The Record Machine’s Best of 2009
So 2009 has been such a crazy year for The Record Machine. I love this time of year. I feel like personally I start winding down a bit and get to look back over the last year and see how far we have come and start to dream on how much father we can get next year. So first off let me talk about 2009. We released 6 records which is twice as many in a single year then any year in the past. Every one of them are amazing and I believe so much in all of them and I am so thankful that so many of you have too. If you didn’t keep up with us here is what we released:
Perhapsy – Perhapsy
Max Justus – No Mercy
Capybara – Try Brother
The Billen Brothers – The Porubsky’s Soundtrack
Sam Billen – Headphones and Cellphones
The Parade Schedule – Seeds To Be Planted, Trees To Be Cut
Such wonderful music there. We also released so many great songs and ep through this website that I am proud of. I think the Song of The Month project is only going to blow up more. Sam Billen’s Remover record will be released as one song a month for the next year. We also have some really great stuff planned over the next year. To look at the future here is what we have in the works: A new Max Justus record, New State Bird EP, Saharan Gazelle Boy(solo record from Darin of Capybara), Split 7″ with Cowboy Indian Bear and It’s True, A physical release of the Porubsky’s Soundtrack. And that is just the stuff we should have out before May! There is a lot more question marks on when things will be finished but I think we should have at least 6 records in 2010 if not more.
As our tradition over the last few years I have been collecting Best Of Lists from all of our bands, graphic artists, and other companies we work with. I always enjoy seeing what others are listening to and end up finding a release or two that might not have heard of otherwise.
Nathan Reusch (co-owner of The Record Machine)
Top 10 Records I didn’t release
(Note- This is the first year we had too many releases to even try to figure out where they are in my list.)
1. Fruit Bats – The Ruminant Band
2. Grizzly Bear – Veckamist
3. Here We Go Magic – Here We Go Magic
4. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
5. Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
6. Deastro – Moondagger
7. St. Vincent – Actor
8. Real Estate – Real Estate
9. Washed Out – Life of Leisure / High Times
10. Neon Indian – Physic Chasms
Mike Russo (co-owner- The Record Machine)
10: phoenix
9: hyperdub
8: deloreon
7: underwater peoples comp
6: discovery
5: Salem – we make it good mix series vol. 11
4: pictureplane
3: animal collective
2: Wavves
1: teengirl fantasy
bands I would love to put on this list, but didn’t actually have a full album (I. e. promising for next year): joker, the laze, OoOOo, windsurf, miike snow, torro y moi, yeasayer, and viernes.
More best of lists after the break:
Alex O’Nan – Interstates / of Asaph
Top 25 Albums of the 2000’s
1. Casino vs Japan – Hitori + Kaiso (2004)
2. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
3. Don Caballero – World Class Listening Problem (2005)
4. Paul Newman – Machine Is Not Broken (2000)
5. Do Make Say Think – & Yet & Yet (2002)
6. Jim O’Rourke – Insignificance
7. Strategy – Drumsolo’s Delight (2004)
8. De La Soul – Grind Date (2004)
9. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky (2007)
10. Elbow – Seldom Seen Kid (2007)
11. Del Rey – Speak It Not Aloud (2001)
12. Zwan – Mary Star of the Sea (2003)
13. The Sea and Cake – One Bedroom (2002)
14. Crime in Choir – S/T (2002)
15. Perhapsy – S/T (2009)
16. Hot Snakes – Suicide Invoice (2002)
17. LPG – The Gadfly (2002)
18. Dabrye – Instrmntl (2002)
19. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002)
20. Cass McCombs – Dropping the Writ (2007)
21. Keith Fullerton Whitman – Playthroughs (2002)
22. Idaho – Levitate (2001)
23. The Sea and Cake – Oui (2000)
24. Mercury Program – All The Suits Bega To Fall Off (2001)
25. Constantines – Shine A Light (2004)
Nathan Phillips – Solo Musician and formerly of Winston Jazz Routine
2009’s eye-opening discoveries, new and old:
1. fish tacos
2. Judie Sill
3. Ken Kern’s “the owner-built home”
4. mangos
5. Max Richter’s “horizon variations”
6. blueberry-almond cliff bars
7. horse castration
8. Stephen Bishop’s “careless” (cheasy, but good)
9. Rachmaninov’s “vespers”
10. raw oats – good in all things, including yogurt, oatmeal and blended shakes.
