gets old even after tons of plays.
3. Animal Collective — Merriweather Post Pavilion
The buzz has died down about this album, but its still a terrific listen. I pulled it out a few days ago and I’m still entranced by its bizarre concoctions and its domestic subject matter.
4. Jarvis Cocker — Further Complications
There isn’t really anyone else out there like Jarvis Cocker. Someone who combines nerdy sex appeal with witty lyrics and terrific pop hooks. He does it here just as well as he’s done it anywhere else. This is also the hardest rocking set of his career.
5. M.Ward — Hold Time
Have I still not reviewed this one yet? Wow, that’s lame. This is a great record from the AM-radio obsessed M.Ward. I’ll say more in my forthcoming review, I promise. UPDATE: Here’s my review.
6. Grizzly Bear — Veckatimest
One of my favorite records of this decade is Grizzly Bear’s Yellow House. I’m not convinced that this is as good as that record. This one is perhaps more meticulously crafted, but is more difficult to connect with emotionally. Still a fine record and a happy addition to this list. Review coming eventually.
7. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society — Infernal Machines
Is it big band music? Is it jazz? Is it punk? It’s all three and it’s terrific. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever listened to. Review coming eventually.
8. Aaron Strumpel — Elephants
The Psalms as they were meant to be played– full of desperation, wailing, and pain. A moving and startling record. Review coming eventually.
9. Dirty Projectors — Bitte Orca
I’m still getting into this one. I’m not in love with every song yet, but most of it is just plain wonderful. “Stillness is the Move” is in the running for my favorite song of the year. Review coming eventually.
10. P.O.S. — Never Better
Why didn’t anyone combine punk rock and hip-hop this well before now? This record is energetic and angry– so angry that I can’t listen to it every day. But if you’re in the mood for it, there’s just about nothing better to scratch that itch. Review coming eventually.
(NOTE: I’ve already heard Joe Henry’s Blood from Stars (released on Anti- on August 18) and were I to make this list based on what I’ve heard rather than release dates, that one would be #1 with a bullet. Just letting you know. Much more on that record in August.)
July 6, 2009 at 12:44 am |
[...] Gavin Breeden– who has named the album his favorite from the first half of 2009– highlights not just the record’s timeliness and its [...]
July 8, 2009 at 1:08 pm |
[...] writer to include the record on a “best music of the year so far” list on his blog, Tone Marrow Reviews. He adds, “Is it big band music? Is it jazz? Is it punk? It’s all three and it’s [...]