The Passion Pit choice was a good one, though, as I didn't have it until a couple of weeks ago. Thoroughly loving it now, and wondering why I didn't get it sooner.
The one I'm missing is St. Vincent. Something about it just doesn't do it for me, can't really explain it.
20. Moderat - Moderat (BPitch Control)
19. Peverelist - Jarvik Mindstate (Punch Drunk)
18. Black Jazz Consortium - Structure (Soul People Music)
17. Brock Van Wey - White Clouds Drift On And On (echospace detroit)
16. Ben Frost - By the Throat (Bedroom Community)
15. Dinky - Anemik (Wagon Repair)
14. Lawrence - Until Then, Goodbye (Mule Electronic)
13. Black Meteoric Star - Black Meteoric Star (DFA Records)
12. The Field - Yesterday And Today (Kompakt)
11. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport (ATP Recordings)
10. 2562 - Unbalance (Tectonic Recordings)
09. Redshape - The Dance Paradox (Delsin)
08. Ben Klock - One (Ostgut Ton)
07. Matias Aguayo - Ay Ay Ay (Kompakt)
06. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
05. Shackleton - Three EPs (Perlon)
04. Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Vertical Ascent (Honest Jon's Records)
03. Martyn - Great Lengths (3024)
02. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Rabid Records)
01. DJ Sprinkles - Midtown 120 Blues (Mule Musiq)
Based on it and some other recommendations, I hunted-down an MP3 copy of Midtown 120 Blues. It is amazing, but if you hate house music or cultural critiques dressed-up as a dance album, I suppose it won't be for your ears.
RA is great. It focuses on genres that interest me only somewhat (electronic and dance), but the writing is very good and they have excellent taste (at least within that section of electronic and dance music that I like).
BTW, former Stylus EIC and eMusic contributor, Todd Burns, is the RA's editor.
Another v. interesting top 40 list is from FACT Magazine. Their Top 20:
1 The XX -- xx
2 Telepathe -- Dance Mother
3 Omar-S -- Fabric 45
4 Cold Cave -- Love Comes Close
5 Discovery -- LP
6 Circlesquare -- Songs About Dancing & Drugs
7 Zomby -- One Foot Ahead Of The Other
8 Bat For Lashes -- Two Suns
9 Jim O'Rourke -- The Visitor
10 Micachu -- Jewellery
11 Leyland Kirby -- Sadly The Future Is No Longer What Is Was
12 Martyn -- Great Lengths
13 Animal Collective -- Merriweather Post Pavilion
14 Desire -- II
15 Blank Dogs -- Under & Under
16 Shackleton -- Three EPs
17 DJ Sprinkles -- Midtown 120 Blues
18 Dirty Projectors -- Bitte Orca
19 10-20 -- 10-20
20 Ducktails -- Ducktails
Here's the link for the fRoots list if you want to read the discussion about it.
And here's the fRoots Reissues and Compilations list (lots of Soundway):
1. Various Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People (Topic)
2. Franco & Le TPOK Jazz Francophonic Vol. 2 (Sterns)
3. Various Panama! 2 (Soundway)
4. Various Legends Of Benin (Analog Africa)
5. Chris Wood Albion (RUF)
6. Woody Guthrie My Dusty Road (Rounder)
The Next 10:
7. Peter Bellamy Both Sides Then (Topic)
8=Richard Thompson Walking On A Wire (Shout Factory)
Various Ghana Special (Soundway)
10. Various Tumbélé! Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds From The French Caribbean 1963-74 (Soundway)
11. Scan Tester I Never Played To Many Posh Dances (Topic)
12=Mulatu Astatke New York Addis London: The Story Of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (Strut)
Dr Strangely Strange Kip Of The Serenes (Hux)
Edward II Definitive Collection (E2)
Davy Graham A Scholar And A Gentleman (Decca)
Cheb Khaled Rebel Of Rai (The Early Years) (Nascente)
Various Zanzibara 5: Hot In Dar 1978- 1983 (Buda)
Agree with you there; I love love love the Advisory Circle, and everything from Ghost Box (there's unfortunately only four up on emu so far) is album priced and benefits from that. Sooner or later I will be getting more.
If you like Ghost Box, check out The Caretaker (a.k.a. v/Vm, Leyland Kirby) too; some free stuff is available at his site; I wish emu, or any U.S. digital carrier for that matter, had more of his stuff.
I did pick up the Broadcast/Focus group last night, and it's very very good.
Thanks for posting Wire's top 50. Their list didn't look available to non-subscribers so appreciate that you transcribed it. From the list, I found that two Position Normal albums are available on Amie and currently free. Sounds like the lighter, funner side of Nurse With Wound.
