Top 20 Albums of 2010 (Part 4: Albums 1-5)
(5) Glasser – The Ring – My single greatest regret as a music fan this year was sleeping on this album up until about three weeks ago. If I got this in time for the summer, it would probably have been even higher on this list. This is one of the most talented groups I’ve listened to in a while and if you aren’t stoked to go see them after watching the video at the bottom of this post we probably can’t be friends…
Standout Track: Plane Temp, Tremel, Apply
Recommended If You Like: Bat For Lashes, The XX, Bjork, Felili
Purchase ‘Ring’ by Glasser on iTunes – Download
(4) Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown – I said it before and I’ll say it again, anyone who downplays Kings of Leon’s songwriting ability saying they are just a pop rock machine with a country twang needs to listen to “The End” and reevaluate. There is so much soul and depth to this song it’s amazing, right down to the old-time back porch piano outro…
Standout Track: The End, Radioactive, Back Down South, Pickup Truck
Recommended If You Like: My Morning Jacket, Pearl Jam, Mumford & Sons
Purchase ‘Come Around Sundown’ by Kings of Leon on iTunes – Download
(3) The Black Keys – Brothers – Unless you’ve been on an extended heroin binge or spiritual expedition for this entire year you’ve heard this record and know exactly why it’s up here. It’s good to see these guys finally get the credit they deserve, they’ve been killing it on a smaller scale for almost a decade now.
Standout Track: Next Girl, Tighten Up, Ten Cent Pistol
Recommended If You Like: Kings of Leon, The White Stripes, The Raconteurs
Purchase ‘Brothers’ by The Black Keys on iTunes – Download
(2) Minus The Bear – OMNI – I’ve seen these guys live more than any other band not from New York in the past five years. This album is their best. It’s dance-y, it’s technically savvy, and Dave Knudson is my all time favorite guitar man crush.
Standout Track: Broken China, My Time, Animal Backwards
Recommended If You Like: I really don’t know who to compare these guys to, just get the friggin’ album and all their others for that matter.
Purchase ‘Omni’ by Minus the Bear on iTunes – Download
(1) Arcade Fire – Suburbs – Surprise, surprise right? These guys have been top 2 in pretty much every ‘best of’ list I’ve seen this year. Guess what, there’s a reason for it. The Arcade Fire is the best band out there not called Radiohead. They’re music is earthy and natural, yet still progressive and unconventional. These guys manage to take vagabond gypsy rock and make it sound U2-esque. Win Butler and crew could be the best band to come out of the 00’s….true story.
Standout Track: The Suburbs, Ready To Start, Month of May, Wasted Hours
Recommended If You Like: U2, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket
Purchase ‘The Suburbs’ by Arcade Fire on iTunes – Download
Honorable Mention: Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – okay, soI admit this one deserved to make the actual list. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it though, he’s just such a douche. Oh well, I guess if Bon Iver can get over that and work with him on this record, I should be able to give him an honorable mention slot. He gets no purchase link though!
The Rest of My Rankings
2010 Albums of The Year Part III (albums 10-6)
2010 Albums of The Year Part II (albums 11-15)
2010 Albums of The Year Part 1 (Albums 20-16)
Glasser – The Treasury of We
– Rich
Two Barbers 