Best Records of 2010

[Sir Stewart]

Sorry to offend....but would Mavis be on anyone's list if it were not for Jeff Tweedy as far as this site is concerned? Really? It is a good record, but listen to The Staple Singers and get back to me about where this album falls. Even Pa would be sad with the blind following.....pre J.T., nobody on this site gave them credit for anything. Just because Jeff is involved doesn't make it the "best". It is good, but I am getting bored by the fact that if Jeff is involved it becomes the "best of". I guess I have become out of tune........

 

Pathetic.

[solace]

Pathetic.

 

$100 says he didn't even like SpongeBob until Jeff was on the soundtrack to the movie...

[imsjry]

No one has mentioned Los Lobos or Corin Tucker so I will. Great albums both!

[Winston Legthigh]

No one has mentioned Los Lobos or Corin Tucker so I will. Great albums both!

Yes. Los Lobos' Tin Can Trust was a good one.

 

I also enjoyed The Sword's Warp Riders and Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker's Mojo.

[choo-choo-charlie]

i liked tift merrit's first few albums but man, these last two she has just become so syrupy.

 

I can appreciate that. I really dig her "Buckingham Solo" record. Since my father passed away almost three months ago, this particular record has resonated with me because of its songs about life/death, love, memories and hope.

[choo-choo-charlie]

Sorry to offend....but would Mavis be on anyone's list if it were not for Jeff Tweedy as far as this site is concerned? Really? It is a good record, but listen to The Staple Singers and get back to me about where this album falls. Even Pa would be sad with the blind following.....pre J.T., nobody on this site gave them credit for anything. Just because Jeff is involved doesn't make it the "best". It is good, but I am getting bored by the fact that if Jeff is involved it becomes the "best of". I guess I have become out of tune........

 

How very unfair and presumptuous of you to say that I -- or anyone -- was never interested in Mavis Staples prior to Tweedy's work with her this year. That's just ridcidulous.

 

And if you read my post more carefully, you'd realize that my list was my "favorite" recordings of the year -- not necessarily "the best" -- but that which I enjoyed the most. And like others here, Jeff's involvement with Mavis' record this year has little to nothing to do with my interest in and appreciation for her work.

 

To quote someone from the thread about You Are Not Alone, I also enjoyed her recent solo record that was produced by that one guy...oh, right. It was Ry Cooder. Or perhaps you're going to say that nobody would be interested in her if it wasn't for The Band and having the Staple Singers play with them during "The Last Waltz."

 

I know, as most everyone else, that year-end "best of" lists typically solicit a lot of comments, arguing, and sometimes, thoughtful, intelligent discussion -- but unless you're going to contribute something constructive that will enhance this thread, you should probably keep this type of stuff to yourself.

 

Peace.

[myboyblue]

It's possible that I might even like Mavis less as a result of Tweedy's involvement. It's a great album though.

 

my best of in no particular order:

 

Black Keys - Brothers

the Whigs - In the Dark

Henry Clay People - Somewhere on the Golden Coast

Alejandro Escovedo - Street Songs of Love

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

Deer Tick - Black Dirt Sessions

Greenhornes - *****

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - I Learned the Hard Way (maybe Tweedy can produce the next one?)

Bobby Bare Jr - A Storm...

Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever

National - High Violet (might be my favorite from them)

Trampled by Turtles - Palomino

James Justin Burke - Southern Son, So Far

Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues

[Synthesizer Patel]

These best of lists are usually just about everything anyone has heard during a year.

LouieB

 

don't know. i could definately do a list of albums i didn't like, and another one of albums i neither liked nor disliked.

perhaps we should have 2 more threads for that - i don't want to start them though, cos some of those albums other people have put on their albums they liked lists in here.

[bsr8j]

I've particularly liked the following new ones this year (in almost alphabetical order):

 

Against Me! - White Crosses

Best Coast - Crazy for You

DBT - The Big To-Do

Guster - Easy Wonderful

Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

The New Pornographers - Together

Rogue Wave - Permalight (I really love this one more and more every time I listen to it.)

Vampire Weekend - Contra

 

On the "Why does Rivers Cuomo hate me? (because it must be personal)" list would be "Hurley." Weezer continues to test the patience of their fans, and I keep going out and buying the records. I could stop buying them, but then I wouldn't have so much to bitch about!

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Hurley really wasn't bad at all. Had a good number of genuinely great tracks and a very low number of embarrassing ones. I haven't heard many 2010 records, but I can see it squeaking in my top 10.

