Dziennik

Comments and suggestions are welcome of course.

001 | Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. | Univers Zen ou De Zéro à Zéro | Fractal, 2002
002 | Les Rallizes Dénudés | Double Heads [STANDARDEDITION] | Univive, 2007
003 | György Ligeti | The Ligeti Project II: Lontano / Atmosphères / Apparitions / San Francisco Polyphony / Concert românesc (Berliner Philharmoniker/Jonathan Nott) | Teldec, 2002
004 | Sachiko M, Toshimaru Nakamura & Otomo Yoshihide | Good Morning Good Night | Erstwhile, 2004
005 | Robert Ashley | Wolfman | Alga Marghen, 2003
006 | Les Rallizes Dénudés | Volcanic Performance | Univive, 2008
007 | Masayuki Takayanagi | Complete "La Grima" | Doubt, 2007
008 | William Basinski | The Disintegration Loops | 2062, 2001-2003
009 | Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. | La Nòvia | Eclipse, 2000
010 | Nurse With Wound | Salt Marie Celeste | United Dairies, 2003

011 | Inland Empire OST | David Lynch, 2007
012 | Derek Bailey / Sabu Toyozumi / Peter Brötzmann | Live in Okayama 1987 | Improvised, 2001
013 | Evan Parker, Cecil Taylor, Barry Guy & Tony Oxley | Nailed | FMP, 2000
014 | Dimmer | The Shining Path | Melon Expander, 2007
015 | Francisco Guerrero | Complete Orchestral Works (Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia/José Ramón Encinar) | Col Legno, 2003
016 | Iannis Xenakis | Orchestral Works, Vol. 4 – Erikhthon; Ata; Akrata; Krinoïdi [Ooï, piano/ Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg/ Tamayo] | Timpani, 2005
017 | Martin Siewert & Martin Brandlmayr | too beautiful to burn | Erstwhile, 2003
018 | Hijokaidan | The Last Recording Album | Alchemy, 2004
019 | Ryoji Ikeda | Matrix | Touch, 2001
020 | Morton Feldman | String Quartet No. 2 (Flux Quartet) | Mode, 2002

021 | Dror Feiler | Point Blank | Phono Suecia, 2006
022 | Sofia Gubaidulina | The Canticle of the Sun; Music for Flute, Strings & Percussion [Rostropovich, cello & percussion/ Pahud, flutes/ London Voices/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Rostropovich] | EMI Classics, 2001
023 | Daniel Menche | Beautiful Blood | Alien8, 2003
024 | Gelsomina | Disease With A Purpose | Freak Animal, 2004
025 | Mathias Spahlinger | Furioso; Gegen unendlich; Fugitive beauté; Apo do [Ensemble Modern/ recherche ensemble/ Arditti String Quartet] | Kairos, 2007
026 | Kevin Drumm | Sheer Hellish Miasma | Mego, 2002
027 | Rameses III | I Could Not Love You More | Type, 2009
028 | Zbigniew Karkowski | One and Many | Sub Rosa, 2005
029 | Evan Parker & John Wiese | C-Section | Second Layer, 2009
030 | Dafeldecker / Hautzinger / Tilbury / Sachiko M | Absinth | GROB, 2002

031 | Merzbow | Dharma | Double H Noise, 2001
032 | Polwechsel & John Tilbury | Field | hatHUT, 2009
033 | Infidel? / Castro! | Bioentropic Damage Fractal | Crucial Blast, 2005
034 | The Legendary Pink Dots | Your Children Placate You From Premature Graves | Roir, 2006
035 | Jarl | Out of Balance | Malignant, 2003
036 | Current 93 | [album artist=Current 93]I Have a Special Plan for This World | Durtro, 2000
037 | Propergol | Program Vengeance | Malignant, 2005
038 | Corrupted | El Mundo Frio | hgf, 2005
039 | Wolf Eyes | Fuck the Old Miami | Important, 2005
040 | Derek Bailey | Ballads | Tzadik, 2002

041 | Mirror | Viking Burial for a French Car | Plinkity Plonk, 2005
042 | AMM | Norwich | Matchless, 2005
043 | Francisco López | Buildings [New York] | V2_, 2001
044 | Friedrich Cerha | Komponistenportrait: Spiegel; Monumentum für Karl Prantl; Für K (Radio Symphonie Orchester Wien; Klangforum Wien/Michael Gielen) | Col Legno, 2000
045 | Paysage d'Hiver | Einsamkeit | Kunsthall, 2007
046 | The Goslings | Grandeur of Hair | Archive, 2006
047 | Nash Kontroll | Your Left Hand Just Exploded | Ideal, 2005
048 | Ryoji Ikeda | Dataplex | raster-noton, 2005
049 | Darkspace | Dark Space III | Avantgarde, 2008
049 | Christine Groult | La condition captive | Trace, 2007
050 | Fursaxa | Lepidoptera | ATP/R, 2005

051 | No-Neck Blues Band | Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones but Names Will Never Hurt Me | Revenant, 2001
052 | Edward Ka-Spel | Red Letters | Caciocavallo, 2000
053 | Hubbub | Hoop Whoop | Matchless, 2001
054 | Steve Roden | Schindler House | Mak Center, 2001
055 | Njiqahdda | Njimajikal Arts | Dungeons Deep, 2007
056 | Jacob Kirkegaard | Eldfjäll | Touch, 2005
057 | Sir Richard Bishop | While My Guitar Violently Bleeds | Locust, 2007
058 | Up-Tight | Five Psychedelic Pieces | Static, 2004
059 | Hild Sofie Tafjord | Kama | Pica Disk, 2007
060 | Paysage d'Hiver | Winterkaelte | Kunsthall, 2002

061 | Deathprod | Morals and Dogma | Rune Grammofon, 2004
062 | Keith Rowe | The Room | Erstwhile, 2007
063 | Steve Noble / John Edwards / Alan Wilkinson | Live at Cafe Oto | Bo' Weavil, 2009
064 | Guilty Connector | Beats, Noise and Life | Planet Mu, 2006
065 | John Tilbury and Evan Parker | Two Chapters and an Epilogue | Matchless, 2000
066 | Christina Carter | Masque Femine | Many Breaths, 2008
067 | James Blackshaw | The Cloud Of Unknowing | Tompkins Square, 2007
068 | The Cherry Point | Night of the Bloody Tapes | Troniks, 2005
069 | Growing | The Soul Of The Rainbow And The Harmony Of Light | Kranky, 2004
070 | Marcus Schmickler | Demos (For Choir, Chamber Quintet And Electronic Music) | A-Musik, 2006

071 | Christine Ödlund | Phenomena | Ideal, 2006
072 | Kiyoshi Mizutani | Scenery Of The Border: Environment And Folklore Of The Tanzawa Mountains | and/OAR, 2005
073 | John Wiese | Circle Snare | NO FUN, 2009
074 | Charalambides | Joy Shapes | Kranky, 2004
075 | Mirror | Die Spiegelmanufaktur | Die Stadt, 2002
076 | Eddie Prévost | Material Consequences | Matchless, 2002
077 | LI Jianhong | 三生石 (San Sheng Shi) | Archive, 2008
078 | Kreng | L'Autopsie Phénoménale De Dieu | Miasmah, 2009
079 | Ubeboet | Praeter | Conv, 2008
080 | Sunn O))) | Monoliths & Dimensions | Southern Lord, 2009