Darin Seal – Capybara and Saharan Gazelle Boy
Favorite songs I heard this year in which a girl is presumably singing about a boy:
1. Beach House – Take Care
2. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
3. Karen O – Hideaway
4. Asobi Seksu – Layers
5. Camera Obscura – James
6. Beach House – Used To Be
7. Dirty Projectors – Two Doves
8. El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart
9. Vivian Girls – Can’t Get Over You
Favorite YouTube videos of the year:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
Sam Billen – Solo Artist and The Billen Brothers
Nathan Phillips: Postcard (beautiful – I will never burn out on this album – NEVER!)
Mew: No More Stories are Told Today (also just recently started listening to And the Glass-Handed Kite – amazing!)
Passion Pit: Manners (so fun, but a little whiney)
5 bands that deserve more attention that I’ve stumbled upon:
Hey Penny (http://www.myspace.com/heypenny) – a little hyper, but respectably complex and fun to listen to
the Paper Route (http://www.myspace.com/paperroute) – like Tears for Fears mixed with the Postal Service
the Champion and His Burning Flame (http://www.myspace.com/thechampionandhisburningflame) – highly orchestrated, pockets of magic here and there
Cokiyu (http://www.myspace.com/cokiyu) – spacey, melodic noises from Japan
EPO-555 (http://www.myspace.com/epo555) – reminds me of my brother, lots of twists and turns and tons of cheap synthesizers
Derek Barber – Perhapsy
Favorite Albums of 00’s:
1.) Radiohead — Kid A
2.) Bjork — Vespertine
3.) Flaming Lips — Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
No particular order:
4 The Swords Project — Entertainment Is Over If You Want It
5 The Notwist — Neon Golden
6 Broken Social Scene — You Forgot It In People
7 Unwed Sailor — The Marionette and the Music Box
8 Pedro the Lion — Control
9 Death Cab for Cutie — The Stability EP
10 Daft Punk — Discovery
11 The Streets — A Grand Don’t Come for Free
12 Arcade Fire — Funeral
13 Spoon — Gimme Fiction
14 John Vanderslice — Cellar Door
15 At the Drive-In — Relationship of Command
16 Animal Collective — Strawberry Jam
17 Sufjan Stevens — Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State
18 The Thermals — The Body, the Blood, the Machine
19 Radiohead — Amnesiac
20 The Velvet Teen — Out of the Fierce Parade
21 Air — Talkie Walkie
22 American Analog Set — Promise of Love
23 Death Cab for Cutie — We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes
24 The Mountain Goats — Tallahassee
25 Namelessnumberheadman — Your Voice Repeating
26 The New Pornographers — Electric Version
27 Tristeza — A Colores
28 Godspeed You! Black Emperor — Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
29 Half-Handed Cloud — Halos & Lassos
30 Extra Life — Secular Works
31 The Mars Volta — De-Loused in the Comatorium
32 Dismemberment Plan — Change
33 Deerhoof — Friend Opportunity
34 Xiu Xiu — Women As Lovers
35 Sigur Ros — ()
36 Laura Veirs — Year of Meteors
37 Evangelicals — The Evening Descends
38 The Strokes — Is This It?
39 The Gloria Record — Start Here
40 Cornelius — Point
41 And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead — Source Tages & Codes
42 Every Gentle Air — Pt. 2
43 Thom Yorke — The Eraser
44 Grouper — Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
45 The Appleseed Cast — Two Conversations
46 Marnie Stern — This Is It…
47 Grandaddy — The Sophtware Slump
48 Stephen Malkmus — Stephen Malkmus
49 Mark Kozelek — Little Drummer Boy [Live]
50 Don Caballero — American Don
Favorite Food Dishes:
3. Fish Tacos — Joe’s Taco Lounge, Mill Valley, CA
2. Neopolitan Shake — In/Out Burger
1. Caramel Apple Empanada — Taco Bell
Mark Harrison – Capybara
Top 20 musicians (or show bills) of 2009 I inadvertently saw / met who made a distinct impression by incorporating something unique into their live show that inspires me.” (Ordered chronologically, not by rating.)