[m_thomp]

Heard and like, in no particular order:

 

Mount Kimbie - Crooks and Lovers

Janelle Monae - The Archandroid

Matthew Dear - Black City

Delorean - Subiza

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

Prins Thomas - Prins Thomas

Caribou - Swim

Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Plants and Animals - La La Land

Four Tet - There Is Love In You

Beach House - Teen Dream

Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Lindstrom & Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool

Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

Midlake - The Courage of Others

Yeasayer - Odd Blood

 

Reissues of the Year:

 

The Incredible String Band - Hangman's Beautiful Daughter ; Wee Tam / The Big Huge

 

Anticipating good things for and they're on my Christmas list:

 

Mountain Man - Made The Harbour

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

Woods - Echo Lake

School of Seven Bells - Disconnect from Desire

Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

Luke Abbott - Holkham Drones

No Age - Everything in Between

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Avey Tare - Down There

Brian Eno - Small Craft On A Milk Sea

Department Of Eagles - Archive: 2003-2006

The Ruby Suns - Fight Softly

ceo - White Magic

Various Artists - Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics

Dolphins Into The Future - Ke Ala Ke Kua

Walls - Walls

Arp - The Soft Wave

[CortezTheKiller]

Love

High Violet/The National

Brothers/The Black Keys

The Guitar Song/Jamey Johnson

The Promise/Bruce Springsteen

 

Really like

Le Noise/Neil Young

Street Songs of Love/Alejandro Escovedo

Love It, Don't Choke It to Death/David Barbe & The Quick Hooks

 

Like

The Big To-Do/Drive-By Truckers

A Storm - A Tree - My Mother's Head/Bobby Bare Jr.

God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise/Ray Lamontage & The Pariah Dogs

Harlem River Blues/Justin Townes Earle

 

I certainly listened to a lot more albums than these 11. However, these are the ones that stood out for me this year.

[cloudsofhiss]

Roughly in order:

 

Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

Sleigh Bells - Treats

Kurt Vile - Square Shells

No Age - Everything in Between

The New Pornographers - Together

Warpaint - The Fool

Corin Tucker Band - 1,000 Years

 

A little bit of a disappointing year for me, a lot of the bands I usually really enjoy put out albums I found a little forgettable. (National, BSS, She & Him, Spoon, Thermals, Tift Merritt, Arcade Fire)

[Jesusetc84]

My Top Ten:

 

 

01. Kanye West- My Dark Twisted Beautiful Fantasy

02. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

03. Janelle Monae- ArchAndroid

04. The National- High Violet

05. Big Boi- Sir Lucious Leftfoot...

06. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

07. Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me

08. Beach House- Teen Dream

09. Sufjan Stevens- Age of ADZ

10. Bruce Springsteen- The Promise

[Kalle]

My Top 20:

 

1. The National - High Violet

2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

3. Bruce Springsteen - The Promise

4. Deerhunter - Haylcon Digest

5. Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt/Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird

6. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

7. Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away

8. Doug Paisley - Constant Companion

9. Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz/All Delighted People EP

10. Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues

11. Spoon - Transference

12. The Acorn - No Ghost

13. The Besnard Lakes - Are The Roaring Night

14. Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone

15. Jason Collett - Rat A Tat Tat

16. Olenka & The Autumn Lovers - And Now We Sing

17. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy

18. The Walkmen - Libson

19. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

20. Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

 

Honorable Mention:

Sarah Harmer - Oh Little Fire

Shad - TSOL

Minotaurs - The Thing

Matthew Barber - True Believer

 

Biggest Disappointments:

Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer Of The Void

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Mojo

The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever

The New Pornographers - Together

 

 

And yes, for those wondering, I only bought the Mavis album because Tweedy was involved with it.

[people are leaving]

Best of 2010

 

the silver seas | chateau revenge

spoon | transference

mike stinson | the jukebox of my heart

robert pollard | we all got out of the army

twin shadow | forget

elvyn | the decline

the sadies | darker circles

free energy | stuck on nothing

john cunningham | 1998-2002

smoke fairies - through the light and trees

 

pernice brothers | goodbye, killer

the national | high violet

teenage fanclub | shadows

marah | life is a problem

the len price 3 | pictures

volebeats | volebeats

sunrise highway | s/t

drive by truckers | the big to-do

outrageous cherry | seemingly solid reality

mary gauthier | the foundling

[Kalle]

Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2010

 

1. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. The Black Keys, Brothers

3. Elton John and Leon Russell, The Union

4. Arcade Fire, The Suburbs

5. Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song

6. Vampire Weekend, Contra

7. Drake, Thank Me Later

8. Robert Plant, Band of Joy

9. Eminem, Recovery

10. LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening

11. The Dead Weather, Sea of Cowards

12. John Mellencamp, No Better Than This

13. Taylor Swift, Speak Now

14. Robyn, Body Talk

15. The National, High Violet

16. Kid Rock, Born Free

17. Beach House, Teen Dream

18. Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown

19. M.I.A., Maya

20. Neil Young, Le Noise

21. Big Boi, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty ///

22. Spoon, Transference

23. Elizabeth Cook, Welder

24. Maximum Balloon, Maximum Balloon

25. Superchunk, Majesty Shredding

26. Yeasayer, Odd Blood

27. Peter Wolf, Midnight Souvenirs

28. My Chemical Romance, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

29. The Roots, How I Got Over

30. Rick Ross, Teflon Don

[cryptique]

11. john cunningham | 1998-2002

A reissue, but nice to see it included on someone's list. That guy is a criminally unappreciated genius.