081 | Bill Orcutt | A New Way To Pay Old Debts | Palilalia, 2009
082 | MIMEO & John Tilbury | The Hands of Caravaggio | Erstwhile, 2002
083 | Jack Rose | Raag Manifestos | Eclipse, 2004
084 | Valentin Silvestrov | Requiem for Larissa | ECM New Series, 2004
085 | Courtis / Moore | Brokebox juke | NO-FI, 2009
086 | Xenis Emputae Travelling Band | a prism for annwn | Larkfall, 2006
087 | Joanna Newsom | Ys | Drag City, 2006
088 | Kevin Drumm | Imperial Distortion | Hospital, 2008
089 | Wolf Eyes | [album artist=Wolf Eyes]Mugger | Hanson, 2003
090 | Peter Evans | nature / culture | PSI, 2009

091 | The Thing With Ken Vandermark | Immediate Sound | Smalltown Superjazzz, 2007
092 | The Legendary Pink Dots | All the King's Horses | Caciocavallo, 2002
093 | Andrew Liles | My Long Accumulating Discontent | Nextera, 2004
094 | Francisco López | Untitled #188 | Conv, 2008
095 | John Wiese | Soft Punk | Troubleman, 2007
096 | 4G | Cloud | Erstwhile, 2005
097 | The Legendary Pink Dots | A Perfect Mystery | Caciocavallo, 2000
098 | Sonore | No One Ever Works Alone | okka, 2004
099 | Jana Winderen | Heated: Live In Japan | Touch, 2009
100 | Edward Ka-Spel | A Long Red Ladder to the Moon | Beta-Lactam Ring, 2005

Top 10 shows I'm really glad about seeing:

01. Faust | Kägelbanan, Stockholm, May 23rd, 2008
02. Flower-Corsano Duo | Hornstull Strand, Stockholm, Aug 24th, 2009
03. Dror Feiler | Fylkingen, Stockholm, Sep 19th, 2009
04. Brötzmann / Kondo / Pupillo / Nilssen-Love | CuLTUREN, Västerås, Mar 6th, 2009
05. The Residents | Kägelbanan, Nov 30th, 2008
At a point in time when I really needed to be able to laugh at grown men in bunny suits.
06. Wolf Eyes | Hornstull Strand, Sep 17th, 2009
07. Testicle Hazard | Fylkingen, Stockholm, Sep 20th, 2009
08. Hijokaidan | CuLTUREN, Västerås, Mar 6th, 2009
09. Magda Mayas & Tony Buck | Fylkingen, Stockholm, Apr 17th, 2009
10. My Bloody Valentine | Slottsskogen, Gothenburg, Aug 15th, 2009

Top 5 shows I'm really bummed about missing:

1. Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. opening for Träd, Gräs och Stenar. No good excuse. I saw the latter later, but I'm still waiting for AMT to come back.
2. Borbetomagus Stockholm show was cancelled due to snow chaos in NY. Played in Västerås at the Perspectives festival shortly thereafter, but I didn't have the money to stay two days. I heard they had problems with the sound, though, which I suppose is slightly soothing to know.
3. Hild Sofie Tafjord played in Sweden three times (to my knowledge, anyway) in 2009, and I missed all of them for various reasons (mostly economic).
4. Philip Jeck x2. Yep, missed him twice due to illness.
5. Pan Sonic came to Stockholm right after No Fun Fest, at which point I was too spent to go anywhere.

Please, if you agree with the sentiments related within, re-post this wherever you may like or feel fit. I am trying to spread the word of this as much as possible.

I also posted this on Myspace, though I am moving away from it as much as possible.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=408250670&blogId=530219597

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I full well realise that the content of this may confuse some.

This has been sitting and brooding in my mind for quite some time now.

How many independent labels exist in the DIY scene? Hundreds... Thousands... Hundreds of thousands? I would bet a pretty penny that the number exceeds anything any of us could muster up from the dustiest corners of our minds.

They are all different in some way, even if the defining point may seem a bit blurred to an untrained eye. But then again, how trained does one truly need to be to acknowledge something so very blatant?

We churn out harsh, buzzing landscapes, pounding, deafening barrels of sound, softglo acoustic ballads, and hazy dreams put to a beat. Some of them truly, definitively stand out. But as a whole, so much is interchangeable and so much more is the same that it begs one to ask the question 'why?'. Why do we keep relying on such a plastique plateau, such a reformed sense of dignity and pride-raping structure? Because we can?

The underground community, while a strong one, has become so stale in a sense. Reverting back into itself, finding only what is comfortable; our stasis is incomparable, yet rarely acknowledged ... we need to taste the breath of a newborn, to suck the air from one leather-beaten lung and blow it into another. A bleeding, visceral entity that we can steer in a whole new direction.

I want to establish Haute Magie (and He Of The House in general) as one of the only labels on the underground circuit that TRULY differentiates itself from the whole lot. There are countless numbers of them out there, but not a single one that I've ever come across releases the kind of sounds that I am striving to sniff out, and very few even reach outside of the 'noise' scene, as broad a gamut as it may be.

If you disagree with this and believe me to just be a grumpy old stodger, then click on any random record label's Myspace page and listen to a few samples. I'll bet that pretty penny from the start (because I'll still have it, won't I?) once again to see you drop your chips, raise your cards, and agree with the fact that far more than half of the time, you are going to hear harsh noise, soft folk, and an assortment of other 'comfortable' sounds that the DIY scene seems to take to so easily.

And let me say quite clearly: I LOVE these sounds. I cherish them. I am not attempting to disrespect ANY label out there (though there are a few that I could easily tear down with only the harshest of truths, and they know who they are), and I hold true to the fact that this is Home for me. However, I am not one to sweep things under the House's most lovely rugs.

In short, what I am attempting to say here is that I am reaching out to those who are the true outcasts of the underground. Do you play a style of music that is usually ignored by underground labels and people in general? Perhaps you've merely been too apprehensive of things I've mentioned here to approach one. Well, that stops now.

I will release everything from psychedelic Hip Hop to crusty Black Metal, from airy Japanese Pop to deep Country Blues, from seething Acid Jazz to dark and witty Standup Comedy, from screeching Operas and pure Classical to x to y to z to x and all over again. 70s pornography soundtracks. A capelle Bebop. African Tribal drumming. Lounge, Bossa Nova, Swing, Doo Wop, Chamber, Cabaret, Funk, Carnival, Film Scores, Drum and Bass, Psychobilly, Coldwave, Gospel, Ars Nova, Barbershop Harmonics, Big Band, Beatboxing, Scat, Bluegrass, Bitpop, Polka, Ragtime, Shoegaze, Showtunes.

Anything and everything. The sounds just need to be found...

Things that fall into 'normal' genres with a psychotic twist are some of the most welcome.

And I am also trying to encourage others to do the same... seek out new things. Please. For the sake of our community. For the sake of any community,

Also, on a related note, for what you really DON'T want to approach me with, see here: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=408250670&blogId=523066813

It touches briefly upon some of the positive elements of this here Journal as well.

If you are out there, but not able to read this, ever, I will find you, somehow.
In the meantime, those of you that are reading tis, send me your strangest sounds.

He Of The House Media
PO Box 4207
Austin TX 78765-4207
USA

http://www.heofthehouse.com
http://www.heofthehouse.com/hautemagierecords

On a side note, if you are interested in receiving the monthly HOTH physical newsletter, send your address to me in a PM. I also have an e-mailing list, and that can be found on the Contact page of the website.

And once again, as I am trying to spread this as much as possible, I will now do something I've never done before; use completely unrelated artist tags.

