Last year I did a list of twenty five albums, and I began to think that the rank ordering no longer meant anything once I hit a certain number. This year I thought I was going to do a top ten with a not so short list of other albums, but then I decided that would be the same thing as a top twenty five.

I feel like I settled in the middle. I was able to narrow 2009 down to fifteen albums, and no short list. These are my favorites.  If you haven’t heard them check out the mp3, and if you like it buy the album…you won’t be disappointed. Cheers.

———————————————–

The Great Pumpkin’s favorite albums of 2009.

15.) Screaming Females- Power Move

Hearing this record for the first time was like the first time I heard Dinosaur Jr.  Power Move was released by Don Geovanni Records.

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Bell”

• buy it here.
• more on Screaming Females can be found here.

14.) Desolation Wilderness- New Universe

When I saw the cover and title of this album I hoped it would sound like it looked.   And it did.  A shoegaze master piece released by K Records.

[mp3] Desolation Wilderness- “Boardwalk Theme”

• buy it here.
• more on Desolation Wilderness can be found here.

13.) Alex Bleeker and the Freaks- Alex Bleeker and the Freaks

Classic Rock for my generation. This record gets more powerful with each listen. Released via the wonderful Underwater Peoples Records. Their cover of “Animal Tracks” is just as good as the original.

[mp3] Alex Bleeker & The Freaks- “Animal Tracks (Mountain Man cover)”

• buy it here.
• more on Alex Bleeker can be found here.

12.) Sonny and The Sunsets- Tomorrow is Alright

Sonny and the Sunsets made the perfect warm weather pop album that it transcends seasons. I find that even on a morning as cold as today Tomorrow is Alright can make me feel warm inside. Sonny is part of the Endless Nest Collective, and if you know what is good for you should have your eye on the nest…so many great records came out of this group in 2009. Tomorrow is Alright was released by Soft Abuse Records.

[mp3] Sonny and the Sunsets- “Too Young To Burn”

• buy it here (the LP is sold out…maybe get it here?).
• Sonny’s website
• Endless Nest’s website.

11.) Nite Jewel- Good Evening

This is an album of psychedelic dance jams  and not necessarily the dance music you would hear in a club, but more what you want to chill out with at the end of the night.  This record was released by Human Ear Music / Gloriette Records. 

[mp3] Nite Jewel- “Weak for Me”

• buy it here.
• Nite Jewel’s website// myspace

10.) BOAT- Setting the Paces

If there has been one album this year that can bring me out of dark times it is Setting the Paces.   Released by Magic Marker Records.

[mp3] BOAT- “Prince Of Tacoma”

• buy it here.
• more on BOAT can be found here.

9.) Julie Doiron- I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day

While she is known for her sad songs this album shows her lighter side, and that is something that I really enjoy…and she can totally wail on that guitar too.  Released by  Jagjaguwar Records.

[mp3] Julie Doiron- “Spill Yer Lungs”

• buy it here.
• more on Julie Doiron can be found  here.

8.) Ducktails- Ducktails// Landscapes

As far as I’m concerned these two should have been a double album.  I have a hard time thinking about them separately. Ducktails in a sense gave birth to Real Estate, and possibly this whole thing chillwave thing.  Ducktails came out via Not Not Fun and Lanscapes via Olde English Spelling Bee.

[mp3] Ducktails- “Landrunners” (off of Landscapes)

• buy Ducktails here // buy Landscapes here.
• more on Ducktails can be found here.

7.) Karl Blau- Zebra

This man is a constant inspiration to me.  This record is just one of three albums that he made this year that I fell in love with. Released by K Records.

[mp3] Karl Blau- “Dark Sedan”

• buy it here.
• more on Karl Blau can be found here.

6.) Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Like a time machine to the late eighties //early nineties.  Another great album from Slumberland.

[mp3] Pains of Being Pure at Heart- “Come Saturday”

• buy it here.
• more on Pains Of Being Pure at Heart can be found here.

5.) Ganglians- Monster Head Room

The first full length form this Sacramento band, and it was pretty much perfect.  The LP was released by Weird Forest and CD by Woodsist (who will be repressing the LP).

[mp3] Ganglians- “Crying Smoke”

• buy it here.
• more on Ganglians can be found here.

4.) TOM: WFMU’s the Best Show’s Tribute to Paul McCartney’s RAM (various artists)

The Best Show put together the best tribute album ever.  If you are unfamiliar with RAM it is the only album I have ever heard of by Paul McCartney refered to as dirty (and that is a very good thing). Released as a DJ Premium for donating to WFMU… Sad that it was so exclusive.  The moral of this story is…DONATE TO WFMU!

