the Year's end

This is probably my most pretentious blog entry ever. The end of this year signaled the end of the "aughts." Why are they called that? I don't know. Anyway, one of my favorite parts of the end of the year, besides having a few weeks off from school, is the abundance of year end lists by music and movie reviewers. This year was special because we got both the year end lists, as well as the lists at the end of the decade. If there's one thing i enjoy reading, its a year end list. This year, the few that I read were all absolutely ridiculous. Rolling Stone said their number 1 album of the year was U2's new album, which i cannot even remember the name of. Pitchfork, of course, said the number one album of the year was the new Animal Collective album (the same was true for Spin magazine, as well i believe). Finally, Paste magazine had the Avett Brothers, "You and I and Love" as their number 1 album. First of all when it comes to U2's new album it's important to consider the fact U2 doesn't even like their new album. Pitchfork is going to love anything Animal Collective puts out. The Avett Brothers album is good, but I believe that there were a few far better albums that came out this year (the more ridiculous thing Paste did was call the Avett Brothers album the number 8 album of the decade, but that is neither here nor there). With all this in mind i guess i just wanted to make a list of all the things media related that i found interesting and fun this year!

Music (probably going to be different than what i "tweeted"). In terms of music, 2009 was nowhere near as great as 2008.
1) Regina Spektor - Far
2) The Decemberists - the Hazards of Love
3) the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Higher than the Stars EP (Pitchfork put the Fleet Foxes LP and EP on their year end list last year, so i figure if they can do it, so can i.)
4) The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (this album was something i got way towards the end of the year, and i listened to it a bunch of times, and really started to like them).
5) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (this is actually isn't a GREAT album, i just think 1901 and Liztomania really make it notable.)

Some other good albums this year were Wilco's Wilco (the Album), Bowerbirds' Upper Air, The Avett Brothers You and I and Love, Real Estate's Real Estate .

Movies!

1) (500) Days of Summer

2) Adventureland

3) Zombieland

4) Up!

I didn't see many movies this year. Knowing was good as well, but not something I think i would put as one of my favourites.

Television

1) Glee

2) Modern Family

3) Community

-These 3 shows have no particular order. All of them are excellent TV shows.

Video games also had a good year. The ones i got were The Beatles: Rock Band, Left 4 Dead 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. All very fun.

Overall, 2009 was not that great for music and movies and stuff. Here's hoping 2010 is better.

Have a safe and happy new year.

peace, love, & multimedia,

m.w.w.