The Best of 2010 – The Staff Picks
Ah, 2010. Our first year in existence! To those of you who’ve supported us and joined in our progress, a humble thank you. But I’ll save the mushiness for our 1-year anniversary.
What I will say is that 2010, while perhaps not being a banner year for music, was certainly an important year to all of us, and we’ve enjoyed bringing you our thoughts on the year that was. Last week, we presented our Albums of 2010, with each of the core staff members providing in-depth insights into what they believe should be viewed as some of the best music of the last year. Today, we’re presenting our individual lists.
Coming up with a consensus was (much like last year’s attempts at the Best of the Aughts) nearly impossible. Our staff has a very diverse taste in music, and we all take different approaches to making these lists. To put this in perspective, here are some statistics:
In all of the lists submitted, there was only one album selected for album of the year by two people. Of the #1 selections, one did not appear on any other list in any other slot. The largest gap between album rankings on different lists was 11 spots, for the only album to appear on three of the numbered lists (Janelle Monae’s The Archandroid).
All this, plus an entirely unranked list, made creating a solid consensus too difficult and divisive a task.
Thus, we hereby present to you our staff’s selections for the Best of 2010. We may not have all agreed on what we liked, but it’s been damn fun discussing it, and we hope you get as much enjoyment and interest out of it as we did. And check back tomorrow for our 2010 Playlist!
The lists are presented in alphabetical order by last name (a couple writers weren’t able to complete the comments for their lists due to time constraints, but their lists are presented regardless).
Chris Bosman
Felicia
(in no particular order…)
LCD Soundsystem This is Happening – When I first heard the single “Drunk Girls” I was a little worried about the new album. I wasn’t a huge fan of the single at first but it grew on me and the album as a whole is fantastic. It’s a little more subdued than their previous releases, but in a good way. I guess what I mean is that the really long songs they specialize in don’t seem to drag on like they did on their older albums, which is a good thing.
The Black Keys Brothers – I feel like The Black Keys just keep getting stronger and stronger even though they are becoming more mainstream, which isn’t a bad thing, but it can be if the quality of music goes downhill. My favorite album of theirs is 2004’s Rubber Factory, and Brothers is probably my favorite since that one. They consistently have that gritty sound that I love and it’s amazing they still had the time and energy to work on the hip-hop fusion album Blackroc as well as do their own solo projects, not to mention the high quality of them all.
Broken Bells – Self titled – James Mercer (I can’t get over how much he looks like Kevin Spacey!!) and Danger Mouse, need I say more? But I will…after seeing them live last week I can safely say that their new stuff sounds even better than their debut. Get excited for the future.
The Dead Weather Sea of Cowards – Their second album with no signs of a sophomore slump—this is the second year in a row The Dead Weather has made my “Best of” list. Alison Mosshart is one of my heroes but after seeing them live and watching the White Stripes documentary Under Great Northern Lights, I have a new respect for Jack White. He is a truly legit no bullshit musician.
Frightened Rabbit The Winter of Mixed Drinks – This album was a huge surprise to me this year. I had only heard one of their songs before my friend shared the full album with me. They’re an indie-folk band from Scotland, whose instrumentations almost remind me a little bit of Sigur Rós. Throw in a little Mumford & Sons and The Swell Season and you get the idea.
Mumford & Sons Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons had a super breakout year this year. Sigh No More is pretty much the perfect folk-rock album, ranging from somber ballads to foot stomping twang.
Spoon Transference – I don’t even know what to say about Spoon that you probably don’t already know. They are just a solid rock band who really has their shit together. They are just consistently top notch.
Yeasayer Odd Blood – Ok, here’s the thing about this album…there are some REALLY BAD songs on it!! I’m not really into experimentally worldish music, or whatever the hell they were trying on half of these songs. But for me, the really good ones trump the hot-ass messes. And at least they can keep a “quirkiness” about them with all their experimentally worldish bullshit, right?
Gordon Voidwell Ivy League Circus EP – With just three songs on this EP they show the possibility of a very strong future. Their music shows tinges of totally danceable Prince-like vibes and lead singer Will Johnson has a legitimately great voice. They opened for a Mayer Hawthorne show I won tickets to, which included FREE booze and food, and they were the best part of the night! If you knew how high I regard free booze and food you would know what an outstanding statement that is!
