TNOP's Best Albums of 2009

10. ST. VINCENT - Actor

After a so-so album debut a couple of years ago and the timid performance we witnessed as an opening act in 2007, this fine effort came out of the blue. Annie Clark a/k/a St. Vincent finds her voice on Actor, adapting a number of personalities in a varied collection of songs. And don't let the sweet voice fool you.

KEY TRACK: "Actor Out Of Work"
BONUS: "Oh Sister" (cover of Dylan song with Andrew Bird, Providence. RI, October 2009)

9. DAVE RAWLINGS MACHINE - A Friend of A Friend

Previously known as the key co-writer and musician on so many fine works by Gillian Welch, out from the shadows steps Dave Rawlings and his superb band. The mix of originals and unique covers, assisted by Welch and proteges The Old Crow Medicine Show, are delivered in grand fashion.

KEY TRACK: "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High") (live at Grimey's Records, Nashville, TN, December 2009)
FURTHER READING: Alec Wilkinson's excellent New Yorker profile of Welch and Rawlings from 2004.

8. NEKO CASE - Middle Cyclone

A wonderful follow-up to Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, Neko Case takes on another natural disaster and triumphs.

KEY TRACK: "People Got A Lotta Nerve"
FURTHER READING: February 2009 profile of Neko Case from The New York Times Magazine.

7. BOB DYLAN - Together Through Life

In which the Patron Saint of TNOP interprets Chess Records blues with a Tex-Mex undertone. And it works, continuing the Bard's late-career renaissance. [Side note to long time fans: it's like Desire, except David Hidalgo's accordion replaces Scarlet Rivera's fiddle.]

KEY TRACK: "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"

FURTHER READING: Bill Flanagan interviews Dylan about the record.

6. DAN AUERBACH - Keep It Hid

First solo effort from The Black Keys' front man allows him to flesh out his sound. The record gets stronger with each listen, and shows that Auerbach is now a major player on the music scene. He's in a prolific stage, as evidenced by the BlakRoc project and the expected new Keys' release in 2010.

KEY TRACK #1: "My Last Mistake"

KEY TRACK #2: "Trouble Weighs A Ton" (with James Quine)

5. THE DECEMBERISTS - The Hazards of Love

America's least-likely rock stars continue their musical ascendancy, using little known folk tales as their narrative compass. We admit it took us a little longer to warm up to this effort than previous favorites like The Crane Wife and Picaresque, but this "Folk Opera" treats the listener to bombastic shapeshifters, ghostly kids and a psychotic queen. Too adventuresome? Pretentious prog rock gone bad? Some thought so. But head man Colin Meloy clearly believes in the album concept, and dares to push back at the iPod singles mentality. And it doesn't hurt that he sure knows how to pen a melody.

KEY TRACK: "The Rake's Song"

KEY TRACK #2: "The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid" (with Shara Worden, Los Angeles, CA, May 2009)
FURTHER LISTENING: David Dye of The World Cafe interviews Colin Meloy.

4. U2 - No Line On The Horizon

After two albums of straight ahead rock cementing the familiar "U2 sound," the Dublin lads decide to step out of the box again. The result is their best studio record since Achtung Baby. Their massive stadium tour will continue into 2010, a sign of how much they believe in the new work.

KEY TRACK: "Moment of Surrender"

KEY TRACK #2: "Get On Your Boots" (live at the 2009 Grammy Awards)

FURTHER READING: Producer Brian Eno talks to The Telegraph about the recording of No Line On The Horizon.

3. WILCO - Wilco (The Album)

The top American band hits a solid groove from beginning to end in this self-titled (kind of) CD. Major fans of Wilco's experimental, atmospheric side will be disappointed to an extent, but the album brims with confidence from a line up of musicians who clearly listen to and love all shades of rock and roll - and learn from it.

KEY TRACK: "You Never Know"
KEY TRACK #2: "You And I" (with Leslie Feist on Late Night With David Letterman, July 2009)
KEY TRACK #3: "Wilco (The Song)" (The Colbert Report, October 2008)
FURTHER READING: Time talks to Jeff Tweedy about the album, the passing of Jay Bennett and a fellow Chicagoan.




2. PHOENIX - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Regular readers of TNOP know that we are suckers for the unadulterated joys of pop. After three promising tries, France's Phoenix stormed the U.S. shores this year with its sunny, percussion driven sound. We dare you not to like it.

