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Top 10 lists from the Churchkey family:

Between now and the end of the year, we'll be posting year-end top 10 lists from members of several different Churchkey bands. Check back for new posts every day!

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Nick Williams of Free Electric State

Our final top 10 list comes from Nick Williams, guitarist from Free Electric State, who can predict the future:

Nick's top 10 albums of 2010:

  1. Crystal Wolf Laser - Straight Outta Brooklyn
  2. Anything TV On The Radio does
  3. Bruce Springsteen - More New Jersey Bullshit from the Boss
  4. Da Shinnest feat. Missy Elliot and DJ Oil-Change - Take That Ass, Girl (Out Of Your Pants)
  5. Joanna Newsom - Baby Spiders In Your Ears
  6. Animal Collective - The Art of Disappearing Up Your Own Ass (And Everybody Still Thinks You're Great)
  7. Cute Girl and Cute Boy - Tiny Songs Recorded in a Cabin Somewhere
  8. The Mountain Goats - My Breakfast Burrito Reminded Me Of You
  9. Tooth - The Imaginary Album That Only Exists in My Head
  10. Free Electric State - Caress


Kyle Miller

Today we have Churchkey co-owner Kyle Miller's ten favorite songs of 2009:

Kyle's ten favorite songs of 2009. I can't say I really know how to rank these from 1-10, but if I had to, "A Horse Called Golgotha" would definitely be number one.

  1. Baroness — "A Horse Called Golgotha" — Just incredible. The best air guitar song of the year, and the best shout-along chorus of the year. If you see me screaming like a lunatic in my car, it's probably because this song is on. Again.
  2. Tooth — "Suicide Myth" — The opening riff to "Suicide Myth" has been my ringtone for the entirety of 2009. Case closed.
  3. The Big Pink — "Dominos" — Holy catchy hook batman! "Velvet" and "At War With The Sun" could have easily been on this list as well, as the best JAMC ripoffs since BRMC made good songs. "Dominos" gets the nod because it's what got me hooked on this album, and because it makes me bounce around like I'm happy, even when I'm sad.
  4. An Horse — "Company" — An Horse made a better Tegan & Sara album this year than Tegan & Sara did. This song in particular feels most personal, but I think Rearrange Beds is pretty great all around. Catch them live next time you can.
  5. Telekinesis! — "Coast of Carolina" — How have I not heard any Telekinesis! songs in commercials yet? So goddamn catchy. And they're one of the few live acts where a drummer/lead singer doesn't drive me nuts.
  6. Spider Bags — "Que viva el Rocanrol" — Honestly, I could have picked just about any track from Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World. It's that good. This track gets the nod for also being a standout track on Pox World Empire's Compulation, Volume 3.
  7. Megafaun — "The Fade" — If anybody tells you they don't like Megafaun, this song will change their mind.
  8. Superchunk — "Learned to Surf" — I'm a sucker for Superchunk. Period. Saw this song played live a couple times this year, and it's pure joy.
  9. Trainwreck Riders — "Weight of the Day" — The Trainwreck Riders album, The Perch, didn't get much love this year. In fact, I wouldn't even have heard of it if Chaz didn't tell me it would be right up my alley. Chaz, as usual, was spot on. I'm not even sure I can desrcribe what they sound like. Maybe somewhere between Thomas Function and Lucero? They fit right in on Alive Naturalsound Records, though.
  10. Hammer No More The Fingers — "Radiation" — Hammer was obviously a huge part of 2009 for me. I'm certain I heard Looking For Bruce more than any other album this year, and I still shout along to the songs when I see them live. That says a lot.


David Koslowski of Free Electric State

Today, Free Electric State guitarist David Koslowski gives us his top 10 records of the year, and top 5 rediscovered records.:

Davids's top 10 records of 2009 (in no particular order):

  1. Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Matador)
  2. Alice Donut - Ten Glorious Animals (Alternative Tentacles)
  3. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs (Matador)
  4. A Place To Bury Strangers - Exploding Head (Mute)
  5. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/t (Slumberland)
  6. Veelee - Three Sides EP (self-released)
  7. Gray Young - Firmament (self-released)
  8. Hammer No More The Fingers - Looking For Bruce (Churchkey)
  9. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (Jagjaguwar)
  10. Polvo - In Prism (Merge)
David's top 5 rediscovered records of 2009 (in no particular order):

  1. Close Lobsters - Foxheads Stalk This Land (Fire Records) 1987 An obscure Scottish band that only released 2 records...this is their debut and it's brilliant from start to finish.
  2. Swirlies - Blonder Tongue Audio Baton (Taang!) 1993 Boston band that I had forgotten how much I loved until Greg Eyman from Goner compared us to them. It's weird swirlie rock in the vein of MBV.
  3. 18th Dye - Done (Matador) 1994 An awesome German/Danish noise rock band that only made 2 records for Matador. Had this CD and lost it, but found it on emusic and am glad I did.
  4. Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Atlantic) 1994 / (Desoto/Dischord) 2009 With the reissue coming out this year I fell in love with one of my all time favorite bands again. They are friends of mine and it's a wonderful feeling to see this record getting the attention that I thought it always deserved. Angular guitars, odd metered drumming and sweet pop vocals. Also, J. Robbins (vocals/guitar) produced HNMF's "Looking For Bruce" and he also played on a record I made under the name Vivid Low Sky.
  5. Marmoset - Today It's You (Secretly Canadian) 1999 This one came to me when John Jaquiss (ex-Spider Bags/current Wild Wild Geese) was living with me. He had just moved to Durham from West Virginia and had seen them play and bought the CD. Off-kiltered pop and slacker vocals make a perfect hidden gem.


