Category: Music

One final treat.  For several years now, a few friends and I exchange some of our favorite music from the year.  So, I’m passing along a compilation of songs that we felt were best.

This collection has the distinction of being one of the more interesting compilations I’ve had the pleasure of putting together.  It certainly reflects the unique personalities of the people behind the music.  I’ll try to leave as do as little commentary as possible on the songs themselves.  However, a few things must simply be said for explanation of order if nothing else.  Naturally, since I put the compilation together, my song (which is in fact the best of the year) leads off.  The rest of the order was largely based on tempo and feel…  slower more mellow songs finding themselves towards the bottom of the order.  The three songs off the Dark Was the Night CD were grouped together.  Some true gems on the bonus tracks… don’t pass them by too quickly.  Until next year… enjoy!

2009 Man CD

1)      The Reeling – Passion Pit

2)      Good Ol’ Fashion Rump Shaker (Beastie Boys vs. Matt & Kim)

3)      1901 – Phoenix

4)      What Are You Willing to Lose? – Lucero

5)      Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) – Jaz-Z

6)      Let Us Love – needtobreathe

7)      Tightrope – Yeasayer

8)      Train Song – Feist & Ben Gibbard

9)      Lua – Connor Oberst & Gillian Welch

10)  Hold On to What You Believe – Mumford & Sons

11)  The Last Song I Will Write – Jason Isbell & 400 Unit

12)  I Saw God Today – George Strait

13)  I’m Looking Through You – The Beatles

14)  Thula Mama – Bela Fleck

15)  I Don’t Know – Beastie Boys

BONUS TRACKS:

16)  3’s What’cha Want – Beastie Boys

17)  Spaceman – Dave Matthews Band

18)  Two Weeks of Hip-Hop (Hood Internet) – Grizzly Bear vs. Dead Prez

19)  Re:Stacks – Bon Iver

I’m a huge fan of leftovers.  Nothing quite like opening the fridge and finding some of last night’s tastiness ready to be enjoyed all over again.  Same could be said for leftover music.  The stuff here could have (and had I made the best of lists another day, would have) found it’s way on the mixes-o-joy.

However, due to the self-imposed space limitation, there were some nearly unforgivable omissions.

1)  Animal Collective – Post Merriweather Pavillion / I really don’t know what to say.  Pretty much everyone in the entire world of music says that it is hands down the best album of the year.  I can certainly appreciate it for what it is.  It really is an amazing achievement.  I just don’t know.  I think if I spent more of my time in an altered state of mind then I might be able to appreciate it even more.  UPDATE: Just went to their website, and my suspicions were confirmed.

2) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca / I sort of like it, and I sort of don’t.  Sorry.

3) The Low Anthem – Oh My God, Charlie Darwin / Just didn’t get around to living with it some.  I like the one about Charlie Darwin though.

4) David Bazan – Curse Your Branches / Ditto.

5) Balmorhea – All Is Wild, All Is Silent / Great stuff here. “Harm and Boon” was on for a while, but had to take it off because it was the length of two songs.  Shame.

6) The XX – XX / Truly an embarrassment that they didn’t find their way on.

Neko Case, Langhorne Slim, Brazos, Romona Falls, Barzin are all people that you should spend some time listening to.

Ok…  one more surprise in store for you tomorrow.

Now a mix that is truer to my roots… ANOTHER JOY.

I trust you’ll enjoy both.  Again, a track listing is below. I certainly could have gone on and on with both collections, but I limited myself to collections that would fit on a standard cd.

You can find out tomorrow who I regret not having room for.

Taido 2009 – ANOTHER JOY

1) While You Were Sleeping – Elvis Perkins

This one is actually off a previous release, Ash Wedenesday.  Sue me.

2) The Story I Heard – Blind Pilot

First heard them early in the year.  Got to see ‘em with Bob D. over Thanksgiving.

3) See the Enemy – Andrew Bird

Off an interesting EP (Fitz and the Dizzyspells) showing the evolution of a song.

