Every year, my friend Dn creates his Soundtrack for the year, and three of my recommendations made the album. Shortly after I gave him a few songs to download for 2010, he recommended I do my own compilation. So after a month of contemplating, compiling, procrastinating, and selection, I've come up with a pretty good 2009 Setlist.
Some Rules: There can be no songs that have already appeared on his soundtrack, and I must shy away from the same artists (sans An Horse... and Jenny Owen Youngs.) Nevermind... Rules suck. It's pretty simple - the tunes are some of my favorites from the year, remind me of an experience from the previous year, or have some sort of significance from my life during 2009.
If you would like a copy of the Setlist (CD or mp3) please contact me via email, Facebook, or leave contact info in the comments section and I'll get in touch.
Initially, I envisioned the album as four parts (spring, summer, fall, winter), however that would make half the album upbeat only to bring the listener down throughout. Therefore, no rhyme-or-reason behind the order, other than maximied listening pleasure. I've also included a "Meatloaf Meter" (MM) to indicate if the song has a "Meatloaf Moment" - our friend Dave used this term describing The Polyphonic Spree as a song that builds and builds to a musical climax.
Thanks to spinner.com, I believe 2009 was one of the best musical years of my life. I hope you all enjoy my 2009 Setlist.
An Horse - Company (MM)
This was the first An Horse song I ever heard. I don't know if it was the build up of the song, Damon's drum playing (we're on first-name basis now), the fact that they're just a two-piece group, or the overall catchiness of the tune, but I was hooked. It was also the opener for their gig at Record Bar last summer. It was the first concert I've been to by myself, with a smile ear-to-ear throughout the entire set. An Horse was my favorite band of 2009.
When I initially heard Home I thought The Magnetic Zeros were trying too hard to be The White Stripes. However, occasionally airplay led the song to grow on me. It was also featured on NBC's Community.
I assume the voicemail in this song is real. The bit of reality given is something I love about indie music. When pop music is written by one person and performed by a separate singer, the song loses its authenticity (to me.) Voice On Tape has an intimacy to it.
I don't care what some critics say. Veckatimest is a great album. And apparently Grizzly Bear is an acquired taste, so I went ahead and put While You Wait for Others on the Setlist because it may be the most awkwardly-rocking song of 2009. Given enough spins, you'll emulate me and reach for the volume knob each time the chorus repeats.
(Song is not licensed to post... Trust)
Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)
Being so popular and (possibly) overplayed, I went back-and-forth about 100 times before putting Empire State of Mind on the Setlist. However, my NYC trip in October was a highlight of the year full of them, and Floyd's apartment was the first place/time I heard the song. It was fitting. Once again, I can't thank Floyd, Lindsey, Alison, Adrienne, and Autumn enough for such a wonderful time. Also, the Setlist needed some rap.
Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band - The World (Is Going Up in Flames)
OK. First of all, R&B was big for me this year. It all started when I purchased Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. The World was my favorite R&B song in 2009, but you'll get a solid dose with the rest of the Setlist. The song also reminds me of a night in the summer around 4:00 a.m. in Ry and Jam's apartment, when I had them Youtube it.
I hate television. Therefore, paying for cable just doesn't make 'cents' for me. However, Network TV makes me dumber, so I put myself between a rock-and-a-hard-place. Uhh Yeah Dude is the weekly episode that I cannot wait for each week (is that grammatically correct?) It's a Dance-cast. You should hop on iTunes, download it, and get on point. Blue Skies was the intro for episode 184.
Heard Little Secrets regularly and found the chorus catchy. Never appreciated it until I saw Passion Pit on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Recommendation: put it on while you're on the treadmill.
In June I went to my friend Jake's house-warming pool party. Whenever I see Jake I come bearing music. Our friendship is one where I expose him to music other than Jimmy Buffett. At the time, this was my favorite song and was on the CD at the party. Mojitos got the best of me that evening, which culminated in a discussion with Kris's mom about tripping on mushrooms in Las Vegas (which I've never done, but think would be quite exciting.)
When I was at my favorite record store, Love Garden, looking for the Charles Bradley 45 (which is extremely difficult to get a hold of. Apparently, all the Menahan Street Band stuff is as well.) the associate recommended Lee Fields. She had her nose pierced and we talked about the recent Raphael Saadiq show at the Voodoo Lounge. She was nice. We listened to this song.
Over Thanksgiving Kris and I took a road trip to Las Vegas. On the return trip, somewhere in Utah, I listened intently to The Perfect Space for the first time. The first verse was so meaningful I restarted the song as my compatriot slept in the passenger seat unaware of how moving the song was. On the BS Report yesterday (the Jan. 21 episode with Jason Reitman), Bill Simmons proposed that most individuals remake their self-being about every 8-10 years. I believe 2009 is smack-dab in the middle of this transition for me.
(Disclosure: this song was chosen prior to my friend Joe's post.)
Also in November I attended a funeral for a good friend's father. It was the most inspirational service celebrating a man's life I have ever been to. The man was a rock for his family and community, and it showed as multiple people from all aspects of his life shared an experience that they will cherish and remember him by for the rest of their life. It was a stirring tribute to my friend's exceptional father.
In the beginning of 2009 I occasionally thought about my mortality. Not so much in a discouraging or scared way, but as two questions: "What am I going to do to make a difference in this world?" and "How do I want to live my life?" I won't delve into what conclusions I came to, but to be half the man that my friend's father was will be more than enough to make my life complete. May he rest in peace.
I'm tying up the loose ends on a 2009 CD that will be posted in the next few days. This is a list of a few songs not quite worthy of production. In reality, I just wanted to test the stream links to lala.com. Any feedback (good or bad) is appreciated.
