Will you people just listen to this goddamn album already? Severely underappreciated band, for reasons beyond my comprehension. Wonderfully organic, lush, experimental pop-music. Buy it already.
Our Brother the Native - Well Bred
CHILD BITE - Split 7" series
A series of 3 7"s with Big Bear, This Moment in Black History, and dd/mm/yyyy. Spastic-but-catchy [genre]core, and, above all, fun fun fun. Three different vinyl colours, interconnected sleeves, and a strong-case for why 7" singles rule. Check it.
I've also decided that more year-end write-ups are going to be a bit redundant, since they're fairly obvious choices that you've already read umpteen blurbs about (that, or simply the fact that I find the longer the list goes on, the less enthusiastic I am about writing it because I feel you're less enthusiastic about reading it), but for anyone curious (anyone?):
DO MAKE SAY THINK - Other Truths
ATLAS SOUND - Logos
SONIC YOUTH - Live at Battery Park
WE ALL INHERIT THE MOON/THE ASCENT OF EVEREST - Split 12"
TWINSISTERMOON - The Hollow Mountain
MORE INTERESTING RECOGNITIONS OF 2009
FAVOURITE LABEL OF 2009
*based not necessarily on the strength of their releases for the year but, rather, my general appreciation of their M.O., etc.
FUTURE RECORDINGS
Run by former Indian Summer member Adam [Lastnameescapesme], Future Recordings - excuse the phrase - keeps it real. One of the few labels out there that really understands that the music industry game is changing (along with another personal favourite, Enemies List), FR offers up free downloads of all their releases (and yeah, they're pretty much all worth downloading), and sells their merchandise dirt cheap: all CDs for $7, all LPs for $10 (although they seem to be jacking up the prices all the way to a fairly absurd twelve dollars) , and at-cost (if not under-cost shipping). And this does mean all CDs, no matter how work-intensively the production was (such as Goodnight, Sleep Well's EP, which came in a printed box, with a handmade sleeve and a patch, all hand-tied together), and yes, all LPs, even the gob-smackingly beautiful We All Inherit the Moon release, the description of which reads like record nerd's wet dream: 180g vinyl, hand-etched B-side, signed 8x11 art print, and sewn-and-printed sleeve... $10, folks, why hasn't this sold out?(!).
RE-RELEASE OF THE YEAR
HAVE A NICE LIFE - Deathconsciousness
It's Deathconsciousness. It's on heavy vinyl in a lovely gatefold. It's the last pressing of the famous 70+ page booklet that accompanies the album. Buy it while you still can. I'd also like to nominate Voids as freebie of the year. Download it.
PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
tie
TWINSISTERMOON - The Hollow Mountain
SUNN O))) - MONOLITHS AND DIMENSIONS (2xLP)
Monoliths & Dimensions is suitably monolithic on vinyl (oh fuck, I need a break from writing...): translucent dust jacket, printed sleeves, heavy vinyl, poster, etc, etc. Sure, you pay for what you get, but it's a beaut, really.
Likewise, The Holow Mountain costs a pretty penny (luckily I grabbed mine for $40 when it went on sale, but now this sucker's getting $200 on eBay), but again, maybe even moreso than the Sunn O))) LP, you can tell how much work went into this: hand-screened jacket and a stunning full-colour booklet, along with a hand-numbered LP by the fine folk(s?) at Dull Knife.
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