Best of 2010: Best Albums 10-1

Woohoo! Down to the top ten albums!
Keep in mind that this list does not include mixtapes or EPs, and the songs for each album WILL NOT appear on the Top 50 Songs list.

10. The Orchard by Ra Ra Riot



Ra Ra Riot collaborated with Death Cab for Cutie and Vampire Weekend for their latest LP and it's naturally chock full of catchy, polished jingles. Bright melodies and an even brighter cello makes the album pretty irresistible.

"Too Dramatic" - Ra Ra Riot



9. Transference by Spoon



Spoon's blend of garage indie rock made an impact once again and they never fail to write about awesome, if not wild, stuff. Spoon = solid, solid indie rock.

"The Mystery Zone" - Spoon



8. Plastic Beach by Gorillaz



Gorillaz has always been able to evade categorization into a genre, and it's because they do everything so well. R&B, indie, rap, electropop are all inadequate descriptions. To top it off, Damon Albarn is the master of concept albums, having carried this story through 3 albums.

"Superfast Jellyfish" - Gorillaz ft. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul



7. Brothers by The Black Keys



The Black Keys really make the basics shine. Everything is a rudimentary rock chord progression, and the lyrics are in the style of traditional blues artists. They're like a modern day Bo Diddley, and Brothers is the album to make kids like the blues again.

"Howlin' for You" - The Black Keys



6. Broken Bells by Broken Bells



'Tis a beautiful thing when two completely different artists produce a happy collaboration. Danger Mouse is an old pro when it comes to harmonious partnerships, and perhaps that's why it is so surprising that James Mercer's soft indie rock is more prominent in their sound. We're happy for it, of course!

"The High Road" - Broken Bells
http://www.divshare.com/download/13765015-c33


5. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire



Arcade Fire has always been dramatic, even when you just consider the twenty-some instruments they play. Each and every track of The Suburbs is a grand theatrical experiment. Each song vastly different from the next. Some are written from the teenage soul, some from the middle-age, and all written with trembling respect for the integrity of music itself.

"Month of May" - Arcade Fire


4. The Defamation of Strickland Banks by Plan B



One of the best concept albums in the past ten years. Sure there are a couple plot holes here or there, but the fact that Ben Drew completely refashioned his style from rap into high grade soul is impressive alone.

"Free" - Plan B


3. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West



Kanye is so creative in his execution and so passionate in his delivery (but not like the always angry Eminem). He's got this expansive range of emotion and style and takes it to the limit in the best way.

"All of the Lights" - Kanye West


2. Contra by Vampire Weekend



Early in 2010 Vampire Weekend's sophomore album impacted with force. Songs without (vocal) choruses, songs with autotune, and songs with every kind of influence imaginable. The album feels full to the brim.

"Cousins" - Vampire Weekend


"California English" - Vampire Weekend


1. The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe



Monáe is the whole package - she's an entertainer. She's that person you hate because she excels at everything. Dancing, R&B, Rap, Soul, Pop, covers, drama, collaborations, the concept album. And it all comes together in her live show. The music videos are a nice consolation though. Actually, just get the album.

"Tightrope" - Janelle Monáe ft. Big Boi


"Cold War" - Janelle Monáe

Best of 2010: Best Albums: 20-11

Honorable Mentions: Brandon Flowers, Broken Social Scene, Chemical Brothers, Katy Perry, Robyn, Usher and Wu Tang Clan. All were good, but the following 20 are truly elite.

20. God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise - Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs



LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs get so country and folksy they're almost funky!

"Beg, Borrow or Steal" - Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs



19. The Adventures of Bobby Ray - B.o.B



After all the hype he generated with his mixtape, B.o.B didn't fail to deliver. He shows emotion, without the uncontrolled anger. He plays multiple instruments on his albums and at his concerts and he's quite plainly a great entertainer.

