I like weird. When it comes to music, I can think of a few oddities in my collection. Most, however center around cover art. There’s the John Travolta LP Can’t Let You Go, which came in at #15 on Cracked’s list of The 19 Most Hilariously Failed Attempts at Sexy Album Covers. I also dig the conceptual, which Fishboy has come to do quite well. The Electronic Anthology Project fits both molds — the band’s self-titled debut EP is conceptually weird.

Now for a name drop. The Electronic Anthology Project is actually Built to Spill. The concept: Built To Spill does synth-pop covers of itself, straight from the early 80s. Song titles are renamed as anagrams of their original names — “Else” from Keep It Like A Secret becomes “Eels” and “I Would Hurt A Fly” off Perfect From Now On becomes “What If Your Dull” [sic]. “Things Fall Apart” off the band’s latest, There Is No Enemy, becomes “Far Path Tall Sign”. The project is the concoction of BTS bassist Brett Nelson, who plans to expand it to include other artists doing the same under the moniker. Quite brilliant and totally bizarre. This is one you have to hear to believe.

Keep your eye out for this EP, available in the near future digitally and via compact disc. Hear “I Dim Our Angst In Agony” (aka “Goin’ Against Your Mind”) below.

Download: I Dim Our Angst In Agony” by The Electronic Anthology Project

2009 is a tough year to judge. I’ve checked out more albums this year than any year in the past. Well over 1,000. And there have been quite a few great ones as well. When this list began, it had 110 albums. I abandoned my top 33 and 1/3 for 45, and then said “screw it” and upped the number to an even 50. These are the top notch albums of the year, all worthy of praise.

Despite trouble all around, 2009 wasn’t all that bad. It forced us to hold our wallets a little closer, and by doing so allowed us to enjoy some simpler things in life. Living briefly in Edison before buying a house, I’d take walks around town with my camera in hand and my iPod in ear. The above photo was from one of those journeys.

It was the year of fuzzy pop, so it’s no surprise that the biggest standout label from the year would have to be Slumberland, who gave us a slew of phenomenal singles, a few great albums, and a number of excellent EPs. Hometapes also finds their artists sprinkled throughout the list. As usual, there are some local favorites, as well as a few obscurities.

Off we go…

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50. Postcard by Elin Palmer

From Devotchka fame comes Elin Palmer, whose Denver by way of Sweden sounds blend multi-instrumental orchestral folk with angelic vocals. Title track “Postcard” is a mystic song that hits all the right notes, from beautiful echoing vocals to soft accordion and masterful strings.

Elin Palmer: Postcard [mp3]

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49. Cosmic Clancy by The Nightgowns

The Nightgowns turned some heads in the Pacific Northwest this year, gaining momentum with their synth-based pop. It’s simple and catchy, but a dark base and vocal pairing keeps it from being overly twee.

The Nightgowns: Cosmic Clancy [mp3]

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48. The Mountain by Heartless Bastards

Title track “The Mountain” is truly an epic, and it’s hard not to say the same about at least half the songs on Heartless Bastards’ latest LP. These songs are pure rock and hint at a greater 70s theme yet find themselves entirely modern. And the female-fronted vocal styling is deep and filled with a verbose vibrato, making Erika Wennerstrom one of the more unique vocalists around.

Heartless Bastards: The Mountain [mp3]

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47. Letting Up Despite Great Faults by Letting Up Despite Great Faults

Letting Up Despite Great Faults wears their influences on their sleeves. Listening to electronic beats and fuzzy keys and guitars, fronted by dreamy reverb-filled vocals, one can hear hints of The Radio Dept. in nearly every song on this album. That is far from a bad thing, as Letting Up Despite Great Faults picks up precisely where Lesser Matters left off.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults: In Steps [mp3]

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46. Promenade by Grand Hallway

Combining Japanese classical sensibilities with orchestral pop isn’t all that common. Promenade, Grand Hallway’s second album, is much stronger than their debut and it finds the group gaining confidence in their songwriting abilities, both from an instrumentation and a vocal standpoint.

Grand Hallway: Blessed Be, Honey Bee [mp3]

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45. Gather Form & Fly by Megafaun

An experimental style of folk, freak folk, and blend of fully orchestrated folk with minimalist folk, Megafaun does a great job infusing various styles of folk for an entirely unique sound that is fun, crazy, and beautiful all at the same time.

Megafaun: Kaufman’s Ballad [mp3]

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44. Första Brevet Till Amerika by The Hartmans

Riding the fuzz pop train is Sweden’s The Hartmans, who remain underground but whose songs are absolutely worth checking out for fans of this year’s favorite sub-genre. Första Brevet Till Amerika is technically the US release of an album from one, possibly two years ago, but because Series II dropped it in ’09, I’ll consider it. The Hartmans focus is harmony backed by massive distorted harmony.

The Hartmans: Neptuni Orden [mp3]

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43. March Of The Zapotec / Holland by Beirut

Beirut’s so-called third LP, March Of The Zapotec / Holland is technically a double EP. One half finds the balkan-influenced band matching their early sounds while the other sees Condon et. al adding in electronic beats.

