New Wave Outpost Forum

by **Frau_Blucher** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:10 pm

I'm very curious to see other peoples' lists this year for a few reasons. 1 - It's probably been my crazy-busiest year ever and I know I've likely missed some great stuff. 2 - I stopped participating on a music hub with some friends here and just didn't get the cross-polination. 3 - I'm wondering if that lack of cross-polination made our lists more interestingly divergent this year. 4 - It's likely the stuff I missed are the more obscure gems that I'd love to hear from others about. 5 - I have total insomnia right now and can't think of anything better to do than blather on about this topic, so apologies in advance.

For me, the year was about 3 incredible albums that were a cut above all the rest, 2 more real favorites that were a cut below, then about 18 more albums I really liked but can't really chose between and rank. And that number is indeed just 18 more. The OCD in me tried to make it a nice even top 25, but there's just nothing more there I'd put on. In fact, I'll make an Omissions list of 11 albums I wanted to put on at one time or another, but they simply ended up irking me after further listens. And in-between these two poles are probably another 25 albums that bear neither favorable mention nor scorn - lots of good stuff this year though.

My Top Three By Far:

1. The Horrors - Primary Colours - if this were still the age of vinyl, I'd be calling the first 5 or 6 tracks one of the greatest A-sides ever composed, and these don't even include a more well-known single on the last track of the album. One song after another, they just keep cranking things up to a dark and swirly 11. So dark and swirly in fact that this album actually had me listening more to MBV's Loveless as well. Primary Colours didn't fully catch immediately but kept climbing up the list - it just has great stickiness. Awesome lift of Jay & the Americans' "She Cried" lyrics on an uber-cool soliloquy halfway thru "Who Can Say"...

And when I told her I didn't love her anymore...she cried
And when I told her her kisses were not like before...she cried
And when I told her another girl had caught my eye...she cried
And then I kissed her...with a kiss that could only mean...goodbye

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2. The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning - I suppose it's an upset that the band I call my favorite in the world at this moment doesn't even have my vote for favorite album of the year. First, they're calling it a mini-album, but I don't know what the distinction is. It's a great fucking album. A really nice bit of power-trio post-punk. I suppose I'm inevitably elevating them by having seen them at a fantastic gig in Manchester and hung out afterwards (ahem), but I think people over here will have their eyes opened too on their first visit in early January. Well, at least the few people able to see their 4 small NYC gigs - highly recommended.

3. The Phantom Band - Checkmate Savage - In the beginning of the year, I didn't think anything could topple the incredible creativity of this album. There's still nothing else that sounds like it this year despite me saying they fuse elements of the Velvet Underground, Television, maybe a little Wire, and just a tiny dusting of Faust-like experimentalism. It took 3-4 listens to really get into it, and just like Fleet Foxes for me last year, it finally soaked in when I [i]wasn't[/i] intently listening to it. It was like a curtain was suddenly drawn while I was staring out an airplane window with my headphones on one night..."Holy shit, this stuff is good."

The Other Two:

4. Morton Valence - Bob and Veronica Ride Again - an album's album with a story that has a beginning, middle and end. Sweet duets. Another fresh difference from the pack.

5. Brakes - Touchdown - with no BSP album besides the Man of Aran soundtrack, this was the next best thing. It even has real 3-minute pop songs rather than just their more-typical quick alt-country outbursts.

The Best of the Rest:

Artic Monkeys - Humbug - good blend-in of Last Shadow Puppets style
Asteroid No. 4 - These Flowers of Ours… - retro flower power goodness
Fight Like Apes - And the Mystery of the Golden Medallion - ballsie...um...ballsey?
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - very mainstream but very tight, quality
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport - my top trippy experimental album
Howling Bells - Radio Wars - my Duke Spirit of 2009
I Was A King - I Was A King - could have been #6 on my list, need more listens
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young - surprise of the year, thought he was done
Maps - Turning the Mind - okay, this could be #6 on my list, great album
Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter - brilliant, when I need a change of pace
Sonic Youth - The Eternal - their most-accessible album IMHO
The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love - hard to describe, and that's good
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love - another album's album
The Mary Onettes - Islands - won't win any new fans but good enough for my list
The Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead - just snuck on the list as leader of a pack of trippy rockers
The Xx - The Xx - similar hard to describe category as Big Pink
White Lies - To Lose My Life - maybe it's Joy Division pastiche but it's still good
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! - It's Blitz!

