Saturday, December 4, 2010

Because you demanded it...My favorite albums of 2010

Well, it's December. So that means every music snob, computer blogger nerd, and asshole piss ant are unveiling their collective year end best-of lists. And why should i be any different? So bear with me for these top 20 albums, and then i'll retreat to my dark room, beer swilling, and indifference to what you want to read about.

So, without further ado, here are my favs of the year, in no particular order of course. (You can't make me choose between my children. What kind of monster are you?)

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Gonjasufi - A Sufi and A Killer
I bought this record on a complete whim, thinking that the cover was awesome and trippy and that Warp Records would not steer my wrong. Wow. This guy mixes rock&roll, pop, psychedelia, hip-hop, electronica, and world music to create a crazy awesome sonic world. If you don't like a song, just wait for the next track because it sounds nothing like what preceded it. If you held a gun to my head, this is probably the record i would choose as my favorite for 2010. There. Are you happy? I chose.

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
James Murphy and his merry band of misfits return for their final (?) record and pull no punches. It's a perfect blend of NYC dance, post-punk, 80's Bowie flair, and some Gary Numan electronics thrown in for good measure. You wanna shake your ass and dance yrself clean? Then this is the one. And who doesn't like drunk girls? I mean really.


Health - Disco 2

Is there anything better than mixing noise rock and dance music together? Probably, but this second round of remixes is fantastic. I loved, loved, loved the original Disco album, and this one keeps up the grand work. Bravo.
Liars - Sisterworld
It's a new album by Liars. Of course it's going to be on my year end list. These guys manage to get weirder and weirder, yet more accessible with every release. Honestly, you should get everything these guys put out.
Gayngs - Relayted
Who would have thought that the best R&B album of the year would be made by a bunch of Midwestern, hipster white boys? I certainly didn't. But, i could not stop listening to this bad boy. If you don't have it, it immediately needs to go on your Christmas list. Get Santa on that shit right now. Really. Prince loves these guys. You think you're better than Prince?

Final Fantasy - Heartlands
He may want to call himself Owen Pallett now, but he'll always be Final Fantasy to me. This record's great from start to finish. FF does the normal chamber pop thing, but then goes full Sufjan Stevens to create a perfect pop album. It's beautiful from start to finish.

Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
Ladies making lo-fi garage rock gives me a great big happy, and that is in no way meant to be taken sexually.

The Sandwitches - Duck Duck Goose EP
I may have talked a bit of shit about this San Fran band last year, but evidently i had no idea what i was talking about. Duck Duck Goose is one of the most hauntingly beautiful records i've ever heard. I am converted.

The Black Keys - Brothers
So much has already been written about this album, that i can't really add anything to it, except to say believe the hype. Poppy blues stomp with a touch of T Rex. It really doesn't get better than this.

Twin Sister - Color Your Life
This album's just really pretty. And, i detect a bit of Morricone influence lying beneath the dreamscape exteriors.

Wise Blood - '+'
This digital only EP is a groovy mix of soul samples and lo-fi bedroom electronic production. A recently released 7" is pretty damn good to, so i'm eagerly awaiting a proper full length release.


Games - That We Can Play
Another EP makes the list with this 80's inspired dance opus. This is the polar opposite of Oneohtrix Point Never, but just as good.


The Black Ryder - Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride
Shoegaze is back baby! Yeah!


Baths - Cerulean
LA producer takes his bleeps, sweeps, and creeps and crafts a really great pop album. Songs that get in your head and stay there. Anticon strikes again.


Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
I didn't want to like this record as much as i do because i hate the song "Modern Man" so much. But forgetting about that one blemish, this record is probably the most cohesive thing these guys have ever done. And that's all i'm gonna say.


Girl Talk - All Day
A late entry for sure, but i've been listening to this dandy on repeat since it came out a couple weeks back. I may as well reserve a spot for Girl Talk every time he releases an album. Fun, fun, fun.


Solar Bears - She Was Coloured In
I adore 1980's aping electro records, and this is probably my favorite. They create computer music to travel space and explore the moon by. It's that awesome. I could listen to this every day.


Secret Chiefs 3 - Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini
A soundtrack for an Italian horror movie that never existed. This album feels so much like an Argento flick that you'd swear Goblin were playing on the record. Actually, it's a bunch of cats who hang out with Mike Patton and John Zorn. If you like movie scores, you will love this record. And maybe it came out at the end of 2009, but i didn't get it until this year, so fuck it.


Dangermouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of The Soul
Speaking of albums that came out in 2009, i actually had this on my list last year, but that's when the only way to get it was to find tracks to download online or find a copy of the promo on vinyl. I don't know if the death of Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous got this album put out, but now that this masterpiece finally gets a legit release, i feel it necessary to include it again. It's that good. Dangermouse's production is always spot on, and guests like The Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas, Iggy Pop, the late Vic Chestnutt, and David Lynch make this an album unlike any other. Everyone should own this. It's an original.

So there's 19. What about number 20 you ask? I couldn't decide. I'm like that sometimes. So, here's a bunch of other records that were the shit this year:
Midnight Juggernauts - The Crystal Axis
Ty Segall - Melted
Twin Shadow - Forget
Emeralds - Does It Look Like I'm Here?
Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty
and on, and on, and on...

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