@Daniel - anything from Ghost Box that's on eMu? (I also really like The Advisory Circle album).
Yeah, that Advisory Circle disc is trippy and awesome. Including the Advisory Circle disc, there's only four Ghost Box titles on eMusic. The label compilation disc, Ritual & Education, was one of my very favorite discs of the year. Check out, for instance, the disquieting, trippy pop vibe of The Focus Group's Sundial, the bendy synths of The Advisory Circle's The Black Drop and the eerie, ominous violin and cello that rumbles through Mt. Vernon Arts Lab's The Black Drop.
I also love Roj's poorly-titled The Transactional Dharma of Roj. It has that very British feel, but in a cobbled-together, druggy way. Odd sounds and vocal samples float through the loosely-constructed collages.
I like this genre of sound collages, but I know it isn't for everyone. My favorite act from this genre is The Books, but The Advisory Group and the other Ghost Box acts aren't far behind.
Took me awhile, but I decided on my favorite albums of 2009. In alphabetical order (because ranking is too difficult):
The Antlers | Hospice
The Avett Brothers | I and Love and You
The Daredevil Christopher Wright | The Daredevil Christopher Wright
Dirty Projectors | Bitte Orca
Goldfinch | Goldfinch
Ola Podrida | Belly of the Lion
J. Tillman | Year in the Kingdom
Joshua James | Build Me This
The Maldives | Listen to the Thunder
Passion Pit | Manners
Buddy & Julie Miller | Written in Chalk
The Low Anthem | Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca: Beautiful pop harmonies and sparse arrangements mixed with sudden tempo changes to create a truly original and enjoyable sound.
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers: Dark lyrics and interplay between two very different vocalists come together for a fascinating album.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix: Great hooks, an uptempo pace, and unusual instrumentation. Simply put this is indie pop at its best.
The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love: An original mixture of sixties pop and shoegaze. The future of stadium rock.
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion: Cant say anything about this that hasnt already been said far better.
Matt & Kim Grand: Highly underrated rock album focused on the freedom of youth.
The xx - The xx: Gorgeous duets between lovers with an R&B feel.
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast: A truly amazing musician, both with his violin and whistling (among other instruments).
Metric - Fantasies: An album of singles. Every single song on this album is great.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Easily the best of the "lo-fi" movement this year. I look forward to watching them develop.
Another twang-centric one from a country mailing list I'm on. I personally am a bit surprised the Buddy and Julie figured so highly in a lot of twang lists, I mean Buddy and Julie are sublime doing anything but still I thought this effort was pretty uninspiring.
1. Buddy and Julie Miller - Written in Chalk - 146 points
2. Son Volt - American Central Dust 117.5
3. Patty Loveless - Mountain Soul II- 107.5
4, John Doe and the Sadies - Country Club - 88
5. Tom Russell - Blood and Smoke - 86.5
6. Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women - 85.5
7. Dave Rawlings - Friend of a Friend - 81.5
8. Slaid Cleaves -Everything You Love Will be Taken Away - 80
9. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone - 79.5
10.Guy Clark - Sometimes the Song Writes You -72.5
11. Flatlanders - Hills and Valleys - 60.5
12. Avett Bros -I and Love and You- 59.5
13. Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears -Tell Em What Your Name Is 59
13. Justin Towne Earle - Midnight at the Movies-59
15. Man of Somebody's Dreams - Chris Gaffney tribute - 55.5
16. Levon Helm - Electric Dirt - 55
17. Steve Earle - Townes - 54.5
18. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day - 52.5
19. Eileen Jewell -Sea of Tears- 50
20. Paul Burch - Still Your Man - 48
21. Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring -47.5
22. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast - 45
23. Todd Snider - Excitement Plan - 44
23. Gurf Morlix - Last Exit to Happyland - 44
25. Sarah Borges = The Stars Are Out - 43.5