Beirut: My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille [mp3]

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42. My Maudlin Career by Camera Obscura
“French Navy” is one of my favorite singles of 2009, and title track “My Maudlin Career” is pretty damn close to being an album favorite. This album nears the influence set forth in Let’s Get Out Of This Country.

Camera Obscura: My Maudlin Career [mp3]

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41. Fan The Flames by Golden Bloom

With infectious pop songs like “Doomsday Devices” and “The Flight At The End Of The Tunnel”, Golden Bloom takes contemporary pop to a whole new level. Sure, this stuff is more than nerdy, but you can’t help falling in love with these songs.

Golden Bloom: Doomsday Devices [mp3]

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40. Sunset / Sunrise by The Dutchess & The Duke
Aside from an overall higher production value, The Dutchess & The Duke exudes a greater level of comfort and confidence in the music they create. Sure, this album lacks that gritty lo-fi element so beloved in their debut, but it’s made up with this band’s new-found certainty in their abilities.

The Dutchess & The Duke: Hands [mp3]

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39. Post-Nothing by Japandroids

Japandroids made waves this year with their album Post-Nothing. Many consider “Young Hearts Spark Fire” one of the best songs of the year. Sure, I’ll give them that, but my favorites are “Heart Sweats” and “I Quit Girls”.

Japandroids: Young Hearts Spark Fire [mp3]

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38. Logos by Atlas Sound

I haven’t fully absorbed Logos yet. There are a few albums that haven’t quite fully garnered my attention, and these are the ones that are likely to see big movement when it comes time to compile my 2009 A Retrospective. I rather enjoy what I have digested quite a bit more than Atlas Sound’s last album. In particular is “Walkabout” which features Noah Lennox of Animal Collective/Panda Bear.

Atlas Sound: Walkabout [mp3]

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37. Reservoir by Fanfarlo

Quite like Beirut, but with less emphasis on the obscure and a bit more on greater accessibility to a wider audience, Fanfarlo’s Reservoir is hailed by many as one of the top albums of the year. It’s a bit too much like Beirut at times, but there’s no question that these guys can create a pretty powerful tune. “The Walls Are Coming Down” and “Luna” are instant favorites, songs that aren’t likely to wane any time soon.

Fanfarlo: Luna [mp3]

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36. Welcome Joy by The Cave Singers

Oh man, “At The Cut” rocked. Invitation Songs was pretty damn solid, and placed the band in a unique folk-rock place, hinting at a folk sound from an entirely different era. But Welcome Joy finds The Cave Singers blowing up that earlier sound, injecting some powerful riffs (as if they weren’t there to begin with), and pumping up volume levels a bit. Sure, not all songs are like this, but the right ones are, and that’s all that matters.

The Cave Singers: At The Cut [mp3]

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35. In The Dream Of The Sea Life by Candy Claws

Thanks to a clever mixing in of lapping waves, In The Dream Of The Sea Life nears concept album greatness. Candy Claws mixes highly experimental electro-pop with folky traits common to artists like Animal Collective, but a thousand times dreamier. This music is pleasant and hypnotic.

Candy Claws: Catamaran [mp3]

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34. Intuit by Ramona Falls

After Menomena’s Friend And Foe, I’ve been dying to hear more from the band. While we have yet to receive a follow-up, Intuit is pretty damn close. From Menomena’s Brent Knopf comes Ramona Falls and the music has a pretty strong similarity to one of Portland’s best groups. In the coming months, I’ll probably regret keeping this one so low on the list.

Ramona Falls: I Say Fever [mp3]

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33. Vekatimest by Grizzly Bear

Vekatimest has made more of an impact on me than both Yellow House and Horn Of Plenty alike. “Two Weeks”, in fact, is one of my favorite singles of the year. As a whole, this album is more than solid and propels Grizzly Bear into a unique position; out there far enough to warrant lauding by supreme pretentious indie nerds and a more mainstream crowd as well.

Grizzly Bear: Cheerleader [mp3]

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32. Waking Heat by Tempo No Tempo

It’s been a while since I’ve really been into a dub band, but that all changed in 2009. Tempo No Tempo became an instant favorite thanks to a hefty bass/drum part in songs like “The Rat (Part One)” and “Medicines”. Unsigned, I wouldn’t be surprised if this band doesn’t stay that way long.

Tempo No Tempo: Medicines [mp3]

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31. We Bet Our Money On You by Daniel Francis Doyle

Math rock has always been a bit crazy, with pointed beats and riffs and wild lyrics. Daniel Francis Doyle is the most promising artist to fit the genre in a very long time. His abilities extend far, from erratic in-your-face experimental and fully math oriented tracks (“Old Lives”, for example, is quite wonderful, reaching a point between Don Cab and Dismemberment Plan) and soft melodic piano tracks (“Your Baby Is Speaking” is the best representation of that sound). Perfect.

Daniel Francis Doyle: Learning Things In School [mp3]

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30. Keep In Mind Frankenstein by Grand Archives

The harmonies remain, both from an instrumental and vocal standpoint. In Keep In Mind Frankenstein, Grand Archives take it down a notch at times. While there isn’t that immense climax (“The Crime Window” off Grand Archives took that slot), these songs are still quite amazing. Grand Archives’ music is filled with pleasant folk-pop that truly sets this band apart from the crowd.

