Favorite Albums of the Year

I know it doesn't have much to do with Barça, but it is the end of the year and I have to say 2009 hasn't been bad as far as music, both in terms of established acts as well as some new groups. In fact for all the doom and gloom and shit on the radio, it seems music is getting better than it was at the beginning of the naughties.  Here are some of my favorites in no particular order.

1. The Horrors - Primary Colors. I used to think these guys were a bit on the gimmicky side, but they've managed to separate themselves from the other groups coming out of London like Bloc Party with this record being their best. Favorite track. New Ice Age

2. Real Estate - Real Estate.  Take a little of the Beach Boys' lazy melodies, add a touch of Pavement's effortless cool, top it off with great musicians and you got this group. And to think, they're from Jersey. Favorite Track. Fake Blues

3. Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect. The only thing that sucks is none of their good tracks can be put on a mix with them coming in over ten minutes. Still, the closest thing to Faith No More and Mr. Bugle currently playing. Favorite Track. Fossil Genera - A Feed From Cloud Mountain.

4. Circulatory System - Signal Morning. It's nice to see hallucinogenics making a bit of a come back in today's music. Mixing sixties psychedelic pop and nineties Dust Brothers and Beck, these guys come up with a new sound and an album with two unique sides like they used to back in the day. Favorite Track. The Spinning Continuous

5. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs. They're French, so I don't understand the man's hardcore growling or the girl's haunting singing but I still try to sing along to both when listening to the tracks. Favorite song. La Reine Trayeuse.

6. HEALTH - Get Color. LA noise rockers start to make accessible music and still keep up the assault on the ears.  Favorite Track. Nice Girls.

7. Nirvana - Live at Reading.  A live recording where you can actually understand his lyrics, this album shows what so many of us aging x-ers still go on about this band and why I'm still kicking myself for missing out on seeing them live.  Favorite track. Lounge Act.

8. Kylesa - Static Tensions. The closest group I've heard to Fugazi in their prime. Righteous agression at its finest. Favorite Track. Unknown Awareness.

9. Cashmere Agency Presents Mr. Grustle & Tha Russian's Dubstep - LA Embrace The Renaissance Vol.1. Some say hip-hop is dead. This shows a possible future thanks to the UK's grime scene with rib rattling bass lines and old school heads flipping new beats. Favorite Track. Get It (Feat. Grand Puba)

10. Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem. The man from the Microphones finds inspiration in Death Metal and the wind making an elemental album that's as haunting a nightly gale. Favorite song. Between Two Mysteries.

There are a lot of other worthy groups - Animal Collective, Atlas Sound, Dirty Projectors, Fever Ray, Katatonia, and others. Add as you wish. Finally, here are some random videos of the various groups mentioned.