Hey all,
It can be hard to discover new music in Asia. Radio stations are spastic at best… playing such random gems as “Achy Breaky Heart” followed by “You’re Beautiful” and then a hard-core rap song. Not ideal for those wanting to keep informed of the latest indie darlings. If your musical tastes stray away from Top 40 or club anthems you’ll have to seek music out online. A long trusted source of great & varied music online for me is NPR’s All Songs Considered. Host Bob Boilen (and frequent guests and contributors) cover the important festivals and give great round-ups throughout the year. They’ve just published their listener’s choice and editor’s choice of the year. Check it out after the jump and see how informed you are of the top albums to come out in 2009.
- Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
- Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion
- Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
- Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
- Andrew Bird: Noble Beast
- The Decemberists: Hazzards Of Love
- Wilco: Wilco (The Album)
- Bon Iver: Blood Bank
- The Avett Brothers: I And Love And You
- St. Vincent: Actor
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It’s Blitz!
- Regina Spektor: Far
- M. Ward: Hold Time
- The Swell Season: Strict Joy
- Monsters Of Folk: Monsters of Folk
- The Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
- Passion Pit: Manners
- Various: Dark Was The Night
- Camera Obscura: My Maudlin Career
- Metric: Fantasies
- Beirut: March of the Zapotec
- The xx: XX
- Bat For Lashes: Two Suns
- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Up From Below
- Modest Mouse: No One’s First, And You’re Next
- The Decemberists: Hazards of Love
- The Dry Spells: Too Soon for Flowers
- The XX: XX
- Laura Gibson: Beasts of Seasons
- Regina Spektor: Far
- M. Ward: Hold Time
- Taken by Trees: East of Eden
- Fanfarlo: Reservoir
- Patrick Watson: Wooden Arms
- K’naan: Troubadour
Where do you find out about music? How many did you already have in your collection before seeing this list? Anything they missed out on in 2009 that you think I’d enjoy? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re not already signed up, be sure and subscribe the All Songs Considered Podcast for free downloads of all the shows and concerts hosted by ASC!
Paul
