My Top Three Albums of the Year

I realize that "Best of" lists are completely subjective, so as a disclaimer, these are simply MY personal favorites:

Top Three Albums of 2009:


1) The Avett Brothers- I and Love and You

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• Reason: The explanation of the album title in the liner notes alone indicates the thought and creativity that went into this record. The Avett Bros. use amazingly catchy, and often beautiful country-tinged melodies, to explore the many different ways that love is expressed and defined in our culture. The results are honest, thought provoking songs, none of which disappoint. Basically, go buy this album if you haven't already.
• Key Tracks: I and Love and You, The Perfect Space, and Laundry Room

2) Noah and the Whale- The First Days of Spring

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• Reason: The emo/screamo fads of recent years have effectively mined the depths of every possible break-up cliche that exists. With The First Days of Spring, Noah and the Whale jettison all the cliches in regards to painful break-ups and attack the subject with raw honesty that is refreshing. The First Days of Spring doesn't avoid the paradox of conflicting emotions that accompanies a broken relationship by dwelling solely on love/depression or hate/anger. Instead the songs touch on both. Basically, I love this album because it is honest, in touch with reality, and resonates with real life.
• Key Tracks: My Broken Heart, Blue Skies, My Door Is Always Open

3) Wilco- Wilco [The Album]

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• Reason: I'll be the first to admit that this is certaintly not Wilco's best album, probably not even in the top three. Yet, to Wilco's credit it is pretty impressive that they can be off their game and still make one of the best albums of the year. [The Album] effectively summarizes the different sounds the Wilco has evolved through during their existence as a band. As I listened to the album I could point to different albums in their back-catalog that individual songs could have been on. Jeff Tweedy's to-hell-and-back-voice and Nels Cline's guitar carry the album. The album itself is slightly fractured due to lack of unity in sound, yet when you take the songs individually there is not a bad one in the lot.
• Key Tracks: One Wing, You and I, I'll Fight