Biggest Disappointment(s)

Radiohead – The King of Limbs

It was natural to be let down after the near-perfect In Rainbows, but this album, even after several intent listens just made me want to fall asleep.

Okkervil River – I Am Very Far

I’m a big supporter of this band, but they seemed to really drop the ball this year. Only a few marginally interesting songs.

Albums I need to Listen to more:

EMA – Past Life as a Martyred Saint
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Beirut – The Rip Tide
The Antlers – Burst Apart
Tom Waits – Bad Like Me

Top Ten

10) Thurday – No Devolución

Back when “screamo” was getting a lot of radio play, Thursday enjoyed some added attention, but for all the wrong reasons. Yes, he screams, but this band is far from such mindless noise. They’ve flown under the radar for several years now, you don’t hear about their new releases unless you check out their website (or obsessively check Metacritic), but they’ve consistently improved their craft. They never make Radiohead-like changes to their music, they’ve not adapted to the times, one could say, but this is a great album with consistent, interesting songs from beginning to end.

9) Adele – 21

Well, yeah. I can’t deny that while living an ocean away from my future wife I didn’t listen to his album and then upon reunion share it with her and it become the soundtrack of our first shared apartment living. It’s a bit bloated, some of the songs downright boring, but I deleted those songs. One cannot deny “Someone Like You,” even André 3000 references it.

8) The Field – Looping State of Mind

I would like to spend just one day with this guy, just to see how he operates. I want to know how he happens upon his ideas. How does one say, hey, I’m going to hold a warbling tone for over seven minutes, give a smattering of drums here and there, a few other hiccups of sound and it’s going to be awesome? And then, how does one actually pull this off? Just like I suppose his creative process to be, the allure of this album is inexplicable.

7) Florence and the Machine – Ceremonies

I’m a sucker for bombastic melancholy and continual images of graveyard and ethereal angels. I can’t help it. Florence really just attacks singing, like she’s fighting against the words, the instruments, and herself and somehow this struggle works. I don’t know. I can just listen to this album on repeat, doing anything—including simply listening.

6) Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972

I am even more confused by Tim Hecker than I am by the Field. This album is 52 minutes of barely tampered with white noise and it is transcendent. Wait for it to snow, put this album on a good set of headphones and go for a walk. Then you’ll understand.

5) The Weeknd – House of Balloons/Thursday

Ever since the second mixtape “Thursday” dropped I’ve always listened to these two in tandem and can’t really distinguish between the two of them—I’m not cheating. The Weeknd took a lot of heat this year from lovers of traditional r&b for trying to fix what isn’t broken, but seriously. r&b is boring as shit, it was boring in the 90s. When people asked what music I liked I said everything except r&b. But the production on these, largely, slow-burning songs is so hypnotic, so entrancing that I am never bored. Add that one of the most original and recognizable new voices and you’ve got an unbelievable new talent.

4) Drake – Take Care

I found this album only a month ago, but it completely destroyed me. I mean, it made all other music for at least a week dull as paint. I couldn’t listen to anything else, Rahel almost killed me. The first time “Marvin’s Room” came on it was over. I knew little of Drake before I got this album and sincerely wish I’d not read anything about him or watched any of his posturing music videos (the Marvin’s Room video being a (slight) exception), as some of the sheen was dampened on this album. But I know I’ll be listening to this for a long time.

3) James Blake – James Blake

My most played album of the year. I was first introduced to Blake through last year’s EP, which was amazing, but did nothing to prepare me for this album. When I first put it on, I was like, what the hell is this? But almost immediately I was drawn into Blake’s world. I’ve spent a lot of time by myself this year, especially in the second half and listening to this album, you can tell that Blake did the same. He would’ve had to, in order to produce such a masterpiece. Solitude has been, in no way, bad, but it’s been nice to have some company.

2) M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

I’ve been waiting for this album a long ass time. I’ve always liked the idea of M83, but was never satisfied by the listening experience: the songs were overlong, the singing too subdued, the arrangements a bit “samey.” But this double-album with just about everything you could ever want in every song? M83 has finally drawn level with their promise.