Grand Archives: Silver Among The Gold [mp3]

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29. Everybody Come Outside by Pomegranates

With their sophomore LP, Everybody Come Outside, Pomegranates have soidified their station as the best creators of upbeat pop songs around. And I’m not just talking songs that will make you nod your head. Even their sadder, less happy songs are entirely bouncy. Prime example: “This Land Used To Be…”

Pomegranates: Corriander [mp3]

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28. Family by Le Loup

The Throne, Le Loup’s debut, was an album wrought with strife; it was a tormented display of a mind torn between good and evil. And it leaned quite substantially toward the darkness. With their follow-up, Family, Simkoff seems to have found a pleasant peace among friends. This album lacks some of the minimalistic traits of its predecessor. There are still forays into that wild sound, but now it’s more tribal, connected to individuals outside Simkoff himself. And you can hear it in the music: it’s a positive progression.

Le Loup: Beach Town [mp3]

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27. Tarpits & Canyonlands by Bombadil

Mixing a sound that can only be described as a folky rendition of Slaraffenland (or Efterklang) fronted by a Cat Stevens-ish character, Bombadil has produced an entirely unique album that is one of 2009′s must-hears.

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26. Setting The Paces by BOAT

Setting The Paces, BOAT’s third album, sees the band progressing as a whole. Songs are more complex, yet they all maintain a fair share of those good ol’ traits that us fans fell in love with upon hearing their debut. D. Crane still has that overly joyous, sarcastic self-deprecating lyrics and that grinning throaty vocal style. These songs rock, and they rock harder than BOAT ever has before.

BOAT: Lately [mp3]

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25. Psychic Chasms by Neon Indian

Take Animal Collective, drop in a notable and dark 80s influence. Then ship the whole package over to Europe and shove it into one of their electro thingies. An image should be forming, and the result is probably something along the lines of Neon Indian. By the way, this album cover speaks to this music more than practically all others in 2009.

Neon Indian: Deadbeat Summer [mp3]

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24. Telekinesis! by Telekinesis

You wouldn’t expect this album from Telekinesis brain-child Michael Lerner, who is soft spoken and quite kind. Then again, this album isn’t hard hitting, nor is it pretentious. It hits the right pop hooks and injects the perfect amount of rock to achieve something better, more pure. One listen to “Great Lakes” and you’ll be saying Move over Death Cab – there’s a new boy in town!

Telekinesis: Coast Of Carolina [mp3]

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23. Parade by Afternoon Naps

When it comes down to it, there is little I love more than a good indie pop album, and Parade by Afternoon Naps is just that. The band’s smokey and mysterious vocals are dark and seductive. There are plenty of somber pop hooks here, but this band isn’t beyond throwing a wrench in that – there’s also a lot of bouncy melodies.

Afternoon Naps: Beach Bums [mp3]

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22. Summer Of Hate by Crocodiles

Summer Of Hate brought Crocodiles quite a bit of hype in the indie world upon its release. It took me a while to get around to checking these guys out but I’m very glad I did. The title track remains my favorite, but in truth this album is filled with favorites.

Crocodiles: Summer Of Hate [mp3]

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21. Declaration Of Dependence by Kings Of Convenience

“Boat Behind” is one of my favorite videos of the year. It’s perfectly sunny and more than fitting. The title of this album is honest and revealing, and it fits the music this duo creates. Kings Of Convenience is back and I’ll probably kick myself later for not sticking this higher on the list. Oh well.

Kings Of Convenience: Boat Behind [mp3]

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20. Beast Rest Forth Mouth by Bear In Heaven

From the dissonance of Red Bloom Of The Boom to the harmonious Beast Rest Forth Mouth, Bear In Heaven continues to be a gripping band despite a substantial progression. The first one emphasized space; this one creates the matter that fills space.

Bear In Heaven: Lovesick Teenagers [mp3]

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19. Up From Below by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Epic folk comes in many forms and while Up From Below may not necessarily be a concept album in the true concept album form, it possesses the traits (albeit externally for the most part). As they continue to put out videos from the album, which will ultimately form a near feature-length film, this album’s brilliance will radiate brighter than ever.

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: 40 Day Dream [mp3]

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18. We’re On Your Side by Slaraffenland

Few bands have the efficacy of uniqueness than that produced by Slaraffenland. Their plush orchestral instrumentation, bordering on experimental pop, is simultaneously minimal and monumental. And the vocals that coincide with it are expansive. Beauty has nothing on Slaraffenland.

Slaraffenland: Meet And Greet [mp3]

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17. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective

In my opinion, Merriweather Post Pavilion is Animal Collective’s initial leaning toward becoming more accessible to a wider audience. Fall Be Kind is an even further progression into that realm, but when compared to that which came before, MPP has more songs that fit that classification. A favorite, you can totally hear Noah Lennox’s influence on “Guys Eyes”.

