In part two of our best of 2009 series, once again we ask the AU crew to give us their favourite songs of 2009. Each contributor gave us their top 5 songs of the year, including a little ditty about their number 1 choice. But first, here’s a look at the song of the year, as voted by the AU crew.
Animal Collective are 2 for 2 in our best of 2009 series – and it’s no surprise. From the day the My Girls was released, their most commercial track to date, Animal Collective have opened up their world of beauty to a wide new tribe of fans. For some, this is is an irritating fact – their “little secret” becoming industry darlings. But their latest EP put all fears to rest – they’re not changing the way they do things, it’s just now more people are listening. And if they’re listening to this, rather than the commercial tripe pumped down our throats, then this is nothing but a good thing. – Larry Heath
“…while a title evoking imagery of some leathery old man writhing around on a stage, it couldn’t be further from. It is guitar-driven and vocally light-hearted, with memorable lyrics that you can sing along to, not necessarily in tune! It has this anthemic appeal, like a simple teenage love song; with this dark under current you can’t quite put your finger on.” – Alexandra Duguid (taken from her review of Album)
And now, let’s turn to a few of our fine contributors and find out their song of the year!
My, what beautifully eclectic tastes this group have …
Aaron Diaz
Atlas Sound ft. Noah Lennox – Walk About: has one of the most personal reflective lyrics that i can relate to this year “what did you want to see, what did you want to be when you grow up?” A feel good song for the summer, while chilling out sipping on a cold beverage, with refreshing sampling and the ever relaxed vocals of Bradford Cox contrasting Noah Lennox of Animal Collective.
Best of the Rest:
dirty projectors – cannibal resource
girls – lust for life
fuck buttons – surf solar
dan deacon – snookeredcave singers – beach house
Alexandra Duguid
Cabins – Catcher in the Rye: As soon as I heard this song, it was like a re-awakening! It’s not a song you listen to, but feel. Trembling piano and guitar, holding up the husky vocals, telling a wisened tale of old of heart-break and desperation. As soon as I heard it I knew it would be one of those songs I could never live without.
Best of the Rest:
The Scare – Cry
Hungry Kids of Hungary – Let You Down
La Roux – Bulletproof
White Lies – Death
Larry Heath
10:03 by Doves: “10:03 on a fast train / A trick of light / Crossing my eye / A skyward plane / Calling out your name” The minute these lyrics, beautifully presented by singer Jimi Goodwin, passed across my headphones, I found myself transported to that very world; sitting on a train, departing a loved one. Evocative in every sense of the world, the song brought my jaw to the floor, and I haven’t been able to pick it up ever since. And getting to hear it live at Splendour in the Grass was the icing of the cake. This song will stay with me for years to come – an easy choice for song of the year.
Best of the Rest:
White Diamonds by Friendly Fires
My Girls by Animal Collective
Lisztomania by Pheonix
Kirin J Callinan – Love / Delay
Ashton Jones
Royksopp Forever by Royksopp: Norwegian nirvana. That’s the only way I can describe this lush instrumental from these Scandinavian virtuosos of ambient electronic music. Following Royksopp’s career closely I’ve always felt their music had a transcendent ability to evoke vivid landscapes and this song, more than any other, exemplifies that ability. Listening to it feels like a symphonic journey through a desolate winter landscape that bursts into spring vitality and finally emerges with a triumphant summer joy as the strings swell and the song reaches a crescendo. All this is achieved without one syllable uttered. It’s timeless and yet lives immediately in this time, in this moment. Royksopp forever, indeed.
Best of the Rest:
Seasun by Delorean
My Girls by Animal Collective
Countdown (Sick For The Big Sun) by Phoenix
Lust for Life by Girls
Rikki Lorger
Little Birdy – Hairdo: This is the ultimate love song that basically says ‘I don’t give a f*@k what you look like or what you think you need to do, I love you just the way you are’. It’s simple and cute but still manages to have that sultry rock feel that no one does better than Katy Steele.’
Best of the Rest:
Lighthouse – Josh Pyke
Goodnight, Bull Creek – Bob Evans
Ramona Was A Waitress – Paul Dempsey
Broken Leg – BlueJuice
Kat Mahina
The Horrors – Who Can Say: The Horrors second LP was in a completely different direction from Strangehouse and its been great to hear the boys tap into their 80’s influence and churn out a solid new-wave record. Who Can Say is the perfect mix of emotional synth rock about the pains of romance gone wrong.
Best of the Rest:
Philadelphia Grand Jury – The Good News
The Temper Trap – Love Lost
Friendly Fires – Photobooth
Maximo Park – In Another World
Gareth Page
KING CANNONS – Teenage Dreams: This upbeat ska/rock number from New Zealands King Cannons is
not only a great tune in it’s own right (hence the #1 ranking), but
also leaves one pondering just what this group will deliver in the
future. If they had decided to release more than one single in the past
year, it may well have made it into my top 10 also. Boasting a great
live show to boot, the King Cannons were a (reasonably) easy pick for
#1.
Best of the Rest:
THE SOPHISTICANTS – Roughness
THE BRONX – Knifeman
FANGS – An Overdose of Everything
DAN SULTAN – Letter
Denis Semchenko
The Boxer Rebellion – Evacuate: A sharp, taut slice of neo-postpunk that sounds nothing like Joy Division, Interpol or Editors while retaining a glorious hook and urgent atmosphere.
Best of the Rest:
Leader Cheetah – Bloodlines
Dappled Cities – The Price
Karnivool – New Day
The Church – Pangaea
Chris Singh
Animal Collective – In The Flowers: An atmospheric indie anthem from an album which has made such a brilliant and significant impact on indie music this year. This song embodies everything that is good and beautiful about music; it will take you out of your body and truly make you ‘dance despite anything.’ The music progresses wonderfully throughout as the build-up reaches into your body and takes your soul up into the air; the subsequent heart-pounding drum patterns kick in as your soul peaks; and then the regression back to slow ambiance brings you down to earth as the vocals soothe the soul back into your body. This song is an experience, and one that deserves no less than to be considered as the best song of 2009.
Best of the Rest:
The XX – Basic Space
Jay-Z Feat Alicia Keys – New York State Of Mind
Pheonix – 1901
Muse – Uprising
Dane Wang
Miike Snow – Animal: When my friend first asked me if I’ve heard of Miike Snow, I replied with “Who the fuck is Miike Snow?” Miike Snow is a band. A band which has produced the catchiest dance floor anthem of 2009. ‘Animal’ could be heralded as this years ‘Time to Pretend’ and be pigeonholed as a one hit wonder, however you would be wrong to cross them off. Give them a listen and before you know it Animal will be the song to your summer.
Best of the Rest:
Crocodiles – I Wanna Kill
Washed Out – New Theory
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Come Saturday
Set Your Goals – Summer Jam
David Young
La Roux – In For the Kill: Those cooing call-and-response verses, the snug layer of vocal harmony, that flourishing vocal solo before one final chorus of fluttering synths and thudding electro beats secures the airtight synth-pop perfection … if we’re strictly talking pop music, this is the kind of song that raises the bar, leaps over it with a double twist and lands on its feet, with daring eyes as if to say “top THAT”. They may have been nobodies in January, but it’s songs like this that have practically made them household names. In For The Kill set out to make a lasting impression, and it managed to do so with relatively little fuss. Once more with feeling, kids: “Ooooh-ooooooh….”
Best of the Rest:
Gossip – Heavy Cross
Manchester Orchestra – I Can Feel a Hot One
Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Animal Collective – My Girls
