Better late than never.

10 EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions)

recommended: California, The Grey Ship, Milkman.

9 Youth Lagoon – The Year Of Hibernation

recommended: 17, Cannons, Daydream.

8. The Antlers – Burst Apart (Transgressive)

recommended: Parentheses, Rolled Together, I Don’t Want Love

7 SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Young Turks/XL)

recommended: Something Goes Right, Wildfire, Hold On.

6 Real Estate – Days (Domino)

recommended: It’s Real, Green Aisles, Municipality.

5 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Fat Possum)

recommended: Ffunny Friends, How Can You Luv Me?, Little Blu House.

4 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy (4AD)

recommended: Surgeon, Cruel, Year Of The Tiger.

3 Wye Oak – Civilian (City Slang)

recommended: Civilian, Holy Holy, Plains.

2 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

recommended: Jesus Fever, Puppet To The Man, In My Time.

1 Dominant Legs – Invitation (Lefse)

recommended: Already Know That It’s Nice, Hoop Of Love, Make Time For The Boy.

On the off chance you haven’t already binged out on theses suckers, here it is better late than never the only top 10 that matters (?!) – Music Mule’s favourite albums, songs and EPs of 2010. Feast your eyes, ears and let the slagging off commence!

Albums of 2010

10 Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo (Sub Pop)
standout: Truth Sets In

9 Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now (Names Records)
standout: For The Rabbits

8 Twin Shadow – Forget (4AD)
standout: At My Heels

7 Harlem – Hippies (Matador)
standout: Torture Me

6 Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner (Notown)
standout: You

5 Villagers – Becoming A Jackal (Domino)
standout: The Meaning of The Ritual

4 Toro Y Moi – Causers Of This (Carpark)
standout: Low Shoulder

3 Beach House – Teen Dream (Bella Union)
standout: Lover Of Mine

2 The National – High Violet (4AD)
standout: Conversation 16

1 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (4AD)

standout: Round and Round

Songs of 2010

10 Zola Jesus – Sea Talk (Souterrain Transmissions)

9 Women – Eyesore (Jagjaguar)

8 Best Coast – Our Deal (demo – also available on Wichita LP)

7 Summer Camp – Ghost Train (Transparent)

6 Gruff Rhys / Andy Votel – Shark Ridden Waters (OVNI Turnstile)

5 The Radio Dept – Heaven’s On Fire (The Radio Dept)

4 Yeasayer – Ambling Alp

3 The Black Keys – Tighten Up

2 White Hinterland – Icarus (Dead Oceans)

1 Caribou – Odessa (City Slang)

EPs

10 I Am Kloot – Fingerprints EP (Shepherd Moon)
standout: Fingerprints

9 Lord Huron – Mighty EP (Lord Huron)
standout: Son Of A Gun

8 Gold Panda – You EP (Notown)
standout: You!

7 Zola Jesus – Stridulum EP (Souterrain Transmissions)
standout: I Can’t Stand

6 Active Child – Curtis Lane (Merok)
standout: When Your Love Is Safe

5 Dominant Legs – Young at Love and Life (Lefse)
standout: Clawing Out At The Walls

4 Geographer – Animal Shapes (Tricycle)
standout: Verona

3 Chad Valley – Chad Valley (Cascine)
standout: Portugese Solid Summer?

2 Entrepreneurs – Uv Been Robbed (Joking, But Not) (Entrepreneurs)
standout: Revenge Platter

1 Girls – Broken Dreams Club (Turnstile / Fantasytrashcan)
standout: Carolina

Have you ever tried to write a top 10 list? Don’t, it’s a nightmare! Our first problem is that 10 isn’t that many! Secondly there are technicalities. Do we include albums featured in last year’s list (Darwin Deez, Local Natives, etc) that have only been “officially” released this year? Then there’s the danger of getting carried away with what you’re loving NOW and forgetting how much you adored albums earlier in the year. Right, enough moaning, as it’s a World Cup year we’re having a starting eleven anyway!

11 Malachai – Ugly Side Of Love

Shamefully overlooked by us and a lot of people, Bristol one man sensation Malachai (formerly Malakai) released this album last year through Geoff Barrow’s (Portishead) Invada label. Thankfuly Domino have picked it up and given it a re-release through their Double Six imprint. Sound wise it’s a gloriously eccentric mix of Merseybeat, garage rock, reggae, surf ditties, psychedelia and hip hop. It shouldn’t work but is utterly intoxicating.

Standouts: Snowflake, Blackbird, Another Sun.

For Fans Of: Captain Beefheart, Ween, RZA.

10 The National – High Violet

If following 2005′s Alligator album was going to be hard for The National then following 2007′s Boxer should have been impossible. Against the odds they continue their rich vein of form with High Violet looking like it’ll give either predecessor a run for its money once it’s taken time to bed in a little. Like fellow New Yorkers Interpol, they never change their sound too much and never seem to falter. Your move next Interpol.