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16. Over And Over by The Legends

At first glance, it may appear that The Legends have returned to their roots with Over And Over, the overly fuzzy basement pop distinct on Up Against The Legends. But in reality, they’ve merely combined many of the sounds over their past three quite distinct albums. This band continues to impress – again, it should be no surprise as to why I regard Johan Angergård as one of today’s most talented musicians.

The Legends: Always The Same [mp3]

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15. You Can Have What You Want by Papercuts

Sometimes you’ll find that certain albums sound better on vinyl. On one hand, it’s the experience of sliding that beautiful piece of wax out of its sleeve and placing it gently on a record player, then watching the needle as it drops in the precise location for optimal listening. You Can Have What You Want by Papercuts is one such album. The good news: this album nears perfection no matter how you take it in.

Papercuts: Future Primitive [mp3]

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14. There Is No Enemy by Built To Spill

This is, without question, my favorite Built To Spill album since Perfect From Now On. Filled with more radio-friendly hits, like “Hindsight” and epic rockers alike, this album nears their prior pinnacle of greatness. “Oh Yeah”, both lyrically and instrumentally, could have been on that earlier album. It has become an easy album favorite.

Built To Spill: Hindsight [mp3]

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13. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band by Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band took a while to catch on for me, but eventually I came around. “Albatross, Albatross, Albatross” was one of my favorite videos of the year, and the album is packed with songs just as powerful. At times these songs hint at metal guitars, but the music is far from the genre – it’s entirely rock, with minor pop sensibilities.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Cheer For Fate [mp3]

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12. Album by Girls

At first, Girls didn’t do much for me. Call it a youthful childish shun; a fear of cooties. But like most young boys, I quickly grew up and started to notice Girls in a way I never thought possible. At first it was subtle – the soft songs like “Hellhole Ratrace”. Eventually the “they’re OK” became a bit more of an intense desire, a longing, an infatuation. The harder songs like “Lust For Life”, “Laura” and “Summertime” all became favorites. Two months ago, I wouldn’t have thought it possible for Album to crack the top 20. Now it sits at #12.

Girls: Hellhole Ratrace [mp3]

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11. The Banyans by The Banyans

Ask anyone about any band within the top, oh 15, and the one that the fewest people will know is The Banyans. This self titled album was self-released by this Seattle band, and done so not as a physical release but as a free download. “Grenade On Course” and “Neon Heat” are some of my favorite songs of 2009. As a whole, this album fits together quite nicely; not something you’d expect from a brand new band.

The Banyans: Grenade On Course [mp3]

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10. Heavy Days by Jeff The Brotherhood

Not since The White Stripes’ early days has a lo-fi punk duo created such an impact (on me, at least). What you get: noisy distorted riffs and sloppy percussion fronted by grungy lyrics. This album might not strike you as anything fancy from the get-go, but give it time and the songs on Heavy Days will blow your fucking mind.

Jeff The Brotherhood: Bone Jam [mp3]

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9. Rules by The Whitest Boy Alive

OK, if you thought Dreams was good, wait until you hear Rules. This album has everything you loved off The Whitest Boy Alive’s debut LP yet does exactly what you expect from a follow-up: it takes it to the next level. Seriously: it does so in every way possible. “High On The Heels” is the shining star here, but “Keep A Secret”, “Courage”, and “Timebomb” are right behind.

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8. Clangour by Sin Fang Bous

In 2008, Sin Fang Bous gave us a teaser off their then forthcoming album, the Clangour 7″ single; both songs fit the experimental electro-pop Sin Fang Bous would come to be known by. Despite that being more than one year ago, the two songs, “Advert In Ives Garden” and “Clangour And Flutes”, are just as mesmerizing as the day I first heard them. Add to them ten additional songs that are just as powerful, and the result is astonishing.

Sin Fang Bous: Catch The Light [mp3]

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7. Eskimo Snow by Why?

With lyrics that flow 1) like poetry, and 2) better than the best gangster rap, Why? has finally caught my attention by demonstrating they are one of today’s best bands thanks to lyrical prowess and masterful wordsmith-ery backed by an impeccable ability to instrumentally craft a great tune.

Why? – This Blackest Purse [mp3]

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6. Yeah I Know by Darlings

Basement pop has never been as upbeat and party-centric as it is with Darlings. As we heard just the other day, “Eviction Party” is an entirely true story, packed with insane antics of the overly imbibed. I associate this album with summer (thanks to being released then, and also having an upbeat sound). “Teenage Girl” will have you falling in love with the young punk chick a few seats away on the bus, while “If This Is Love” is perfect for the moment that summer fling comes to an abrupt halt.

Darlings: If This Is Love [mp3]

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5. Tree House Whispers by Anois

Louder than bedroom pop but not quite fit for the basement, Anois is left with the title King of Living Room Pop. The title, at least in my opinion, is one they are more than worthy of keeping. Tree House Whispers adds in experimental elements, drone, and rounds it all out with sexy foreign accents and all the beauty in the world.

