2009 was a stellar year for music. With surprises around every corner, we watched bands like Grizzly Bear rise from a small indie success to a huge cultral phenomenon. Pavement rose from the ashes and decided to reunite after 10 years apart. We lost some great musicians like Jerry Fuchs, Chris “Space Wolf” Feinstein, and Vic Chesnutt. We gained some incredible bands like Surfer Blood and The Drums. We made new friends at CMJ, stayed up late at SXSW and got muddy at Lollpalooza. Though one thing that always defines your year, is the soundtrack that you listened to the whole way through. The staff at GreenShoelace.com came together to pick our favorite, most memorable albums of 2009. We hope you enjoy it and discover something new that you may have missed this year.

1. Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest (Warp)
Even though much of Grizzly Bear’s astronomically hyped new album had leaked or been played live before the year even began, the final product was still kind of a sucker punch.  On the final version of Veckatimest, “Two Weeks” is suddenly all about percussion, “Cheerleader” makes brilliant use of its new choral assistance, and “I Live With You” has a demonic rage underneath its ’50s elevator music production.  Despite its easily identifiable influences (mainly the Beach Boys and Phil Spector-era pop), the album sounds oddly timeless; it’s easy to imagine folks fifty years from now not being able to identify its time & place.  Credit that to clever production, and good old fashioned songwriting.  It’s a one-two punch that works in any decade. -Royce Johnson

2. Girls-Girls (Matador/True Panther)
This album is quality lo-fi melodic-rock from start to finish… Christopher Owens’ voice has a nasally quality that you could take or leave but it works with his overall sound that resembles a sort of tortured Buddy Holly.  This is a good fall-back album that is easy on the ear and doesn’t quickly get old; it’s catchy and pretty, but it holds it’s own as a solid rock album. -Jaclyn Inglis

3. Julian Casablancas-Phrazes for the Young (Cult Records/RCA)
It’s been a long time since we heard from The Strokes as a unified band. A lot of fans were hesitant on the thought of a solo album by the charasmatic leader, Julian Casablancas, putting out music that doesn’t resemble his band at all. What a surprise it was when we found he took his love for a bit of 1980’s dance and incoporated it with his unforgettable voice and lyrics. The end result? One of the coolest records of the year. We’d expect no less from him.-Melissa Nastasi

4. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse-Dark Night of the Soul (Self Released)
The product of friends dragging Mark Linkous out of a deep dark depression–and everyone knows that some of the best music comes at the expense of someone else’s mental and emotional wellbeing.  In addition to impressive vocal cameos from the likes of Wayne Coyne, Frank Black, Iggy Pop and (the unlikely) David Lynch–the album was a self-release, or more appropriately a “self-leak,” by the band after a dispute with EMI motivated the music monster to shelve the project.  Here’s to the band who uses the age of mass information exchange to give the man a big F-you. Though you can’t purchase the album at this time you can stream it online. All things considered, this is highly deserving of a year-end spot.-Jaclyn Ingles

5. Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino)
When this came out in January, some folks predicted the most anticlimactic year for music in recent memory, since nothing was gonna top it.  Thankfully, they were wrong, but that doesn’t change the fact that Merriweatheris one hell of an achievement, and the album these guys seemed destined to make.  Parring down the band to three members this time around (there’s an open door policy), and apparently putting Noah “Panda Bear” Lennox in the driver’s seat for the music’s new direction (or at least getting heavily inspired by Lennox’s “Comfy in Nautica”) gives this album a focus that none of their previous LPs have had, which is a necessary anchor, considering their music’s never been out on more of a limb than it is here.  It’s become pretty popular to refer to AC as our generation’s Grateful Dead recently, but, with all due respect to Mr. Garcia & company, that does this music a disservice.  In concert, the band certainly plays like an electronic jam band, but there’s so much musicality here, and such solid structure, that the songs can stand on their own, without any added theatrics. -Royce Johnson

6. Wooden Birds-Magnolia(Barsuk)
From the ashes of the classic indie band, American Analog Set, rose a new project from former frontman, Andrew “AK” Kenny. Shifting completely everything he’s done musicially, AK has come out with one of the most surprising releases of the year. Creating a record that is more folk than rock, no songs on the album contain any drums what-so-ever. The bass and vocals really take off and captivate you, the listener. The live sets of the song also include Matt Pond on guitar along with songstress Leslie Sisson. I’m not sure I’ve heard such a heart felt and warm record in the past 10 years. -Melissa Nastasi

7. James Husband- Parallax 1 (Polyvinyl)
It took 10 years for multi-instrumentalist and drummer from Of Montreal, James Husband, to create his solo album masterpiece. Husband is in the spotlight for the first time in his career and wow, is he certainly taking advantage of it. Providing one of the best indie pop records of the past year, he lets out a 60’s retro sound that no one can mess with. The end result is something as charming as it seems. Raw, catchy, and glorious. -Melissa Nastasi

8. Bishop Allen- Grrr (Dead Oceans)
It’s been a long night since Bishop Allen gained attention by two teenagers named Nick and Norah, and fans were at the edge of their seat wondering what the Brookyln line up would come up with next. Taking a further step into their brilliant indie pop sound, the band did not disappoint at all with Grrr. See it as the next chapter in the Bishop Allen movie, one that is bound to have many sequels in store. -Melissa Nastasi

9. Miike Snow-Miike Snow (Downtown)
Not a favorite of most, these Swedes won over my heart with their work for Britney, and won it again with their work as Miike Snow. The pulsating drum beats and piano melodies are joined by hints of spirited synthesizers, which prove that pop producers can turn out a good indie pop album!- Tatyahna Cameron

10. the xx- xx -(XL)
It’s safe to say the xx came out of the blue this year: four (now three) humble-looking young folks from London make an album full of subdued duets, surrounded with drum machines and Chris Isaak-inspired guitar riffs.  This is the kind of genius that can only happen by accident.  And while xx could never be accused of being a diverse album, it evokes a sustained mood better than anything in recent memory.  It’s dark without being depressing, and sexy without being vulgar.  In fact, I’m not gonna say the xx brought sexy back to rock (though that was kind of my way of saying it without incurring the guilt of saying it), but they definitely reminded the world that an old fashioned love-makin’ record can be a glorious thing, no matter the genre.  It might be too early to tell if these guys are a one-trick pony, or are gonna have a long career of equally innovative LPs, but you’d be a fool not to stick around and find out. -Royce Johnson

Honorable Mentions

The Big Pink-History of Love (4AD)
Dirty Projectors- Bit Orca (Domino)
White Lies-To Lose My Life…(Fiction)
Memory Tapes- Seek Magic (Sincerely Yours/Acephale/Something in Construction)
The Horrors-Primary Colors (XL)
Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glass Note)
Metric- Fantasies (Metric Productions, Inc.)
Passion Pit-Manners (French Kiss)

Stay tuned for tomorrow when we release Greenshoelace.com’s Top 20 Songs of 2009!

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