Club Fonograma's 1st Semester Survey: Best albums of 2009

A club is made up of people who share a similar interest, in this case music, and Club Fonograma is basically that, a point to meet and a channel to get the word across regarding a new artist or a hot song. As we’ve stated before, it’s not like we have all the time of the world to be exploring the web for music (although it’s a pleasure when time allows), so we rely on other channels to be aware of what’s happening out there. So we decided to invite them to our Best of The Year So Far Special, here is an important group of people that contribute in some way or another to the club, all the way from album exchange and bloggers to people we just follow on twitter, we try to absorb everything we can and in a way, serve as a filter. We asked them to list their top 5 albums of the year, in addition to their favorite ‘international’ (outsider) release, we asked not to enlist their own albums but they were entirely free to include any albums regardless of labels, collaborations, friendships, we don’t care!

Consensus

05 (tie) Nuuro. The Reddest Ruby

05 (tie) La Bien Querida. Romancero

05 (tie) Mr Racoon. Katy

04 Selma Oxor. Selma Oxor

03 (tie) Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi

03 (tie) Emilio Jose. Chorando Aprendese

02 Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu

01 Hello Seahorse! Bestia

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ANDRES MURILLO – Blogger, Noche Pasta; musician, Sr. Amable

Zozaya. The Re Album

This survey really took me by surprise, and after a couple of days thinking I finally decided to pick this album. First, I want to tell the world how cool Bul is as a producer, engineer and composer. His goal is to make 12 different albums this year and by today, July 23, he's almost on line (six albums are ready). I could have named DJ Golonsh or Fuck Her or the Terrorist Win EP in this place, but I really enjoy this mix of the classic Re by Café Tacvba and the mysoginic and stupid/clever attitude by MC Porno. These guys only want to have fun. Bul also helps other people to mix and master their albums, like Mr Racoon's Katy, Elias Marcos (from En Ventura) solo proyect "Alabio Alabao", and my first Sr. Amable LP CUU among others. So, please don´t miss his first class production and composition this time, could be historic.

honorable mentions
Captan, Obvio. Captan, Obvio Presents: Bedroom Covers & Bathroom Rarities
Mr. Racoon. Katy
Selma Oxor. Selma Oxor
The Mueres. The Mueres LP
Outsider: Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse. Dark Night of the Soul

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ANDREW CASILLAS – Writer, Club Fonograma
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu

Hu Hu Hu is the culmination of Natalia Lafourcade’s gestation from precocious former teen-pop flame to serious Artiste. The album finds her expanding her repertoire immensely while staying grounded to what made her previous works so promising. Full of intricate arrangements, thoughtful and theatrical lyrics, and masterful harmonies, this album works just as perfectly as a casual listen for the ride to work as it does as a profound piece worthy of multiple and focused listens. Rarely does pop music (in any language) feel as vibrant and colorful as this 13-song suite makes it feel. Simply charming and sublime.

honorable mentions

Bigott. Fin
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi
Nuuro. The Reddest Ruby
Selma Oxor. Selma Oxor
Outsider: The Field. Yesterday & Today

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ANTONIO GALLARDO – author, Yo Te Amo; musician, Unsexxy, María y José
XYX. Sistema de Terminación Sexual

XYX es un dúo formado por Señorita Anhelo y Mou, con origen en Monterrey, México. Esté es su primer EP lanzado en vinyl por la disquera Estadunidense S-S Records y en México vía descarga gratis por Nene Records. Abre con "Anel and her problem" y el coro pegajoso que dice: "Me gusta, me gusta, cada vez más." Así me pasa con las 4 canciones (Quitando un remix y una canción en vivo) que en aproximadamente 10 minutos, hace que me guste, me guste cada vez más. Con tintes post-punk no wave, blah blah, como lo quieras llamar, un disco muy recomendable para tus oídos melosos pop, aquí está el nuevo punk Mexicano, amén.

honorable mentions

Extraperlo. Desayuno Continental
Pepepe. Roba Orgon de Plantas y Animales
Piyama Party. Más Mejor
Toy Selectah. The Mex More
Outsider: Neutral Numbers. Ocean Ghosts

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BONNZ – musician, Hello Seahorse!
Vicente Gayo. Vicente Gayo

Soy fan, muy muy fan. Y si, son mis amigos, pero aunque no lo fueran seguiría siendo fan. A mi juicio es la mejor banda que ha dado méxico al menos este año. El arte del disco es lo mas original y divertido que he visto. La primera vez que los vi en directo me volaron la cabeza, y cada show que tienen es siempre una nueva experiencia. Si, tal vez su acto en vivo es mejor que el disco, pero la verdad jamás había escuchado un album en español con esa fuerza, esas ganas de experimentar y hacer algo diferente. No es una banda que halla nacido de la noche a la mañana, llevan años luchando sin darse por vencidos, grabando y haciendo música con sus propios recursos, sin esperar ser famosos o vender miles de discos, dejando atrás cualquier pose de rockstarismo y haciendo las cosas con toda la honestidad del mundo. Despierta y vence, larga vida al Vicente Gayo!

