Soundtrack for 2009

It's that time of year where everyone starts talking about they were listening to, or reading or watching the past 12 months. Alot of people are also writing up their "Best of The Decade" lists. I've thought about writing one of those, but what an undertaking that would have to be. I can barely remember what happened this year, let alone the last 10 years. Lord knows i spent weeks trying to get my best of 2009 list together, and even now as i'm about to post it i'm worried that i forgot something crucial.

Anyways....

BEST OF 2009

Full Lengths Releases

LEEROY STAGGER-Everything Is Real CD (Rebeltone)
PULLING TEETH-Paranoid Delusions/Paradise Illusions LP (A389)
RUINER-Hell Is Empty LP (Bridge 9)
DEAR LANDLORD-Dream Homes LP (No Idea)
OBITS-I Blame You LP (Sub Pop)
LUCERO-1372 Overton Park LP (Universal)
SHOOK ONES-The Unquotable A.M.H. LP (Paper + Plastic)
RAVEONETTES-In And Out Of Control LP (Vice)
SOUL CONTROL-Cycles LP (Bridge 9)
GLASVEGAS-Glasvegas LP
DEVOTION-Bastard Son Of Affluence Blues LP (Rivalry)
CAVE SINGERS-Welcome Joy LP (Matador)
COLD CAVE-Love Comes Close LP (Matador)
CULT RITUAL-Cult Ritual LP (Youth Attack)
IRON AGE-The Sleeping Eye LP (Tee Pee)
HANDSOME FURS-Face Control LP (Sub Pop)
RISE AND FALL-Our Circle Is Vicious LP (Deathwish)
DRIVE BY TRUCKERS-The Fine Print LP (New West)
KING FRIDAY-Married Alive CD (Fast Crowd)
DO MAKE SAY THINK-Other Truths LP (Constellation)

7” & 12” EPs
FUTURE VIRGINS-Easiest Years 7” (Plan-It-X)
LAWRENCE ARMS-Buttsweat And Tears 7” (Fat)
OBITS-I Can’t Lose b/w Military Madness 7” (Sub Pop)
VACANT STATE-Both 7”s (Self Released and Deranged Records)
SUPERCHUNK-Crossed Wires 7” (Merge)
ON-Control 7” (Self Released)
SPANISH BOMBS-Beastman Is God 7” (Black Mass)
HOPE CONSPIRACY-True Nihilist 7” (Deathwish)
THE B-LINES-B Lines 7” (Nominal)
GYPSY-Relatively Distant b/w Skeleton Parade 7” (Six Feet Under)
MINDSET-Real Power 7” (React)
GET BENT-Dead It 7” (It’s Alive)
SMALL BROWN BIKE-Composite Volume 1 7” (No Idea)
CIRCLES-Lay Of The Land b/w The Lives Of Others 7” (Silly Girl)
YOUNG WIDOWS-Split 7” Series (Temporary Residence)
BOUNCING SOULS-7” Series (Chunksaah
SOUL CONTROL-Silent Reality 7” (Bridge 9)
MARKED MEN/THIS IS MY FIST-Split 7” (No Idea)
THE MEASURE (SA)-Songs About People… 12” (Don Giovanni)
TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET/THE ERGS-Split 7” (Vinyl Collective)

LIVE SHOWS
UNDERTOW w/ Unbroken-2 Shows; May 9th California (w/Threadbare) and October 3rd Seattle (w/ Strain and Converge)
DEAR LANDLORD w/ Off With Their Heads-July 11th Seattle @ The Funhouse
108 w/ Pulling Teeth, Lewd Acts, Skin Like Iron, Grave Maker-April 21st, Vancouver @ Chapel Arts
RUINER w/ In Bear Country, I.O.P-October 17th, Vancouver @ APC
DICKIES w/ The Blasters-May 8th, Hollywood, CA @ Knitting Factory
THE MEASURE (SA)-Seattle @ The Funhouse
LUCERO w/Black Joe Lewis-May 23rd, Vancouver @ Biltmore
RAVEONETTES w/ Mode Moderne-November 5th, Vancouver @ Venue
OBITS-May 15th, Vancouver @ Media Club
CAVE SINGERS-September 5th, Vancouver @ Media Club
GASLIGHT ANTHEM-2 shows in Vancouver (especially the Sept show with Murder By Death, Frank Turner and The Loved Ones)
THE BRONX-April 1st, Vancouver @ Richards
GET UP KIDS-September 20th, Seattle @ Neumos
SOUL CONTROL-October 1st, Vancouver @ APC
MURDER CITY DEVILS-February 13th, Vancouver @ Commodore
LEEROY STAGGER-May 29th, Vancouver @ Railway Club
NO BUNNY w/ The B-Lines-July 28th, Vancouver @ Pats Pub
THE HOLD STEADY-September 29th, Vancouver @ Vogue Theatre
MURDER BY DEATH-April 29th, Vancouver @ The Bourbon
CRO MAGS w/ Cruel Hand, Outbreak-July 8th, Seattle @ Studio 7
This is on top of all the times I saw local bands like Tranzmitors, Vacant State, Carpenter, Damages, Mode Moderne, B-Lines, Leeroy Stagger and others

Other Things That Made My Year Decent
-- Getting engaged. Wow! Good move on my part. Wedding in summer 2010
-- Finally getting a cat. Even though Zooey passed away due to a defective heart, i'm glad we had her in our lives for a few weeks.
-- Exceeding my goal of reading more than 30 books over the year. I got the list, maybe i'll post that.
-- Some good movies; Anvil documentary, Milk, The Road, Chi Pig documentary, and some others
-- Trips to L.A., Halifax, Saskatchewan, Calgary, Edmonton and countless trips to Seattle.
-- Good eats at The Palomino in Calgary