Anois: Happy Holiday [mp3]

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4. Reservoir by Ah Holly Fam’ly

The smokey, nasally vocals of Jeremy Faulkner are about as unique as vocals can get. When backed by the pop-tinged folk of Ah Holly Fam’ly, the result is one of the best albums of the year. Listening to the band’s old stuff, they’ve come a long way from their home-made CD-R days (when we both resided in the Palouse, them in Moscow and me in Pullman. Whatever this band is doing, they should absolutely keep it up. Reservoir is brilliant!

Ah Holly Fam’ly: All Unfolding [mp3]

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3. Wind’s Poem by Mount Eerie

Until Wind’s Poem the two Mount Eerie albums I was most familiar with were Lost Wisdom and Dawn, both of which find Phil Elverum at his more minimal. Not once does he pick up an electric guitar on either album. Thus, Wind’s Poem was a bit of a change – much more in line with the stuff from Microphones – and, overall, this album is phenomenal.

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2. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

I would say my #1 song this year is “Young Adult Friction” by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. This song and the album as a whole are both excellent. “Contender” and “Everything With You” are right up there thanks to massive distorted pop and seemingly insurmountable vocal pop hooks.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: Everything With You [mp3]

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1. AZAR by Venice Is Sinking

The difference between the first and eighth album on this list is, in fact, quite miniscule. These eight albums are truly very close in terms of the power they’ve held on me throughout the year, and their ability to be mainstays on my playlist in the years to come. Still, the decision to put AZAR at #1 wasn’t all that difficult. Venice Is Sinking possesses not only the ability to put out a great record, they are also very forward-thinking from an industry standpoint. I’m very excited to hear what their 3rd LP has in store for us.

Venice Is Sinking: Okay [mp3]

The second installment of A Retrospective, in which I recap my favorite albums released from 2000 to 2008, this time: 2001. Wrought with turmoil and watching a life fall apart as so many others were having similar experiences but in a different manner; that was 2001 for you. The year I turned 21 (hence the wine bottle photo above). A year that lives in infamy. Young or old, we all seemed to grow up that year. Music, too seemed to progress in ways unthought, even before that fateful day.

Again, the ideal is for this to be a friendly open dialog. Please feel free to chime in with some of your favorites from 2001 as well. Here’s my top 15 albums from that year:

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15. Stephen Malkmus by Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Malkmus has long been an influential character in music, a total nod to his Pavement days. This album, his self-titled debut, finally found Malkmus striking out on his own, and he did so with flare and agility. Stephen Malkmus was a perfect introduction to a man on his own without the confines of prior monikers. And yeah, in some ways it may have picked up where our beloved Pavement left off (quite quickly, in fact, as work on this project began almost immediately after the disbandment of Pavement). But whatever; it’s still a brilliant LP.

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14. Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever by Explosions In The Sky
I love the first explosion in “Greet Death”, the opening track to this Explosions In The Sky album; it has the ability to rock the nuts off anyone listening to it. What makes EITS such a great band is that they’re capable of creating such immense sound one moment, and in the next dropping it down to the most minimal. True to the genre, the album appears brief with a track-list numbering six, but it is anything but as no song is fewer than six minutes with most topping seven and a pair over ten. Despite their length EITS manages to maintain attention throughout; and that alone is a worthy feat.

Explosions In The Sky: Yasmin The Light [mp3]

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13. Ancient Melodies Of The Future by Built To Spill
I can remember the first time I heard “In Your Mind”, the third track off Built To Spill‘s Ancient Melodies Of The Future. I cannot remember where, or when this took place; but I can remember the emotions that rocked my mere existence. Many of the songs weren’t nearly as ‘rockin’ as found on some of the older albums, but it allowed Built To Spill to show off a different side, one a bit more delicate and personal.

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12. The Coast Is Never Clear by Beulah
Part of the Elephant 6 collective (the band, not the release), Beulah released The Coast Is Never Clear on September 11 of this year. What a day to release an album; but it was ultimately the antithesis to that cataclysmic day. Songs like “A Good Man Is Easy To Kill” and “Popular Mechanics For Lovers” just seemed so perfect. They had just the right amount of sadness, but were backed by such effortless upbeat psychedelic pop true to the E6 name.

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11. Live At Jittery Joe’s by Jeff Mangum
For anyone lamenting the demise of Neutral Milk Hotel, ex-front-man Jeff Mangum’s Live At Jittery Joe’s was a brief relapse into the obsession. Out of twelve songs, the album features ten from prior studio albums and two others: a cover of Phil Spector’s “I Love How You Love Me” and “I Will Bury You In Time”, a rare NMH track only found previously on bootlegs. Sure, it’s a completest’s album, but that’s what I am.

* * * * *

10. Owls by Owls
Not to be confused with Minneapolis’s The Owls, Owls were a short-lived art-rock group from Chicago. The band channeled elements of free jazz and post-punk in their lone self-titled album. Birthed out of two groups fronted by Tim Kinsella, 90s group Cap’n Jazz and Joan Of Arc, Owls brief imprint with Owls crops up with artists that mix a similar math-y free jazz and post-punk sounds today.

