LISTMANIA 2009: The Top 15 Songs of 2009

15. Daniel - Bat for Lashes
The talent for moody, arresting singles that gave the world "What's a Girl to Do" in 2008 clearly hasn't abandoned Natasha Khan. She can still work spooky magic with a drum machine.

14. Young Hearts Spark Fire - Japandroids
A bittersweet song about drinking your way through the anxieties of growing older. "I don't wanna worry about dying. I just wanna worry about those sunshine girls."

13. Standing on the Shore - Empire of the Sun
Riding the crest of Australia's current dance-pop wave (which also includes Midnight Juggernauts and Cut Copy), Empire of the Sun wields a sleek and breezy sound that seems custom-made for high-end marketing campaigns. (The band's "We Are the People" already soundtracks a recent Vizio ad.) But being slick isn't always a bad thing. Pour yourself a tequila sunrise and let the pre-party begin.

12. When I Grow Up - Fever Ray
Not to be confused with the 2008 Pussycat Dolls song of the same name, Fever Ray's first single is a slow-burn epic of mind-boggling Euro-art. The video, in which a refugee from the "Love Is a Battlefield" video makes a swimming pool boil, is something to behold.

11. Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
In 2009 YYYs made the big-room synth album no one knew they wanted to make, and "Zero" is the floor-filling A single, replete with prodigious use of the phrase "shake it."

Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago, August 7-9, 2009

Snoop Dogg
After three days of pouring rain, scorching heat, immense crowds, late-night after parties, and endless drinking, some exhaustion is to be expected. Another Lollapalooza has come and gone (followed by an extra two days in Chicago), and I must say I'm simultaneously saddened and relieved. Some of our festival coverage (along with images by yours truly) can also be found over at Spinner.com, including my Crystal Castles coverage, and Kim's coverage of Ida Maria and the Raveonettes.

Below are some choice shots, in no real order. (More images are up in the [still-in-process] Flickr gallery.)

All Points West Music Festival, Liberty Park, New Jersey, July 31-August 1, 2009

To say that these photos represent the All Points West experience would be...misleading. That's because the All Points West experience involved being ankle-deep in mud. To be honest, the rain was so heavy on Friday that we left after seeing roughly 1.5 sets. Saturday was beautiful, although the festival grounds had been turned into brown soup. And Sunday? Well we skipped Sunday in order to see No Age, Dan Deacon, and Deerhunter play the Williamsburg Waterfront. That show, unfortunately, was canceled due to—you guessed it—rain. Luckily, they played an impromptu late-night set at a local bowling alley. I declined to lug my camera to that show, however, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

A shot also shows up in Kim's Arctic Monkeys recap at Spinner.com, and there are a few of mine in the Tour Tracker concert photo roundup as well. SEE THE FULL SET AT FLICKR


The National

Jarvis Cocker at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, July 30, 2009

I was standing WAY too far from the stage for my poor little prime lens to do any good, but I still stole a few decent shots of a terrific show. As always, Jarvis was witty, theatrical, and crazy as a shithouse rat. (A "full" set is available over on Flickr.)

Siren Festival, July 18, 2009, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York

Yet another sunny, rockin' Village Voice Siren Festival has come and gone. This one was something special, though, as the fest is basically on borrowed time these days. In fact, last year was supposed to be the last year, but the economy and various city council disputes have slowed Coney Island development plans.

And it's a damn good thing, too. 2009 standouts were Future of the Left, Thee Oh Sees, and Japandroids, although there wasn't a disappointment in the lot this time around. And be sure to catch Kim's pre-show interview with the Raveonettes (featuring a photo by yours truly) over at Spinner.com.

Anyway, here's some pics (LOTS more images over at the Flickr page)...

Art Brut at Mercury Lounge, June 4, 2009:"DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake"

Art Brut put on yet another fantastic show at Mercury Lounge last night (the third in a five-night residency).

Get the full skinny over at Kirby Krackle.

The Best Live Shows of 2008Listmania Late Edition

2008 is already a distant memory, but I had so many concert shots from this year lying around it seemed a shame not to do a quick roundup of the year in live music. Since it's hard to rank this kind of thing (especially when music festivals are involved), this year I'm sticking with chronology. Plus it's a great way to chart the gradual development of my photography skills (by which I mean "incremental camera upgrades"). [Also, check out some highlights from the year in outdoor concerts.]



The Best Live Shows of 2008

1. Dead Meadow
Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan, Jan. 16

[flickr set]