We're probably making a new blog sometime soon somewhere on the internet that you'll never find. Until then, I'm not sure where else to stick this kind of stuff. So here's some good music from last year.
Top Ten Songs of 2010
10. "Impossible Soul" by Sufjan Stevens
9. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" by The Arcade Fire
8. "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend
7. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" by the National
6. "If You Can’t See My Mirrors" by the New Pornographers
5. "Fuck You" by Cee-Lo Green
4. "Dance Yrself Clean" by LCD Soundsystem
3. "We R Who We R" by Ke$ha
2. "Bang Pop" by Free Energy
1. "Four Score and Seven" by Titus Andronicus
9. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" by The Arcade Fire
8. "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend
7. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" by the National
6. "If You Can’t See My Mirrors" by the New Pornographers
5. "Fuck You" by Cee-Lo Green
4. "Dance Yrself Clean" by LCD Soundsystem
3. "We R Who We R" by Ke$ha
2. "Bang Pop" by Free Energy
1. "Four Score and Seven" by Titus Andronicus
Top Ten Albums of 2010
10. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
This album just barely squeaked into my Top Ten. It’s a stellar album, sure, because it’s the fucking Arcade Fire, and those Canadians put out fucking stellar music, always. However, to say it was a minor disappointment to me might unfortunately be accurate. It’s unfair to them, of course—they’ll never top Funeral—but it’s true. It was a let-down. On the flip side, a let-down by Arcade Fire is the tenth best album of the year, so yeah.
9. Together by the New Pornographers
Like Arcade Fire, the New Pornographers were in the unfortunate position of having to match their previous output of one of my favorite albums of all time (Twin Cinemas), and failing because matching the superior record was impossible. The New Pornos fare a tad better in this regard, however, and I’ll give props to Dan Bejar for stepping up his game on this—“If You Can’t See My Mirrors” is amazing.
8. Romance is Boring by Los Campesinos!
The general PR surrounding LC!’s new one was that it was "darker" than the merry pop of "You! Me! Dancing!" While I won’t argue that point, I will argue that it actually made Los Camps stronger. The songs about wanting to pop your ex’s new beau in the teeth rang truer than songs about hiding lists in winter jackets. Maturing bands can be a good thing, as is evident here.
7. Contra by Vampire Weekend
Bands maturing is great, but yeah, bands playing the same hand they did last time can be fun too. Vampire Weekend stuck to their guns (and didn’t give up the gun? BOOOOOO!!!) and delivered another tight pop album that will be played by indie hipsters and douchebag MTV enthusiasts alike.
6. Before Today by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
Thankfully, this list isn’t filled with bands that I’ve listened to for years now. I had never heard of Ariel Pink before I took a chance and blew an iTunes gift card on the guy. Hey, maybe Pitchfork does know what they are talking about sometimes. Not sure how to describe this one. A lot of wacky stuff going on that somehow works. My musical tastes, thankfully, are malleable.
5. Expo ‘86 by Wolf Parade
I’m not sure why, after 2005’s Apologies to Queen Mary, Wolf Parade’s albums are consistently underrated, yet here we are. Maybe it’s because this album is fucking dense—almost an hour of Wolf Parade music packs the disc (or iPod playlist, or whatever). It took me a few weeks to get into it, but the outcome was rewarding.
4. High Violet by the National
The slow-burning tunes of the National are still sticking, and I’m still loving it. A fair warning, though. If the band slow-burns any slower (in other words, takes even more step away from Alligator), I might have to call balk. High Violet, in the meantime, is crazy good.
3. The Wild Hunt by the Tallest Man on Earth
It’s an all-acoustic album. The dude is a cheap Bob Dylan knockoff. Never before has an all-acoustic album by a cheap Bob Dylan knockoff hit me so square in the chest. One of his little ditties played on his six-string is more powerful than a 1000 Megadeaths.
2. The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens
The skeptic in me be damned—Sufjan has done it again. He did it differently this time, too; no longer is he the banjo-toting statesman of the past. Our favorite Sufjan themes are changed, sometimes grotesquely, in two significant ways. 1) It’s awash with reverb and synths; 2) Sufjan is singing, not about the girl with the 4H stone or the murdering clown or Superman, but about himself. These two radical elements combine and prove that Sufjan can do no wrong (well, mostly).
1. The Monitor by Titus Andronicus
Hmm. Where to begin. You see, I’ve been thinking about what to write about The Monitor since March, when I first listened to it, and when I first decided that it was destined to be the best album of the year, no matter what priceless gems the Wolf Parades and the Sufjans put out. This was an album to cherish and to hold on to. It was an album that spoke to me on a very personal level.As it stands, Titus Andronicus put out an album about the fucking Civil War, and it turned into one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to. Listen to it I have. Hundreds of times. I can’t stop. It’s been nine months, and I’ll still pop it on and just let the pure energy wash over me. “Titus Andronicus Forever” helps me flip the bird to all my enemies; for "Theme from 'Cheers'" I raise a toast; during "To Friends Old and New," I grasp the hand of the grungy looking stranger on the subway and never let go.
I was blessed to see Titus in concert this summer, and I can’t overemphasize how cathartic an experience it was. No one pushed each other, I was allowed to drink beer during my favorite songs (most of which spilled down my shirt), and my voice was hoarse from singing along. I felt at home.
So, The Monitor. An album for the ages. An album I will cherish and pass on to my children and they to their children. An album about the fucking Civil War has been so striking to this 21st century young adult, and I can’t do it justice in writing why. I just listen.
