Best of 2009

2009 was a great year in music (for me). I enjoyed it so much that the Best of 2009 list has been expanded to include the top 10 this year! Woohoo!!!


Top 10 Albums of the Year:

1) Gavin Castleton- Home (see previous blog post for an in depth review)

2) Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
If you like the Talking Heads polyrhythmic style, you'll instantly fall in love with Dave Longstreth's multifaceted compositions.

3) Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest
Lots of space and soaring harmonies create a soothing aesthetic that takes over this album. The subtle rhythm ideas are genius. This album gets better with every listen.

4) Passion Pit- Manners
It used to be a guilty pleasure, now I consider myself a 'sleepyhead'.

5) Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
I was exposed to these guys via Cadillac commercials and oddly I still liked it. Even stranger, I love the album. And they're French! Who knew?!?!

6) Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
I don't sweat them as much as Pitchfork.com but a great album nonetheless. Great harmony ideas and a nice cross over into electronica/jam band for me in 2009.

7) Andrew Bird- Noble Beast
Fantastic musician who uses interesting wordplay to create unique melodies. He is a multi-instrumentalist and includes 'whistling' as a proficiency on his website, how Bird-like...

8) Akron/Family- Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free
Fun album. Their live show is even better.

9) Drug Rug- Paint the Fence Invisible
Great local act out of Boston. Strong harmonies and storybook songwriting give this album a great flow.

10) 311- Uplifter
Okay, maybe 10 albums was spreading the love a little thin... but nice to have my favorite band from high school make a decent disc that received several listens this summer.



Top 5 Phish shows:

1) Phish 11/28 Times Union Center, Albany, NY

2) Phish 8/14 The Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT

3) Phish 8/13 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY

4) Phish 6/07 Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ

5) Phish 5/31 Fenway Park, Boston, MA


Top 5 Shows:

1) Lettuce 6/13 The Paradise, Boston, MA

2) Passion Pit 2/06 Middle East Downstairs, Boston, MA

3) Andrew Bird 1/30 The Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA

4) Rustic Overtones, Nate Wilson Group, Gavin Castleton 11/07 The Paradise

5) Umphrey's McGee 4/09 House of Blues, Boston, Ma


Song of the Year: (Tie) Grizzly Bear- Two Weeks & Phoenix- 1901

Video of the Year: Grizzly Bear- Two Weeks

Greatest Video of All-Time: Beyonce- Single Ladies

Most Overrated Album: Neko Case- Middle Cyclone

Most Disappointing Album: Umphrey's McGee- Mantis

Comeback Album: Phish- Joy

Best Album Cover: Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion

Wost Album Name: Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Best New Artist: Drug Rug

Best Performance: The Entire Phish Summer Tour

Most Confusing Artist: John Mayer

Lifetime Achievement: Gavin Castleton