best of 2010
http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf
well hello there. it’s been a long time. but with the end of the year creeping up, i felt it necessary to put together a ‘year’s best’ of things i’ve listened to and would like to share. most of the songs/albums/mixes/things were released this year, but i’ll put some other fun things that i listened to on repeat for funsies. it’s pretty freaking crazy that this year is over already. one of the fastest in recent memory for sure. i slowed my roll on the live shows because i needed to remember that little thing called ‘financial responsibility.’ being a grown up sucks. before we get to the music, i’ll just give a quick blip on top shows i can recall from the year.
lcd soundsystem was freaking amazing. been waiting for way too long to see them and it lived up to all the hype and then some. likewise, arcade fire was ridiculously good. we just saw andrew bird this weekend and that was unbelievably incredible too. there were more, but lets get to the goods.
in no particular order, here’s music for you. i’ll link you to grooveshark for the albums & singles. and listen to the playlist as well.
Menomena – Mines
this album is superb and very much unrecognized. from start to finish, they’re layered, textured compositions come together to craft great melodies and even better hooks. If you’ve heard of this band before, this album definitely thrusts their style more into “main stream,” but definitely worth listening to. if you haven’t listened, do so now…and thank me later. how could you not want to listen to a band named after the awesomeness of a ‘muppets’ song.
song to listen to: “TAOS”
Junip – Fields
jose gonzalez’s newest project takes singer-songwriter in a whole new direction. mixing his soft voice with the harder sounds of vintage electric synths, the blend comes off in infectious, quick pop songs that keep you wanting more and more. each seems simple but are complex in their simpleness. just listen and you’ll know exactly what i’m talking about. live, the band puts on a show that wants so badly to be mellow, but it’s impossible as all you to do is tap your feet and bob your head. again, an unknown album that should’ve gotten a lot more notice.
song to listen to: “in every direction“
stars – the five ghosts
plain and simple, i really like this album. it’s equal parts arcade fire, metric, and good indie-pop. the shared male/female vocals help make this album really fun to listen to. add to that some damn-good, dancey songs and you’ve got yourself your next ‘get me ready to go out’ album. enjoy, and have a drink (or 3) for me.
song to listen to: “we don’t want your body“
lcd soundsystem – this is happening
oh lcd how you slay me. seriously. i had this album on repeat like non stop. and still do. it’s that good. i so hope the rumors that this will be their last album are false. cause that would be tragic. like i said earlier, their live show was so unbelievable, and i danced so hard, that girl next to me was disgusted when my sweaty arm grazed hers. can’t blame her as she needed to wipe my sweat off of her. can’t blame me as it was a cool 103 degrees in the orpheum. anyways, this album from the first note will have you hooked. it builds and builds, keeps you amped, lets you down gently, and even buys you dinner after. please listen, and listen frequently.
song to listen to: “dance yourself clean“
foals – total life forever
mmm dancey-synth-pop how i love thee. albeit a little less dancey than some previous stuff they’ve put out, foals definitely make a more main-stream statement with their latest album. there’s definitely something for everyone on this. live, these guys put on a great show building layers, loops, bleeps, bloops, and grooves into one cohesive mess of sound. the added haunting space they create in the space between notes stands to only increase the need to listen.
song to listen to: “spanish sahara“
arcade fire – the suburbs
