Top 20 Albums of 2010 (Part II: Albums 15-11)
In lieu of a ‘What To Do This Weekend’ post, I’ve decided to press on with my best albums of 2010 list. I tend to suffer from blogger procrastination so if I don’t keep it going I might end up finishing the list in 2011, at which point we all know I should have started preparing for the ‘Best of 2011’ list by then…
Sit back pour some hot cocoa or eggnog or a white russian if that’s how you get down, and start looking into these records!
(15) Gaslight Anthem – American Slang – Sounds like Bruce Springsteen fronting the Bouncing Souls. What a surprise they’re from jersey!
Standout Track: The Boxer, We Did It When We Were Young, Stay Lucky
Recommended If You Like: New Jersey, Bouncing Souls, Bruce Springsteen, Airborne Toxic Event
Purchase ‘American Slang’ by Gaslight Anthem on iTunes – Download
(14) Rogue Wave – Permalight – Peppy indie shoe-gaze. Recently signed to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records. It’s got more bounce to the ounce than your average indie band. The best part is they avoid the current trend of sounding like they’re playing to the hipster ‘tweens set.
Standout Track: Solitary Gun, Permalight
Recommended If You Like: Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie, Spoon
Purchase ‘Permalight’ by Rogue Wave on iTunes – Download
(13) Fences – Self-Titled – Thoughtful singer/songwriter with a clear punk background. Best comparison would be to Chris Carrabba finally accepting high school is over and starting to tackle actual big kid problems.
Standout Track: The Same Tattoos, Girls With Accents, From Russia With Love
Recommended If You Like: Death Cab For Cutie, Elliott Smith, Dashboard Confessional
Purchase ‘Fences’ by Fences on iTunes – Download
(12) Angie Mattson – Skeleton Arm – Hauntingly ethereal down home blues. Surprisingly un-L.A. sounding. I had the honor of playing with her in Philadelphia this past October and the record has been on repeat ever since. If you like the theme song to “True Blood” and the female singer/songwriter aesthetic this is for you.
Standout Track: Cool Water, Mississippi
Recommended If You Like: Glasser, Bat For Lashes, Fiona Apple
Purchase ‘Skeleton Arm’ by Angie Mattson on iTunes – Download
(11) MGMT – Congratulations – A lot of people hated on this album and said it wasn’t as good as ‘Oracular Spectacular’…I disagree. Oracular Spectacular may have been poppier but this album shows a lot of growth in terms of musicianship…and its druggier.
Standout Tracks: It’s Working, Flash Delirium, Siberian Breaks
Recommended If You Like: Passion Pit, Vampire Weekend, LSD
Purchase ‘Congratulations’ by MGMT on iTunes – Download
(Honorable Mention) Bear Hands – Burning Bush Supper Club – This was a hard album to leave off the list. I’ve been a big fan of these Brooklyn boys for about two years. I think the reason it didn’t make my actual list is because I got the album late in the game and I think I still like their “Golden EP” more. However, I can definitely see that changing as I get more familiar with BBSC.
Standout Tracks: Crime Pays, What A Drag, Can’t Stick Em
Recommended If You Like: Yeasayer, MGMT, Passion Pit
Purchase ‘Burning Bush Supper Club’ by Bear Hands on iTunes – Download
10 Down 10 to go!
Here’s the link to Albums 20-16
– Rich
Two Barbers 