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Music In The First Quarter Of 2009

What was the dominant trend or style of popular music in the 00s? Clearly, the digital explosion of "myspace" guitar bands like The Arctic Monkeys, - and albums online, like In Rainbows, and the developing complexity of dance and pop music (one thinks of Britney Spears) and the ongoing importance of rap (L'il Wayne). Then again, the rise of Freak Folk; or such acoustic bands and signers, like Bon Iver and The Fleet Foxes. Also, the treated voice (Kayne West, Fever Ray) and the return of synth-pop.

Anyway, the last year of this decade has begun impressively, with several albums released since January 1st that are among the strongest since 2000, and will certainly be among many critics' end of year lists. If the trend for 2009 continues, this may be the decade that ends with a musical bang.

Eyewear wants to suggest the top seven albums so far, in no order, as he's heard them (and this excludes mixed but sometimes interesting new works from Springsteen, Doves and Depeche Mode); it will be hard to keep many of these off Eyewear's list this December:

1. White Lies - To Lose My Life...
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
3. U2 - No Line On The Horizon
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
5. The Decembrists - The Hazards Of Love
6. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
7. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Comments

Worship Leader said…
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