By popular demand (well, one person, but my alternative right now is to go shopping) it is music time again and this time I’m jumping on the retrospective bandwagon. Some of them are albums, some singles, some album tracks. I’m very bad at choices, so it’s quite a long list, so without further ado, my favourite music of the last year, in no particular order.

(Sorry about some of the crappy videos, but it seems to be getting ever harder to find decent links to music and there’s no way I’m exposing myself to the wrath of Buma/Stemra by hosting them myself.)

Playlist

Play all of them below, or go to the playlist on youtube.

Mumford & Sons – Sigh no More

Not only very good live, but also some of the most entertaining stage banter of the year.
Little Lion Man

Homepage: http://www.mumfordandsons.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mumfordandsons

Handsome Furs – Face Control – I’m Confused

The best thing to come from Canada since Rush (try getting that crap out of your head). Bear with them for the 42 second intro, they’re trying to be alternative.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/handsomefurs

The Invisible – The Invisible

Nominated for the Mercury Prize. They got screwed. This is the only decent video I could find, the album contains many better tracks.
London Girl

Monster’s Waltz
They deserve to get this track posted too; sorry about the sound quality.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theinvisiblethree

Bat for Lashes – Two Suns

I preferred Fur and Gold, but after listening to this one for dozens of time, it grew on me.
Sleep Alone

Homepage: http://www.batforlashes.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/batforlashes

The Maccabees – Wall of Arms

Can you Give it?

Homepage: http://www.themaccabees.co.uk/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/themaccabees

Yuko – For Times when Ears are Sore

Meal Mobiel

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/yukotheband

Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career – French Navy

Homepage: http://camera-obscura.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cameraobscuraband

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Two Weeks

Homepage: http://grizzly-bear.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear

The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love

Thanks to their artistic cutting, this one is completely unlistenable to other than in its entirety. But it’s well worth it.
The Wanting Comes in Waves

Homepage: http://www.decemberists.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thedecemberists

Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young – 11th Dimension

Julian Casablancas is The Strokes’ singer and the rest of the album sounds like just another Strokes album.

Homepage: http://www.juliancasablancas.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/juliancasablancas

Julian Plenti – Julian Plenti is Skyscraper

Julian Plenti is the solo project of Interpol’s singer and as such this sounds very much like an Interpol album, but I liked “Our Love to Admire,” damn it.
Games for Days

Homepage: http://julianplenti.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/julianplenti

Florence and the Machine – Lungs

Rabbit Heart (Raise it up)

Homepage: http://florenceandthemachine.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachine

The Official Secrets Act – Understanding Electricty

Girl from the BBC

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/officialsecretsact

Paloma Faith – Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? – Stone Cold Sober

The rest of the album is not bad, just not very exciting.

Homepage: http://www.palomafaith.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/palomafaith

Passion Pit – Manners

Got a bit bored with them during the year, but a great live performance in November sealed it.
The Reeling

Homepage: http://www.passionpitmusic.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams

Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms – Big Bird in a Small Cage

Homepage: http://www.patrickwatson.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/patrickwatson

Port O’ Brien – Threadbare

My Will is Good

Homepage: http://www.portobrien.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/portobrien

Skinlab – The Scars Between Us

Just to make sure this was not just a year of electro-indie and indie-folk, one of the world’s best death metal bands reformed in 2009.
In for the Kill

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/skinlab

Von Bondies – Love, Hate and Then There’s You – This is our Perfect Crime

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vonbondies