DIGI DREAMS' BEST ALBUMS OF 2009: PART TWO

Our list for the top 10 albums of 2009 was carefully constructed and negotiated by myself and Tony. We were blown away by the incredible work of these albums from the first track to the last - not one note lazy or misused. It was incredibly difficult to decide a good working order. And this time we'll give you some reasons as to WHY we chose what we chose. Be sure to check out our own personal lists in the comments section after this post and feel free to give us your own opinions on what you thought was your fave album of 09.

TOP 20-11

Honorable Mentions:
Here We Go Magic - S/T
Cage - Depart From Me
Florence + The Machine - Lungs
Coalesce - OX
Rain Machine - S/T
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
Mos Def - The Ecstatic

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10. jj - jj n° 2 [7/1 - Sincerely Yours]

jj captured my interest earlier this summer while the pavement was just starting to build up some steam. Their debut lp was like a Supersoaker 50 for the ears. - Evan

fave track :: from africa to málaga

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9. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - S/T [2/3 - Slumberland]

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart own a small piece of my soul, and this record is exactly why. -Tony

fave track :: Young Adult Friction

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8. The Love Language - S/T [2/10 - Bladen County]

I found The Love Language while spending a cold night in November of 2008 searching for new music to feed on. Their music carried this fresh and vibrant aura of not-so-lo-fi love. - Evan

fave track :: Sparxxx

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7. Do Make Say Think - Other Truths [10/21 - Constellation Records]

Four songs. Forty minutes. Each song feels like a new season and without any singer or lyrics, this record made me feel something new as each song built and progressed into their beautiful endings. -Tony

fave track :: Do

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6. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns [6/4 - Astralwerks]

Natasha Khan's sophmore effort opens with her soft voice caressing the morning dew of a subway until you're taken away from the busy bustle by tribal drums from a far away land. A gorgeous album overall. - Evan

fave track :: Glass

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5. Beirut/Realpeople - March Of The Zapotec/Holland EP [2/17 - Ba Da Bing Records]

Two EPs with two completely different feels. Zach Condon topped himself with this collection of songs. He has a 19 piece band (The Jiminez Band) backing him throughout March Of The Zapotec, and Holland is credited to Realpeople, his early musical moniker. Such a diverse and carefully crafted sound...it's amazing that he is only 23 years old. -Tony

fave track :: Beirut - The Shrew
fave track :: Real People - My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille

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4. Why? - Eskimo Snow [9/22 - Anticon]

Always very lyrically entertaining, Why? really went out on a limb with Eskimo Snow, as it is his least hip-hop oriented work to date...and he somehow perfectly brought it all together and still maintained his personality throughout the record. -Tony

fave track :: Berkeley By Hearseback

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3. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest [5/26 - Warp]

Easily one of the most anticipated albums of 2009, Veckatimest stands out with it's flawless tracklist and it's impeccable knack for capturing every mood. - Evan

fave track :: Ready, Able

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2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix [5/26 - V2/Loyauté]
When they wrote this record, do you think they knew that they annihilated (almost) everything else that would be released in 2009? Such a pristine collection of songs. If you don't own this record, you need to buy it. Now. -Tony

fave track :: Lisztomania

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1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion [1/20 - Domino]

I totally called it. 2009 would be Animal Collective's year with the anticipated and loved Merriweather Post Pavilion. The first time I listened to this album, my heart was pounding with excitement while the first track ["In The Flowers"] made MPP bloom into a colorful and perfect welcome to this year. -Evan

fave tracks :: My Girls , Brothersport