Yet again, you can click on the last phrase of each comment to see a stream of each track.  The video is embedded for the Top 3.  Let’s see where it ends…

10. “Guilty Cocker Spaniels” by Modest Mouse

It is an absolute shame that little attention was paid to Modest Mouse this year.  No One’s First and You’re Next was a fantastic EP, offering more great music in its few tracks than most bands have in a full-length album.  “Guilty Cocker Spaniels” is a highlight on this album, built on classically-jangling guitars and Isaac Brock’s clever lyrics.  It’s a bit lighter than some of their other fare, but the song has a great construction, offering no real structure, yet never straying too far into uncharted waters.  What really wins me over is the lightly plucked intro and outro; it’s lovely and innocent – a great foil to the titular dogs.

9. “Mind Eraser No Chaser” by Them Crooked Vultures

The supergroup of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and John Paul Jones sounded very exciting from the start.  I would argue that even if this was the only result from their meeting, the whole thing was a complete success.  Hard rock has been missing the thunder provided by Grohl’s drums and the thump brought forth by Jones’ bass.  Interestingly, it’s Homme (the least legendary member) that pulls the whole thing together.  His great guitar and singing presence really elevate this tale to a fantastic new high.  Listen in and let your mind be done anew by this instant classic.

8. “Cannibal Resource” by Dirty Projectors

“Stillness is the Move” may have a better sense of R&B, but Bitte Orca is at its peak where it begins.  This song ultimately summarizes what makes the rest of this Dirty Projectors album so great.  The structure is fairly random, bouncing back and forth between a semi-call-and-response verse, a cooing comment on the “arbitrary life”, and an attacking guitar structure.  What really pushes this song ahead is the previously mentioned guitar.  From the startup, through the midsection, right until the end, the song stands out thanks to great singing and sight guitar.  Hear it and break into this album the right way.

7. “Zero” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Breaking away from the garage rock of Fever to Tell, suddenly the Yeah Yeah Yeahs act as a brilliant electronic glam rock unit.  Here, Karen O takes a full leap into a super-diva.  Her voice is still explosive, but now it’s wide-ranging stunning with the new musical backdrop.  “Zero” is interesting in lyrical content, not just vocal delivery.  The song is directed at the loser (the zero of the title), a sort of realist’s view and inspirational all the same.  They offer that you “No one’s gonna ask you [your name]” and you “better find out where they want you to go.”  It’s mildly humbling, but really pushes you to reach the top.

6. “Daylight” by Matt & Kim

Yes yes, this song has been everywhere.  But honestly, it’s really worth all the attention.  The piano basis is so simple yet utterly brilliant, offering a rhythmic and melodic template for the entire song.  Of course, this would mean nothing without that fantastic swagger that seems to carry through the song.  It is fun and high quality.  A great example of where popularity is deserved.

5. “My Girls” by Animal Collective

Pitchfork has made this the year of Animal Collective, and that sort of labeling is pretty well wrong.  Yes, Merriweather Post Pavilion is a good album, but it is nowhere near the top of the decade.  It’s overdone, too big, and generally quite boring.  The main exceptions to this are “Brother Sport” and “My Girls.”  However, it is “My Girls” that is clearly the top Collective song and one of the best of the year.  Sincere and heartfelt, this song explodes with stunning creativity.  The premise alone would probably make this song worth mention; it’s a reflection on the need for family and only the basic essentials necessary to carry out such a life.  This song’s power only increases in the context of the dead singer’s father.  MPP may not be worth $20, but this song is golden.

4. “1901” by Phoenix

Back in June, I may have commented something about Phoenix existing as an unknown band, guessing that Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix would never sell much.  Whoops.  Turns out that Phoenix has gone crazy this year, finding themselves on the Billboard album charts for months, playing on SNL and being prominently featured in car ads.  “1901” is one of two super-songs on the album, reaching past the regular excellence seen in the rest of the album.  Electronics blend brilliantly with the guitar and drums.  Of course, “1901” would be nothing without the great personality from the band.  Oh, to be French and brilliant musically.  So much more than just a commercial jingle.

