the element of surpraaah!

I have to admit, I wasn’t particularly attuned to the musicscape of 2009, and I listened to less music than last year.  It was easier, then, to limit the list to 10 particularly favorite albums.  As with my top movie list, what follows are personal favorites that had resonated with me at one point.  I enjoyed these music immensely; you might have too.  The top 10 range from experimental to structured, bright to mellow, loud to quiet, independent (as usual) to mainstream.  Just a heads up, I have two albums tied for first place because it was just so hard to debate on the merits and demerits of each album, both having excellent songs performed by excellent singers.

Here they are, in order.

10. To Lose My Life by White Lies
Because I’m a sucker for symphonies, heavy drums, and the synthetic vocals of an Interpol-The Killers meld, this album immediately caught my eyes (or should I say, ears).  Emotional without being sappy, heavy but not depressing.  Where others find trash in this album, I find treasure.
Songs in particular: Death, To Lose My Life, Nothing to Give



9. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Complex, experimental, disjointed, ethereal, but playful and pleasant to the ear.  This was the first time I listened to Grizzly Bear, admittedly.  I’m not familiar with their earlier work, though I might be persuaded to acquaint myself with their music in time.
Songs in particular: Two Weeks, Cheerleader, While You Wait for the Others



8. The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z
Let’s just all admit that Jay-Z is a great rapper.  Hip-hop isn’t exactly my cup of tea, but a couple of listens to this album changed my mind.  Concrete jungle where dreams are made of / There’s nothing you can’t do / These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you / Now you’re in New York.
Songs in particular: Death of Auto-tune, Empire State of Mind (Part 1), Already Home



7. The Man on the Moon: The End of Day by Kid CuDi
Fusion of electronic music and hip-hop, with great collaborations and solid remixes.  This album is a feast for the senses, and greatly complements those moments in life where you just want to kick back and relax.  Speaking of which, Kid CuDi admittedly is a user of marijuana, so at least now you know where his music comes from, and/or what’s it for, hehe.
Songs in particular: Day n’ Nite, Make Her Say, Pursuit of Happiness, Up Up and Away



6. Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors
If The Man on the Moon enlivens the mood, Bitte Orca disrupts it.  It’s the weirdest experimental album that I’ve listened to, and I’m sure this will turn off some of you.  But hey, you just got to be patient, let the music in.  Surprise yourself with a series of disjointed tunes, listen to it a couple of times, and you might find it enjoyable.  Aside, Beyonce’s little sister Solange did her version of Stillness is the Move, and it sounds great too.
Songs in particular: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness is the Move



5. Wilco (The Album) by Wilco
Steady, mellow, with catchy hooks and has endless uses for movie trailer and love story movie closing scenes.  With a distinct middle-American appeal.  The perfect music for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Add a collaboration with my favorite female singer of all time Leslie Feist, and you have sheer genius.
Songs in particular: You Never Know, You and I (feat. Feist), I’ll Flight



4. It’s Blitz by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Electronic pop-rock, and catchy, revealing a different side of YYYs.  Synth takes over much of the album, with some songs bordering on disco, In addition, this album gets my vote for best album art cover. You can just feel the power and the pain.
Songs in particular: Zero, Heads Will Roll, Soft Shock



3. Rules by The Whitest Boy Alive
By now you’ve noticed that I’m partial to electronic pop-rock music, so it’s no surprise that The Whitest Boy Alive lands on my top 10 of 2009.  Because you can never go wrong with Erlend Oye.  It’s chill music at its finest, synths and percussion complementing Erlend Oye’s oftentimes whimsical, oftentimes subdued vocals.
Songs in particular: Island, 1517, Keep a Secret



and my two number 1’s of the year are:


Battle Studies by John Mayer and Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix
What is John Mayer doing in here? You ask.  Despite him being a douche at times (He’s like the Kanye West of adult alternative rock), you just got to admit that when he writes music, he writes great music.  He performs great music.  His lyrics coupled with his guitar skills just capture listeners from the get-go.  Battle Studies is especially powerful for me because it is a recollection of his experiences, experiences which a lot of us find relatable.  He comes out of this album battle-hardened, full of insight and realization and instantly a lot of people who listen to the album are hooked just like that.  Battle Studies is his best album yet, but nothing beats the intensity of his first, Room for Squares.

