In no particular order, here are my top albums for 2010. It was a great year for music and a lot of bands who I wouldn’t have considered for this list at the beginning of the year really won me over, namely Girls and Caribou. I highly recommend checking out every album on this list if you’re not a fan already.
Grinderman - Grinderman 2
Raw, powerful and disturbing, Grinderman pulled out all the stops with their second album. Nick Cave and co. are true architects of the damned. Recommended for walks in the rain.
No Age - Everything In Between
I’ve been a fan of No Age since I saw them perform a couple years ago at the Sub Pop 25th Anniversary festival. This album is a Molotov cocktail of punk, electronica and shoegaze.
Beach House - Teen Dream
This is the album you can make-out with your girlfriend to, enjoy on a sunny day or when you’re angry at the world. Polysporin for the soul.
In a year that had many highs and lows, this album came out at a key time for me and summed up my emotional state at the time. It’s been a great year for the National. Click on the link above to see Mason walking down Main St to the tune of “Terrible Love”. Simple, yet epic. Just like the National.
The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that my top ranking album for 2010 is American Slang. Not only do I consider this album to be a step forward for TGA musically and lyrically, but this has been my soundtrack for the past year. I have listened to this album dozens upon dozens of times. The songwriting is stronger and more uniquely their own and the songs are tight. I’m inspired and encouraged by this band every day.
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
I truly became a fan of Tallest Man after hearing his cover of “Graceland”. This album is a folk masterpiece and hints at the direction Kristian Matsson will go in his later work. Amazing that a Swed could pen an album that feels so uniquely American.
Caribou - Swim
I didn’t think I was going to like this album as much as I did. “Odessa” drew me in every time and I couldn’t stop listening.
Girls - Broken Dreams Club
This album has been a recent addition to my playlist and it has made me a true fan of Girls. Friends have been singing their praises for the last year, but it wasn’t until I heard this soft and tender ep that I was drawn in for real.
Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
The boss released an album of b-sides from the Darkness sessions. Proof there is a God. Highlight tracks: “Racing In the Street (‘78)”, “Ain’t Good Enough For You”, “Spanish Eyes”.
Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
East Van rockers raise the stakes and record their best album yet. It snarls, smiles and dials into that part of your soul that loves to rock the fuck out. Great for walking around Main Street and feeling tough, even if you’re wearing skinny jeans.
*Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love (2009)
This album came out last year, but I’ve listened to it so much I feel it needs to be mentioned on this list. From the hive mind that brought you Black Mountain, Stephen McBean and Amber Webber crafted an album that lives in harmony between passion and melancholy.
