2010 Music Round Up

Most years I try to come up with a top ten list of my favorite songs/albums around this point in December, and usually it's hard to get past six or seven. Not so this year, the music output has been kind of incredible. So, instead of rating I'm going to try to be as clever as possible:

Biggest Let Down: Broken Bells - what the hell, guys? Three great Shins albums and an incredible collection of Danger Mouse productions (remember Demon Days?, Gnarls?), and we're given a collection of midtempo songs with no pulse. It felt both meticulous and half-baked.

Biggest Surprise: David Gray, Foundling - Gray's been on a slow descent since 98, I'd say, and even White Ladder probably isn't as good as Sell, Sell, Sell. But, Foundling is surprisingly good. Musically it's pretty normal singer-songwriterly stuff, but it sounds (save for the incredibly dull "Forgetting") like he's gotten his  lyrical muse back. Best words he's written in years.

Best Release of Stuff 30 years old but never before seen the light of day: Bruce Springsteen, The Promise.

Best Album I Heard This Year Not from This Year: Midlake, The Trials of Van Occupanther - Boy is this good. Imagine if America made a good album, or if Radiohead decided to make 70s folk.

Rookie Award - Album: Janelle Monae, The Archandroid - Yes, technically she released an EP before this, but she's still pretty new on the scene. This chick can sing, dance, and boldly take us where no one has gone before. The album's kind of like an afro-futurist Diamond Dogs, but Monae might have a better grasp on disparate music styles than Bowie (she's at least faster about it, anyway).

Rookie Award - Song: Nicki Minaj, Monster - Money's so tall that her body's gotta climb it. This song would kind of suck without her. Instead, it's incredible (we'll ignore Jay-Z's terrible guest spot between NM and Kanye).

Best Album by Old Men Who Probably Should Have Packed it Up Long Ago: (Tie) Robert Plant, Band of Joy/ Blue Rodeo, The Things We Left Behind - Blue Rodeo's latest LP was released in Canada in 2009, but not in the states until 2010, so I feel justified in counting it. Great alt-country, catchy as hell. Robert Plant is once again in fine form on Band of Joy, and once again willing to do whatever the hell he wants. What the hell Jimmy Page doing right now?

Best Album by a Band that Deserves Way More Recognition: Shearwater, The Golden Archipelago - Shearwater was originally a side project for members of Okkervil River, but frankly, it's a better band. OR's latest album - a series of songs with 13th Floor Elevator Roky Erickson - had a few bright spots was mostly on the boring side (almost made my biggest let down). Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg has an incredible voice and a keen eye for natural beauty. Pick this album up... NOW...

Best Album I Dance Around to When I'm Alone: (Tie) Robyn, Body Talk / Scissor Sisters, Night Work - Both of these albums have something over the other. Robyn remains totally accessible throughout every detour she takes, while the Sisters can sometimes leave me out in the cold with their experiments. But when SS is firing on all cylinders they provide cleverer lyrics and more interesting music. The choice is yours, consistency vs. intermittent brilliance.

Best Album by a Violinist: Owen Pallett, Heartland - It distresses me that this onetime member of Arcade Fire has to usually be introduced as a onetime member of Arcade Fire. His albums have been consistently better (ignoring AC's Funeral, of course), and he is a WAY better lyricist than Winbag Butler. Heartland is a concept album of sorts, exploring the nature of character and its relation to authorship. All that, and still fun to listen to.

Best Album by a Cartoon Band: Gorillaz, Plastic Beach - Okay, it's not like there's any competition (well, does Major Lazer count?), but this album is fantastic nonetheless. A great next step after Demon Days (which, it appears, is mostly discounted by critics although I love it).

Best Live Album: David Bowie, A Reality Tour - just google the setlist, you'll see.

Running out of cleverness, other albums I loved this year:

The National, High Violet - Probably my favorite album of the year, but don't hold me to that!
LCD Soundsystem, This is Happening
Yeasayer, Odd Blood
Shad, Tsoi
The Roots, How I Got Over
Kanye West, Good Ass Job (I refuse to call it by its ridiculous actual name)
Joanna Newsome, Have One on Me
Grinderman, Grinderman 2
Cee Lo Green, The Ladykiller
Big Boi, Sir Lucious Leftfoot the Son of Chico Dusty

Stuff that gets me excited for next year:
Iron and Wine, Walking Far from Home

Other stuff I discovered this year but not from this year:

Wye Oak, The Knot
Elvis Perkins, Ash Wednesday
Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (yes, yes, I was very late to the draw on this one)
The Books, The Lemon of Pink

Stuff that came out this year I enjoyed but I haven't given the time to yet:

Midlake, The Courage of Others
The Black Keys, Brothers
Sleigh Bells, Treat
John Legend and the Roots, Wake Up!
The Books, The Way Out
Blue Water White Death, Blue Water White Death


All right, what did I miss?