Phoenix Cover Dylan

Click here to listen to Phoenix cover the Bob Dylan song "Sad Eyed Lady of The Lowlands". It's really good.

Best Albums Of 2009

#1

JULIAN CASABLANCAS - PHRAZES FOR THE YOUNG

In lieu of a new album from The Strokes (which I expect we will get in late 2010) Mr. Casablancas pulled out his synthesizer and treated us to his first solo album. From the first teaser trailer for the album, to the artwork, to the merchandise, to the live show, to the songs themselves, no detail was overlooked. After my first listen, there was really only one song that I loved, but boy did I love it. "Glass" is easily one of the best songs Mr. Casablancas has ever written. Upon further listening, I came to realize two-thirds of the album is absolutely magnificent, while the remaining third have flashes of brilliance. "Tourist" is fantastic and similar to "Glass" in style and structure and is a song that I love more with each listen. The horns that are introduced at the end give me endless amounts of delight and pleasure. "Out Of The Blue", "Left & Right In The Dark", and "11th Dimension" are all pop song pleasures. Oh, and covering the SNL Christmas song "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" was a cherry on top of an already very sweet sundae.

#2
YEAH YEAH YEAHS - IT'S BLITZ

This album very easily could have been in the #1 spot for me. From start to finish it's consistently strong. The songs are well produced, concise and catchy. The only reason it falls to #2 for me is that although it is all those things, it hardly breaks new ground musically. It's Blitz is a really good dance-pop album that's lots of fun to listen to, but hardly blows my mind in terms of original songwriting. And I suppose full-disclosure is only fair–I really can't stand Karen O. So honestly the fact I've given this as much praise as I have really says something.

#3
SALEM - SALEM EP

Salem is dark and mysterious and fantastic to listen to while driving over the Bay Bridge at midnight. My initial response to Salem was that they sounded like a darker version of My Bloody Valentine. "Redlights" is probably my favorite track, and sounds a bit like a more subdued version of M.I.A.'s smash hit "Paper Planes". Their music is textural and dense with plenty of low-end and distortion, yet highly melodic. "Skullcrush" is another favorite, and probably best represents the direction I'd like to see them pursue. To top it all off, they do everything they can to remain as anonymous and underground as possible, which only helps adds to the intrigue.

#4
JULIANNA BARWICK - FLORINE

There isn't much not to like about this album. At the time I placed my order, it was only available from Julianna Barwick herself, and she mailed it to me from her Brooklyn home with a big heart around my name and a thank you. On top of that, the music she creates is entirely beautiful. Florine sets a mood similar to the one I find myself in while listening to Brian Eno's Music For Airports, one of my all time favorite compositions. From what I can tell, her music is primarily many layers of vocals, with some piano and strings, all utilizing a bit of reverb and moments of delay. It is ethereal and atmospheric and perfect to put on when seeking a calm space on a quiet day.

#5
PHOENIX - WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX

First of all, this album is not as good as everyone thinks it is. It is nice. It is pleasant to listen to. It is not, however, some breakthrough in music, and will most likely not be very memorable as the years pass. With that said, "Lisztomania" and "1901" are a delight, and every other song is pleasant enough to make putting this album on with some frequency an enjoyable experience. Ok ok, it's a fun album, but I can't help but think of it as a flavor of the month, not something that will be relevant in the future. With that said, I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Phoenix - "Lizstomania/One Time Too Many"