Best Of 2009: Honorary Mentions-Songwriters


10-PHOSPHORESCENT-To Willie (Dead Oceans)

Everything remained quiet across the rustic landscapes of the Americana and folk worlds, with many familiar voices (Bonnie Prince Billy; Alela Diane; Califone) arriving punctually to their regular dates with the public, next to a few surprising newcomers (Trembling Bells; The Low Anthem). Phosphorescent dedicated a whole album to Willie Nelson; John Darnielle with his Mountain Goats did the same to the Bible and, on a rockier front, Cass McCombs and the multi-tasking Spencer Krug, under his parallel project Sunset Rubdown, both released excellent new works.


9-THE LOW ANTHEM-Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (Bella Union)


8-MARISSA NADLER-Little Hells (Kemado)


7-BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY-Beware (Domino)


6-CASS MCCOMBS-Catacombs (Domino)


5-THE MOUNTAIN GOATS-The Life Of The World To Come (4AD)


4-TREMBLING BELLS-Carbeth (Honest Jon’s)


3-CALIFONE-All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (Dead Oceans)


2-SUNSET RUBDOWN-Dragonslayer (Jagjaguwar)


1-ALELA DIANE-To Be Still (Rough Trade)