the 31 best of 2009: 26-31

UPDATE: Please notice that I added a link to at least one song by each artist, so you can listen to that song on youtube. Enjoy!

26: Matthew Barber – Ghost Notes
Matthew’s stripped down, beautiful acoustic folk-rock really took me be surprise; when I stumbled on his song, Easily Bruised, I really wasn’t expecting to find an entire album that was so equally wonderful. Vocally, Matthew bears some similarities to Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, yet he crafts his own tender precision with each song on Ghost Notes. Matthew’s musical style blends the delicate elements of folk, peppered with hints of a country twinge throughout the album; which, combined with the beautiful imagery in his lyrics, makes Ghost Notes a truly beautiful collection of songs. I think that it is his stripped down side that highlights his talent best, as some of the slowest, and most delicate songs on the album are above and beyond his best; such as the amazing track, and perhaps my favorite from the album, Where the River Bends. I will say right again, that this album was a pleasant surprise, and a great random find for me this year; I am more than pleased I heard it, as I knew right away it would definitely be amongst my favorites from this year… and as you can see, it certainly is. Standout Tracks: Where The River Bends; Modern Woman; Easily Bruised; Somebody, Sometime.

27: Anouk – For Bitter Or Worse
I first became aware of the Dutch singer Anouk when I heard her amazing song Lost a year or so ago; but it wasn’t until For Bitter or Worse that I can actually say that I truly got into her music. I noticed that she was releasing a new album this year, and after hearing the AMAZING lead single, Three Days in a Row, and the sheer vocal talent that she effortlessly throws about in that song (especially the incredibly crescendo at 3:16 seconds… um, can I get a WOW?), I knew I had to do myself a favor, check out the rest of this album. I’m glad that I did, because overall, For Bitter or Worse is fantastic. Anouk’s strongest attribute is her gritty, impressive voice, but she also weaves beautiful melodies with well written lyrics throughout the album, and together, they make for a truly weathered and very professional sounding rock album. After hearing this album for the first time, the only question I was left with, was WHY on earth is this woman not massively famous in the United States; or even globally, for that matter? Talent is clearly not the issue here (that voice!), and as such, it is certainly a wonder as to why Anouk isn’t more of a household name outside of her home country; she makes music that is nothing short of impressive. Regardless of how famous she ends up being here in the States, I can tell you one thing; with this album, she has definitely made a fan out of me. Standout Tracks: Lay It Down, Three Days in a Row, Woman, For Bitter or Worse.

28: Peter Bjorn and John – Living Thing
I fell in love with Peter Bjorn and John with their amazing album Writer’s Block. After hearing their new single, Nothing to Worry About, I was worried if that love would continue for their new album, because the song actually annoyed me at first. However, once I heard the song a few times, I found the PB and J in it that I loved, and I slowly, but surely came around. With the release of Living Thing, I will admit, that I wasn’t sold at first; missing this time, were the clever whistling and the insanely catchy indie pop that filled Writer’s Block, and in their place, was a noticeably harder, and more experimental edge to each song. However, much like the first single, I slowly came around, and ended up finding the root of Peter Bjorn and John at the heart of the album, and liking it as well. A few of the songs, like It Don’t Move Me, I got into instantly, because they are completely and utterly brilliant; and highlight just how talented Peter Bjorn and John are. It just goes to show, that there are bands out there that are capable of so much, that you never know what piece of their seemingly endless spectrum they are going to show you; and with Living Thing, Peter Bjorn and John have shown that they are definitely one of those bands. Standout Tracks: It Don’t Move Me, Nothing To Worry About, Just The Past, Last Night.

29: Jack Penate – Everything Is New
I’m going to start by saying how glad I am that Jack took a different direction for his aptly titled sophomore album, Everything Is New. While I enjoyed some of the rockabilly style he harnessed on his debut, it is definitely the more pop sensible Jack that I prefer. With this album, Jack focuses his effort on building true orchestrations, and in doing so, crafts elegant and grandiose pop arrangements on practically every track. While it is what many would consider a short album, clocking in at just shy of 34 minutes with 9 tracks, Jack has shown a great attention to detail this time around, and avoids the pitfall of having each song sound incredibly similar to the one that preceded it (as was the case with most of his debut). The elegance and beauty on this album highlights a really talented pop musician; one who has learned how to better utilize his rock and roll roots. For me, the deep (and at times, playful) beats, the horns, and the recorded-in-a-concert-hall feel that practically every track as to it, coupled with Jack’s tender, yet earnest vocals, make this album an enjoyable listening experience throughout. Standout Tracks: Pull My Heart Away, Be The One, Let’s All Die.

30: Noisettes – Wild Young Hearts
When I first heard Don’t Upset the Rhythm, I knew instantly that I had something to look forward to this year from The Noisettes. What followed, was the impressive Wild Young Hearts, an album that highlights not only a talented vocalist, but a band that draws on classic elements and playful melodies. The impressive and beautiful voice of Shingai Shoniwa will have you thinking you are listening to something straight out of 50s or 60s Motown, but the blaring guitars and thumping drum beats will remind you that you are actually hearing something fresh in 2009. This album follows the trend that Amy Winehouse reinvigorated with her 2007 effort, Back to Black, and continues the revitalization of that throwback sound today. What I loved most about this album, was the familiarity that permeated many of the tracks; like how parts of Never Forget You have a musical similarity to the theme song to Laverne and Shirley. While I fell instantly for the lead single, and quickly hopped on board with continued love for the album upon its release, I would definitely have to say that this is one of those albums that I should have spent a little more time with this year. Standout Tracks: Don’t Upset the Rhythm, Atticus, Never Forget You.

31: Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
Starting off with the massive single, My Life Would Suck Without You, Kelly’s fourth album starts strong, and offers a much more radio-friendly album than her previous effort. Kelly’s voice is better than ever, and she soars in and out of rock-heavy break up anthems, and reigns it in for the tender ballads. Overall, the Kelly Clarkson that I fell for with Breakaway is back, and it is almost like the lackluster album between these two albums never happened. Kelly rightfully claimed a lot of chart success this year, and given the number of strong single-ready tracks left on All I Ever Wanted, I suspect that she will keep going strong in 2010 with the momentum off of this album. My only negative critique of this album concerns the tracks that fill the middle of the album, and distract away from the clearly superior, clearly single-worthy tracks. While these tracks can certainly be blamed for dragging Kelly down on my favorites list this year, I’m just glad that the chart-dominating Kelly Clarkson is back. Standout Tracks: Don’t Let Me Stop You (THIS MUST BE A SINGLE!), My Life Would Suck Without You, Ready, I Do Not Hook Up.