I already feel bad enough about the many group-hitches I have, but networking is networking, and I've found genuinely interesting things through completely unrelated journals before, so guilt is not to be had.

If you'd like me to remove your project from here, just ask. I am pretty much just adding some of my favourites, pages that I know hundreds of people visit, and projects of friends.

Agnostic AsylumMerzbowSorry RobinDeath in JuneCurrent 93Nurse With WoundCoilStalemarSwansThe Dad Horse ExperienceQuendusBleak on SaturdayawaycabooseMasonnaCanGongBicycle SighsSleepersTorturing NurseDas IchAirSilas CiaránNarshehorsingRedSKMike BrunoSilverlagEHenry RollinsGodspeed You! Black EmperorCharles MansonDiamanda GalásELpHBoyd RiceReligious KnivesBoredomsBlood AxisHouse of PainUlverPrurientAIDS WolfWolf EyesContagious OrgasmUrbangardeFrank ZappaGeto BoysGravediggazLSD MarchSwallowCranesKazuki TomokawaNick CaveIdiot FleshSleepytime Gorilla MuseumElectric WizardPallidMessengerSon of the Morning

10.Wolf Eyes “Stabbed in the Face” Burned Mind( 2004)
The Part Where It Goes Silent and Then Comes Back (1:58).

If you made it this far into the song you’re either thinking this is the greatest song ever or you’re dying (literally) for it to be over…or you’re indifferent to it..or you think it’s just sort of OK, I mean how the fuck do I know what you think about it, I’m not a scientist. Merzbow once said that Noise "is the pornography of music", if that’s true then this part is when the dude pulls out, flips the chick over and then the TV goes back to being blurry and scrambled and you’re like “holy shit, I almost got to see some anal”. This part is sweet because if you don’t like it you’ll let out an exhale of relief before you get smacked in the cunt with more noise. I used to listen to Wolf Eyes very loudly as I rode the subway and pushed my way through large crowds around the city, I’m not sure what that says about me but I'm sure its something.

09.Neon Indian “Deadbeat Summer” Psychic Chasms (2009)
That Opening Part (0:01).

Here’s the first of many James Murphy quotes (second thought, I feel fine with just this one) “Nostalgia for the unremembered 80’s”. Wait? Unremembered 80’s? The 00’s brought back bright colors, legwarmers and a series called “I love the 80’s”, "I Love the 80’s Strikes Back”, and for christs sake “I Love the 80’s: 3-D”. Ooooh, he’s being ironic. I got it, kids today love the 80s. At the end of the 00’s America (the west, wherever Suburban rich kids reign supreme, etc.) finally got what had been waiting to emerge in our era of laptops, GarageBand and post-modern nostalgia: A genre that is officially nameless (Dream-pop, Hypnagogic Pop, etc.); basically a bunch of kids alone in their bedrooms making albums that are a mix of old synth sounds, public access shows on VHS, and flea-market 8tracks (For more information see: Washed Out,Ducktails,TeenGirl Fantasy,Nite Jewel, etc.). The opening is a sample of Todd Rundgren’s “Izzat Love”. It comes off like the Neon Indian dude acting like you used to when you’d pretend to be a DJ as you were stuck alone in your parent’s car and would just turn the Bass and Treble knobs back and forth.

08. Jay-Z “99 Problems” The Black Album (2003)
Right After He Says “You’re Crazy for This One, Rick” (3:45).

Remember when Jay-Z was gonna retire? Yeah, that was a good month. Oh right, I forgot about that other time, yeah that was good month too. 17 Years after the Beastie Boy’s Licensed to Ill Rick Rubin does what he does best (produces?) and makes rap that samples rock that doesn’t suck. Right before the song ends with final thumping of distorted guitar and live drums Jay-Z reminds you to Holla back because “Its ya boy”.

07. Justice “Stress” † (2007)
The Oh-No!-These Guys Are Here to Kick Some Ass Part (0:52).

No band has pulled off the influence of Michael Jackson as well as Justice (Sorry, Justin Timberlake). When my Dad first saw the video for this he told me he was “horrified”, so I reminded him that it was fake and that scaring old people was the whole point. If Michael Jackson is as much of a genius as I’ve been told repeatedly since July that he is, he will return as a zombie dancing in the street to this.

06. DragonForce “Through the Fire and Flames” Inhuman Rampage (2006)
The PacMan Part Before That Epic Solo (4:58).

Irony is a thin line. When is something bad-bad, good-bad or just simply a guilty pleasure because you’re too embarrassed to say something is actually good. We all know this was the next track on the Numa Numa guy’s playlist. It’s the perfect song for the era of Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings and the idea that being a “nerd” was cool (Fuck you, Michael Cera). The solo sounds like Dan Deacon on Coke trying to cover Metallica’s “One”. NEXT!

05. OutKast “Ms. Jackson” Stankonia (2000)
The “Foreva? Foreva eva” Part (2:07).

Before mainstream rap got so crazy that Three 6 Mafia won a freakin’ Oscar (Forgot about that huh?) these 2 dudes were Kanye West if he was as cool as he is a douchebag. Every Soccer-Mom in the country used to sing this part with her teenage kids as they were on their way to buy more “Never Forget 9/11” American Flags from Wal-Mart. Outkast owned the first few years of the aughts but then they released a movie/soundtrack and people have been waiting for a comeback every since.

04. Panda Bear “Bros” Person Pitch (2007)
When Some Chick/Bro Is Crying (8:58).

The song sounds like happy incarnate and to nail home its celebratory spirit the last 2/8s of the song features the sound of exploding fireworks (right about the same time the listeners is exploding [read: ejaculating] in their tight red American Apparel boy-shorts). The music slows a bit and we hear crying- that deep gasping-for-air type of crying. Is it happy? Is it sad? Did Noah Lennox witness a rape and just sit back and pull out his sampler? Does it matter? No, because it sounds sweet.

03. Radiohead “Everything In Its Right Place” Kid A (2000)
The Computer Glitch Vocal Part (0:15).

OMFG! U Guiz! They sold their guitars and bought keyboards! Did you see Thom Yorke dancing and exposing his chubby-Dad-gut on SNL? No? Check it on the B-low. –But seriously this is one of the best vocal pieces of the 00’s (ever? MAYBE!!) and how does it start? It sneaks in with vocals that can’t even be sung! I used to sing in my head to this part (because lyrics are stupid and no one really pays attention to them anyway) and thought he was saying “Ginny…Lebanon...Ssskinny..Lebanon”. He’s probably just saying nonsense (or as Thom would call it “an existential recursive scream from a computer to the spectacle of post-modernity …or a car accident”) as Jonny Greenwood jerks off a Chaos pad.

02. Lightning Bolt “Assassins” Wonderful Rainbow (2003)
That Feedback Squeal At The Beginning (0:00).

Let me start with a non-ironic OMFG! U Guiz! These dudes sold their Art degrees and bought more amps! I used to rant a lot about how this feedback squeal that starts “Assassins” is the perfect complement to the album’s opener “Hello Morning”. “Hello Morning” is Lightning Bolt at their most calm. If you’re listening to Wonderful Rainbow as a whole you hear a soft spring-breeze of guitar feedback and delicate string pulling and then BAM! A loud feedback squeal as the sound kicks you in your balls. This squeal represents the time it takes for the pain in your balls to reach your brain and then when you scream the song officially starts and barrels over your crying bitch-ass like a fuckin’ freight train.

