5 of the Best Indie and Alternative Rock Albums of 2009, So Far
1. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
With equal parts Lush-inspired poppy shoegaze, black metal brutality, and epic atmospherics that bring to mind bands like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, France's Amesoeurs' self-titled debut album (and swan song) could very well be my favorite album of the year. Unable to determine a direction for the band, they decided to call it quits before the album was even released, and it's a real shame. True, the album is a bit schizophrenic--it's completely sung in french by both a male and female singers, and sounds like it could have been recorded by 3 or 4 completely different bands--but that only adds to the "wow" factor of this record, and speaks to the level of talent behind the music. While the sound may occasionally fall on the harder side of indie and alt-rock, tracks like "Faux Semblants" and "I XIII V XIX XV V Xxi XVIII XIX IX XIX IV V I IV" elevate Amesoeurs to levels of heavenly bliss.
2. The Horrors - Primary Colours
Primary Colours, the sophomore album from (former) coffin-rockers The Horrors, who's debut album Strange House came out in 2007 to much acclaim, have given themselves a complete makeover with spectacular results. Brimming with post-punk texture, fuzz, and instruments that seem to bend sound like some kind of audio equivalent to CGI, the Horrors brought in Portishead's Geoff Barrow and acclaimed video director Chris Cunningham (who directed the video for "Sheena Is A Parasite" from Strange House, took two years off to learn audio production, and makes his debut as a music producer here) to create Primary Colours. Much like Radiohead's sophomore album The Bends, here is the evidence of a band that initially seemed like a flash in the pan novelty, and now reveals themselves as an artistic force that may be impossible to ignore.
3. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
TPoBPAH (as I will henceforth refer to them) are really awful at naming things, but they make damn good music. Take for example the terribly-titled "Young Adult Friction," an addictive, catchy tale of finding love in the library that bounces with excitement, and manages to sonically capture what it feels like to fall in love. The fact that TPoBPAH sound like a British band circa 1992 when they're in fact New Yorkers circa 2009, that they're on the legendary San Francisco Bay Area fuzz-pop label Slumberland Records, and they've virtually redefined what it means to be a indie rock nerd in the last year only sweeten the deal. A non-stop stream of relentlessly addictive songs doesn't hurt either.
4. Point Juncture, WA - Heart To Elk
Portland, Oregon's oddly named Point Juncture, WA's latest release, Heart To Elk, employs an intoxicating mix of drums, keys, vibraphone, bass, and horns, along with subtle, squealing atmospheric guitar to create visceral, inpsired sonic pop-scapes. Combining intricate, unexpected and unique melodies with equally equisite harmonies, Point Juncture, WA have, with Heart To Elk, created the kind of album you'll want to put on repeat, one that is instantly gratifying, but also reveals itself over time. Though the band has been playing together for the better part of a decade, they haven't managed to break out of their local scene until this release, which has started to see some well-deserved national recognition--expect big things in the future.
SIOUX ARROW from Hart Ryan Noecker on Vimeo.
5. Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love
From the first few notes of Sharon Van Etten's debut album, Because I Was In Love, I knew I was in love. Sharon's bell-clear, lilting voice and heartbreaking, deceptively simple melodies create a soft and comfortable bed of beautiful melancholy that's hard to resist being drawn into. Like legendary folk mistresses Sandy Denny, Vashti Bunyan, Judee Sill, and Julie Doiron before her, Van Etten's songs are intense, beautiful, and each and every one is a gem. What makes Because I Was In Love so special is that it's so intimate--it puts itself so plainly on display, and it's sadness is tangible. Gorgeous, stunning, and essential.
I'm sure there will be complaints that I didn't call out Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Neko Case, or (insert your favorite band here). Sorry! Share the goodness, and let us know what indie and alt-rock albums you're digging on so far this year in the comments.
--Alan Wiley
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