Top 50+ Albums of 2010

2010 turned out to be another pretty good year for music, but no album ran away with the top spot this year. LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening gets the nod for me, by a nose, but it's not even really James Murphy's best effort (that would be Sound of Silver). The rest of the more than fifty releases below are an eclectic collection, although my rockist bias is still probably apparent. But how many lists out there are you going to find with Ty Segall, Kanye West and John Mellencamp on it. (Yeah, the last one surprised me as well, but it's gooooood.)

Playlist: Top 50 Albums of 2010

1. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

If this is indeed the last album that LCD Soundsystem releases, and James Murphy has hinted as much, then this is the way to go. This is Happening, lyrically, is Murphy's most personal release, continuing the inward trend since LCD SS' beginnings in detached irony.

Review, May 18, 2010

---

2. Deerhunter - Halycon Digest
Stream / Purchase [mp3

The slow and steady progression for Deerhunter from damaged art rock to accessible (yet still damaged) pop band has been fascinating to witness, and with Halycon Digest, they've perfected the right balance between the two for a artful pop album that rewards on repeat listens.

Review, September 28, 2010

---

3. Wavves - King of the Beach
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Nate Williams rebounded nicely from an up and down 2009. Enlisting the late Jay Reatard's old band to back him, King of the Beach finds Williams still in the loner/outsider role, but now the music backing the loser-based lyrics are far more rich. Easily one of the most exhilarating releases of 2010.

Review, August 3, 2010

---

4. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

With every repeat listen of The Monitor, the seams holding together New Jersey split just a little more, as the love/hate relationship Titus Andronicus has with their home state is volatile, to say the least. And this from an album allegedly about the Civil War, complete with spoken word cameo from Craig Finn as Walt Whitman (the best recording Finn took part in this year).

---

5. Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Romance is Boring is anything but boring, instead at times white hot and most of the time unable to sit still. It's pop at in the face of chaos. An album that seems to have been overlooked by many (maybe some were assuming they'd be releasing more like the year prior).

Review, January 26, 2010

---

6. Sleigh Bells - Treats
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

As if The Go! Team's cheerleaders decided to make out with the AV club guys, sending the dial into the red. Distortion and pep don't often go together, but this noisy affair is one for the eardrums.

---

7. Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The album I played the most in 2010. Combines everything I loved about the early 90s and turned the BPMs up to workout pace. Lift those knees!

Review, May 11, 2010

---

8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Much like Deerhunter, Ariel Rosenberg has graduated a bit from the lo-fi art noise of his earlier recordings, moving from the bedroom to an actual studio. The songs, however, are still warped by the sun and probably under the influence of illegal substances. So there's that. Wheee!

---

9. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Might have topped my list had it been released sooner/Kanye didn't seem like such a douche bag/it weren't for my aforementioned perceived rockist bias. Certainly wins for Best use of a King Crimson song on the scorcher, "Power."

(Review November 23, 2010)

---

10. Beach House - Teen Dream
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The Baltimore duo Beach House also upgraded their recording studio this year, in their first Sub Pop debut, putting some extra polish on their already lush and dreamy sound.

(Review January 26, 2010)

---

11. Vampire Weekend - Contra
(Review January 12, 2010)

---

12. Ty Segall - Logos

---

13. The Posies - Blood/Candy

Review, September 28, 2010

---

14. Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me

(Ear on TV preview December 13, 2010)

---

15. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
(review August 3, 2010)

---

16. Best Coast - Crazy For You

---

17. Spoon - Transference

---

18. Twin Shadow - Forget

---

19. John Mellencamp - No Better Than This

---

20. The Fresh & Onlys - Play it Strange

---

21. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

(review September 14, 2010)

---

22. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

(review October 12, 2010)

---

23. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

---

24. No Age - Everything In Between

Review, September 28, 2010

---

25. Off! - Four EPs

26. The Walkmen - Lisbon (review September 14, 2010)
27. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
28. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack (review February 2, 2010)
29. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
30. Grinderman - Grinderman 2 (review September 14, 2010)
31. The Intelligence - Males
32. The Black Keys - Brothers (Ear on TV preview)
33. Field Music - Measure (review February 16, 2010)
34. Bottomless Pit - Blood Under the Bridge (review August 17, 2010)
35. She & Him - Volume 2 (review March 23, 2010)
36. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (Ear on TV preview for May 24, 2010)
37. Jenny & Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now (review August 31, 2010)
38. Robyn - Body Talk
39. Liars - Sisterworld (review March 9, 2010)
40. Crystal Castles - II
41. Baths - Cerulean (review 05/19/09)
42. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son Of Chico Dusty (review July 5, 2010)
43. Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern
44. Yeasayer - Oddblood (review February 9, 2010)
45. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (Ear on TV preview February 15, 2010)
46. Tyvek - Nothing Fits
47. The Roots - How I Got Over (review June 22, 2010)
48. The National - High Violet (review May 11, 2010)
49. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
50. New Pornographers - Together (review 05/19/09)
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record (review May 4, 2010)
Women - Public Strain
Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM (review February 13, 2010)
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Brutalist Bricks (review March 9, 2010)
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be (review March 30, 2010)
Hot Chip - One Life Stand (review February 9, 2010)
Perfume Genius - Learning
Boston Spaceships - Our Cubehouse Still Rocks (review September 21, 2010)
Delorean - Subiza

