Most Listened to Songs of 2009

I'm steeling this idea from another blog, and for the life of me I can't remember who posted it first. I know it was someone off of my twitter feed, but I went back through the feeds last night and I still have no clue who originally posted this. But anyway....

Are the songs that we call our "favorites" the same songs that we listen to the most? I went back through my media players to determine which songs from 2009 I actually listened to the most. The top 18 are listed below (38 tracks total as there are lots of ties). A few interesting notes: some albums I listened to almost exclusively on my MP3 player (Corb Lund, Slaid Cleaves), a few I listened to mostly through my computer (Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle, Tim Easton), and others tracks just can't be quantitated because I know I mostly listened to them on my CD player (Mark Olson & Gary Louris, Drive-By Truckers), and some were listened to by all three methods (Son Volt).

1. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Downtime" - Let's Just Stay Here
2. Justin Townes Earle - "Can't Hardly Wait" - Midnight at the Movies
2. Son Volt - "Down to the Wire" - American Central Dust
4. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "All Tim Low" - Let's Just Stay Here
5. Corb Lund - Game in Town Like This.mp3 - Buy: Losin' Lately Gambler
6. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Second Time" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Officer Down" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Saskatoon Tonight" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Corb Lund - "Horse Doctor Come Quick" - Losin' Lately Gambler
7. Doug Paisley - "What About Us?" - Doug Paisley
11. Corb Lund - "Long Gone to Saskatchewan" - Losin' Lately Gambler
11. Corb Lund - "The Only Long Rider I Know" - Losin' Lately Gambler
11. Doug Paisley - "We Weather" - Doug Paisley
11. Phorsphorescent -I Gotta Get Drunk.mp3 - Buy: To Willie
11. Slaid Cleaves - "Beautiful Thing" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
11. Son Volt - "Dust of Daylight" - American Central Dust
11. Tim Easton - "Burgundy Red" - Porcupine
18. Ben Nichols - "The Last Pale Light in the West" - The Last Pale Light in the West
18. Ben Nichols - "Toadvine" - The Last Pale Light in the West
18. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Get Yo Shit.mp3 - Buy: Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!
18. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Itchy Feet" - Let's Just Stay Here
18. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Let's Just Stay Here" - Let's Just Stay Here
18. Corb Lund - "Talkin' Veterinarian Blues" - Losin' Lately Gambler
18. Corb Lund - "This is My Prairie" - Losin' Lately Gambler
18. Eilen Jewell - "Rain Roll In" - Sea of Tears
18. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - "Cigarettes and Wine" - Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
18. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Good.mp3 - Buy: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
18. Justin Townes Earle - "They Killed John Henry" - Midnight at the Movies
18. Justin Townes Earle - Halfway to Jackson.mp3 - Buy: Midnight at the Movies
18. Slaid Cleaves - "Beyond Love" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
18. Slaid Cleaves - "Cry" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
18. Son Volt - "Cocaine and Ashes" - American Central Dust
18. Son Volt - "Dynamite" - American Central Dust
18. Son Volt - "Roll On" - American Central Dust
18. Tim Easton - "Northbound" - Porcupine
18. Tim Easton - "Stone's Throw Away" - Porcupine
18. Those Darlins - "Wild One" - Those Darlins
18. William Elliott Whitmore - "Who Stole the Soul" - Animals in the Dark

Here is the artist that I listened to the least in 2009 (graphics from Last.FM):

The Sadies on New Years Eve

The first time I saw The Sadies was on New Years Eve in 2006. I was with this really hot dude, and I spent the entire show - both the 11:30 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. sets - looking like this (actual photo):
Mind. Blown.

And I never saw that hot dude again.

Since 12/31/2006, I have seen the Sadies at least 10 times. Their records are good, but their live shows are unbelievable. They are easily my favorite live Canadian artist, and in my top five of all live touring acts.

