Best new music of 2009
» The best new music of 2009 brought to you with love and excellent taste by your friends at Impose.
TV Ghost. Photo by Nate Dorr.
This is the best new music of 2009 that you've never heard (or maybe your ears predict the future; if so, email us). Basically, we put this list together in December 2008, and after seeing the big ass media outlets get psyched on these bands in March and April 2009, we started adding new names. Embrace the list.
Best New Music of 2009
TV Ghost
Definitely one of the most under-recognized of the young, angry touring bands keeping punk rock alive while simultaneously spitting out genius new licks and exciting new songs. They're on In The Red, people. Like Vivian Girls. You know you want 'em.
Dan Deacon
People were not slow to react to Dan Deacon's Bromst, an exciting new revision of Deacon's successful debut LP, Spiderman of the Rings. Where last year he made waves stirring up huge dance parties with his one-man crazy-scientist setup, he's now touring with a huge, orchestral band.
Black Dice
Black Dice have long been eyed warily as the logical next step in the progression of great, experimental groups in the tradition of Throbbing Gristle, and to some extent, Sonic Youth. That Black Dice's Eric Copeland now plays shows with Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore lends credence to the observation. And Repo, their wonkish 2009 full length, adds another to the pile of challenging, unprecedented music still leveraged by a song-based sensibility.
Axolotl
Karl Bauer's Axolotl is a bitch to try and spell, and for a long time his music was a bitch to try and decipher. Not bitchy enough, apparently. It attracted the likes of Animal Collective, with whom he toured in Europe, and the No Fun Fest, where he'll play this summer.
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
A few years ago, A Sunny Day in Glasgow's Scribble Mural Comic Journal was widely praised for the sometimes-dubby, othertimes space-ready "sonic environment". Ben Daniels, the mind behind the music, told Impose to expect a new full length in 2009.
Wavves
Need we go into Wavves at this point? The first buzz-man of the year (as opposed to buzz-band, because his touring drummer didn't get much input on the bedroom recordings that got everyone so hot and bothered), Wavves' Nathan Williams was more-or-less chosen by the indie media moguls to represent what's been a trend for the past couple years (see A Sunny Day in Glasgow) to make excellent pop music while sequestered alone at home. Williams just did it shittier, scruffier, and snottier than most.
Blank Dogs
For a long time, Blank Dogs was a very "underground" recording project of Mike Sniper, an Academy Records cohort who released 7"s and CD-R's under the Dog moniker. Having now taken his output to the concert venue, he's touring as a full band that sheds some of the recorded material's subtleties for the benefit of a quick sonic assault.
MF Doom
His latest, Born Like This, leaked in March. Can he do no wrong?
My Bloody Valentine
Heard of 'em? Expect a new album in 2009. They promised it almost a year ago, at this point.
Animal Collective
Well that was fast. We made this list in December and by January their Merriweather Post Pavilion had already won them blog god status.
Silk Flowers
With a member of USAisamonster (RIP) and a friend in Saturday Looks Good to Me/City Center's Fred Thomas, Silk Flowers will win a lot of fans with their trippy Black Dice-meets-Ian Curtis neo-house music.
Pictureplane
Expect a full length LP from Lovepump from this Denver-based dance music party kid.
Bird Names
Their fantastically quirky Sings the Browns puts this five-year old band on the map that marks off territory between cute, quirky twee pop and snide garage. But it's not riding any trends either. This isn't a band about which you throw the word "vibes" around: there's no psych or drone or references to Native Americans, just some great tunes.
Others
Aa (Big A little a)
Blueprint
Harlem Shakes
The Oh Sees
The Beets
Air Waves
Cold Cave
The Strange Boys
Talbot Tagora
List compiled by Impose New Music Robot.
Other best of 2008 lists
Best independent rock/pop of 2008
Best independent hip hop releases of 2008
Best African releases of 2008
Best Mexican albums of 2008 (and best tacos, ever!)
Best European/UK experimental releases of 2008
Best mixtapes of 2008
Best new music of 2009
Best mainstream releases of 2008
Best electronic releases of 2008
Best tapes of 2008
Posted on December 22, 2008
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tv ghost fucking rule. so do bird names. thanks for noticing this.
— dad on October 12, 2009
My Bloody Valentine has been promising a new album for way longer than a year. Kevin Shields will never think it's good enough though.
— scottt on August 29, 2009
Sorry, but I checked into a couple of the bands above. LAME! Are there any good music review sites out there. I'm tired of hearing these gay bands who think making a bunch of sounds makes them "original". Try some melody. I like all types of music, but this is crap. Want some good music? Try these bands: Mars Volta, My morning jacket, OceanSize, Five Finger Death Punch, Against Me!
— dk on August 14, 2009
hello how are you
— zain on August 14, 2009
I wull know Jonas Rice
— marc on July 26, 2009
this is some of the best new music i've heard too. nice one.
— jeremy on July 16, 2009
not what im lookin for at all but like some songs played durin graduation and was good
— mj on July 08, 2009
crazy to think they started out in our tiny detached garage in a shit whole town with nothing but old people and ugly slutty girls. these boys are like family to me (with the exception of brahne who's actually my brother) and i cant wait to see where they're superb talent and insatiable appetite for crazier sounds and rhythms will take them. The best of luck to you Ghosties.
— Mariah on September 15, 2008