Standouts: Bloodbuzz Ohio, Anyone’s Ghost, Conversation 16.

For Fans Of: Grizzly Bear, Forest Fire, U2.

9 Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth

With heavy synths, effortlessly powerful percussion, precisely laid guitar chords and Jon Philpot’s soaring vocals, Brooklyn’s Bear In Heaven have created a record that ingrains itself in your subconscious and will melt your face when you hear it live.

Standouts: Beast In Peace, Ultimate Satisfaction, Deafening Love.

For Fans Of: Modest Mouse, MGMT, Flaming Lips.

8 The Black Keys – Brothers

Dan Auberach and Patrick Carney’s (no not actual brothers) latest album as The Black Keys got them their highest U.S. chart position yet (number 3) and may just bring around the unconverted few to their intricately crafted blues-rock. Some hip-hop esque production presumably pied up during last year’s Blakroc collaboration project added a new slickness to their sound.

Standouts: Tighten Up, Ten Cent Pistol, Never Gonna Leave You.

For Fans Of: The White Stripes, Beach House, Mark Lanegan.

7 Beach Fossils – Beach Fossils

Beach Fossils employ a simple, catchy and surprisingly emotive formula of surf-tinged guitar licks, laid back hazy vocals and basic drumming . The overall vibe of this record prevails more than the individual songs but the sunny day nostalgia of tracks like ‘Daydream’, ‘Youth’ and ‘Sometimes’ are worthy of any summer mix.

Standouts: Sometimes, Daydream, Twelve Roses.

For Fans Of: Felt, Wild Nothing, Kurt Vile.

6 Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Certainly poppier than their debut album but that’s not always a bad thing is it? Yeasayer gave away two of the album’s best songs for free (‘Ambling Alp’ and ‘O.N.E’) but the likes of ‘Madder Red’, ‘Love Me Girl’ and ‘I Remember’ kept us more than interested. As a whole better than their first record but ’2080′ was always going to be hard to eclipse as a song.

Standouts: Ambling Alp, O.N.E., Madder Red.

For Fans Of: MGMT, Bronze, Here We Go Magic.

5 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today

Ariel Pink’s first album for his new label 4AD sees the DIY cult hero record his first proper studio album which will hopefully prove his breakthrough. The songs are more formed, accessible and polished but retain a gloriously retrospective and of course weird feel to them. Expect this to don its best brothel creepers to tip toe its way up this list come December.

Standouts: Bright Lit Blue Skies, Round and Round, Fright Night (Nevermore).

For Fans Of: Ween, Girls, MGMT.

4 Toro Y Moi – Causers Of This

South Carolinan Chazwick Bundick’s Toro Y Moi project married styles from r’n'b to hip hop to electro to indie to psych and wrapped it all in a blanket of blissful production. Debut UK dates coming up and promise of another album before the end of the year spell exciting times for this fresh new talent.

Standouts: Blessa, Minors, Low Shoulder.

For Fans Of: Washed Out, Neon Indian, Flying Lotus.

3 Wild Nothing – Gemini

In the run up to this album Jack Tatum aka Wild Nothing released an impressive cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Cloudbusting’. A bold move that promised much and his beautiful 80s tinged debut delivered on that promise. His DIY approach managed to produce a rich, textured sound that left a lot of his lo-fi rivals for dead. But above all it was the quality of the songs and their Smiths-y melancholy that shone through. Read our Wild Nothing Interview.

Standouts: Summer Holiday, Chinatown, My Angel Lonely.

For Fans Of: Cocteau Twins, The Cure, Beach Fossils.

2 Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo

Avi Buffalo is the pint sized 19 year old Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg and his Californian bandmates.  Their debut album introduced us to Avi’s gorgeous guitar tones, Neil Young Esque vocals and intricately penned Shins-y wonky pop gems with cute boy-girl vocals. Innocent, enjoyably naive and always shimmering with wide eyed beauty. ‘What’s In It For’ might be the best song ever if it was about two minutes shorter!

Standouts: What’s In It For, Summer Cum, Jessica.

For Fans Of: The Shins, Neil Young, My Morning Jacket.

1 Perfume Genius – Learning

Rarely does a record of such simple, fragile beauty as this one come along. Perfume Genius is Mike Hadreas from Seattle, he’s in his early twenties and his debut album ‘Learning’ sounds a bit like if Elliot Smith and Daniel Johnston had soundtracked Donnie Darko. Cracked, moving vocals and haunting minor key, piano led, lo-fi lullabies. Dark, atmospheric and in all, stunning.

Standouts: Learning, Lookout Lookout, Mr Peterson.

For Fans Of: Elliot Smith, Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Johnston.

