G.R.O.'s Best of 09

Does anyone remember the naysayers who boldly predicted that 2009 would be a thoroughly disappointing year in musical history? That theory collapsed in a heap after only a few steps into the year when "Merriweather Post Pavillon" dropped. This year it's felt like a Mensa sponsored compilation to arrive at my favourite albums and mix of songs to soundtrack the year. Here's my final entry:

Favourite Albums of 09
10. The Joy Formadible - A Balloon Called Moaning
9. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
8. Metric - Fantasies
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
6. Bill Callaghan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
5. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
4. Grizzly Bear - Vecktamist
3. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
2. The xx - The xx
1. The Antlers - Hospice

Best of 09 Mix - Download
1. Camera Obscura - French Navy
2. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
3. The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
4. The Antlers - Two
5. The Joy Formadible - Cradle
6. Jamie T - Sticks 'n' Stones
7. Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
8. Jack Penate - Be The One
9. Django Django - Storm
10. The Molotovs - Flowers
11. Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard - Broken Broken Broken Heart
12. Local Natives - World News
13. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
14. Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man
15. Wild Beasts - Hooting & Howling
16. Animal Collective - My Girls
17. Slow Club - Our Most Brilliant Friends
18. Bill Callaghan - My Friend
19. The xx - Crystalised
20. First Aid Kit - You're Not Coming Home Tonight

Friday Five: Surf Songs

Simple-sounding song structures always impress me. I believe it's quite difficult to write a good "pop" song. A song that everyone likes without losing an element of credibility. The legends of surf-rock definitely had that ability and I'm glad to see surf making a resurgence. I've been listening to a lot of this surf-inspired garage/indie rock and here are some of my choice selections.

Girls have received a lot of press lately for their very-NSFW video for "Lust for Life", but this is a band I just can't get out of my head, pun intended.

Girls - Summertime

BTA's own G.R.O. gave me the tip about The Drums and their style fell right into what I've been listening to for a while.

The Drums - Let's Go Surfing

Now, Surfer Blood is an "inbox gem", I got word about this group sifting through the many emails we receive daily. I'm not ashamed to admit that the name caught my attention. Think surf-rock meets BRMC.

Surfer Blood -Swim (to reach the end)

I am embarrassed to admit that up until two weeks ago I was barely aware of The White Wires. They're based in Ottawa and run a label, Going Gaga Records, specializing in punk rock and all things non-commercial. Their brand of garage rock is dirty and simple. Most tracks have that familiarity that any good pop song should, not that these guys are in any way pop. I'm excited to have discovered another exciting band in the area. They're excellent 45 on Trouble in Mind Records called "Pretty Girl" is worth the six bucks, check 'em out.

The White Wires - Ha Ha Holiday

Vampire Weekend needs no introduction. They are simply great. This is their great new single.

Vampire Weekend - Cousins (Track removed by request of XL and Web Sheriff)

Friday Five: Sing-along songs

Here's a selection of tracks that I've been singing along to for the past few days.

Vampire Weekend's first LP was so good that I still haven't grown sick of it. In an attempt to appease their growing fan base, here's the first single. Look for the new album Contra January 11, 2010 in the U.K. and a day after in the U.S. Let's hope for a leak of the album soon.

Vampire Weekend - Horchata

Karen O has taken the world by storm this year; referenced as fashionista and cultural icon, she's definitely made her mark in 2009. Under the moniker of Karen O and the Kids The release of the soundtrack to Where the Wild Things Are is sure to solidify her impact. The album, comprised of acoustic tracks, could stand alone as a Karen O project. I really like it as a concept and I'm excited to see the release of the film.

Karen O and the Kids - All is Love

Thanks to G.R.O.'s recommendation, The Drums have been playing non-stop on my Zune since his visit to the Dominion of Canada. Their surf-pop style really resonates with search for simple tunes of late; the tracks are infectious and uplifting. This track is from their Let's Go Surfing EP.

The Drums - Saddest Summer

Released in March, Dan Mangan's Nice, Nice, Very Nice is a great collection of tracks. It's dark, surreal, and real all at once. Give the track a listen and you'll see.

Dan Mangan - Robots

The Hidden Cameras have such a unique sound and it comes through really nicely on this track from their new album Origin: Orphan.

The Hidden Cameras - In the NA