&Top5Albums

It can be hard these days discerning between good quality music and HYPE. But here’s my best shot.

So I bring to you the High&Mighty: Best Albums of ‘09

I am by no means a music critic, aficionado, or any way affiliated with the music industry. (Hell, I battle to play the tambourine) but this is one mans humble opinion on the albums that were the goods in ‘09. Some expected, others are like ‘SEAL’, and punching WELL above their weight.
I’m sure there’s heaps of challenging albums, unsigned treasures and albums so underground the moment I hear about them they loose their coolness, but I didn’t buy them/ or listen to them, so they ain’t on the list. Nuff.

So here we go. In no specific order.



Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
In an unfortunate economic climate(tired of that?) it’s good to see we can get a happy little jaunt with the fourth album from French pop-rockers, Phoenix. Crowd pleasers like ‘1901’ and ‘Lisztomania’ and a remix CD to boot. Def a good party starter. Key Track: Love Like a Sunset, Pt. 1 & 2



The XX- XX
This Bass heavy, minimal and friendly on the ears album is one of 2009’s finest. It has become a background music regular on the mean streets of Franklin and will be a popular outfit come Laneways. This space friendly debut album has definitely raised a few eyebrows .
Key Tack: Crystalised/ Heart Skipped a Beat



Mos Def – The Ecstatic
We haven’t had the best from Mos since Black on Both Sides. Yeah, yeah, acting career(See that rap I just did). But this album holds the candle for hip-hop which has been slightly lacklustre the last 12 months(bar Raekwon). There are a few notable lapses in the album but songs like ‘History’, ‘Twilite Speedball’ and my favourite hip hop song of recent times, ‘Auditorium’, holds it together. Key track: see above.



The Dead Weather – Horehound
I don’t care what people say because this album is gun totin’, whiskey sipping, heel stamping S.E.X. The wailing cries and heavy guitars on the intro track ‘60 feet tall’ set the tone for a job well done. A menacing album. Jack White is a consummate professional.
Key track: Treat Me Like Your Mother



Grizzly Bear – Vecatimest
This lurvly blend of neo-folk (Yeah, I read that somewhere) make this gorge album one of the best, if not the best, this year. Their live sound is provoking and a great addition to the ‘deluxe version’. Subtle and smooth melodies on tracks like ‘Fine for Now’ and ‘Two Weeks’ bring you in and unlike other similar sounding albums you don’t need to listen too contently. Many of their songs involve an effortless crescendo, which gives each song a certain closure(that may have sounded wanky...hmm, it's pretty gooooood aaaay)
Key track: While You Wait For the Others

That’s about it.
You care?
Not much? I do.

As you were.