KEY TRACK: "Lisztomania"
PERFORMANCE: "1901," "Lisztomania/One Time Too Many" and "Long Distance Call" (from La Blogotheque Take Away Show, December 2009)
FURTHER READING: "Phoenix Remains A Band Apart" from September 2009 issue of The Fader.




1. GRIZZLY BEAR - Veckatimest

The Beach Boys-like harmony and hollow bodied guitar sound - with production finished, appropriately enough, in a New York church - made this record by the Brooklyn quartet Grizzly Bear TNOP's most played record in the car and on the stereo and iPod during 2009. Although its production is sparse and tones often hushed, there is an unique and youthful exuberance about this work. It is a record that will be played for many years to come.

KEY TRACK: "Two Weeks"
KEY TRACK #2: "All We Ask" (Blue Ribbon Vision @ Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI, June 2009)

KEY TRACK #3: "While You Wait For The Others" (KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, February 2008)
INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE: Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions, November 2009.

====================================
The Next Ten
Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It
Dawes, North Hills
Monsters of Folk, Monsters of Folk
Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Drippers, Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!
Levon Helm, Electric Dirt
The Swell Season, Strict Joy
Various Artists, Dark Was The Night
Passion Pit, Manners
Andrew Bird, Noble Beasts
Lisa Hannigan, Sea Sew

Doctor, Doctor Give Me The News

Grizzly Bear appeared on Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions show this past weekend. An interview and live performance of the band from The House of Blues is archived at the show's web site.

It's a thin line between love and hate. But Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde have recorded a duet together called "Postcard From London," due to be released on 7 December.

The Pixies kicked off a nine-city tour in L.A. the other night, featuring Doolittle from front to back. Pop & Hiss reviews the opening show. And here's the video link to their appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien from Friday, performing "Here Comes Your Man."

The Denver Post reports that even in front of a small crowd at the Bluebird Theater, Art Brut still delivers. Accessible punk may not be in the vogue, but do yourself a favor and go out and buy the band's excellent Bang Bang Rock & Roll.

Antonio D'Ambrosio writes movingly in Salon about Johnny Cash's lonesome crusade on behalf of Native Americans, and how it affected The Man In Black's often rocky relationship with the music industry.

The Chicago Sun-Times profiles Paul Shaffer on the occasion of the publishing of his memoir on the music biz. And to think he could have been George Costanza instead of Dave's band leader extraordinaire. . .

Treat yourself to A Takeaway Show by up-and-coming Brooklyn-based White Rabbits, with Venice Beach as a backdrop.

According to Spinner, Monsters of Folk gave more than its money's worth in New York the other night. The set list stretched to 40 (count 'em!) songs.

Let the awards season begin. North African collective Tinariwen has claimed the 2009 Uncut Music Award for Imidiwan: Companions. All the other finalists were from the United States. Get a taste of Tinariwen's sound by taking a look at the video for "Lulla," one of the tracks culled from the album.

All The World Over (Some News)

One of TNOP's favorite American bands, Wilco, just finished a two-night stand in their hometown of Chicago. The band's Boswell, Chicago Tribune writer (and Marquette University grad) Greg Kot, critiqued the first show at the UIC Pavillion. And Paste reports that the band will go into the recording studio in January to sow the seeds of a new album.

"The Complete Monterey Pop Festival" was recently released on Blu-Ray format. Audiophile Audition thinks it's terrific.

Little Steven Van Zandt, President Grant's Secret Service men Jim West and Artemus Gordon, AND the evil Dr. Miguelito Loveless? Yup, Little Steven's Underground Garage celebrates one of the great TV series, Wild Wild West, in this weekend's episode. Check local radio listings, tune in Sirius 25, XM 59 or catch up with the archive at the show's groovy website.

Steve Ferguson, guitarist and co-founder of NRBQ, passed away at age 60.

Beach House and Grizzly Bear played the Palladium in LA on Tuesday night. Margaret Wappler reviews the show in her Pop & Hiss blog, which includes video from the performance.

NPR is giving us a sneak stream of the upcoming R.E.M. Live At The Olympia two album set of (count 'em) 39 songs, recorded in 2007 during a five night stand in Paris.

Here's a treat: Harper Simon covering Nick Drake's "From The Morning." (And yes, he's the famous "child of my first marriage" mentioned in "Graceland.")

And finally, Happy Birthday to Eddie Brigati, purveyor with Felix Caviliere of some of the most beautiful blue-eyed soul ever produced. Watch this performance of "Good Lovin'" by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Young Rascals and chair dance.