Top 2010 Sounds

[Mike]

Off the top of my head here is my top 10 albums of 2010 in no particular order. Lots of samples on Amazon and elsewhere for you to get a feel for the sound if you’ve not heard them before.

Arcade Fire – Suburbs, not been a huge fan before, but this album wins me over a real diverse sprawling collection of sounds, upbeat and dark it’s got it all.

Foals – Total Life Forever, the classic 2nd album which often makes or breaks a band, this one is a really confident self assured sound which takes them in new directions.

Villagers – Becoming a Jackal, classed as Irish indie folk by some but god knows why, either way it’s a terrific debut album.

Two Door Cinema – Tourist History, kept hearing a track on a Sky advert and tracked them down via the internet, a really good indie pop sound with lots of catchy stuff on it.

The Black Keys – Brothers, I’ve always liked their music but this album opens them up to a wider audience, some of it produced by Dangermouse but his influence is all over the album giving them a modern twist to their traditional bluesy swamp R&B sound.

Broken Bells – Broken Bells, talking of Dangermouse here he is again with a Shins collaboration. Great production just a good all round album.

The Drums – The Drums, this band caught me out I thought I was listening to a UK band but they hail from the US. Really like their infectious 80s retro style, not sure where they go from here but for now it’s a good sound.

School of 7 Bells – Disconnect From Desire, love the sisters vocal sounds on this album.

The National – High Violet, like Arcade Fire not been a huge fan before but this album surprised me, played it a lot this year and I’m liking it.

Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard, elements of chamber pop at its best, falsetto vocals aren’t usually my thing but this album wins me over.

Cheers
Mike

[Hyfi]

Hi Mike!

Unfortunately, I have not heard of any of your listed bands.

[Mike]

Granted most don't have a lot of exposure but you must have heard of Arcade Fire or The Black Keys...?

Cheers
Mike

[Hyfi]

Granted most don't have a lot of exposure but you must have heard of Arcade Fire or The Black Keys...?

Cheers
Mike

I'm still stuck in the 70s or listening to jazz/fusion and prog. Not too much indy or current mainstream for me.

[Mike]

I'm still stuck in the 70s or listening to jazz/fusion and prog. Not too much indy or current mainstream for me.

Nothing wrong with the 70's I must admit I still have a liking for that period, a recent find for me has been JJ Grey and his Southern blues R&B inspired sounds.

Cheers
Mike

[ForeverAutumn]

Thanks for the list Mike! Great to see you around here. I've always found your recs to be right up my alley. I still credit you for introducing me to The Kaiser Chiefs and Maximo Park, two of my favourite bands.

I'll definately be checking out some of the bands on your list. Although I'm not a fan of Arcade Fire, and I already have that Broken Bells disk. Some of the others that you mention are new to me.

Cheers!

[Swish]

In no particular order;

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Josh Ritter - So Runs the World Away

The Morning Benders - Big Echo

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs Mike - I don't like this as much as Funeral but way more than Neon Bible

The National - High Violet Not as good as Boxer, but still very good

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

Spoon - Transference

Les Savy Fav - Root for Ruin

[Slosh]

[Rae]

Torrent icon in yr system tray, Sloshy! Busted!!

~Rae

[Rae]

This is too early for me to play... but whatever. I haven't bought all that many records this year anyway. Here's five that I unabashedly loved:



~Rae

[3LB]

Wow, Mike, our lists are perty close

excluding prog:
Arcade Fire-The Suburbs
Foals-Total Life Forever
Broken Bells-s/t
The National-High Violet
Minus The Bear-Omni
Broken Social Scene-Forgiveness Rock Record
The Morning Benders-Big Echo
Zues-Say Us
Three Mile Pilot-The Inevitable Past...
Spoon-Transference

let downs:
The Bluetones-A New Athens
Land Of Talk-Cloak and Cipher
The Hold Steady-Heaven Is Whenever
Band Of Horses-Infinite Arms

best surprises:
Heart-Red Velvet Car
Gorillaz-Plastic Beach
The Gaslight Anthem-American Slang

I actually think High Violet is better than Boxer

[Mike]

Errr how could I forget Spoon which features in a couple of your top 10's, I suppose it came out early in the year which seems a long time ago now. Also Morning Benders is a grower.

Thanks for the heads up on 3 Mile Pilot, Wayne Robbins and John Vanderslice.

And hi FA, I think you might like Ra Ra Riot, The Villagers and The Foals.

Cheers
Mike

[poppachubby]

Here's my list, they are all hot linked with reviews...enjoy!!

[poppachubby]

The Roy Brooks was originally released in the 70's, but has been impossible to obtain until 2010's reissue. So yes, I am celebrating it like a new release.

