The 2009 Mixtape
Good music thus far, eh?
The year 2009 is officially a fourth of the way over. If you’re still writing down the date as 2008 or haven’t started your 2009 resolutions, you’ve officially failed. But the good news is you’ve gotten a lot of great music in that short span of time to comfort you. And it’s looking like year-end lists are going to be amazingly better this December. This week is a traditional mixtape of good new music, all since the start of 2009.
Phoenix - 1901 - Phoenix’s debut album It’s Never Been Like That was a sadly overlooked gem by many, but the French rockers seemed poised for the next level of success after their stellar Saturday Nigh Live performance and the buzz surrounding their forthcoming album. “1901” booms with the weight of synth from the start, and keeps up a blistering catchy pace till the finish.
Animal Collective - My Girls - I never got the mass appeal of Animal Collective until this album. It’s cohesive, it’s precise, and it’s strangely beautiful. “My Girls” has a retro and faraway sound, and I find myself wanting to sing along and throw my hands in the air and dance to the carefree chorus.
Dan Deacon - Snookered - On Deacon’s highly anticipated follow-up Bromst, the electronic schizophrenic rocker takes his trademark sound and elevates it to the next level, creating dimensions and depth to his brand of noise. “Snookered” makes my heart race as it pumps along, and feels epic as it speeds along to the end.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll - The new album showcases a different side of Karen O and company, and I’m a fan. Although the single “Zero” grew on me, I still think the eerie and danceable track “Heads Will Roll” is my favorite cut off the album.
Justice/U2 - Get On Your Boots (Justice Remix) - Let me make this perfectly clear; I hate “Get On Your Boots” in it’s original form. And I was completely fine with that. Then Justice had to remix it, and I’m suddenly hooked. Justice takes the stale song from a band trying to hard, and gives it a glam and industrial spin, making U2 sexy (which is a frightening thing).
Kelly Clarkson – Whyawannabringmedown - I’ll always have a soft spot for Kelly Clarkson and her female empowerment rock pop jams. I loathe her latest single, but I’m obsessed with this track. Clarkson gets angry, throws in some searing guitar licks, and creates a rage fueled rock ‘n’ roll top 40 masterpiece.
The Decemberists- The Rake’s Song - The new Decemberists album is an interesting and carefully crafted concept album, but the haunting single clearly showcases why you should check the album as a whole out. The lyrics are extremely macabre, showcasing Colin Meloy’s obvious talent as a storyteller. It’s listening to a gruesome horror story backed by indie rock at its finest.
Bishop Allen - Dirt On Your New Shoes - I’ve already gushed about the latest release from this Brooklyn outfit, so I’ll just simply say give this song a listen. It’s uplifting and sweet.
Buck 65/Sufjan Stevens/Serengeti - Blood Pt 2 (Buck 65 Remix) - The original song is 10 minutes avante garde opus, but this remix brings it down to the perfect size, adds in a dash of hip hop, and creates a peculiar mix of music that will most likely stay on heavy rotation on your current play list.
Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader - Grizzly Bear continues on their forthcoming release of creating dramatic and dreamy pop music. Their music is elegant, calming, and clearly a labor of love bordering on obsession with their intricate style of music. I’m looking forward to the full album, and hearing these gorgeous landscapes of songs performed live.
Posted by Lisa White on Apr 10, 2009 @ 8:00 am