You can pick out individual songs and they work beautifully (especially Midnight City, though…was I the only one that saw that Victoria’s Secret commercial? No other websites seem to make mention of it) but really this album demands to be listened to from the beginning to the end to be fully appreciated. Something I’ve done over and over.

1) Bon Iver – Bon Iver

A few years back I put “For Emma, Forever Ago,” at the top of my list, so it was going to be a given that I was going to like this album. It was also going to be a given that I as going to avoid putting this sophomore effort atop my list again, just so I wouldn’t be boring. But no other album can go here.

In truth, this isn’t even the same artist.

This music contains every emotion simultaneously. It is melancholic, joyful, sad, triumphant, tragic all at once. In short, it’s life compressed in under 50 minutes and no worse for that compression.

I listened to other albums for more than I listened to this one, but that’s because I couldn’t listen to it often. It’s been a crazy year, a wonderful year, but sometimes this album was a little too intense, a little too much.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong at the top of my list.

Top Albums of 2010

Yes, I know my list is late, and rather short. I did not listen to much “new” music this year. There are several things that are new to me which I fell in love with such has Japandroids and the Pixies (I know I’m really late on this). Nevertheless, I was able to cobble together a top five and an honorable mention.

Honorable Mention
(in no particular order)

Best Coast – Crazy for You
Hurray for the Riff Raff – S/T
Charlotte Gainsbourg – IRM
Sufjan Stevens – All Delight People EP (miles better on vinyl)
Les Savy Fav – Root for Ruin

Top 5

5) Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard

There is nothing really dangerous or sexy about Ra Ra Riot. The automatic genre tag in iTunes is “Easy Listening,” which I don’t necessarily find fair, but can’t exactly argue against. The singer’s voice is pleasant and his lyrics vaguely poetic, a cellist and violinist are members of the band and they rely on the bass as the driving force of almost every song. But, I can’t help but really enjoy this album.

4) Wolf Parade – Expo 86

Many people seemed to jump ship on Wolf Parade after “At Mount Zoomer.” Not that they could be blamed, it was downright boring especially when compared to their debut and there interesting side projects. I have it on good authority, however, that the ennui of the album was due more to the production job than the songs themselves and that live they rocked out. Well, Wolf Parade seems to have taken that to heart, recording vocals to this album live (and perhaps other parts) and then just tweaking in the studio. And the process paid off, because from start to finish this album pulses with energy. It’s not as good as “Apologies to…” but it’s close.

3) Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

I, like many people, was quite wary of this title, fearing ramped up didactics like on Neon Bible, and at first I did not like this album. I did not mind it, but it—for a long time—was not something that I put on first, it was something that I’d put on only if I’d cycled through most of my other new music. I wish I could remember exactly when it clicked with me, but I don’t. At some point it became a first choice and has remained there.

2) Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Upon first listen in the Airport with my headphones the sonic detail on this album floored me. I sat there like a fool with a shit-eating grin on my face. The second time I listened—and by second I mean on vinyl—I couldn’t handle how warm every detail was, how well mixed, how much space every part of each song had. Unfortunately, the vinyl also reinforced certain misgivings I had the first time around, mainly that I don’t like the album all the way through. Most songs are certain genius, but not all of them, which kept this out of the top spot. Most of the blame lies with Chris Rock.

1) Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz

Before this album officially came out Nick and I had a long correspondence pertaining to the aesthetics—if you will—of the album versus the already-released EP. We reached the conclusion that the album was going to be too purposefully difficult, too (and these are my own words) Brooklyn. However, being a loyal fan and addicted to buying vinyl, I still bought the album and it quietly, subtly worked it’s magic on me until I would be sitting at my dining room table looking forward to each and every song, no matter how long that song (25 minutes!) may be. The blending of all previous styles along with the more confident and assertive singing style showcased on “You are the Blood” make for an album I listen to on repeat.