Shannon's Select Sounds: My Favorites of 2009

Many may want to say good riddance to 2009. With its housing and economic crises, market plunges, escalation of war, and overall feeling of simultaneously sinking and belt-tightening, it’s no wonder. But all was not lost! Let’s talk about the best music releases of 2009; there’s some relief to be found there. And, after all, it’s the music that pulls us through, isn’t it?

It had been three years since the release of the much lauded Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, but in March a new wind blew through and Middle Cyclone (Anti 86793-2) touched down, proving once again that Neko Case is one of the most original, imaginative, and transformative songbirds in the forest. Garnering two Grammy nominations (one for Best Contemporary Folk Album and another for Best Recording Package), Middle Cyclone is an offering of beautiful love songs, poetry in lyrical form, and resonant acoustics, ending with 30 peaceful minutes of chirping frogs and summer peepers. Backed by her core band, Case is joined by guest contributors including M. Ward, members of The Sadies, The New Pornographers (of which Case is also a long-time member and vocalist), and Los Lobos, among others. Recorded in part in an old barn and utilizing an array of abandoned pianos, twinkling toy music boxes, and an analog delay machine, there’s a very real sense of magic about this album. Elemental themes of cyclones, tornados, and wind abound as Case unleashes a complex alchemy of atmospheric systems on the listener, who stands transfixed as it all swirls around them.

The Motown retro revival has been building steam in recent years, with artists like The Detroit Cobras and Amy Winehouse, and now the natural progression of that fascination has led us to a 29-year-old white boy from Ann Arbor, Michigan, named Mayer Hawthorne, whose debut, A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw STH2230), wins, in my book, the "Most Soul Award" for 2009. With its tongue-in-cheekiness and Holland-Dozier-Holland inspired riffs, it feels like 1965 all over again. With just one wave of his naiveté wand, Hawthorne has touched on all that is ugly and garish about pop music today and transformed it into the good old days. With Hawthorne as lone writer, singer, and player, it’s a singlehanded effort that is astonishingly impressive in both its authenticity and genuine appeal. Songs like "Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out" and "Let Me Know" sound like instant classics, so much so that you might find yourself wondering if you didn’t somehow slip in Otis or Marvin.

In a timely response to the aforementioned crises and economic crashes, Boston hip-hop MC Mr. Lif found a wealth of material to comment on and released one of the most politically and socially charged albums of the year, I Heard It Today (Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises B001ZN0JYS). Claiming that the U.S. government is operating more for corporations than for people, Lif asks tough questions about government spending and who really deserves a bailout. "Welcome to the World" and "Head High" are two of the strongest tracks, as well as "Breathe," which features guest MC Bahamadia and showcases both lyricists in top form. Despite his notoriety for pointing out corruption and greed, Lif occasionally delivers positivity, particularly in the two uplifting tracks that close out the album. "The Sun" and "Dawn" offer a silver lining for his otherwise imminent storm cloud of ’09 doom and gloom.

Finally, the powerful tag-team duo of Martin Perna (founder of Antibalas) and Adrian Quesada (of the Grammy-winning Grupo Fantasma) collaborated for their third album together as Ocote Soul Sounds, releasing in June the insanely funky and complex Coconut Rock (ESL Music 151). Latin, funk, and Afro-Brazilian rhythmic elements marry Spanish and English lyrics, resulting in a golden hybrid global lovechild. "Vampires" is a critique on capitalism and gentrification and features complex layering and intentional offbeat syncopation, while the boogeyman lurks around every turn on the creepy but catchy "El Diablo Y El Nau Nau." Heavy horns and layered, Caribbean-flavored percussion form the foundation of most tracks, and both bandleaders have had enough experience arranging, recording, and performing with a posse of players to capture the right feel and perfect sound in the studio.

If you missed any of these in 2009, kick 2010 off by checking them out now. This mélange offers a bounty of exemplary material to keep spirits high and toes tapping, no matter what happens with the economy.

. . . Shannon Holliday