Best of 2009 (Garage/Lo-Fi/DIY)

1. 

   1. Intelligence: Fake Surfers

   In a year when lo-fi guitar rock has made waves (and Wavves), Fake Surfers by Intelligence has to come under consideration as one of 2009’s best. Mainman Lars Finberg is (hmm, maybe was?) the...read more

2. 

   2. Thee Oh Sees: Help

   Thee Oh Sees on In the Red: In this age of suffering and unenlightenment, finally, something just plain makes sense. John Dwyer & Co.‘s latest follows in the style of their lastest, ??The...read more

3. 

   3. tUnE-yArDs: BiRd-BrAiNs

   It’s rare that an album manages to sound home-recorded and powerfully direct at once, but this debut by Merrill Garbus confidently straddles that line. Starting with a central pendulum beat, Garb...read more

4. 

   4. Times New Viking: Born Again Revisited

   Times New Viking’s latest finds the band, in their own words, producing tracks in “25% higher fidelity.” The band is legendary for making music loud and raw; here the Columbus, Oh...read more

5. 

   5. Wavves: Wavvves

   Funny that such a simple record is becoming something of a divisive subject in the indie world. Then again, it might be so only in the comments sections of Idolator and Pitchfork and the like. The ...read more

6. 

   6. Ty Segall: Lemons

   Viewing the second album by the young San Franciscan Ty Segall as merely a part of some non-trend, say the new wave of lo-fi garage-scuzz, does a disservice to him, you, me, and Don Van Vliet. Sega...read more

7. 

   7. Reigning Sound: Love and Curses

   All respect to the Oh Sees and the Vivian Girls, but when we think of the great label In the Red, we still tend to think more of classics like this Memphis-born band. Relocated (to Asheville, NC) a...read more

8. 

   8. The King Khan & BBQ Show: Invisible Girl

   Throwback doo wop garage may not be the most original idea, but Arish “King” Khan (also of King Khan and the Shrines) and Mark “BBQ” Sultan aren’t out to push things forward. Rather, they...read more

9. 

   9. The Mayfair Set: Young One

   If you can’t be bothered to understand the fraught message boarding and mp3 posting that makes major scene players of artists whose releases consist almost entirely of limited-edition vinyl 7”s...read more

10. 

    10. Tyvek: s/t

    Earlier this year, this scrappy Detroit fivesome released their first LP on Siltbreeze, to the shock of many. It seemed like Tyvek (now Tyevk, since their profile rose high enough for the insulatio...read more

Tags: art-rock , garage , indie , lo-fi , power-pop , punk , rock , soul