Dec
27
Favorite Albums of 2009 Part 2
Filed Under Album Picks, The Lists | 7 Comments
Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
This band has become one of my favorite bands… Their 2nd full length album has taken my breath away and brought tears to my eyes on more then one occasion. Their debut album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down was one of my favorite albums of last year and it is still on constant rotation. I was a little hesitant to put, First Days of Spring on my favorite list because of the two instrumental tracks on the album… Not sure of the purpose, even when listening to the album from front to back it just pulls me right out of the album. Aside from those 2 tracks it is an album that I never want to end.
mp3:Â Â First Days of Spring (explicit lyrics)
Florence + The Machine – Lungs
This album is something magical indeed… Another debut album that contains some of the songs from their EP but uncovers so much more to this UK band. The vocals of Florence Welch howl throughout the entire album with big drum rhythms to carry it all along. Lungs is brilliant, epic and dense and leaves me wondering what the hell is next?
mp3:Â Â Cosmic Love
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
I think this comes as no surprise, the album is brilliant. I was not a fan of their 2006 album Yellow House but I felt like this album had a more distinct direction. Most of all their music has progressed, their music is something I will compare other indie rock experimental music to in the future and that is a pretty high honor. From beginning to end this album is filled with amazing highs and some delicate dark lows. I love every moment.
mp3:Â Two Weeks
We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls
Soaring guitar driven indie rock and the lead singer Adam Thompson belting out lyrics with his delicious Scottish accent. Yes please! I love this album, it was a huge surprise and it has become one of my most listened to albums of 2009. Great driving music, great indie rock. Can’t wait to see them live in February.
mp3:Â It’s Thunder And It’s Lightning
This concludes my favorite albums of 2009… A short list this year but I do have an honorable mention list in the works. I wanted to say thank you for sharing another year of music with me and I look forward to 2010. xx
Dec
22
Favorite Albums Of 2009 Part 1
Filed Under Album Picks, The Lists | 6 Comments
Other Lives – Other Lives
Other Lives took my breath away with their debut self titled album. A big harmonization of sounds… Combining folk, indie rock and classical string arrangements to create an original and beautiful sound. Other Lives has swiftly become one of my favorite new bands that I have found myself recommending time and time again.
mp3:Â Don’t Let Them
The xx – xx
An indie pop band hailing from London and knocking our socks off with a debut album that has certainly been on constant rotation in my car, at work and at home. I love the sleek, sexy synthesizing pop.
mp3:Â Shelter
The Leisure Society – The Sleeper
Yet another UK band, and now that I think of it they are not the last one. The Leisure Society is an indie folk band with just a dash of pop. Poetic lyrics and gorgeous melodies fill this album. If you enjoy Grizzly Bear, I think you may be in favor of The Leisure Society.
mp3:Â The Sleeper
The Decemberists– Hazards Of Love
I really went back and forth on this album… It usually takes me quite some time to really get into one of their albums. There are so many different layers to their music, they mesh so many different genres into their own unique sound. I was driving home the other day and The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned) shuffled on and I was completely lost in it. This album proves once again that The Decemberists are one of the most creative and profound groups of their indie folk-rock genre and possibly of this generation.
mp3:Â Â Hazards Of Love 2 (Wager All)