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EVERYONE COME TO THIS.
Created this poster for the Netherfriends show at Conundrum Music Hall on the 21st. Please come out and support these great bands/reblog if you’re in the area to help spread the word.
Top 10 Albums of 20ten
Number (10) : Harlem / Hippies
Starting the list off is Harlem, a three piece lo-fi pop band from Austin, TX that really wowed me with their early 2010 release. I was fortunate to catch them on a tiny club up in Chapel Hill the day before my birthday, and was really impressed at how well the energy of their record translated to a live show, and equally impressed that they managed to do that considering how completely trashed the whole band was.
Number (9) : Janelle Monae / The ArchAndroid
This is probably the only time an R&B record will ever make my year end list, it’s just a genre that doesn’t resonate with me, but there’s something about Janelle Monae that’s larger than life. She just brings it. From the arrangements on her album, to her impecable broadway-trained voice this record oozes elegance and style; and I was very pleased to see how well it translated to the stage. The first time I heard of Monae was an appearance on the Idlewild soundtrack, man how far she’s come. This woman is an unstoppable force.
Number (8) : Joanna Newsom / Have One on Me
Joanna Newsom really outdid herself this time, something I wasn’t sure was actually possible. Releasing a TRIPLE album though? That takes moxie. Unfortunately it fell a little short of the untouchable Ys, which is what keeps it from climbing higher up the list. I had the good fortune of catching her twice this year, and each time was incredible. The songs translated well to a live setting, and take on new life as she plucks away at her roman column of a harp. The title track is perhaps the greatest thing she’s ever written, but some of the songs on the second and third disc are throw aways.
Number (7) : Kanye West / My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
I feel like enough has been said about this album so I won’t waste much time on it myself. Love him or Hate him, Kanye is at the top of his game with this ridiculous homage to avarice.
Number (6) : Netherfriends / Barry and Sherry
This is one of the bands I was most excited to see at Pitchfork, I hadn’t really heard much about them until the week before, but I downloaded their Home Is Where My House Is EP and fell in love. Their debut album delivers that same energy with a bit more panache, hopefully I’ll get a chance to see them closer to home.
Number (5) : of Montreal / False Priest
I probably don’t need to say much about this album either. I love of Montreal, that’s all there is to it. I was a little concerned when I heard that Kevin Barnes would be working with Jon Brion, but the result was the most full sounding of Montreal record to date. It pops, it rattles, it shakes your trunk and above all it shines. I’m seeing them for my 10th time this New Years, and as long as they keep making music this good I’ll see them 10 more.
Number (4) : Beach House / Teen Dream
I didn’t really have much to say about Beach House until this album came out. Actually I did.. and they weren’t very nice things. I really have no idea what I was thinking though because this is a band that knows how to strike a chord. They’ve crafted some of the most affecting music on every end of the emotional spectrum, this is an album you can make out to or break up to; and they bring it live. Such an HUGE sound from just three people, when I saw them at Pitchfork I thought my chest was going to collapse.
Number (3) : Titus Andronicus / The Monitor
Titus Andronicus somehow managed to write a gloomy introspective punk rock album about the Civil War and at the same time craft the most rocking good time I’ve had at a concert all year.
Number (2) : Wildlife / Strike Hard, Young Diamond
The only reason I know about this album is because it was leaked as Arcade Fire’s “Suburbs” before it actually leaked. Normally that would be kind of a turn off, but in Wildlife’s case it actually worked. Fortunately for them, their album is actually better than Arcade Fire’s and so I found myself returning to it over and over again, pouring over the lyrics, trying to find some kind of clue that would lead me to what the actual band was. Finally I found it in a youtube comment and managed to get ahold of the actual album, and it rocks. It rocks like the first time you heard Apologies to the Queen Mary, or The Pixies. There’s so much energy and good spirit in this album that you can’t help but to turn up the volume and sing along.
Number (1) : Crookram / Through Windows
Choosing your album of the year is a hard thing to do, sure it ultimately doesn’t matter what you pick, but even coming to a conclusion can be a difficult and long journey. That wasn’t really the case for me this year, there was a clear standout from the get go. Through Windows is the first proper album from electronic-leaning hip-hop producer Crookram; he’s got a handful of EPs floating about, but this is the clear Gem of his career. The best part? He released it for free on his website. It’ll let it speak for itself (mostly because it’s 1:30 and I need sleep)
Honorable Mentions:
Gonjasufi - A Sufi A Killer / Local Natives - Gorilla Manor / Brian Eno - Small Craft on Milk Sea / Candy Claws - Hidden Lands / Xiu Xiu - Dear God I Hate Myself / Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz / Jonsi - Go / Menomena - Mines / Four Tet - There is Love In You / Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales
