It's that time of year - the end of it - when we all take a look back at all the stuff, in order to figure out what was good and what was bad. If the time capsule were getting filled with all the albums I've been seeing on Top 10 lists, I'd feel pretty bad about how the future viewed us musically.
I'm not mad at a lot of what's on everybody's list: Kanye's album, for example, is praiseworthy - although I don't think it's his best work to date (and it has the least of his creative input of any of his releases - like not making most of the beats, for example). However, the critical world's obsession with Vampire Weekend I fail to see eye to eye with...I digress...
So, in no particular order, with no claims of being exhaustive or final, and with no particular focus on an exact number of total albums, I give you: My list* of albums from 2010 that were really good, and which I would recommend picking up if you don't already own. [*With help from my wife]
Malachai's The Ugly Side of Love
- a mix of thrusting garage psych and spaced out trip hop.
*It was released in the UK in '09, but I didn't hear it until it was released stateside in 2010.
Blockhead's The Music Scene
- a listening adventure along a road paved in beats.
The Black Keys' Brothers - the gut bucket blues rocking duo blossoms into a beautiful flower
The Chemical Brothers' Further
- the big beat team returns with something interesting and unexpected
Daedelus' Righteous Fists of Harmony
- The crazy victorian drops a gorgeous electronic concept album
Flying Lotus' Cosmogramma
- the future-beat prophet delivers a masterpiece in quick, eclectic bursts of energy
Gorillaz Plastic Beach
- this is definitely one of the best albums of the year, and one of the best Gorillaz albums yet
Gold Panda's Lucky Shiner
- eclectic results of micro-sampling and textured walls of sound
Lorn's Nothing Else
- if you wanted beats that bordered on John Carpenter scores with sub-bass frequencies
![Swim (2 LP) [Vinyl]](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003A060TW&tag=stopplayrewin-20)
Caribou's Swim
- a departure from his earlier stuff, which took a few listens to adjust to, but clearly an exceptional piece of work.
If I think of any others, I'll be sure to add them...I know there are some that I'm forgetting.
I'm not mad at a lot of what's on everybody's list: Kanye's album, for example, is praiseworthy - although I don't think it's his best work to date (and it has the least of his creative input of any of his releases - like not making most of the beats, for example). However, the critical world's obsession with Vampire Weekend I fail to see eye to eye with...I digress...
So, in no particular order, with no claims of being exhaustive or final, and with no particular focus on an exact number of total albums, I give you: My list* of albums from 2010 that were really good, and which I would recommend picking up if you don't already own. [*With help from my wife]
Malachai's The Ugly Side of Love
- a mix of thrusting garage psych and spaced out trip hop.*It was released in the UK in '09, but I didn't hear it until it was released stateside in 2010.
Blockhead's The Music Scene
- a listening adventure along a road paved in beats.The Black Keys' Brothers - the gut bucket blues rocking duo blossoms into a beautiful flower
The Chemical Brothers' Further
- the big beat team returns with something interesting and unexpectedDaedelus' Righteous Fists of Harmony
- The crazy victorian drops a gorgeous electronic concept albumFlying Lotus' Cosmogramma
- the future-beat prophet delivers a masterpiece in quick, eclectic bursts of energyGorillaz Plastic Beach
- this is definitely one of the best albums of the year, and one of the best Gorillaz albums yetGold Panda's Lucky Shiner
- eclectic results of micro-sampling and textured walls of soundLorn's Nothing Else
- if you wanted beats that bordered on John Carpenter scores with sub-bass frequenciesCaribou's Swim
- a departure from his earlier stuff, which took a few listens to adjust to, but clearly an exceptional piece of work. If I think of any others, I'll be sure to add them...I know there are some that I'm forgetting.
Nice list, but aren't some from '09?
ReplyDeleteI need to check out Blockhead.
Ah, yes, Nosaj Thing "Drift" was 2009. Just replace it with Gold Panda "Lucky Shiner"!
ReplyDeleteAnd you forgot Caribou "Swim"...
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti album, plus much of James Blake's output (multiple EPs).
Drew, I think Nosaj Thing was the only one from '09, which I exchanged for Gold Panda, per Carrie's suggestion. Any others? The Malachai album, I think had been released in England in '09, but I was under the impression it didn't hit the states until 2010...
ReplyDeleteYep, you're right about Malachai; Amazon is tricky with its "Original Release Date". Good call with Gold Panda.
ReplyDeleteA few of my other favorites were the music from Star Slinger and Chromeo. I was originally going to shoot for a Top 10, but as you've done, I think I'll be more flexible.