‘Salmost Christmas and I know you’ve been waiting for it. You have been sitting at home, restless in your rockers, just wondering when it was going to come. Well I’m finally here to ease your trepidation, my good friends. I’m here to deliver unto you my list of the Top 25 Albums of 2009. Now get ye quickly to a quarry and gather stone on which to carve my words! Or, uh, just leave a comment and let me know what you think of the list. Don’t be shy. Let us know what your favorite albums of the year are! I only numbered and blurbed the top ten but rest assured that the other fifteen albums listed here are fantastic and worth your endless attention and adulation. Just like the entire staff of bham.fm.
THE TOP TEN:
1) The Decemberists – “Hazards of Love” :: Maybe the boldest major label debut folk rock opera ever. This is the album Colin Meloy and his merry musicians were meant to make.
2) Neko Case – “Middle Cyclone” :: It’s easy to get caught up in the storm of Case’s gorgeous voice on her eighth studio album. Yeah, damnit, that was a pun.
3) A.A. Bondy – “When The Devil’s Loose” :: Review
4) Pine Hill Haints – “To Win or to Lose” :: Review
5) Austin Lucas – “Somebody Loves You” :: One of alt-country’s most interesting, infectious voices comes out with what may be his darkest album yet.
6) Monsters of Folk – “Monsters of Folk” :: Despite the mountain of prerelease hype and buildup, this collaborative effort from M. Ward, Jim James, Conor Oberst, and Mike Mogis does not disappoint.
7) The Avett Brothers – “I and Love and You” :: Another pretty album from everyone’s favorite genuine bluegrass rockers. This time with a little less bluegrass and a little more Rick Rubin.
8.) M. Ward - “Hold Time” :: Another solid, sweet release from the man who is unfortunately soon to be known only as Him minus She (though She does make an appearance or two).
9) V/A – “Dark was the Night” :: This double-disc benefit comp, produced by members of The National, brought together some of the brightest stars in underground music for a great cause.
10) Dirty Projectors - “Bitte Orca” :: Initially confusing, eventually catchy. There’s obviously a method to the madness in this Brooklyn duo’s sophomore effort.
And for those sober enough, here are 11 through 25, in alphabetical order.
Andrew Bird – “Noble Beast”
Arctic Monkeys – “Humbug”
Bill Callahan – “Sometimes I Wish I Were an Eagle”
The Black Keys & Guests – “Blakroc”
Built to Spill – “There is no Enemy”
Chuck Ragan – “Gold Country”
The Dead Weather - “Horehound”
Elvis Perkins in Dearland – “Elvis Perkins in Dearland”
Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard - “One Fast Move or I’m Gone”
The Low Anthem – “Of My God, Charlie Darwin”
Mos Def - “The Ecstatic”
Mountain Goats – “Life of the World to Come”
Norah Jones – “The Fall”
Pearl Jam – “Back Spacer”
The Swell Season – “Strict Joy”
Tags: best music of the year, best of, best of lists, christmas music, top 25, top lists, top music