26. Sam Baker - Cotton - 42
27. Bottle Rockets Lean Forward- 39
27. Raul Malo - Lucky One - 39
29. Allan Toussaint - Bright Mississippi - 38
30. Drive By Truckers- The Fine Print -36.5
30. Miranda Lambert - Revolution 36.5
32. U2 -No Line on the Horizon- 36
32. Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done My Brother - 36
34. Booker T. - Potato Hole - 35
35. Leonard Cohen - Live in London - 33
36. Gretchen Peters - one to the heart, one to the head- 31
37. Brad Paisley - All American Saturday Night - 30.5
37. John Fogerty - Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again - 30.5
39. Chris Knight - Trailer II -29
39. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm-29
39. Robert Earl Keen - Rose Hotel -29
42. Tripwire -House to House - 27.5
42. Eric Brace and Peter cooper - You Don't Have to Like Them Both-27.5
42. Gourds -Haymaker-27.5
45. Holsapple and Stamey -Hear and Now-27
45. Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky - 27
47. Camera Obscura -My Maudlin Career-27
48. Willie and the Wheel -25
49. Los Lobos - Los Lobos Does Disney - 24
50. James Hand - Shadow on the Ground -21.5
51. Loudon Wainwright - High Wide and Handsome -21
51. Danny Barnes - Pizza Box-21
51. Black John - Soul of Black John- 21
51. Richmond Fontaine -We Used to think the freeway sounded like a river-21
51. Sam Bush- Circles Around Me- -21
56. Lyle Lovett -Natural Forces -20
57. Keep the Faith - Doug Sahm Tribute - 19.5
57. Brigitte Demeyer -Red River Flower-19.5
57. Roseanne Cash - The List - 19.5
57. Bill Callahan -Sometimes I Wish We Were Eagles-19.5
61. Radney Foster-Revival -17.5
62. Scott Miller -For Crying Out Loud -16.5
63. Kris Kristofferson - Close to the Bone -15.5
63. Corb Lund-Losin Lateley Gambler- 15.5
65. Bob Dylan - Together Through Life -15
65. Beausoleil - Alligator Purse 15
65. Gary Louris and Mark Olson- Ready for the Flood -15
68. Norah Jones - The Fall 14
69. Lee Fields -My World -13.5
69. Scott Biram -Somethings wrong/Lost Forever - 13.5
71. Elvis Costello -Secret, Profane and sugarcane- 12.5
Is this the place where we're putting our own Top 10s for the year? I'll do that! FWIW, my No. 1 is a non-eMusic disc (DJ Sprinkles' Midtown 120 Blues).
Thanks for sharing your list BN. I'm edging my way into electronic, mostly on using this board, some reviews, and trial and error. I keep looking at Tummaa and may get over the 12 track price.
Comments
I have 4 total. It should be easy enough to guess the one I had in the top 10.
I'm only missing one of the 9 from today. Sigh.
amclark...Animal Collective?
Craig
Strike Two!
Strike Three! You're out!
The Passion Pit choice was a good one, though, as I didn't have it until a couple of weeks ago. Thoroughly loving it now, and wondering why I didn't get it sooner.
The one I'm missing is St. Vincent. Something about it just doesn't do it for me, can't really explain it.
Craig
Resident Advisor -- Top 20 Albums
20. Moderat - Moderat (BPitch Control)
19. Peverelist - Jarvik Mindstate (Punch Drunk)
18. Black Jazz Consortium - Structure (Soul People Music)
17. Brock Van Wey - White Clouds Drift On And On (echospace detroit)
16. Ben Frost - By the Throat (Bedroom Community)
15. Dinky - Anemik (Wagon Repair)
14. Lawrence - Until Then, Goodbye (Mule Electronic)
13. Black Meteoric Star - Black Meteoric Star (DFA Records)
12. The Field - Yesterday And Today (Kompakt)
11. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport (ATP Recordings)
10. 2562 - Unbalance (Tectonic Recordings)
09. Redshape - The Dance Paradox (Delsin)
08. Ben Klock - One (Ostgut Ton)
07. Matias Aguayo - Ay Ay Ay (Kompakt)
06. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
05. Shackleton - Three EPs (Perlon)
04. Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Vertical Ascent (Honest Jon's Records)
03. Martyn - Great Lengths (3024)
02. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Rabid Records)
01. DJ Sprinkles - Midtown 120 Blues (Mule Musiq)
Based on it and some other recommendations, I hunted-down an MP3 copy of Midtown 120 Blues. It is amazing, but if you hate house music or cultural critiques dressed-up as a dance album, I suppose it won't be for your ears.
I got my copy from Juno Downloads, btw.
BTW, former Stylus EIC and eMusic contributor, Todd Burns, is the RA's editor.
