Vampire Weekend | A Rubber Door

Now we’re deep into it.

71. Fantasies (2009) – Metric
72. Vampire Weekend (2008) – Vampire Weekend
73. The Boy With No Name (2007) – Travis
74. The Ecstatic (2009) – Mos Def
75. Show Your Bones (2006) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
76. Come to Where I’m From (2000) – Joseph Arthur
77. Accelerate (2008) – R.E.M.
78. 19 (2008) – Adele
79. Writer’s Block (2007) – Peter Bjorn and John
80. Learn to Sing Like a Star (2007) – Kristin Hersh

comments: The first two of any 2009 albums appear here. It’s hard to judge whether or not Fantasies or The Estatic have staying power, but I can’t stop playing either and both will be at the top of my year end list. Accelerate was a return to form for R.E.M. And 19 was worthy of Adele’s Grammy

There’s a good reason why I didn’t do this earlier. Last year I lost my commute via public transportation. I didn’t give all the albums I got the same listen I used to. So I didn’t feel right judging them. After being laid off, I’ve had more time to ruminate. I know you’ve been waiting. The lack of A Rubber Door’s official recommendation is the one thing I can point to hurting the music industry this year.

I promise to make it up – the best of 2009 is coming within the week.

1	Ra Ra Riot â€“ The Rhumb Line While everyone was talking about Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot beat them at their own game. Well layered, catchy without being light. My Favorites: Dying is Fine, Can You Tell
2	Juliana Hatfield â€“ How to Walk Away So bummed that I missed Ms. Hatfield when she came to Philly in September. I didn’t realize how amazing this album was. My Favorites: The Fact Remains, Such a Beautiful Girl
3	Vampire Weekend â€“ Vampire Weekend So amazingly catchy. Perfect album for the summer with a couple of beers and burgers on the grill. My Favorites: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, A-Punk
4	Kathleen Edwards â€“ Asking For Flowers I’ve said this many times – look back 20 years from now and Edward’s career will be the stuff of legend. This album sneaks up on you. My Favorites: Buffalo, Goodnight California
5	Beck â€“ Modern Guilt I didn’t realize how much I liked this album until I sat down to write this list. Best Beck album since Midnight Vultures. My Favorites: Gamma Ray, Modern Guilt
6	The Raconteurs â€“Consolers of the Lonely I love Brendan Benson and Jack White together. Jack White and Alicia Keys on the other hand… My Favorites: Consoler of the Lonely, You Don’t Understand Me
7	Santigold – Santigold Santogold? Santigold? Whatever – it’s good. Last year’s Gnarls Barkley. Fun album mixing alternative, pop, and dance. My Favorites: L.E.S Artistes, I’m a Lady
8	Frightened Rabbit â€“ The Midnight Organ Fight I think this deserved much more attention last year than it got. Gorgeous album. My Favorites: Good Arms vs. Bad Arms, Old Fashion
9	Army Navy â€“ Army Navy Another album where every song is great. Put this in a mix with Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot. My favorites: Saints, Slight of Hand
10	Death Cab for Cutie â€“ Narrow Stairs More of the same from Death Cab – but that’s not a bad thing. My Favorites: Cath, Grapevine Fires
11	Adele – 19 Well deserved best new artist. The new British soul’s best import – yeah, better than Amy Winehouse. My Favorites: Chasing Pavements, Cold Shoulder
12	Bon Iver â€“ For Emma, Forever Ago Haunting. You probably heard Iver on many a TV show soundtrack last year. Used in the series finale of Life. My Favorite: Flume, The Wolves (Act I and II)
13	Elbow â€“ The Seldom Seen Kid I’m really sorry this is as low as 13. I didn’t give it as much time as it deserved. Still – it’s a great album, and I’ve been devoting more and more time to it. My favorites: Mirrorball, Grounds for Divorce
14	The Airborne Toxic Event â€“ The Airborne Toxic Event My Favorites: Wishing Well, Sometime Around Midnight
15	British Sea Power â€“ Do You Like Rock Music? My Favorites: No Lucifer, Atom
16	R.E.M. â€“ Accelerate Blistering set of songs. No wasted movement – it’s like they decided not to suck anymore. My Favorites: Living Well is the Best Revenge, Supernatural Superserious
17	Sam Phillips â€“ Don’t Do Anything She really can’t do wrong by me. Not sweet – brooding. My Favorites: Can’t Come Down, Under the Night
18	She & Him â€“ Volume One Honestly without M. Ward – this may not make the list. More Him, less She (Zoey Deschanel). And he listened – a new M. Ward album this year. (OK – I just relistened to You Really Got a Hold On Me – maybe it was the right amount of She) My Favorites: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here, You Really Got a Hold On Me
19	The Whigs – Mission Control My Favorites: Like A Vibration, I Got Ideas