Best Albums of 2009: #12, Foreign Born's Person to Person

Rank: #12

Album: Person to Person

Artist: Foreign Born

Label: Secretly Canadian

If it weren't for the joyous, collective energy and sound of a few other artists, perhaps Foreign Born's Person to Person would have taken this year's top spot. Still though, with their second album, the band has managed to carve out a niche for itself amidst the stifling buzz of bands out in California. The group is fresh, uninhibited and unafraid to experiment. Mixing your basic indie rock with a tropical approach all their own, it shouldn't be too long before it's hard to miss these guys.

From start to finish, Person to Person plays like a fast-paced tropical vacation. It's not surf music, but rather, island-infused pop using indie rock as its distribution method. Starting with opener "Blood Oranges," the expert employment of auxiliary percussion plays a huge role in setting the mood for the jumpy, driving background. In fact, the first five tracks ("Blood Oranges" through "Early Warnings") might have you convinced that this is, indeed, the album of the year. The series' bright and boisterous presentation of the collection's main themes, combined with beach harmonies and steady drum rolls are truly something to behold, as the band transports you south of whatever currently snow-covered locale you're residing in. It was a perfect soundtracks for this past summer, and now, it's managing to brighten up the winter a bit too with its steady, infectious pop melodies.

Best Track: "Winter Games"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #13, The Swimmers' People Are Soft]