01. Fever Ray “If I Had A Heart” Fever Ray (2009)
That Fucking Opening (0:00).

This is the sound of the death of the four piece band playing original instruments, this is the sound of a decade that killed music (Guitar Hero), the sound of the end of peace (The War on Terror), the sound of an era that couldn’t claim an end to prejudice (Hurricane Katrina/Prop 8), this is the sound of a global financial collapse, the sound of corporatized Democracy that is no longer afraid to be seen, this is the sound of the entire wealth of human knowledge in a 3-inch piece of plastic (Iphonez and Crackberries), this is the sound of a planet burning off its most prolific virus (Global Warming), this is the wish for an apocalypse in 2012 (but the closest we get is another shitty CGI-action flick).

Honorable Mention:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps” Fever To Tell (2003)
+ Kelly Clarkson “Since U Been Gone” Breakaway (2004)
+ Ted Leo “Since U Been Gone/Maps” (2004)
The Start of the Bridge, Dude (1:57),(2:10),(1:48)

Brooklyn owned indie rock at the close of the 00’s (Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective) and Manhattan owned indie rock at the start of the 00’s (The Strokes, YeahYeahYeahs, TVontheRadio, LCD Soundsystem). If any song helped a bar band go from the Lower East Side to the a record label bidding war in Los Angeles more than “Maps” did for the YeahYeahYeahs I haven’t heard it. Aside from not being boring (I’m looking at you Strokes and TVontheRadio) the song was sweet, catchy and she freakin’ cries in the video (Sure, it’s probably about Angus from Liars but that makes it sweeter [as in cool, not as in heartfelt]). Kelly Clarkson ripped off the bridge in her song “Since U Been Gone” and then Ted Leo recorded an acoustic mash-up just to prove it.

VIEW the original --with Downloads--here:
http://joelisnothere.blogspot.com/2009/12/10.html

January
001. Husky Rescue - Other World: Remixes & Rarities (CD)
002. Mikko Torvisen Viihdeorkesteri - Mikko Torvisen Viihdeorkesteri (CD)
003. Atomic Rooster - Nice 'n' Greasy (CD)
004. Colosseum - Daughter of Time Expanded Edition (CD)
005. The Others aka 22pp - Monochrome Set (CD)
006. Senni Eskelinen Stringpurée Band - Senni Eskelinen Stringpurée Band (CD)
007. Marzuraan - Solid Wood (LP)
008. Black Boned Angel - Bliss and Void Inseparable (CD)
009. V/A - Qbico U-Nite - V, Turku, Finland (LP)
010. Circle - Tyrant (2LP)
011. Hope of the States - The Lost Riots (CD)
012. Opeth - Morningrise (CD)
013. Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse (CD)
014. Sydän, sydän - Usko itseesi (CD)
015. Keep of Kalessin - Armada (CD)
016. King Crimson - Level Five (CD)
017. Om - Pilgrimage (LP)
018. Overhead - Metaepitome (CD)
019. Overhead - And We're Not Here After All (CD)
020. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory (CD)
021. Jorma Tapio & Terje Isungset - Aihki (CD)
022. Keiji Haino - Abandon All Words at a Stroke, So That Prayer Can Come Spilling Out (2CD)
023. Birchville Cat Motel - Beautiful Speck Triumph (2CD)
024. Circle - Triumph (2LP)

February
025. Absoluuttinen Nollapiste - Mahlanjuoksuttaja (CD)
026. Sigur Rós - Hvarf-Heim (2CD)
027. Keep of Kalessin - Kolossus (CD+DVD)
028. Don Cherry - Symphony for Improvisers RVG Edition (CD)
029. Christina Aguilera - Stripped / Stripped - Live In The U.K. (CD+DVD)
030. Devo - Duty Now for the Future / New Traditionalists (CD)
031. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo / DEV-O Live (CD)
032. Kauko Röyhkä- Mielummin vanha kuin aikuinen / Paha maa (CD)
033. Kalevala - People No Names / Boogie Jungle (CD)
034. Sansa - Vagabond Girl (CD)
035. Jarboe - Mahakali (CD)
036. Meshuggah - obZen (CD)
037. 1N - Tällä tavalla (CD)
038. Johanna Iivanainen & 1N - Outoja maita (CD)
039. Manowar - Magic Circle Festival Volume 1 (2DVD)
040. Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere... (2DVD)
041. AC/DC - Plug Me In (2DVD)
042. William Orbit - Pieces in a Modern Style (CD)
043. Institut - Unto The Last Man (2*7")
044. Warser Gate - Torched Scrawl / Karneek Temple (7")
045. ÖÄK - ÖÄK (7")
046. SINK - The Process (CD)
047. Frogskin / Taunt - Split (7")
048. Frogskin - Frogskin (LP)
049. Dark Buddha Rising - Ritual IX (2LP)

March
050. Viikate - Surut pois ja kukka rintaan (CD)
051. Tapani Rinne - Silent Night (CD)
052. Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up (CD)
053. Jarmo Saari Solu - Next Of Kin (CD)
054. Avril Lavigne - Let Go (CD)
055. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin (CD)
056. The Chemical Brothers - Surrender (CD)
057. Witchcraft - Firewood (CD)
058. ProjeKct Two - Space Groove (2CD)
059. Kytäjä - Kytäjä (CD)
060. Witchcraft - The Alchemist (LP)
061. Deep Purple - California Jamming - Live 1974 (CD)

April
062. Napalm Death - Smear Campaign (CD)
063. Deep Purple - Come Taste the Band (CD)
064. Stan Getz - The Song Is You (Quadromania Jazz Edition) (4CD)
065. Aivoaula - Brain Drop (CD)
066. Tuvalu - Viimeiset hetket ovat käsillä! (CD)
067. V/A - Psychedelic Phinland - Finnish Hippie & Underground Music 1967-1974 (2CD)
068. Strapping Young Lad - 1994-2006 Chaos Years (CD+DVD)
069. Deep Purple - Made in Europe (CD)
070. V/A - Fonzie Favorites (LP) *lahjaksi saatu
071. Charles Mingus Sextet With Eric Dolphy - Cornell 1964 (2CD)
072. The Sörsselssöns - The Ace of Spedes (7")
073. Ydinaseeton Pohjola / Keripukki - Split EP (7")
074. A Silver Mt. Zion - "Born Into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward." (CD)
075. The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes (LP)
076. Folkstorm - Hurtmusic (CD)
077. Wolf Eyes / Black Dice - Black Dice & Wolf Eyes (CD)
078. Wolf Eyes / Prurient - The Warriors (CD)
079. Evan Parker / John Wiese - C-Section (CD)
080. John Wiese - Tumbler (LP)
081. Golden Serenades / Testicle Hazard - Morning Star / Evening Fix (LP)
082. Boris - Smile - Live at Wolf Creek (2CD)

