Atlantic City Weekly

THE RECORDING INDUSTRY may have collapsed in the ’00s, but there were still grand achievements by musicians during the decade. Check the archives for my favorite albums from 2008; here goes — in no particular order — some of my favorite albums from 2009:

Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom Live (Anti-)
Featuring a spattering of tunes from the wildly endearing singer-songwriter’s enigmatic latter-day albums recorded live during his recent U.S. and European tours. Songs like Bone Machine’s “Dirt in the Ground” and Real Gone’s “Trampled Rose” get awesome, haunting new treatments. A new version of Rain Dogs’ “Singapore” is another stellar standout.  

Joe Henry - Blood from Stars (Anti-)
One of the most sought after producers but under appreciated singer-songwriters of our time delivers another magical set of moody tunes, including the Dylan-esque “The Man I Keep Hid” and the bluesy swamp rock of “Death to the Storm.” Jazzy and breathtaking.

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life (Columbia)
Early this year it was rumored that Dylan had holed up with his touring band and Los Lobos’ David Hilgado and the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell in a California studio to record tracks for a new film. The rumors then relayed that Dylan had put down an entire set of new songs with the help of songwriting partner Robert Hunter (The Grateful Dead) and that a new album would be released in April. The rumor came true and one of Dylan’s strangest albums since Down in the Groove came out of the sessions. Chicago-blues, southwestern cafes and the trials and tribulations of love are all present as is the accordion (courtesy of Hidalgo) on every track. “I Feel a Change Comin’ On,” “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” and “Forgetful Heart” stand up with some of the best songs Dylan’s put out in recent years. 

James Luther Dickinson - Dinosaurs Run in Circles (Memphis International)
I interviewed Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top this year and he said this album by the late revered studio musician and Memphis producer and bluesman was what he was listening to; at the time, so was I. I still am. Classic shuffles and Leon Redbone-type material with a lot more grit and gravel. His treatment of “Easy Street” is one of the best out there. He’ll be missed.

Olafur Arnalds - Found Songs (Erased Tapes Records)
I picked this disc up at the Princeton Record Exchange on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by its graceful beauty and meditative flow from track to track. Perfect for sleepy days or nights.

Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - Through the Devil Softly (Nettwerk)
This highly anticipated return from the singer of Mazzy Star delivers all a fan of that band could want: spacey, bone-chilling and gorgeous songs that drift in and out of the record like a dream. “Spooky folk” according to All Music Guide. Sandoval’s voice is  as pretty as ever. 

Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (Remastered/Reissue – Universal)
Universal/UMe went Stones happy this year remastering and reissuing a slew of albums from the Stones’ 70s,’80s and ’90s periods. I listened to this one (which the late Jim Dickinson appears on!) the most and loved rediscovering both its shear beauty and ballsy raunchiness. “Sister Morphine” never sounded better. Props also to the five reissued Stones live albums. Especially 1981's classic Still Life.

Charles Mingus - Ah Um (Remastered/Reissue – Columbia/Legacy)
2009 marked the 50th anniversary of many classic jazz recordings including Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Miles Davis’ landmark Kind of Blue and Mingus’ Ah Um. Packaged with another great Mingus record, Mingus Dynasty, this two-disc set comes with great photos from and notes about the sessions, which included some of the famed bass player, composer and band leader’s most heralded tunes: “Goodbye Pork Pie Pat” and “Fables of Faubus.”

Rosanne Cash - The List (Manhattan Records) Culled from the "100 essential American songs" list that her father, the late Johnny Cash, gave her when she was 18, this album of covers sparkles with authenticity, emotion and passionate memories. Choice cuts too, such as Jimmie Rodgers' "Miss the Mississippi and You" and Dylan's "Girl from the North Country." Guests include Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Tweedy and Elvis Costello.

Iron & Wine - Around the Well (Sub Pop)
This two-disc set of outtakes and unreleased songs from Iron & Wine (the nom de record for Florida’s Sam Beam) gives new meaning to prolific. Captured quietly and intimate as ever, the recordings are excellent and Beam’s songs are as beautiful and poignant as on his previous releases. I played “Waiting for a Superman” over and over for weeks.

Wilco - Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch)
The Chicago gang returns after a couple years with this self-titled gem of a rock ‘n’ roll record. Jeff Tweedy’s vocals sound strained as ever, yet sunny and matured too. A must for anybodysearching out for one of the greatest bands of our time.

Almost made it:

Two albums that were released in the fall of 2008, but that I played more than any other this year:

Abdullah Ibrahim’s solo piano album Senzo and the dreamy rock-pop Japanese band Nagisa Ni Te’s sixth album Yosuga. Funny, they were both morning albums for me in 2009. I listened to the latter with my two young daughters on the way to school for months straight (the older one would request songs by name and sing along!) and I still listen to Ibrahim’s gorgeous Senzo the first thing I do when I get to work on most days.

Worth mentioning: The Flaming Lips/Embryonic; David Gray/Draw the Line; The XX/XX; Elvis Costello/Secret, Profane & Sugarcane; Levon Helm/Electric Dirt and Magnolia Electric Co./Josephine.