It impossible to listen to every album that gets released during 2009 in the many indie genres and sub-genres so it’s very easy to pass by many albums that might have deserved a chance at a slot on one of our top ten lists.

For the last two weeks I’ve been going through all the top ten lists from all the music blogs that Iread. This has turned out to be quite a feat. Partially because most of them kind of sucked but mostly because that’s just a hell of a lot of albums to sit through. From the many hours spent in this venture I have a few more albums from 2009 that deserve a little mention here.

The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

I know what you’re saying, “How did you miss this album? It’s been all over every website since early summer.” My response is that this is a classic case of what I call “Animalcollectitis”, also known as “Grizzlybearyphilis”. A person contracts this disorder when all those around him/her are infatuated with an object and said person desires no affiliation with said object due to all the coverage.

Everyone was talking about this band/album so I distanced myself until recently and now regret that choice. The Avett Brothers call Alt-Country their home but reach out and collect sounds from standard folk as well as Ben Folds-esque piano pop as found in “It Goes On and On”

Tracks of Note:
“And It Spreads”
“Ten Thousand Words”
“Ill With Want”

The Wooden Sky – If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone

The Wooden Sky tests my limits at time for tolerance of roots/country music. They toe such a fine line between twang country and back porch folk and yet somehow always stay on the correct side of that equation.

The year has been kind to The Wooden Sky, partially due to their relentless touring in which they avoided the standard bars and small clubs and opted for a more unconventional way of spreading their southern Americana (via Canada) sound. What they called their “Bedrooms and Backstreets Tour” found them playing shows at house parties, rooftops, outside hotel rooms and other locations that demanded more intimate settings. The tour was documented in a five part series called A Documentary in Pieces which can be viewed at their MySpace page.

Tracks of Note:
“Angels”
“Call If You Need Me”
“Oslo”

Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health

Don’t give up on Harlem Shakes to fast or you’ll miss out on something great. It might take some time to get used to the vocal stylings of Lexy Benaim but when you do you’ll be glad you stuck around.

First and foremost, Harlem Shakes are rhythmic. Not rhythmic in the sense that they make you want to sway and lightly bob your head to the beat but rhythmic in the sense that you must move as many parts of your body as you can as your body is filled with the world beats. There have been comparisons drawn to Vampire Weekend, which I would have to agree with to a point. Vampire Weekend inundates you will African rhythms that become tiresome and thus a little false. Harlem Shakes delicately lace these beats in that make you say “Oh, there it is again” instead of “Oh, there it still is”

Tracks of Note:
“Tfo”
“Sunlight”
“Technicolor Health”