4) I Gave You All – Mumford & Sons

Bobby says they have everything he likes in a band.

5) Islands, IS – Volcano Choir

A Justin Vernon project.  A bit of profanity in here.  Sorry.

6) Armistice – Phoenix

This was one of my top three songs off of one of my top three albums.

7) Conductor – We Were Promised Jetpacks

I think one month during the summer, this was the only album I listened to.

8) Swimming in the Flood – Passion Pit

These guys go both ways…  that is they do the Pure Joy and the other Joy.

9) Purgatory – Jeremy Larson

One guy compares Larson’s music to the ocean.  That’s about right.

10) Laughing With – Regina Spektor

“No one laughs at God in the hospital.”

11) Norway – Beach House

This is one of those songs that sounds slightly off… and therefore good.

12) Unfold – Julie Peel

Alone with your wife music…  whatever that means.

13) Roslyn – Bon Iver & St. Vincent

Criminal that this is off a soundtrack for a pre-teen movie.

14) Earthly Bodies – J. Tillman

“Glorious our earthly bodies rise.” More alone with your wife music.

15) Heartless (Kanye West Cover) – William Fitzsimmons

Saw Mr. Fitzsimmons in March.  Can’t get enough of The Beard.

16) In These Arms – The Swell Season

What’s not to like.

17) Mightiest of Guns – AA Bondy

He opened for Elvis Perkins.  Maybe should have been the other way around.

18) The Perfect Space – The Avett Brothers

“I wanna have friends that that will let me be; when being alone is all that I need.”

And now, the definitive word on the very best music in the past year.  You may differ in opinion, but where you do…  you are wrong.

First, a couple summary statements are in order.  I don’t think it is any surprise that most of my music leans the same direction as my personality.  Mellow.

So in an attempt to expand my horizons just a bit, I’ve forced myself to put together one compilation that has a “happier” feel to it.  It is entitled PURE JOY.

The link gets you the entire collection.  Below is the track listing.  I’m going to turn what should be one post into three, so you’ll get ANOTHER JOY tomorrow.  Then some honorable mentions the day after that.

Taido 2009 – PURE JOY

1) Hey – Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Saw this band in LR in November.  Great show.

2) Happy Up Here – Röyksopp

Used this song for program at a CB this fall.  Ended up really enjoying it.

3) Big Black Bird – Blitzen Trapper

Lynryd Skynyrd lives.

4) Little Secrets – Passion Pit

Definitely a “top three” album.  Also, one third of the inspiration for pure joy.

5) Fire Escape – Fanfarlo

Not quite sure what this song is about.  I think it is about choosing to live life.

6) Magnificent – U2

Modern day hymn from the biggest rock and roll in the world.

7) 1901 – Phoenix

My friend Josh turned me on to Phoenix.  Another inspiring third.

8) Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinema Club

This song screams high school summer days.

9) I Knew – Lightning Dust

“Always pictured him hungry with a gun in his hand.”  No clue.

10) Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear

Bloggers are loving this album.   I don’t love it as much as them, but like this song.

11) I Hit Another Wall – Tim Williams

This one ventures pretty dang far into pop territory, but I still like it.

12) 40 Day Dream – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Stole this from me mate, Bobby.  Mate as in friend…  not spouse.

13) Slight Figure of Speech – The Avett Brothers

Saw them in September at Robinson.  Epic.

14) Audience – Cold War Kids

This one is cheating a bit.  Not due out until next year.  Good stuff.

15) I Can See the Pines Are Dancing – AA Bondy

Mr. Bondy (or as I like to call him AA) doing his thing.

16) But For You Who Fear My Name – The Welcome Wagon

This band is one of my favorites from last year.  This song is among their joyful-est.

17) I Don’t Feel It Anymore (Remixed) – William Fitzsimmons

That’s right, this song was on last year’s album.  The remix makes it fair game.

18) Kaleidoscope (feat. Jonsi) – Tiesto

Brilliant…  wait for the joy.  This is the final third.