Half Time: Music Mule’s First XI – Albums of 2010 (so far) by musicmule

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE MIX

Here’s who’s got us excited about 2010. We’ve tried to leave off most of the BBC esque acts as you already know about them right? There may be a couple of crossovers though. And no we’re not going to use the term ‘ones to watch’ anywhere. Except there obviously. Let us know anyone we’ve missed as inevitably there will be a lot. Part 2 to follow soon. Download the whole mixtape at the bottom.

Small Black (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq_KgUT8gLc

Long Island duo Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner’s Small Black self titled EP was one of our favourite of 2009. Let’s hope the album lives up to it.

For Fans Of: Washed Out, MGMT, Here We Go Magic.

download: Small Black - Weird Machines (YSI)

Surfer Blood (West Palm Beach, Florida, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF4oML94Rwo

A young four-piece who combine west coast riffs, power pop and afro-beat that’s arguably more exciting than Vampire Weekend’s new material.

For Fans Of: Vampire Weekend, Weezer, The Cribs.

download: Surfer Blood - Swim (YSI)

Wild Palms (London, UK)

An new London four piece taking the classic post punk sound of bands like The Fall and re-jigging it for 2010.

For Fans Of: The Fall, PiL, Bauhaus.

download: Wild Palms - Over Time (YSI)

Princeton (LA, California, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgK0WTj6ZsU

Their debut album Cocoon Of Love out late last year was in our top 10 of 2009 but not many other people’s it would seem. We’re think a little more recognition is due this year.

For Fans Of: The Kinks, Vampire Weekend, The Shins.

download: Princeton - Sadie & Andy (YSI)

Brazos (Austin, Texas, USA)

Another band that featured in our best albums of 2009 with their debut record ‘Phospohrescent Blues’. Soon the world will wake up to the understated beauty of this Texas 3-piece.

For Fans Of: Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Yo La Tengo.

download: Brazos - Kid (YSI)

Dum Dum Girls (LA, California, USA)

Take songwriter and front lady Dee Dee’s sexy voice, mix it up with walls of guitar, melodies galore, spiky drums, head nodding bass and you’re close to our idea of heaven. Their debut album ‘I Will Be’ is out through Sub Pop on March 29th. It’s a gem.

For Fans Of: Ramones, Ronettes, Vivian Girls.

download: Dum Dum Girls - Lines Her Eyes (YSI)

Darwin Deez (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPrDvTVCo8

Set to be the undisputed indie pop king of 2010? We really hope so. Voice, energy, songs, dancing and silly hair to be reckoned with!

For Fans Of: Pavement, The Cure, Throw Me The Statue.

download: Darwin Deez - Up in the Clouds (YSI)

Penguin Prison (New York, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJxTVJZguC0

Penguin Prison a.k.a. Chris Glover from New York has been dropping singles for one of our favourite electro loving labels Neon Gold and is one of their big hopes for 2010 along with ours. A multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer whose remixes for the likes of Golden Silvers and Marina & The Diamonds are pure dance pop joy. PP has been recording his debut album in London, due out later this year. That’s him laying down some guitar for it above. Boo ya!

For Fans Of: DFA/LCD Soundsystem, Talking Heads, Miike Snow.

download: Penguin Prison - Animal Animal (YSI)

Summer Camp (Dalarnas län, Sweden, Maybe)

Summer Camp we featured in On Repeat recently. Apparently a Swedish 7-piece but then apparently that may not be true! All we really know is that this mystery outfit have been leaking some of the most gorgeous, blissed out pop that we’ve heard in a long time. We’re guessing that’s not them above either!

For Fans Of: Washed Out, The Avalanches, Lykke Li.

download: Summer Camp – Ghost Train (YSI)

Avi Buffalo (Long Beach, California, USA)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQTMPF9a7JA

Now we’re partial to a bit of a high voice around these ways and Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg has one of the best we’ve heard in a while. Him and his four-piece band Avi Buffalo are one of legendary label Sub Pop’s latest signings, with a debut album due out this spring. Avi is fresh out of high school and writes all the words and music. Mind bendingly good.

For Fans Of: Neil Young, Wilco, Flaming Lips.

download: Avi Buffalo - Five Lil’ Sluts (YSI)

]]> http://musicmule.co.uk/2010/01/18/you-massive-radar-bands-of-2010-part-1/feed/ 0 http://musicmule.co.uk/2009/12/25/music-mules-gigs-of-2009/ http://musicmule.co.uk/2009/12/25/music-mules-gigs-of-2009/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:11:29 +0000 nick http://musicmule.co.uk/?p=7135

2009 has whizzed by in a blur of fantastic gigs. Here’s a little list of some of our favourites with links to words, pictures and if you’re lucky, videos of some truly great shows from our home city of London and sometimes further afield. As with our efforts at ordering albums and songs of the year it’s been a challenge to remember and quantify the enjoyment we’ve benefited from this year but we’ve given it a shot.

