Use the player below to listen online.
Click here to download the podcast.
Click here to subscribe via iTunes or RSS.
Welcome to my year-in-review episode of the podcast. I used to do a top 10 list every year of my favourite albums but it doesn’t really fit this format, so instead, I’m just going to play some of my favourite tracks of the year. I’ve come across a lot of great music of the last year and I’ve been thankful that I’ve been able to share it all with you the listener.
1) Maylene & The Sons of Disaster – Step Up (I’m On It) from “III”
You shouldn’t really be surprised that this is the lead track. I started off a previous episode with it and it’s easily my favourite aggresive song of the year.
2) Gentlemen Husbands – Cruise Control
3) Rootbeer – Pink Limousine (Ohmega Watts Lil’ Havana ’83 Remix)
Early in the year, I was all about that Rootbeer EP. It’s fun part music without much depth, so I didn’t listen to it nearly as much at the end of the year but it’s still super catchy and you’ll probably be singing the chorus well after this podcast is done.
4) Deepspace 5 – Goose Needs This from “5PRINT Mixtape”
Even though this was just a little mixtape, I’ve spun it almost daily since I downloaded it. Sadly, I still laugh every time the song gets to the “Give up the Ghost like Swayze”/”Did he really say that?” part.
5) The Grouch & Eligh – All In (feat. Pigeon John) from “Say G&E!”
Pigeon John makes his second appearance on this list, which is pretty good considering that he didn’t even release a proper album this year.
6) mewithoutYou – The Fox, The Crow & The Cookie from “It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright!”
This was my album of the year. Stellar from start to finish. mewithoutYou’s typical intensity mixed with a childish quirkiness brought in by producer Daniel Smith (of Danielson fame). The lyrical themes exploring faith and not necessarily the prettier side of Christianity really connected with me as well.
7) The Ghost Is Dancing – Louis Riel
Group Of Seven – Town Reunion from “Canuck”
I love this track. Former Radical Dude Adam Bell writes a Sufjan Stevens-esque tribute to Canada and this track in particular stands out. Just a great nostalgic song about growing up in a small town.
9) John K. Samson – Heart Of The Continent from “City Route 85″ 7″
This might not mean as much to someone from outside of Manitoba but this is John K. Samson (of the Weakerthans) with his tribute to Portage Avenue in Winnipeg. Since there was no new music from his band, it was nice to hear this solo stuff, which really isn’t much different, maybe just a little more stripped down.
10) The Wooden Sky – My Old Ghosts from “If I Don’t Come Home, You’ll Know I’m Gone”
This was from album #2 on my list this year. I’m not sure what it was but I just loved this album. Thinking about it, there’s nothing really spectacular about it but I spun it a lot over the last half of the year, dragging The Wooden Sky into my top 10 of most played bands on last.fm (Which means that I spun the album 30-40 times).
11) Old Canes – Little Bird Courage from “Feral Harmonic”
One of my most anticipated albums of 2009. I loved their previous effort and this one didn’t disappoint either. A very rough folk/bluegrassy disc from a guy who’s typically a master of post-rock.
12) The Schomberg Fair – Wayfaring Stranger from “Gospel”
One of the bands I discovered through STRadio. Thanks to Tyrone for playing a track of theirs a while ago and getting me hooked on their self-described “speed gospel” sound.
13) Silver Speakers – From Long Branch To Vic Park (demo)
Tyrone’s probably sick of me playing his stuff already but I had a fun year getting to play a couple shows with Silver Speakers, including a gig at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern. Since he only released a Christmas EP this year, I had to turn to a demo that he posted on ST Radio back in the early part of the year. The live version of this song was sped up quite a bit but this fits perfectly well in the playlist right here.
14) The Langley Sisters – I Saw The Devil
One of the odder selections, I was surprised at how much I liked this disc. The group is essentially three women that sing old-timey music. Think “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack-type music.
15) Bruce Peninsula – 2nd 4th World War
Easily my favourite new band of 2009. I got to see them twice over the year and they didn’t disappoint either time. I really love that rough folk sound.
16) David Bazan – Please, Baby, Please from “Curse Your Branches”
While I wasn’t that big of a fan of the album overall (he really destroyed Lost My Shape by slowing it down. It lost all the urgency and passion that made it great. Check out the version called Broken Arm on Starflyer 59′s Ghosts of the Past collection), but he did a great job with this song. Early demos had this as a laid back acoustic number but I really like the finished product.
17) Joel Plaskett – All The Way Down The Line from “Three”
I usually think that double albums are bloated and unnecessary, so I’m really surprised that I liked Joel Plaskett’s Three. Lots of good songs and even three more that didn’t make the cut but were released a little later.
18) The Appleseed Cast – Raise The Sails from “Sagarmatha”
What better way to end the year-in-review than by posting a track by my favourite band? I always love hearing new music from these guys and this album was very much a return to form.
Thanks for listening. Hopefully I’ll get to pick up a mic soon so I can go back to giving audio commentary instead of having to type this up every week.
Jared