honorable mentions

Laboratories. The One, The Two, The Three EP
Menuda Coincidencia. Ai Con Permisito
Murcof. The Versailles Sessions
Suave as Hell. Well, Well Mr. Whale
Outsider: Mew. No More Stories Are Told Today...
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CARLOS REYES – Editor/Writer, Club Fonograma
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi

I’m sure I will get tired of this album at some point, but so far this year there has not been a set of songs as convincing, moving and out-of-this-world as in Mermaid Sashimi. Juan Son is a popstar in the middle of a fanaticized world he has manufactured; the songs are the channels to tune in and once there it either becomes a beautiful thing, or a nightmare. It can be an exhausting ride but it gives more than it takes, it is also a return to a series of festivities, from vocal to costumes and a renaissance of predatory dogma, amazingly human and structurally flawless.

honorable mentions

Emilio José. Chorando Aprendese
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Teleradio Donoso. Bailar y Llorar
Outsider: Smith Westerns. Smith Westerns
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CHEKY – musician, Jovenes y Sexys
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu

To us, this is Natalia's finest work to date. She became this sort of Latin, female Sufjan Stevens, exploring from big orchestral pop songs to stripped-down, heartbreaking folk numbers, and everything in between. She really seems to be having fun, experimenting with arrangements and instruments, and taking chances, it's pretty much inspiring. She also receives help from some dear friends of ours, like Juan Manuel Torreblanca, who lends his beautiful and characteristic voice to the chorus of "Cursis melodías"; and Julieta Venegas, who sings on the ludic "Hu Hu Hu". But ultimately, this album is all Natalia, and it's awesome.

honorable mentions
Antoine Reverb. Goodbye Victorian Houses
Elaine. Desnuditos EP
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Nuuro. The Reddest Ruby
Outsider: Animal Collective. Merriweather Post Pavillion
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CLAIRE FRISBIE & NURIA NET – Editors, Remezcla
Hello Seahorse! Bestia

We don't care if they write in English or in Spanish, the voice of Lo Blondo (Denise? whatever) is angelic, powerful and operatic and simply transports us to faraway lands... into our subconscious. Well-crafted, beautiful songs we don't get tired of listening to this.

honorable mentions

Bomba Estereo. Blow Up
El Remolon. Pibe Cosmo
Pilar Diaz. Pilar Diaz
Zizek. ZZK Sound Vol.2
Outisder:. Esau Mwamwaya + Radioclit. The Very Best
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JEAN-STEPHANE BERIOT – Writer, Club Fonograma
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi

The first solo album by the former Porter vocalist proves to be the great start of a guy who holds the innocence and creativity of a boy, weird yes, but fantastic too. He will be around many years from now, a dude at the very front of progressive pop. It is stunningly confident, sometimes breathtaking, in fact, he drowns in between so much stuff, only to submerge himself under water and become a story-teller through his deeply touching, funny and exaggerated songs.

honorable mentions
Emilio José. Chorando Aprendese
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Teleradio Donoso. Bailar y Llorar
Outsider: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
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JOE CREPUSCULO – musician
Internet2. Viva la Musica!

Carlos ha sacado un disco especial. Lleno de color y sobre todo mucha frescura. Música alegría. Me gusta todo, desde las referencias a la folclórica catalana hasta lo clásico que tiene y algunos guiños a las cosas electrónicas y bacaladeras. Si hay alguna música que tendríamos que enviar al espacio y sonar eternamente mientras oribita muchos planetas y estrellas extrasolares, no dudo en que debe ser ésta.

honorable mentions

Anntona. En La Cama Con Anntona
Diploide. I Love Diploide
Extraperlo. Desayuno Continental
La Bien Querida. Romancero
Outsider: Pass
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JOSE LUIS MERCADO – blogger, Rock En Las Américas
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Hello Seahorse! toma distintas influencias y lo emana en un pop dosificado que lo digiere el organismo como pocas obras sónicas estos días; espero que se pueda hablar de ellos en los próximos años y este disco marque un nuevo tiempo en lo que se esta haciendo en la región.
honorable mentions
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi
La Sarita. Mamacha Simona
Magaly Solier. Warmi
Savath & Savals. La Llama
Outsider: Animal Collective. Merriweather Post Pavillion
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JOSE VARGAS – Writer, Filter Magazine
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi

