Lists! Best of 09 by Andrew Patterson

I've decided to ask a few friends to make some lists for me! I also wanted to get input from various people in the music industry. Today, I've asked Illustrator Andrew Patterson to give me his top 10. Andrew has done some design work for Metric and the Ascot Royals... so what are illustrator/designers listening to these days? Andrew?


1. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Phoenix have been a favourite band of mine since Alphabetical, and they came through in 2009 with an album that is easily my favourite of the year and the best of their career. Wonderfully catchy songwriting, infectious riffs and keys, soothing synths (and an incredible live show)…perfection.


2. P.O.S. - Never Better
P.O.S. is a young, politically charged emcee based out of Minneapolis. On Never Better, he effortlessly fuses his beautiful word-smithing and flow with conscious lyrics over some truly original beats and instrumentals. Not only is this some of the most aggressively good hip hop you’ll hear this year, but the album artwork gets my vote for best of 09.



3. Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Omaha, Nebraska’s Cursive released their 7th album this year. While definitely more straight-ahead than their previous albums, I found Mama, I’m Swollen to be an immensely enjoyable record, complete with all the little tweaks and quirks that make Cursive…Cursive.


4. Emery - In Shallow Seas We Sail
One of the most pleasant surprises for me this year. I love Emery’s debut album for the raw energy and sheer aggression, which seemed to fade into dancey pop influenced numbers over the last few records. Right at the get go, the first track let me know the old Emery was back. Tons of nice vocal layering and ear-bleeding guitar.


5. Gliss - Devotion Implosion
As a fan of washed out, shoe-gazey, feedback rock, I must say that it’s been far too long since anything decent of the sort has been put out. Enter Gliss… the dirtiest rock I’ve heard in some time. Looks like the genre isn’t dead yet.


6. Phoenix - Kitsune Tabloid
This is without a doubt, my favourite compilation ever made. Assembled by the afore-mentioned Phoenix for Kitsune Maison, it’s an incredibly eclectic mix that includes everything from Elvis Costello and the Dirty Projectors to Kiss and D’Angelo. And it WORKS together. Crazy.


7. Mew - No More Stories Are Told Today, I'm Sorry, They Washed Away...
I was turned onto Mew fairly recently by a friend, just before this album came out, and boy am I grateful. No More Stories is one of the most cheerful, playful, and deceptively complex records I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this year. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you love weird foreign pop-rock.


8. Metric – Fantasies
Great album by a great band. Just enough darkness injected since Live it Out to keep things fresh, catchy melodies and lyrics that get stuck in your head in that good old-fashioned way.


9. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
Sneaky electronic whiz combines like 80 genres to create the best electronic album this year. Incredibly original, and makes you feel good. Sounds like a combination of Boards of Canada, Stars, Prefuse 73, Nickodemus, Elliott Lipp, and old funk. Brilliant.


10. Brand New – Daisy
This one snuck in here. With all the surprises I’ve come to expect from the band who re-invents themselves each album, Brand New’s Daisy is their heaviest album to date. When it’s not bashing your head in, it’s sending shivers down your spine with anticipation.



Runners Up: The Used, TBS, Dirty Projectors, Jay-Z, Say Anything