The Walkmen Lisbon – Yeah, I’m a sucker for that Strokes/garage-rock sound and The Walkmen have done it again. No, it’s probably not the most original album but I still like it and it has that classic vintage Walkmen-like sound.
The National High Violet – I love a good depressing album and The National captures that “jumping off a bridge” quality quite well. They weren’t really on my radar prior to this album so I’m glad I’ve been enlightened.
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – I am reluctantly putting this album on the list because it truly has some really great songs on it like “Monster” and “Runaway.” It also has some real bombs on it though (although nothing as terrible as Graduation’s “Barry Bonds) and it’s nowhere near comparable to his debut album The College Dropout. That’s just my own opinion because The College Dropout is one of my favorite albums of ALL TIME, therefore it’s really hard for me to be super pumped about anything he releases from here on out.
Arcade Fire The Suburbs – This is also a reluctant addition to my list because I have such strong positive feelings about their debut album Funeral. I also feel as though The Suburbs was a little overrated considering it seemed like everyone was shitting bricks over it when it came out. Regardless, there are still a few really great songs on this album, my favorite being “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), which showcases Regine Chassagne beautifully.
Cold War Kids Behave Yourself EP – I love the sound of lead singer’s Nathan Willett’s voice and this EP brought one of my favorite songs of the year, “Audience.” I won’t hold the fact against them that the background guitar during the chorus sounds just like Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A”. The album is perfect piano rock.
Florence + the Machine Lungs – Ok, ok…I know this album came out in 2009 but I didn’t own it until 2010 and it was my favorite album that my ears listened to the whole year. I caught wind of Flo + the Machine back in the summer of 2009 but didn’t get a chance to immerse myself into the entire album until this year. I ended up loving it so freaking much that I went to L.A. (from MN!!) last month to see her live…and it was totally worth it. She’s like an updated modern day version of a combination of Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos and all those other great 90’s female singer-songwriters. She’s been getting love from Hollywood too where her music has been featured in ads for Eat, Pray, Love, in Glee and on various other TV spots. She was a welcome presence for me after a somewhat lackluster year for female artists.
Sam Gelfand
1. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. The National – High Violet
5. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
6. Beach House – Teen Dream
7. The Apples in Stereo – Travelers in Space and Time
8. Neil Young – Le Noise
9. Cee Lo Green – The Ladykiller
10. Robert Plant – Band of Joy
11. The New Pornographers – Together
12. Of Montreal – False Priest
13. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
14. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
15. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
Christian Hagen
1. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – An extraordinary work far greater than the sum of its parts. Like Radiohead’s OK Computer more than a decade before it, it may very well have set a new course for its genre and the artists that populate it. It’s very possible that, in the years that follow, the greatest hip hop will be viewed as a response to this work, whether following its example or rejecting it.
2. Janelle Monáe, The Archandroid – A staggering debut that both encapsulates the history of popular music and refreshes it. It takes a significant amount of courage to release an 18-track, 70-minute sci-fi futuristic robot concept album, particularly for an artist’s first full-length album, in the modern music industry. But Monáe not only pulls it off with ease, she shakes the ground with extraordinary energy unlike any seen from a new artist in years.
3. The Tallest Man on Earth, The Wild Hunt – Small, humble, and vastly overlooked, but mighty, beautiful, and wholly worthwhile, Kristian Mattson’s sophomore LP is every bit as heartfelt as the greatest folk musicians of all time, with a distinct flare and soul that’s both captivating and wise.
4. The Arcade Fire, The Suburbs – As was the case with their last album, Neon Bible, The Suburbs faltered on initial listens but flourished – greatly – over time. Following the band’s natural sonic an thematic growth from newly enlightened youths to grim soothsayers to thoughtful, wizened adults, The Suburbs is a blast from the past that rings true to our changing national identity.
5. Titus Andronicus, The Monitor – The roughest, largest, and most inspiring punk protest album in decades. Never mind the concept, or the singer’s shredded vocal chords; The Monitor is a great album because it aspires for more than itself and, with a hell of a lot of punch, it achieves its goal.
6. Broken Bells, Broken Bells – Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse) continues to turn everything he touches to gold, this time making the best record James Mercer has ever graced with his voice.
