Top 10 Songs of 2009... w/ commentary

(Yes, that is Robbie Williams ... thank you for asking...)

So, that whole weekly music chart thing fizzled out pretty quickly didn't it? I think I'm going to scrap that in favour of trying to do a monthly round-up (like I did last month) and then doing the odd top-10 kind of list (like I'm doing now).

If you're just stopping by for the first time I'll apologize for the spelling mistakes and my taste in music (as evidenced by this list) being absolutely all over the place.

As always, mp3s can be downloaded by right-clicking and "saving-as", or, by doing whatever it is you do if you own a Mac.


10. "Oberkampf" by Woodpigeon from Houndsooth Europa
A really pretty singer-songwriter type song from a band that is loved (and I mean LOVED) by a couple folk music loving bloggers. Some version of this album was available for free (legally) somewhere at some point... so if someone wants to chime in on that....

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9. "Electric Avenue" (yes, that Electric Avenue) by Woodhands
Thanks to Jen for the heads up. On a completely unrelated note, Liz and I saw Woodhands on one of those pre-movie-psuedo-commercials at the thee-ater last week. So, it looks like things are going well for the Torontoian Electro-Dance-Rockers... awesome. Also, if they ever become famous, this girl is going to be the next internet sensation...
[mp3] Woodhands - Electric Avenue

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8. "Blood Bank" by Bon Iver from Blood Bank EP
Good, but not great, EP... and I hate to say it, but I think the best thing for Justin Vernon's music career would be to get his heart ripped out by another girl....
[mp3] Bon Iver - Blood Bank

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7. "My Girls" by Animal Collective from Merriweather Post-Pavilion

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6. "Still Crazy After All These Years" (Paul Simon cover) by Deer Tick
... which should not take away from the hilarious and awesome Sean Kingston cover they did last year... still never heard an album by these guys...
[mp3] Deer Tick - Still Crazy After All These Years

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5. "Kettering" by The Antlers from Hospice (to be released 3/3)
My pick of the week #5.

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4. "Help I'm Alive" by Metric from Fantasies (to be released 4/19)
In exchange for your email address you can download an acoustic version (which I think is vastly superior to the studio version posted here) of "Help I'm Alive" and see this very introspective interview/confessional from Emily Haines.
[mp3] Metric - Help I'm Alive

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3. "Geraldine" by Glasvegas from Glasvegas
Pick of the week #3.

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2. "Steamroller" by Bruce Peninsula from A Mountain is a Mouth
Depends on your 'steez', but for me, this is the front runner for album of the year and a serious contender for the Polaris Prize this year. Pick of the week #4, and a spectacular live show.
[mp3] Bruce Peninsula - Steamroller

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1. "Brooklyn Go Hard" by Jay-Z ft. Faith Evans/Santogold from the Notorious Soundtrack
Production like this is why I love hip-hop...