61 Left With Pictures @ The Slaughtered Lamb, Nov 3rd.

60 The Miserable Rich @ The Slaughtered Lamb, Nov 3rd.

59 Post War Years @ The Delancey, New York, March 16th.

58 Loney Dear @ St Giles In The Fields, Jan 28th.

57 Shhh Festival Of Quiet Music @ Bush Hall, Feb 1st.

56 The Veils & Alessi’s Ark @ The Windmill, Feb 4th.

55 Televised Crimewave @ The Windmill, Feb 12th.

54 Wave Machines, Ark People @ Madame Jojo’s, Feb 18th.

53 Gold Teeth @ Barfly Camden, Feb 23rd.

52 Woodpigeon @ ICA, Feb 25th.

51 We Have Band @ The Delancey, New York, March 16th.

50 She Keeps Bees / Vadoinmessico @ The Britannia, June 24th.

49 Alela Diane @ Shepherds Bush Empire, Sept 17th.

48 Starfucker @ SXSW 2009, Day 1.

47 The Low Anthem @ SXSW 2009, Day 2.

46 Grizzly Bear @ SXSW 2009, Day 3.

45 Animal Collective @ The Forum, London. March 24th

44 A Place To Bury Strangers, Darker My Love, Dead Confederate @ KCLSU, April 6th.

43 We Have Band @ Pianos, New York, March 14th

42 Post War Years @ The Lexington, June 3rd.

41 The Horrors @ Electric Ballroom, June 5th.

40 A Classic Education @ The Cake Shop, New York, March 14th.

39 Cymbals Eat Guitars, An Horse, Gliss @ Barfly Camden, July 8th.

38 Stornoway @ The Luminaire, July 9th.

37 Ex Lovers @ The Lexington, Sep 22nd.

36 Tigercity @ Webster Hall, NYC, 20th Feb.

35 Vetiver @ Cecil Sharp House, Feb 28th.

34 Girls @ The Lexington, Sep 21st.

33 Acoustic Consequences: Eugene McGuinness, Stars Of Sunday League, Oct 4th.

32 Willliam Elliot Whitmore @ The Windmill, Brixton. April 13th

31 Nite Jewel @ SXSW 2009, Day 2.

30 Telekinesis, The Rosebuds @ The Windmill, Oct 7th.

29 Beirut @ The Forum, May 8th.

28 Deerhunter @ Scala, May 18th.

27 Harlem @ SXSW 2009, Day 4.

26 Of Montreal, Local Natives @ Shepherds Bush Empire, July 14th.

25 TV On The Radio @ Brixton Academy, July 13th.

24 Little Joy @ Dingwalls, Jan 21st.

23 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ The Lexington, May 26th.

22 Ra Ra Riot @ KCLSU, Feb 17th.

21 Crystal Stilts, Wavves @ Barden’s Boudoir, Feb 26th.

20 Telepathe @ 93 Feet East, May 11th.

19 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart @ Cargo, June 10th.

18 Passion Pit @ Koko, Oct 27th. / The Joy Formidable @ Koko, Oct 27th.

17 White Denim @ Rough Trade East, June 22nd.

16 The Temper Trap, Wolf Gang @ ICA, July 15th.

15 The Temper Trap @ SXSW 2009, Day 2.

14 The Mae Shi @ SXSW 2009, Day 1.

13 Crystal Stilts, A Classic Education @ The Windmill, Feb 13th.

12 The Soft Pack, CHEW LiPS @ Hoxton B&G, Feb 26th.

11 Girls @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, Oct 20th.

10 Swn 2009 Day 1: Wild Beasts @ The Gate, Oct 22nd.

9 The Strange Boys @ Barden’s Boudoir, Aug 12th.

8 Swn 2009 Day 2: Girls @ Red Cow Bar, Oct 23rd.

7 Wild Beasts, Flash Guns, Napoleon IIIrd@ 93 Feet East, Feb 24th.

6 The Walkmen @ Scala, Feb 20th.

5 The Temper Trap @ SXSW, 2009 Day 1.

4 Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Shepherds Bush Empire, April 26th.

3 And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ SXSW 2009, Day 2.

2 Horse Feathers @ The Luminaire, Kilburn. March 2nd.

1 Grizzly Bear @ Koko, Aug 18th.

Ok so here’s our favourite tracks that didn’t feature on our albums of 2009, with the small exception of numbers 1 and 2! These get a pass and here’s our warped logic - it was perhaps the unbelievably high benchmark that these two tracks set that meant we were a little disappointed with the rest of their respective records, meaning they appeared a little further down our album list than we would have expected/liked. They are absolutely the best two tracks of the year and deserve SHOUTING about!

