Neko Case has the best album of the year, according to Amazon.com.
Every now and then, we hear something that makes us wonder what kids are listening to these days. But instead of feeling old, we realize our taste in music has improved with age. Amazon.com’s picks for best records of the year proves that 2009, for the most part, was a pretty great year for music. If you’re at a loss for a stocking stuffer for a music lover and already have ruled out a Weezer Snuggie, check out our guide to the top five albums as chosen by Amazon’s music staff.
1. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone (Anti-)
Throughout her 15-year career, flame-haired singer/songwriter Neko Case has been a force of nature — her strong, yet nuanced voice infuses songs with raw emotion and elicits comparisons to Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. So it’s appropriate that several songs on her sixth album have twister references, including the title track and “This Tornado Loves You.” Alt-country gusto is partnered with Case’s unique touches, including a chorus of discarded pianos for a cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget Me.” The record has also garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Check out our review of Middle Cyclone here.
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz! (Interscope)
With the release of their third full-length studio album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs leave the indie garage and take to the dance floor. Like punk/dance icons Blondie, the band fuses rock roots with dance beats in the powerful “Heads Will Roll” and smooth “Dragon Queen,” which wouldn’t have sounded out of place at Studio 54 in its heyday. While Karen O.’s commanding, energetic vocals (a blend of Chrissie Hynde and Siouxie Sioux) in the first single, “Zero,” showcase confidence, the vulnerability is still there in slower tracks such as “Runaway” and the intricate ballad “Little Shadow.”
3. Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
Though this French group formed a decade ago as a backing band for an Air remix, this year they became one of the best bands many hadn’t heard of — but certainly have listened to. You’ll recognize the catchy “1901” from the Cadillac SRX commercial, and “Lisztomania” from movie trailers and TV shows. The entire record is rich with thoughtful, soaring electro-pop, from the slowly building “Love Like a Sunset Part 1” to the sweetly infectious “Rome.”
4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Slumberland)
This Brooklyn foursome has generated a lot of buzz for their catchy indie tunes flavored with Britpop. Tracks such as “The Tenure Itch” and “Stay Alive” evokes a less gritty Stone Roses, while “Come Saturday” is reminiscent of the Vaselines, thanks in part to the vocal harmonies between guitarist/vocalist Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang. Comparisons aside, the band weaves its own beautiful sound evident in the opening “Contender” and “A Teenager in Love.”
5. Avett Brothers, I and Love and You (American)
The sounds on I and Love and You, the sixth album from this North Carolina trio, reflect a variety of influences, ranging from folk to alt-country to bluegrass. Produced by Rick Rubin, the record is a bit more polished than previous work, but maintains the honest emotions of musical storytelling — in the melancholic beauty, “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise,” and ebullient “Kick Drum Heat” — that garnered the brothers Seth and Scott Avett and bassist Bob Crawford a loyal fanbase.
We love albums-of-the-year lists, because it draws our attention to new music we might have otherwise overlooked. What are your favorite records of the year?
Photo credit: Jason Creps