Weekly Top 10: Songs for Spring

Though spring has actually been upon us for the past week and a half, the 70-degree temperatures currently in my locale have finally made it official. Below you'll find tracks both about spring and evocative of spring as well. Some may be more obvious (The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun"), while others may not jump out right away (Wilco's "Hummingbird"). Still, an enjoyable, seasonal collection. Check it out.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: SXSW Acts (Part 2)]

Weekly Top 10: Winter Songs

Seasons have often been a powerful inspiration for music. From the colorful foliage of autumn, to the carefree pace of summer. In the past, we've highlighted the Top 10 songs that best embodied both the summer and fall. This week, we have decided to bring you our Top 10 songs that embrace the dead cold and sweeping, snow-covered landscapes of winter. So grab a mug of hot cocoa, curl up on the couch with a blanket, and enjoy.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Los Angeles-Area Artists]

New Animal Collective Video, "Brothersport"

I'm sure you thought you'd be able to catch a break from Animal Collective for a couple weeks of 2010 at least. However, it seems the band has different ideas. In true Animal Collective fashion, failing to make a big deal about the new video for "Brothersport" has automatically made it a big deal. The fresh visual interpretation represents the song as best it can-- with kids in weird costumes, animals, seizure-inducing cartoons and raves with paint. Yeah, so the standard stuff for the band. Check it out below (unless you are prone to seizures caused by flashing lights, which this may have some effect on-- seriously).

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #2, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion]

Best Albums of 2009: A Recap

Below is the full list of albums we covered this December as our best of the year. If you missed any of these, feel free to just follow the links over, for a full review.

Animal Noises' Best Albums of 2009

1. Veckatimest -- Grizzly Bear

2. Merriweather Post Pavilion -- Animal Collective

3. Farm -- Dinosaur Jr.

4. Hometowns -- The Rural Alberta Advantage

5. Noble Beast -- Andrew Bird

6. Bitte Orca -- Dirty Projectors

7. Man on the Moon: The End of Day -- Kid Cudi

8. Manners -- Passion Pit

9. Aim and Ignite -- fun.

10. Album -- Girls

11. Hold Time -- M. Ward

12. Person to Person -- Foreign Born

13. People Are Soft -- The Swimmers

14. Wilco (The Album) -- Wilco

15. Wavvves -- Wavves

16. No More Stories... -- Mew

17. Bromst -- Dan Deacon

18. Now I Am Champion -- Sister Suvi

19. Hombre Lobo -- Eels

20. Welcome Joy -- The Cave Singers

21. Beast Rest Forth Mouth -- Bear In Heaven

22. Here We Go Magic -- Here We Go Magic

23. Get Color -- HEALTH

24. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix -- Phoenix

25. Dark Night of the Soul -- Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse

26. God Help the Girl -- God Help the Girl

27. Tentacles -- Crystal Antlers

28. The Blueprint 3 -- Jay-Z

29. Eskimo Snow -- Why?

30. Junior -- Röyksopp

Best Albums of 2009: #2, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion

Rank: #2

Album: Merriweather Post Pavilion

Artist: Animal Collective

Label: Domino Records

Once an underground indie mainstay, Animal Collective effectively blew up in 2009, taking the world by storm with Merriweather Post Pavilion. Always on the cusp of innovation, the band reached new, dizzying heights with the effort-- the likes of which the band's oldest fans, nor any onlookers, every thought possible. The album was brash, exciting and electrifying. It was danceable, catchy and fun, functioning as the group's career masterpiece though the existential pop collection resembled nothing they'd ever put together before.

Merriweather Post Pavilion didn't redefine music, but it did blur the lines of what could be acceptable in the realm of mainstream pop. In a year full of electronic experimentation all across the board, this was the opening shot-- a tone-setting moment that started the ball rolling on a landmark year for indie acts. Songs like the hit "My Girls" and "Summertime Clothes" gained radio play and traction across the board, yet the band's reputation as the unique innovators they are never waned. If anything, Animal Collective is seen in a more positive light by their longtime fans now than they were beforehand. How the music world responds to their arrival from here on however, will be the true indicator of MPP's lasting importance.