[noddin0ff]

Tnx poppa, checked out a few samples of Dave Holland. Sounds like a winner, sort of forward and backward looking at the same time (as far as I can tell from web snippets), which is what I like in the larger ensembles. I'll have to hunt down the album. Most of the band is relatively new to me. I have Chris Potter's Underground, which is a decent listen.

[Slosh]

Torrent icon in yr system tray, Sloshy! Busted!!

Busted? I preview everything. If I like, I buy (often on vinyl if available). If not, well, I wouldn't have bought it anyway so no artist is losing money and in fact I end up buying a ton of albums I wouldn't have otherwise if I hadn't the chance to hear them first.

About the screen shot above: Permalight flat-out sucks (other than the opening track) and Destroyer of the Void isn't much better. I was just too lazy to type out a list yesterday. The rest of those albums are winners, though.

[ForeverAutumn]

Here's my list, they are all hot linked with reviews...enjoy!!

That Monster Magnet album cover is awesome! That's the kind of cover that would convince me to make a blind purchase. I'll have to check them out.

[nobody]

I've been crappy about keeping track of best ofs and all that and have pretty much given up on lists. I do really like the Black Keys record though and also really like the Sleigh Bells record and one by Kontext called Dissociate. Vermillion Sands is good, Dum Dum Girls, Unwelcome Guests: Don't go Swimming I have listened to a ****load, Tim Barry: 28th and Stonewall is really good, Unnatural Helpers has a couple songs on it that makes the whole thing worth while, Surfer Blood, the new Shonen Knife, some of the Dubstep stuff like Scuba and Rusco and Benga, Royksopp's Senior is a great mellow electronic record, the new Roots album is pretty good, Reverend Peyton's Big Ass Band is fun, Pantha du Prince, OFF! is a great old style hardcore album with keith Morriss and guys from Red Kross, Nobunny and Mark Sultan both had solid garage rock albums, Good one from Jim Jones review. Hamid Drake & Binduu's Reggaeology album...the Batusis EP, new group featuring Cheetah Chrome from the Dead Boys and Sylvain Sylvain from the New York Dolls....

damn, I'm rambling now...I'll stop. Now that I think on it, some pretty good stuff this year for me anyway.

[Rae]

also really like the Sleigh Bells record

Aw yeah, I listened to that one a ton too but some of the samples are too wholesale for me to really endorse it unreservedly. It's easily one of the most fun records of the year, though, and definitely was one of my top 5 concert experiences of 2010...

~Rae

[nobody]

Yeah, they really were fun live. I liked the record pretty well, but was probably more excited by seeing them. They may be a bit of a one-trick pony, but that's never bothered me if it's a good trick.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Well Pops, I'm with you on the Dave Holland and the Keith Jarret. I'm still checking out your other picks and everyone elses. Here are a couple of my new finds this year

[atomicAdam]

cant believe some of u have broken bells in best of the year. but hey, that is what makes the world go round.

[poppachubby]

Tnx poppa, checked out a few samples of Dave Holland. Sounds like a winner, sort of forward and backward looking at the same time (as far as I can tell from web snippets), which is what I like in the larger ensembles. I'll have to hunt down the album. Most of the band is relatively new to me. I have Chris Potter's Underground, which is a decent listen.

The Holland is a great album. In general I don't like ensembles that are that large, but this one is special.

I must say, the Roy Brooks is a more important pick up. It's been an elusive, impossible to own LP for years. The reissue sounds great and is priced affordably, a must have.

That Monster Magnet album cover is awesome! That's the kind of cover that would convince me to make a blind purchase. I'll have to check them out.

In all honesty, if any one album DOESN'T belong on my list, it's this one. It's a good album, but not great. I am just a big fan, and happy to see Wyndorf still rockin. I would rec Dopes to Infinity as a must own, and their best album IMO.

[poppachubby]

Busted? I preview everything. If I like, I buy (often on vinyl if available). If not, well, I wouldn't have bought it anyway so no artist is losing money and in fact I end up buying a ton of albums I wouldn't have otherwise if I hadn't the chance to hear them first.

About the screen shot above: Permalight flat-out sucks (other than the opening track) and Destroyer of the Void isn't much better. I was just too lazy to type out a list yesterday. The rest of those albums are winners, though.

+1. Torrent has put the power into the consumers hands. Catchy radio/video tracks can no longer fool us into buying an album of filler. And the other end of the spectrum, we can hear something new and head to the shops if we like.

[atomicAdam]

+1. Torrent has put the power into the consumers hands. Catchy radio/video tracks can no longer fool us into buying an album of filler. And the other end of the spectrum, we can hear something new and head to the shops if we like.

I so need an external drive.... and to reformat my laptop.... Maybe I'll clean up the disc tonight - see if I can squeeze some more space out of it.