Sean’s Favorites of 2009

As our daughter gets older, I figure I'll hear fewer new discs with each passing year. Judging by the pile of albums I’ve sifted through over the past several weeks, that hasn’t happened yet. But one thing’s for sure: Now that Harper is 4, I have less time than ever to write about my favorites. But I was able to set aside a few minutes. Here are the albums I most enjoyed this year:

10. “Electric Dirt,” Levon Helm – Back at the peak of his powers.
9. “North Hills,” Dawes – Strong first effort from a band that sounds mature for its years.
8. “Porcupine,” Tim Easton – I’m pulling for him to get the recognition he has long deserved. And it’s nice to see “Baltimore” finally appear on an album.
7. “Secret, Profane & Sugarcane,” Elvis Costello – The string-band setting suits E.C. I hope he sticks with it a while before hopping to another style.
6a. “Mixtape,” The Felice Brothers – If this EP is a sampling of the next album, it will be their best yet.
6. “Yonder is the Clock,” The Felice Brothers – At first I thought it was a cut below 2008’s “The Felice Brothers.” Eight months later, I’m convinced it’s almost as good.
5. “Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit,” Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – As much as I miss him in the front line of the Drive-By Truckers, they were holding him back.
4. “Wilco (The Album),” Wilco – Go ahead, hipsters. Slap your snarky “Dad Rock” label on this one. This band is as good now as it ever has been.
3. “Friend of a Friend,” Dave Rawlings Machine – Long overdue, but worth the wait.
2. “Midnight at the Movies,” Justin Townes Earle – Living up to the “Townes” and the “Earle.” A great set of honky-tonk, old-timey and country. And his cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” gives the Mats a run for their money.
1. “I and Love and You,” The Avett Brothers – Hard to believe this was the raw band that appeared on the Cabin Stage at Merlefest. “I and Love and You,” the song and the album, displays an impeccable sense of melody, and lyrics that are all heart. Paired with Rick Rubin, the Avetts have made their masterpiece.

Just missing the cut: “Keep it Hid,” Dan Auerbach; “Middle Cyclone,” Neko Case; “Somedays the Song Writes You,” Guy Clark; “Townes,” Steve Earle; “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” The Duke & The King; “Murdering Oscar (And other Love Songs),” Patterson Hood; “My One and Only Thrill,” Melody Gardot; “White Lies for Dark Times,” Ben Harper & Relentless Seven; “Get Guilty,” A.C. Newman; “Ready for the Flood,” Mark Olson & Gary Louris; “Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros,” Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Honorable mention: “Roadhouse Sun,” Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses; “Lean Forward,” The Bottle Rockets; “Death Won’t Send a Letter,” Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons; “Draw the Line,” David Gray; “Wishful Thinking,” Hot Club of Cowtown; “Get Lucky,” Mark Knopfler; “Changing Horses,” Ben Kweller; “Tell ’Em What Your Name Is,” Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears; “Journeyman’s Wager,” Chuck Mead; “Rhett Miller,” Rhett Miller; “Monsters of Folk,” Monsters of Folk; “Backspacer,” Pearl Jam; “Songs from Lonely Avenue,” Brian Setzer Orchestra; “American Central Dust,” Son Volt; “No Line on the Horizon,” U2

Disappointing, especially because these are some of my go-to guys: “Together Through Life,” Bob Dylan; “Mr. Lucky,” Chris Isaak; “Natural Forces,” Lyle Lovett; “Working on a Dream,” Bruce Springsteen