1.  John Vanderslice – “Romanian Names.”
2.  Matthew Good – “Vancouver.”
3.  The Wooden Sky – “If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone.”
4.  Monsters of Folk – “Monsters of Folk.”
5.  White Lies – “To Lose My Life…”
6.  Grand Archives – “Keep in mind Frankenstein.”
7.  Manchester Orchestra – “Mean Everything to Nothing.”
8.  Still life Still – “Girls Come Too.”
9.  Silversun Pickups – “Swoon.”
10.The Decemberists – “The Hazards of Love.”

John Vanderslice’s “Romanian Names” quickly rose to the top of my favourite albums that came out in 2009 after seeing him perform live at the Sasquatch Music Festival. Earlier in the year Darryl had sent some of John Vanderslice’s songs all were great but they didn’t quite stick that first listen. Shortly after seeing him play live I picked up “Romanian Names” and fell in love. Spending most days listening to that album on repeat which wouldn’t happen again with another album until the fall when Matthew Good’s “Vancouver” was released. Having heard some demos of the album and listened to it streaming quite a few times I knew what to expect from “Vancouver” but after receiving it on vinyl it took on a whole new light.

More great music came out of Canada this fall. The Wooden Sky appeared to me as a free download on itunes and it just clicked. I ran out to the store likewise for the Monsters of Folk and the White Lies album which were both free singles on itunes this year. If one song can get me to go out and buy a record there is hope for the music industry.

It was hard to put The Grand Archives newest album "Keep in Mind Frankenstein" in the #6 position because I really do love this album. But unfortunately not as much as their first album which I’ve romanticized with being on the road, Sub Pop’s 20^th, and awesome facial mustaches. Speaking of facial hair one of my favourite bands of the last few years Manchester Orchestra  put another amazing album “Mean Nothing to Everything” and played a stellar rock show with Silversun Pickups. I had a chance to photograph both bands when they came in to do acoustic sets at The Zone.

The Decemberists know how to make a concept album I’ll give you that. I gave “The Hazards of Love” a listen to before heading to Sasquatch and thought to myself it was another Decemberists album but this time with electric guitars. When they played the album in its entirety (sort of) at Sasquatch they were joined by Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) who really upped the rock these guys can put out.

Here are some other albums I like this year.

11.  Metric - "Fantasies"
12.  Apostle of Hustle  –  “Eats Darkness.”
13.  King Khan & The Shrines – “What is?!”
14.  Porcupine Tree – “The Incident.”
15.  Modest Mouse – “No One’s First and You’re Next.”
16.  Viva Voce – “Rose City.”
17.  The Tragically Hip – “We Are The Same.”
18.  Passion Pit – “Manners.”
19.  Pearl Jam – “Back Spacer.”
20.  …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – “The Century of Self.”
21.  The Lonely Island – “Incredibad.”