Best Track: "My Girls"

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of 2009: #3, Dinosaur Jr.'s Farm]

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]

Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #1-10

Our latest list-- the Most Prolific Artists of the Decade-- looks to chronicle the most important (for better or for worse) artists of the decade. For one reason or another, be it their positive (or negative) cultural significance, landmark moments for music, staying power or otherwise, these artists mattered a great deal this decade.

In no way is this a list of our favorites of the decade. On the contrary, many of our favorites are not present, while others whom we're actually not fans of, have made the list. So without further ado, check out our the fifth (and final) part of our Most Prolific Artists list below. Next to each artist's name, you'll see a basic numeric list of all primary recordings this decade. For many of these, their impact should probably be self-explanatory. Enjoy, and if you haven't yet read our list of the Best Songs of 2009, or Best Albums of the Decade, read up on those too.

10. T.I. -- 6 LPs (Most recent: 2008's Paper Trail)/2 EPs, P$C -- 1 LP (2005's 25 to Life)

9. Conor Oberst -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2009's Outer South)/1 EP, Bright Eyes -- 8 LPs (Most recent: 2007's Cassadaga)/4 EPs, Desaparecidos (1 LP/1 EP), Monsters of Folk (1 LP)

8. Arcade Fire -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2007's Neon Bible)/1 EP

7. Justin Timberlake -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds), 'N Sync -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2001's Celebrity)

6. Jay-Z -- 7 LPs (Most recent: 2009's The Blueprint 3)

5. The White Stripes -- 5 LPs (Most recent: 2007's Icky Thump)/1 EP

4. Lil' Wayne -- 5 LPs (Most recent: 2008's Tha Carter III)/1 EP/10 Mixtapes

3. Animal Collective -- 8 LPs (Most recent: 2009's Merriweather Post Pavillion)/4 EPs

2. Kanye West -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2008's 808s & Heartbreak)

1. Radiohead -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2007's In Rainbows)/3 EPs

[Previously on Animal Noises: Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #11-20]

Best Albums of the Decade: #1-10

Welcome to the final installment of our countdown to the best albums of the decade. There's probably a consensus on the top few, but beyond that, hopefully there's some surprises. As would be expected, a few artists made multiple appearances on the overall list, some maybe shockingly so. Still, these are our picks for the best albums of the decade. Enjoy below-- album streams are courtesy of Lala.com.

10. Censored Colors, Portugal. The Man (2008)

9. Merriweather Post Pavillion, Animal Collective (2009)

8. The Black Album, Jay-Z (2003)

7. The Moon & Antarctica, Modest Mouse (2000)

6. Dog Problems, The Format (2006)

5. Illinois, Sufjan Stevens (2005)

4. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear (2009)

3. Funeral, Arcade Fire (2004)

2. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Bright Eyes (2005)

1. Kid A, Radiohead (2000)

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of the Decade: #11-20]

#21-30

#31-40

#41-50

Best Albums of the Decade: #21-30

We've reached the midway point of our countdown to the best album of the decade, and with that, the increasing possibility that your favorite record was, indeed, left off of our list. Still, don't feel too offended. There's enough albums on this list to fit just about anyone's tastes, so I'm sure you'll find something to your liking. Check out #21-30 below. All album streams are via Lala.com.

30. Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?, The Unicorns (2003)

29. Terrorhawk, Bear vs. Shark (2005)

28. The Blueprint, Jay-Z (2001)

27. Sung Tongs, Animal Collective (2004)

26. You're A Woman, I'm A Machine, Death From Above 1979 (2004)

25. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon (2007)

24. Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, Bright Eyes (2005)

23. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, of Montreal (2007)

22. Paper Trail, T.I. (2008)

21. Graduation, Kanye West (2007)

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Albums of the Decade: #31-40]