CHIRP: The Chicago Independent Radio Project

Pete Zimmerman writes

Pete Zimmerman's Best of 2009

Throughout the month of December we’ll be posting lists of the best music of the year as determined by the volunteers that make CHIRP what it is. Today’s is from CHIRP volunteer, Pete Zimmerman.

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Anti) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   I was on the 22 Clark street bus when another rider asked me to stop singing so loudly.  I was listening to “People Gotta Lotta Nerve“ from this album. I wasn’t embarrassed, but looking back on it, I do wish I wasn’t singing, “I’m a man man man man man maneater.”
2. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (Domino) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   Seeing them play at Millenium Park was one of the highlights of the summer of my unemployment. A great experience despite having to look at the building I used to go to every day for 13 years.
3. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   They were everywhere this year and it was well deserved. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them peform “1901” on an upcoming episode of CSI. I’d watch that.
4. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   A band that I’ve always wanted to like, but never did until this came out. Both weird and accesible, I look forward to what they do next.
5. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career (4ad) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   During my youth I was a Sarah Records completist and this record reminds me of spending hours and hours in record stores searching for the next great 7”. A cherished memory.
6. Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   Antony Hegarty has one of the most distinctive voices in music today. It’s fun trying to sing like him. Do it.
7. Girls – Album (True Panther Sounds) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   In a year with a lot of great debut records, this one stands out.
8. St. Vincent – Actor (4ad) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   Another artist that I saw play at Millenium Park this summer. It was fun watching parents dancing with their children to “Actor out of Work”. My parents took me to see The Osmonds so you can blame them if you don’t like this list.
9. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You (Columbia/American) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
   I and Love and You and Too
10. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Self-Titled (Slumberland) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
    See #5 and replace “Sarah” with “Slumberland”.

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And 5 others that I also enjoyed, just not quite as much

Flaming Lips – Embryonic (Warner Bros.) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
The record I hoped they would make after Yoshimi. Better late than never.

Japandroids – Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
This is the record that I played the loudest this year.

M. Ward – Hold Time (Merge) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
I’ll buy anything that he’s associated with… including Budwesier.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz (Interscope) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
uy the deluxe edition for great acoustic versions of some of the best songs on the record.

Matt and Kim – Grand (Fader Label) Amazon / Insound / iTunes
Their energy at Pitchfork this summer was infectious. At one point everybody in the audience was smiling.