Music List

Laura Leebove’s Top 10 Albums of 2009

By Laura Leebove

Most of the music I loved in 2009 can be described as intricate and orchestral (Grizzly Bear, Fanfarlo, St. Vincent), quiet and acoustic-leaning (The Low Anthem, Julie Doiron), or shiny and ready for the dancefloor (Florence & the Machine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phoenix). My top two records fit none of those classifications in an overall defining sense, although most of those qualities show up throughout both releases. Mayer Hawthorne's soulful debut, A Strange Arrangement, takes cues from the likes of Curtis Mayfield but adds a modern twist, and Yo La Tengo's Popular Songs also has a couple of instrumental nods to Motown, along with leanings toward psychedelic rock of the same era.

What's so great about Popular Songs--especially as someone who, admittedly, just got into YLT in 2009--is that it takes bits and pieces from the styles that have defined the band's career, and turns it into a playlist that showcases that diversity but also makes sense when put together. And there are still new elements in their work, most notably the string arrangements in "Here To Fall" and "If It's True," and it served as a perfect introduction to a band celebrating its 25th year.

 

CRITICAL LIST

Popular Songs

Yo La Tengo
Nearly 25 years after their first release, the Hoboken trio still sounds fresh and vibrant >>

A Strange Arrangement

Mayer Hawthorne
DJ turned soul crooner mixes Curtis Mayfield with hip-hop flavor >>

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear
Ambient meets acoustic in a bewitching sonic space >>

Reservoir

Fanfarlo

Actor

St. Vincent
Annie Clark's self-assured second album features more complex songs, catchier hooks, and greater emotional shading in its lyrics >>

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Phoenix
French popsters almost completely reinvent their sound, for the better, on their fourth album. >>

Lungs

Florence and the Machine
Cool, quirky indie pop that draws inspiration from the seamier side of life. >>

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
New York trio trades guitars for synthesizers on dancefloor-ready third LP >>

I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day

Julie Doiron
Canadian singer-songwriter turns heartbreak into optimism >>

Oh My God, Charlie Darwin

The Low Anthem