May
083. V/A - Da da (Kuulat sekaisin) (CD)
084. V/A - Melkein vieraissa Tribuutti Leevi and the Leavingsille (CD)
085. Katri Ylander - Kaikki nämä sanat (CD)
086. Viikate - Marraskuun lauluja II (CD)
087. Jonna Tervomaa - Lemmikit (2CD)
088. Gene Krupa - Drummin' Man (Quadromania Jazz Edition) (4CD)
089. Judy Garland - Over the Rainbow (Quadromania Jazz Edition) (4CD)
090. Robert Johnson - Steady Rollin' Man (2CD)
091. John Coltrane - Sheets of Sound (2CD)
092. Katatonia - The Black Sessions (2CD+DVD)
093. My Dying Bride - Anti-Diluvian Chronicles (3CD)
094. Andrew Hill - Point of Departure RVG Edition (CD)
095. Wojciech - Monstrolento (CD)
096. Darkthrone - NWOBHM (CD-EP)
097. Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Tour - Live in Toronto (DVD)
098. Doktor Kettu - Soft Delirium (CD)
099. Christian Munthe - The Backside Suite (CD)
100. Anders Dahl & Christian Munthe - Several Kinds of Ground (CD)
101. Æthenor - Faking Gold and Murder (CD)
102. Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen puhuu (CD)
103. Circle - Saturnus Reality (DVD)
104. The Wandering Midget- I Am the Gate (CD-EP)

June
105. John Wiese & C. Spencer Yeh - New York / Atlanta (CD)
106. Grunt - Terror and Degeneration (CD)
107. Grunt - Documentations (3CD)
108. Pekka Streng & Olympia-orkesteri - Unen maa (CD)
109. Man - And in the Beginning: The Complete Early Man 1968-69 (2CD)
110. The Kinks - The Kink Kontroversy (CD)
111. The Five Corners Quintet - Chasin' the Jazz Gone By (CD)
112. Bloodbath - The Wacken Carnage (CD+DVD)
113. Behemoth - Zos Kia Cultus (Here and Beyond) (CD)
114. Rainbow - Live in Munich 1977 (DVD)
115. Pan Sonic - Kuvaputki (DVD)
116. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (CD)
117. Iiro Rantala New Trio - Elmo (CD)
118. Tasavallan Presidentti - Still Struggling For Freedom (CD)
119. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (CD)

July
120. Megaptera - You Will Never Survive This Nightmare (2CD)
121. Maurizio Bianchi & Siegmar Fricke - Stroma~Konkret (CD)
122. Maurizio Bianchi & Maor Appelbaum - Environmental Meditations (CD)
123. Henri Chopin/Pan Sonic/Achim Wollscheid - Composition い (CD)
124. Bocksholm - The Haunting Curse of Skogs-Sara (CD)
125. Moljebka Pvlse / Seventeen Migs of Spring - Ravha / Electricity Gardens (CD)
126. The Rita + Wilt - Werewolf In The Black Space (CD)
127. Jazzkammer & Howard Stelzer - Tomorrow No One Will Be Safe (CD)
128. My Cat Is an Alien/Keiji Haino - Cosmic Debris Volume III (CD)
129. V/A - Untitled (2CD)
130. Koje - Cyanide High (MC)
131. Pop Culture Rape Victim - Me Tarzan, Eugene (MC)
132. Andrew Hill - Black Fire RVG Edition (CD)
133. Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions (CD)
134. V/A - Metal - A Headbanger's Journey (DVD)
135. Muddy Waters - I Can't Be Satisfied (4CD)
136. The Who - Live at Leeds 25th anniversary edition (CD)
137. Maria Lund - Ajan sävel (CD)
138. Darkthrone - F.O.A.D. (CD)
139. Darkthrone - Preparing for War Special Edition (2CD+DVD)
140. Chestburster - You'll Always Remember the First Time (7")
141. Keripukki / Pahaa verta - Split (7")
142. Hermann Schenker / Death Toll 80k- Split (7")
143. Kuolleet Intiaanit - Puuluuranko (CD)
144. Nadja - Desire in Uneasiness (CD)
145. Esoteric - Subconscious Dissolution Into the Continuum (CD)
146. This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain (CD-EP)
147. Asva - What You Don't Know Is Frontier (CD)
148. The Animals - Live At Club A Go-Go (CD)
149. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (CD)
150. Suvi Teräsniska - Särkyneiden sydänten tie (CD)
151. Viikate - Kesävainaja (CD-EP)
152. Tori Amos - Live at Montreux 1991/1992 (DVD)
153. Mew - No More Stories EP (CD-EP)

August
154. Murmansk - Chinese Locks (CD)
155. Murmansk - Eleven Eyes to Shade (CD)
156. Garbage - 2 in 1: Garbage / Version 2.0 (2CD)
157. Kimmo Kuusniemi Band - Moottorilinnut (CD)
158. The Freza - Black and White (CD)
159. Behemoth - Thelema.6 (CD)
160. Behemoth - Satanica (CD)
161. Autopsy - Severed Survival (2CD)
162. Anathema - The Silent Enigma (CD+DVD)
163. Sólstafir - Köld (CD)
164. V/A - Moon Bowl (7")
165. Death Trip - Chainsaw Goddess / Deep Red (7")
166. Death Trip - Please! Skin Me Alive / Something (7")
167. Kakka-hätä 77 / Seksihullut - Split (7")
168. Skullflower - Ponyland / Fake Revolt (7")
169. Earth - Pentastar: In the Style of Demons (CD)
170. Terveet Kädet - Ihmisen poika, pedon poika (MCD)
171. Jonna Tervomaa - Läpikulkumatkalla (CDS)
172. Einojuhani Rautavaara - Pianoteoksia (CD)
173. Einojuhani Rautavaara - Cantus Arcticus/Piano Concerto No.1/Symphony No.3 (CD)
174. John Adams - Shaker Loops (CD)
175. Euthanasia - Rymykorpi -The Complete Recordings 1986-1989 (2CD)
176. Earth - Extra-Capsular Extraction (CD-EP)
177. Schwerbelastungskörper - Schwerbelastungskörper (CD)
178. Seksihullut - Seksihullut (7")
179. jyrki nissinen & laskettuaika - Sitä se teettää(7")
180. Candy Cane - Leave Me Out (CD)
181. Candy Cane - Fay-ra-Doowra (CD)
182. Candy Cane - Jaula (CD)
183. Pestilence - Testimony of the Ancients (CD)


September
184. Wreck of the Hesperus - The Sunken Threshold (CD)
185. Old Man Gloom - Meditations in B (CD)
186. Old Man Gloom - Seminar II: The Holy Rites of Primitive Regressionism (CD)
187. Anna Puu - Anna Puu (CD)
188. The Who - Who's Next (CD)
189. Death With a Dagger - Dark Alleys (CD)
190. Kuolema - Viinaa aineita naisia 2001-2008 (CD)
191. Rakkaus- Jokainen Päivä On Taistelua (CD)
192. Johanna Iivanainen & Eero Koivistoisen Yhtye - Kaupungin valot (CD)
193. Metallica - Death Magnetic (CD)
194. Yes - Yes, Friends And Relatives (CD)
195. Mesmer - Subutex Willer (7")
196. Ratos de Porão - Descanse em Paz (LP)
197. Ratos de Porão - Onisciente Coletivo (LP)
198. Kansanturvamusiikkikomissio - 666 (LP)

October
199. Liekki - Hyönteinen (CD)
200. Kastor - Lost Station (CD)
201. Jazzkammer / opec - Split (LP)
202. Wolf Eyes - Always Wrong (CD)
203. Prurient - The Black Post Society (CD)
204. Grunt - Petturien rooli (CD)
205. Sick Seed - The Great Corrupter (LP)
206. Boris with Merzbow - Megatone (CD)
207. The New Blockaders - Das Zerstören, zum Gebären (CD)
208. Reverend Bizarre - Harbinger of Metal (2LP)
209. Mohel - Babylon Bypass (LP)
210. Frode Gjerstad & Paal Nilssen-Love - Day Before One (LP)