7. The Black Keys, Brothers – Consistently surprising, and unexpectedly diverse, the kings of two-man garage rock produce perhaps their strongest album to date. Their songwriting has truly caught up with their skill, and for once their cover work (on the gorgeous “Never Gonna Give You Up”) remains true to their spirit without simply swallowing someone else’s words.
8. Joanna Newsom, Have One on Me – The most unique voice in folk returns after a nearly career-ending throat surgery. And clearly, she’s had quite a lot to sing about while she’s been recuperating, as evidenced by this daunting but endlessly rewarding triple album.
9. Big Boi, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty – Outkast’s more gangsta half silences the critics (including myself) that said Andre 3000 was the man with all the flair. Long in distribution hell, Left Foot finally gets its shine on, and Daddy Fat Sax finally gets to flex his considerable skills.
10. Paper Tiger, Made Like Us – The unsung hero of the nation’s greatest underground hip-hop scene, Paper Tiger has more than earned his seat of honor among the city’s greats. Look no further than this solo effort for proof; dark and melodic, and occasionally bombastic. It’s definitely the DJ album of 2010.
11. Cee-Lo Green, The Ladykiller – My love for the man’s talent aside, Cee-Lo knows the music business, and navigates it here like a champion with a mission to push himself, and Top 40 radio, into places it forgot it could go. It’s a perfect imitation of the classics, but no one could pull off a song like “Fuck You” with the same soul that Cee-Lo brings to the table, and pop radio is all the better for the effort.
12. Of Montreal, False Priest – It’s not quite the introspection of Hissing Fauna, or the nigh-psychotic brilliance of Skeletal Lamping, but False Priest is still a wonderful middle ground. Kevin Barnes has relaxed, but thankfully he still knows how to groove.
13. Sufjan Stevens, The Age of Adz – Atypically raw, very experimental, and disappointingly atonal over time, The Age of Adz is still mesmerizingly grand, and if this is Stevens much-discussed response to a serious illness, the electronic experimentation only shields, but does not hide, the man’s tremendous heart.
14. Best Coast, Crazy For You – Local Natives may have made the splashiest debut album from California this year, but Best Coast’s has endured and come out as the most of and for the time. It doesn’t help that the music is damn fun; fuzzy, raw, swirling and sunny, it’s like My Bloody Valentine at the beach for the summer. Where they go from here, I have no idea. But while they’re here, let’s party.
15. Owen Pallett, Heartland – While it may be a concept album, the best reason to return to Heartland is not for its concept, but rather for its beautiful compositions, passionate and human. Pallett’s voice has a veneer of fragility, and it’s what he chooses to share with the listener that lends it strength.
Chris Polley
1. Fang Island Fang Island [Sargent House]
They proclaim to aim to be the rock band equivalent of “everyone high fiving each other” and succeed like gangbusters. This is the joy of music distilled.
2. The Seven Fields of Apelion Periphery [Graveface]
A record that you can simultaneously cure and induce insomnia, depending on how close you listen. Maux Boyle could be the Brian Eno of the Internet generation if she plays her cards right.
3. Stars The Five Ghosts [Arts & Crafts]
A comeback record like none other. Replace some abstract lyricism about haunting and corporeal existence with character names and you have yourself the best Broadway musical never written.
4. Maserati Pyramid of the Sun [Temporary Residence]
The passing of drummer/genius Gehrardt Fuchs early in 2010 didn’t cause people to listen and mope, even though his last full recording ended up being a post-rock album. Instead, it inspired them to fist pump, dance, and get excited for a new dawn of the technically proficient yet incredibly humble musician.
5. Marnie Stern Marnie Stern [Kill Rock Stars]
Quite possibly the best living guitar player on the planet, Stern has finally achieved the ruthless balance of wowing the listener with both melody and skill. On her third effort, her voice and axe shake, quiver, crush, and destroy.
6. Paper Tiger Made Like Us [Doomtree]
When you’re the quietest member of a thrilling and bombastic rap collective, you’re either going to make a solo debut that everyone passed over and ignores or one that is equally as engaging, focused, and determined as your more popular group counterpart. In 2010, DJ Paper Tiger did both.
7. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson [How is Annie]
The treacherous three-letter word that starts with “e” and ends with “mo” bleeds liberally all over this epic collection of brainy ballads by the Norwegian youngsters, but that doesn’t negate its beauty. Let go of prejudice and become enraptured by the intricate and ambitious instrumentation.
