Hall of Awesome: The Top 10 Albums of 2009

10

Bon Iver

Blood Bank EP (tie)

10

Animal Collective

Fall Be Kind EP (tie)

9

Loney, Dear

Dear John

8

Various Artists

Dark Was the Night

7

Blakroc

Blakroc

6

Neko Case

Middle Cyclone

5

M. Ward

Hold Time

4

Mos Def

The Ecstatic

3

The Flaming Lips

Embryonic

2

Grizzly Bear

Veckatimest

1

The Decemberists

The Hazards of Love

Click on the album titles to stream them, courtesy of La La.

Honorable Mentions:
Andrew Bird, Noble Beast
Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
Basement Jaxx, Scars
Cursive, Mama, I'm Swollen
Discovery, LP
Helado Negro, Awe Owe
StreightAngular, After and Before
Wilco, Wilco (The Album)
Yo La Tengo, Popular Songs

Decemberists' Announce "O Valencia!" Video Winner

It seems like forever since the Decemberists' had started their contest in which fans were asked to make a video for their song "O Valencia!" using the green screen footage the band provided. In fact, the contest slowly faded into obscurity after pseudo-pundit Stephen Colbert accused the group of stealing his "Green Screen Challenge" idea and challenged them to a guitar-off.

Still, a winner has to be announced, and here it is! I must say I was very impressed with the outcome. The director, Kurt Nishimura, didn't do the standard "stick the people in front of a weird background" move. Instead, he created an entirely new storyline with new characters, and simply made the Decemberists' footage part of the TV screens that occupy the video. It's a bold move that ultimately paid off, as the video is suprisingly original and entertaining, almost like the Decemberists made this video themselves.