I haven’t really listened to Danielson over the past couple albums, but this cover makes me want to rethink that…one of my favorite tracks from this album, and one of the best covers I have heard in a long time.

Danielson- “Monkberry Moon Delight”

• The Best Show// WFMU
• Oh and if you don’t already have it…buy Paul McCartney’s Ram here (or used on LP here).

3.) Mount Eerie- Wind’s Poem

I am a long time fan of Phil Elverum, and on this album he took me to a place I never imagined I’d go.  Dark and beautiful…seeing it performed live gave me the best halloween I’ve had in years.

[mp3] Mount Eerie- “Between Two Mysteries”

• buy it here from P.W. Elverum and Suns.
• more about Mount Eerie  can be found here.

2.) Julian Lynch- Orange You Glad

After this record I will be on the look out for anything Julian Lynch ever releases.  Orange You Glad has moved me. Released on Olde English Spelling Bee.

[mp3] Julian Lynch- “Rancher”

• buy it here.
• more on Julian Lynch (mp3s, video, pictures, reviews, more) can be found here.

1.) So Cow- So Cow

By far the record I listened to most this past year.  The pop catches you, but the guitar and lyrics keep you. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Tic Tac Totally Records.  If you didn’t catch So Cow when they were in the states last year their 2010 American Tour starts in less than two week!  Tour dates can be found here.

[mp3] So Cow- “Casablanca”

• Buy it here.
• more on So Cow (reviews, posters, mp3s, pictures)can be found here.

———————————————–

Thanks for reading my best of lists.  I’m pretty sure this is the end of it…my goal was to get it up by February 1st, but I ended up one day late…I’m ok with that.

You can find more of mine, and some of my special guests, best of lists here.

Day 2. Friday.

I had a schedule all planned out for this evening, and overall things went as expected (with one mishap).

We started the evening off with a wonderful dinner at Diner, and then headed to Pete’s Candy Store.  I was kind of asking myself: “If I have a badge why am I going to a free show?” but the answer was easy: Franklin Bruno.

Franklin Bruno played about a 45 minute set which included songs spanning his entire career (even one written for his band when in high school).  The crowd wasn’t huge, but extremely attentive.  Bruno holds a place in my heart, and his lyrics will stick in my head for ever.  And “no, I won’t wear that flag pin” either.  It really surprises me how few people know who Bruno is without out jogging their memories (even music writers), but that’s ok…Franklin, thank you for playing Pete’s it was a pleasure to see you preform.

Next up was Real Estate at Death By Audio.  This happens to be the mishap.  We took a little longer than we thought getting over to DBA, and when we got there we were told that the show was not sold out, that Real Estate was about to play, but no more badge holders were allowed in until some of them left.  I think this is a flawed system…how did the people at the door know if badge holders left?  I know I sure as hell wasn’t telling anyone when I left a venue.  Whatever…we moved on.

Next was Public Assembly.  Which I must say is a super strange space.  We walked in during Dinowalrus who I’m not sure I totally understand. Sat through Sisters…which wasn’t my cup of tea.  Then on the the main attraction: SCREAMING FEMALES!  As expected, after seeing them the week before, they blew out my ears, and made my eyes bleed.  Totes amazing:

Picked up the first two Screaming Females LPs (What if Someone Is Watching Their TV and Baby Teeth), and both happened to be on colored vinyl.  A delightful addition to the collection.

Since we had the badges we hopped on our bikes, and headed to Bruar Falls.  We got there right as The Beets were setting up around 1am, and that was our goal.  Honestly I have never seen Bruar Falls that crowded before…and I have been going there a lot lately.  The Beets played, and were really impressive. And graceful while undressing too (one of them took off his shirt in the coolest manner possible, almost theatrical).  They played the only song of theirs I knew too:

[mp3] The Beets- “Happy But On Our Way”
(via i guess i’m floating. off of The Beets Spit in the Faces of Those Who Don’t Want to be Cool (I think?).  Buy it here.)

The Beets were awesome considering no one should ever have to followed Screaming Females.  I’m looking forward to seeing the Beets again tomorrow when Screaming Females haven’t already set a benchmark for the night.  I really need to pick up that album…kind of can’t believe I don’t have it yet.

I have been covering some of these bands a lot:

More on Franklin Bruno here.

More on Screaming Females here.

More on Real Estate here.

Next up day 3, well maybe not next…

Two weekends ago I picked up Power Move, the new LP by Screaming Females…and last weekend I got the opportunity to see the Females play at Live At Shea Stadium (due to Hillstock’s rooftop shows being rained out).  This was a really pleasant surprise because I would have never made it to the shows original location.  The show at Shea Stadium had a lot of bands playing, and I got there for the last four.  From what I saw Screaming Females were the highlight of the show by far, and all of the other bands should have been really happy to share the stage with them.

