The year is officially half way through, so ..... lists! lists! lists!
Top 10 Albums of the First Half of 2010
10. Sleigh Bells - Treats - This one makes the list only because it was so thrilling to hear for the first time. Since then, the novelty has worn off a bit, but as the weather gets hotter, I can see this getting more and more time in the rotation.
Fav Track = Infinity Guitars
9. Beach House - Teen Dream - They've been improving with each album, so it makes perfect sense that this one would be their best. Also, this is the most accurately titled album of the year.
Fav Track = Zebra
8. Harlem - Hippies - Yeah, there are admittedly a couple of weak tracks on the album, but there are more than enough great ones to make up for those. And their live show at Mad Planet is going to be hard to top this year.
Fav Track = Gay Human Bones, with Friendly Ghost right on its tail
7. Midlake - The Courage of Others - Ton of haters on this one, but it provided the perfect soundtrack to many dreary winter drives in the Midwest. Now that the summer is here I haven't been listening to it much, but they put on a really good show at Turner Hall back in May and I imagine it'll sound even better as summer fades.
Fav Track = Acts of Man
6. Gord Downie - The Grand Bounce - This is a tricky one, because I don't think it's been properly released in the U.S. yet. But you can listen to the whole thing here. I've only heard the album about 4 times, but I can already tell that it's something special, especially because of the way Gord has been gushing about it in his interviews.
Fav Track = The Hard Canadian
5. The National - High Violet - Like all good National albums, this one took a while to fully appreciate. It still drags a little bit before and after Bloodbuzz Ohio, but I feel like I'll understand their decisions before the year is through.
Fav Track = Bloodbuzz Ohio (although I fought it, for some reason)
4. Twin Sister - Color Your Life (EP) - It's an EP, so I am not sure it counts, but I am also not sure if that matters at all or not. They're probably my favorite new band, and I can't wait to see them play either in Chicago or Milwaukee in a couple of weeks. A refreshing change of pace from the lo-fi that dominates the NYC scene.
Fav Track = All Around and Away We Go
3. Spoon - Transference - I don't know how they do it, but they've managed to make a completely different sounding record and make it really good. I thought it was kind of dull at first, but it definitely rewards repeat listens. Spoon might very well be the most dependable band of the last 10 years.
Fav Track = The Mystery Zone
2. Woods - At Echo Lake - I can't get enough of this one. The sequencing is especially strong, spacing out the pop gems and delivering an album that you want to listen to over and over again.
Fav Track = Blood Dries Darker, but Mornin' Time has been sounding really good lately
1. Robyn Hitchcock - Propellor Time - Yup. This is the album I've listened to the most in the first six months of the year. It's the sound of a confident man. A total pro. Still playful, but with something to say. I enter a dream-like state in the middle of the record, only to be awakened by Sickie Boy. And this one's only going to get better with time. If you haven't listened to this yet, you really should.
Fav Track = Luckiness was my first love (sooooo good over headphones), but it changes daily
6 Most Disappointing Albums of the First Half of 2010
6. Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void - While it's not a bad album, I had really high hopes for these guys after Wild Mountain Nation, which was one of the best albums of 2007.
5. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record - Forgive me, Jake, but I just can't get into this record. Sure, it's got some really great songs (Texaco Bitches, World Sick, Meet Me In The Basement), but there are also a ton that I can't help but skip over. I haven't given up yet, but it's looking bleak.
4. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening - Maybe it's my short attention span, but this one hasn't convinced me to listen to the whole thing yet. The trick he does on the first track is pretty rad (purposefully mixing the vocals really low for the first 3 minutes so you turn the volume up really high and get blown away when the rest of the song comes in), but the rest is hardly groundbreaking. All I Want has potential, but it's no All My Friends. Again, not giving up, and maybe seeing him live at Pitchfork will change my opinion.
3. The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever - I don't really know what to say about this one except "I think they've lost it". The production sounds like crap and none of the songs stand out from each other. Maybe a 30-something year-old can only write from the 16-year-old perspective for so long...