Previously: Top 50 Albums from 2009, Top 50 Albums from 2008, Top 100 Albums from 2007, Top 100+ from 2006, Top 50 from 2005, Top 10 from 2004

Now Downloading: New Releases 05.18.10

Another anticipated week for releases, and another delay thanks to Rhapsody's continued snail's pace on dropping in new releases. I may have to find a new system, because when you've got a week featuring the latest from LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, Janelle Monae and the Black Keys, things need to move forward at a quicker pace. Stay tuned...

Playlist: New Releases 05.11.10

---

LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

If this is indeed the last album that LCD Soundsystem releases, and James Murphy has hinted as much, then this is the way to go. This is Happening, lyrically, is Murphy's most personal release, continuing the inward trend since LCD SS' impersonal beginnings with "Losing My Edge." With songs like "I Can Change," "Somebody's Calling Me," and even "You Wanted a Hit," Murphy's reeled that fish nearly all the way into the boat. It can flop around to "Drunk Girls," like the rest of us, and or just quietly appreciate Murphy's continued mastery of all things Bowie. It could happen. (Can't wait for their set at Sasquatch!.)

Free AOL album stream

---

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Upon first listen, it seems Infinite Arms is Band of Horses cash grab, which is mostly expected given its their major label dabut. Phil Ek is still twiddling the knobs and adding vocal reverb, but something about the release just seems to fall short. Ben Bridwell is the only piece left from their surprising debut (Everything All the Time) and he's mentioned in interviews that this was the first release where he wasn't trying to control everything, letting the band function as a whole; and that Infinite Arms is the band's first release. Sure "Laredo" and "Compliments" are stunners that would slide in nicely on any BoH joint. But the rest of IA feels mostly like prime filler. Is it just me, or are BoH sounding more like a watered down version of Matt Brooke's post BoH act Grand Archives on some of these tracks? Just saying...

Free AOL album stream

---

More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
The Black Keys - Brothers / Free AOL album stream
Janelle Monae - ArchAndroid / Streaming on MySpace
Harvey Milk - A Small Turn of Human Kindness
Great Lake Swimmers - The Legion Sessions
The Sadies - Darker Circles
Reggie Watts - Why S*** So Crazy? / Free AOL album stream
Rangda - False Flag / "Bull Lore" [mp3]
Pontiak - Living / Free AOL album stream / "Young" [mp3]
Tracy Thorn - Love & Its Opposite / Free AOL album stream / "Oh, The Divorces!" [mp3]
Glee Cast - Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers
Wintersleep - New Inheritors / "Hallowed Ways" [mp3]
The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth
Woven Bones - In and Out and Back Again / "If It Feels Alright" [mp3]

REISSUES
The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Stree (Bonus Tracks)
Rick James - Fire it Up
Rick James - Gsrden of Love
The Jayhawks - The Jayhawks
Duran Duran - Duran Duran
Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger

tags: music, album review, the national, male bonding, dead weather, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Top 50+ Albums of the Decade

Playlist: Top 50 albums of the 2000s

1. The Wrens - The Meadowlands
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

My top album of the decade is likely not even in many others' top ten, but I have to stand by The Meadowlands as my pick. The Wrens are notoriously uncompromising, which lead to their showdown with Alan Meltzer after Secaucus (1996), but the seven year wait was well worth it. Up to that point, The Wrens' noise rock was merely exhilarating, but then songwriters Charles Bissell and Kevin Whelen added heartbreaking to the mix and the result is devastating. The overarching theme throughout is failure, but the album is anything but.

Considering this is their only album they released this decade (their motto is 'Keeping folks waiting...since 1989'), perhaps their long awaiting follow up will top the next decade. They have to finish the album first, of course.

2. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Wilco's last album with the late Jay Bennett was a war. Much of the conflict both in the recording and with the record label was captured in the great documentary I'm Trying to Break Your Heart. By the time the album finally got a proper release, 9/11 happened, adding serious levity to a song like "Ashes of American Flags" and more. And the release still holds up to this day, while should be noted that no other Wilco (Bennett-less) follow up makes this list.

3. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

With Kill the Moonlight, Britt Daniel and drummer/producer Jim Eno peeled away the layers and boiled the Spoon sound down for a minimalist feel. It's an approach that served them well on this release.

4. Radiohead - Kid A
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

If OK Computer changed the game for Radiohead, then Kid A made the word 'game' no longer relevant to the conversation. Like Spoon, Thom Yorke & co. rebuilt their sound from the ground up, leaving a more minimalist approach. But where Spoon retained the essential elements of 'indie rock,' Radiohead reached over to electronic music and Krautrock for inspiration.

5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
6. Arcade Fire - Funeral
7. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
8. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
9. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
10. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
11. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
12. The National - Boxer
13. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
14. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
15. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
16. Radiohead In Rainbows
17. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
18. Spoon - Girls Can Tell
19. Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
20. Outkast - Stankonia
21. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
22. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
23. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
24. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
25. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
26. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
27. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
28. Daft Punk - Discovery
29. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
30. The Strokes - Is This It
31. M.I.A. Arular
32. Scott Walker - The Drift
33. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
34. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
35. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
36. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People
37. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
38. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
39. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
40. Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
41. The Knife - Silent Shout
42. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
43. The National - Alligator
44. Madvillian - Madvilliany
45. Animal Collective - Feels
46. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
47. Liars - Drum's Not Dead
48. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
49. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
50. Elliott Smith - Figure 8

More in no particular order...
Portishead - Third
Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas
Deerhunter - Microcastle
The White Stripes - Elephant
Burial - Untrue
Fugazi - The Argument
Kanye West - Late Registration
Iron & Wine - The Creek Drank the Cradle
Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State
Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
Neko Case - Blacklisted
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
No Age - Nouns
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now
Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
Joanna Newsom - Ys
The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
Califone - Roots and Crowns
Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
Battles - Mirrored
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
Sleater-Kinney - One Beat
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
My Morning Jacket - Z
Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Hot Chip - The Warning
The Microphones - The Glow, Pt. 2
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
M.I.A. - Kala
Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
Radiohead - Amnesiac
Beck - Sea Change
The Postal Service - Give Up
The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands
My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
Low - Things We Lost in the Fire
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Kanye West - Graduation
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Best 100+ Albums from 2007

Once again, my thirst for new music led me to far too many albums that I liked, so I had trouble narrowing it down. I'm sure even with over 100, I missed something, but chances are I've also got something that you might have missed.

Playlist: Best 100+ Albums From 2007

1. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

It leaked over a year ago, and somehow still remains completely fresh. It's got two of the best songs of the year ("All My Friends", "Someone Great,") which by itself makes it a contender. The rest of the songs are no slouches, though, and it's likely the consensus album of the year -- as I hyperbolised way back when. Sound of Silver is the perfect marriage of Eno-era Bowie and Eno-era Talking Heads, without sounding much like Eno. Recently, when my friend and boss died, "Someone Great" transcended the normal music experience. I don't know that anyone even come close to capturing the numb feeling of remorse before this song - 'the coffee isn't bitter, because what's the difference?'

(Kinda Review, 07/06/06)
Song: "All My Friends" [video]

---

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows

This is one that I'm assuming is my number two... I have to extrapolate some because the quality of the MP3's they released from their site are lacking a bit in quality. It's a welcome (slight) return to more 'classic' Radiohead, not that it's not adventurous -- it is. It's just some of the adventure of the past couple albums seems to have been saved for their initial distribution channel of 'pay what you will' via their website. It doesn't necessarily 'change the game' the major labels have locked themselves into, but it hopefully serves as a wake-up call.

Song: "Body Snatchers"

---

3. The National - Boxer

The baritone of Matt Berninger makes you think of Joy Division, but a bit of Springsteen has always been lurking in his lyrics. Boxer is marked by that populist streak, along with the driving force of drummer Bryan Devendorf. It's a band that was poised for greatness and seems to have reached that potential, even already suffering some indie snob backlash. Just because you've got a song on Chuck don't make you a sellout, dog.

Review, 05/22/07
Song: "Mistaken for Strangers" [video]

---

4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch

It was a year long battle between Springsteen and The Beach Boys for dominance in the "re-establishing of influence." In Pet Sounds comes Animal Collective's Panda Bear, with an even trippy-er journey through the world of harmonies and found sounds. My soundtrack for walking/bus ride commute from it's release until well into the summer.