Below are the Omissions - albums that really frustrated me for various reasons:

Metric - Fantasies - nothing new, very "Metric" I suppose but I kept thinking what's the point?
stellastarr* - Civilized - really wanted to like it, too many annoying vocals.
Japandroids - Post-Nothing - liked it at first, wanted to beat their heads in later.
Kasabian - The West Rider Pauper Lunatic Asylum - supposedly a return to 1st album form but couldn't get into it.
Antlers - Hospice - had a hard time choosing which swirly, experimental "Antlers" I liked more...
Crystal Antlers - Tentacles - ended up liking neither.
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns - I thought cool inventive female pop = respite from the indie boys but it bored after awhile.
Florence and the Machine - Lungs - See above.
La Roux - La Roux - I should like this but could never shed the feeling I was being fed something.
Little Boots - Hands - see above, two really good songs, too much other standard poptart fare.
Passion Pit - Manners - again, a bunch of new wavey elements I should like but just didn't click for me.

by **SwampThing** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:35 am

This is the first time in a long while that I spent most of the year listening to old music, for example, I went on a two month binge of listening to nothing but "Sad Lovers and Giants" and then there was a heavy rotation of "The Feelies".

I have a few for 2009 that were in heavy roation as well:

Deastro - Moondagger

Asobi Seksu - Hush

The XX - The XX

The Twighlight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead (One of my favorite bands over the last several years)

The Clean - Mister Pop

The Mary Onettes - Islands

White Rabbits - It's Frightening

We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls

Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper

Taken By Trees - East of Eden

The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You (I don't expect many in these parts would like this (see Fleet Foxes), but I'm digging 5 or 6 tracks off of this one)

by **coop41** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:50 am

I'm feeling pressured! [:D] Crazy Busy year for me too

1. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
2. The Boy Least Likely To - The Law Of The Playground
3. Built By Snow - Mega
4. The Thermals - Now We Can See
5. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight:Franz Ferdinand
6. White Lies - To Lose My Life
7. Wild Light - Adult Nights
8. The Big Pink - The Big Pink
9. Canadian Invasion - Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand
10. Bishop Allen - Grrr

Honorable Mention:
Marcy Playground - Leaving Wonderland...In A Fit Of Rage
Matt & Kim - Grand
Weezer - Raditude
Japandroids - Post Nothing
Brand New - Daisy
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Fake Problems- It's Great To Be Alive

by **Frau_Blucher** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:19 pm

I like these. I remember saying I kept missing Jetpacks at SXSW earlier this year and just kept on missing their album the rest of the year - will have to check it out. Not even familiar with Deastro.

Surprising pick of Phoenix at #1 Coop. Are you going soft on me? Good album for sure. Fell into my pack of pleasant-enough. Couple of great singles for sure. Off to track down a few more leads. [:p]

by **Otters Walk Among Us** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:33 pm

Well, I just didn't buy as many new albums this year as usual, so I'll have to check out some of your selections.

Here's all of the 2009 purchases that weren't reissues:

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
Bricolage - Bricolage
Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
The Clean - Mister Pop
The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath
Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
For Against - Never Been
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Girls - Album
Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 - Goodnight Oslo
The Juan MacLean - The Future Will Come
The Mary Onettes - Islands
Maximo Park - Quicken the Heart
Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Bob Mould - Life and Times
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - self-titled
Pet Shop Boys - Yes
Saint Etienne - Foxbase Beta (doesn't really count as new, but what the hell)
Summer Cats - Songs for Tuesdays
Super Furry Animals - Dark Days / Light Years
Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong

No single album stands out as significantly better than all the others, but Jarvis Cocker and Girls both make me very happy.

by **Frau_Blucher** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:36 pm

[quote][i]Originally posted by Otters Walk Among Us[/i]
 Saint Etienne - Foxbase Beta (doesn't really count as new, but what the hell)
[/quote]
It counts! And it was a great pleasure to see Saint Etienne this year on Foxbase Alpha/Beta night. [:p]

Another album that might not fully count is the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Was-Night-Various-Artists/dp/B001KVW574/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1260880514&sr=8-1">Dark Was The Night compilation</a> - a really nice 2CD indie comp with great bang for the buck.

I'll also add that the Maps album that came out in late October is growing on me by the minute. I likely should have placed it in my top five. One of the tracks, "Let Go Of The Fear" feels just like 1990 all over again, except with a mix of Strangler's-like vocals, a la "All Roads Lead To Rome" or something. Rave-aliscious...but at other times almost a bit Vangelis too on other tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzMegUmfVSY

by **coop41** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:09 pm

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
 

Surprising pick of Phoenix at #1 Coop. Are you going soft on me? Good album for sure. Fell into my pack of pleasant-enough. Couple of great singles for sure. Off to track down a few more leads. [:p]
[/quote]

It was that or Lady Gaga.
Nothing great this year on the CD front but I thought it was a killer year for singles.

by **schwenko** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:41 am

[quote][i]Originally posted by coop41[/i]
 [quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
 

Surprising pick of Phoenix at #1 Coop. Are you going soft on me? Good album for sure. Fell into my pack of pleasant-enough. Couple of great singles for sure. Off to track down a few more leads. [:p]
[/quote]

It was that or Lady Gaga.
Nothing great this year on the CD front but I thought it was a killer year for singles.
[/quote] That car commercial tune is fab- seriously

by **Quite Life** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:20 pm

A lot of great picks a lot of these bands I was fortunate enough to see.

