Top 5 Albums of 2009

Yes, I could have compiled a list of 10 or even 25 albums, but laziness and thrift convinced me otherwise. I also could have made a list of the best albums of the decade, a project I may yet tackle, but the list would be 50 or maybe 100 albums long at its shortest. Included should be a short sample of each track I identify as a "standout favorite," courtesy of the recently-acquired-by-Apple Lala.com. So, without further ado, of all the albums and breakout artists the world became familiar with in 2009, here are my 5 favorites.

5. Manners, Passion Pit
electronic | Frenchkiss Records

This electronic group from Massachusetts wowed ears worldwide with their first album, following a promising EP from last September, which has fast been embraced by not only electronic music aficionados but also the mainstream pop culture elements, everything from radio stations to commercials for the Palm Pixi. Standout tracks include "Sleepyhead," "Make Light," "Little Secrets" and "Moth's Wings."

4. Blood Bank - EP / For Emma, Forever Ago, Bon Iver
indie folk | Jagjaguwar

Yes, listing both a band's EP and its subsequent album as number four might very well be construed as cheating, but for Bon Iver I'll make an exception. Producing some of the most soulful acoustic music around today, these folk-hipsters introduced us to one of the best albums and sounds of the year. Favorite tracks from either disc include the moving a cappella "Woods" and "Skinny Love."

3. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix
indie synth pop | V2 Records

These French rockers have long been familiar within indie music crowds, but their 2009 masterwork has transcended these barriers and become known as some of the most recognizable and fun music around today. While the album seems flawless from song to song, my favorites include "1901," "Lisztomania," and "Fences." Try listening to these guys in the car - you won't regret it.

2. Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collective
psychedelic pop | Domino

As for this dense and near-perfect record, it deserves the countless accolades it has been accorded over the past few months. Topping most top albums lists I came across, this album is simultaneously reminiscent of the Beach Boys and likely to induce a psychedelic stupor. There really aren't many stronger songs than the others, every one seems so perfectly suited to its track position on the album and its placement amongst the other masterpieces. That being said, the standout favorite - the flagship track, if you will, - is doubtless "My Girls."

1. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear
psych folk | Warp

A perfect album from a group likely to become my favorite over even longstanding champion Radiohead, Veckatimest is without question my favorite album of the year, if not among my favorites of all time. No album since Kid A has so effortlessly matched meaningful and understated lyrics with powerful music reflecting a profound instrumental prowess, and this record's intense fine-tuning is best appreciated on a set of speakers which will do its interwoven melodies justice. I cannot express the depth and complexity of each individual track without overstating this record's perfection except by saying this: if you listen to any of the bands or albums listed here, make it Grizzly Bear. Like Animal Collective's opus, the tracks on this album are each too wonderful to order, but my personal favorites are "Southern Point," "Two Weeks," "Ready, Able," and "While You Wait For The Others." You can click here to play the album through iLike.com, since Lala.com regrettably doesn't offer free listening to Veckatimest. M.