This week, we are bringing the year to a close not only by bringing you a brand new name, but also by reviewing our favorite albums, EPs and tracks of 2009. To kick things off, we (Melanie and Tiffiny) have put together a list (in alphabetic order, of course) of ten albums that have worked their way into our heads and hearts in 2009. Thank you so much for reading American Indie and for making it such a great ride in the later half of 2009, and for welcoming The Ruckus with open arms. We all look forward to a brilliant 2010.
Thanks a million,
Melanie, Tiffiny, Sheena, Dave, Lizzie, Amy, and Cheryl
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
The thing about Andrew Bird is that he isn't like anyone else. To watch him as he switches from violin, to guitar, to mandolin, to glockenspiel, to singing, and to whistling is a show in itself. The music he puts out is certainly worth the trip, too. Released in January 2009, Noble Beast is an adventure. Each song tells a story in only the way that Andrew Bird can. "Oh No" opens the album with a soft, melodic, folky tale. "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" is fuzzy and intense. "The Privateers" is sweet, flowing, and absolutely lovely. Each track is it's own vivid journey, full of color and substance. [Tiffiny]
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
I love The Avett Brothers. They make gorgeous, heartrendingly honest music that makes you want to spill your secrets right back to them. Deeply rooted in bluegrass and punk, the band has remained faithful to both genres while flawlessly integrating pop, rock, and folk - it's a richly layered sound that you will not hear anywhere else. I and Love and You is stunning - undeniable perfection. If Emotionalism was The Avett Brothers' introduction into most indie and folk-rock lovers' libraries, then I and Love and You will usher them onto the iPods of even the most persnickety mainstream music fan. [Melanie]
Chuck Ragan - Gold Country
We love Chuck Ragan in these parts. From the phenomenal creation that is the Revival Tour, to the punk rock Hot Water Music, to the simply amazing solo work he does. It really isn't a surprise that September's Gold Country is on this list. This album is fiercely passionate. Each song comes across as thought out and full of sincerity. I can't imagine any fan of the folk rock genre not appreciating the fast paced "Glory" or not being moved by the aching "Ole Diesel". Don't miss out on Gold Country and the great Chuck Ragan. [Tiffiny]
Frank Turner - Poetry of the Deed
Poetry of the Deed is hands down my favorite album of 2009. From the first notes of "Live Fast, Die Old" to the last notes of Journey of the Magi, this record kicks ass. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to Frank Turner's September release, but I should possibly be ashamed and learn to diversify my musical choices. I just can't help myself, though. I'm hooked on the punk folk masterpiece. Though heavily autobiographical, Poetry covers some vast territory, from the slow and beautiful Sunday Nights to the hard and ominous Richard Divine. Our Lady of the Campfire is simply incredible, the instrumentation is stunning. Sons of Liberty is a traditional folk tale in the style of Billy Bragg. Don't miss this one. [Tiffiny]
Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure
I have to admit I was virtually unaware of Jenny Owen Youngs before the release of Transmitter Failure in May. I was floored by how much I loved this album from the first listen. This collection feels like a painfully honest, elaborately orchestrated tale of love gone wrong and self discovery. Transmitter Failure is definitely rooted in pop, allowing a new level of accessibility for the artist that Ms. Youngs describes here "I wanted to make something that would move people emotionally, but also move them physically. I did not want to end up touring for another three years on a record that wouldn't offer people the opportunity to move. So. Dan Romer and I set out to make something that was, quite simply, more fun to play live. In the process, my writing took turns I didn't expect." "Led to the Sea" has a beat that will certainly keep you moving. "Here Is A Heart" is a quick witted and full of melancholy, but still manages to remain sweet. "Clean Break" is a haunting old world style folk rock piece. These all fit together to make up one of my new favorite albums. [Tiffiny]
Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free
September saw the release of another album I knew I would love from Langhorne Slim. Every once in awhile I will be let down by a release that I have had so much anticipation for, but this is not the case with Be Set Free. This album is incredibly endearing. "I Love You, But Goodbye" is guaranteed to break your heart with lyrics that speak to everyone who's ever suffered through a failed relationship. "Land of Dreams" is full of melancholy, folky magic. The title track has a gospel feel and features a gorgeous pedal steel guitar part. Erika Wennerstrom of The Heartless Bastards joins Slim on another heavyhearted track, Leaving My Love, for a stunning duet. Though Langhorne Slim has done a great deal of evolving on this record, it still contains the raw feel that made me fall in love in the first place. [Tiffiny]
Metric - Fantasies
I tremble / They're gonna eat me alive / If I stumble / They're gonna eat me alive, sings Emily Haines on "Help I'm Alive". Her voice is pure soprano with a slightly gritty edge, as if distressed just enough with the finest grain of sand paper. Songwriting is a sort of catharsis for Haines; a way to process what is happening in her life, and that shows on this and other tracks on the album. For me, "Help I'm Alive" is this album's "The Police and the Private", my favorite track from Live It Out. Other standouts are the well-loved Gimme Sympathy, the sweet and dreamy Collect Call, and Blindness, which hints at a sort of gravity that transcends its generally upbeat melody. Fantasies is a lush, textural exploration of electro, dance and rock that is solid from start to finish. Each track is well developed and beautiful, not overproduced, and catchy enough for your friends to love - even the sad little group who have no idea who Metric is. [Melanie]
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Rising from London's anti-folk movement (yet completely unique), Mumford & Sons' music is a perfect mix of bluegrass, folk and rock. They have pressed three EPs (upon which five of the songs on Sigh No More have been featured) since the band formed in late 2007, each building up to this, their Island Records debut. If I'm honest, I have never loved a debut album as much as I love this one. It is impossible for me to be impartial (or anything less than impassioned) when I talk about Sigh No More and Mumford & Sons in general; I want to drown in their music. And I'm really not alone - every person that I've introduced to them feels exactly the same; we can't stop listening. We must sing. We long to see them perform these songs live. This is a desert island record. [Melanie]
Noah and the Whale - The First Days of Spring
I am famous for being fickle, but Londoners Noah and the Whale have been one of my favorite bands since the debut of their first album, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, over a year ago. I am consistently awed by their intrinsic talent for flawlessly matching lyric and melody; the effect is brilliantly cinematic. The album itself is amazingly good, with bursts of bright, Copland-esque instrumentals which segue into and out of the sweet, moody melodies which make up most of the songs. It is brilliant. A triumph. Buy this album. No, seriously. Buy this album. You can thank me later, after you've decided that you've found your new favorite band [Melanie]
The Swell Season - Strict Joy
October brought The Swell Season's sophomore release, Strict Joy. The title of the album was derived and inspired by Irish poet James Stephens. I remember the first messages that The Swell Season camp released with a message containing the poem. My expectations were set high and gradually kept climbing as glances were offered of the content. However, when I listened to the album itself, I was awestruck. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová managed to propel themselves into the musical world independent of film. From the slow strummed, Van Morrison-esque "Low Rising" to the haunting, layered "High Horses", this album is a work of beauty. [Tiffiny]