November
211. V/A - Heroes of the 50's (3CD)
212. Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side - Live in New York 1972 (CD)
213. Gamma Ray - Hell Yeah!!!-The Awesome Foursome: Live In Montreal (2CD)
214. Lasse Mårtenson - Kaikessa soi... (2CD)
215. Pahaa verta - Pahaa Verta (7")
216. Absu - Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001 (2CD)
217. Hebosagil / Viisikko - Split (CD)
218. Musiikkivyöry - Tulemme sokeiksi (CD)
219. Mercedes Hell - Kingdom Together (7")
220. Lusiferiinin Armosta - Nuolee (CD)
221. Circle - Taantumus (CD)
222. Circle - Triumph (2CD)
223. Isis - Live 5 (CD)
224. Lotus Eaters - Wurmwulv (CD)
225. John Coltrane - Blue Train (10CD)
226. Sun Ra - Bad and Beautiful (LP)
227. Khatarina - Roaaaaarrrrr! (CD)
228. Honey B. & The T-bones - Now & Eternity (CD)
229. Honey B. & the T-Bones - Alien Blues (CD)
230. Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera (CD)
231. Jefferson Airplane - The Essential Jefferson Airplane (2CD)
232. Opium Warlords - Live at Colonia Dignidad (2LP)
233. Transatlantic - The Whirlwind (2CD+DVD) Deluxe edition

December
234. Boris - Japanese Heavy Rock Hits v1 (7")
235. Evan Parker, Derek Bailey & Han Bennink - The Topography of the Lungs (CD)
236. Teatteri Moderni Kanuuna - Murheenkapselista galleriaan ja asemalle (CD)
237. Omfalos Renaissance - Miekka ja kirsikankukka (CD)
238. Kuusumun Profeetta - Myrskyn silmään (DVD)
239. Circle - Soundcheck (LP)
240. Kemialliset Ystävät - Lumottu karkkipurkki (vapaa systeemi) (CD)
241. Kemialliset Ystävät - Kellari juniversumi (CD)
242. Kemialliset Ystävät - Alkuhärkä (CD)
243. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade Is Dead! (CD+DVD)
244. Samae Koskinen - Elossa (CD)
245. Revolting Berbers - Ready To Die / Worthless (7")
246. Mastodon - Crack the Skye (CD)
247. V/A - Raw Blues (5CD)
248. Manowar - Hell on Earth Part 2: Fire and Blood (2DVD)
249. Manowar - Hell on Earth Part 4 (2DVD+CD)

Peaking Lights - Imaginary Falcons [Night People]

Contains some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

Dragging an Ox Through Water - The Tropics of Phenomenon [Freedom to Spend]

Perhaps the most original release this year.

Best Coast - Where The Boys Are [Blackest Rainbow], 7" on Art Fag, 7" on Group Tightener, When I'm with You [Black Iris], Myspace Songs

Easy Breezy.

Pete Swanson - Unlimited Options, Denim Life [both self-released]

On a par with the best the Yellow Swans have ever released.

Wet Hair - Dream [Not Not Fun]


Ye Olde Maids - God Blesses Us, Mother Dresses Us [Art Fag]

Wes Eisold's bedroom project, somewhere in between (at least in spirit) his older hardcore stuff and his more recent work with Cold Cave. Beautiful songs.

Secret Abuse - The Immeasurable Gift [Arbor]

Fucked up and beautiful, like most things out of Iowa City.

Absinthe Minds - The Song of Returning Light

Topaz Rags - Capricorn Born Again

Plus almost all other releases on Not Not Fun.

dune buggy - s/t c20

Plus all the other releases on Night People, among them
Ryan Garbes, Terror Bird, Meth Teeth, Hanging Coffins, Earth Station

Secret Colors - Infinite Wandering [Bumtapes]


Inca Ore - Silver Sea Surfer School [Acuarela]


Crocodiles - Summer of Hate [Fat Possum]


...and maybe many more (Ashtray Navigations, High Wolf); the 5 years of Hyperdub compilation was really cool.

Some remarkable songs (that are not on one of the above releases):
Jackie-O Motherfucker - A Mania (Ballads of the Revolution)
The Thermals - I let it go (Now We Can See)
Brittain Ashford - Missing (Just Wants To Love You)
Julian Lynch - Banana Jam Pt. 1 (Born 2 Run)
Real Estate - Fake Blues (Fake Blues 7")

Some shows:
Trees, Ear Venom, Geronimo, The Thermals, TacocaT, Wolf Eyes, Pete Swanson (all Seattle, WA)
Grouper (Olympia, WA)
Brittain Ashford (Portland, OR)
Flower-Corsano Duo (Stuttgart, Germany)
Donaueschinger Musiktage (various composers and performers, Donaueschingen, Germany)

and last but not least, my favourite youtube music video of 2009:

(the last two songs are not yet released to my knowledge)

Thanks for reading.

I surely tried to stay below 100. I deleted many, but I simply didn't see the point of cutting down even more. Many fascinating albums are on the list. I think there is a lot of genre variation (even though one will immediately see that certain genres are completely missing) and some really rare gems are hidden in between.
Still, a lot of 2009 music I kind of enjoyed are not on the list, for various reasons, especially if the music is not working as an album, but just as single tunes. And if someone finds one of their favorites way down around #100 that doesn't mean it's crap to me. All that made it here I truely enjoyed. Also, imagine this list being done within the past few weeks at wintertime. Moods of all kinds influenced the positions quite a lot. So even if the first dozens are ranked with much care, the lower more or less 2/3 of the list are not. They have fallen under my arbitrary and rather random judgements.
Enjoy!