1. Megan Burns (of Flamingo Pink) > March @ Backroads Pizza in SANTA FE, NM
2. Dan Deacon > May @ The Foundation in KANSAS CITY, MO
3. Natalie Prass > May @ Exit/In in NASHVILLE, TN
4. Fancie > May @ The Church in KANSAS CITY, MO
5. mewithoutYou > June @ Bowery Ballroom in NEW YORK CITY, NY
6. Gil Mantera’s Party Dream > July @ The Record Bar in KANSAS CITY, MO
7. Sam Billen / Perhapsy > August @ Czar Bar in KANSAS CITY, MO
8. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone > September @ Off Broadway in ST. LOUIS, MO
9. Royal Osprey / Distractions > September @ The Ball Hall in CHICAGO, IL
10. Cedarwell > September @ his house and the YNot3 in SHEBOYGAN / MILWAUKEE, WI
11. Themes / Total Babe > September @ Eclipse Records in ST. PAUL, MN
12. Paper Brain / Patterns > September @ The Woods in PORTLAND, OR
13. The Builders and The Butchers > October @ Rontoms in PORTLAND, OR
14. Poppet > October @ some house in DAVIS, CA
15. TM Band > October @ The Habitat in SAN DIEGO, CA
16. Video / Mad Gregs > October @ Echo Curio in LOS ANGELES, CA
17. Moth!Fight! / The White White Lights > November @ The Mohawk in AUSTIN, TX
18. Dead Sea Choir / Dignan > November @ The Mohawk in AUSTIN, TX
19. Cowboy Indian Bear > December @ Riot Room in KANSAS CITY, MO
20. Max Justus > December @ Czar Bar in KANSAS CITY, MO
Dan Eaton – Motorboater and Queens Club
Best Grabass Songs of 2009
1. “My Girls” – Animal Collective
2. “Moonson” – Delorean
3. “Goth Star” – Pictureplane
4. “Feel It All Around” – Washed Out
5. “Little Secrets” – Passion Pit
6. “Crown on the Ground” – Sleigh Bells
Beau Jennings – Solo Artists and Cheyenne
Top 5 Most-Listened-To Records of 2009 (That Is To Say, Not Necessarily The Best Of 2009, But The Most Enjoyed Of 2009):
Alela Diane – To Be Still
Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard – One Fast Move Or I’m Gone
Spooklight – Spooklight
Bob Dylan – Together Through Life
Sun Kil Moon – April
Marty Hillard – Cowboy Indian Bear
The Only Physical Releases I Purchased That Were Released in 2009
1. Health, Get Color (CD), Lovepump United
2. Major Lazer, Guns Don’t Kill People Lazers Do (CD), Mad Decent/Downtown
Two Albums That Stood Out That I Managed Not To Purchase in 2009
1. Wild Beasts, Two Dancers, Domino
2. Talvihorros, Some Ambulance
Runner-ups:
1. The Horrors, Primary Colours, XL
2. FOOL’s GOLD, s/t, IAMSOUND
My Favorite Singles in 2009
1. Wolf Gang, The King And All of His Men, Hit Club
2. The Horrors, Sea Within a Sea, XL
3. These New Puritans, We Want War, Domino
The Album(s) I’m Looking Forward To Most in 2010
1. These New Puritans, Hidden, Domino
2. Yeasayer, Old Blood, Secretly Canadian/We Are Free
Candice Jones – Team Clermont Publicity
30. Dan Deacon – Bromst
29. Pontiak – Sea Voids
28. Japandroids – Post Nothing
27. Double Dagger – MORE
26. Capybara – Try Brother
25. Blank Dogs – Under and Under
24. The xx – The xx
23. Omar Souleyman – Dabke 2020
22. Pride Parade – Dose
21. Health – Get Color
20. Circulatory System – Signal Morning
19. Akron/Family – Set Em Wild, Set Em Free
18. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains
17. Vitalic – Flashmob
16. Real Estate – Real Estate
15. Micachu & the Shapes – Jewellry
14. Cass McCombs – Catacombs
13. Jookabox – Dead Zone Boys
12. Deer Tick – Born on Flag Day
11. Pissed Jeans – King Of Jeans
10. Megafaun – Gather, Form And Fly
09. The Dodos – Time to Die
08. Atlas Sound – Logos
07. The Antlers – Hospice
06. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
05. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
04. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
03. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
02. Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
01. Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Jenn de la Vega – Mushpot PR
J Arthur Keenes Band – Pamplemousse
Starscream – Future and It Doesn’t Work
La Roux – S/T
Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport
railcars – Cathedral with No Eyes
sylcmyk – Heartbroken.
