. Cold Cave, Times New Viking, Bunny Brains, Ariel Pink, and so much more. These were some of my faves of the past year. I won't use the highly subjective term "Best Albums". Some were just singles. Some were songs I liked a lot from just OK albums, etc. This is a straight, high quality playlist recording as my stream archive failed (again). So you don't get my rant against the Weekly's Mediocre Albums Of 2009. Read on for that! And download this great show now!

Check the complete playlist HERE.

Now I realize the Weekly is a mainstream paper, however much they call themeslves an "alternative weekly". And hey, it ain't the Village Voice. No Christgaus here, let alone Lester Bangs or Richard Meltzers. But you'd think some of these so-called critics could use their position to turn people on to cool new music, underground stuff, etc. I mean, here's some stuff in their "Best Of" list this year: Pearl Jam. Modest Mouse. Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The Decemberists (yesterday's news all of them). Them Crooked Vultures (omigod it's Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stoneage TOGETHER! Gotta be great just by default, right? Sorry, haven't heard it and don't care to).
And WAY too much "alt-country".
And while I can grudgingly agree on entries like Sonic Youth and Flaming lips; that's just too easy. The only things on the list I see as the least bit edgy are Pains of Being Pure at Heart (I don't like much but that's OK) and The Horrors (I do like).

Top this off with their complete slagging of one of my favorite (and yes, BEST) albums of the year, Cold Cave's "Love Comes Close". The reviewer's panning was so virulent it bordered on cartoonish hatred. He clearly didn't get it at all and had no business writing the review, though I got a good chuckle out of it. But now hundreds (or more likely, dozens) of people will never hear this fine, thoughtful and most of all, entertaining album. Shame on you. "Vapid"? I think I could say that about most of your Best Of list. But this is Pop Music. I think your vaunted Stephin Merritt would agree. Plus, he's an excellent rock critic.
Loosen your fucking bowtie, I think it's cutting off the blood to your head, Sean.

Sincerely,
Pierre Camembert