More mp3s and a playlist to follow but here goes:

41 Magic Kids - Hey Boy

40 Not So Pretty  - Rogues
39 Last One Awake (Friend Version) - Memory Cassette
38 Train Song - Feist & Ben Gibbard
37 She Said - Lissy Trullie
36 Toxic Crusaders - Deastro

35 Molly’s Vertigo - Acrylics
34 Pieces Of You - Wolf Gang
33 Funeral Singers - Califone
32 Cave - Vadoinmessico

31 Make It Gold - Ohbijou
30 Suprise Hotel - Fool’s Gold
29 We’re In A Thunderstorm - Gentleman Reg
28 This Momentary  - Delphic
27 Fuel Up - Stornoway

26 Undressed In Dresden - The Hundred In The Hands
25 I Am Not A Robot (Penguin Prison Remix) - Marina and The Diamonds
24 Solid Gold - The Golden Filter
23 Punk Spirit - Wave Machines
22 Just A Silhouette - exlovers
21 Golden - Beth Jeans Houghton

20 Bear - The Antlers
19 Seasun - Delorean

18 Hide and Seek (demo) - Mirrors

17 Whole New Way - The Horrors
16 Andrew - Crystal Antlers

15 flw rvlly - Baby Venom

14 Daydream - Beach Fossils
13 Two-Headed Coin - The Obits
12 New Theory - Washed Out

11 Ambilng Alp - Yeasyer

10 Daniel - Bat For Lashes

09 You’ve Got the Love (The xx Remix) - Florence and The Machine

08 Imagine, Pt. 3 - Smith Westerns

07 Substance (Live For Pitchforktv) - Girls

06 Whats In It For? - Avi Buffalo

05 Don’t Lie - The Mantles

04 Despicable Dogs - Small Black

03 No Reasons - VEGA

02 My Girls - Animal Collective

01 The Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qkGoqAZrqI

2009 has seen some great album releases all round but for us it was the year of the debut, with no fewer than 35 debuts in our top 60 (ahem, 61) records and a healthy proportion of those in our top 10. Fitting too as it was also Music Mule’s first year in proper world wide web form. Sure we’re suckers for new music round these ways but 2009 has been a bright year for it and we reckon a good few of these newbies have some real potential for staying power.

61    The Mantles - The Mantles (San Francisco, USA)
60    Lovvers - Ocd Go Go Go Girls (London, UK)
59    Ganglians – Monster Head Room (Sacramento, USA)
58    Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport (Brighton, UK)
57    The Invisible - The Invisible (London, UK)
56    The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning (North Wales/London, UK)
55    Telekinesis! - Telekinesis! (Seattle, USA)
54    Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Stockholm, Sweden)
53    The Fresh & Onlys - The Fresh & Onlys (San Francisco, USA)
52    The Cribs - Ignore The Ignorant (Wakefield, UK)
51    Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy (Philadelpiha, USA)
50    The Temper Trap – Conditions (Melbourne, Australia)
49    Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (London, UK)
48    The Very Best - Warm Heart Of Africa (Malawi, Africa/London, UK)
47    The Flaming Lips - Embryonic (Oklahoma City, USA)
46    Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle (Austin, USA)
45    Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us (Pittsburgh, USA)
44    Arctic Monkeys - Humbug (Sheffield, UK)
43    Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young (Brooklyn, USA)
42    St. Vincent - Actor (Brooklyn, USA)
41    The Leisure Society - The Sleeper (London/Brighton, UK)
40    Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream (Melbourne, Australia)
39    Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains (Staten Island NYC, USA)
38    Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (Brooklyn, USA)
37    Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (Brooklyn, USA)
36    Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer (Montreal, Canada)
35    Tiny Vipers - Life On Earth (Seattle, USA)
34    Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic (Brooklyn, USA)
33    Crocodiles - Summer Of Hate (L.A., USA)
32    The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (Providence, USA)
31    Wilco - Wilco (The Album) (Chicago, USA)
30    Arms - Kids Aflame (Brooklyn, USA)
29    Kurt Vile - God Is Saying This to You… (Philadelphia, USA)
28    Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones (L.A., USA)
27    Passion Pit - Manners (Cambridge MA, USA)
26    The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love (London, UK)
25    Thee Oh Sees - Help (San Francisco, USA)
24    Atlas Sound - Logos (Athens, USA)
23    Real Estate - Real Estate (New Jersey, USA)
22    Nite Jewel - Good Evening (L.A., USA)
21    Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (L.A., USA)
20    Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (Brooklyn, USA)
19    Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz (Brooklyn, USA)
18    JJ - JJ No 2 (Gothenburg, Sweden)
17    Harlem - Free Drugs (Austin, USA)
16    Cass McCombs - Catacombs (L.A., USA)

15 The Strange Boys - …And Girls Club (Austin, USA)

The Strange Boys are a young four-piece from Austin Texas who rhythm ‘n’ bluesed us away (sorry!) this year with their In The Red/Rough Trade released debut album proper ‘…And Girls Club’. Ryan Sambol’s voice will instantly divide opinion on these guys but we love his Dylan left out in the sun drawl. Ryan on guitar and vocals and brother Phil on bass are joined by guitarist GregEnlow and drummer Seth Densham. From blues to rock’n'roll, The Strange Boys love to jam and we love to listen. Read our interview here.

