Bill Callahan -- Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

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I don't want to sound cliche, but this album may be one of the best of 2009 already. Granted, I haven't heard the new Casiotone For The Painfully Alone or the (fingers crossed) new Circle Takes The Square album, but this should come in close to the top. This album is full of gentle folk songs slowly leaking from Bill Callahan's mouth like syrup that keep you absolutely entranced. The man also has a perfect sense of timing and knows when to sing and when to just let the music do the talking. Amazon Music (lolololol) put it very when when they described the album as "[u]nfolding like a first view of paradise, then a slightly less ecstatic second view of paradise and then finally a glance back over your shoulder at that stupid paradise bullshit". Be sure to get this and listen to every song. 'Eid Ma Clack Shaw' and 'All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast' are my favorites.
last.fm