Tony Stiglitz of Free Electric State

Sticking with Free Electric State, today's list is from drummer Tony Stiglitz:

Tony's top 10 of 2009:

  1. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
  2. My new band, F.E.S.
  3. Pipe live at Mergefest XX
  4. Polvo live at the Ottobar
  5. Veelee live at Local 506
  6. Duck Kee Studio #8
  7. Elmer T. Lee
  8. Not working... and collecting...
  9. Dave Perry's Facebook posts
  10. Faux sausage


Shirlé Hale of Free Electric State

Hey y'all. The day after Christmas brings us a list from Shirlé Hale, acclaimed chef, and bassist/lead singer from Free Electric State

Shirlé Halé's Top 10 Must-Have-In-My-Pantry Items for 2009:

  1. Spanish Smoked Paprika — Hella si mi amigos! This spice adds smoke and heat in one fell swoop.
  2. Sumac — one of the best seasonings ever, tart and zesty, made from ground grape seeds in Iran. Order this on line.
  3. Chicken or Veggie Broth — it's just basic, you gotta have some on hand. Soups, sauces, sickness... You just never know when you might be needing some.
  4. Shallots — these little garlicky onions add tons of flavor, especially when caramelized.
  5. Thai Sweet Chili Paste — great in sauces or dressings, hot or garlicky, it's a must.
  6. Agave — and no, not the Tequila kind (although that's in my pantry, too). This is an amazing sweetener that's super low on the glycemic index.
  7. Nutritional Yeast — on popcorn there is nothing better than some salty, buttery tasting flakes of gold. Add a scoop to heated soymilk for an instant faux cheese sauce.
  8. Kosher Salt — kick that iodized crap to the curb. This salt has a non metalic taste on the tongue and less sodium.
  9. Hot Sauce — any kind will do. From mild Tabasco to Miss Anna's Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Ass Burner, having some on hand helps to bitch-slap whatever your cooking.
  10. Frozen Veggies — I know, you're thinking ,"WTF?", but frozen veggies actually have ALL their nutrients still locked in them (maybe even more than whats laying in your grocer's produce aisle) and makes throwing something together quickly a breeze.


Rob Walsh of The Dirty Little Heaters

Today's list is from Rob Walsh of The Dirty Little Heaters:

I guess that I'll do the ten best shows i saw this year....in no particular order, maybe from the most recent?...who knows, all these fucking shows were cool.

  1. Caltrop...at the Reservoir. Perfect.
  2. Black Moth Super Rainbow...at the Local 506
  3. Veelee...at The Cave
  4. The Future of the Left..at the Local 506
  5. Jason from Red Collar, Reese and some dude from Nashville...at Tir na Nog
  6. Pipe...at Broad St. Cafe
  7. Rumpelstilstken...at The Cave
  8. Drug horse holiday thigamagig...at Local 506
  9. Mt. Moriah...1st show at the 506...my newest favorite band
  10. Red Collar at the 506
i was probably working or tipsy at these shows....but i totally remember them. ...and that's saying something.


Dave Perry of The Dirty Little Heaters

Next up we've got Dave Perry's top 10 of 2009:

  1. Getting Sober
  2. That new Polvo record
  3. Finishing the new DLH record
  4. Reese getting her heart thingy
  5. My folks, the good, even them pissing me off constantly
  6. Playing the Loners record release
  7. The food at rehab/detox
  8. Reading retarded shit like this on facebook
  9. Coffee and cigarettes in the morning. Believe it or not i hated coffee and cigarettes when i was drinking
  10. All the friendships i have made and (tried to) maintain over the past year. I love you all!


Steve Jones of The Dry Heathens

Mississippi Steve, Churchkey Records co-owner and bassist for The Dry Heathens leads off our year-end top 10 lists with his top 10 albums of 2009:

  1. Reigning Sound "Love and Curses"
  2. Spider Bags "Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World"
  3. Hammer No More the Fingers "Looking For Bruce"
  4. Harlem "Free Drugs :-)"
  5. Red Collar "Pilgrim"
  6. The Loners "Revolution!"
  7. Thomas Function "In the Valley of Sickness"
  8. Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers "The Disco Outlaw"
  9. Greg Cartwright "Live at The Circle A"Ê
  10. Lucero "1372 Overton Park"