So here’s the first half of my list of favorite albums of 2010. It seems like every year that passes brings more new music than the one before and (again) this is no exception. There are some albums that I know would have probably made this list if I had only gotten around to listening to ‘em and many more that (depending on my mood) may have made this list at some point or another. Then there’s all the albums from 2009 that I only “found” this year (see Fuck Buttons’ Tarot Sport and the Protagonist record for examples of what I’m talking about. What this list represents is my favorite records of 2010. There’s no real science or art to compiling the list and (with the exception of the top ten or so) everything on the list is somewhat interchangeable in terms of positioning on the list. This is just how everything happened to work out today. So without wasting any additional words, here’s numbers 50 through 26 of my favorite records of 2010.
50. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor (XL)
A calculated concoction of one quarter punk rock puke, one quarter Springsteen stomp, one quarter art-rock pretentiousness, and three sheets to the wind. Read more…
MP3
Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union
49. The Fucking Cops – You Have The Right To Shut The Fuck Up (Big Purple)
Gritty and shitty pop punk from Cleveland from some guys who used to be in Vietnam Werewolf. Shut the fuck up if you don’t like it. Read more…
MP3
The Fucking Cops - Stained Glass Windows
48. The Wonder Years – The Upsides (No Sleep)
Newfangled hardcore-influenced pop punk that’s really melodic and catchy and all that shit without ever stumbling on everything that plagues generic popcore. Read more…
MP3
The Wonder Years - Everything I Own Fits In This Backpack
47. Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms (Fat Possum)
The band’s third album and more of a full-band affair with denser arrangements and a bit more variation. It’s a logical progression for the band. Read more…
MP3
Band Of Horses - Laredo
46. Everyone Everywhere – Everyone Everywhere (Tiny Engines)
It’s angular without being dissonant and melodic and catchy with a lazy feel that sounds like a sunny Saturday afternoon. RIYL: The Promise Ring, etc… Read more…
MP3
Everyone Everywhere - Raw Bar OBX 2002
45. Tim Barry – 28th & Stonewall (Suburban Home)
Another amazing album full of hard-hitting and soul-stirring Southern folk-rock from the former Avail frontman. Read more…
MP3
Tim Barry - Prosser's Gabriel
44. Glossary – Feral Fire (Liberty & Lament)
Southern-fried rock music from Tennessee that splits the difference between Lucero and The Allman Brothers. Read more…
MP3
Glossary - Lonely Is A Town
43. Smoke Or Fire – The Speakeasy (Fat Wreck)
Powerful and fast-paced personal/political punk that’s as edgy as it is catchy. The band’s first album with new bassist Gwomper (ex-Avail). Read more…
MP3
Smoke Or Fire - Monsters Among Us
42. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening (DFA)
9 songs of electro dance pop-rock of the highest quality that my 5 year old daughter (and me) loves to rock out to. Read more…
MP3
LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls
41. Helen Earth Band – Our Own Ghost City (Self-Released)
The algebraic grooves of older Minus The Bear with the smooth and easy melodies of Jimmy Eat World and the tight rhythmic backbeat of Pinback. Read more…
MP3
Helen Earth Band - (We All) Talk With Knives
40. Minus The Bear – OMNI (Dangerbird)
This is the sexiest Minus The Bear has ever sounded. In fact, they sorta sound like a math-rock version of Maroon 5 or something like that. Read more…
MP3
Minus The Bear - Secret Country
39. .357 String Band – Lightning From The North (Self-Released)
Balls-to-the-wall speedy punk bluegrass. It’s Milwaukee’s version of fast-paced and hard-driving banjo mountain music. Read more…
MP3
.357 String Band - Milwaukee, Here I Come
38. Castevet – The Echo & The Light (Tiny Engines)
Beardy vintage post-emo rock from Chicago for fans of American Football, Iron Chic, and/or Explosions In The Sky. Read more…
MP3
Castevet - Midwest Values
37. Carl Hauck – Windjammer (Self-Released)
Delicate and layered folk music with gorgeous melodies, great guitar playing, and interesting accompaniments. Not really sure why I like this so much, but I do. Read more…
MP3
Carl Hauck - Windjammer
36. VRGNS – Manimals (Kiss Of Death)
Energetic straightforward snotty punk rock that’s just past the other side of pop-punk; (ex-New Mexican Disaster Squad). Read more…
MP3
VRGNS - No Longer Entertainment
35. Matt Pond PA – The Dark Leaves (Altitude)
It’s hard to believe it’s Matt Pond’s eighth full-length. It is (again) full of hushed and richly orchestrated indie pop. Read more…
MP3
Matt Pond PA - Specks
34. Rumspringer – Empty Towers (Traffic Street)
Good old fashioned pop punk is as awesome as it is imperfect. Empty Towers finds the perfect balance between warm and catchy pop melodies and the raw basement punk of my youth. Read more…
MP3
Rumspringer - Future Train
33. Off With Their Heads – In Desolation (Epitaph)
Gritty-yet-catchy bass-heavy anthemic pop punk from Minneapolis with vocals that are a little less pirate-y than on previous records. Read more…
MP3
Off With Their Heads - The Eyes Of Death
32. Shining – Blackjazz (Indie (Norway))
Do not file under easy listening, but rather, file under frightening-yet-amazing. Black metal + free jazz = Shining’s Blackjazz. Read more…
MP3
Shining - Healter Skelter
31. 500 Miles To Memphis – We’ve Built Up To Nothing (Self-Released)
Twangy alt-country with a punk rock soul that was tailor-made for dancin’ and drinkin’ in dive bar. Read more…
MP3
500 Miles To Memphis - It's Alright
30. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks (Matador)
Fuck you if you don’t like Ted Leo. Read more…
MP3
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Even Heroes Have To Die
29. Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues (Bloodshot)
A wonderfully crafted twangy country album full of hard-luck tales peppered with hints of blues, gospel, rockabilly, and especially sweeping pop music. Read more…
MP3
Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
28. Young Livers – Of Misery And Toil (No Idea)
Music rides the line between melodic emo-punk and pea soup thick metallic hardcore, with some late-70’s retro sludge thrown in for good measure. Badass. Read more…
MP3
Young Livers - Born In Vein
27. Hanalei – One Big Night (Big Scary Monsters)
Fairly simple singer/songwriter fare from Brian Moss (The Wunder Years, The Ghost, Olehole) that goes much deeper than that. Read more…
MP3
Hanalei - Keep Digging
26. Spanish Gamble – It’s All Coming Down (Paper + Plastick)
Do you like Hot Water Music? Do you like Leatherface? Well, if you like those two bands then I don’t know why you wouldn’t like Spanish Gamble. Read more…
MP3
Spanish Gamble - Science Can't Explain Music
Thanks for this list. Had a great time getting nostalgic listening to Off w/Their Heads, 500 Miles to Memphis, all that good sh!t.
Hoping Defiance Ohio get a mention in the next list. Also perhaps Galsight Anthem, The Slackers and Street Dogs?
“Fuck you if you don’t like Ted Leo.”
Well said.
Love the list, as always. Lots of stuff on here I haven’t heard yet. Looking forward to checking it out.