"Magic" - B.o.B ft. Rivers Cuomo



18. What to Say - Daphne Willis



Daphne Willis is delightfully innocent and heartfelt. Her music is easy to take in and usually happy and optimistic. Who doesn't want to experience music like that? That's not to say that she is in any way disingenuous, on the contrary, but it does mean that this deserves several listens, and earns a spot on the Top 20.

"What to Say" - Daphne Willis



17. Sir Lucious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty - Big Boi



Big Boi made his understated return with Lucious Leftfoot in July of 2010 after disputes with his ex-label, Jive. The innovative sounds on the album are awesome, but of course, the best part is Big Boi's lyricism.

"Shine Blockas" - Big Boi ft. Gucci Mane



16. Kaleidoscope - Sara Bareilles



This album has perhaps the greatest opener and closer pair of any other album on this list. Obviously that's not the only reason this album is on this list, but her talents that are featured on both are. Both showcase her voice and simple, but beautiful writing. That fact that it's good pop is a happy coincidence.

"Uncharted" - Sara Bareilles



15. Business Casual - Chromeo



The Chromeo duo put out their third and best LP in 2010. They artfully manage synth beats and the talk box into an electrofunk club beast. It's the soundtrack to the Saturday night full of dancing, club-hopping and seduction.

"Don't Turn the Lights On" - Chromeo


14. The Sea - Corinne Bailey Rae



The Sea was a really important LP in Corinne Bailey Rae's career. Written while she was coming terms with her husband's accidental overdose. It's the same voice from "Put Your Records On," but you can feel the pain and the strength.

"Feels Like the First Time" - Corinne Bailey Rae



13. Volume Two - She & Him



After they generated so many expectations with Volume One, this perfectly balanced group rose to the occasion and put out this sunny, summery album. They're folksy in their ability to tell stories, funky with his guitar and bluesy with her vocals - and then they blur the lines.

"Ridin' in My Car" - She & Him



12. Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager - Kid Cudi



Sure, all he talks about is weed, but he's still got that appeal that reaches beyond just stoners. The ethereal beats and his sarcasm are easy to chill out with.

"Mojo So Dope"



11. The Lady Killer - Cee-Lo Green



"Fuck You" really kind of stole the spotlight away from the rest of this album. Cee-Lo Green is one hell of a soul singer, and the album itself is dramatic and old-school.

"Bright Lights Bigger City" - Cee-Lo Green



Top Ten coming up soon!

Best of 2010: Mixtapes

We love artists that give away free music, but even more so, we love artists that give away awesome free music. Big ups to these artists in 2010:

5. Lazerproof by Major Lazer and La Roux



Major Lazer and La Roux teamed up for this Mad Decent mixtape. Some new verses, lots of new beats and some creative mashups of songs from the albums La Roux and Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do.

"Independent Kill" - Major Lazer and La Roux




4. More About Nothing by Wale



Wale continued his streak of awesome mixtapes in 2010 with this compilation of awesome lyrics against solid, if not mainstream-appealing, beats. There are some great collaborations in this one...

"Black N Gold" - Wale ft. Sam Sparro




3. The RE:Union Mixtape by Reflection Eternal (DJ Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli)



You wanna talk bomb lyricists? Let's talk Talib Kweli. Wanna talk badass traditional beatsmiths? Let's talk Hi-Tek. This thirty track masterpiece hits hard on old school hip-hop, but it doesn't ignore contemporary and cutting edge aspects of the genre. RE:Union is the history album.

"Revolutions per Minute" - Reflection Eternal


2. All Day by Girl Talk



Girl Talk strikes gold once more with this massive mixtape released in November of 2010. With numerous artists and just as many titles, this 90 minutes track on repeat is the only thing you need for a party.

Clip from "All Day" - Girl Talk


1. Air Swell and The Preview by Chiddy Bang



Chiddy Bang's combined output this past year in the form of Air Swell and The Preview has been phenomenal. The Swelly Express (released in 2009) tells the "fictional" story of two kids from Philadelphia trying to break into the music industry, and Air Swell and The Preview continue to build hype for a real album. These guys are obviously interested in indie bands and their ability to take songs and make it their own is delightful. Keep an eye out for these guys in the coming year.

