2009: My Year In Sorted MP3s

So it's nearing the end of the year, and that means it is time for me to sit back and reflect on all of the quality music and movies and television and printed words that I have I taken in over the past 12 months. But: as the only movie I recall seeing in the past year was The Hangover... and my television watching consists solely of hockey and Lost and Mad Men... and the stack of partially-read books on my nightstand is now at six-high... maybe I'll stick to the music, which I consume like hummus, delicious (audio) hummus.

This was a tough year for me to gauge albums. I found that with my iPod finally topping 50MB, and with 50 new songs downloaded each month from eMusic, I don't get a chance to absorb albums like I used to. I may have made similar comments last year, but this year was far worse. Having said that, below are the ten albums that I found myself scrolling to most frequently, for at least a few choice tracks before succumbing to the allure of the shuffle. Perhaps it is telling that my favourite album was a compilation...

1. Dark Was The Night - v/a
2. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
3. We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
4. Ohbijou - Beacons
5. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
6. Girls - Album
7. The xx - s/t
8. Dog Day - Concentration
9. M. Ward - Hold Time
10. Yim Yames - Tribute

Then there are the Wilco and Jenn Grant albums I didn't get a chance to hear, which likely would have made it onto my list, and high, as they are what Columbia House would call "Adult Alternative" and therefore speak directly to me as an adult in denial. Having recognized this, I downloaded the new Mission Of Burma this week and have willed myself to enjoy it. So take that, Columbia House - you don't know me!