Despite the fun of tidying up a year’s worth of music listening into a concise list and orderly rankings, end of year lists are always fluid for me. Things will change. The band I loved for a few months this year won’t make it into spring, the albums I haven’t made it to yet (LCD Soundsystem, Kanye West, Jamey Johnson, Cee-Lo Green — despite the ubiquity of that single — etc.) may knock some of my choices off the list or at least bump them down a few notches. But this is what my list looks like so far (click on the links for a listen):
15 Best Albums of 2010
15. These New Puritans, Hidden
The most unique, haunting and challenging album of the year, featuring a Czech orchestra, six-foot Japanese Taiko drums, a 13-piece brass section, a children’s choir, a woodwind ensemble, and chants about labyrinths and medieval knights. It seems to have barely made a ripple in the states, but topped several of the big lists in the UK. I’m still digesting, but I suspect this one will rise higher on my list as time goes on.
14. Everything Everything, Man Alive
Witty, sharp-lyrics and R&B grooves anchor and balance the experimental art-pop of this UK band. Unapologetically weird, exuberant and fun. Not yet available in the states, but you Americans can impress your friends with your music knowledge when it comes out next year.
13. Yeasayer, Oddblood
Bold, pop-infused and danceable, but no less experimental. Yeasayer’s second album was a joyful romp.
12. Foals, Total Life Forever
I’ve been watching this band since their 2008 debut album, which I almost loved, but not quite. They won me over this year with their ambitious, heart-filled and complex second album.
11. Glasser, Ring
Cameron Mesirow’s gorgeous vocals bring warmth and fire to Glasser’s dreamy electro-folk.
10. Robyn, Body Talk Pt. 1
Gritty, genius dance record from the Swedish Diva.
9. Deerhunter, Halycon Digest
What I wanted MGMT to sound like. The rich psychedelia of the album finds new shape in garage band form.
8. Joanna Newsom, Have One on Me
I couldn’t resist the extravagance of a triple-CD from harpist/folkie Joanna Newsom, especially when it came with such weird and witty lyrics and gorgeous melodies.
7. Sleigh Bells, Treats
Clocking in around the 30-minute mark, Sleigh Bells had the year’s noisiest, sexiest album. Pure enjoyment.
6. Janelle Monae, The ArchAndroid
Monae creates a sparkling R&B sci-fi concept album about otherness with Monae showing her virtuosity and gracefully transcending gender and genre with a Bowie or Prince-like verve.
5. Vampire Weekend, Contra
Vampire Weekend build upon the promise of their debut to produce an album that is less hooky, but subtly more complex and no less charming.
4. The Black Keys, Brothers
Expansive blues stomp from the American duo. Not the most profound, but the most fun to listen to.
3. The National, High Violet
Their fifth album is darker, but more poignant — an intelligent record for grown-ups.
2. Laura Marling, I Speak Because I Can
Despite her young age, Marling’s husky voice and world-weary lyrics suggest Joni Mitchell, Cat Power or, even, Nina Simone, but there isn’t a false note in 20-year-old Marling’s gorgeous folk record.
1. Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Musically the most cohesive and tightly focused Arcade Fire album to date, The Suburbs still has the huge sound and big ideas that mark Arcade fire records. The bar has been set so high that I resisted naming this as my number one, but I have to give credit where credit is due.
So, what were your favorite albums this year? And, what did I miss?
Nos 1, 4 and 5 I know and love (and agree with), but the others I look forward to knowing–thanks Heidi!
Love, Laura Marling.
Oh, I have been so distracted this year that I have simply listened to music I already had. Can I admit that here? Yikes. This gives me so jumping off points. I’m going to start with the new Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend, and Yeasayer.
Nice list Heidi. Looks like I’ve got some web surfing to do…
When I look back, 2010 seems like a thin year for music. But that may say more about my listening habits than the actual quality of the music. And as usual, it sometimes takes me a year or two before I catch up with some of these bands or albums, as evidenced by Heidi’s list above, many of which I have not yet heard. Or sometimes it can take me a year or more before I fall in love with an album. With those caveats in place, here are my 2010 favorites, etc.
Favorite albums (in no particular order):
Broken Bells – Broken Bells
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Vampire Weekend – Contra
Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
The Bird and the Bee – Interpreting the Masters, Volume I (Infectious indie covers of Hall & Oates classics.)
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening (As good as Sound of Silver, in my opinion)
James – The Night Before
James – The Morning After
OMD – History of Modern (First album in 14 years, and undeniably hooky.)
Albums I enjoyed but haven’t listened to enough to form an opinion:
Midlake – The Courage of Others (At first listen, not as good as Van Occupanther.)
The Walkmen – Lisbon
Guster – Easy Wonderful
Tracey Thorn – Love and its Opposite (I prefer Tracey with Ben Watt in Everything But the Girl, but solo Tracey is better than no Tracey.)
Whitley – The Submarine (If you are into that melancholy acoustic guitar sound, check out the song “More Than Life.” Still need to catch up with the rest of the album.)
MGMT – Congratulations (Does it take awhile to “get,” or does it just suck?)
Some albums I haven’t heard yet, but want to:
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
Spoon – Transference
Scissor Sisters – Night Work
Crowded House – Intriguer
Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love
Sleigh Bells – Treats
Best Coast – Crazy For You
Matt, I went into this post thinking the same thing — 2010 has been thin — I was surprised when I started counting up the bands and albums I’d liked and realized I had so many. Still, I feel cagey about these lists. In some cases, I haven’t spent enough time with albums to know whether I like them or like them, like them. In other cases, I’m trying not to compare them with all that has come before and will come next year and just looking at this year. With that in mind:
Some albums I haven’t heard yet, but want to:
Broken Bells, Best Coast, Belle & Sebastian, Gorillaz, Spoon, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, Superchunk and the Walkmen. I also haven’t listened to Tracey Thorn’s solo album, but I wasn’t feeling all that excited about it.
I was surprised by how many end of year lists had MGMT’s , Congratulations and claims that the album was better than the first. I thought the first was uneven and was left cold by the second. I listened to again in the last few weeks and feel the same. I wasn’t wowed by Midlake’s album either, but I’ll give that some more listens.
These New Puritans – I love that song! Thanks for bringing to my neglected musical attention, Heidi!
Heidi, I’ve got a friend in London who’s trying offload two tickets to see Foals on New Year’s Eve… interested? :)
Love the list… I too need to look up several of these. Thank heavens for Spotify!
oh thank you!! I always love finding new music…. I’ve been relying on my brother to feed me new material, but its been a couple years since I’ve asked. My 9-year old son loves the first Vampire Weekend album…. we’ll definitely be sure to check out their second.
So Heidi, you appended ‘(so far)’ to your title: any additions you’d make in the last few days? :)
No new additions, but I wish I’d put These New Puritans higher on the list. I’ve been listening non-stop.
Thanks for the list! Believe it or not some of us out there (me) still have dial-up internet and buy CDs. I’m so glad you reviewed the album and not just a song. You are awesome!
I still buy CDs too! And, I still read newspapers and buy books and go to the library (haven’t wrapped my head around the brave new world of the Kindle yet). I do everything on line as well, but there is a part of me that still likes to have something I can touch.
Whether on CD or MP3, I’m a big fan of the album as unit of musical production – I think the capacity of the album is too great to be lost. As great as individual songs are… I want to spend at least an hour with the artists I enjoy most. The best albums have an arc, a rhythm… I never put my ipod on ‘shuffle’.
Agreed! I also love albums in which song works as part of the overall themes of the album. However, I sometimes shuffle because I was given an iPod shuffle. I treat it like a mixtape and change the contents frequently.