"Truth" - Chiddy Bang ft. Passion Pit




Albums and Songs of 2011 to come SOON!

Best of 2010: Superlatives Pt. 1

The beginning of our year wrap-up fun!


Best Comedy Album
Bo Burnham
Words, Words, Words



"Oh Bo" - Bo Burnham



Best Cover Song
The Tallest Man on Earth
"Graceland" by Paul Simon
from The Wild Hunt B-side






Best Remixes

Pink Ganter
"So This is Goodbye" Original by William Fitzsimmons
from Derivatives






Best Remix/Cover
A-1 ft. Justice
"Electric Feel" Original by MGMT
from Thrash & Groove






Best EP
Junip
Rope and Summit





Best Collaboration
Kanye West ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver
"Monster"
from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Sort of New: Sara Bareilles

From her recent album, Kaleidoscope Heart, Sara Bareilles impresses the most with the shortest song on the LP. The minute-long acapella harmony is the perfect example of beauty in simplicity.

"Kaledioscope Heart"

New Song/Video: Adele

I eagerly await Adele's new album, 21 set to drop February 2011. Her newly released single, "Rolling in the Deep," features the same, timeless vocals, jazzy upbeats, clapping (I LOVE clapping) rounded out with soul.

"Rollin' in the Deep" - Adele

New Songs: David Guetta

I've go two scoops of David Guetta deliciousness today for dessert.

Firstly, the master of the beat (don't kill me house die-hards), has teamed up with Taio Cruz to bring you "Little Pretty Girl." It's catchy, and club worthy. That said, I look forward to better stuff from both. Take a listen for yourself:

"Little Pretty Girl" - David Guetta ft. Taio Cruz


In addition, Guetta joined forces with Wynter Gordon again (from One Love's "Toyfriend" and Flo Rida's "Sugar") to record a track in support of the "It Gets Better" Project. Those participating in this campaign generally make YouTube videos urging LGBT youth to look toward the future and see the light at the end of the tunnel. GREAT project, and it's nice to see artists contributing in their own way, too. (BTW, Wynter Gordon has just released a new EP called The First Dance)

"Pride" - David Guetta ft. Wynter Gordon

Up and Coming: Daphne Willis

Daphne Willis' music is optimistic and easy going, but that's not to say that she doesn't display a wide range of emotions. The Chicago-based frontgirl entertains with her bluesy and often twangy guitar but mixes it up with horns, charisma and sometimes the Cookie Monster...



Give her a good listen and then when her LP What to Say is released (sometime soon, hopefully) go out and buy it.



Check out her Twitter for the latest updates.

New Song: William Fitzsimmons (+ Remix)

I always forget that Grey's Anatomy picks really good music. That is, until I "discover" (or rediscover, as I did in this case) a song/artist I love and find out they had songs on the show.

It's really difficult to describe William Fitzsimmons because everything is multifaceted.

His style is similar to Iron and Wine (with the beard) but he's not afraid to mix his mellow folk tunes up with electronic effects. He plays several instruments which he picked up from his blind parents. His soft voice and melodies make it easy to believe his day job as a therapist.

"So This is Goodbye" was released on his most recent album Derivatives (2010). On the same album, Fitzsimmons also included the Pink Ganter remix of the same song. Both are beautiful.

"So This is Goodbye" - William Fitzsimmons


"So This is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Remix)" - William Fitzsimmons

New Stuff: The Chemical Brothers (and Calvin Harris)

This song has been stuck in my head all day. The Chemical Brothers, one of the original pioneers of dance music (like seriously, up there with Daft Punk), are set to release their seventh studio album, Further next week. "Swoon" is their first single.

To everyone whose having a rough Monday, like me!

"Swoon" - The Chemical Brothers


The Offical Video on YouTube

Annnnd a fitting partner:

"I'm Not Alone" - Calvin Harris