[verve13]

Nels Cline Singers "Initiate" takes the top spot for me this year. Followed by Deerhunter and Beach House. After that is a bunch of John Zorn releases, Jack Rose, Dungen.

[PopTodd]

Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2010

Not to state the obvious but do we really need that list? It's become like the Grammys of top albums lists.

[Kalle]

Not to state the obvious but do we really need that list? It's become like the Grammys of top albums lists.

 

It's humorous at least!

 

Here's Stereogum's Top 50.

 

50 Emeralds – Does It Look Like I Am Here?

49 Small Black – New Chain

48 Sharon Van Etten – Epic

47 Baths – Cerulean

46 Frank (Just Frank) – The Brutal Wave

45 Perfume Genius – Learning

44 Field Music – Field Music (Measure)

43 Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

42 Lower Dens – Twin-Hand Movement

41 Oneohtrix Point Never – Returnal

40 Glasser – Ring

39 Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner

38 Avey Tare – Down There

37 jj – jj nº3

36 the morning benders – Big Echo

35 Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

34 Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

33 MGMT – Congratulations

32 Twin Shadow – Forget

31 Warpaint – The Fool

30 Das Racist – Shut Up, Dude

29 Matthew Dear – Black City

28 Delorean – Subiza

27 Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid

26 Tame Impala – Innerspeaker

25 ceo – White Magic

24 Tamaryn – The Waves

23 SALEM – King Night

22 Marnie Stern – Marnie Stern

21 Liars – Sisterworld

20 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today

19 Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

18 Abe Vigoda – Crush

17 Owen Pallett – Heartland

16 The National – High Violet

15 The-Dream – Love King

14 Yeasayer – Odd Blood

13 LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

12 Crystal Castles – II

11 Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me

10 Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

09 Wild Nothing – Gemini

08 Antony & The Johnsons – Swanlights

07 Vampire Weekend – Contra

06 Sleigh Bells – Treats

05 Robyn – Body Talk

04 Sufjan Stevens – The Age Of Adz

03 Beach House – Teen Dream

02 Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

01 Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

[CortezTheKiller]

Not to state the obvious but do we really need that list? It's become like the Grammys of top albums lists.

There are some very good albums on that list.

[PopTodd]

There are some very good albums on that list.

Yes there are, but it would be darn near impossible not to have some very good albums on just about any "Best of 2010" list. It was a very good year.

My statement was more a commentary on the nature of Rolling Stone these days, in general.

[augurus]

Top 35?? Of 2010

 

35 Morning Benders, The - Big Echo

34 Vampire Weekend - Contra

33 Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing

32 Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

31 Menomena - Mines

 

30 Avey Tare - Down There

29 Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

28 Weekend - Coma

27 Sade - Soldier Of Love

26 Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

 

25 Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

24 Four Tet - There Is Love In You

23 Sufjan Stevens - Age Of Adz

22 Liars - Sisterworld

21 Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

 

20 Eno, Brian - Small Craft On A Milk Sea

19 Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot... The Son Of Chico Dusty

18 Hot Chip - One Life Stand

17 Newsom, Joanna - Have One On Me

16 Walkmen, The - Lisbon

 

15 Ariel Pink - Before Today

14 Beach House - Teen Dream

13 Gainsbourg, Charlotte - IRM

12 No Age - Everything In Between

11 Scott-Heron, Gil - I'm New Here

 

10 Caribou - Swim

09 Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

08 Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

07 National, The - High Violet

06 Sleigh Bells - Treats

 

05 Janelle Monáe - The Archandroid

04 Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

03 West, Kanye - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

02 Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

01 LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

 

The Promise gains honorable mention, because it's awesome; unfortunately it's not a new album, but rather a compilation set, which disqualifies it from my list.

I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of magazines name Fantasy the best album of the year.

 

I would rank Age Of Adz higher once Sufjan Stevens takes action on his "accidental" preachiness: just come out of the closet and call yourself a Christian or stop preaching and keep it a private conversation as you intended.

 

Also, where's all the love for Janelle Monáe, Caribou, and Flying Lotus?

C'mon, bros.

[GtrPlyr]

Not to state the obvious but do we really need that list? It's become like the Grammys of top albums lists.

Their list comes off as an attempt to cover all their demographics, from 12-65: some Drake and Taylor Swift for the teens and tweens; some Plant and Mellencamp for the 30-40+ folks; some Vampire Weekend and Spoon for the college aged crowd; some Kid Rock for the douchey dirtbag crowd. There's some good albums on the list for sure, but this list is way too pandering to be taken seriously.