Top 100 Records of 2009: 60-41


Fever Ray

Our top records of 2009 countdown continues, with our favourite singles, albums and downloads of the year. We’re now at numbers 60-41.

60: Crystal Stilts: Love is a wave

Excellent single on Slumberland, a reverb drenched indie Scott Walker fronting Echo & The Bunnymen at their most optimistic.

Download love is a wave

Check out Crystal Stilts on myspace


59: Matt & Kim - Grand

Lo fi party punkatronica from Brookyln duo with plenty of charm and surprises.

Check out Matt & Kim on myspace


58: Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the young

A welcome foray into languid synth pop territory for Mr Casablancas, with pleasing results. Kind of like a remix album of an unreleased Strokes LP.

Check out Julian Casablancas on myspace


57: A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Ashes Grammar

Lush sample-heavy lucky dip ‘dreamy pop’, unafraid of loose threads and changes of direction mid song.

Check out A Sunny Day in Glasgow on myspace


56: Lewis Irvine - Trying to cut a coin in the city

Great lo fi folk pop from Scottish singer with an astonishing voice - like Tom Waits doing his best Satchmo impression.

Download Trying to cut a coin in the city mp3

Check out Lewis Irvine on myspace


55: The Drums - Summertime EP

Irresistible, immaculate pumped up summery pop from everyone’s favourite Beach Boys / Factory Records cross over band.

Read our review of Summertime

Check out The Drums on myspace


54: The Generationals - Con Law

Indie soul genius from The Generationals - like Edwin Collins producing Connan Mockasin fronting Dexys Midnight Runners.

Download When they fight they fight and Wildlife Sculpture mp3s

Check out The Generationals on myspace


53: Women - Women

By now, you’ll have noticed that lo fi psychedelic 60s inflected garage rock features heavily in our top 100 list. The debut album from Women contributes to this phenomenon - an excellent Velvet Underground style record that is more spaced out than most of its peers.

Check out Women on myspace


52: The Vivians - Two Girls

Edinburgh cum London based The Vivians declared that it’s been ‘a crap year for music’, and released their stupidly catchy, and oddly substantial double A side.

Check out our Two Girls review

Check out The Vivians on myspace


51: Action Beat - Noise band from Bletchley

For once, an LP title that makes no attempt whatsoever to be clever. Action Beat is indeed a Noise band from Bletchely. A most marvellous one at that. Which sometimes features 4 drummers when playing live. Take the time to watch the excellent video below, your attention will be rewarded.


Action Beat - Kortrijk. 100 Speaker Festival

? ? Fave Muslim ? ? | MySpace Music Videos


Check out Action Beat on myspace


50: Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South

Infinitely better than his hit and miss Monsters of Folk supergroup shenanigans, Outer South sees Conor Oberst at home with a group of righteous rock n rollers kicking out some superior, tuneful country jams. A stroke of genius to enlist uber talented Taylor Hollingsworth into the Mystic Valley Band.

Check out Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band on myspace


49: Baddies - Do the job

Fantastic, razor sharp artful pop on The Baddies debut LP, taut and with the precise punch of The Hives at their best.

Check out Baddies on myspace


48: Wentworth Kersey - EP (O)

Stunnning ‘Sci-fi folk’ that manages to be both soundscapey and song based at the same time. Anyone interested in Bonnie Prince Billy, Bon Iver et al should check out this lush blend.

Download wealth mp3

Check out Wentworth Kersey on myspace


47: Lime Headed Dog - Kfum and Kfuk

I meant to review this LP a while ago, but apt words ran away from me. Frenetic manic pop, the sound of a delinquent Streets / Furry Animal prodigy. With occassional nods to Jesus Christ Superstar and snooker. Check out the video below for a more accurate idea of what Lime Headed Dog does/is.

Check out Lime Headed Dog on myspace


46: Super Furry Animals - Day days/ light years

Talking of Furry Animals, here they are at number 46. They’ve made so many good LPs now we’re in danger of taking their genius for granted. If this was a band’s debut album we’d all be shitting our pants I reckon.

Check out the Super Furries on myspace


45: Lightning Bolt - Earthly Delights

Everything you would expect from a Lightning Bolt record, but somehow heavier than previous efforts, with influences from many genres sprinkled over the rumbling sonic behemoth.

Check out Lightning Bolt on myspace


44: Fever Ray - Fever Ray

Synth pop with dark tinges and Kate Bush echoes, more wired and personal than The Knife records.

Check out Fever Ray on myspace


43: The Thermals - Now we can see

Joyous infectious punk rock with Hutch’s irresistable lyrics/vocals and a surprisingly singalong feel. Packed full of beats that make you want to jump around. The Thermals playing at artrocker @ the Buffalo Bar a few years ago is still one of my favourite gigs of all time.

Check out our Thermals photo gallery

Check out The Thermals on Dirty Laundry TV.

Check out The Thermals on myspace


42: The Younger Lovers - Newest Romantic

An excellent LP of punk rock with hormones raging from ex Gravytrain!!! dude Brontez.

Check out The Younger Lovers on myspace



41: Jay Reatard - Watch me Fall

Fantastic lo fi melody-packed power popping from Mr. Reatard, that at times (It ain’t gonna save me) sounds just like Supergrass at their very best (ie on their first LP).

Download It Ain’t Gonna Save me mp3 from Matador

Check out Jay Reatard on myspace


  • Artrocker Lover Sun, 2009/12/06 - 11:57am

    The Drums

    no no no!! Dreadful band - dressed up in the skin of the Beach Boys, but with no soul in the middle. All else = tasty!

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