Top Artists/Albums/Songs to Sleep and Nap To

Sometimes, going to bed in silence is out of the question. Maybe your roommate's having sex in the bed next to you. Or maybe sirens have turned the peaceful night into a parade. Or maybe you just want to fill the silence around you with emotion, passion, and melody. Either way, looking for a good album to play can be quite tricky. And thus, The Top 10 Artists To Go To Sleep to:

Artists
Suggested Albums

10. Iron and Wine - Super mellow, super relaxing. Our Endless Numbered Days. The Shepherd's Dog.
9. Art Tatum - Mellow old jazz. Just great. The Complete Capitol Recordings.
8. Kings of Convenience - Slow, non-directional, comforting, familiar tunes. Riot on the Empty Street, Declaration of Dependence.
7. Sufjan Stevens - Long-time favorite. Expansive, easy flow, easy-listening. Seven Swans, Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State, Come On Feel The Illinoise!
6. Vetiver - Smooth, easy, simple, happy acoustic tunes. Tight Knit, Things of the Past.
5. Elliott Smith - Classic. Sad, beautiful melodies to focus on before bed. Elliott Smith. XO. Either/Or.
4. Au Revoir Simone - Smooth, easy beats, relaxing. Perfect to drift off to. Still Night, Still Light.
3. Mark Kozelek - Red House Painters. Sun Kil Moon. Both of Mark's bands clear the air and leave a sad, peaceful atmosphere. Songs for a Blue Guitar (Red House Painters), Tiny Cities (Sun Kil Moon).
2. Sigur Rós - One of my favorite bands of all time. Awesome to head to sleep listening to the soft, layered sounds of the classic Icelandic band. ( ), Takk..., Ágætis Byrjun.
1. Justin Vernon - As himself, Bon Iver, or Volcano Choir, Justin Vernon has a gift at making sleep music. For Emma, Forever Ago. Blood Bank EP. Hazeltons. Unmap. In that order.


But sleep comes in different forms. Sometimes, you listen to music to go to sleep for the night. Other times, you want to close your eyes, sleep for a half hour or so, and listen to the music. So, for those times, The Top 15 Albums to Nap to:

15. Ambulance Ltd - Ambulance Ltd.
14. Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion
13. The Dodos - Visiter
12. The Antlers - Hospice
11. Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
10. Holly Miranda - Sleep on Fire EP
9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sun Giant, too)
8. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
7. Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
6. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young - So Far
5. Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
4. Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood
3. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
2. Beach House - Teen Dream
1. The xx - The xx

And a few sleeping songs that are great by themselves:

3. Avett Brothers - If It's the Beaches
2. Pomegranates - I Feel Like I'm A Million Years Old
1. Kevin Drew - Love vs. Porn

Tops of 09, Props to 0-10

Well, it's officially 2010. This past year has been pretty fantastic musically. I grew a lot personally in my own musicality while some really awesome were albums released. I also ate a lot of egg drop soup, discovered thai food, spent a summer in LA, found love, embraced twitter, and was up 33% on my investments. I saw some unbelievable live shows - White Rabbits, Monsters of Folk, The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, and The Antlers were especially fantastic. I fell in love with Jazz vinyl, especially with the late Art Tatum. And Dave Brubeck. I also ate a lot of bagels. And without further ado, a few lists of what I enjoyed from 2009.

Top 15 albums of 2009:

1. The Antlers - Hospice
2. Grizzly Bear - Vecktimest
3. The xx - The xx
4. Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Songs in the Night
5. Dark Was The Night Compilation
6. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
10. White Rabbits - Its Frightening
11. Vetiver - Tight Knit
12. Pomegranates - Everybody Come Outside
13. Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP
14. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
15. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain

Top 4 movies of 2009:

1. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. Up
4. The Hangover

Favorite 6 Singles of 2009:

1. "Home" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2. "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear
3. "Percussion Gun" - White Rabbits
4. "The Train Song" - Feist and Ben Gibbard
5. "Kettering" - The Antlers
6. "The Blackest Purse" - Why?

Top TV Moment:

1. Dexter Season 4 Finale. OMG!