It's Time to Pick it Up or Pack it In, 2009. . .

Ok, so I just spent the last two hours wracking my good-for-nothing brain for my top albums of the year. And then I realized, man, 2009's been kind of bleak as far as new releases, hasn't it? So then I got distracted and tried to make a list of my top 100 favorite albums ever, and around number 56, I had to start cheating and flipping through my list of albums on my iTunes and then even that got difficult because I knew I'd overlook a lot of big ones from my past and try to just jot down the cool bands vs. the ones that really influenced me growing up. . . Then I got distracted again and tried to write down all my favorite 100 songs. That was an even bigger waste of time. . . So then,  back to 2009.

Here it is, October, 10 months into the year. I should have a pretty solid idea of contenders--however, I was barely able to come up with ten albums that came out this year that I even picked up, let alone enjoyed. Let's just say Tegan and Sara have QUITE the pressure, come October 27th with their upcoming release Sainthood. This better be it, the hands-down winner. . . I don't think I can handle another It's Blitz! Don't get me wrong, YYY's newest does make an appearance on my "Top Ten Thus Far" list, but c'mon, the anticipation killed me for way too high of hopes. C'mon Tegan and Sara, if your hair isn't super wacky this time around (at least not in the promo shots), you best be making some memorable jams to make up for the mediocre past 300 or so days. . .

Anyway, here's what I got. It's VERY likely to change come December, (hopefully there will be a few solid realeases this last stretch or I'm super spacey and forgot some super obvious releases here. . .) The numerical order is likely to flex as well, but fuck it, as of Tuesday, October 6th, 9:18 PM CST--these are dem beatz I dug the past 10 months. . .

10 - Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: End of Day

Kanye's prodigal son is hot. Like, literally. Dude's maybe not the smoothest rhymer, or the dopest MC, but he def has got a way with words and has a killer smile. I caught him live this past March at the Fader Fort with Ye, and between his work last year on 808s and Heartbreak, cameo on Jay's latest instillment of the Blueprint and his HUGE debut single "Day N Nite," people are catching onto dat kid from cleveland. I was familiar with the majority of the work from this album prior to its September release due to a variety of mixtapes and leaked singles, but not disappointed. Highlights include the MGMT/Ratatat collaboration - "Pursuit of Happiness," the super upbeat "Up Up and Away," the slick production of "Sky Might Fall," Lady GaGa playoff w/Ye and Common "Make Her Say" and "Soundtrack 2 My Life." Good debut, son--just maybe save some of your best for a surprise, next time around instead of leaking all the gems.

9 - Passion Pit - Manners

These dudes totally blind sighted me. I never had heard of them, and then suddenly one day, BAM! The blogosphere had suddenly blown up and this album was getting rave reviews left and right. It was a bit like the Dirty Projectors mania and I was so sick of reading and hearing about this group that I boycotted it at first. I have a love/hate relationship with the Dirty Projectors and who knows, maybe they'll find a spot on this list within two months from now, but unlike DP, I took a liking to Passion Pit's catchy, sped up falsetto party jams instantly. Tracks like "Sleepyhead," "The Reeling," "Little Secrets" and "Moths Wings" should be banned from all iPods & stereosystems immediately--they're so damned catchy they will never leave your head--seriously. An interesting blend of this and that, the closest I could come to initially describing this outfit was Instrumentation of The Arcade Fire meets Polyphonic Spree's happiness/feel goodness with a pinch of Architecture in Helsinki's cuteness/dance party if sung by the falsetto dudes from TV on the Radio (If they were white). Imagine that--but way better, and you have Passion Pit.

8 - Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

I really don't want this album to wind up on my top 10 of the year. Why? Because it will be on EVERYONE'S top ten of '09. But whatever, it's a solid release and there's no denying it. While I dug some older Grizzly Bear, I can't say I ever fell super hard for them. I def got huge into Daniel Rossen's other thang late last year (Dept of Eagles), so I'm a sucker for his melodic vox--but GB was always one of those hype machines that I never really understood, but still, never really disliked either. I decided to hop on the Veckatimest bus, however, when the album initially leaked this past spring. Noone, and I mean noone, can deny that "Two Weeks" was the official summer jam of 2009. This melodic glee club charm, complete with probably my favorite video of the year, was a classic indie gem--and is one of my favorite tracks of the year. Other standout numbers included album opener "Southern Point," the eloquent sing along "All We Ask," the almost Beatles inspired track "Cheerleader," and the gorgeous "While You Wait for the Others." Ok, so now looking back at this album, I guess I'll just stick to the flocks and keep this one on the list--this album ain't hibernating from my rotation any time soon after all. . .

