Friday, December 31, 2010

Best Music of 2010 (41-50)

41. New Pornographers-Together, 63
I liken them to Mates of State, who I love, but who have been described as being "bombarded with candy." I do agree, but New Pornographers brings a more, pardon the pun, "adult" sound to the candy barrage. A definite step up from past albums, Together is a "rip-your-pants-dancing" fun album. Also, I never pass up a chance to poke fun at Calvin College.

42. Regina Spektor-Live In London, 63
Ok, here's the deal. I love Regina, her voice is unbelievably captivating. Even though she mixes in a rare song that I just don't like, the other ones are such masterpieces it more than makes up for it. But I just couldn't give a top score to an album with nothing new. Had all of these songs been original, Live In London would have been a top 10 or top 5 album.

43. Yeasayer-Odd Blood, 62
Odd Blood has one of the most unique sounds of any 2010 album. An ethereal mix of electronica, odd beats, and a great voice come together to an album I really enjoyed. You won't be able to stay still listening to "Mondegreen."

44. Neon Trees-Habits, 61
This was an interesting album for me. As soon as I put it on, I could tell it was of the level of Linkin Park, Daughtry, and other popular rock of the day. But every song entertained me, never letting me down.

45. Mark Ronson and the Business Intl-Record Collection, 61
I don't know where to start. Ronson has his hands in everything. His sound is a little bit Roots, a little bit Gorillaz, a hint of Muse, and a large part all his own. "Record Collection" is a must listen.

46. Villagers-Becoming A Jackal, 61
Villagers rely on their lyrics, and what lyrics they are! Every song is a spun tale, a journey. Becoming a Jackal is a very easy to record to listen to, filled with upbeat sounds.

47. Seabear-We Built A Fire, 60
Seabear has a warm sound, and now that I'm giving it another listen, his voice reminds me of Sufjan Stevens. That really shouldn't be a positive in my eyes, but it works here. "Wooden Teeth" is a favorite.

48. Foals-Total Life Forever, 60
Foals mixes rocking with curious musical arrangements and a healthy dose of quirk. It's not a super easy to record to listen to, but one that gets better with each listen.

49. Travis Kingma Band-Speed Record, 60
I didn't really know where to go with this record. TK is definitely growing into his voice, resulting in a stronger and clearer sound. But to me, this feels like an extension of Nightride, not much has changed.

50. Butch Walker-I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart, 60
Walker write happy sounding music with usually happy lyrics, paired with a clean sound that evokes memories of the 90's. It's a great record to throw on in the background.

No comments:

Post a Comment