My Top 50 Songs 2009

Ah, 2009. I am going to remember this year not so much for albums. While I will post a little later on the top 25 albums that you should own from this year, I consider it a rather below average year for full albums. I am more excited about this post which is 60 Songs that should be in your IPOD from 2009. I think all of the songs were released this year. Maybe a couple of stragglers from 08. But they were all new to me this year.

Mind you I placed this in really no particular order except the last ten or so.

60. Crown on the Ground by Sleigh Bells--I have been hearing this song a lot the last thirty days or so. It has a ton of distortion. I mean a ton. It will have you checking your speakers for a bad connection.

59. Stacks by Bon Iver--Love myself some Bon.

58. Pa Pa Power by Dead Man's Bones --Sounds like an old Lou Barlow record on steroids mixing with singers from "the Wall".

57. Acts of Man by Midlake--I cannot wait for this album.

55. Megachills by Futurebirds--Straight out of the sixties. I think they should tour with Fleet Foxes.

54. Beach Comber by Real Estate--I think a lot of these bands have been listening to early Beach Boys this year.

53. The Darkest Side by Middle East--Sort of like a mellower Midlake.

52. Lindsay Brohan by Javelin--I like to dance.

51. Silver Tremlbing Hands by The Flaming Lips--kinda disappointed with album.

50. Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero---This song is really unique.

49. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa by Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel --This is a cover of Vampire Weekend with Peter Gabriel awkwardly singing about himself. Awesome.

48. Warm Heart of Africa--The Very Best (feat Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend) why not go with a Vampire Weekend theme here for a bit. Listened to this song a lot this summer.

47. Ready, Able by Grizzly Bear --I really like the changes in this song. Sort of shifts to a Damon Albarn sounding Good Bad and the Queen thing midway through it.

46. Lasso (2 Door Cinema Club Remix) by Phoneix---I cannot get enough of this album. Always liked Phoenix, but the remixes are sooooo much more amazing.

45. Nikkorette by Conor Oberst & Mystic Valley Band--My neighbor dreams big because his house is small says all he needs now is a little capital. Never has the banking crisis been so aptly explained.

44. One Life Stand by Hot Chip--Looking forward to new album.

43. Wilco by Wilco--Only Tweedy could write a song about....well himself.

42. See You by Dinosaur Jr--Green Mind is one of my top fifty albums ever. Glad to see J, Lou and Murph return to form.

41. Sleephead by Passion Pit--Other than this song being on a ton of commercials now...still dig it.

40. Deadbeat Summer by Neon Indian --Another song I listened to a lot this summer. So of a song for the slackers of summer.

39. Shoes by Tiga--I like this song more for the video. Check it out.

38. Rome (Neighbors) by Phoenix (with Devendra Banhart) number two from this album.

37. Feel It All Around by Washed Out--I kept hearing this song on Sirius XM U and finally starting liking it.

36. Ambling Amp by Yeasayer--Ok, this song has grown on me. I still think it sounds like it belongs on a Yaz or Erasure record. I think people are putting too much hype in their forthcoming album.

35. Satellite Skin by Modest Mouse--"Well Happy Fucking Congratulations" my third favorite band made this list.

34. Got Nuffin by Spoon--I got nuffin'. This is just a good rock song.

33. You've Got the Love (The XX Remix) by Florence and the Machine--A truly must have song.

32. Bowling Green by Alela Diane (featuring Alina Hardin) probably the most mellow song I chose this year.

31. Dominos by The Big Pink --ok this song, I have a friend who lives the lyrics to this song. I told him and he agreed. It is sort of a running joke around our circle of friends.

30. 1901 Bo Flex'd (Passion Pit Remix) by Phoenix--Passion Pit and Phoenix together what more can you ask for.

29. Heart Skipped a Beat by The XX --another great song of a truly magnificent album.

28. Happy Up Here by Royksopp--I love to ski to this song. Perfect.

27. Little Secrets by Passion Pit--Another great song to ski or run to.

26. Blood by Middle East--This song is really probably my number 11 favorite of the year. So much emotion.

25. Quick Canal by Atlas (featuring Laetita Sadier from Stereolab)--Holy shit, the first time I heard this I thought I was listening to some kind of future Stereolab song complete with...well Stereolab...but was surprised to find this great song and great album.

24. Please, Baby, Please by David Bazan-- I am a sucker for Pedro the Lion, Headphones and Bazan. "Now three days sober...."

23. Laura by Girls--There is a high school sort of innocence lyrically to this song.

22. Oh! by We Have Band--GO DUCKS!!! You will understand if you know about the O!

21. To Clean by Woods--For some reason this song makes me think about cults.

20. What's It In For by Avi Buffalo--I think this song gets in here just for the title along. I have pondered it....you should too.

19. Dirty D by Futurebirds --An amazing little EP from these guys. This song sounds like a cowboy riding the range with the Beach Boys or CSNY. Then it turns into this Love and Rockets Seventh Dream of a Teenage Heaven ending. Boy, I am really dating myself with some of the references.

18. Crimewave by Crystal Castles v. Health--Reminds me of missle command from Atari. Or maybe Centipede.

17. Sun Hands by Local Natives--A song that so wants to be the Akron Family but is bound in by it's poppyness.

16. Watch the Waves by Taken by Trees--A love them Scandanavians.

15. Talamak by Toro y Moi--Interesting beats, mixes it up, stops starts, stop starts.

14. Regina Holding Hands by White Denim--Austin just keeps coming up with bands. Portland is still better. I am not in love with the first part of this song. But there about three changes and the third just crushes. Sort of a sexual chocolate surprise. Trust me on this one.

13. Stillness is the Move by Dirty Projectors--from one of favorite albums this year.

12. Up Up and Way by Kid Cudi--Ok I know, Kanye protege, but this guy really did a great album and this one of favorties.

11. Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap--Although another one I just heard on a commercial recently. So they get deducted points because every idiot will start liking them too.

10. Bicycle by Memory Tapes--How many you remember when Technique by New Order came out? This is what it should have sounded like.

9. Northern Lights by Bowerbirds---Lyrically I just love this song. Makes a lot of sense if you ever seen em.

8. Basic Space by The XX--First song I heard by this band. An exception to great albums from this year.

7. What Would I Want, Sky? by Animal Collective---I cannot get over the fact that from the middle to the end of this song it really sounds like it should be coming off of The Verve's Urban Hymns. I swear I keep hearing Richard Ashcroft in Panda's voice. Amazing song with Greatful Dead samples.

6. When I Grow Up by Fever Ray--I am a sucker for Scandinavian bands.

5. Dreamer by Tiny Vipers--This song is incredible. Her voice is really haunting. Like no other song I have heard.

4. I Got the Reason #2 by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band--I love this song. Any song that just goes and goes and goes. I like taking road trips. And this song is defintely on heavy rotation because it is like a road trip.

3. Something In Common by Free Energy--Now sometimes you just need a good pop pick me up song. And this is it.

2. Yours Is A Small Still Voice by No Go Know--This song really grabs you midway through and does not let go with it's attitude.

1. Blue Skies by Noah and the Whale--I cannot get enough. I love Joy Division and New Order. They were my favorite bands growing up. I keep thinking Ian Curtis came back to sing this one.