(Review, 03/20/07)
Song: "Bros" [video]

---

5. Battles - Mirrored

Featuring former members of Don Caballero, Helmet and the son of Jazz great Anthony Braxton, this is a musician's musician act that's even more than the sum of it's parts. These uncategorizable instrumentals blaze through your head and leave it a burning ember, and feature another song of the year candidate in "Atlas." And that's not even the best song -- for my money the honor would go to "Ddiamondd." With such a big step up from their previous EP's, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Song: "Atlas" [Hype Machine]

---

6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Like every Spoon album thus far, this one makes into my top 10. It's also a bit of a slow burner, with songs that are instantly hummable yet get better with more playback. And forget that "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" seems to pull from How I Became the Bomb's "Killing Machine," it's still another song of the year candidate.

---

7. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
This album (and tour) finds Kevin Barnes exposed for all to see. Whereas past albums had Barnes persona buried behind characters and cute studies of human nature, this album is all Barnes - all the insecurities, sorrow, pain, doubt and redemption... and it's quite a ride.

Broken down for you, 01/23/07

---

8. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
It's been six years since their last (2001's Go Forth) and indie rock's landscape has changed enormously, thanks in part to Les Savy Fav's trailblazing hooks and energy. They don't miss a beat with their return, and seem like they're even having more fun while tearing shit apart. Warning, this album grows on you like the vines from The Ruins.

---

9. M.I.A. - Kala
After getting denied a visa into the US, M.I.A. took an even more worldly method to recording this great sophomore release. Who needs Timbaland anyway?
Review 08/21/07

---

10. Grinderman - Grinderman
This time out Nick Cave improvised lyrics and for the first time plays electric guitar while the rest of the band built the songs around his primitive guitar work. It's raw and powerful -- some of Cave's best work to date.
Review 04/10/07

---

11. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Their live shows had always been a sort of religious experience, so why not record in a church. More great songs, but I have to say the production started to wear on me after repeated listening.
Review 02/28/07

12. Justice - †
Might be the party album of the year, Daft Punk style. Distorted synths and raved up riffs keep the party going till the morning.

13. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Lekman's innocent-but-wise voiced pop shines through all the lush arrangements from timeless genres.
Review 10/11/07

14. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
With every new release, this Brooklyn-by-way-of-Baltimore foursome find new ways to build on their unclassifiable brand of sound, and with this album, they've done it again, with magical success.
Review 09/11/07

15. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
The enormity of change in arrangement, from spare to full, could've been a shock to the system in less delicate hands, but Beam knows the sounds he wants you to experience, and it's a revelatory experience.
Review 09/25/07


16. Feist - The Reminder
The best 'grab for the golden ring' release of the year. Who knew this one time Peaches sidekick would blow up so big. Broken Social Scene breakout #1.
Review 05/10/07

17. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
Dense and laid back, never sounding like it's trying too hard, yet revealing a lot more upon repeated listens, Low meets Pet Sounds.
Review 02/20/07

18. Liars - Liars
Move to L.A.? Taking a stab at songwriting? Self-titled? Looks like Liars have confounded their fans -- and please the ears -- once again.
Review 08/28/07

19. Burial - Untrue
A wonderous mosaic of sound. Somehow missed it until last month and have had a hard time stepping out of the dreamlike soundtrack of fog that this grime has covered me in.

20. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Bird's intellectual musings backed by smart arrangements and catchy hooks is the stuff that radio should hunger for.

21. King Khan & His Shrines - What Is ?!
What year is this? Ok, so not one inch of their fabric is from this century, but when you're good... you're goood.

22. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Will Sheff and crew are less meloncholy, more playful... underneath, it's still some heady stuff, though.
Review 08/07/07

23. Kevin Drew - Spirit If
Broken Social Scene breakout #2. J Mascis should guest on more releases... lets make him the Michael Caine (or is it Jude Law now?) of the music world.
Review 09/18/07

24. Ween - La Cucaracha
Those lovable fuck-ups are back with their best album since Chocolate and Cheese. Hilarious in their seeming sincerity.
Review 10/25/07

25. Field Music - Tones Of Town
XTC-like pop... sugary yet disjointed... soft yet jagged. Great songwriting and harmonies, what more can you ask for?
Review 02/13/07

---

26. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
27. Kanye West - Graduation
28. Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
29. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
30. Sea Wolf - Leaves in the River
31. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Music From The Motion Picture 'Once'
32. Frog Eyes - Tears Of The Valedictorian
33. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
34. Blonde Redhead - 23
35. Bowerbirds - Hymns For A Dark Horse
36. No Age - Weirdo Rippers
37. John Doe - A Year In The Wilderness
38. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
39. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
40. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
41. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
42. Get Him Eat Him - Arms Down
43. Phosphorescent - Pride
44. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
45. Angels Of Light - We Are Him
46. Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature
47. Menomena - Friend And Foe
48. Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
49. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
50. Old Time Relijun - Catharsis in Crisis

The rest (listed by song in playlist)