2. Vampire Weekend - Contra - I guess I saw this coming, but it's still hard to accept. Their debut was so simple and catchy, and I fear that they've messed with the recipe too much. Cousins is a pretty good song, but the rest does nothing for me.
1. The New Pornographers - Together - It's been said (by me) that you can judge a NP record based on the strength of the Bejar songs. Mass Romantic had Jackie and Execution Day (both really strong in their own way), Electric Version had Testament to Youth in Verse (!) and Chump Change (two of the best songs he has ever written), Twin Cinema had Jackie, Dressed in Cobras, Streets of Fire, and Broken Beads (more mature songs, but still pretty darned good), and Challengers had Myriad Harbour (one of '07s best) and Entering White Cecilia and The Spirit of Giving (both good, but nothing special). Now, on Together, Bejar has completely dialed it in. Silver Jenny Dollar gets boring after 15 seconds (because you already know exactly what the song will sound like), If You Can't See My Mirrors, well, it's no coincidence that you've seen this phrase on the back of almost every semi on the road - this song already existed in so many other forms and did not need to be rewritten, and Daughter of Sorrow plods along pleading to not be skipped. I can only hope this means that Bejar is saving his good songs for future Destroyer releases.
Along the way you've also got the Neko stinker My Shepard, which I actually "unchecked" in my iTunes so I would never have to hear it again. And I almost never do that. To their defense, the first two songs are actually pretty good, but the New Pornos don't even come close to meeting my high expectations with this one. More on this situation in a future post.
8 Albums from the First Half of 2010 That I Need To Spend More Time With
8. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor - Too much going on for me to process.
7. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy - Like what I hear so far, but looking for the proper environment to listen in.
6. Wild Nothing – Gemini - Begging for July.
5. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker - Sounds like a September/October record to me.
4. Here We Go Magic - Pigeons - I expect this one to climb the ranks in a couple more weeks.
3. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Before Today - I listened to this one at the grocery store last night.
2. Delta Spirit - History From Below - Really good after one listen, but haven't heard it since.
1. Tobin Sprout - The Bluebirds Of Happiness Tried To Land On My Shoulder - Just haven't gotten around to picking it up yet.
Whew...let me know what you think!
VBtk
8. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor - Too much going on for me to process.
7. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy - Like what I hear so far, but looking for the proper environment to listen in.
6. Wild Nothing – Gemini - Begging for July.
5. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker - Sounds like a September/October record to me.
4. Here We Go Magic - Pigeons - I expect this one to climb the ranks in a couple more weeks.
3. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Before Today - I listened to this one at the grocery store last night.
2. Delta Spirit - History From Below - Really good after one listen, but haven't heard it since.
I agree with all the disappointing albums, though I have only peripherally listened to a couple songs off the new bt. In a way, it is hard to be let down by the groups you list. I think it is incredibly tough for any one of those groups to put out more than one or two albums that everyone will go nuts over. Particularly hold steady, Bss, new pornos - I never really expected much better than thier first couple efforts and I am always happy to go back to them. I completely agree that the new LCD is overhyped, it's just not that good.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, you may be surprised to hear me write that of all albums this year, I have listened to midlake the most. It likely stems from the fact that winter is still here in Seattle and the album does wonders in gloomy weather. It is completely engrossing. I hated it at first because I wanted it to be something different than it first sounded. Even though the same themes and overall vibe run clear through the album, it turns out to be something very special. I listen to it the most either when I am driving to the mountains to run or I have just come off a long overnight work shift.
It must be difficult to be in a band that has already recorded their definitive album (Boys & Girls In America, You Forgot It In People, and Electric Version, respectively). But on the other hand, there are other bands out there (Spoon, The National, etc) who consistently redefine themselves in wonderful ways.
ReplyDeleteAs for your newfound appreciation of The Courage Of Others, you nailed the key point: shedding your expectations and accepting it for what it is.