Standouts: Woe Is You and Me, This Girl Taught Me A Dance, Probation Blues.

For Fans Of: The White Stripes, Thee Oh Sees, The Fresh and Onlys.

mp3: The Strange Boys - This Girl Taught Me A Dance

buy: The Strange Boys - …And Girls Club cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

14 White Denim – Fits (Austin, USA)

White Denim’s second album was again recorded in drummer Joshua Block’s trailer turned studio outside of Austin, Texas. But this time the album saw them try their hand at a variety of new styles and saw their psychedelic side come out to play. Older fans had no reason to fear though as Hendrix tinged rockouts like ‘Everybody Somebody’ and ‘I Start To Run’ showed that they still had the goods in that department too.

Standouts: Everybody Somebody, I’d Have It Just The Way We Were, Paint Yourself.

For Fans Of: Jimi Hendrix, Captain Beefheart, Love.

mp3: White Denim - Paint Yourself

buy: White Denim - Fits cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

13 The xx – XX (London, UK)

The xx members and best friends Romy and Oliver, who went to the same South London school as Hot Chip and Burial, produced a dark, sexy and instantly recognisable indie masterpiece. XX has a warm electronic undercurrent running through it but it’s Romy and Oliver’s understated lyrical interplay and 80s pop-noir guitar lines that are the real deal breakers.

Standouts: VCR, Crystalized, Basic Space, Stars.

For Fans Of: The Cure, Young Marble Giants, Aaliyah.

mp3: The xx - Crystalised

buy: The xx – XX  cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

12 Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms (Austin, USA)

Under his previous guise Vega and Ghosthustler before that, Texan electronic prodigy Alan Palomo served up the odd gem but for some reason it felt like he only occasionally got into full flow. His latest project Neon Indian changed all that, offering a psychedelic experience that teamed his blissed out electro with visualisations from high school buddy and Brooklyn based artist Alicia Scardetta. Most importantly of all we got a whole album of great songs to cling to and their acid drenched computer game esque production was to prove one of the most distinguishable sounds of 2009.

Standouts: Ephemeral Artery, Deadbeat Summer, 6669 ( I don’t know if you know).

For Fans Of: Small Black, Washed Out, Air France.

mp3: Neon Indian - Ephemeral Artery

buy: Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

11 Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (Brooklyn, USA)

Grizzly Bear’s third album Veckatimest projected them into the limelight to stand aside Animal Collective as new torchbearers for the burgeoning U.S. indie scene. Another album of gorgeous Brian Wilson soaked harmonies, intricate arrangements and just the right amount of psychedelia. A great album this is although we can’t help but feel that their recorded output is still a far cry from their breathtaking live presence.

Standouts: While We Wait For The Others, Two Weeks, Cheerleader, Foreground.

For Fans Of: St Vincent, Here We Go Magic, Animal Collective.

mp3: Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader

buy: Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest cd / mp3 (£4 offer) / iTunes

10 Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (Kendall, UK)

The talent was there for all to hear on Wild Beasts‘ eclectic 2008 debut ‘Limbo Panto’ last year but ‘Two Dancers’ saw the Kendal four-piece really grow into their sound. There was more Smiths style guitar work and they learned how to balance to perfection Hayden’s remarkable falsetto and Fleming’s earthy baritone. The real surprise was the phenomenal rhythms running through a lot of Two Dancer’s songs, meaning that the lion’s share of the album sounded just as good blasted out across dancefloors as it did in your room.

Standouts: The Fun Powder Plot, This Is Our Lot, We Still Got The Taste Of Dancing On Our Tongues.

For Fans Of: The Smiths, The Week That Was, Memory Tapes.

mp3: Wild Beasts – The Fun Powder Plot

buy: Wild Beasts - Two Dancers cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

9 Forest Fire – Survival (Brooklyn/Portland, USA)

Gloriously ramshackle, three take recordings from a band whose members are split between Brooklyn and Portland. Mark Thresher is the brains and Jim James meets Wayne Coyne voice behind the Forest Fire wheel. Moments of blissful Americana are intertwined with off kilter horns, feedback, electronic blips and Thresher’s simple but hard hitting lyrics which, pin it all together beautifully.

Standouts: Fortune Teller, Echoes Coming, Survival.

