Janelle Monae - The Archandroid
The first 6 tracks of this album are a medley and they set the pace for this high energy tour around this indie-va's (new word?) vast musical influences. I saw a free outdoor show of her's this summer in Hartford with Sky and Mariclare, it was easily one of the best shows I saw all year.
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Black Dub - Black Dub
This group's debut proves theres still some fresh soul coming out of America. "Ring The Alarm" is a high energy jam that, while not quite the same pace as the rest of the album, was one of my favorite tracks of the year.
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Vampire Weekend - Contra
Could Vampire Weekend top their indie royalty anointing self titled debut? The answer in Contra is a resounding yes. Even the rampant licensing of their songs for commercial use couldn't damped this wonderful album for me (which I believe is a first).
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Aloe Blacc - Good Things
If this list had to be smaller, this album would still be on it. Blacc introduces himself to the world with a funky soulful explosion. He commits what is usually a musical no-no, covering a beloved song (The Velvet Underground and Nico's "Femme Fatale") but switching up the melody, Blacc however does not disappoint. For a great short film of some gorilla performances check out A Take Away Show, Part One and Part Two
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Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
One of the 5 albums on this list I discovered through working in the music section at Barnes and Noble. Local Natives sound like Animal Collective with the instruments of a standard 5 piece rock band rather than synthesizers. We play this album so often at work that today I found it off to the side with a note on it asking to please stop playing it and take it home, done.
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Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
Certainly in the mix for favorite album of the year, this opus is 3 discs of beauty. It's really amazing to me that Joanna Newsom has been able to outdo herself with every album. Also, Good Intentions Paving Company is essentially a perfect song.
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Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
If you had told me earlier this year that I would make a top ten albums list of 2010 and Drake would not be on it, but Kanye would, I would suggest that you have mistaken me for a fool. But as much as Drake's debut album Thank Me Later disappointed, Kanye's album appointed. While he may not have the lyrical prowess of Aesop Rock or Can-I-Bus, and the content of his lyrics can border on the absurd("no more drugs for me, pussy and religion is all I need"), Kanye is certainly one of the more clever lyricists out there today("I'm living in the future so the present is my past, my presence is a present, kiss my ass"). Combined with his ever improving self production skills, the result is the tightest hip hop album of the year. Still waiting for what should be a deservingly cool video for Monster.
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Ray Charles - Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters
This album of newly discovered tracks from Ray Charles opens up strong with the soul purging Loves Gonna Bite You Back. Listening to this album makes me realize how amazing it is that Ray can sing some sexually direct stuff very soulfully and smoothly. Wait till you hear him croon "WHY ARE WE TALKIN'? We should be GETTIN' IT ON!"
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Herons! - So Long!
The long awaited debut release from Herons! was released this fall, but I've had the privilege to listen to it for over a year now. I've had the greater privilege of being friends with all the lovely folks that make of this group including it's musical genius songwriter Benjamin Kritikos, one of the flappiest men I have ever known.
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Sia - We Are Born
This Australian indie-va takes her upbeat 21st century funky jazz-folk and rubs 70s disco all over it to create We Are Born. This is really just one of the happier albums I've heard in a long time.
"Oh how we fought, and still we won the fight"
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Honorable Mention
Here's the thing, I haven't actually ever heard this album. It came out in 2010 but I haven't been able to get my ears on it yet. However, judging from how much I love all three of their other albums I have no doubt that this one belongs on this list
Republic of Loose - Bounce at the Devil
2 comments:
Really? Local Natives? I liked it at first but quickly got bored. Also, have you heard Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings "I learned the hard way" ? It's a bangin' album. I love Aloe Blacc but I would put Sharon's 2010 release before his. love you.
You know what you should do maybe is make you own consarnin' list little miss opin-onion
;~P
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