Laura Leebove’s Top 10 Albums of 2009

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.