1 Merriweather Post Pavillion – Animal Collective

2 Dragonslayer – Sunset Rubdown

3 Capri – Celer

4 Beast Rest Forth Mouth – Bear in Heaven

5 Monoliths & Dimensions – Sunn O)))

6 Songs of Shame – Woods

7 Fall Be Kind EP – Animal Collective

8 Aesthetics – Maribel

9 xx – The xx

10 Aineen Musta Puhelin (Black Telephone of Matter) – Mika Vainio

11 Cielo Cristalino – Hobo Cubes

12 Earthly Delights – Lightning Bolt

13 Tarot Sport – Fuck Buttons

14 Post-Nothing – Japandroids

15 Pitch Black – Die Elektrischen

16 Get Color – HEALTH

17 Jewellery – Micachu

18 This Face – Gnaw

19 III - Espers

20 Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear

21Lovetune For Vacuum – Soap&Skin

22 Kesämaan lapset - Es

23 Embryonic – The Flaming Lips

24 Exquisite Corpse EP – Warpaint

25 Vinonaamakasio – Shogun Kunitoki

26 Fever Ray – Fever Ray

27 An Imaginary Country – Tim Hecker

28 Wild and Inside – Eat Skull

29 Meandering Pupa – Chubby Wolf

30 Tomutonti – Tomutonttu

31 Blank Grey Canvas Sky – Peter Broderick & Machinefabriek

32 Fleurs – Former Ghosts

33 Great Lengths – Martyn

34 The Way We Are – The Present

35 Nuclear Sun – Der Blaue Reiter

36 Inakamono No Kara Genki – Kazuki Tomokawa

37 Hospice – The Antlers

38 Kappe – Svarte Greiner

39 The Third Mobius – Coax

40 Totems Flare – Clark

41 Lovers Love Haters EP – Lovers Love Haters

42 Dying in Time - port-royal

43 The Incident – Porcupine Tree

44 Ambivalence Avenue – Bibio

45 L'Autopsie Phénoménale de Dieu - Kreng

46 Now We Can See – The Thermals

47 Wavvves – Wavves

48 Journal of Ardency EP – Class Actress

49 Hintergarten – Hannu

50 Hard Islands – Nathan Fake

51 Endless Forms - Butane

52 Let's Build a Roof - Lake

53 Hymn To The Immortal Wind - Mono

54 Aix – Giuseppe Ielasi

55 BEAK> - Beak>

56 Unmap – Volcano Choir

57 Bitte Orca – Dirty Projectors

58 Monster Head Room – Ganglians

59 Why There Are Mountains – Cymbals Eat Guitars

60 Album – Girls

61 Shhh!!! - Lumen Lab

62 Psychic Maps – Dysrhythmia

63 City Center – City Center

64 Wavering Radiant – Isis

65 Silvester Anfang II – Silvester Anfang

66 Seek Magic – Memory Tapes

67 Abstract Expression – Dominique Leone

68 A Slave's Commitment – Applescal

69 Axe To Fall – Converge

70 Grass Widows – Grass Widows

71 Chinese Leftovers – Sugarplum Fairies

72 Jubilee Singers – Jubilee Singers

73 Music For Falling From Trees – Peter Broderick

74 Riceboy Sleeps – Jónsi & Alex

75 Dead Man's Bones – Dead Man's Bones

76 Polly Scattergood – Polly Scattergood

77 Dear John – Loney, Dear

78 jj n°2 – jj

79 Listening Tree – Tim Exile

80 Like Dust of the Balance - Ochre

81 BiRd-BrAiNs – Tune-Yards

82 Everything Goes Wrong – Vivian Girls

83 Clubroot – Clubroot

84 Wave If You're Really There – Wave Machines

85 H-3 – Oliver Huntemann

86 Exploding Head – A Place To Bury Strangers

87 Exit Dreams – The Huntches

88 Two Sunsets – Pastels & Tenniscoats

89 The Ichthyologist – Giant Squid

90 High Times – Washed Out

91 Aleph At Hallucinatory Mountain – Current 93

92 Hold Time – M. Ward

93 Two Suns – Bat for Lashes

94 Always Wrong – Wolf Eyes

95 See Mystery Lights – YACHT

96 Köld - Sólstafir

97 Forget The Night Ahead – The Twilight Sad

98 Love Is A Liability – FaltyDL

99 Filth – Venetian Snares

100 Großstadtmärchen - Oliver Koletzki

101 Two Dancers – Wild Beasts

102 Face Control – Handsome Furs

103 Bromst – Dan Deacon

104 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

105 Geneva – Russian Circles

106 Momo EP – Hooray For Earth

107 Like Angels – Screaming Lights

108 In The Gardens Of The North – Sleeping States

109 Actor – St. Vincent

110 The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion – dredg

111 Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix

112 Real Life Is No Cool - Lindstrøm & Christabelle

113 UUVVWWZ – UUVVWWZ

114 Brief History Of Love – The Big Pink

115 Logos – Atlas Sound

116 Time Waits For No Slave – Napalm Death

117 The Keeper of the Library – The Archivist

118 Intuit – Ramona Falls

119 Black Pearl - Bloody Mary

120 Act III: Life and Death – The Dear Hunter

121 Summon – Bloody Panda

122 Aufgang – Aufgang

123 Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt – Gorgoroth

It was incredibly difficult to get this list down to 29 releases, there were so many great albums out this year, but after many hours of work, I'm fairly happy with this.


01. Gnaw Their Tongues - All The Dread Magnificence Of Perversity
02. Neokarma Jooklo Trio - Time's Vibes
03. Group Doueh - Treeg Salaam
04. Loren Connors & Jim O'Rourke - Two Nice Catholic Boys
05. アーバンギャルド - 少女都市計画
06. Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions
07. The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation - Succubus
08. つしまみれ - あっ、海だ。
09. Shining - VI - Klagopsalmer
10. Bassnectar - Cozza Frenzy
11. Hildur Guðnadóttir - Without Sinking
12. Fall of Efrafa - Inlé
13. 相対性理論 - ハイファイ新書
14. Wolf Eyes - Always Wrong
15. Elfin Saddle - Ringing For The Begin Again
16. dälek - Gutter Tactics
17. H Stewart - A sky unforgiven of dreams
18. John Parish and Polly Jean Harvey - A Woman a Man Walked By
19. UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ
20. Totalt Jävla Mörker - Söndra & Härska
21. Sax Ruins - Yawiquo
22. Abner Jay - True Story of Abner Jay
23. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
24. Meth Teeth - Everything Went Wrong
25. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Beware
26. Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans
27. Alamaailman Vasarat - Huuro Kolkko
28. Bygones - by-
29. Serial Tv Drama - SPACE OPERA

Here are some music wot I liked this year.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion / Fall Be Kind EP

Animal Collective "started the year off with a bang." Literally for me as I listened to Merriweather for the first time as I saw in the new year under the lights and fireworks of Hyde Park. They basically perfected their sampled-pop-psychedelia, and became bigger than ever, topping numerous best of year lists. Towards the end of the year they also released the Fall Be Kind EP which was great but sort of more of the same, not counting the weirdo hobbit-dance that is the second half of "Graze".



Atlas Sound - Logos (Kranky)

Deerhunter called it a day this year, but Bradford released his latest solo effort to much acclaim. Despite him accidentally leaking an unfinished version of the album in August, I didn't really get around to it until the end of the year, but his breathy paen's are perfect for these bright winter days. He also treated us to a picture of him without his shirt on, and that's... umm... yeah.



Brainworms - Brainworms II: Swear to Me (Rorshach)

Awesome punk/grunge band who put to shame all of the current trend of hardcore revivalists and hipster punk outfits. Amazing guitar tones, clever lyrics, and just straight up fun as hell.



El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Cryptomnesia (Rodriguez-Lopez Productions)

The Mars Volta fired their 4th drummer this year. In an obvious move to avoid any further Spinal Tap-isms, Omar enlisted the apparently indestructible Zach Hill and co. for this Hella/Mars Volta mind-meld, and yet still for some reason decided to name it after himself and put himself on the cover, and release it on his own label (named after himself, of course). The result is a claustrophobic clusterfuck of potty-mouthed psychedelic punk that'll probably leave you more bemused than anything else, at least on first listen. There are two more albums with this line up yet to be released.



Emeralds - Emeralds / What Happened (No Fun)

Emeralds are one of my favourite discoveries this year, even though these two major releases are far from their best I.M.H.O. Synth drones, tape-hiss and guitar loops combine to make beguiling ambient, almost sci-fi textures that are good for zoning out, reading, ETC.



Evangelista - Prince of Truth (CST)

The second album from Carla Bozulich's Evangelista project is too similar to their first, but maybe that's the curse of being on Constellation (scoff, chortle, snort, etc). But, just in case you really dig broken, half-sung songs and getting yelled at for EVERY TIME SOMEONE DID HER WRONG, Carla & her friends have made another record just for you. The artwork is amazing this time too.



Kidcrash - Snacks (Denovali, Init Records)

These four friends are still having fun making tappy-mathy-hardcore in their basement or garage or wherever, touring in a little van and sleeping on peoples sofas, but did a much better job of recording it and made a much more cohesive record than their last.



Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough (Profound Lore)

\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
New York tech-metal geek-squad Krallice got serious on their second album and packed in an hour and 20 minutes of brutal, punishing, endlessly inventive math-metal. The first album was great too, but they brought so much new stuff to the table this time that by comparison it seems monotonous. Just don't call them Black Metal, coz Burzum is out of Prison and he's PISSED.



Kreng - L'Autopsie Phenomenale De Dieu (Miasmah)

I've no idea really where this record came from and who's involved or anything, I just stumbled across it online one night when dazed and unable to sleep and noticed the album cover on a blog. It's a mish-mash of modern classical composition, sampling and electronics, though it's often hard to tell what's what. The whole thing is obviously very conceptual, with parts of speech, overheard phonecalls and creepy atmospherics, which makes it perfect for a noir-esque, middle of the night on headphones type of listen.



Magik Markers - Balf Quarry (Drag City) / Shame Mask EP (Self-released)

Magik Markers got more stoned than ever this year and completed their transition from fuck-off noise rock to fuzzed-out blues and psych on their second album for Drag City. They also self-released a few tour-only CD-R's of weirdo improv, of which the Shame Mask EP was probably the best, if only for the mammoth destructo-jam that is the untitled 30-minute closer.



The Mars Volta - Octahedron (Universal)

The Mars Volta fired a few members and stripped back to a much more palatable six-piece for their fifth LP. Whilst opener 'Since We've Been Wrong' was something of a throwaway Led Zeppelin ballad, they otherwise made refreshing use of space and made a record which was (comparitively) more straightforward. The songs are all linked by a crystalline drone that runs throughout the album, and all the songs appear out of it as if from the ether.



Mastodon - Crack the Skye (Reprise)

Hawkwind much? Conceptual prog-rock-crust-punk rules OK.



maudlin of the Well - Part the Second (Self-released)

In the absence of new Kayo Dot material this year (shakes fist), main-man Toby Driver got his old band back together to record some old songs that they'd never put to tape. The divide between the two bands is something of a grey area anyway, and this feels more like Kayo Dot recording motW songs, especially as it features Kayo Dot violinist Mia Matsumiya so heavily. Basically what that means is that is has all the awesome light and airy prog-metal goodness, but no bad death metal growling, and guitar soloing kept to a minimum. Bonus. It was totally fan-funded and as such, you can download it for free at http://www.maudlinofthewell.net/



Om - God is Good (Drag City)

Is a two-man band still a band when one of them quits? Remaining bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros could be accused of flogging a dead horse by continuing with Om's signature sound with a new line-up. He enlisted Grails' drummer, a Tambourist and a flautist to spruce things up a bit, though not surprisingly it still sounds exactly like Om. Super-stoned, spaced out and faux-mystical as ever. Steve Albini recorded it again it so you know it sounds awesome, the drums especially, and when they finally kick in on the huge opening track, you'll be groovin'.



Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Solar Gambling / Xenophanes (Rodriguez-Lopez Productions)

Yet more Omar. What sets these two apart from his other 8 million albums this year is that Omar himself and his beau Ximena Sarinana handle all the vocals, Omar taking the lead on Xenophanes and Ximena on Solar Gambling. Focusing more on straight songwriting, and with the bulk of tracks having vocals, they feel more like complete albums and less like side projects and guitar solo practice for Mars Volta albums than most of his other solo releases. Solar Gambling particularly feels like one of his strongest out of his many, many releases.



Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans (Sub Pop)

The monotony of your boring workaday life never sounded so good. See lyrics to ''Spent''.



Polvo - In Prism (Merge)

I'd never really been into Polvo, especially after seeing a lacklustre live show when they first reformed, but the first new album in over a decade by these apparent math-rock pioneers has them sounding super fresh and inventive. The sheer riffage on Beggar's Bowl should be enough to convert anyone to the cause, if you can stand the college rock vocals. If Explosions in the Sky have ever done anything worthwhile, it's convincing this band to get back together.



Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder (Neurot)

Om wasn't the only band that Chris Hakius quit this year. In fact he quit music altogether and Dale Crover of Melvins fame took over on drums to complete this uber-metal supergroup. The music is somewhere between the obvious - Om, Sleep, Neurosis et al - but with the SpaceEcho turned up to 11 (see artwork, song title "Pyramids of the Moon"). I still can't decide whether I actually like it or not, but it's definitely an interesting listen, and there's a lot more to it than just stoner rock.



Six Organs of Admittance - Luminous Night (Drag City)

2009 was the year I remembered how much I loved Ben Chasny's Six Organs. I haven't seriously loved an album of his since 2005's School of the Flower, and he's so prolific that I inevitably lost track of everything he's been releasing. I guess I got burnt out on the whole new wave/freak-folk thing, as most did, and this unfairly got swept along with it. Looking back, I'm not sure how I missed 2007's awesome Shelter From the Ash, but I tried to make up for my loss this year. His latest, as Pitchfork rightly pointed out, feels a bit like a Best of, but with improved sound quality, and no 20-minute freak-outs. That said, it's still a solid album, it just feels like a bit phoned in, though I am a sucker for a psychedlic flute solo.



Slayer - World Painted Blood (Sony)

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
god hates you
kill your parents
hate the government
spread a little hate
kicksnarekicksnarekicksnarekicksnarekicksnarekicksnare
\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
wooooow-weooooooooown
(solo)



William Basinski - 92982 (2062)

92982 is another release culled from cult ambient hairdo-weirdo William Basinski's apparently vast archives of tape loop experiments. This one finds him playing with loops in his New York loft (on 09/29/82, incidentally) but also allowing the sounds of his surroundings - people, sirens, birds, etc. to become squashed and distorted in the mix. The result is an intoxicating mix that sounds like the end of summer, more steeped in nostalgia than his usual deeper melancholy. He will also release Vivian & Ondine before the end of the year, which judging by the preview will also be awesome.



Wolf Eyes - Always Wrong (Hospital Productions)

Wolf Eyes destruction of music continued unabated in '09. I've given up trying to follow every cassette tape and outbid Henry Rollins for a 7" that was limited to 13 copies on eBay, but their LP's are always gold. Amidst the layers of destruction, these "songs" almost have beats, even if accidentally. The title track is up there with some of the best stuff they've done, and the creepy, not-squealed vocals give the album something of a Throbbing Gristle-esque edge.



Wolves in the Throne Room - Black Cascade / Malevolent Grain EP (Southern Lord)

I'd say that Black Cascade is WITTR's most ferocious album yet. Those who enjoyed their more ethereal sound on 2007's Two Hunters were most likely put off by how tribal and trance-like this album gets, often finding a theme and playing it to the hilt. The accompanying Malevolent Grain EP by contrast featured their most conventional song yet, featuring choruses of ethereal female vocals in something of a black metal ballad.



YOB - The Great Cessation (Profound Lore)

The album is a behemoth of super-slow, evil as fuck doom metal. It's my first exposure to them, but I plan to check out their previous band Middian too, coz this rules. Three of the five songs run over the 10 minute mark, and run to over an hour of crushingly heavy epic riffage.




Worthy mentions:

Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Antony & The Johnsons - The Crying Light
Axolotl - Of Bonds in General
Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Trail Of Dead - Century of the Self
Gnaw Their Tongues - Rend each other like wild beasts, till earth shall reek with midnight massacre
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug


Disappointments:

BLK JKS - Robots
Espers - III
Pyramids with Nadja - s/t
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Xasthur - All Reflections Drained
Dalek - Gutter Tactics


Sweet.