3. “King Rat” by Modest Mouse

Guess what: Modest Mouse is still amazing.  This song features the insane brilliance of Isaac Brock, his psychotic lyrical delivery, bombastic guitars, and some powerful horns.  This song is the crown jewel in the fantastic No One’s First EP, offering a song that is miles better than anything off We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.  It’s stunning, especially when accompanied with the crazy video directed by the late Heath Ledger.  Certainly one of the best songs of the year.

2. “Lisztomania” by Phoenix

So Phoenix unleashed a pretty great album with Wolfgang Amadeus.  The top highlights are the stunning one-two punch that start the album in “Lisztomania” and “1901.”  I personally find “Lisztomanina” to be the superior tune, with the catchier lyrics and the brighter music.  Of course, I don’t think you can go wrong with either tune – they’re superb pop with a touch of electronica to keep things interesting.

1. “While You Wait for the Others” by Grizzly Bear

“Two Weeks” is wonderful, but “While You Wait for the Others” really takes the top prize this year.  Ever since its debut on Conan, this song has been a beautifully haunting reminder of how great Grizzly Bear might become.  The development of this song and eventual outcome on Veckatimest is spectacular.  The atmosphere is powerful and evocative, bringing forth real emotional responses.  Those voices, that guitar… it’s musical brilliance, with just enough muscle to keep it around your brain for months.  This song clearly eclipses all others for the year, constantly echoing in my head.  This is one to remember.

Last year, the top song was a catchy pop piece, now my cell phone ringtone in “A-Punk.”  This year, we find nearly the inverse.  Instead of bright, happy pop, there’s a moody, introspective baroque-pop song.  Does that lessen either?  Not really, but it provides an interesting point of comparison and a great way to realize how amazing and broad popular music has become.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the best songs from this year.  Come around tomorrow night to find out what I view as the best albums of 2009.  It should be fun!

To check out these songs for yourself, click on the last word of each commentary.  You’ll find a link to YouTube for a stream of the track.  Here we go…

20. “I’m On a Boat” by The Lonely Island

It’s cheesy, stupid, childish, and clearly pandering to the college-jock type.  Yet here writes an engineering student with no real affection toward rap, thoroughly enjoying this song.  “Boat” is just so silly and fun, and you can’t help but love the premise.  The whole thing is made even better by the brilliant self-parody offered by T-Pain.  He is well aware of the setting, and lays down some fantastic fake-singing just for SNL.  It’s made better (obviously) with the video.  Watch it over and over on Lala or here.

19. “WIlco (The Song)” by Wilco

I’ve become a more devoted Wilco follower in recent days thanks to a great run with Summerteeth over the past year.  However, the brilliance of modern-day Wilco shouldn’t be overlooked.  “The Song” is a slight bit of parody, but manages to encapsulate most of what makes the band great in one place.  I think the big bells in the last third of the song really bring it together for me.  It’s the idea that, yes they’re more straightforward today, but they’ll still make magical music.  Listen to it here.

18. “Young Adult Friction” by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

For those not in the know, it’s about love in a library.  I personally find the lyrics to be annoying and a bit overdone.  This is all pushed aside by great guitars and a rhythm section that gives a sense of direction.  Think of combining the jangle and drums of R.E.M. with a New Wave attitude and you’re nearly there.  Lyrical delivery certainly counts for a lot here – enthusiasm is very present.  The 80s would have loved this band, and I’m glad we have them.

17. “Send Him Away” by Franz Ferdinand

The Scots best know for the crazy rhythm change in “Take Me Out” are back with a fairly angry tune.  This discussion of female infidelity fits in nicely with the whole “night out” theme within their latest album.  The singer ultimately ends begging to stay the night.  While he may be a tad pathetic, the music is tight, offering a nice guitar jangle that swings around a phenomenal bass line and a complex-yet-digestible drum part.  I’d argue that this is the top highlight of the whole album.