Songs in particular: Heartbreak Warfare, Half of My Heart, Who Says, All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye


Ah, Phoenix.  Who says the French don’t know how to make good rock music?  Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the perfect example of an album that’s playful, effervescent, that keeps you high and leaves you relaxed and feeling good about the world.  Hey, if the French guys made good rock music, then anything’s possible, right?  These guys are just clearly having fun, and it shows in their music.  Which is why I love the album so much.  It’s not pretentious, it feels epic, the riffs and melodies are infectious and plays out well.  The album opens on a solid note with Lisztomania, progresses steadily with 1901 and Fences, but reaches a sudden change of pace with Love Like a Sunset.  The album ends equally strong with a bookender in Armistice.

Songs in particular: Girlfriend, 1901, Lisztomania

So there.  How about you guys?  What were your favorite music of 2009?

Here it is, in no particular order!  I had a hard time making this list because there are so many great films that were made in the 2000’s!  A Top 50 will not do them justice, so I limited the films to those that resonated with me at some point, and are at the top of my mind when I had to recall some.  Reason being top of the mind is because if you recall a good film easily, then it has to have some meaning, some value to it!  Bear in mind that this is my opinion, feel free to agree or disagree at my choices.

I had to cheat the list at some point, especially the trilogies, because they will eat up space on the list if I spread them out.

The list encompasses many geographic regions just for fairness’ sake, and don’t be alarmed that your favorite Hollywood film did not make the cut.  Just because I did not include your favorite CG-heavy Hollywood film, I ask you to strip the CG, strip the effects and watch it again.

And by no means is this a definitive list!  Also, if you have a film that ranks in your best of but not in mine, it might be because I haven’t seen it yet. hehe, e.g. Moulin Rouge and Inglorious Basterds

Had to verify some of the release dates just to be sure (I almost put in American History X and American Beauty but found out it was released 1998 and 1999, respectively).  And I was tempted to include re-releases but it’s unfair hehe.

Again, in no particular order (those in bold are my top favorites):


1. Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) - leave it to Alfonso Cuaron to direct a wonderful coming-of-age road film on friendship, sexuality and love.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - You just have to hand it to Gondry + Kaufman.  Surreal kung surreal.  With wonderful performances by Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey.

3. Le fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain (2001)
4. Paris, je t’aime (2006)

5. Persepolis (2007) - animated coming-of-age film of a girl during the Islamic Revolution.  Political, whimsical, funny and poignant.

6. Star Trek (2009)
7. District 9 (2009)
8. The Incredibles (2004)

9. Let the Right One In (2008) - I love this film because it’s quiet, not just in terms of audio but in the emptiness of the scenes’ framing, yet what it lacks visually, more than makes it up for its unconventional love story of its protagonists.

10.Chicago (2002)

11. The Descent (2005) - My best horror film of the decade!  Feminism, cave trekking, and literal darkness.

12. The Dark Knight (2009)
13. City of God (2002)
14. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)
15. Lost In Translation (2003)
16. No Country For Old Men (2007)
17. Wall-E (2008)

18.Up (2009) - There’s just something painfully striking for me about letting go and starting anew.  
19. Spirited Away (2001) - Hayao Miyazaki’s strongest work of the decade; visually fantastic, appealing to all ages.
20. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) - Masterful work by Del Toro.  Opens like a fairy tale, reveals a painful reality, and ends tragically.

21. Gladiator (2000)
22. The Bourne Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007)
23. Amores Perros (2000)
24. Crash (2004)
25. Before Sunset (2004)

26. Children of Men (2006) - I love films dealing with post-apocalyptic scenarios, especially when well-written, unconventional, and uses mind-blowing one shot cinematography (yes, even when digitally stitched).  And especially when it’s directed by Cuaron.

27. Kill Bill vol. 1 & 2 (2003, 2004)
28. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
29. A.I. (2001)
30. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)
31. Zodiac (2007)
32. Adaptation (2002)
33. Juno (2007)
34. Hable con Ella (2002)
35. Superbad (2007)

36. 28 Days Later (2002) - Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this is the first film to show us rabid zombies and from where the iconic game Left 4 Dead gets its inspiration.  Why I think this is great: independent, low budget, shot on a DV camera (Canon XL1), and features empty scenes of an eternally busy London.

37. Donnie Darko (2001)
38. Battle Royale (2000)
39. Antichrist (2009)
40. Hero (2002)
41. Ratatouille (2007)
42. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
43. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 
44. Jeux d’enfants (2003)
45. Grizzly Man (2005)
46. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
47. Once (2006)
48. Traffic (2000)
49. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
50. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)