Tag Archive | "The Spits"

Best of 2009: Staff Member Sean Hetherington

Posted on 31 December 2009. Tags: Best of '09, Handsome Furs, Indie Music, Merriweather, Sean Hetherington, The Spits, The Strange Boys, The XX

sean staff pics Best of 2009: Staff Member Sean Hetherington

By Sean Hetherington

One day this summer I was listening to Merriweather Post Pavillion while I was working in my garage. One of the songs that is not “My Girls” or “Summertime Clothes” (read: one of the less desirable tracks) was playing. As my little brother’s friends (call him Charlie) left the house he quizzically (and mockingly) smirked at the radio, “What the hell are you listening to man?” He didn’t even give me a chance to respond as he walked away chuckling and shaking his head. I realized at that moment, as I looked at the radio speakers then back at Charlie’s portly ponytail as he got in his truck, that what I was listening to at that moment was indeed nothing less then laughable. In all fairness, the truck he drives is yellow. Also it’s a Hummer H2. One of those SUTs. Nevertheless, the album didn’t make my top ten albums and six months later, I’m still trying to figure out which was more ridiculous: Charlie’s Oakleys as he drove off in his yellow Hummer or me as I listened to “Bluish” or “Lion in a Coma” or whatever pile of crap was playing at that curious moment. Anyways, here are 10 of my favorite albums of 2009.

1. Let’s Wrestle////In The Court of The Wrestling Lets

Imagine if Art Brut teamed up with Frank Black… Oh yeah that happened, and it didn’t sound half this good… but in all fairness, nothing this year did. Let’s Wrestle made a nearly perfect album this year. While this is merely a list of my favorite albums, it must be said that In the Court of the Wrestling Lets is truly the best album of 2009.

2. The Strange Boys////And Girls Club

The Strange Boys were Austin’s best band for at least 51 weeks of 2009. And be sure that—with another album coming early 2010, and a new band member (this one a girl)—they’ll be even more prevalent at SXSW this year in their push for 52 in 2010.

3. The Spits////Volume IV

10 songs in 15 minutes.

4. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart////The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

The Spits would beat the hell out of this band then eat their hearts, thereby showing them what real heart pain is. Still a good album.

4. Handsome Furs////Face Control

Probably the best thing anyone associated with Wolf Parade has put out since 2005’s Apologies To The Queen Mary.

5. Obits////I Blame You

Maybe not the Hot Snakes, but in this economy we’ll take what we can get.

6. The xx////xx

Chic?

7. Grizzly Bear////Veckatimest

A much anticipated album whose brighter moments are so bright that they sustain it’s rather prosaic moments. The fact that it made just about everybody’s “Best Of” lists shows just how bright those better moments are on Veckatimest.

8. Franz Ferdinand////Tonight

For every hour I spent this year trying to convince myself that I liked Merriweather Post Pavillion I spent two trying to convince myself that I did not like Tonight, or Franz Ferdinand at all anymore, for that matter. Wasted time. Shamelessly abandoning their former post-punk pose, the Scots seem to have adopted a post-boy band sound that is quite sexy, often frivolous, mostly, danceable, and always in good fun.

9. Heartless Bastards////The Mountain

Along with Built To Spill and Islands, this Detroit troupe proves that if you consistently make one great album after another (without some drastic change in your formula) you’ll probably get overlooked in 2009.

10. Dan Auerbach////Keep It Hid

Not the Black Keys, but definite proof that solo projects are not always lazy attempts at offloading spare ideas and songs. Auerbach can write songs and then sing for days.