Owls: Everyone Is My Friend [mp3]

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9. Your Majesty by The Anniversary
The Anniversary‘s follow-up to Designing A Nervous Breakdown, Your Majesty didn’t quite capture its predecessor’s pop strength but was a more than worthy album. It didn’t rock as much and instead delved a little more into sunny yet trippy psychedelic pop. Songs like “The Death Of The King” and “The Siren Sings” were, in effect, mesmerizing. With those massive distorted chords and warbled synth lines, fronted again by harmony male/female vocals – the songs just fit with the time. And yet in revisiting them, they’re just as great as the day I first heard them.

* * * * *

8. The Photo Album by Death Cab For Cutie
Another treasure from the Death Cab For Cutie vault, and another timeless record from Barsuk. From the subtle opening “Steadier Footing” to the tear-jerker “Styrofoam Plates”, The Photo Album was an album that worked it in every way possible. And if you were lucky enough to snag this baby on vinyl (as I was), it made the experience of listening to this record all the more perfect.

Death Cab For Cutie: A Movie Script Ending [mp3]

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7. The Glow Pt. 2 by Microphones
How to describe and album that set forth a generation, backed by a man that had lived the definition for some time, and a sound that even today seems both timeless and ahead of the times. That’s The Glow Pt. 2 by Microphones for you; again finding Elverum expanding worlds by giving us a glimpse at his. Truly a stand-out, 2001 or otherwise.

* * * * *

6. Rock It To The Moon by Electrelane
Rock It To The Moon was Electrelane‘s first LP and it technically debuted in 2001 (UK), though it wasn’t released stateside until 2002. It took what so many of us wanted from post-rock groups like EITS and experimented a bit more with sound and melody rather than just loud and soft. Prime example is the second track, “Long Dark”, which opened with a two minute avant-garde piece before dropping in the Pink Panther bass-line and expanding into a swirling synths and punchy percussion, all of which gave the track an experimental cohesion. They had yet to fully integrate vocals, which made their follow-up albums all the better, but Rock It To The Moon was still a more than viable debut.

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5. Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi by Camera Obscura
After banding together in 1996, Camera Obscura didn’t release their debut full-length until November of 2001; that being Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi. Soft and lovable indie pop with light hints of orchestration, the album remains a collection of some of their greatest songs, even today after three additional releases. “Happy New Year” and “Eighties Fan” are mainstays in my playlist and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. Originally released in 2001 on Andmoresound Records and in 2002 on Elefant Records, Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi was reissued by Merge in 2004.

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4. Club 8 by Club 8
To this day, “Love In December”, the opening track of Club 8‘s self-titled LP, remains my favorite song by the Swedish duo. Johan Angergård pops up in virtually every year’s list and it’s easy to see why: his work extends from Club 8 to include the indie-pop collective that is Acid House Kings, as well as the always refreshing group The Legends. In Club 8, Angergård is joined by Karolina Komstedt. Much softer than their earlier stuff, Club 8 is an album that is entirely dreamy in its relaxed nature with Komstedt at the vocal helm. A rarity, Angergård joined Komstedt for backup vocals on the near trip-hop track “Falling From Grace”.

Club 8: Love In December [mp3]

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3. Oh, Inverted World by The Shins
Oh, Inverted World remains The Shins strongest work thus far, though Chutes Too Narrow came pretty damn close. While most will give “New Slang” or “Caring Is Creepy” the nod for best song on the album, I choose “Girl On The Wing”. Elitists might discount this album for its association with the wildly popular Garden State soundtrack, but as a whole the album is a striking collection of great tunes The Shins have yet to truly match in overall strength.

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2. Quiet Is The New Loud by Kings Of Convenience
Kings Of Convenience has, in my opinion, always been considered the epitome of folk-pop. With romantically-tinged guitars and non-stop harmony vocals, Quiet Is The New Loud found Kings Of Convenience creating one hit after another. Perfection comes in many forms, and when it comes to albums, Quiet Is The New Loud can be considered truly perfect.

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1. You Should Be At Home Here by Carissa’s Wierd
I have long been obsessed with Carissa’s Wierd, of which many members have gone on to form successful follow-up groups like Band Of Horses, Sera Cahoone, S, and Grand Archives. You Should Be At Home Here, while not my introduction to the band (that came with Ugly But Honest), has been the favorite thanks to beautifully orchestrated slowcore tracks like “Brooke Daniels’ Tiny Broken Fingers” and “All Apologies & Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine”. In fact, at the release of Grand Archives’ self-titled debut last year, Mat Brooke took the stage with S’s Jenn Ghetto (his female counterpart in Carissa’s Wierd) for a duet of “All Apologies” that brought tears to my eyes the moment they started playing it. Having never seen Carissa’s Wierd before their demise, it was a dream come true.

To think back over a career of an artist like Built To Spill is, to an extent, the same as doing it for Radiohead or Death Cab For Cutie. Albums come and go, and they’re all pretty damn great; they all hold their own, unique special place in your heart. Revisiting the old albums bring back memories of where you first heard it, or experiences you had while it blasted over your speakers. Sure, you have your favorite(s) and likely one you don’t care for too much. Perfect From Now On has been, in my opinion, their strongest album since its release in 1997. There Is No Enemy, their latest, gives Perfect a run for its money.

