The Year of Classic Sound: As always we offer up the Top Five Albums that we each personally reviewed this year. With over 1500 tracks added to rotation this year it certainly was not an easy task. 2009 was one of the best years in recent memory, at leasty based upon what I was personally reviewing. So in no particular order:

Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career: Glasgow, Scotland band follows up Lets Get Out Of This Country with an even more plaintive and gorgeous album. Easily the fullest sounding, most enveloping tracks of the year that echo big sounds from the past and modern production techniques for simply wonderful music.

God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl: Stuart Murdoch (of Belle and Sabastion) produces concept album about a young girl’s love-sick mental breakdown with multiple unknown signers. Results are 50-60s pop sensibilities with a whimsical musical tone that doesn’t override, but reinforces the journey of lyrical yearning.

Andrew Bird – Noble Beast: Violin virtuoso Bird makes his most accessible album that shifts between complex song arcs and smooth harmonious delicacies. Lyrical depth belonging in leather bound literature. Should be required listening for anyone who considers themselves to have “eclectic” tastes.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Outer South: So good. Shifting from Jayhawks-esque jangle to twangy, back porch ballads with ease. The album flows so effortlessly from track to track you still want more after all 16 songs.

Fruit Bats – The Ruminant Band: Walking down the street music you’d expect to see if iPod commercials featured laid back, strolling, happy tracks. Sticking to stripped production with high gloss lyrics and less-is-more arrangements yields cuts that stick with you every step after you turn them off.

Honorable Mentions: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (we knew them before Cadillac did…), Harper Simon (Self-Titled debut from Paul’s kid worth waiting for), Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers – The Bear, Those Darlings (Self Titled)

Special Follow-Up Award: M. Ward – Hold Time. M. Ward follows success of last year’s Zooey Deschanel collaboration with another timeless sounding album. Honorable Mention to The Swell Season – Strict Joy.

Special New Discovery Award: Paper Bird (Multiple Discs): My joyful random submission discovery of the year. The perfect folk styling of their harmonies and horns is both refreshing and seemingly from a simpler time.

Special Local AZ Award: When In Az… Compilation: Unbelievable collection of over 50 tracks by all local AZ artists covering other AZ artists and all for Charity. Honorable Mention: Fun. – Aim and Ignite: So Nate isn’t local anymore, we’ll still keep our ears open.

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