Top 37 1/2 Albums of 2009

***Disclaimer:  It’s that time of year folks…..end of year list season!  2011 has proved a fairly tough year to gauge, as I am still grueling over tough choices that will have to be made.  Even with two weeks left in the year, choosing who makes the list is still extremely hard.  So, while I continue to try and hammer out the details for this year’s list, I thought I would share with you fine folks, my first two lists originally published at the TART Productions Word.  I started this music blogging thing at the tail end of 2008, so this was the first time I really got to complete my first list.  

Tune in next week for 2010’s list, and of course 2011 will be right around the corner.  But, for now, check out what I loved way back in 2009!***

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I wasn’t going to number these at all.  I think too much hype is thrown into what number the album lands on.  I believe in a redux version of the Ricky Bobby philsophy, “If you’re not first, you’re last.”  I would say:  “If you’re not in the Top 5, you still made the list”.  Therefore, everybody is a winner!

I’m pretty happy with the list.  You know it’s been a good year when you can drop 37 1/2  names quickly(Why 37 & 1/2….I am a massive Kevin Smith fan.  Hopefully that doesn’t stir you instantly away.  And the 1/2 is for an EP I just couldn’t leave out).  And it doesn’t hurt to have your favorite band release a double album during the year and it’s their best yet.  That secures one spot.  I know there will be conflicts with my choices.  That’s just part of the end of year routine I guess.

You will notice the albums are also links.  Most of them are links to Fensepost.com posts that myself or Fense (editor/creator), or other contributors have already written.  Others will be to either ComfortComes.com pieces I wrote or their Myspace page (yes, I’m still trying to keep that alive).  So, without further ado, the top 37 1/2 albums of 2009:

37 1/2.  MONOSON – THE THERAPY SESSIONS EP

37.  IT’S ELEPHANTS – GETS ALONG

36.  ST. VINCENT – ACTOR

35.  FIELDHEAD – THEY SHOOK HANDS FOR HOURS

34.  CAGE THE ELEPHANT – CAGE THE ELEPHANT

33.  MENHIRS OF ER GRAH – MOURNING DOVE

32.  MOTHER NATURE’S SON – MOTHER NATURE’S SON

31.  WAR TAPES – THE CONTINENTIAL DIVIDE

30.  MAMMOTH LIFE – KALIEDISCOPE ART POP

29.  JACK JAMES – LIGHTS OFF HEADPHONES ON

28.  CURSIVE – MAMA I’M SWOLLEN

27.  HOTPANTS ROMANCE – IT’S A HEATWAVE

26.  VIVA VOCE – ROCK CITY

25.  ALAN COHEN EXPERIENCE – EAT THE PEACE

24.  GARY B & THE NOTIONS – THE NEW TWIST & SHOUT

23.  TRESPASSERS WILLIAM – THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS

22.  ALEXIPHARMIC – AMERICAN BEAUTY

21.  FRUIT BATS – THE RUMINANT BAND

20.  BEL AIR – POLE TO POLE

19.  THEM CROOKED VULTURES – THEM CROOKED VULTURES

18.  ELVIS COSTELLO – SECRET PROFANE AND SUGAR CANE

17.  DAVID PEACHEY – IMAGINARY PEOPLE

16.  GRYNCH – CHEMISTRY 1.5

15.  YARN OWL – TINY DOTS

14.  FATHER ABRAHAM – I AM NOT A SAILOR I AM THE CAPTAIN

13.  THE ATLANTIC MANOR – SLOW DRUGS AND OTHER SORROWS

12.  WE LANDED ON THE MOON – THESE LITTLE WARS

11.  1990S – KICKS

10.  THE WALKING – WANDERINGS AND DISTRACTIONS

9.    KAGERO – JAPANESE GYPSY ROCK

8.    THE FLYING CHANGE – PAIN IS A RELIABLE SIGNAL

7.    ADOLFO LAZO – ON TAPE

6.    CORY CHISEL & THE WONDERING SONS – DEATH WON’T SEND A LETTER

5.    PORTUGAL. THE MAN – THE SATANIC SATANIST

4.    SOUL DISTRACTION – TICKET TO PARADISE

3.    THE REST – EVERYONE ALL AT ONCE

2.    BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS – TELL ‘EM WHAT YOUR NAME IS

1.     NO GO KNOW – TIME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT

There you have it folks.  Hope you dig.  If you don’t, well, that’s a shame.