ToRoxy

Disclaimer: Here are my favorite songs for the year right now. Tomorrow it may be different.

Extended Pretentious Disclaimer: This list is subject to change over the coming years, months, days, and hours. I have a very hard time committing to any sort of ‘best of’ list & am particularly indecisive when it comes to my favorite subject – music. It is not that I am not opinionated (I AM!), but simply that as my moods shift, so do my soundtrack requirements. A song that is is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE RIGHT NOW! may lose favor after several listens. Additionally, songs I am not mad about at first can grow on me. It often takes several years for a band to reach ‘favorite’ status. A hallowed spot in my record collection generally reserved only for David Bowie, Talking Heads, Leonard Cohen, Bjork, Jay-Z, The Smiths & several other musicians that have survived with me over the years. It’s not the size of the body of work (I LOVE Neutral Milk Hotel), but the fact that I keep coming back to these artists again & again & again… Tastes are subjective and my shifts are particularly dramatic. Since I am prone to change my mind, ‘best of’ list are complicated ordeals. That being said, after several weeks of contemplation, I am confident that I’ve narrowed down the list to the songs that (although the order may change) will remain at the top of my favorites list for 2009.

My Favorite Songs From 2009

1. Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Eating Us

The song was the soundtrack to my incredible summer. It gets the top spot for that reason alone.

2. My Girls
Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion

This song was the soundtrack to my winter. It was EVERYWHERE this year but I never seemed to get sick of it. I have about twelve remixes and am fairly sure that this will make almost every blogger top 10 list. Sometimes songs get popular simply because they are great or maybe we all believe the hype…

animalcollective

3. Stillness Is The Move
Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca

Another super popular band. Another hit. They may be sickeningly trendy, but the Dirty Projectors are fantastic. There collaboration with David Bryne for “Dark Was The Night” almost made this list along with several other songs from Bitte Orca.

4. Breaking The Ice
Jeremy Jay
Slow Dance

My favorite song off one off my favorite albums of 2009. Jeremy Jay definitely takes the prize for the most ipod play this year.

rcrdlbl.com/artists/Jeremy_Jay/music

5. Tonight
The Juan MacLean
The Future Will Come

I’ve had this album on rotation for what seems like forever. There are so many great tracks, but this is the one that I keep coming back to. I included it on my Space Disco For Lovers Mix and love how epic it is. The perfect end of the night song.

thejuanmaclean

6. Hellhole Ratrace
Girls
Hellhole Ratrace

“and i dont want to cry my whole life through, i want to do some laughing too. so come on, come on, come on, come on, laugh with me. and i dont want to die without shaking up a leg or two, yeah, i want to do some dancing too. so come on, come on, come on, come on, dance with me.” .. ‘Nuf said.

7. Hysteric
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It’s Blitz!

This song makes me feel like a teenager. I love how driving and emotional it is. It gets me every time. Period.

yeahyeahyeahs

8. New Theory
Washed Out
Life of Leisure EP

Beautiful.

WashedOutMp3

9. You’re My Eyes (Disco Song) (Pilooski Remix)
Jarvis Cocker
Further Complications

One of my favorite lyricists pairs up with one of may favorite remixers. This song is perfect.

JarvisCocker

10. 1901
Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I’ve heard 1901 in a ton of commercials and on a bunch of TV shows. Nice work Phoenix. Collect those Benjamins (or Francs).

11. I Will Come Back
Holy Ghost!
Green Label Sound

After the success of ‘Hold On’ expectations have been high for Holy Ghost!. They produced a bunch of perfect remixes and really came through with IWCB. The Classixx remix is dope too.

12. Nadine (Memory Tapes Version)
Fool’s Gold
Fool’s Gold

I included this song on my ROXY Athletic Mix. I especially love how it grows and am a sucker for a ‘big finish’.

NadineMp3

13. Primary Colours
The Horrors
Primary Colours

Some critics commented that The Horrors made a Jesus and Mary Chain or Cure album with Primary Colours. As a J&MC, Cure, and Horrors fan, I think that’s rad!

thehorrors

14. Blue Skies (The Twelves Remix)
Noah & The Whale
The First Days Of Spring

Blue Skies makes me happy. Been a while since I’ve gone through a breakup, but I imagine that this tune would help. The Twelves pump it up without losing the feel.

You can get this and several more great remixes at Living Ears:
RemixDownloads

15. Crystalised
The xx
xx

Another band that is so hip it hurts. I hear that their live show is lacking, but I still think these kids made one of the best albums of the year.

16. Two Weeks
Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest

I can’t really say anything that has not already been said. Great band. Great song.

17. Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix)
The Gossip
Music For Men

My friend Billy reminded me of this song today. Fred Falke scores my Moroder inspired dreams.