When I was told that the Screaming Females would melt my face off…that statement was totally correct.  Marissa Paternoster guitar playing is phenomenal both live and on record, and combined with Jarrett Dougherty  and Mike Rickenbacker they make an extremely tight trio.  Power Move has been on constant rotation on both  my record player and my iPod.

Check out these two tracks off of Power Move via Pop Tarts Suck Toasted.  Oh and if you aren’t sold yet I think “Starving Dog” will convince you:

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Starving Dog” (off Power Move)

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Treacher Collins” (also off Power Move) (Buy it here!)

Screaming Females are about to open for some really big bands coming up both Dinosaur Jr. and The Dead Weather, and from what I have seen they are totally ready.  If you are going to any of these shows prepare to be blown away!

But this weekend New Yorkers can experience them on a smaller stage when they play one of the headlining spots on the Pop Tarts Suck Toasted showcase at North Side Festival.

This Friday, June 12th:

Front Room:
Brilliant Sweaters @ 1am
Screaming Females @ midnight
Sisters @ 11pm
Dinowalrus @ 10pm
Grooms(ex-Muggabears)@ 9pm
The Great Unwashed @ 8pm
Back Room:
Home Video @ 12:30am (?)
Eula @ 11:30pm
Palomar @ 10:30pm
Murder Mystery @ 9:30pm
The Rabbits @ 8:30pm
Public Assembly
Doors at 7:30pm
$10

Other Screaming Females tour dates can be found here.

More on Screaming Females here.

Photo via Riot Act Media

When contemplating going to a show I sometimes ask for advise from my friends, and I couldn’t have gotten a better recommendation when asking about the Screaming Females.  Tay, over at Somebody Come and Play, said this:

By all means go to that show! And bring a mop to clean your melted face off the floor afterwards.

I unfortunately didn’t make it to that show, but I did pick up Screaming Females new record Power Move this weekend. What I got was totally a mind blowing rock record. For a band that has put out a number of records I was surprised that I have only been hearing their name as of recently. Tay has been rocking them on his podcast for sometime, and with good reason.

Screaming Females give a refreshing take on rock n’ roll filled to the brim with guitar solos and noise all while keeping a pop sensibility. It’s a full on sensory experience to the point where Marissa Paternoster wailing voice, and intense guitar solos send chills up your spin. She is backed by Jarrett Dougherty on drums, and Mike Rickenbacker on base. I had been told that Paternoster’s guitar playing was being compared to J. Mascis, and initially I thought…how could that be possible…but after experiencing Power Move a couple times I can totally see this comparison, and what it comes down to is that Marissa Paternoster can totally shred.

Power Move was released on Don Giovanni Records, a record label I am solely familiar with because of No Idea! This is my first purchase from the Females, but so far I am extremely impressed.  The first press of this LP is 1,000 copies on black vinyl and as a bonus you get a download card of the entire LP.  This record is still fresh in my head, but I’m already thinking that this release has been overlooked by too many music sites…I’m only a month and a half behind on this record, released 4/14/09, and the only blogs that have mentioned it in my reader are Brooklyn Vegan and Somebody Come. While you may read that this is Screaming Female’s debut, don’t be fooled…this is actually their third LP. At this point I am going to scramble to find tickets to the upcoming Screaming Females show where they are opening for Dinosaur Jr show at MHoW (which is already sold out).

If you haven’t heard the Screaming Females yet, check out the single from Power Move:

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Bell” (Buy it here!)

Screaming Females have a whole bunch of tour dates.   Here are the dates in the NY/NJ area:

6/5/09- Brooklyn, NY @ Hillstock Rooftop Kickoff Party
6/12/09- Brooklyn, NY @ Public Assembly (Northside Fest)
6/20/09-New Brunswick, NY @ Court Tavern
6/25/09- Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (18+) w/ Dinosaur Jr.
6/28/09- New Brunswick, NY @ Meat Town USA
7/16/09- New York, NY @ Terminal 5 w/ The Dead Weather
7/17/09- New York, NY @ Terminal 5 w/ The Dead Weather

*all other Screaming Females tour dates can be found here.

**An additional side note for those of you in NYC area.  I picked up this LP while at brunch!  Yes, Eat Records is still carrying vinyl contrary to their myspace blog post. (and serving wonderful food).  Their selection is changing too, and there is quite a bit of new vinyl in stock.  The guy running the record store section of the business was super nice, and I’m going to go back to take a full look at the selection.