Top Indie Albums of 2009 (6-10)
I have been into indie since 1989 and became a disciple of WOXY in 1991. If you were hiding under a rock or just want to compare your tastes with mine, I hope you enjoy this summary of what was truly one of the most amazing years for new indie music.
10 cymbals eat guitars – why there are mountains
If members of the Pixies smashed into (the) Pavement in an epic auto accident, the result would be Cymbals Eat Guitars. They may have also borrowed a bit of fellow Northeast band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s epic feel. They are not afraid to get raspy or use feedback. Their lyrics on this record are not nearly as intelligent as Stephen Malkmus or Frank Black’s, but that’s probably due to injuries sustained in the accident. That said, they are not afraid to spew forth raw passion. This is the Staten Island group’s first effort which is probably part of the reason why it sounds so raw.
notable influences: Pixies, Pavement, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
notable tracks
9 Passion Pit – Manners
Innovative electro-indiepop always has a way of finding its way into my playlist. These guys have Berklee School of Music ties and delicious hooks and dance beats. Expect to shake your booty when you listen to these Cambridge, MA based lads. Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat come to mind, but they list Blur, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Incubus and Blink 182 as their influences which is surprising to me as it is so dance oriented. These guys think they are punks. That makes me chuckle.
notable influences: Jimmy Somerville? New Order? Blink 182
notable tracks
8 Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
This album could have easily been called “Soundtrack for a Road Trip”. It is mostly easy going and filled with understated power that never truly is paid-off. This is part of the genius of the band as they always leave the listener wanting more. Popular Songs is the result of throwing The Beach Boys, Raveonettes, Belle and Sebastian and Sufjan Stevens into a blender. Luckily no one was hurt and we got the raw energy of “Here to Fall”, epic, open air back roads country feel of “By Two’s” and playfully delicious “If It’s True”. There is also a deliciously dissonant instrumental jam called “And the Glitter is Gone” that would make all but the Jesus and Mary Chain blush.
notable influences: Beach rock, Sufjan Stevens, Belle and Sebastian, the Jesus and Mary Chain
notable tracks
7 Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
There are points of this record that are SO amazing and points that make me scratch my head. This is probably what brought them down to 7. I mean, Summertime Clothes has the most amazing crunchy drum beat and ethereal keyboards and the best chorus they could come up with was “I want to walk around with you.”
notable influences: hallucinogens?
notable tracks
6 Built to Spill – There is No Enemy
More of the same from Built to Spill, but that is a good thing. This album has a couple of tracks like “Hindsight” and “Pat” that jump out and grab you, tantalize you but they are merely warmups for the really good stuff. Good Ol’ Boredom has a delicious hook, thoughtful lyrics and simple sounds, but complex layers that make you want to come back and listen to it over and over. Speaking of which, Planting Seeds opens with some of the most ear-catching, chunky, indie guitar goodness I’ve heard this year. That said, the song’s so-called end leaves you thinking “what? really?” and you have to listen to it again to figure out if it really was the end or if it just faded out. The chorus on this track is an underachiever’s dream: “We can make it if we try, but if we don’t it’s gonna still be all right.” Things Fall Apart has an epic jam in the middle (including a trumpet) that seems to have been placed into the track reluctantly, yet it works. Even better though is the middle of “Life’s a Dream” which reminds you not only what a piece of garbage you are, it puts the exclamation point on it with addictively “simple” guitar discipline. By the way, the aforementioned two tracks could be mashed together beautifully by an aspiring re-mixer. The combination of blah vocals, understated guitars and overall “meh” attitude work brilliantly on There Is Not Enemy. I still have it in my heavy rotation.
notable influences: Pavement, Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr
notable tracks
