Best Albums of 2009: #6, Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca

Rank: #6

Album: Bitte Orca

Artist: Dirty Projectors

Label: Domino Records

Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca is confusing, spacious and random. It lacks structure and genre identification. And still, for the many, including Beyonce's sister Solange, who happened to get it, the results were incredibly rewarding. Bitte Orca soars to breathtaking heights, and dives back down just as quickly. It harps on R&B and indie experimentation, among a host of other genres-- swimming in a sea of sound you'll struggle to assimilate to, but enjoy every second of.

Many have considered it the defining pay out for lead singer Dave Longstreth's tireless efforts over the years. Bitte Orca sounds like nothing he, nor just about anyone else has ever done. Longstreth's falsetto, combined with the heavenly vocals of Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian create a cacophonous symphony of freewheeling bliss. Songs like "Stillness is the Move" and "Temecula Sunrise" unleash a barrage of diverging vocal stylings and a bevy of electronic noise. As impressive as the singers all are though, the strength of the album comes from its broad and expansive array of instrumental experimentation, executed in haphazard perfection throughout. The best effort of the band's career, you'll be glad you stopped and listened to Bitte Orca.

Best Track: "Stillness is the Move" (via Pitchfork)

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #7, Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day]

Best Albums of 2009: #7, Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Rank: #7

Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Artist: Kid Cudi

Label: G.O.O.D. Music/Universal

Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day could truly represent a shift in hip-hop, but that's something we won't know until his second release, at the earliest. From his daring, experimental approach, to his introspective lyrical set, Cudi's debut could very well be the opening of a new chapter of hip-hop. Of course, we've seen plenty of hip-hop this decade that was very decisively not hip-hop (look no further than Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak for the proof). Yet, Cudi's first record seems different from those, too. Unlike the others, he's not attempting to be different, but instead, has simply become different by ignoring industry standards completely.

Rather than harp on hip-hop's usual themes, Man on the Moon presents us with a much more refreshing alternative. He acknowledges his hardships, his quirks and weaknesses, and then embraces them. The album has two distinct personalities-- night and day-- as exemplified by both the cover, and hit single "Day 'n' Nite." Minus the heavy bass that rules over the track is the story of someone who struggles for inner peace and content. Cudi has only recently become comfortable in his own skin, unlike many of his peers, yet he is proud of that fact, and it shows in his music. Already slated to team up with Ratatat for an upcoming full-length, Kid Cudi is already on the road to reinventing an entire genre.

Best Track: "Day 'n' Nite"

Best of 2009: Album Artwork

Album artwork is arguably the most important aspect of a musical release next to the music itself. In many cases, it's our first impression of what we are about to hear, and a visual companion to the recording. Because of this, we have compiled the best of 2009. The selections below were chosen because of their visual appeal, in addition to how well they work alongside their sonic counterparts.

10. Person to Person, Foreign Born

9. Fluorescent Black, Anti-Pop Consortium

8. Scars, Basement Jaxx

7. Creaturesque, Throw Me The Statue

6. Merriweather Post Pavillion, Animal Collective

5. The Smith Westerns, The Smith Westerns

4. Farm, Dinosaur Jr.

3. Hold Time, M. Ward

2. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear

1. Tentacles, Crystal Antlers

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best of 2009: Movie Soundtracks]

Best Albums of 2009: #8, Passion Pit's Manners

Rank: #8

Album: Manners

Artist: Passion Pit

Label: Frenchkiss Records

Indie has never been more mainstream than it was in 2009, and a portion of that was due to the surprising success of Passion Pit. In just two years, the modest band went from playing campus shows to commercials, video games and TV shows, with no signs of slowing down. With the continued proliferation of electronic music and experimentation to the masses, it's certainly not farfetched to believe that Manners is only the beginning of their continued stay atop our consciousness.

A lot of that appeal comes from the group's unabashed embrace of supposedly outdated and long-gone conventions of pop. Lead singer Michael Angelakos thrills listeners with his ecstatic and energetic approach, mixed amidst layers of bright keyboards, kid chorus background vocals and hand claps. Yet, with all of that going on, you can still reach out and touch tracks like "Make Light" and "To Kingdom Come," whose exuberance is so innocent and untainted, it's hard not to get sucked right in. Even though Manners creates a world all its own, it invites you in to enjoy it too-- its biggest asset and the reason the album gains more new listeners everyday.

Best Track: "Little Secrets"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #9, fun.'s Aim and Ignite]

Best of 2009: Movie Soundtracks

For the remainder of the year (save holidays and weekends, of course), we'll be sharing some additional lists of our favorites in music from 2009. Today, that lists is our top 10 movie soundtracks from films that came out this year. All of the songs don't have to be unique to the film however, so it's open for quite a few endeavors. This is also the only time you'll ever see Twilight mentioned in this space besides for being the awful, cultish collection of poor storytelling it's usually regarded as, and is.

