Sonic Outpost

I saw them about 2 years ago opening for Metric. I thought they had something quite interesting if they took a slight bit of the edge off. This album does more than that. They move slightly more to the pop spectrum bringing in some disco and shoegaze influences. Strong album overall. Looking forward to what they do next.

Highlights:

• Baptism
• Empathy
• Vietnam
• Pap Smear

LCD Soundsystem led by the ultimate hipster, James Murphy who embraces the "I'm so uncool, it's cool" estethic, returns with their signature electro-funk-soul sound. I love this band because their sound always gets you swaying to their music. Album doesn't feel as strong as their last "Sounds of Silver" (one of the best albums of the 00's), but I find their songs always get better with more listens.

Highlights:

• Dance Yrself Clean
• One Touch
• Drunk Girls

Think punk rock meets 60's girl groups meets a female Johnny Rotten singing. There is something here. The strong first half brings a diverse range of guitar sounds, but I found the album dragging in energy near the end.

Highlights: 

• Bigger Bolder
• Less Than Thrilled
• Repetition
• Early Warnings

This band has created some of the best songs of the decade and they return with their most complete album to date. Dealing with the uncommon topic of long term relationships (marriage, brotherhood), Hot Chip's electro-soul sound breathes life and excitement into the very unlikely topic for a rock album.

Incredible keyboards, catchy beats, thoughtful lyrics, and a wonderful vocal performance will make this one of the best albums of the year.

Highlights:

• Theives in the Night
• I Feel Better
• One Life Stand

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Returning after a great self-titled debut, Vampire Weekend could have gone either more mainstream or more experimental. Contra is interesting because it seems to accomplish both at once. The songs, with the Carribean/African influenced pop-rock, take many unexpected twists and turns, while maintaining a sound that most people would enjoy. Overall, a pretty solid album.

For those unfamiliar with the sound, think a slightly more "rock"-ier Paul Simon's Graceland.

Highlights:

• Horchata
• White Sky
• Cousins

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I won't say 2009 was a high point for new music, but there were some things to be excited about. Animal Collective reached the apex of their creative journey with Merriweather Pavilion. Dirty Projectors built upon Animal Collective's efforts to start a new creative journey.

Here are my top 5 Albums of 2009:

5. YACHT - See Mystery Lights

This is my fun, summer time album for the year. 

4. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Far from a complete album, but this is an album where you can see the signs of sound exploration really pay off.

3 Japandroids - Post-Nothing

My rock album of the year. I keep finding myself wanting to hear the songs again and again.

2. The XX - XX

Where did they come from with such a polished lo-fi sound? The male - female vocals play off each other like they have been together for a decade. I want to see what they do next.

1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post-Pavilion

I have been pretty clear about this opinion since the beginning. This is the album we have been waiting for ever since Animal Collective teased us on 2004's Sung Tongs. No album released this year is more complete and exciting. 

I won't say 2009 was a high point for new music, but there were some things to be excited about. Animal Collective reached the apex of their creative journey with Merriweather Pavilion. Dirty Projectors built upon Animal Collective's efforts to start a new creative journey.

I feel that 2009 (along with most of the latter half of the 00's) saw a revitalizing of new music with 60's pop sensibilities; the deft touch of Brian Wilson is everywhere. While I feel many bands are at artistic high points, the music feels very academic. My Indie Music wishlist for next year to see some more rock 'n' roll swagger because music is far from simply an academic exercise. I want to see the cockiness Mick Jagger brought when he sang Sympathy for the Devil; the rebellion brought by the Sex Pistols; the quiet defiance brought by Neil Young. Today's music is missing that and I hope it returns. 

Here are my Top 10 Songs of the Year (in no particular order):

The Elite Group:

Stillness Is The Move - Dirty Projectors (Bitte Orca) - Brings "groovy" to rock music in a way that captures the listener's attention

My Girls - Animal Collective (Merriweather Post Pavilion) - One of my favorite songs of the decade. The boys in AC channel the Beach Boys in incredibly exciting ways.

60's Pop Revival:

Should Have Taken Acid With You - Neon Indian (Psychic Chasms) - A perfect slice of summer haze pop.

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear (Veckatimest) - My god, the Beach Boys are influencing everything this year. Song transports you to a better time; family BBQs at the beach, all filmed in slow motion on old Hi-8 film.

I won't say 2009 was a high point for new music, but there were some things to be excited about. Animal Collective reached the apex of their creative journey with Merriweather Pavilion. Dirty Projectors built upon Animal Collective's efforts to start a new creative journey.

I feel that 2009 (along with most of the latter half of the 00's) saw a revitalizing of new music with 60's pop sensibilities; the deft touch of Brian Wilson is everywhere. While I feel many bands are at artistic high points, the music feels very academic. My Indie Music wishlist for next year to see some more rock 'n' roll swagger because music is far from simply an academic exercise. I want to see the cockiness Mick Jagger brought when he sang Sympathy for the Devil; the rebellion brought by the Sex Pistols; the quiet defiance brought by Neil Young. Today's music is missing that and I hope it returns. 

Here are my honorable mentions for the Top 10 Songs of the Year (in no particular order):

I am haven't seen much new music that grabbed my attention lately, so I am going to continue to revisit my collection and find my top albums from a given year. Generally, I choose my top 5 based on three criteria: 1) No. of songs that I would want to hear again; 2) No. of standout songs; and 3) exploration of new sounds and potential future influence on other bands.

2006 is a pretty good year for indie music. While indie pop is going strong with Belle & Sebastian and Regina Spektor and indie rock is getting solid contributions from young bands like The Futureheads and Band of Horses (not too mention honorable mentions TV On The Radio), we are starting to see the electro movement come to the forefront of the scene with Hot Chip offering up two of the best songs of the decade!

My Top 5

5. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

If you like listen to some poppy music on a lovely sunny day this is your soundtrack. Seems like Belle and Sebastian have been around forever, but their pop music always sounds fresh. Please put away your Britney and put this on. You will thank me.

4. The Futureheads - News and Tributes

I don't think this album got the credit it deserved when it released. A British indie rock band with a angular, brit pop sound, The Futureheads' News and Tributes is a surprisingly great listen. It may stand a bit back in the pack because their is no standout track, but it is filled with solid songs (maybe more than any other album on this list).

3. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time

Music for the open plains where you can lounge in your own thoughts. Beautiful indie rock album led by the stellar songs, "The First Song" and "The Funeral". This first album helped them carve out their distinct niche in the indie rock scene.

2. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

This album brought Regina Spektor some mainstream success, but while borrowing from pop and rock influences her songs keep her unique style. No album on this list starts out as strongly as Begin to Hope with "Fidelity", "Better", "Samson", and "On the Radio" commanding the listeners attention with their grace and beauty; but that is just the start...

1. Hot Chip - The Warning

A little electronic soul to end the countdown. While this album may not have the most songs I would want to listen to repeatedly, it probably has two of the greatest songs of the year (and among the best songs of this decade), "Over and Over" and "And I was a Boy From School". Absolutely brilliant.

As you may know the Pixies are currently on tour performing their classic album Doolittle in exact order. Showing some interesting social media savy, they are giving away a free 4 song EP from these performances. You should be able to download from the widget embedded below. Enjoy!