Music According to Cody: Best of '09

It's that time!
Here's my most favourit albums released this year:

10: Various Artists- War Child Presents: Heroes- It's a benefit compilation where the famous artists (Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, etc.) choose which upcoming artist (Beck, Duffy, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hold Steady, etc.) will cover their song. Plenty of fun, and worth both the listen & buy (money is donated to War Child).

9. Modest Mouse- No-One's First, and You're Next- Despite being an EP, Modest Mouse's latest release is strong enough to belong on the list. It consists of unreleased tracks and b-sides from Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

8. Dan Mangan- Nice, Nice, Very Nice- It's Dan Mangan's best album yet. "Robots", my most favourite song of album, is backed by other lively folk-rock songs like "Road Regrets" and "Some People", while delivering a soft side with "Tina's Glorious Comeback" and "The Indie Queens Are Waiting".

7. Shout Out Out Out Out- Reintigration Time- The electro-rock heroes of Edmonton deliver an even greater album the second time around. With a unique sound, goofy-named songs ("Guilt Trips Sink Ships"), and Edmonton's own Cadence Weapon featured on a track, it's one of Edmonton's best albums.

6. Them Crooked Vultures- Them Crooked Vultures- To make a supergroup like this, you just need to combine one third Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), one third Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), and one third John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and broil. It's fun, harsh, and most definitely well-done.

5. K'naan- Troubadour- This is the second major album from the Toronto-based rapper, and he's proving that he's just getting better. This album features a wider motley crew of collaborations, notably Mos Def, Damien Marley, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, and Kirk Hammet of Metallica.

4. Band of Skulls- Baby Darling Doll Face Honey- It's just the first album from this rock trio, and you can already see that they know what they're doing. If you're looking for a good listen from a new band, this is what I'd recommend.

3. Peter Bjorn & John- Living Thing- I loved this album since I first heard it, and it's never left my iPod since I got it. "Nothing to Worry About" is one of the best songs I've heard this year, and the rest of the album does not let down.

2. The Burning Hell- Baby- It's an album of equal parts wit and talent, and definitely deserves to be listened to and loved. It fills my need for dark humour and ukuleles.

1. Christian Hansen & The Autistics- Power Leopard- The debut album from the Edmontonian electro-dance-pop band has been undecidedly my most favourite album of this year since I first picked it up. They named their album after a beer, which in turn was named because the brewer thought those were the best words ever. The album is filled with catchy, danceable songs, and is far from politically correct; songs about child slavery, masturbation, child-molesting priests, and a ménage á trois gone wrong often strays from PC. By far my most favourite, CHECK IT OUT!

So what's your pick?