Infinite Shuffle

Now that we’re two weeks into the new year, I’d say it’s a good time to officially post my favorite music from 2009. Below are my top albums from the previous 12 months and my favorite singles that were not among the top albums.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

• Animal Collective … “Merriweather Post Pavilion” … A band with an experimental sound really comes into their own on this one. … Best song: “My Girls”
• Arctic Monkeys … “Humbug” … The third album from these Sheffield lads, they really seemed to mature on this disc. After two ruckus albums, the band toned down their sound and got serious about their songs, and it shows. … Best song: “Crying Lightning”
• Avett Brothers … “I and Love and You” … The trio/quartet from North Carolina has been rather prolific during the past decade, averaging an album a year. But its star is still rising after its latest offering of alt-country greatness … Best song: “I and Love and You”
• Neko Case … “Middle Cyclone” … With the voice of a siren, Ms. Case has been putting out amazing record after amazing record since the late ’90s. This isn’t necessarily my favorite, but it’s definitely up there, and it may have finally helped her break through to a larger audience. … Best song: “This Tornado Loves You”
• Decemberists … “Hazards of Love” … It tells the tale of a woman named Margaret, her shape-shifting lover, William, his fey forest queen mother and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake. What else would expect from these guys? … Best song: “The Rake’s Song”
• Great Lake Swimmers … “Lost Channels” … As I’ve mentioned before, this is a great album and includes my favorite song of the year. … Best song: “Pulling On a Line”
• Metric … “Fantasies” … This was just a well-rounded indie-pop album from one of Canada’s most popular acts. … Best song: “Sick Muse”
• Phoenix … “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” … This album was somewhat ubiquitous in 2009, with songs constantly being played in shows and commercials. But if it helped this French group gain a bigger audience, then so be it. This album is a great way to greet the rest of the world. … Best song: “1901”
• Silversun Pickups … “Swoon” … This Los Angeles group made some history by becoming the first indie band since Nirvana to hit No. 1 on the charts. Listen to the disc and you’ll see why. … Best song: “Panic Switch”
• White Lies … “To Lose My Life” … I don’t know what I can say that I haven’t already said before. This was easily my favorite album of the year. … Best song: “E.S.T.”

HONORABLE MENTION

• Green Day … “21st Century Breakdown” … This was something of a continuation from their Grammy-laden previous album. It didn’t blow me away like the last offering, but it was still some great music. … Best song: “21 Guns”
• Ladyhawke … “Ladyhawke” … Listing this album among my favorites might seem a bit hypocritical considering what I previously said about it. But those three singles are so good, that it at least deserved a mention here. … Best song: “Back of the Van”
• Monsters of Folk … “Monsters of Folk” … When indie/folk stars M. Ward, Jim James and Conor Oberst get together, you know it’s gonna be good. Thankfully, this album lives up to the hype. … Best song: “Say Please”
• Various Artists … “Dark Was the Night” … This might be a once-in-a-lifetime collection for indie fans. The best part? It’s all for a good cause.

TOP 10 SINGLES

• Bat For Lashes … “Daniel”
• Camera Obscura … “French Navy”
• Company of Thieves … “Oscar Wilde”
• Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros … “Home”
• Ida Maria … “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”
• The Low Anthem … “Charlie Darwin”
• Marissa Nadler … “River of Dirt”
• Passion Pit … “Sleepyhead”
• Temper Trap … “Sweet Disposition”
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs … “Zero”

HONORABLE MENTION

• Biffy Clyro … “Mountains”
• The Big Pink … “Dominos”
• Kelly Clarkson … “My Life Would Suck Without You”
• Cut Off Your Hands … “Happy As Can Be”
• Death Cab For Cutie … “Little Bribes”
• Florence and the Machine … “Dog Days Are Over”
• God Help the Girl … “Come Monday Night”
• La Roux … “Bulletproof”
• Lady GaGa … “Just Dance”
• Grizzly Bear … “Two Weeks”
• Raveonettes … “Last Dance”
• Razorlight … “Wire To Wire”
• Jay Reatard … “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me”
• Spinnerette … “Baptized By Fire”
• Frank Turner … “Sunday Nights”
• Visqueen … “Hand Me Down”

Tomorrow, I shall post as many links as I can find for various end-of-the-year and end-of-the-decade lists.