8. El Ten Eleven It’s Still Like a Secret [Self-Released]
At once fed up with and celebratory of their small time cult status, this plucky double-guitar and drums duo runs the gamut between aggressive and playful instrumentals. And for the first time since their debut four years ago, they’re wowing with unmitigated ebullience.
9. Wild Nothing Gemini [Captured Tracks]
Awash in droney DIY aesthetics, this one man band shouldn’t sound like anything more than a promising debut. Luckily, though the vocals are expectedly buried, the introverted honesty and wandering shines through the gorgeous mess and hypnotizes.
10. Four Tet There is Love in You [Domino]
Kieran Hebden’s minimal approach to the dance floor is equal parts maddening and soothing, alternating between long passages of calm seas and short bursts of adventurous squalls. Its refusal to play the accessible electronica rules while still fitting firmly in that category is what makes it so significant.
11. Azure Ray Drawing Down the Moon [Saddle Creek]
One of the quietest indie reunions of the past few years was also possibly one of indie’s quietest acts of recent years. Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor coo so seductively and longingly that if you turn up your speakers loud enough you could hear the chilly night air between their whispering voices.
12. Mux Mool Skulltaste [Ghostly International]
If the barrage of more notable 8-bit artists haven’t convince you that video game music can have a heart, then try this one. Spastic without getting carried away, this NYC-by-way-of-Minneapolis transplant has clearly dug around the goofy genre to the point of uncovering a pulsing warmth beneath the cybernetic exoskeleton.
13. A Sunny Day in Glasgow Autumn, Again [Self-Released]
Shoegaze in the new century hasn’t morphed much, largely due to stubborn nostalgia, but ASDIG doesn’t bat an eyelash at the idea of progress. A single continuous mix of loops and swells slight and massive, inward and explosive, there’s so much to chew on you’ll need at least a day or two to let it digest.
14. Slow Six Tomorrow Becomes You [Western Vinyl]
Stressing the aspects of classical music that the lay-person doesn’t see as aimless or esoteric, this Brooklyn group has fun with their violins. And by imbuing a pop sensibility the old world ethic comes alive with brushes of bright melody and driving drums.
15. Local Natives Gorilla Manor [Frenchkiss]
Does it sound like wussy guitar pop for aging hipsters? Sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s not also the only album of wussy guitar pop for aging hipsters that actually has sweeping sincerity combined with engaging musical interplays and covetous vocal harmonies.
Dan Wipert
1.) The Drums – The Drums “If Teen Dream is a final statement of American indie malaise, The Drums rise like a weed out of the pavement. They are not cool or beautiful, but they are alive, which makes them the most
important. They do not know how to play guitar, but they made one of the best guitar albums of the year. What makes The Drums different from the rest can’t really be pinpointed. I would argue their intention and motivation for making music is very different than most, and even the best, musicians and artists. Not only do I believe every word they say,
but when I say it with them I believe myself.
2.) Beach House – Teen Dream “This is a classic album. I knew it the first time I heard while I was in some mixed-used independent coffee shop in Portland sitting on my computer looking for a job. The name of the that
coffee shop changed at least twice in the 10 months I lived in Portland. The place is dying, and Teen Dream is a pretty good soundtrack for our lost generation. There is no future. Any job you can get after 1,000 resumes and 30 interviews is terrible. There is no shred of political hope or progress. There is no escape, except into ourselves and into
each other. Teen Dream is like a lullaby for a night that will not be ended by a new dawn. It is an end point. You can’t get any more resigned or detached. We are dreaming because we don’t want to open our eyes. Whatever it is, Teen Dream is amazing.
3.) Holy Ghost – Static on the Wire EP “I have followed this band for over two years now. Early last year, I checked their blog daily for any news about a new song or the long-promised debut lp. Once the EP leaked, I
almost did not want to listen to it, because it had to be a letdown compared to the anticipation. Keep in mind, Holy Ghost! released two songs before this EP. Nothing else. Just two songs, and I was more than obsessed with them. The EP turned about to be amazing in an exactly the same way “Hold On” and “I Will Come Back” were blazing. The more you listen, the better it gets, but not in the way say Best Coast or Twin Shadow gets better. Rather, Holy Ghost!’s work is a inch wide, but a mile deep. Every sound has been labored over and perfected. It is not an enchanting swell of emotion that gets me, it is the pride and craft of two people who get something more out of creating than consuming.
