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Again has the time risen when all self respecting music journalists (and occasional amateurs) draw up their top lists of the year 2009. As a burgeoning bloggist (?), I also set as my task to list my favourite albums of 2009, just like I did last year. The top 5 was actually pretty obvious for me, but otherwise, I have tried to carefully consider the positions from 6-10. Some of the records bubbling under might have made the top list if I would have had the chance and interest to listen to them more. I leave more accurate, inclusive and sophisticated top lists to be done by professionals. Surely there are lots of gems I didn't have the chance to find, please feel free to inform me about these. Nevertheless, this is my humble personal opinion of a pretty good music year 2009.

Because of the end of the decade there are also lists of the best records made in the 2000's (eg. Rolling Stone). I believe it’s too difficult a task to make a list of the best albums of the first decade of the millennium. At least yet. I belive the significance of a record is discovered only in time and a list of the best albums of the decade would perhaps be worthwile say in 5-10 years or so. Also, as the world of music is such a fragmented one nowadays, I doubt that any magazine or journalist could ever do an inclusive list of the best music made in the 00’s. Perhaps a good thing to keep in mind reading any list of best new records.

Spotify playlist from artists available: My top Albums 2009

1) Mount Eerie – Wind’s Dark Poem

In the end this was quite an easy choice for me. One of my most listened albums of the year, works especially in the morning. This is a beautiful but strange mix of ambient wind sound scrapes blended with experimental folk with slight metal influences. Not an easy one in any way, but a true grower. Took me a while to get into this modern masterpiece. Glad I did.
Check out: Wind’s Dark Poem, Through the Trees

2) Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport

If the first album took me a while to get into, this one struck me right away. It’s one of those experimental but still enjoyably lifting electronic albums best enjoyed while lying on a sofa with your feet up reading a good book. Managed also to see them live in October at Kuudes linja. Was well worth it.
Check Out: Surf Solar, Olympians

3) The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World to Come

The new album from my favourite band whose last album I ranked as number one on my last year list. I was a bit scared first of the biblical concept and all that, but you can hardly call this Christian rock. The album is an absolutely beautiful, although quite a dark one. Not the easiest album made by John Darnielle but worth an effort. I sometimes use this as sleep music, which I guess indicates the serenity of the sound of piano present in most of the songs.
Check out: Genesis 30:3, Psalms 40:2

Also should note that The Mountain Goats made an absolutely brilliant Ep in collaboration with John Vanderslice about organ harvesting colonies on the moon. I didn’t want to include an Ep on the list but if I would have, this one would have deffo been in my top 5. Highly recommended also.

4) The xx – xx

One of the most hyped artists of the year in the music media. IMO for a perfectly good reason. Atmospheric and calm indie rock, best enjoyed late at night. ‘Nuff said.
Check out: Crystalized, Islands

5) Frank Turner – The Poetry of the Deed

Mr Turner is one of my current favourite artists who I had the utmost pleasure to see two times live this year. A charismatic stage performer who also has a history degree from LSE. This is his third solo album after the breakdown of the hard core punk band Million Dead. Also arguably his best one so far. There might not be as much stand out tracks as in his first efforts but the work is much more consistent. So it’s quite a rewarding one after some listens. I do believe Turner could do better but as such, this is a great folk punk effort from Frankie and one of my most listened albums also this year. When I grow up I wanna be just like Frank Turner.
Check out: Dan’s Song, Live Fast Die Old

6) Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle

Bill Callahan is better known recording under the name ’Smog’. Follows the same foot prints with this work released under his own name. The album is top notch lo-fi singer-songwriter material which is hard not to enjoy although the songs do have quite dark themes.
Check out: Too Many Birds, Jim Cain

7) Dinosaur Jr. – Farm

They have been recording since the 1980’s but their new album was, for me, an introduction to this great band. The album is solid as steel, I’d call it great alternative rock with a slightly nostalgic sound of the early 1990’s.
Check out: Pieces, Plans

8) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

One of the most catchiest albums of the year from the well-known French band. Not much bad to say about this. It’s perfect pop music for a sunny day.
Check out: 1901, Lisztomania

9) Regina Spektor – Far

Although an established artist for some years already, I hadn’t listened to her before her new album. Has recieved a bit mixed reviews, but for me this was among the most enjoyable listens of the year. Cheerfull, playfull, not too serious but, nevertheless, ambitious enough not to be taken lightly.
Check out: The Calculation, Blue Lips

10) The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love

Also a well-hyped new comer. Atmospheric shoegaze indie rock with influences of noise rock. A great debut album that includes great stand-out single tracks. Managed to see them at Flow Festival, they had the unfortunate task to perform at the same time as Lily Allen (not hard to guess which one drew the crowds). One of the most interesting debutants of the year I would say.
Check out: Crystal Visions, Velvet


Bubbling under:

Here are some albums in no specific order that could have made or were close in making the list. Some I came up too late, some I gave too little effort to let them quite grow into me. Other albums I listened a lot, but although I consider them good, I just rank them below the top 10. All are worth a check anyway.

The Hidden Cameras – Origin: Orphan
Jaakko & Jay – War is Noise
jj - jj n° 2
Emmy the Great – First Love
Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillon
Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
Sunn O))) – Monoliths & Dimensions
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Handsome Furs – Face Control
Portico Quartet – Isla
Coconut Records – Davy
Japandroids – Post-Nothing