Kevin Bronson on December 18th, 2009

5

The headline says “favorite,” not “best,” and I will not pretend to have allowed much in the way of objectivity to meddle with this list. Not in 2009, a difficult year, one that perhaps above any other I consumed music with my heart, not my head.

It was a trying year, and probably for many of you too. Can’t wait to be rid of it, actually. None of the sloganeering that ushered in 2009 has amounted to much, not yet anyway. I’m not sure if that veneer of malaise has anything to do with the general lack of hard rock, noise-rock and electro-pop on this list, but it might. L.A. sent me a lot of fantastic music this year, so much that between freelancing and trying to find a day job I couldn’t blog about it all.

Take, for instance, my favorite L.A. album of the year. Due to freelance and family commitments, I actually never got around to writing a serious review of Robert Francis’ sophomore album “Before Nightfall.” Here it is, in a sentence: In baring his wounds and setting the scars to soaring folk melodies, Robert Francis, barely into his twenties, is knocking on the door to the American songwriters’ pantheon – if only we tourists would set aside our mobile devices long enough to listen.

Here’s the list of my favorite 20, with four-word commentary and links to my previous verbiage on the artist:

1. Robert Francis, “Before Nightfall” (Atlantic): Old soul, fresh voice. [Previously.]

2. The Happy Hollows, “Spells” (Autumn Tone): One highly caffeinated Pixie.” ”  [Previously. Here too.]

3. Silversun Pickups, “Swoon” (Dangerbird): My Hall of Famers. [Previously.]

4. Fool’s Gold, “Fool’s Gold” (IAMSOUND): Joy in any language. [Previously.]

5. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, “Up From Below” (Vagrant): Hippie heart, worldly soul. [Previously.]

6. Imaad Wasif, “The Voidist” (Teepee): L.A.’s one true mystic. [Previously.]

7. Frankel, “Anonymity Is the New Fame” (Autumn Tone): Don’t interrupt, I’m listening. [Previously.]

8. Foreign Born, “Person to Person” (Secretly Canadian): Addictive rhythms, sumptuous arrangements.” ”  [Previously. Here too.]

9. Division Day, “Visitation” (Dangerbird): Spend some time here. [Previously.]

10. The Willowz, “Everyone” (Dim Mak): They’ve earned their Stripes.

11. Jonneine Zapata, “Cast the Demons Out” (self-released): Brought to a simmer. [Previously.]

12. His Orchestra, “Field Guide to the Wilds” (self-released): Necklace of indie-pop gems. [Previously.]

13. Eleni Mandell, “Artificial Fire” (Zedtone): Peak of her powers. [Previously.]

14. Letting Up Despite Great Faults, “Letting Up Despite Great Faults” (self-released): Bedroom electro with heart. [Previously.]

15. Sara Lov, “Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming” (Nettwerk): Tuneful, graduate-level sang-froid.”  [Previously.]

16. Dawes, “North Hills” (ATO): Welcome another folk prodigy.”  [Previously.]

17. Great Northern, “Remind Me Where the Light Is” (Eenie Meenie): Like flying on sound. [Previously. Here too.]

18. Gliss, “Devotion Implosion” (Cordless): Lost in fuzz nation. [Previously.]

19. Leslie & the Badgers, “Roomful of Smoke” (self-released): Lilting Americana, SoCal style. [Previously.]

20. Sea Wolf, “White Water, White Bloom” (Dangerbird): Songs sorrowful and sylvan. [Previously.]

Also worth your hard-earned dollars:

Eels, Kissing Cousins, Eulogies, The Bird & the Bee, Miss Derringer, the Polyamorous Affair, Go West Young Man, the Minor Canon, Olin and the Moon, the Aggrolites, the Voyeurs, Light FM, Meredith Meyer, the Spires, Greater California, Heavy Young Heathens, Horse Stories and Downtown/Union.

Wayback machine: Popular With Me, 2008; Popular With Me, 2007; Popular With Me, 2006.

A short list from a big stack of EPs:

I was probably submitted four EPs for every full-length I got this year. Here is a very short list of EPs I found that were loaded with keeper songs (I’ve largely omitted demo EPs and discs made solely for shows): Eastern Conference Champions, Voxhaul Broadcast, Aushua, the Union Line, Samuel Stewart, Saint Motel and Parade of Lights.