Another v. interesting top 40 list is from FACT Magazine. Their Top 20:
1 The XX -- xx
2 Telepathe -- Dance Mother
3 Omar-S -- Fabric 45
4 Cold Cave -- Love Comes Close
5 Discovery -- LP
6 Circlesquare -- Songs About Dancing & Drugs
7 Zomby -- One Foot Ahead Of The Other
8 Bat For Lashes -- Two Suns
9 Jim O'Rourke -- The Visitor
10 Micachu -- Jewellery
11 Leyland Kirby -- Sadly The Future Is No Longer What Is Was
12 Martyn -- Great Lengths
13 Animal Collective -- Merriweather Post Pavilion
14 Desire -- II
15 Blank Dogs -- Under & Under
16 Shackleton -- Three EPs
17 DJ Sprinkles -- Midtown 120 Blues
18 Dirty Projectors -- Bitte Orca
19 10-20 -- 10-20
20 Ducktails -- Ducktails
For world music, here is the froots list (used to be folkroots):
New Albums Of 2009 winners
1. Staff Benda Bilili Tr
And here's the fRoots Reissues and Compilations list (lots of Soundway):
1. Various Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People (Topic)
2. Franco & Le TPOK Jazz Francophonic Vol. 2 (Sterns)
3. Various Panama! 2 (Soundway)
4. Various Legends Of Benin (Analog Africa)
5. Chris Wood Albion (RUF)
6. Woody Guthrie My Dusty Road (Rounder)
The Next 10:
7. Peter Bellamy Both Sides Then (Topic)
8=Richard Thompson Walking On A Wire (Shout Factory)
Various Ghana Special (Soundway)
10. Various Tumbélé! Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds From The French Caribbean 1963-74 (Soundway)
11. Scan Tester I Never Played To Many Posh Dances (Topic)
12=Mulatu Astatke New York Addis London: The Story Of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (Strut)
Dr Strangely Strange Kip Of The Serenes (Hux)
Edward II Definitive Collection (E2)
Davy Graham A Scholar And A Gentleman (Decca)
Cheb Khaled Rebel Of Rai (The Early Years) (Nascente)
Various Zanzibara 5: Hot In Dar 1978- 1983 (Buda)
I'm definitely going to pick up that Broadcast/Focus Group - which is oddly enough cheapest at itunes.
BTW, I totally recommend more stuff from the Ghost Box label. Spooky and trippy sound collages.
If you like Ghost Box, check out The Caretaker (a.k.a. v/Vm, Leyland Kirby) too; some free stuff is available at his site; I wish emu, or any U.S. digital carrier for that matter, had more of his stuff.
I did pick up the Broadcast/Focus group last night, and it's very very good.
Thanks for pointing them out hoosfoos!
Craig
@Daniel - anything from Ghost Box that's on eMu? (I also really like The Advisory Circle album).
Yeah, that Advisory Circle disc is trippy and awesome. Including the Advisory Circle disc, there's only four Ghost Box titles on eMusic. The label compilation disc, Ritual & Education, was one of my very favorite discs of the year. Check out, for instance, the disquieting, trippy pop vibe of The Focus Group's Sundial, the bendy synths of The Advisory Circle's The Black Drop and the eerie, ominous violin and cello that rumbles through Mt. Vernon Arts Lab's The Black Drop.
I also love Roj's poorly-titled The Transactional Dharma of Roj. It has that very British feel, but in a cobbled-together, druggy way. Odd sounds and vocal samples float through the loosely-constructed collages.
I like this genre of sound collages, but I know it isn't for everyone. My favorite act from this genre is The Books, but The Advisory Group and the other Ghost Box acts aren't far behind.
The Antlers | Hospice
The Avett Brothers | I and Love and You
The Daredevil Christopher Wright | The Daredevil Christopher Wright
Dirty Projectors | Bitte Orca
Goldfinch | Goldfinch
Ola Podrida | Belly of the Lion
J. Tillman | Year in the Kingdom
Joshua James | Build Me This
The Maldives | Listen to the Thunder
Passion Pit | Manners
Buddy & Julie Miller | Written in Chalk
The Low Anthem | Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca: Beautiful pop harmonies and sparse arrangements mixed with sudden tempo changes to create a truly original and enjoyable sound.
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers: Dark lyrics and interplay between two very different vocalists come together for a fascinating album.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix: Great hooks, an uptempo pace, and unusual instrumentation. Simply put this is indie pop at its best.
The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love: An original mixture of sixties pop and shoegaze. The future of stadium rock.
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion: Cant say anything about this that hasnt already been said far better.
Matt & Kim Grand: Highly underrated rock album focused on the freedom of youth.
The xx - The xx: Gorgeous duets between lovers with an R&B feel.
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast: A truly amazing musician, both with his violin and whistling (among other instruments).
Metric - Fantasies: An album of singles. Every single song on this album is great.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Easily the best of the "lo-fi" movement this year. I look forward to watching them develop.
Craig
2009 Readers Poll - The Results
- Interesting reading.
