Part One (albums edition) is here.
I’ve done a separate list of my favourite songs for the year, because a bunch of these tracks show up on albums that didn’t make the other list. Plus, given we all live in an iTunes kind of world, you might like to purchase these one-off tracks instead of forking out for the entire album. I was going to limit it to 10 songs, but there were too many, so I made it a top 20. Cross-referencing is welcome, as are your own comments about what songs were on high rotation at your joint during 2009. Without further ado:
Number 20: Oh! Hark! Lisa Mitchell (from the album Wonder) Have a real soft spot for this singer-songwriter. Actually, the version I like is the demo version on the deluxe version of the album. Nice, tuneful track that shows the ex-Idol contestant at her best.
Number 19: Know We’re No Where She’s the Driver (from the album Distorted Harmony) Gritty, distorted, shoe-gazey track from Melbourne two-piece band.
Number 18: Forever More The Verses (from the album The Verses) Potential-revealing track from new band put together by Ella and Jesse Hooper, formerly of Killing Heidi.
Number 17: Silos The Maladies (from the album With You Right by my Side, Baby, the Deal Just Can’t Go Down) A David Lynch tinged cover of a Don Walker song by this startling Melbourne band.
Number 16: Dry Grass and Shadows Alela Diane (from the album To Be Still) I could’ve chosen a few tracks from this album (which is why it is on the album list!) but this album opener is the one I keep coming back to.
Number 15: Get Myself Together Liz Stringer (from the album Pendulum) A dark, brooding number that Stringer sings to perfection. Beautiful instrumentation and production brings the whole thing together. Great.
Number 14: Sing the Changes The Fireman (from the album Electric Arguments) Proof-positive that Macca can still write a ringing pop tune. Call it my nostalgia trip (especially as it came out last year; not to worry).
Number 13: Right On Special Patrol (from the album The Stranger’s Dozen) Who say’s classic pop is dead? Fab track from this Adelaide outfit who should take themselves more seriously.
Number 12: Love Don’t Make You Juliet Brandi Shearer (from the album Love Don’t Make You Juliet) Beautiful ballad that should be much better known than it is. (Grabs cowboy hat.) Do yourself a favour…
Number 11: Tale 3 Lento Arabesco for Zdravko Colic And The Georgian Male Choir Goran Bregović (from the album Welcome to Bregović) A pretty stunning choral/chant/funeral/wedding piece from the “greatest hits” album of this Serbian singer and composer. No, really …
Number 10: The Trap’s Been Set Gary Louris/Mark Olsen (from the album Ready for the Flood) A decent song lifted into the top 10 because of the harmony vocals. Probably my favourite vocal performance of the year. I mean, they f-ck it up with a spoken-word interlude, but just ignore that bit.
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