It is close to that time of year again where multiple lists of the best albums of the year appear. In fact, I am being bombarded with two sets of lists, with one for the decade appearing also, but I will get back to them in a separate post.
At this point in 2009, I must admit that I feel a little let down, because I just don't think it was anywhere near the year that 2008 was. Where are my Glasvegas, my TV on the Radio, my Vampire Weekend? This time last year I wrote a post talking about how my tastes were suddenly in line with what every end-of-year poll listed, and wondered if I had been swept away into the mainstream (can be read here).
This year, I feel like I am on a different planet to the mainstream once again, gazing at it through a telescoope and straining to hear what sounds like music wafting towards me. I actually struggle to remember great albums this year beyond 'Wilco' by Wilco, from which the gorgeous 'you and I' (below) came:
In fact, my favourites have been compilations, specifically:
1. Dark was the night
2. Ciao my shining star
3. Music from the North Country (the Jayhawks)
The critics' lists have been quite diverse too, reflecting the lack of stand-out classics of the year. For example, Q magazine's top 10 were as follows:
10. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
09. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
08. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
07. Muse - The Resistance
06. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
05. Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers
04. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
03. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
02. Florence and the Machine - Lungs
01. Kasabian - West Rider Pauper Lunatic Asylum
While Uncut's are at:
http://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/index.php?blog=6&title=the_best_of_2009&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
I looked at the NME list and actually have not even heard of several albums in the top 10, and am astonished that I seem to only have 3 of their top 50. A few albums do pop up somewhat consistently, including the XX's debut, which I did download and quite liked, but certainly would not rave about. My favourite off it is probably 'Heart skipped a beat', as seen below:
The Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear all got a lot of mentions too (in most lists), and I have all three albums, but nothing really grabbing me there either! These are in theory the kind of US indie music I have been in love with for several years, but none of those albums have excited me.
I also usually buy an album this time of year just because it appears in the lists and I think I should give it a go; I am also struggling to pick this, but at present the most likely contender is the Wild Beasts one, as it featured pretty strongly (including being no 1 in the Irish music magazine, Hot Press).
Hopefully this is just a slump (whether for me or the music industry remains to be seen) and next year will be better!
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