Its a fact discernible from the early moments of opener “Aisle 13″, where a wild distorted guitar solo kicks things into gear in a way much like you’d expect from those early albums, from songs like “Randy Described Eternity” or “Kicked It In The Sun”. What stands out here, and throughout There Is No Enemy, are the powerful guitar riffs. They’re in-your-face manner is stunning, but not impeding. They are, in a manner of speaking, perfect. Just listen to “Hindsight”; the laid-back slide guitar and percussive shuffle are the truly ideal backing to Doug Martsch’s vocals as he ponders What about Canada?

Sure, There Is No Enemy does have that top-notch tracklist – a feat they most definitely achieved in Perfect From Now On – but comes very close. And with time, maybe there will be that realization; that, a-ha moment in which you find that yes, maybe it is a match. “Nowhere Lullaby” is almost too slow a song, but then “Good Ol’ Boredom” begins and you’re left wondering where Built To Spill has gone altogether. With initially odd instrumentation, that bewildered moment lasts only until Martsch joins in on vocals. The song goes on to be one of the strongest on the album.

Built To Spill returns again to that surreal guitar sound in “Oh Yeah”, where their signature distortion again threatens epic proportions. And boy does it deliver – this is the sound I’ve been waiting for from Built To Spill, the sound that basically is Perfect From Now On progressed twelve years. Then they launch into the powerful riffs in “Pat” and that in-your-face moment beats you over the head. Transition: flawless. “Done”, too, goes into their signature, swirling guitar solos that’s one part that 90s gritty indie rock sound and another part a similar era shoegaze.

The final two tracks, “Things Fall Apart” and “Tomorrow”, conclude There Is No Enemy with two more high points. After an excellent trumpet solo, “Things Fall Apart” again enters an epic rock-meets-shoegaze phase before quietly returning to the main melody, in which Martsch’s vocals are tweaked with a liquid-y effect. Likewise, “Tomorrow” starts off slow and after just over a minute morphs into yet another powerful rocker.

And as the album concludes it becomes apparent that this is, by far, Built To Spill’s greatest work since Perfect From Now On. Sure, Keep It Like A Secret was totally solid, but this… this There Is No Enemy, this is something else entirely. It radiates in Built To Spill’s genius. It’s why we all fell in love with the band back in the 90s, and why we continue to buy their records today.

Built To Spill: Hindsight [mp3]

Warner Bros. Records [12" LP/CD, 2009]

1. Aisle 13
2. Hindsight
3. Nowhere Lullaby
4. Good Ol’ Boredom
5. Life’s A Dream
6. Oh Yeah
7. Pat
8. Done
9. Planting Seeds
10. Things Fall Apart
11. Tomorrow

I’ve decided to create an installment in which I do a recap of my favorite albums of the past ten years now that we’re coming up on the turn-of-decade – yes, 2010 is upon us. They key: I do them one at a time. I figure contemplating the weight of albums that have been instituted in my library for the better part (or even just half) of a decade would warrant a skewed opinion when comparing them to those released just this month. And, as these things are all truly opinion-based, well I just couldn’t have that.

(Besides, an appreciator such as myself would have an even larger and more time consuming task ahead of them were they to go through the thousands of albums that have been released, listened to, loved, etc. over the past ten years. No, much easier to split it year by year. And yes, when available for public consumption, I’ll include an mp3 for your enjoyment.)

These are the albums that stick with you – or at least the ones that have stuck with me; they have longevity. They’re ones I’ll listen to for decades to come. We begin with my freshman year of college, 2000. Well, second half of my freshman year, that is. That being said, I would love for this to be a friendly dialog. So please feel free to chime in with some of your favorites as well…

Here we go: my top 15 albums of 2000…

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15. Fevers & Mirrors by Bright Eyes
Odd as it may seem here, Bright Eyes‘ Fevers & Mirrors was a favorite of mine around 2000 and 2001. Songs like “The Calendar Hung Itself” and “When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass” just fit with my persona at the time. I was a sad bastard back then, but I’ve outgrown that phase. Still, every so often I revisit those albums of old and it still astonishes me that I can feel good while listening to them. Fevers & Mirrors is one such album.

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14. Crooked Fingers by Crooked Fingers
Like Fevers & Mirrors, Crooked Fingers‘ self-titled LP had me in its grip for a long time. “A New Drink For An Old Drunk” was a perfect song back then, and in various scenarios today it works just as well. And who could forget “She Spread Her Legs & Flew Away”, or “Juliette”, or even “The Man Who Died Of Nothing At All”? Crooked Fingers was a difficult one for Eric Bachman to top; he didn’t until last year’s Forfeit/Fortune.

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13. The Great Eastern by The Delgados
I don’t think I started listening to The Delgados until sometime around 2004, possibly even 2005. And while my initial love was Hate, eventually the power of The Great Eastern took hold. Sure, specific tracks on Hate may stand out more than some on this record (“All I Need Is Hate”, for example), but as a whole I think The Great Eastern is more consistently good.