16. “I am Leaving” by Blue Roses

Blue Roses was described by someone else as the sound of a rainy day repeated over a whole album.  I think that’s a pretty apt feeling, but it sells the music short.  “I am Leaving” is at its core a song about a breakup or exiting a family.  But more important is the sheer beauty of the song.  Aching guitars are placed with bright chimes.  I’m a real sucker for great vocals, and this also propels this song.  Laura Groves has an amazing voice, and after this song, you’re left sorry for her and yet entirely elated.

15. “These Are My Twisted Words” by Radiohead

When this was originally leaked, it seemed like an obvious Radiohead song.  Perhaps that is because it sounds like a stereotypical Radiohead song.  Tight drums, wandering guitars, Thom Yorke’s ever-present voice.  But let me ask: isn’t that also what makes Radiohead so amazingly great?  If they were to release an album full of songs like this, wouldn’t we all flip out and proclaim it one of the greatest in recent memory?  Yeah, “Twisted Words” isn’t very special in the Radiohead cannon, but that it holds many Radiohead trademarks makes it better than 90% of music today.

14. “Pieces” by Dinosaur Jr.

I completely missed out on the first round of Dinosaur Jr, so I can’t really compare this song to anything that came before.  Instead, I have the perspective of an outsider on this.  Frankly, I’m disgusted.  How did I not find this band earlier?  Straightforward rock with the best guitars I may have heard from all of music… where has J Mascis been all my life?  This is a great song on an album full of great songs and the band really deserves all the praise offered lately.  A great first impression (the leadoff track from Farm) for this new fan.

13. “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear

There is a very puzzling blogosphere “general opinion” that “Two Weeks” is better than “While You Wait for the Others.”  I really don’t agree with that view of things, and see “While You Wait” as an vastly superior track.  However, that does not leave “Two Weeks” as a poor piece of music.  Rather, the bright pop and fantastic arrangement of “Two Weeks” is a fantastic entry point to the music of Grizzly Bear.  It’s very catchy, the vocal harmonies are splendid (even close to the power of Fleet Foxes) and the whole thing is just very pretty.  It is sometimes difficult to accept a song for being essentially beautiful, but this track is fantastic.

12. “Convinced of the Hex” by The Flaming Lips

There are certainly more catchy songs on Embryonic, but there is nothing more attention-grabbing.  The strange introduction only pulls you into a great blend of crazy rock.  Superb funky guitars and a crashing set of drums manage to set up an amazing atmosphere for the whole album.  Nothing since The Moon & Antarctica has set up such an otherworldly feel.  It’s great, and you’ll be left thinking about that bass line for weeks.

11. “This Tornado Loves You” by Neko Case

Left just short of the top ten, but not because of Ms. Case’s pipes.  Wow can she belt out some music.  Of course her voice is pointless on a “traditional” album unless the music can keep up.  Here, everything is great.  Guitars, pianos, drums, all working in tandem to build the foundation of this song.  Then Case fires on all cylinders to send everything into the stratosphere.  “What will make you believe me?” she belts with all her might.  The whole tornado-lover metaphor thing would seem a bit heavy-handed if not for the great holistic production.  That, and her voice is big enough to be an F5.

Come back for the next 10 songs tomorrow night!

It must be very clear at this point that I’m a terrible long-term blogger. Perhaps as a part of a blogging team I’d be more useful.  Then I’d have someone around to prod me into writing. Instead, it’s weeks or months of schoolwork that interfere with constructive blog time.  And that leaves me where I am now, doing what I like the most anyway.

IT IS THE END OF THE YEAR AND ALSO THE END OF A DECADE!

Stunning news, I’m sure.  Also, I’m sure you’ve seen all sorts of foolish end-of-whatever lists out there.  I personally love these things.  I realize they’re completely personalized and you can’t possibly quantify music so easily, but I love the idea of comparing great music.  Even more so, I love learning what awesome stuff is out there – there’s no way I could have heard it all.

Of course, as a blogger, it’s the law that I have an opinion to voice.  Thus, we enter my versions of the best of 2009/2000s.

