Here we welcome guest blogger, Treebo, as he reports on his favorite albums of ’09.

MEET TREEBO:

Treebo is the ex-lead singer/songwriter from much-loved but deceased Hopeless Records melodic hardcore/post punk act Royden. He has a mild pretense and pretty much thinks that everyone should agree with his choices in cinema, music, books and just life in general. Even when you don’t agree with him, his stories and rants tend to lead to enjoyment for all around him.

DISCOVER TREEBO’S TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2009:

While most of you were out at SXSW after parties and Fashion Week being cool, you probably missed out on a shit ton of music that was a tad under the radar as far as “popular” music goes. This is not going to be a list full of pretentious dance rock bands that you hear blaring from hipster bars in Brooklyn. It is also not going to be a list full of all the albums you hear random songs off of when you are hanging out at your North Jersey Bro-Bars. This list is my favorite records that came out this year as a whole.

20. Local Natives- Gorilla Manor: This record kind of reminds me of a happier, more-pop version of the Fleet Foxes. Good to listen to on a slow day.

19. The Brakes- Touchdown: This record is for anyone who misses the kind of pop grunge of the late 90s like Marcy’s Playground. It has a lot of songs you find yourself singing along to after a listen or two.

18. Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything To Nothing: I REALLY liked this record when I first heard it. “100 Dollars” was one of my favorite tracks off of it, but after a few listens it kind of got old. That is why it is so far down on the list. If you only listen to it five or six times, it will definitely be in your top 10.

17. The Reigning Sounds- Love and Curses: This record fucking rocks. It is a cross between the Von Bondies and the Doors. I know that sounds strange, but this group of 40-something rockers is a very strange group in itself.

16. Kasabian- West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum: Great record. It has a bunch of really cool songs, but also has a lot of filler.

15. The White Rabbits- It’s Frightening: Not as good as Fort Nightly (their previous album) so in that case, I had to put it towards the bottom of the list for not being as good as the first album.

14. Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest: It’s Grizzly Bear.. OF COURSE IT’S GOOD!!!

13. The Islands- Vapours: Heartbeat is one of my favorite songs of the year with auto-tuning in it (besides “Charlie Bit Me” auto tuned). If you don’t know who the islands are, check out their other records Arm’s Way and Return to the Sea. Another great band who put out a great record this year.

12. Every Time I Die- New Junky Aesthetic: Need I say more…

11. Thrice- Beggars: Kind of reminds me of a heavier version of Dustin’s side project band. It is way different than normal Thrice but in a good way and a good come back from the second installment of the Alchemy Index.

10. The Flaming Lips- Embryonic: This is on here because I am just happy that they put something out this year.

9. Brand New- Daisy: Another great record from another great band. I like Brand New because each record they change their style up and do something that I don’t think their fans or critics expect from them.

8. Jason Lytle- Your Truly, the Commuter: Lead singer of Grandaddy puts out a Grandaddy replica album and it makes for just a great listen.

7. The Decemberists- Hazards of Love: I really like this disc from them this year because it feels like the album is just one song that starts and never stops until the disc is over. Also, this band performed the best show I saw in 2009.

6. Cursive- Mama, I’m Swollen: The band can not make a bad record and the man (Tim Kasher) has so much anger/depression that I don’t think he will ever be happy.

5. Beirut- March of the Zapotecs (EP): Why is an EP on my list of the top 20 albums? Because it is that fucking GOOD!!! Get over it.

4. Wilco- Wilco the Album: I wish I was Jeff Tweedy!!!

3. Dark Night of the Soul- Dark Night of the Soul: What do you get when you get Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse and a group of Indie Rock All-Star singers? The answer is One of the BEST records of the year. Too bad it looks like it will never see the light of day in stores. I have it if anyone wants it.

2. The Clues- Clues: This is a record brought to you by some of the back up players from the Arcade Fire. The record is intense and eclectic. You will be doing yourself a disservice by not listening to this record.

1. Dead Man’s Bones- Dead Man’s Bones: Remember the Notebook (movie)? Remember that guy that all the girls liked and wished their boyfriends acted like? Yeah? Well, he has a band and I wanted so much to not like them. But, guess what? THEY ARE GOOD AS SHIT! They sound a lot like the Arcade Fire at times and they have a little kids choir singing with them the whole record. It is spooky and dark and just a great record.

So that is all of the records I thought were the best in 2009. I know that a lot of them weren’t popular and that they aren’t the NORMAL stuff people would put in their lists… but I thought that all in all these records were completely worth the listen.