7 - Handsome Furs - Face Control

Dan and Alexei are not only the sexiest couple in rock'n'roll, but they're also the humblest, coolest and fucking nicest. I caught this duo live more times than I can count within the last year, touring their asses off in support of their latest release. Face Control is a collection of sexy, electroriffic, guitar thrashing, key pounding, dance jams. You can't really go wrong when your singer is 1/2 of the vocals from Canadian indie all-stars Wolf Parade, but kickass live shows aside, songs like the George Harrison-Got-My-Mind-Set-on-You-ish-party-jam "I'm Confused," sex dripping "Evangeline," immediate and pounding "Legal Tender," ridiculously catchy and fun "Talking Hotel Arbat Blues" and of course, the sing along "All We Want Baby, is Everything" will rock your goddamn face off. It's impossible to control, sorry dudes--you gotta keep your shit in check. The fact that these two hung with my drunk ass for a half hour at the Holy Fuck gig at the Empty Bottle this past June definitely ups my appreciation for them as peeps, but the fact that they keep coming back and rocking it hard sold me on their jams. CHECK THEM OUT.

6 - Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

What can I say about Chicago's very own multi-instrumentalist-sexy-whistlin' fiend Mr. Bird? A LOT. Bird has yet to release an album I haven't enjoyed immensely, and Noble Beast may be my favorite one yet. Call me a sucker for victrolas and strings, dapper young gentlemen in suits (whistling!), and honey-drippin' vocals. Dude makes my knees buckle whether he's singing about sociopaths or nomenclature. It doesn't matter, harmonies and orchestration are everywhere and everytime I pop in this Beast, I'm instantly transported to Jodi Happy Land--whether that's an effort to distract myself from cleaning my apartment floors, sipping a bloody mary mid-hangover after a rough night, or even temporarily forgetting I'm trapped in the confinements of cubicle hell at the nine-to-five. Why Noble Beast rules more than the last four records? Easy: "Fitz & Dizzyspells" (Seriously - that whistling breakdown!!!); "Oh No" (more whistling again, but gorgeous percussion); "Tenuousness" (that opening makes me feel like I'm on a trip somewhere, somewhere I've never been, and it's gonna be a really good trip); "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" (As if that song title isn't explanation enough, then maybe you should try giving this track a listen--b/c it gets better); "Anonanimal" (just nice on the ears, overall, really). As if all these weren't reason enough, Bird included a limited release of instrumental songs in addition called Useless Creatures. Pretttttttty. Did I mention I'm also in love with Andrew Bird? This helps secure a spot on any Jodi Countdown Ever.

5 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

I hope I convince myself as an afterthought to bump this one up the countdown. I put together a pretty in-depth review together upon its initial spring release over at Muzzle of Bees which you can read here; and I don't think my thoughts have changed toooo much to date, except that it may have grown on me a bit more. Tracks like the electra ballad "Hysteric" and the vintage plugged in "Soft Shock" have now snuck ways into my heart, joining the likes of up-beat singles "Zero" and "Heads will Roll." Still, though, fave track is and remains "Dull Life" due to its likeness of both Fever to Tell and Show Your Bones swagger. I think I might have been a bit too harsh on It's Blitz! in the beginning, but only like those psycho pressuring high school football dads who are hard on their sons for not making it to the state championships--we expected more out of you, you're greater than that--but we still love you anyway. Plus, I now can't blame Karen O if her attention wasn't fully focused on YYY at the time, I'm pretty madly obsessed with her score for Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack, aka, the unofficial YYY side project, Karen O & the Kids. Kids = Nick Zinner, Brian Chase, Bradford Cox & a couple Raconteurs, not too shabby. But that's a different post. Moral of the story? Karen O is cooler than both you and me--oh and she's also really good at giving memorable birthday parties.

4 - YACHT - See Mystery Lights

Heard these guys here and there, before they were a duo and it was just Jona Bechtolt (who is my facebook friend to the end), and before the days Miss Claire L. Evans was on board. I knew Bechtolt's reputation preceded him as being "The Timbaland to Indie Beats," and I knew he was dope with the DFA crew. I dug The Summer Song EP, which dropped sometime late last year or early this one--and featured a pretty dancetastic remix of "Fell in Love with a Ripper," in addition to the aforementioned "Summer Song," which was Bechtolt's love song to fellow tourmates LCD Soundsystem. All history aside, this duo is A) Super fun amazing live, (I caught em both at Schubas this past March and again at the Empty Bottle a few weeks back), whipping out amazing audiovisual props, rad-as-fire dance moves, and hott male-female vocal/sexual energy; B) Again, extremely humble and personable--I met them at their merch table at Schuba's, again at the Bottle, but also not one week after the March show shoulder to shoulder in the crowd for Kanye's gig at Fader Fort in Austin--(not only did they remember me, but I got to boogie with them to the likes of College Dropout and Graduation--jealous?); C) Super cool in general--(evidence, interview w/MoB here). I guess the fact that their 10-song album was one of the biggest circular dance parties existing in my cd collection's entire history, let alone 2009, speaks volumes too. I will give you $5 if you can listen to "Psychic City," "The Afterlife," and/or "Ring the Bell" without involuntarily shaking your hips and breaking it down. Seriously. Electro-indie pop genius at its best, this duo rocks.

