Harper's Neurotic Local Top 20 and Whatever, Don't Get Excited
I hate doing this. Rounding up the year's best local releases only makes me think of failure.
Not failure on the part of any artist, mind you -- well, not usually -- but rather failure on my part to pay wholehearted attention to each and every worthwhile development in the local music scene. I mean, it's my job, right? Maybe one day when I should've been listening to such-and-such record, I went for a jog instead and then completely forgot. Two weeks after the fact, I remember and smack myself on the head with the nearest metal object.
But most of what you'll see on the list below are, I think, the most significant and bestest records that came out of here in the past year. I know of some that I left off because they just weren't doing it for me. And there are no doubt others that I left off because I didn't know about them..
The good news, however, is that within the past few years, there have been so many great releases from the town's homegrown, original music culture that it's simply impossible to keep track of everything. 2009 was especially good.
And hey, at least I included MP3s.
Top 20 Kansas City/Lawrence Releases of 2009
Capybara, Try Brother (Record Machine)
MP3: "Birthday Song for Bridgegirl"
The Life and Times, Tragic Boogie (Arena Rock)
MP3: "Dull Knives"
Rooftop Vigilantes, Carrot Atlas (Wooden Man)
MP3: "Brad Shanks Want Girlfriend"
Ron Ron, Skitzo-Frinik (Brainiak)
MP3: "Throwbacc"
Be/Non, A Mountain of Yeses (Unipegadong)
MP3: "Whiteout"
Drakkar Sauna, 20009 (Marriage Recs)
MP3: "Not Ideas About the King But the King Himself"
Coalesce, OX (Relapse)
MP3: "Wild Ox Moan"
Max Justus, No Mercy (The Record Machine)
MP3: "Zip"
The Architects, The Hard Way (Skeleton Crew)
MP3: "Big Iron Gate"
Antennas Up, Antennas Up (self-released)
MP3: "Don't Wait Up"
Mac Lethal, Love Potion Collection 5 (Black Clover)
MP3: "Heart Uvva Pig (Map of Love)"
Hammerlord, Hammerlord (Init)
MP3: "Metalization"
Biarchy, Strength in Numbers (self-released)
MP3: "Informed"
Calamity Cubes, Calamity Cubes (self-released)
MP3: "Daughter of the Devil"
CES Cru, The Playground (INnatesounds)
MP3: "Playground"
Sam Billen, Headphones & Cellphones (The Record Machine)
MP3: "Bandaids"
Tech N9ne, KOD (Strange Music)
MP3: "Leave Me Alone"
The Runaway Sons, Soy España (self-released)
MP3: "Get Your Tongue Out of My Mouth 'Cause I'm Kissing You Goodbye"
Stik Figa & D/Will, Hello, Goodbye (self-released)
MP3: "Seasons"
Wonkachild, Urkel (self-released)
MP3: "Argyle Sweater"
Honorable Mentions
Krizz Kaliko, Genius (Strange Music)
Kick Kick, Powerplay (Bossibility)
London Transit, Digital Kid (self-released)
The Appleseed Cast, Sagarmatha (Vagrant)
Diverse, Diverse (Origin)
Teasers of the Year
Cowboy Indian Bear, Cowboy Indian Bear EP
The Dactyls, The Dactyls EP (Yeti Party)
Soft Reeds, Three Songs EP
Making Movies, Libertad EP
2008 Album That I Found and Loved in 2009:
Adam Lee & the Dead Horse Sound Company, Ghostly Fires (self-released)
Album That I Still Haven't Listened to But That Should Be on My List If the Hype Is True:
Katlyn Conroy, I Think I'll Stay Inside (self-released)
Best Semi-Local Album
Chrissy Murderbot, Chrissy Murderbot (Sleaze Tone)
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