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.

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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.

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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.

Ganglians released one of my favorite albums this year, Monster Head Room (on Weird Forest), and the self titled EP that they did on Woodsist was also pretty awesome (and has grown on me a lot).  Now they are back with two new songs on Captured Tracks.

The 7″ is somewhere between the slightly chaotic weirdo pop of the self titled ep and the wonderful, more classically influenced,  psychadelica of  Monster Head Room.  The A side is titled “Blood on the Sand” and the B side “Make it Up.” I’ve only seen Ganglians once, but have been listening to their albums quite a bit and I can say that these songs sounded familiar on the first listen…almost eerily so.  I feel like I have heard them a hundred times, but in actuality it is really like 10. This single seems like it will also be making my year end lists.

If you haven’t heard Ganglians yet I feel that this 7″ is a good starting point.  Pick it for for $6, and you might find yourself hunting down the other two LPs.

[mp3] Ganglians- “Blood on the Sand” (buy it from CT here, or if you prefer at Insound here)

This one is limited to 1,000 copies, and rumor is they are going fast (it’s also rumored that CT won’t let things go out of print…we will see). As much as I enjoy “Blood on the Sands” I’m really in love with “Make It Up,” but you will have to pick up the record to hear that one.  Highly recommended as are all of their releases.

Links:

• more on Ganglians here.
• buy other Ganglians releases here.

My obsession over the past month has been the new Ganglians‘ record Monster Head Room (if you follow my twitter or tumblr you probably were expecting this one), and I’m hoping after the pitchfork review of the album last week it is yours too.

Around the beginning of June I placed an order for the Weird Forest edition of this record (almost entirely based on the packaging, but I had been digging on a handful of the tracks for a while too).  It was on red vinyl and was an LP/7″ combo limited to 500 copies (thanks to MBV for the heads up).  The next morning I was clicking back on Weird Forest’s website only to find out that the first pressing was sold out!  This is responsible for the delay in posting…I tend to only do this column on vinyl, and wanted to wait till it was back in print.

I checked back on Weird Forest this today to find out that the second press, on black vinyl of the LP/7″ combo is now available…this one also limited to 500 copies.  The image to the right can be used to imagine what the second press will look like.

The good news is though that this record will not be going out of print again.  According to Weird Forest:

The second pressing (on black vinyl for you purists) is available. Many distros and shops will have it shortly. Please note this record will not be going out of print — after our second pressing Woodsist will be keeping the vinyl in print.

It is unclear if the Woodsist 3rd pressing will have the LP/7″ format, but either way this record is too good to be out of print.

If you haven’t heard Ganglians yet, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  I really love the bands coming out of the Woodsist camp, but it is no secret that they all go very well together…not that Ganglians fall far from the tree, I just think that they are offering up a new sound (or their own take on an old sound) that feels very new and fresh.

Ganglians, in my mind, are another product of the summer and their record comes just in time.  Psychedelic stoner pop rounded off with a healthy dose of folk… and while this all sounds familiar you get an unexpected undertones, and sometimes overtones, of the late 60’s early 70’s pop thrown in.    This is indeed an outdoor record, and if not outdoors at least sunshine flooding into your windows.   This album has the ability to transport you into another place, time, and state of mind (it has been a good escape the past couple days in the office)…and all good vibes.

I’m looking forward to rocking it on mine and klk’s long drive though the South East in a couple weeks.

Here’s to summer:

[mp3] Ganglians- “Lost Words”
[mp3] Ganglians- “Valiant Brave”
(both tracks via MBV. off Monster Head Room)

[Stream] Monster Head Room in it’s entirety at aLonelyMic.com
(again via MBV)

Buy the LP/7″ combo from Weird Forest here
Buy the CD from Woodsist here.
If the LP goes out of print at Weird Forest keep and eye on Woodsist, it will be repressed.

You can jump tracks on the stream, and if you only listen to one…please listen to “Crying Smoke,” it seems to be the one I keep going back to over and over again.  This is definitely one of my favorite albums of the year so far.

Ganglians also have a handful of tour dates coming up, but these two seem to be the only ones confirmed:

• 7/4/09 Brooklyn, NY @ 979 Broadway Backyard (WOODSIST/CAPTURED TRACKS FESTIVAL)
• 7/5/09 Brooklyn, NY @ Monster Island Basement
• more tour info here (most are still TBA, but the cities are there)
  • if you think you can help them with their east coast tour see this blog post and get in touch.