2009 in Music Albums 21-25

21. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Stoner rock! It is evident that producer Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) had his fingerprints all over this one. The album contains a mix of heavier rock songs like Crying Lightening, but also some slow ballads that really show off this bands strength, including some of their best songs yet such as Cornerstone. The lyrics throughout the album are great, its almost like sitting back and listening to some storytelling, except its done through a rock album.

Favourites: Cornerstone, Dance Little Liar

22. AIR - Love 2
AIR is one of those bands that I love to put their albums on in the background when I'm doing work or reading. The simple, yet catchy beats, sounds, plunks, synths, vocals, and lyrics that don't quite make sense make it easy to get lost in the album. At times its like being in an elevator at the supermarket, other times it is like landing on a distant planet. Either way it makes for a fun album. My favourite music video of the year also came from this album in the form of Sing Sang Sung.

Favourites: Sing Sang Sung, African Velvet

23. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
This album came out early in the year, but I haven't really listened to it since when it came out. It contains the classic Franz sound with their art rock choppy guitars, catchy sing a long choruses, and songs that make it hard to not tap your foot. It also contains their longest song to date, Lucid Dreams, which starts off like a normal Franz song, but eventually dissolves into an electronic dance with buzzing synths taking turn alternating between the right side and left side of the brain. I'll have to revisit this album at some point.

Favourites: Lucid Dreams

24. You Say Party! We Say Die! - XXXX
Exclamation points and X's are littered throughout this album, but rightfully so as love is the primary theme of the album, and is delivered in an energetic, exciting, and charismatic manner. An album full of heavy hitting songs in the sense that almost all of them could be singles. It is hard to sit still while listening to this album.

Favourites: Laura Palmer's Prom, Lonely's Lunch


25.Acres and Acres - All Nations
Another local addition to this list, this album is perhaps ranked lower than it should be. It instantly has the sounds of a great Canadian singer-songwriter type of album. In many ways it reminds me of Bruce Cockburn in delivery as well as the very strong political undertones throughout. It is the lyrics that really draw me to the album, drawing on themes of greed, pollution, and questioning the constructs of society.

Favourites: From A Forest, Joker