I didn’t sample nearly the amount of music I have in the past so a “best of” list wouldn’t be fair, truly. But there were some extraordinary spins, good listens and disappointments as well as a turkey or two. So here’s my 2010.
My favorite spins of the year
Steel Train – Steel Train (Buy It, Dammit)
Without a doubt THIS was our album of the year. I blogged about it here
Just a fun mix of anthemic rock and Indie aesthetic. Self produced and distributed, this was my album of 2010.
Against Me! – White Crosses (Get it here and get it on vinyl with the digital download, you won’t be sorry)
One of the best vinyl purchases of the year, White Crosses was more radio friendly and MOR than New Wave but it was big and it was fun and it was explosive and we loved every minute of it. The first half was stronger than the second but the beauty of vinyl is that you KNOW which side is which and that’s how it should be. One different than the other. I think….
The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang (Get the vinyl here. When I did it came with a DD, dunno about now.)
The other vinyl purchase from SideOne Dummy records arrived on the same day and did not disappoint. Building on the strengths of The ’59 Sound but with better production and a beautiful gatefold (How I miss those) this album is one strong track after another and a must for any Bruce Springsteen fan who hated Working on a Dream with as much loathing as I did.
Taylor Swift – Speak Now
My wife threatened to leave me if I bought this on vinyl. She didn’t want to walk in to her husband on the couch holding a Taylor Swift record. It was too much. She was afraid our unborn son might curl up and wither in embarrassment. That said, the songs here are just as strong as on Fearless and, in many ways, better. Taylor wrote the songs herself and used her poison pen to great success.
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
I rejected this album on principle. That being that I am a short sighted and narrow minded person. I was blinded by Kanye’s public persona and I haven’t given rap a cursory listen since Eminem’s The Eminem Show. When I finally gave in it was a revelation. The hit “Runaway” doesn’t really work as a radio single, but nestled in the middle of this, that song is epic, tragic, reflective, amazing. As is the rest of this record.
Cee-Lo – The Lady Killer
It’s not as great as that single, but holy crap that single. And it’s as good as it needs to be.
Devo – Something for Everybody
Devo is back. Again. But they’ve learned a LOT from the tv scoring and the Dev2.0 crap they were involved with. This is Freedom of Choice part two. A treat. You will love it. The bridge between 1981 and 2010.
Better Than It Deserved to Be
Weezer – Hurley
Every Weezer fan laments every release that are not the second coming of Pinkerton. Get over it. This is a catchy pop-rock band. The epitome of 21st century bubblegum. If you’re expecting more, move on.
Disappointments
I hate it when a band I love peaks but I think that might have happened with The Hold Steady. The first 3 records are extraordinary and then they slip and finally fall. Read my full review here:
If you read this blog you know I love me some Jukebox the Ghost. They were the best album of 2008 (written here) and their concert was fantastic as I wrote about here.. So you can imagine my disappointment when I didn’t love the follow up. I think I might rate it a little higher now that I’ve lived with it for a few months. But not much. Here’s that review.
The Bad
Meat Loaf – Hang Cool Teddy Bear
Ugh. Talk about nauseating. The review is at the bottom of the Meat Loaf Listening Post Here.Read it if you like. What a bad record.
That’s it. That’s the music that filled the Lulu house for 2010. Of course there was a lot more, retrospectives and the like. But of the new tunes, this is all we really dealt with.
We’ll see what 2011 brings.