For Fans Of: My Morning Jacket, The Velvet Underground, The National.

mp3: Forest Fire - Fortune Teller

buy: Forest Fire – Surivial cd / mp3 / iTunes / lp

8 Princeton - Cocoon Of Love (L.A., USA)

It’s amazing Princeton haven’t got more attention already but hopefully that will change next year as this record is set to get a much warranted re-release in 2010. Matt and Jesse Kivel, twin brothers who grew up on Princeton St in Santa Monica, share songwriting and vocal duties and are joined by long time friend Ben Usen on keys and David Kitz on drums. Cocoon Of Love saw the band build on the promise of their Bloomsbury EP (our EP of the year in 2008) with more afro infused pop melodies, strings, horns and some beautiful female guest vocals from Meredith Metcalf (Sadie & Andy) and Zinzi Edmundson (Sylvie/Shout It Out).

Standouts: Calypso Gold, Stunner Shades In Heaven, Shout It Out, Sylvie.

For Fans Of: The Kinks, Vampire Weekend, Brazos.

mp3: Princeton - Shout It Out

buy: Princeton - Cocoon Of Love cd/lp (import)

7 The Horrors - Primary Colours (London, UK)

The Horrors really pulled it out of the bag with their second album ‘Primary Colours’. Under the expert production eye of Geoff Barrow (Portishead) they managed to make an album that did much more than just wear its nu-wave and shoegaze influences on its sleeve, which it did proudly. Faris Badwan’s vocals showed a marked improvement and the band everyone loved to hate became a more serious proposition. Who would have imagined the majestic 8-minute ‘Sea Within A Sea’ would come from the same band that released ‘Sheena Is A Parasite’?!

Standouts: Mirror’s Image, Scarlet Fields, Sea Within A Sea.

For Fans Of: My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division.

mp3: The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea

buy: The Horrors - Primary Colours cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

6 Brazos - Phosphorescent Blues (Austin, USA)

Brazos have been quietly building a reputation for themselves in their hometown Austin over the past couple of years. An opening slot for Grizzly Bear has been their greatest reward thus far but one that deserves to be bettered in the not too distant future. Although only their debut album, Phosphorescent Blues, showcased a band brimming with ideas, confidence and originality. Carefully considered songs delivered through Martin Crane’s velvet smooth vocals, breezy guitar, the occasional euphoric piano line and addictive pulsating rhythms. Crane’s lyrics have an effortless American storyteller feel to them and as a whole this album fits better than almost every other record on this list. We’ve big hopes for these guys.

Standouts: Avignon, Tell, The Observer.

For Fans Of: Princeton, Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear.

mp3: Brazos - Tell

buy: Brazos - Phosphorescent Blues cd / lp(import) / mp3 / iTunes

5 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (Brooklyn, USA)

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart were yet another exciting Brooklyn newcomer in 2009. The four-piece created a seamless album of indie-pop gems layered with awesome melodies, energetic drums, boy-girl vocals and perhaps our favourite feature of all – fuzzy guitar lines that are so warm you could bathe in them. Gorgeous.

Standouts: This Love Is Fucking Right, The Tenure Itch, Young Adult Friction.

For Fans Of: Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Belle & Sebastian.

mp3: The Pains OF Being Pure At Heart - This Love Is Fucking Right!

buy: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

4 Darwin Deez - Darwin Deez (Brooklyn, USA)

Darwin Deez is a proud New York hipster who plays a four-string guitar in his own ‘secret’ tuning and loves to dance. Sound a little too much for you? Listen before you judge. For what lies in wait is a great voice, hugely catchy songs and a simple DIY production that allows every instrument space to breathe. Add some of the sharpest lyrics of the year and you have a star in the making. The album only got a super limited release through Deez’s myspace and later Rough Trade, it comes as a homemade cdr complete with a piece of string as the cover art! We imagine the bulk of these songs will find their way onto an ‘official’ record next year but why wait when it’s this good?

Standouts: Constellations, Deep Sea Divers, My DNA.

For Fans Of: Pavement, The Cure, Throw Me The Statue.

mp3: Darwin Deez - Deep Sea Divers

buy: Darwin Deez  - Darwin Deez limited edition cdr / mp3

3 Memory Tapes - Seek Magic (New Jersey, USA)

One man band Dayve Hawk a.k.a. Memory Tapes (a.k.a. Weird Tapes, a.k.a. Memory Cassette) from New Jersey made our favourite dance album since LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Sound Of Silver’. Impeccable production, sexy guitar lines, vocal hooks and songs – actual structured songs the way we like it! Luckily for us his genius only seems to be outdone by his work ethic.

Standouts: Bicycle, Graphics, Plain Material.

