It was disappointing to see the albums I loved in 2010 not make any lists, or ranked absurdly lower than they should have been. I would like to use this as a ladder to credit twenty astounding, meaningful records. Sorry, but there’s no “My Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy” on this list!
I never really understood everyone’s obsession with the Arcade Fire. But this year, I finally got why the band is so extraordinary. How exactly did
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“Here in the future, though, the sneering young dudes who once asked “Whatever Happened to My Rock’n’Roll” now bear all the telltale signs of a band desperately flailing to live up to the dangerousness of their band name.” This mocking quote from Pitchfork’s album review is just as far off mark as a bad comedian failing with a joke. BRMC is the most consistent rock band in modern times and
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When I first listened to
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I hailed this “debut of the year” in my album review and even now, strongly stand by my synopsis and 4.5 out of 5 rating.
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Crystal Castles have caused trouble since arriving on the electronic music scene – accused of plagiarism, starting brawls during live gigs, and answering for the actions of the staggering mascot, Alice Glass. Somehow, the duo pushed all the bullshit to the side and made a fine electronic album. It’s a rock album without the roll, loud but flowing, hazardous yet heartfelt. Whoever said electronic music was soulless are eating their words now, just the way Crystal Castles wanted it.
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Broken Social Scene haven’t pushed their sound very much in the span of four albums.
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Upon the release of
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There was a time when indie rock sounded simple and no non-sense genre names like chillwave or witch house existed. Land of Talk brings it back to basics with their alluring pop songs and straight forward lyrics – each an anthem for what could be the soundtrack to a horrible teen drama. For now, I’m glad that they are still mine.
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Liars have created the most intricate album of 2010. I only understood the music and concept when I focused and dove head first into their world. The three-piece relocated to the city of angles to record the album and ironically the dark side of L.A. inspired them without plan. What happened to all the failed actors and musicians? What about the junkie you’d see every day on Hollywood Blvd, that’s no longer there? Liars shed light on the answers but they aren’t pleasant ones.
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Crocodiles enjoy wearing their influences on their sleeve and when projected in the right manner, there is nothing wrong with doing so.
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If Fleet Foxes were more intriguing, used electric guitars and turned their amps up, they would sound like Stuart McLamb’s love child. This as a result makes for a wonderfully dramatic but also sensible record about an intense relationship gone terribly astray. Close your eyes and you can imagine this being played in a cowboy-western-romantic-drama. And I have to ask, why wasn’t this album on any big end of the year list?
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The London based foursome’s second effort was plagued with problems from the start. There were failed studio sessions with Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford, an entire albums worth of material scrapped, and rumors of label heads forcing them to write hits. This should have been the worst sophomore effort on record but what they came up with is a cluster fuck of sounds and one hell of a messy album. All things aside, it’s the most fun I have had all year with a record. I rocked out, I scratched my head, and I laughed hysterically. It’s like watching a sci-fi movie gone horribly wrong, but I still loved!
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Dee Dee is the most fascinating and stunning woman in rock music today. But the music on
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While immersed in this Lower Dens debut, I phased out like I was on cloud nine from the band’s dreamy soundscape. It’s fuzzy and the vocals are mysterious, yearning to peek through. The atmosphere builds from the ground up and once you’re in, you never want to leave.
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On
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“Wake up it’s a beautiful morning” was not how I felt until this sunny, feel-good hit rescued me from summer time lows. Led by Jonathan Pierce,
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My obsession with post punk and goth continues with Nick Cave’s expansive musical catalog. Although I started my crash course backwards,