18. Your Disco Song
Vitalic
Disco Terminateur EP

Dark and throbbing & ‘made for me’.

19. Keep The Streets Empty For Me
Fever Ray
Fever Ray

Dark and lovely & made for me.

rcrdlbl.com/artists/Fever_Ray

20. Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)
Jay-Z
The Blueprint 3

This is not my favorite Jay-Z song (his body of work is far too awesome) BUT this is still one of my favorite songs of the year.

21. Tightrope
Yeasayer
Dark Was The Night

I think Dark Was The Night is one of the best compilations that I’ve ever heard. there were so many amazing collaborations and songs. This one stood out. More new music for Yeasayer is coming any day. Can’t wait!

yeasayer
darkwasthenight

22. Walkabout (Feat. Panda Bear)
Atlas Sound
Logos

Bradford Cox had this to say about the track in the lengthy press release for Logos:

“I toured for a period in Europe with Animal Collective, whose band dynamic was very inspirational to be around. On the bus, we often played improvised iPod games. We would take turns formulating a theme or unifying concept and then play three songs. The goal would be for everyone to try and figure out the theme. During one of these games, someone played ‘What Am I Going to Do’ by the Dovers. I was amazed at the hook– a weird organ thing with drums and electric bass. I mentioned to Noah [Lennox] that someone should really sample that riff. He agreed and he taught me a little about sampling and matching
up beats. This ended up as the collaborative effort ‘Walkabout’.”

Here’s the audio for the Dovers track on which “Walkabout” is based:


atlassound

23. You’ll Disappear (Jacques Renault Remix)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band
15 to 20 / You’ll Disappear Remixes

I was torn between including ‘15-20′ or ‘You’ll Disapear’ on this list. Then I was torn between the Prins Thomas remix or this one. It is all very very good. I included this song on my ‘Disco Dancing Keeps Me Warm’ Mix.
http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/The_Phenomenal_Handclap_Band

24. 40 Day Dream
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
From Below

Alex Ebert makes me want to buy what he is selling. I too want to join an eleven person musical commune and play tambourine with my lover.

edwardsharpe

25. Use Somebody
Kings Of Leon
Only By The Night

Honorable mentions:

I Start To Run White Denim Fits
Bad Blood (ft. Alexis Taylor) Simian Mobile Disco Temporary Pleasure
Should have taken acid with you Neon Indian Psychic Chasms
The Trapeze Swinger Iron & Wine Around The Well
45:33 (Padded Cell Remix) LCD Soundsystem 45:33 Remixed
Paparazzi Lady GaGa The Fame
Woof Woof Dan Deacon Bromst
Safe For The Time Being (The Paronomasiac Remix) Mason Proper Mason
Proper (Remix)
Not Made For Love (Joakim Remix) Metronomy Not Made For Love
Are Friends Electric? The Dead Weather Gary Numan Cover
All Is Love Karen O and the Kids Where the Wild Things Are
The Hazards Of Love 2 (Wager All) The Decemberists The Hazards Of Love
Things Will Never Be The Same Again jj n° 2
Animal (Treasure Fingers Remix) Miike Snow Animal
Disco Warrior Faze Action Stratus Energy
Breakin’ The Chains Of Love Fitz and The Tantrums Songs For A Break Up-Volume 1
Down By the Water The Drums “Sumertime!”
New In Town (Fred Falke remix) Little Boots New In Town Remix EP
Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing (Bonus Track) The Antlers Hospice
Random Firl Late Of The Pier Fantasy Black Channel
Psychic City (Voodoo City) YACHT See Mystery Lights
Everytime I’m With You (feat. Jason Lytle) Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse Dark Night Of The Soul
For You tUnE-YaRdS BiRd-BrAiNs
Glass Julian Casablancas Phrazes for the Young (Deluxe Version)
When I’m With You Best Coast When I’m With You 7″
Go Green Rattail Demos

ALSO- I had the opportunity to remix the following songs this year with the unbearably talented Hydratwins. I absolutely LOVE all of the originals and so must include them in my ‘top songs list’:

First Light Parade of Lights
Tall Boy Har Mar Superstar
Pick Up The Phone Dragonette
Byrds Of Prey Bertie Blackman
Nice Girls HEALTH
Sunday Morning Mod Wheel Mood
Weeds Adamandevil
Kicking and Screaming The Presets
Back Of The Van Ladyhawke
Hearts on Fire Cut Copy

I will post all the remixes, mixes, and even some original music over the coming days. Watch this space.

I’d also like to note Courtney Wells but can’t be objective about this since my brother in in the band. Check them out at:

courtneywellsband

I didn’t include links to all these tracks but you should have no problem finding them. To the right are some links to a few of my favorite music blogs.

xo
Daisy O’Dell