THE SCHEDULE (AS IT STANDS):

• BEST SONGS OF 2009 – Numbers 20-11 Dec 17th.  Numbers 10-1 Dec 18th
• BEST ALBUMS OF 2009 – Numbers 15-6 Dec 19th. Numbers 5-1 Dec 20th.
• BEST SONGS OF THE DECADE -  Numbers 50-21 Dec 21st.  Numbers 20-1 Dec 22nd
• BEST ALBUMS OF THE DECADE – Numbers 35-11 Dec 23rd.  Numbers 10-1 Dec 24th

I hope to stick to this schedule.  I realize that my lack of input has rather failed you all again, but I’ve been organizing and thinking about these lists for a while now.  I love to think about music, and I personally love to decide what the best of music is.  Unfortunately for all of us, OK Computer was in fact released in the 1990s.  That would have made this all much easier.

At any rate, I shall see you all tomorrow with a brilliant list of songs from this year.  They are all great!

Rating: 10/10

Not too long ago, I made some pretty outlandish claims about the awesomeness of Grizzly Bear.  A few months before that, Pitchfork made some insane claims about Animal Collective.  With such heavyweights out there, it would seem that the album-of-the-year talk would be very heated between these two bands.  Well folks, it’s time to introduce a new player in that same conversation.

I had never listened to Dirty Projectors before, so the various accolades thrown to Bitte Orca were a bit surprising to me.  But, with all the good press came a reason to find out what the deal was.

Bitte Orca gets to you by knocking your ears around.  It starts with the mutating rhythms of “Cannibal Resource.”  The beat never finds an exact place to lock in.  Instead, it shifts and attaches to the particular ideas found throughout the song.  The distinctive lyrics further weave in and out, constantly impressing with harmonic females cooing and the confident lead male voice selling a tale about “the arbitrary life.”

The leadoff track is very indicative of the rest of Bitte Orca: it will keep you guessing and on your toes.  A quiet acoustic piece is suddenly turned wild with a single cymbal crash in “Temecula Sunrise.”

Without much warning, the band changes gears for full female singing in “Stillness is the Move” and the reflective “Two Doves.”  A string section also becomes more prominent, rising and falling to accent the tension in each song.

Exciting, memorable moments pepper each song.  The straining repetition of titular phrase “Bitte Orca” accompanies a wild thrashing guitar that cuts right through the center of the initially relaxed “Useful Chamber.”

It’s hard to exactly classify what Dirty Projectors have created in Bitte Orca.  As a cop-out, I could call it “indie rock,” but that really sells short the experience.  Unique vocals and a reluctance to rely on guitar makes the album shift toward R&B, even if everything seems to fit within a rock guise.

What makes the album so good is how the crazy changes and memorable phrases all interact.  Excellent musicianship and endless creativity really go a long way toward making a great album.  Dirty Projectors use both to carefully craft each complex song.

As a warning, you will need to listen carefully to get the most out of Bitte Orca.  However, if you’re willing to let things develop, you will be rewarded by the most complex album of the year.  It’s constantly impressive and a great long-term investment.  Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective now have new competition.

Open admission: I don’t really care for Coldplay.  That’s a careful selection of words – they aren’t a band to dislike, I just don’t particularly care about them.  Of course, they do have a few reasons to love them (see: “Clocks” and “The Scientist”), but I’ve otherwise considered them to be a mediocre Radiohead-cover band (see: “Speed of Sound”).

But then they did something a bit unexpected and released LeftRightLeftRightLeft for free.  I like free things, even if they’re mediocre.  Particularly, I like free music – this external hard drive has plenty of music I don’t always listen to, so why not add this?

I am here to bring glad tidings – this is good free music.  I’m not going to discuss the benefits or failings of the original recordings, but the quality of live music presented here is really excellent.  Layered sounds come through quite nicely, and Chris Martin’s voice never overpowers the instruments (and vice versa).

It’s very clear that Coldplay are excellent showmen, bringing quite a bit of energy to their performance.  It’s an interesting combo on this side of the headphones – there are big bold sounds (like U2), but presented in a personal way.  It’s like the band really cares about every note and word, yet manages to translate their feeling to the crowds.