Here is a band that caught my ears this fall from Philly a band called Cold Cave w/ thier album Love Comes Close

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Please visit me @ http://www.myspace.com/thequake_kqak_fm99

by **Bitter Almonds** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:47 am

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Nuwavghost/51MnMvf2XoL_SL500_AA280_.jpg">

I really liked Melpo Mene's album [i]Bring Out The Lions[/i] for about a week. Then, I went back to listening to the Korean Electronic Indie Pop...

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Nuwavghost/cracker.jpg">

Here's some stuff I got recently that I've been playing ad nauseam:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Nuwavghost/5159DDD0E4L_SL500_AA240_.jpg">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Nuwavghost/l_p1020461207.jpg">

________________________
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Nuwavghost/dij.gif">

by **MARV** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:43 am

[quote][i]Originally posted by schwenko[/i]
 [quote][i]Originally posted by coop41[/i]
 [quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
 

Surprising pick of Phoenix at #1 Coop. Are you going soft on me? Good album for sure. Fell into my pack of pleasant-enough. Couple of great singles for sure. Off to track down a few more leads. [:p]
[/quote]

It was that or Lady Gaga.
Nothing great this year on the CD front but I thought it was a killer year for singles.
[/quote] That car commercial tune is fab- seriously
[/quote]

What, this one?

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GhlCHMWXuis&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GhlCHMWXuis&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Seriously, yeah, the Phoenix tune is very cool in that commercial.

<a href="http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/marvymarv/?action=view¤t=tick.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/marvymarv/tick.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

by **popreactor** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:09 pm

1. Editors- In This Light and on This Evening
2. Music Go Music- Expressions
3. Echo and the Bunnymen- The Fountain
4. Metric- Fantasies
5. Mando Diao- Give Me Fire!
6. Little Boots- Hands
7. Kasabian- West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
8. White Lies -To Lose My Life
9. Marc Almond- Orpheus In Exile - The Songs Of Vadim Kozin
10. a-ha- Foot of the Mountain
11. Papercuts- You Can Have What You Want
12. Neon Indian- Psychic Chasms
13. Bat for Lashes- Two Suns
14. Swan Lake- Enemy Mine
15. The Mary Onettes- Islands
16. Pet Shop Boys- Yes
17. Camera Obscura- My Maudlin Career
18. Florence and The Machine- Lungs
19. The Church- Untitled #23
20. Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
21. Handsome Furs- Face Control
22. Depeche Mode- Sounds of the Universe
23. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
24. The xx- XX
25. Röyksop- Junior

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by **SwampThing** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:19 am

More best of 2009...

http://www.lala.com/#content/2009YearEnd

http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2009.shtml#topten

Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective made it on most of the critics lists.

by **shred** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:31 am

^^

I didn't see The Boxer Rebellion's "Union" on any of these lists. What a sad bunch of cunt balls.

I'm a little shocked at the amount of love The xx is getting. It's like 2nd rate Interpol with a dash of Chris Isaak and mediocre singing.

Whatever... bunch of clueless hipsters with an agenda.

by **MikeP** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:05 am

Yes, I'm still here![:0]

Still working on the big decade round-up but album-wise:

1. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - S/T
2. Miike Snow - S/T
3. Jack Peñate - Everything Is New
4. The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath
5. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
6. Bell X1 - Blue Lights on the Runway
7. The Mary Onettes - Islands
8. The Boxer Rebellion - Union
9. Fanfarlo - Reservoir
10. Howling Bells - Radio Wars
11. Deastro - Moondagger
12. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
13. Headless Heroes - The Silence of Love
14. Telekinesis - S/T
15. The Bird and The Bee - Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
16. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
17. Tiga - Ciao!
18. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
19. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
20. Doves - Kingdom of Rust
21. Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement
22. Röyksopp - Junior
23. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
24. The Church - Untitled #23
25. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
26. The Dodos - Time to Die
27. A Fine Frenzy - Bomb in a Birdcage
28. Sally Shapiro - Looking at the Stars
29. Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
30. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
31. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Fountain

Technically 2008 but worth mentioning:
Asteroid No. 4 - These Flowers of Ours
Glasvegas - S/T

Disappointments:
Air - Love 2
Kasabian - The West Rider Pauper Lunatic Asylum
U2 - No Line on the Horizon
Tinted Windows - S/T

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