Simply a good debut solo album! Great art, great lyrics, great concept. Whenever I listen to this album I’m reminded of the old fairy tale movies from the 80’s such as The Labyrinth, Never Ending Story, Legend, etc… the sounds that make up this album produce a fragile mix fantasy, innocence, and curiosity that keeps pulling me into a Disney-like childhood day dream. Juan Son’s delicate and haunting vocals have a distinct Bjork sound that adds to a completely beautiful harmony of surrealist lyrics that float and linger around in your mind. Press play, and from beginning to end, you will take a trip to the places you thought only possible in your imagination.

honorable mentions
Eufemia. Mosquito
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Klaus & Kinski. Porque No Me Das Tu Dinero
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Outsider: Doves. Kingdom of Rust
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JOSH KUN – Professor, University of Southern California; contributor, New York Times, Los Angeles Magazine
Emilio José. Chorando Apréndese

I can't say it better than Spain’s Emilio Jose himself: it sounds like "Flaming Lips if Julio Iglesias was their singer on an album composed by D'Angelo after listening to the Beach Boys." A swirling blur that lasts for well over an hour, Chorando turns listening into blissful psychedelic swimming, songs into dreamy Galician pop atoms that never stop changing shape. Sure there is something here called “Barack Obama” and a mention of “Wifi,” but otherwise this is music without time and place, a cut-paste-composed, crooned-rapped-whispered map of fantasy rhythms and melodic wonderlands. Voices drift in and out, winds blow, and lovers sigh. There are harps, Care Bears, and even an appearance by Frank Sinatra. Just submit already, it’s like nothing else out there.

honorable mentions

Diego Bernal. For Corners
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Rudo y Cursi Soundtrack – Disco 2 (sadly, not released in the U.S.)
Villa Diamante. Empacho Digital
Outsider: Micachu and the Shapes. Jewellery
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JUAN MANUEL TORREBLANCA – Writer, Club Fonograma; musician
Pedropiedra. Pedropiedra

I bought this CD after hearing Pedro open for Gepe here in Mexico City, and as soon as I heard it I knew I was listening to something real special and so rich in detail that I wouldn’t grasp all of it immediately. Classic rock-pop-singer-songwriter masterpieces. A warm & timeless sound. Vocals that are impeccable, honest (thank you!) & soulful, and an awesome production overall; plus delightful arrangements: sparkling pianos, funky keyboards, guitars, drums, a big fat bass, yummy & groovy percussion, etc. (most of these played by Pedro himself) nothing out of the ordinary, but everything in its right place & so fresh and juicy, that I also have to commend Arturo “Turra” Medina’s job as the recording and mixing engineer. Remarkable collaborations from Jorge González & León Polar. My first impression was: wow, this is a really elegant but nonetheless daring endeavor. Heartbreaking, funny and intelligent lyrics. Brilliant.

honorable mentions

DJs Pareja. Marcha
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Outsider: The Dirty Projectors. Bitte Orca
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JULIETA VENEGAS – musician
Hello Seahorse! Bestia

Para mí el disco de Hello Seahorse tiene todo para ser lo mejor del año. Tiene grandes canciones, una propuesta clara de un grupo que se ve ha hecho una búsqueda y llegado a algo claro y propio. Tiene misterio. Y un sonido impecable, a la vez de oscuro. Me encanta que no es un disco de guitarras, sino de teclados, pero no por eso menos rock. Tiene actitud y personalidad. Me parece un disco entero y sólido en todo sentido. Y también me parece que va para largo.

honorable mentions
Emilio José. Chorando Aprendese
La Bien Querida. Romancero
Mexican Institute of Sound. Soy Sauce
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Outsider: Animal Collective. Merriweather Post Pavillion
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LUIS ALBERTO GONZALEZ – Blogger & Magazine editor, Decireves
Hello Seahorse! Bestia

Tan despreciados por una buena parte de esa crítica mamila de México que quiere que a guevo suenen a rock "puro" (como si hubiera un rock impuro) el flamante nuevo disco de este trío defeño rebosa en atmosferas etéreas, intimistas, espaciales, un rock pop como un collar de estrellas tan fino y delicado que le vale madre lo que digan los demás, joyas que se engarzan para poner de manifesto a una de las bandas más subvaloradas de la escena mexicana del rockpop, su salto a las grandes ligas sin lugar a dudas. Si no pregúntenle a Pitchfork que en el fondo no se la cree que una banda haga este tipo de sonidos.

