Collapse Into A Dream

2009 was nothing short of amazing when it came to the quantity of quality music releases. Here's my take on the best it had to offer...


Top 40 Albums of 2009

1. The Horrors "Primary Colours"
2. The Raveonettes "In and Out of Control"
3. The Big Pink "A Brief History of Love"
4. Crocodiles "Summer of Hate"
5. Lotus Plaza "The Floodlight Collective"
6. Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"
7. Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest"
8. Atlas Sound "Logos"
9. Cold Cave "Loves Comes Close"
10. Camera Obscura "My Maudlin Career"
11. White Rabbits "So Frightening"
12. HTRK "Marry Me"
13. St. Vincent "Actor"
14. Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion"
15. Pains of Being Pure At Heart "s/t"
16. A Place To Bury Strangers "Exploding Head"
17. Rowland S. Howard "Pop Crimes"
18. Julian Casablancas "Phrazes For The Young"
19. Cass McCombs "Catacombs"
20. Gentle Touch "In Memory of Savannah"
21. The XX "s/t"
22. Tegan and Sara "Sainthood"
23. Speck Mountain "Some Sweet Relief"
24. The Mary Onettes "Islands"
25. The Black Ryder "Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride"
26. The Sunshine Factory "Vintage Revolution"
27. 800 Beloved "Bouquet"
28. Former Ghosts "Fleurs"
29. Howling Bells "Radio Wars"
30. Handsome Furs "Face Control"
31. The Twilight Sad "Forget The Night Ahead"
32. Gliss "Devotion Implosion"
33. Hatcham Social "You Dig The Tunnel, I'll Hide the Soil"
34. Bear In Heaven "Best Rest Forth Mouth"
35. Hope Sandoval "Through The Devil Softly"
36. SPC ECO "3-D"
37. The Cave Singers "Welcome Joy"
38. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "It's Blitz"
39. The Dead Weather "Horehound"
40. Apse "Climb Up"

Top 20 EPs / 7"s of 2009

1. Grouper - all four splits (City Center, Pumice, Roy Montgomery, Xela)
2. The Horrors "Whole New Way" 7"
   
3. Crystal Stilts "Love Is A Wave" 7"
4. Best Coast "Black Iris Presents..." 7"
5. Zaza "Cameo EP"
6. Dum Dum Girls "Yours Alone" 7"
7. The Drums "Summertime EP"
8. Beirut "March of the Zapotec/Holland 2xEP"
9. Deerhunter "Rainwater Cassette Exchange"
10. S.C.U.M "Visions Arise" 7"
11. Ruling Class "Sleeping Beauty" 7"
12. Bon Iver "Blood Bank" EP
13. Crocodiles, Dum Dum Girls, Pens, Grafitti Island split 7"
    
14. Lovers Love Haters "s/t" EP
15. Demontre "Demo" EP
16. Depreciation Guild "Dream About Me" 7"
17. Liechtenstein "Survival Strategies in a Modern World"
18. Warpaint "Exquisite Corpse"
19. Tamaryn "Led Astray, Washed Ashore" EP
20. No Age "Losing Feeling" EP

Top 15 Best Shows of 2009

1. The Horrors & The Kills at Henry Fonda Theater & Glass House
2. Friendly Fires, The XX & Holly Miranda at Henry Fonda Theater
3. The Raveonettes & Crocodiles at the Glass House
4. The Big Pink & Crystal Antlers at Detroit Bar
5. Animal Collective & Grouper at Wiltern
6. Grizzly Bear & Here We Go Magic at Wiltern
7. The Dead Weather & Mini Mansions at The Roxy
8. St. Vincent at Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge
9. Foreign Born & Best Coast at Spaceland
10. Dum Dum Girls & Pearl Harbor at Spaceland
11. French Kicks & The Broken West at Troubadour
12. Cold Cave at The Echo
13. Grouper & Nite Jewel at The Smell
14. Gliss at Spaceland
15. Hope Sandoval & Dirt Blue Gene at Mayan

Top 10 Record Labels of 2009

1. Art Fag
2. 4AD
3. Captured Tracks
4. XL
5. Slumberland
6. Sacred Bones
7. Hozac!
8. Zoo Music
9. DiscError
10. Domino

Top 5 Music Blogs

1. BG
   
2. SSFDL
3. TIED - NT & NTRU / WKP / LWTUA
   
4. LMG
5. SA

Now then, what were your favorites of 2009?