4.) Warpaint – The Fool “I am Don King for Warpaint. I could talk about them for hours. I feel like I have to get everyone to love Warpaint. Their work rivals some of the best music I have ever heard. That being said, this album was complete disappointment because of the production. I listen to a live track, and they just blow me away. On this record, what should sound breathtaking comes off turgid. I have seen them live twice now, and I can tell you there is not a better band playing now.
5.) The Walkmen – Lisbon “I have to admit, I have only listened to this album a couple of times. The last album You and Me was their masterpiece, and the previous three were all pretty amazing as well. It’s very good, but I am not sure how it will fit with the other albums. I hated You and Me at first, and now it’s in my top 20 off all time.
6.) Glasser – Ring “I still have not jump into this album headfirst. To be honest, I am a little sacred of how deep it goes. Every time I wade-in, I feel like I will be swallowed by the vastness just under the surface. This album is the definition of high art, and hopefully one day the critical culture in American will remind themselves that there is indeed a difference between Shakespeare and Saved By the Bell. Just like there is a difference between Glasser and Ke$ha.
7.) Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles “Not sure what to say about this album. I feel like Cystal Castles gets some respect, but critics are not really capturing the significance of their art. I think they may be seen as too marketable as cool to younger hipsters. It’s like critics feel they are already spoken for, so they don’t latch onto them like The
National or Arcade Fire. Their music is also too abrasive for educated white Americans who like indie rock.”
8.) Tanlines – Settings “I found this band in my attempt to go through every band playing at SXSW this year. I got about 100 bands in, and this was by far the best band I heard. “Saw” was the first song I came across, and I knew immediately it was unique. I have logged probably about 50 listens of that song, and it just never gets old. The rest of
the EP is uneven, but “Real Life” is brilliant.
9.) Best Coast – Crazy for You “I think this has been the year of growers. I was really into Best Coast when I heard the first couple songs last year. Then I did the typical nerdy thing, and started to hate her because hipsters began to like her. When I finally put on the LP, I was pretty disinterested, but now I love it. I put it on at least once a week. It took about three full listens until I got to the “it” moment, but once you get there you can never go back.
10.) Radio Dept – Clinging to a Scheme “The more I listen, the more I like it. It just grows and grows. Whenever I put on the opening track, I become super relaxed and happy. This will be a favorite for a long time.”
11.) Tokyo Police Club – Champ “As much as I want to slag the band for not living up to their first explosive EP, Tokyo Police Club has not dropped the ball since they began. Their first LP is great and this album is just as good. While they do not blow me away every time, and I am astounded by the tightness of their songs. They hold up very well to
repeated listens, and in many cases, get better with repetition.
12.) Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch – The Social Network soundtrack “The Social Network was the best film I have seen in probably a few years. The moment I knew the movie would be brilliant was when Mark is walking back to his dorm after being dumped. You hear light piano notes prancing against a fluttering of metallic strings. It’s a nice, quaint soundtrack for a walk across a beautiful campus on a cool autumn night. Then you hear a deep analog pulse that is out of place, and yet so spot on to the inner turmoil blossoming with the character. You can literally feel the darkness rise inside of him. This is the best soundtrack I have heard since Fight Club.”
13.) Onra – Long Distance “I have tried to get so many people into this album, but all my friends seem disinterested or outright disgusted. Not only are the 90’s back, but New Jack Swing is part of the renaissance. As much as I liked Big Boi’s album, I feel like Onra is doing something more.” Hear the floor drop… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA0CTDEggzs
14.) Twin Shadow – Forget “I think this one is a grower, and I imagine I will like it much more in 5 years than I do now. That being said, I really enjoy a few tracks on this album. As much as the sound production (courtesy of Chris Taylor) has been touted by critics, I think the hazy molasses layered over these tracks does a disservice to the overflowing
hooks and crannies of the songs.
15.) Surfer Blood – Astro Coast “I want to like this album more than I do, but I do not think I have listened to it enough. I saw them live, and they were pretty awesome. Must listen to this more.”