The majesty of “Clocks” was particularly gripping to me.  I personally view the song as one of the best of this decade, offering musical cohesion and emotional fervor.  Live, the crowds are justifiably excited by the opening.  Suddenly, this special, individual song becomes global and powerful.  A song that jerks tears can also build momentum and bring forth clapping from the masses.  It’s pretty awesome.

The crowds of the recording are also an important note.  They’re never dropped entirely from the mix, but are kept generally low in most cases.  I think this is a good decision, allowing the music to speak without annoying whoops jumping in the way.

The quality of the individual songs can be argued, but that’s left for reviews of the individual albums.  What is in LeftRight is a great introduction to Coldplay and a very nice free album to add to your collection.  The score below isn’t a number (but so you know, the music would not get a 10).  Instead, it’s a clear reminder that free things are excellent, and we should be very thankful for this one.

RATING: GET IT NOW

Let it be said that I love the internet:

This image is hilarious, and it’s quite funny how the media is so upset by this Joker-reference.  I find it odd that there is such outrage over this, but the loud liberals were allowed to call GWB “Hitler” without any complaints.

Essential Listening will return to its regularly (un)scheduled nonsense in the next few days.

RATING: 9.6/10

Sad admission: I am rather late to the Dinosaur Jr. party.  A quick Google search yields lots of information about their glory days as influential indie icons.  Unfortunately, that means very little to me – I’m sure the band has touched quite a bit of what I hear today, but it’s hard to tell now.  Heck, I even missed out on their previous album, the relatively recent Beyond.

Well here I am now, rather cured of my mistakes and drooling for more thanks to the loud, brilliant and inspired Farm.

Farm kicks into gear right away with a quick drum flourish that brings in the guitars.  Oh the guitars.  Every song on the album will have you itching to find the nearest six-string and shred along with the band.  J Mascis is a force of nature, pulling out the most powerful riffs in every song, before going into solos that would make Eddie Van Halen stop and listen.

It’s hard to pick out particular highlight songs because they all bring interesting solos and guitar patterns to the table.  Opener “Pieces” starts things off right with a great punch of energy and a structure that refuses to surrender.

“Ocean in the Way” takes a slightly different pace, offering a slightly more swung feel, allowing for guitar exploration between nearly every phrase instead of in only one place.  “Plans” starts slower and offers the most beautifully aching solo in years.  Even the longest songs (“I Don’t Want to Go There” and “Said the People”) manage to remain engaging throughout the over seven minutes of play.

While the main focus is rightfully on the guitar sounds, a portion Farm’s success needs to be credited to the drums.  Instead of just forming a foundation for J Mascis to lift his guitar solos, the percussive elements of each song allow for a personality to develop.  Even further, the drummer is not afraid to add fills and personally expand a track.

This combination of instantly-memorable guitars and bold drums makes Farm a requirement for fans of rock.  While there are lyrics and singing, the instruments steal the show here, forming their own poetic phrases.  Listen for the guitars, get swept away by the whole experience and wonder why no one else in music is playing a guitar like Dinosaur Jr.

Political blogs are everywhere.  This is not a political blog.  Essential Listening remains devoted to music.  However, the Supreme Court confirmation hearings have reminded me of my views and I felt like a random post would be nice.

I am a Republican.  I do not support much of the presidency of George W Bush.

These statements likely contradict in the minds of many moderates and liberals today.  Clearly (seemingly) my Republican status must make me a Bush supporter.

That is simply not the case.

The unfortunate reality is that, until the election of Barack Obama, the Republican Party was slipping away for me, becoming a shell of what I support.

In my mind, the Republican Party is summarized by Ronald Reagan (almost).  The essential consideration is small, un-intrusive government.  This means fewer social programs, less bloat and less spending.

This should again raise a flag for all liberals.  How can a Republican support less spending if Bush spent so much?

Therein lies the problem: George Bush was more a Democrat than Republican.  Instead of being conservative with the budget, he spent.  Instead of cutting down the bureaucracy, he expanded the role of government in education and surveillance.  Suddenly, the government was huge and powerful.

This is not what a “real” Republican ought support.  Quite suddenly, Bush seemed no better than the liberals he “opposed.”  And somehow, the “republican” politicians followed.  They spent, they grew government and alienated their base.