3 - P.O.S. - Never Better

I've always been a huge fan of the Minneapolis hip-hop scene since my clumsy midwestern whitegirl-self stumbled upon Atmosphere back in the God Loves Ugly days. Any member of the Rhymesayers family and Doomtree crew usually had their distinguishable mid-west thang down and I dug it hard. Last year it was Slug who topped my top list of 08, with When Life Gives You Lemons. . . , but now this year's honor is bestowed upon the intense, poetic rhyming skills of P.O.S.. Stef's performance with fellow Doomtree pals Mike Mictlan, Sims and Lazerbeak this past spring at Reggie's Live only upped my appreciation for his lyrical prose and intelligent swagger. I caught him a second time around in Austin, sandwiched between Eyedea & Abilities and Brother Ali for the Rhymesayer's SXSW set and a third round at Chicago's Bottom Lounge opening for Cursive. Each set was a different vibe, different demographic, yet Stef kept it real and put his best out for the people, never once faltering in his energy levels and determined intensity. Never Better is just that, a solid album with limited pauses or opportunities for improvement. Joints like "Savion Glover," "Purexed," "Goodbye," "Out of Category" and "Optimist (We are Not for Them)" keep his most recent effort flowing strong, and it definitely earned its high rank in my top ten this year.

2 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

I'm a sucker for those gimmick experimental electronic flavors of the week, month, or in this case for me at least--year. I know AC's been around for a while, and in all honesty I didn't give one stink about them up until this past January when this album was released. Coincidentally, the same day I picked this record up, a friend asked me to take his free extra ticket off his hand to check em out live at the Metro. I remember clearly being on the fence about it, as I had a date the same night with some random stooge, and let me say this--best decision of the year. Random stooge = ancient history, Memory/Experience of this live set = Words cant really give justice. Let's just say the combination of the live crazy energy and intense light show, dreamy imagery and ecclectic equation of synths, chants, percussion and song were enough to blow any hipster's facebook status waaaaaay up with "I Like This" thumbs-ups. My mind was numb. And I hadn't even had a chance to give the album a full listen through yet.

I will say AC is for some, and def not for others. It's more of an experience, and I guess either you get it or you don't care to--I know I didn't bother running to their P4K set months before, after listening to older work and wound up just being bored and confused. But something about Merriweather clicked with me. Maybe it was the dancey vibes of "Summertime Clothes," the tinkering seawater escape feel of "My Girls," the slow-yet-totally-worth-it-finally-building up-breakdown-at-the-2 minute,-30-second-mark-of  "In the Flowers," the didgeridoo infused "Lion in a Coma" or the maybe even kinda El Guincho tribal/coastal vibes of "Brother Sport" that won me over. But it was probably all of the above, with extra credit. This album helped keep me from going insane in an otherwise freezing and dark time of the year, and any experience that can keep me distracted enough from forgetting I have no feeling in my toes is good news in my book. I read somewhere that AC named this album after a local venue in their stomping grounds, but I'm picturing Merriweather Post Pavilion as a different kind of place--a tropical surrealistic island of sorts, a magical escape from reality. And this makes me happy.

1 - Metric - Fantasies

Wow, this one is definitely a surprise. While I'm a fan of pretty much any relative of the Broken Social Scene extended fam, I've never considered myself a Metric superfan by any means. Sure, Emily Haines is pretty rad and yeah, their songs are darned catchy. But, this album hitting the number one spot was definitely a dark horse in the running. A friend of mine highly recommended the record to me on multiple occassions, but it wasn't until he handed me a physical burned copy that I really took him seriously. Where did this delectable electropop rock goddess come from? This glam soaked collection of sleek, sexy power pop songs is more than I can handle--but in a totally good way. Tracks like "Help, I'm Alive," "Gimme Sympathy," "Gold Guns Girls" and "Twilight Galaxy" are loud, soft, fast and slow--but all equally demanding of your listening pleasure. I still cannot put my finger on what set Fantasies apart from past Metric efforts, to be honest, and believe me I've tried. I think it honestly might have just been a combination of the right songs at the right time, and the right experiences with the right people. I happened to meet my best friend randomly outside of a bar this summer by offering up my extra free unspoken Metric ticket to their Chi gig at the Metro. Not only did she actually take me up on the offer, but the show itself was an incredible first date, and it's crazy to think I wouldn't have met her without Metric. So, yeah, that might have something to do with it--or maybe it's just a coincidence. Regardless, I really, really like this album.