I rolled into 2010 with the Sadies again this year, and it was no different. Kick fucking ass! Even my recovering-metalhead buddy Dan commented on how amazing brothers Dallas and Travis Good are on their geetars. Dallas announced that they have a new album that should be released in May (yipee!), and they played a few tracks from the upcoming release. I was drinking and didn't catch the track names, but they sounded more twangy than their last album, New Seasons. I love me some twang.

And it wouldn't be a Sadies show if they didn't bring the rest of the family along. Dallas and Travis' mom Margaret sang a few tunes, father Bruce sang and played the harmonica, and cousin Darcy played a mean fiddle. I loved watching Ma and Pa Good shake their heads and roll their eyes at their boys, especially as Dallas is cursing up storm on the countdown to midnight.

My only complaint about the night was that it was hotter than fuck inside of the Horseshoe Tavern. It was unseasonably warm that night, and the 'Shoe didn't compensate by turning down the heat or starting the overhead fans. I can't imagine how the musicians made it without fainting. I had to leave before the end of the show. There is only so much Bud Light one can drink to rehydrate.

Anna Leigh.mp3
Buy: New Seasons (2007)

Rat Creek.mp3
Buy: In Concert, Vol. 1 (2006)

Happy Fucking New Years

I don't know about you, but my 2009 sucked ass. 2010 better be awesome! My resolution: less doctors, more bartenders. Kinda like the little new years babies above. Yay to drinking!

The Mountain Goats - This Year.mp3
Buy: The Sunset Tree (2005)

Todd Snider - Happy New Year/All That Matters.mp3
From: Live at Grimey's (2007, out of print)

NQ Arbuckle - Goodnight Irene on New Years Eve.mp3
Buy (Maple Music): Last Supper in a Cheap Town (2005)

Lightnin' Hopkins - Happy New Year.mp3
Buy (MP3): The Best Of Lightnin' Hopkins (2006)

More on 2009

I meant to do more blogging last week while I was on vacation in St. Petersburg, Florida, but the internet connection at the hotel was abysmal at best. So instead I did a lot more drinking. The above photo is from Dockside Dave's. Nothing like eating a half pound of fresh fried grouper, giant onion rings, and several beers on an outdoor patio on December 26. And then slipping into a food coma and napping on the beach.

Anyhoo, here are a few more albums which I feel are among the best of 2009.

Tim Easton put out a wonderful bluesy/alt country album called Porcupine. And wow, can he play guitar! Check out his web site to see some of the 500 limited edition album covers which he painted.

Broke My Heart.mp3

Buy: Porcupine

William Elliott Whitmore is young white man who sounds like an old black blues man. Great album.

There's Hope for You.mp3

Buy: Animals In The Dark

Regular readers of this blog will know that I love all things Jay Farrar. Son Volt put out a wonderful album this year, that some bloggers even compared to Trace. Well, I won't go that far, but it is a damn good album. I'm surprised that it is not on more end of the year lists.

Strength and Doubt.mp3

Buy: American Central Dust

And speaking of my main man Jay, Farrar and Ben Gibbard released an album based on Jack Keroac's 1962 novel Big Sur, and the subsequent film entitled One Fast Move and I'm Gone. I really don't like Gibbard's day gig with Death Cab for Cutie (worst band name ever), but his voice really works on this record. Farrar wrote all of the music for this film, which came out in limited release on Oct 16.

These Roads Don't Move.mp3

Buy: One Fast Move Or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur

BettySoo was new to me this year. I can really relate to her music. For fans of Kathleen Edwards and/or Patty Griffin.

Never the Pretty Girl.mp3

Buy: Heat Sin Water Skin

The sophomore release from A.A. Bondy is even better than his first one. And, he's a hell of a live performer. This album made many best-of lists for 2009.

False River.mp3
Buy: When the Devil's Loose

I learned about American Aquarium from my buddy at NineBullets.net. Great stuff from this band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Be sure not to confuse them with American Aquarium Products of Oregon when you google them.

City Lights.mp3

Buy: Dances for the Lonely