This Year’s Best Indie Rock and Alt Country
Buy New or Used through amazon
OR @ eMusic1.Drummer – Feel Good Together
“Four drummers, not drumming.” This side project of mostly Akron-based musicians is led by Patrick Carney, the drummer from the Black Keys. The triumphant anthems on this record were my favorites by far this year.
Buy New or Used from amazon OR @ eMusic2.Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The 4th record from these guys finally proves that French Rock n Roll isn’t an oxymoron.
Get it at eMusic3.Surf City – Surf City
2009 was a pretty good year for surf rock. I really enjoyed local surf-influenced Brooklyn bands, The Drums and Real Estate, in addition to Surf City from New Zealand. Great West Coast surf riffs combine with Beach Boys-like harmonies. So much fun.
Buy New or Used through Amazon4.Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Neko can do no wrong in my eyes. Another solid outing that just builds on her last four great records.
Buy New or Used from amazon5.Handsome Furs – Face Control
This record has driving beats and strong synth lines, giving it a real Kraut rock feel. Even though I have some favorite tracks like “Talking Hotel Arbat Blues,” “Radio Kaliningrad,” and “All We Want, Baby, Is Everything,” what I like best is how the whole thing hangs together as a true 11-song album.
Buy New or Used through amazon OR @ eMusic6.Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
Song for song, this is my favorite record of theirs since “I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One.” Super.
Buy New or Used through amazon OR @ eMusic7.Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
The more I listened to this “supergroup” of M Ward, Jim James, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, the more I dug it. So many good songs here: “Say Please,” “Whole lotta losin’,” “The Right Place,” and “Baby Boomer” to name just a few.
Buy New or Used through amazon8.Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
Wow, another great Dino Jr record. It doesn’t get better than J Mascis noodling on top of well written guitar rock songs. Some of the licks are just plain amazing, like the ones that open “Over It”. Also love the Lou Barlow penned songs like “The Weather” that sound straight out of the Sebadoh years.
Buy New or Used through amazon OR @ eMusic9.Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
From Wikipedia: “After breaking up with his girlfriend, moving out of his house, and joining Alcoholics Anonymous, Alex Ebert (formerly of IM A ROBOT) began work on a story about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. According to Ebert, Sharpe “was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind…but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.” Check out the folkie gems of “Home” and “Jangling” – two of my very favorite songs of 2009.
Buy New or Used through amazon OR @ eMusic10.The XX – XX
A minimalist indie record that features male and female vocals by Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft, over some keyboards, a drum machine and the occasional guitar. The record is so polished you’ll be surprised to learn that these two are both just 20 years old.
Buy New or Used through amazon OR @ eMusic11.Dawes – North Hills
This is a great Seventies-sounding alt country record. The entire album is reminiscent of the Band and the Eagles, with amazing harmonies carrying songs like “When My Time Comes” and “Western Skyline.” Highly recommended.
Buy New or Used through amazon12.Florence and the Machine – Lungs
This is a fun record that introduces a great new vocal talent, Florence Welch. The big songs here are “Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up),” “Kiss with a Fist,” and “Dog Days Are Over”. There is a really strong Annie Lennox / Eurthymics influence on many of the tracks.
Dan Wilmer, Brooklyn NY