Best Music of 2009 (So Far): Rachael Maddux, Assistant Editor

To celebrate the half-way point of 2009, this week Paste staffers are counting down their favorite albums and songs of the year (so far). Check out all of our lists here, and share your own favorites in the comments.

For the first few months of 2009 (and even creeping back a bit into 2008), I spent more time thinking about one album than any other album I’ve ever spent time thinking about in my entire life. And even now, after spinning through its cycle untold times and banging out a few thousand words about the band that made it, The Hazards of Love still gives me cold chills when I hear it. So the rest of the albums released this year are kiiiiiind of at a disadvantage. When asked to list my 10 favorite releases of the year, I could only think of eight total that I really, really unequivocally love, so I think Hazards is taking up three album’s worth of my love-bandwidth. (By the way, Love Bandwidth is now officially the name of my new synth-pop band. You can go ahead and reserve a spot on your Best of 2010 lists for our debut album!) I promise to have a nice, round list of 10 by the end of the year. Til then, here are my favorites of 2009 (so far).

Albums

1. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
2. Alela Diane – To Be Still
3. Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Elvis Perkins in Dearland
4. Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
5. Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
6. Jeffrey Lewis – ’Em Are I
7. Madeline – White Flag
8. Micachu & the Shapes – Jewellery

Songs

1. “Doomsday” – Elvis Perkins 2. “The Mountain” – Heartless Bastards 3. “Target Heart” – Blue Giant 4. “Knotty Pine” – Dirty Projectors & David Byrne 5. “Blood Bank” – Bon Iver 6. “Strictly Game” – Harlem Shakes 7. “Ten Women” – Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band 8. “Golden Phone” – Micachu & the Shapes 9. “Two Weeks” – Grizzly Bear 10. “My Girls” – Animal Collective