Music year 2009: A few notes.

Soon to be posted—for real—are some of the newish things I enjoyed listening to this year. Stay tuned.

• Not all of them are from 2009—a few from 2008, one from 2007.
• There are two lists—one for albums, another for songs (not necessarily singles).
• The lists are more or less in descending order.
• I wish I could include Glover Gill’s fantastic original score for Richard Linklater’s ‘Waking Life,’ but it came out in 2001.
• Then again, if I could include any album from any year, the Beatles will never be knocked down from the top spot. Or maybe only by Bach.
• I almost kicked Iron and Wine’s ‘Trapeze Swinger’ off the list for using ‘seldomly.’ As much as I love you and your music, Mr Beam, in my book ‘seldomly’ is as bad as ‘farly’ and ‘longly.’
• Despite its ridiculous title, Bituin Escalante’s ‘Ur Luv Thang’ is pretty good.
• It sucks that I’m not the only or the first guy to think Ebe Dancel looks like Efren Bata Reyes.
• When I’m an old man, I wanna be Leonard Cohen.
• I vehemently refused to listen to Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame’ until this morning. Turns out it’s not bad at all: several good hooks, cute electro effects, many songs that could benefit from being ~3:15 long instead of 3:59 or 4:25. What’s really surprising is that it’s so inoffensive and normal. Britney’s ‘Blackout’ is far superior, or the stuff the Swedes produce even in their sleep.
• If you think you’re too cool for Kelly Clarkson, you should try getting over yourself sometime.
• Don’t ask me how much money I spend on music.