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12. Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Containing only four songs, only one of which was under 20 minutes (“Antennas To Heaven” came in at just under 19, far from brevity), Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is all about building up to those epic climaxes and throwing out spacey shoegaze-like drones while maintaining that almost classical music approach signature to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. To say this album is breathtaking would be an understatement. I’ll probably kick myself later for not putting it in the top 10.

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11. The Lioness by Songs: Ohia
The Lioness remains one of my all-time favorite releases by Jason Molina, no matter which moniker he may be using at the time of release. The only LP truly capable of exceeding its greatness is Trials & Errors (2004) by Magnolia Electric Co. Molina excels, especially under the guise of Songs: Ohia, at creating minimalistic country-folk tunes that on The Lioness dabbles lightly in a bit fuller sound.

‘The Lioness’ by Songs: Ohia

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10. Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse
Like many albums in this list, Moon & Antarctica remains a favorite of mine from the Modest Mouse catalog. It was around this time I really began expanding my music horizons and Modest Mouse was a band that helped push me down this path. Tunes like “I Came As A Rat”, “Gravity Rides Everything”, and “Dark Center Of The Universe” all carried me toward this true obsession with music, from which I doubt I’ll ever return.

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9. He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms by A Silver Mt. Zion
A Silver Mt. Zion snared me in its trap – looking for some great study music but not willing to seek out the limited classical music of my parents and their parents (and not knowing the immense modern artists who were more than worthy), I ended up landing on A Silver Mt. Zion. And while it wasn’t always instrumental, at the right volume it worked perfectly. Only later did I come to truly fall in love with this album, as well as their brethren, Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

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8. Ugly But Honest by Carissa’s Wierd
I discovered Carissa’s Wierd from a magazine. It was a fairly random encounter, actually, but it led to an obsession like no other. I ultimately downloaded everything I could find from the band. Eventually, I would collect every album of theirs I could find – all in physical form, of course. To this day, the only item that eludes me is a rare 7″ single containing a remix or two; I even snagged a copy of that rare Scrapbook disc. I still find songs like “Drunk With The Only Saints I Know” and “Fluorescent Lights” to be among the most moving and personal songs around.

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7. It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water by Microphones
The great thing about A Retrospective is that it allows me to list all those albums that truly should have made my ‘best of’ list back in 2000. (Had I created one at the time, it is highly unlikely It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water by The Microphones would have made it on the list. It was just a little beyond my temperament at the time.) But these days, I cannot get enough of practically everything Phil Elverum does, this album included. That being said, as soon as I can muster the cash, I’m gonna snag one of those “Books 6 & 7″ copies by Mount Eerie from Easy Street Records. Damn.

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6. Live by Built To Spill
A collection of some of Built To Spill‘s best tracks recorded prior to 2000, from the astonishing Perfect From Now On (1997) to selections from Keep It Like A Secret (1999). It also includes an epic 20-minute rendition of Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer” and one of the best lyrical songs of the 90s: “Car”.

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5. Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons by Blonde Redhead
This is really a no-brainer. Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons has always been an album to look up to since its release in 2000. With songs so different – I mean, just listen to “In Particular” stacked up next to “This Is Not” and jump back to “Hated Because Of Great Qualities” – it’s amazing they go so well together. Then again, that’s something of which Blonde Redhead has always excelled: putting together exceptional tracklists.

‘This Is Not’ by Blonde Redhead

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4. Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant by Belle & Sebastian
I could say that Tigermilk was my first true love when it comes to Belle & Sebastian, but I’d be lying. No, it was actually Fold Your Hands opening track “I Fought In A War” that sold me on this band. Afterwards, songs like “The Model” and “Don’t Leave The Light On Baby” dominated my playlist, even through the release of The Life Pursuit and beyond.

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3. Designing A Nervous Breakdown by The Anniversary
I can name few albums that have not only stuck with me through the years, but that also so heavily influenced my love for pop music. Designing A Nervous Breakdown by The Anniversary is absolutely such an album. The male/female vocals of Adrianne Verhoeven, Josh Berwanger, and Justin Roelofs were perfection back then. And songs like “The D In Detroit” and “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” continue to wow me today.

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2. We Have The Facts & We’re Voting Yes by Death Cab For Cutie
By far, We Have The Facts continues to dominate as my all-time favorite Death Cab For Cutie album. The lackluster way Gibbard sings about driving down the “405″ and the contemplations on friends and girlfriends reminds me of my college days and, later, grad school; it was the perfect accompaniment as I made my way out to Pullman from Portland, driving through the Palouse doing 75 in my Volvo wagon and watching the moon crest orange over hills at 1am. Yeah, even songs like “Scientist Studies” and “The Employment Pages” ring true today. Calm beauty seeps through every single moment of this album.

‘For What Reason’ by Death Cab For Cutie

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1. Kid A by Radiohead
I mean c’mon! How could you not place this as your favorite album of 2000? It was Radiohead‘s follow-up to the amazing OK Computer and was really their first foray into a sound much more experimental than they had previously tampered with. “Idioteque”; the song remains to this day one of my all-time favorites by Radiohead. The tracklist is flawless – a feat they hadn’t achieved before, and wouldn’t again until In Rainbows.