Drake's Top 50 Albums of 2009

Christmas is always prime time for looking back on the year gone bye, so who am I to break with tradition? Check out Drake‘s “Top 50 Albums of 2009” below. (PS Stay tuned for my own top albums of 2009 in the coming days.) -ed.

Drake’s Top 50 Albums of 2009

Coming on the heels of a terrible year for music, 2009 started out with a deluge of promising releases, and for the most part, was crowded in the ‘absolutely great’ echelon. As I look back at it now, though, the year wasn’t as deep in great releases other years. Normally, I’ve over one hundred albums that I’m trying to squeeze down to fifty, but this year it wasn’t too hard to get it down to fifty… only having to whittle off 10 or so. So without further ado… here they be.

1. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

By far the most accessible release from Dave Longstreth and co., Bitte Orca is still complicated enough to no doubt fluster more than a few ears. There wasn’t a better three song sequence in recent memory, with the 1-2-3 punch of “Stillness Is The Move,” “Two Doves” and “Useful Chamber.” They admirably pulled off the songs live on tour (and on TV appearances), even with the degree of difficulty.

Review, June 9, 2009

2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
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2009 began with a bang thanks to this release in January, easily topping all of the releases in the 12 months prior. Because it leaked a month early, last year’s “top 50” list felt insignificant in comparison, and MPP wound up topping most folks list this year.

Review, January 20, 2009

3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Hard to believe that once upon a time, Grizzly Bear was thought of as lo-fi. Veckatimest is teeming with precision and bursting with moments of harmonizing glory, as if alternating between lakeside surgery and wondrous visitations from the Lord (the album was finished in a church). Perfect follow up to 2006’s Yellow House.

*Unless you settled for that unfinished leak that made the rounds, in which case I say to you “Dump that noise and pony up for the real thang, Son!”

Review, May 26, 2009

4. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The Lips return to the weird, after spending a few years dropping their quirks on the long-incubating Christmas on Mars project. Freed up experimentally, Embryonic doesn’t concern itself with being loved by all, instead is bathed in paranoia and dread. If you’re looking for bunny suits and confetti explosions, keep moving.

Review, October 13, 2009