Last year was a good year.

2009 was pretty solid. Politically speaking, this country underwent a major change of government. Sonically speaking, this country underwent a major influx of indie music. I mean, who's to complain? Despite the fact that February is coming to a close, I've decided to detail a few of my favorite albums that came out last year 'cause I'm a rebel and I do as I please.
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
The neo-hippies have done it again! At once reminiscent of sixties folk and psychedelia, Animal Collective will sneak up and surprise you with the sudden pulsing bass line or unusual vocal loop. Merriweather is a work of experimental genius, merging melody and riff-structure with swarming textural chaos in the boldest and most beautiful album of the year.
St. Vincent – Actor
St. Vincent, née Annie Clark, sings like an angel and shreds like a demon. The super-skilled guitarist/vocalist/composer will throw in woodwinds and saxophones amidst densely layered guitars and industrial drums. At times lush and bright, and at other times sparse and macabre, this Brooklyn goddess has both the charm and the chops to keep us hooked.
Passion Pit – Manners
Manners is a bit of an oxymoron – giddy, infectious rhythms juxtaposed with heart-broken, reflective lyrics. But hey, it works! Passion Pit concocted the perfect mix of organic instrumentation and Velveeta-smooth synths on an album that shines with a cosmic, unearthly beauty yet is filled with themes of all-too-earthly desperation and loneliness.
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Straying from her alternative-country roots, Neko took a cue from her bros in New Pornographers with this album, a piece of power-pop perfection. She explores the ins and outs of love from an array of perspectives: a teenage bride, a jilted lover, a smitten wind vortex. Her thick, warm vocals maintain a maple-syrup consistency, oozing over the tracks with sweet soulful ease.
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
The boldly bizarre Sonic Youth has been reinventing punk for the past thirty years and they show no signs of slowing down. From atonal riffing, shrieking guitars, pounding drums, excessive feedback, and Kim Gordon’s frenzied wails – this album has got the goods that Sonic Youth fans crave.

Veguary rocks.

Veguary refers to the second month of the year (February! This month! Right now!) in which those enthusiastic about improving their health, fighting global warming, or simply taking an ethical stance, eliminate meat from their diets. Veguary offers carnivores a nice lil' allotment of time (come on, it IS the shortest month of the year...) to try and reduce their meat intake. This Veguary, I'm stocking up on tofu and seitan - stickin' it to the man (otherwise known as the meat industry) one soy burger at a time.
It's a known fact that vegetarians are generally quite sexy individuals. In fact, a few of my favorite musicians continue to promote a healthier world through their vegetarianism. Morrissey (pictured) is an avid crusader in the fight for animal rights. If the Irishman's sensitive balladry hasn't taught us anything, Moz will gladly lend his beautiful voice to the voiceless: whether the 'voiceless' in question is a human being or, erm, a baby chicken. His band, iconic '80s mope-poppers The Smiths, even released an album entitled Meat Is Murder.
Not a Morrissey fan? Well, I bet you're a Beatles fan! (Oh come on, we all are.) Paul McCartney and John Lennon: both vegetarians. George and Ringo were both veggies too.
Radiohead's wunderkind Thom Yorke maintains a vegetarian lifestyle as well. Not so surprising, as he seems like a pretty enlightened guy.
From Kurt Cobain to Alanis Morrissette, the dudes from Rage Against The Machine to the lovely ladies of Indigo Girls, - vegetarianism attracts all different types of people who want to create positive change and confront prevalent problems that threaten the well being of our planet.