10. Where the Wild Things Are

(Top Track: Karen O and the Kids' "All Is Love")

9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

(Top Track: Nicholas Hooper's "Opening")

8. Inglourious Basterds

(Top Track: David Bowie's "Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)")

7. Taking Woodstock

(Top Track: Grateful Dead's "China Cat Sunflower")

6. Funny People

(Top Track: Coconut Records's "Wires")

5. Up In the Air

(Top Track: Elliott Smith's "Angel in the Snow")

4. The Twilight Saga: New Moon

(Top Track: Grizzly Bear's "Slow Life")

3. Pirate Radio

(Top Track: The Who's "I Can See For Miles")

2. Fantastic Mr. Fox

(Top Track: The Beach Boys' "Heroes and Villains")

1. (500) Days of Summer

(Top Track: Doves' "There Goes the Fear")

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best of 2009: Debut Albums]

Best Albums of 2009: #9, fun.'s Aim and Ignite

Rank: #9

Album: Aim and Ignite

Artist: fun.

Label: Self-Released

The only self-released effort on this list, Aim and Ignite delivers what could be expected of an album by a band named fun. Riding the energy and excitement surrounding lead singer Nate Ruess's first recording venture since The Format's 2008 breakup, the album doesn't disappoint fans of his former band either. Ruess appears here with a newfound confidence and exhilaration. No, he wasn't overjoyed by the split with longtime co-conspirator Sam Means, but if there were any doubts beforehand, this release makes a clear statement that he's over any lingering hardship, and even those Dog Problems he lamented about so many times before.

Yes, as damaged as Ruess's quiet and unassuming voice appeared when singing for The Format, fun. is an entirely different animal. Tracks like "Benson Hedges" and "All the Pretty Girls" bleed exuberance and enthusiasm, sparked with optimism and a more mature outlook. Equally, the instrumentation remains creative and lively throughout, surprisingly even more so than Ruess's former band. And yet, there are also those moments of clarity and calm, when Ruess reflects on his feelings both good and bad more somberly, but with the same painstaking honesty we're used to by now. For those who want The Format back, I'm sad to say they're still gone, however this album may go along way in replacing the void.

Best Track: "All the Pretty Girls"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #10, Girls' Album]

Best of 2009: Debut Albums

For the remainder of the year (save holidays and weekends, of course), we'll be sharing some additional lists of our favorites in music from 2009. To start things off, our list today consists of our favorite debut albums from the year. All of these are the artists' first full-lengths-- so we're not counting mixtapes or EPs, nor are we considering those who have recorded under another name previously (just for you, the reader's information).

10. Lungs, Florence and the Machine

9. Bird-Brains, Tune-Yards

8. jj n° 2, jj

7. Real Estate, Real Estate

6. Heavy Ghost, DM Stith

5. Tentacles, Crystal Antlers

4. Album, Girls

3. Manners, Passion Pit

2. Man on the Moon: The End of Day, Kid Cudi

1. Hometowns, The Rural Alberta Advantage

[Previously on Animal Noises: Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #1-10]

Best Albums of 2009: #10, Girls' Album

Rank: #10

Album: Album

Artist: Girls

Label: True Panther Sounds

Girls' Christopher Owens story has been broadcast across the internet time and time again, so we'll just elect to leave it out when talking about his debut effort, Album. It's just that there's so much more to explaining how Album came to be what it is-- an engaging and honest endeavor the likes of which were rarely seen this year. Maybe that ends up being a result of Owens' past, and maybe not.

Hitting on a wide array of influences from The Beach Boys to Buddy Holly to Guns N' Roses, Girls leaves no ground untouched. One minute, it's a cascade of surf rock, and the next a 1950s doo-wop ballad. Even amidst the intoxicated-Brian Wilson aesthetic, it's Owens' stunningly honest and forthright delivery that grabs you in. From there, the catchy pop hooks and fearless approach are what keeps you coming back-- and that's what's most important. With Album, Owens has compiled a collection of his innermost thoughts and fears, and what follows is about as creative, witty and unashamed as you could ask out of a debut.

Best Track: "Lust for Life"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #11, M. Ward's Hold Time]

Best Albums of 2009: #11, M. Ward's Hold Time

Rank: #11

Album: Hold Time

Artist: M. Ward

Label: Merge

M. Ward's latest endeavor, Hold Time, is nothing new for the artist. He's made a living the last few years creating instrumental-heavy guitar music that strikes the balance between modern and classic sounds. With each album he's put out, this ability has seemingly gotten more and more pronounced, as one can tell by 2008's She & Him collaboration with Zooey Deschanel, and this effort here. In particular, Hold Time executes this aesthetic phenomenally well, with a series of older covers and of course, enough of a filter on Ward's already-weathered voice to make him appear to be singing to us from 30 years ago.

For an album mainly about introspection and a search for something more, Hold Time manages to keep it surprisingly upbeat-- as the journey is mostly highlighted by bright and pleasant melodies (see "Jailbird," "To Save Me"). Yes, there are your more somber moments as well ("Hold Time," "Blake's View"), but all fit into the puzzle perfectly (even the covers) as Ward's soul-seeking map unfolds. The results are also left ambiguous, leaving the listener to wonder if success was, in fact, achieved. Many of the album's closing tracks alternate between upbeat satisfaction and somber realization, but it's to the record's advantage. Without a definitive ending, the listener is free to assume their own, and explore the effort further, to really grab what they want to out of it.

Best Track: "To Save Me"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #12, Foreign Born's Person to Person]

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]