Although the label itself is based in Brooklyn, Woodsist decided to make their annual festival bi-coastal this year with having one event in New York and one over here in Los Angeles. When we think about Woods member, Jeremy Earl, putting plans together for an event across the nation, it seems like a lot of trouble to go through. However, sticking to the indie and DIY aesthetic, bands simply played where they were supposed to play and the crowds were ready to take their place. There’s no time for worrying about lavish details which bigger festivals tend to waste their brain cells on.

With a roster full of artists who all run in the same crowd such as Vivian Girls‘ Katy Kickball, Best Coast, Real Estate and Abe Vigoda, the crowd was definitely a young one. We ran into kids who drove all the way from San Diego for what was an epic event to them. However, for us, it was just another night to take in the artistry from bands who put their effort into communities like The Smell and FYF Fest.

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After seeing These United States at a random cafe called Paradise, I made my way up a street up and around the corner, and it turned out to be the Forcefield PR party. This was definitely one of the parties I could have stayed at all day with their ridiculously stacked roster. Inside was the first chance for a Toro Y Moi experience and I took that as soon as I could. Toro Y Moi, aka Chaz Bundick, was definitely a one man show and the combination of his looping vocals, synthesizer, and guitar put us all in a haze in the middle of the day. There was even some expressive hand dancing up toward the front of the stage that completely fit the mood of the space but definitely wasn’t something you would usually see at an indie rock show.

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SXSW‘s music festival officially started yesterday and the streets of Austin definitely showed it. Not only was it the official kick off to the week’s event, but it was also St. Patrick’s Day. Industry folk, bands and their instruments, along with people dressed in green – who were ready to have a good time – piled out onto 5th, 6th, and 7th Street in Downtown Austin to catch some great live acts.

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2009 was a great year in music, and we hope you enjoyed what it’s brought you. There’s been a wealth in reissues and limited edition releases, but new full-lengths will always be a thrill for music fiends like us.

So we count down the best albums of the year. Although there have been some great EPs and singles, this list includes only full-length albums that have been released in the US. Check our top 20 out below and let us know what you think!

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