honorable mentions

Juan Son. Mermaid Sashimi
Mr. Racoon. Katy
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Selma Oxor. Selma Oxor
Outsider: PJ Harvey & John Parish. A Woman Walked By
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LUIS FARA – musician, Quiero Club & Los R’s
Emilio José. Chorando Apréndese

Hacía mucho tiempo que un disco no revolucionaba tanto mis ideas como Chorando Aprendese de Emilio José. Este material es por mucho, la producción más destacada del año, una mezcla ecléctica, interesante y muy eficaz de sonidos, texturas y ambientes que provocan, transportan y evocan una paleta igualmente diversa de emociones, lugares y situaciones; las palabras no son suficientes para alabar la labor de este artista español que sin pretenciones, pero osado, seguro de sí mismo y dispuesto a arriesgar, nos presenta un trabajo original que se paladea más allá del momento en que se escucha.

honorable mentions

d3NdRON. We Come In Piece
Happy Fi. Coyote Nights
NSM PSM. Music vs Music
Selma Oxor. Selma Oxor
Outsider: N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo
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MANUEL DOMINGUEZ – Blogger, La Pagina de la Nadadora
Emilio José. Chorando Apréndese

Emilio José ha revolucionado el pop a su manera, acercando finisterre a copacabana, sonando tropicalista en “ourense”, haciéndonos confundir el gallego con el portugués y dándole mil giros a cada canción de una obra maestra titulada Chorando Apréndese. Un doble cd que sabe a poco porque los diez años que han pasado desde que Emilio José debutara dentro de aApeiron han ido multiplicando las ganas de una vuelta que, aunque de momento sea solo en solitario, demuestra que estamos ante una de las figuras nacionales de lo que llevamos de siglo. Haciendo historia casi sin pretenderlo.

honorable mentions

AMA. Exposición Permanente
Anti. Antiaventura
Espanto. Isimos
Javier Corcobado. A Nadie
Outsider: Victory Viii. International Travel Scenarios
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MANUEL MARTINEZ TORRES – blogger, Milenio; musician, Bam Bam
Antiguo Automata Mexicano. Chez Nobody EP

Un disco que va en todas las vías posibles. No sabes si es electrónica o rock, si es improvisación o ya todo estaba friamente planeado, si te vas acelerando con la música o te vas relajando. Simplemente un disco genial, que demuestra mucha libertad.

honorable mentions
Hello Seahorse! Bestia
Los Margaritos. Melcochambre Sonico
Piyama Party. Más Mejor
Ratas del Vaticano. Mocosos Patéticos
Outsider: Mr. Solo. Never Cease
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Roger Camara "Bul" – musician, Album, Lo Re#, Fuck Her Or The Terrorists Win, DJ Golonsh, Mercey Hot Springs, Zozaya; Delhotel Records director
Menuda Coincidencia. Ai Con Permisito

Menuda Coincidencia have immediately distinguished themselves amongst the independent scene in Mexico by putting out an excellent Alt-Hip-Hop album that appeals to a much broader audience than the Cypress Hill oriented tunes that could be considered “mainstream” rap (if only) in Mexico. Loops based around Jazz and Big Band samples only help to keep the mood fresher whilst the MC gallops intelligently from beat to bar with a happy-go-lucky flow that is mainly superseded by clever and often literary lyrics. The result being a clear example of pure musical synergy, ready to be grasped by the attending ear. Most songs deal in either a social context or a very casual and personal one, going from talking about waking up in the morning of a work day or either the duality of economic endeavours. In “Matando el Tiempo” they go on to state “In a Jiffy, their pastors feel something shaking them / because their flocks are out / making, for example, rap” addressing a culture, a scene, and folk which to more than one will feel right at home.

honorable mentions

60 Tigres. Garage
Bi-Log. Nos Casamos en África
Emilio José. Chorando Aprendese
Mr. Racoon. Katy
Outsider: N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo
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ULISES HADJIS – musician
Hello Seahorse! Bestia

Soy un fanático de las "Canciones". Están cheveres los conceptos, la ingenieria de sonido, los arreglos de guitarra y todo lo de demás que incluye un disco. Pero en realidad lo que más me gustan son las canciones y "Bestia" es LA canción. Durante un par de meses abrí mis shows con un cover de "Bestia". No lo pude evitar. El disco entero sostiene ese nivel de intensidad/oscuridad, que nunca cae en una pose innecesaria. La oscuridad de Bestia, no es la oscuridad de un mundo deprimente post-apocaliptico, es la oscuridad de la noche de un día cualquiera.

honorable mentions
Gepe. Las Piedras
La Bien Querida. Romancero
Natalia Lafourcade. Hu Hu Hu
Nuuro. The Reddest Ruby
Outsider: The Dirty Projectors. Bitte Orca
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