Last week of the year, and only a couple of fist-fulls of albums left to go. If you are jumping into the list here and want to enjoy from the beginning, the countdown starts here.
15. 808s and Heartbreak - Kanye West
Out of every album on this list, I've probably listened to this one the most. In the past year, there's no doubt this tops the iTunes times played count. And as much as I do love this record, it really hasn't been a choice because the person in my life that loves this record more than me, and makes me play it every time we get into a car, is my two year old son. And because of that I will always love this record, as it's the first bit of music my boy and I got to share.
But beyond the deeply personal tie to hearing Caleb sing "Love Lockdown" with made up gibberish words filling in the gaps for ones he has yet to learn, this is an extremely compelling album. First, there's the amazing transformation from previous Kanye albums since he sings on most of its tracks. Second, it is oozing with introspection, something that is mocked by most rappers. Finally, the hooks are fucking awesome. It's a great pop-R&B record in the order of Marvin Gaye. You can dance to it, you can daydream to it. And ultimately you can find humanity in an anti-hero's story of everything he knows that's missing from his life. He doesn't get to share a car ride with his son singing songs. This album makes me feel grateful I do.
14. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Grant Park, August 2008. I was fortunate enough to be on the south lawn on Saturday night of Lollapalooza to see Rage Against The Machine. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen was the the sea of humanity jumping up and down crating a human pipeline of waves. Even Tom Morello said it was the one Rage show he ever feared for people's safety. But the thing I'll remember most is going to the Bloc Party after show at House Of Blues right after Rage got off stage. It was the show of the weekend for me. Their Clash-baked edge with brit-pop sensabilities were on display for this intimate show. And when they tore through "Like Eating Glass", with massive strobe effect making the room into it's own 30mm movie, the place just erupted with joyous tension.
That tension is why I love this album so much. Each note is punched, not played. And this precision sometimes feels like you are being shot with the music. Songs build, stories are told, and by the time "Compliments" comes in at the end, you're watching the sunrise over a broken city. I really wish this band could have caught lighting in a bottle like they did on this album on one of their two follow-ups. But at least we have this perfect gem to reflect on what the middle of this decade feat like.
13. Dear Science - TV On The Radio
Speaking of albums that help define the decade, I explained how TVOTR's Dear Science was like a bookmark on the Bush years in my Top 10 Albums of 2008 post back in January. Since then, we've suffered through an excruciatingly fracturous year of economic and political woes. In that time, this album has only grown as tale of a better future to me. I've also seen them a few more times, cementing them as one of the most interesting bands in the world to see live. Distortion and harmony, static and chords, the way all of this wall of sound plays against each other makes for such a satisfying rock experience.
But the one song I want to call out is the one that is most personal. "Love Dog" is such a little gem. More than any other track, it allows lead singer Tunde Adebimpe to use his voice as an instrument of lament. He is a master of looping his cries and whistles into something both human and otherworldly. Those contradictions soar on this track, and make it the heart of one of the best albums I've ever heard.
12. Rabbit Fur Coat - Jenny Lewis
One of the disappointing things when I take a step back and look at my top 50 of the decade list is that this is the highest ranking female artist. I just can't believe that there aren't more women who's music grab me. To only have a handful seems ridiculous. I do feel a little better that women dominate my favorite albums of 2009 (the list is coming soon, I promise). But at the end of the day, I think I just relate more to music written by sad little boys for sad little boys. I guess that means that this is one hell of an album to overcome the odds and to check in at 12 on my list.
Well, it is one hell of an album. Jenny's work with Rilo Kiley always impressed me, but I was floored the moment I heard this record. The easiest way I can describe it is that if this album were a destination on the map, it would be Austin. It's metropolitan, but has a country feel. It's quirky and funny, but deeply heartfelt and sincere. And one of my favorite memories of this record is hearing it in entirety at the Magnolia Cafe on South Congress one Saturday morning before heading over to the Austin City Limits Festival for the day. Even in it's saddest moments like "Rabbit Fur Coat", and "Melt Your Heart", there's a soft sunny feeling that makes this better than a cup of coffee and pancakes to start your day. Earlier in this countdown I talked about Loretta Lynn's great comeback album. This is Jenny's great coming out album.
11. Give Up - The Postal ServiceI'm so glad The Postal Service only made one album. There's no way they could ever top this. They took a great formula perfected before them by The Pet Shop Boys of lush dance blips and beats and parred them with emotional theater lyrics and gave a new generation of misfits anthems to play on the boom boxes healed high over their heads. A song like "Nothing Better" with Jenny Lewis' cameo harken back to great euro love songs of Human League without feeling overly derivative.
For me, I actually fell in love with Ben Gibbard as a song writer because of this album. I never ventured into Death Cab For Cutie because they seemed to be just too emo for my tastes. Looking back that just seems silly to say. First, I clearly like emo music, if you haven't noticed. Second, just close your eyes and listen to the sad story spun in "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight", and you will feel the air in that sad little hotel room in DC Ben is singing about. It's the best album to dance to with your heart on your sleeve.
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