1. Buddy and Julie Miller - Written in Chalk - 146 points
2. Son Volt - American Central Dust 117.5
3. Patty Loveless - Mountain Soul II- 107.5
4, John Doe and the Sadies - Country Club - 88
5. Tom Russell - Blood and Smoke - 86.5
6. Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women - 85.5
7. Dave Rawlings - Friend of a Friend - 81.5
8. Slaid Cleaves -Everything You Love Will be Taken Away - 80
9. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone - 79.5
10.Guy Clark - Sometimes the Song Writes You -72.5
11. Flatlanders - Hills and Valleys - 60.5
12. Avett Bros -I and Love and You- 59.5
13. Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears -Tell Em What Your Name Is 59
13. Justin Towne Earle - Midnight at the Movies-59
15. Man of Somebody's Dreams - Chris Gaffney tribute - 55.5
16. Levon Helm - Electric Dirt - 55
17. Steve Earle - Townes - 54.5
18. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day - 52.5
19. Eileen Jewell -Sea of Tears- 50
20. Paul Burch - Still Your Man - 48
21. Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring -47.5
22. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast - 45
23. Todd Snider - Excitement Plan - 44
23. Gurf Morlix - Last Exit to Happyland - 44
25. Sarah Borges = The Stars Are Out - 43.5
26. Sam Baker - Cotton - 42
27. Bottle Rockets Lean Forward- 39
27. Raul Malo - Lucky One - 39
29. Allan Toussaint - Bright Mississippi - 38
30. Drive By Truckers- The Fine Print -36.5
30. Miranda Lambert - Revolution 36.5
32. U2 -No Line on the Horizon- 36
32. Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done My Brother - 36
34. Booker T. - Potato Hole - 35
35. Leonard Cohen - Live in London - 33
36. Gretchen Peters - one to the heart, one to the head- 31
37. Brad Paisley - All American Saturday Night - 30.5
37. John Fogerty - Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again - 30.5
39. Chris Knight - Trailer II -29
39. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm-29
39. Robert Earl Keen - Rose Hotel -29
42. Tripwire -House to House - 27.5
42. Eric Brace and Peter cooper - You Don't Have to Like Them Both-27.5
42. Gourds -Haymaker-27.5
45. Holsapple and Stamey -Hear and Now-27
45. Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky - 27
47. Camera Obscura -My Maudlin Career-27
48. Willie and the Wheel -25
49. Los Lobos - Los Lobos Does Disney - 24
50. James Hand - Shadow on the Ground -21.5
51. Loudon Wainwright - High Wide and Handsome -21
51. Danny Barnes - Pizza Box-21
51. Black John - Soul of Black John- 21
51. Richmond Fontaine -We Used to think the freeway sounded like a river-21
51. Sam Bush- Circles Around Me- -21
56. Lyle Lovett -Natural Forces -20
57. Keep the Faith - Doug Sahm Tribute - 19.5
57. Brigitte Demeyer -Red River Flower-19.5
57. Roseanne Cash - The List - 19.5
57. Bill Callahan -Sometimes I Wish We Were Eagles-19.5
61. Radney Foster-Revival -17.5
62. Scott Miller -For Crying Out Loud -16.5
63. Kris Kristofferson - Close to the Bone -15.5
63. Corb Lund-Losin Lateley Gambler- 15.5
65. Bob Dylan - Together Through Life -15
65. Beausoleil - Alligator Purse 15
65. Gary Louris and Mark Olson- Ready for the Flood -15
68. Norah Jones - The Fall 14
69. Lee Fields -My World -13.5
69. Scott Biram -Somethings wrong/Lost Forever - 13.5
71. Elvis Costello -Secret, Profane and sugarcane- 12.5
- And my very own list of eMu dl's in no particular order:
* Be Still Life by 400 Lonely Things
* Investigate Witch Cults Of The Radio Age by Broadcast And The Focus Group
* Eternal Interlude by John Hollenbeck
* Lonely In The Shallows by Konntinent
* Supersilent 9 by Supersilent
* Grønland by O'Leary Pasborg Riis
* Mass by Spring Heel Jack
* Tummaa by Vladislav Delay
* Engaged Touches by Celer
* Continuation by Alex Cline
* Coward by Nels Cline
* Beeing Dufay by Ambrose Field & John Potter
* Passagenweg by Pierre-yves Macé
* Iridescence by Hildur Gudnadottir
* Infernal Machines by Darcy James Argue's Secret Society
* Water-coulours of the Sea I-XXI & Illustrations by Else Marie Pade
* The Way Things Are by Examples Of Twelves
I've probably forgotten some, but this is how it turned out.
And I'm anxiously awaiting emu's revised best of the decade and best of the year lists now with Anti and Warner.