Little Boots – Hands
starPause – AKID EP
Ganglians – S/T
The Lovely Eggs – If You Were Fruit
Bands with no albums: Surfer Blood, The Twelves
Chetan Patel – Photographer
music that makes you cooler (no particular order)
drake – so far gone (mixtape)
beyonce – i am…sasha fierce
the dream – love vs money
raekwon – only built 4 cuban linx 2
j dilla – jay stay paid
eminem – relapse
maxwell – black summer nights
fashawn – boy meets world
ugk – ugk 4 life
lupe fiasco – enemy of the state (mixtape) – i recommend it
Danny Gibson – DJG Design
DJG’s Top 12 Movie Moments of 2009 (so far…)
01. Mouth-gaping, internal howling, theater massacre climax of
“Inglourious Basterds”
02. Deeply emotional moving montage of aging in “UP”
03. Up-close iguanas with the blues in “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of
Call New Orleans”
04. Max leaving the Wild Things to go home in “Where The Wild Things Are”
05. Opening wow-wow credit sequence in “Watchmen”
06. Goose bump weeping fireworks and “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by
Crowded House in “Adventureland”
07. Fast-paced, grin-inducing “Heroes & Villians” portion of “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
08. Greatest cameo appearance EVER in “Zombieland” (I won’t spoil)
09. Marvelous Meryl Streep as Julia Childs chopping a gigantic pile of
onions in “Julie & Julia”
10. Emotions on high as the band Anvil records “This is Thirteen” in
“Anvil: The Story of Anvil”
11. Stupid-Cute Kevin the Dog with Betty White in “The Proposal”
12. The lens flairs of “Star Trek”
Things DJG Realized in 2009
-Slimming shirts make me look fatter.
-It is hard to leave a series phone message when impaired with the hiccups.
-Coca-Cola outside of the can is better, but still not better for you.
-Diet Coke and banana do not work well together.
-I am realizing when I need to drink water instead of other beverages.
-Prunes are just plums.
-Yes, please, to blueberries.
-Raspberry pie is quite genius.
-Pesto makes certain foods amazing.
-Smaller portions of very rich sweets.
-I don’t care for hot desserts, but I’ll politely wait for it to cool
if given one.
-When talking with head phones on, I talk really loud. I’ve always
known this, but cannot teach myself to stop.
-I re-realized my liking for Wynona Judd songs.
-Before this year I would go to art walks and end up disenfranchised
by art for a week or two.
-I really love the energy of professional baseball playoff crowds on T.V.
-I realize that all people are weird and complex.
-Unless it’s on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”, I don’t prefer songs with robot vocal distortion.
-I’m not a fan of remix songs or remix graphic designs.
-I respect the work of French New Wave films more than I actually like to watch them.
-Pedestrians who stand right on the curb while traffic passes make me extremely nervous.
Ben Chalpek – Never Sleeping Design
favorite movies to watch in the winter of 2009.
heima
eternal sunshine
weather man
die hard
ice harvest
vanilla sky
christmas vacation
wicker park
home alone
die hard 2
Feel Free to post your own best of list in the comments. Thanks for a great year!
