2010, in Review

10. Josh Ritter :: So Runs The World Away


I once, between 2006's The Animal Years and this year's offering, reflexively resisted Josh Ritter's music because of an ex-girlfriend who was/is really into him. I'm over that now; Ritter's craft is just too strong to ignore. On this, his third proper LP, Josh proves, once again, why he's considered amongst the greatest living songwriters today. I really can't say much more than that.


09. Big Boi :: Sir Lucious Left Foot, The Son of Chico Dusty


With a list of collaborators that reads like an all-star lineup (George Clinton, Janelle Monáe, Gucci Mane, T.I., Jamie Foxx, B.o.B., Bun B, etc.), and three years in the making, this--not Kanye West's--is the best rap album of 2010.



08. Vampire Weekend :: Contra


To quote myself, from January 17th, 2010: "By adding certain electronic elements--namely, pre-programmed loop sampling and, shit, even autotuned vocals!--to the instantly familiar blend of hipster-approved, globalized influences...honed on their first album, Vampire Weekend emerges with a second album much more engaging and interesting a listen than the first. It's only 17 days into the new year, but I am certain this album is gonna be on everyone's best-of 2010 lists come December. Unlike Vampire Weekend's 2008 album, however, this one will also be on mine."


07. Wild Nothing :: Gemini


This is what it sounds like to take mushrooms with an old friend who's in town from Korea on July 4th and stay out on the lake with your brother and some more great friends and everyone in their underwear until the sun rises. At least, that's what it sounds like to me...


06. Arcade Fire :: The Suburbs


Have you fucking listened to "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"?!?! It's a god-damned perfect song, and a totally unexpected and brave one, coming from this band.

05. How To Dress Well :: Love Remains


Best sexy time music of the year.


04. The Besnard Lakes :: The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night


Dreamy, cinematic, guitar-driven, honest-to-God rock with a heart. From Albatross: "Those days are now long gone / Wish I had your picture / Never been able to be true / So I wanted, I wanted / I wanted to help you / I wanted to..."


03. The Tallest Man On Earth :: The Wild Hunt


Called this one back in April.


02. Titus Andronicus :: The Monitor


In a year when the cast of The Jersey Shore commands higher levels of our pop culture's collective attention than do most politicians, Titus Andronicus drops this Walt Whitman-quoting, Civil War-referencing reminder that, no matter what Snooki and her crew would have you believe, New Jersey is still the home of Bruce fucking Springsteen and the ever-present, suburban uncertainty of purpose born out of such constant, close proximity to--yet philosophical distance from--the big city.


01. Beach House :: Teen Dream


First off, the production on Teen Dream is just about spot-on perfect; the album marks a quantum leap forward for the duo from Baltimore whose self-titled debut made my #13 spot in 2006. Still present are the moody, ghostly atmospherics and heady, slow-burn rhythms that became Beach House's instant trademark, but gone now for the most part is the monotonous haze that encumbered and dragged down the mood of the group's first two records. What we're left with is a new, significantly more intimate version of Victoria Legrand's voice, pushed so much farther to the front of the mix, we wonder how in the hell they ever thought to drench it in so much reverb before now. In years to come, this album will mark the point in time when a new and important band had truly, finally arrived.


Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)

Caribou :: Swim
Charlotte Gainsbourg :: IRM
Crystal Castles :: Crystal Castles
Erykah Badu :: New Amerykah Part 2 (Return of the Ankh)
Four Tet :: There Is Love In You
Gayngs :: Relayted
Holly Miranda :: The Magician’s Private Library
Janelle Monáe :: The ArchAndroid
Mumford & Sons :: Sigh No More
Phantogram :: Eyelid Movies
Pill Wonder :: Jungle/Surf
Plants And Animals :: La La Land
The Radio Dept :: Clinging to a Scheme
Sufjan Stevens :: The Age of Adz
Twin Shadow :: Forget


...but wait, there's more!



Above is a youtube playlist I made with one song from each of my top 10 albums of the year, in order:

01. Josh Ritter :: Lark
02. Big Boi :: Shutterbug
03. Vampire Weekend :: White Sky
04. Wild Nothing :: Chinatown
05. Arcade Fire :: Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
06. How To Dress Well :: Ready for the World
07. The Besnard Lakes :: Glass Printer
08. The Tallest Man on Earth :: Love Is All
09. Titus Andronicus :: Richard II
10. Beach House :: Walk in the Park