It is interesting now to see the Obama economic policies unfold.  Essentially taking over where Bush left off, this president is lending money to banks, taking over the auto industry and attempting to stimulate the economy through huge spending bills.

So where is the money?  If we’ve spent this much, why isn’t every state feeling the impact right now?

I don’t like the idea of government running my life.  Blame it on my enjoyment of freedom, if you must.  But having government seemingly in control of so much of the economy (essentially becoming the farmer feeding the companies), it feels as if there is a sudden connection between government and employment or government and purchases.

I don’t want to rely on government to regulate my choices.  I’m a strong believer in competition resulting in a better living environment.  Furthermore, why does government know what is best for companies?  And why do all companies necessarily need to survive right now?  If a market is shrinking or no longer exists (like the market for American-made cars), why try to artificially prop it up?

The larger the government, the less power the individual holds.  By taking over industries or interjecting in healthcare as a new provider, government gains power.  Other competition falls (how do you compete with a multi-trillion dollar “company” like Washington?), and we’re left with one choice.

Clearly that goes to the extreme, and I recognize the failings in the current systems (especially healthcare), but the suggestion that government provides all the answers is absurd and generally foolish.

Innovators exist within our country, working to improve their fields.  By shutting of their voices with a single answer via government, we all lose.

I’m happy to see that current Republicans are “suddenly” remembering their root core as supporters of small government.  However, this quick change in the Obama world is awfully fishy, and seems just as a counterpoint to the Democrat policies.

I am a Republican because I support small government.  But I want those who represent me to actually mean it when they claim that Obama’s spending is over-the-top.  A quick reminder would serve well: they’re the same people who were giddy about giving Bush more money for no reason.

It has been two years since the release of the most recent Smashing Pumpkins effort (released on July 6, 2007).  For a band once known for bold, grand, drama-filled albums, Zeitgeist represents a great change for Billy Corgan – and a very unfortunate one at that.

In the past, the emphasis was on rock and pop.  Even the earliest releases (Gish and Siamese Dream) were focused on mass exposure concerns.  Rooted in blues-rock and layered guitars, both albums added excellence through the extra flourishes.  Siamese Dream was especially great with lighter outings in “Today” and full orchestral excess in “Disarm.”

The later works were even larger in scale, featuring show tunes (“Tonight, Tonight”), glam-electronic-rock (“Ava Adore”), eight minute epics (“For Martha”) and strange concept-like albums (Machina/The Machines of God).

Unlike all of these, Zeitgeist is a massive shift toward hard rock, and only hard rock.  From the beginning of the album, big drums and bigger guitars smack your ears, demanding singular attention at the music.  This would be great if used carefully.

Instead, the Pumpkins try to build a whole album off of one sound: loud, bass-y guitars and pounding drums.  There is no variation.  Even “lighter” efforts like “Bleeding the Orchid” quickly shift to a crazed aural assault, really just representing a slower version of the previous songs on the album.

Zeitgeist might have fared better if Billy Corgan weren’t so insistent on using his vocal delivery.  Possibly expressive passages (like through “Bring The Light”) might have been emotionally meaningful if not delivered through a nasally sneer.  Corgan’s voice doesn’t work so well in this new setting of thrashing guitars.

Maybe the only upside to Zeitgeist is the presence of Jimmy Chamberlain, longtime drummer for the Pumpkins.  He remains and offers thrilling fills, rolls and attacks.  Sadly, the whole album is not a drum solo, and the mainly-Corgan effort fails because of this.

Fans of The Smashing Pumpkins are advised to pass this one up.  The sound does not fit any hopes and only manages to frustrated with repeated listens.  This release mainly suits fans of standard “modern rock,” perhaps a Nickelback fan looking for something more guitar-based.

Now that the band is down to only Corgan, I no longer look forward to future releases from “The Smashing Pumpkins.”  Corgan no longer sounds interested in previous efforts.  Instead, he only looks to be out of attention and money, using the name of his once-great band to reap the benefits.

RATING: 2.5/10