For Fans Of: LCD Soundsystem, Air France, Daft Punk.

mp3: Memory Tapes – Bicycle

buy: Memory Tapes – Seek Magic cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

2 Smith Westerns - Smith Westerns (Chicago, USA)

Smith Western’s self titled debut most certainly is lo-fi. It could have been recorded in a tin can by the sound of it. Embrace or ignore their ramshackle recordings, we don’t care, but be sure to pay attention to what really matters and that is a teenage Chicago four piece making an album full of wonderful glammed up, at times folk-tinged, rock’n’roll. Cymbals crashing, guitars roaring and vocals calling out to whoever wants to listen. There’s a bit of the fuck you vibe of youth to it but these guys are self-professed “sweethearts not punks”. This is the sound of kids with a hell of an ear for a tune making raw guitar music and having a whale of a time doing it. The result is infectious. Let’s hope they don’t get too polished anytime soon.

Standouts: Girl In Love, Tonight, Be My Girl.

For Fans Of: Thee Oh Sees, Bowie, T-Rex.

mp3: Smith Westerns - Girl in Love

buy: Smith Westerns - Smith Westerns cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

1 Girls – Album (San Francisco, USA)

Girls of San Francisco came from seemingly nowhere this year to wow us with their minimally titled debut ‘Album’, a timeless sounding record and our pick of 2009. Despite our best efforts to play it to death, it has so far shaken off our feeble attempts!

To help paint the whole picture we must first touch upon the much talked about past of Girls’ lead singer and songwriter Christopher Owens. Christopher was born into the American Children Of God cult which, turned his mother to prostitution and allowed his older brother to die due to their lack of belief in medicine. Nasty stuff. Christopher managed to escape in 1996 at the age of 16, presumably before he could fall prey to the questionable sexual practices of the cult. Upon leaving he fled to Texas where he became a gutter punk with prescription drugs eventually taking centre stage amongst his addictions. Then in a twist of fortunes Christopher was taken in by a Texan multi-millionaire who went on to encourage a passion in music which had started at an early age, first by playing songs on a mini organ for his mother and then when Fleetwood Mac guitarist and fellow cult member Jeremy Spencer gave him his first guitar. Christopher later returned to San Francisco to start a band. After busking and eventually playing guitar with artists like Ariel Pink, he would eventually step up as a performer in his own right.

The result of all this is ‘Album’, a collection of Christopher’s first efforts at songwriting, which began in 2007. It’s a melting pot of musical ideas and influences (rock’n’roll, shoegaze, west coast surf pop,etc) that stands as evidence of its creator’s ability to absorb everything he sets his ears upon.

Girls sometimes get wrongfully labelled as lo-fi but the intricacy and deft production of their debut, courtesy of Chet JR White (who also plays bass as the band’s only other permanent member), makes a mockery of that. The pair have evidently thought out every wave of feedback just as much as the jangly guitar hooks, of which there are thankfully plenty. Christopher’s vocals meanwhile touch upon all kinds of past icons, Elvis Costello and Roy Orbison spring immediately to mind.

Opening track ‘Lust For Life’ is thankfully not a massacre of an Iggy Pop song as one might expect, is a Girls original that betrays Christopher’s innocent infatuation with the good things in life and sounds like The Strokes on the sort of form that won them the best album of the decade accolade from NME recently. Meanwhile ‘Morning Light’ is a startlingly good effort at My Bloody Valentine esque shoegaze revival,  ‘Laura’ is heart on the sleeve West Coast pop perfection and ‘Hellhole Ratrace’ may well be the pick of the lot with it’s heart wrenching vocals and drawn out romantic haze.

‘Album’ will be too laid back for many but the key to appreciation is in repeated listens and immersing oneself in the simple, loving sentiments of the record as well as its stoned sound. For those who do fall for ‘Album’ as we have, we urge you not to stop your exploration of Girls there. For even at this early stage in their existence there is plenty more to discover. It’s been a while since we remember an artist bubbling over with such a consistently exciting level of output.

For further listening check out Girls’ impressive catalogue of b-sides and non album tracks. ‘Life In San Francisco’ is a prime example. A song that manages to integrate a chorus of friends’ la, la, la la las without sounding clichéd deserves a medal in our books. How does it achieve such an improbable goal? In the same way as most other Girls songs succeed - by sounding great and oozing sincerity.

Check out a couple of videos from Album below, including the cut of the Lust For Life video that no doubt had many an MTV exec spitting out their coffee! That ain’t no mic Sonny Jim!

Standouts: Lust For Life, Laura, Hellhole Ratrace, Morning Light.

For Fans Of: Brian Wilson, Spiritualised, Elvis Costello.

mp3: Girls - Laura

mp3: Girls – Hellhole Ratrace

buy: Girls - Album cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

Videos:

Girls - Lust For Life (Warning - Nudity!!!)

Girls - Hellhole Ratrace

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcqwfFKagH4

Download The Music Mule Albums of 2009 Playlist: