Leonard Cohen’s Book of Longing
Top 10 Albums of 2010
Here is my top albums of 2010. This list is mostly based off of time spent playing in my car:
10. Broken Bells, Broken Bells
My sister is a huge fan of The Shins. I like Danger Mouse’s work. So I bought this record. I think it is a really good record. I had issue with some production decisions but beyond that, I think there are some of the most infectious melodies ever on this record. Seriously.
9. Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Bought it. Liked it. Waited a few weeks and then listened to it again. Still liked it. I haven’t grown to love though. I think the record really explores great themes, musically and lyrically. I enjoy listening to it. But I’m not totally sold on Arcade Fire. I will give them this: their performance on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show was the most impressive television performance I’ve seen of any band.
8. Brandon Flowers, Flamingo
Hello, my name is Tyson and I am a huge (read: HUGE) Killers fan. I love every record, I love every member, and I love seeing them in concert. That being said, this isn’t a Killer’s record (and too bad). Musically, I think much of the record pales in comparison to the abilities of The Killers. Beyond that, lyrically and melodically, I think this is one of the most interesting records in a long time. Flowers has really grown into a great singer over the years and you can really hear it on this record. Some very experimental melodies are sung. Check it out.
7. Bad Books, Bad Books
For those of you who might not recognize this band, they’re a side-project of Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine. I’m a huge fan of MO. Especially their last record, Mean Everything to Nothing. I love it. Other than recognizing MO’s singer, this doesn’t sound anything like them. This is a really chilled record. Heavy on the acoustic and slow tempos so you really have to be in that mood to enjoy it. That being said, I really enjoyed the whole record. I love having two singers on a record and hearing the balance between the two. They do a great job with that.
6. Sufjan Stevens, The Age of Adz
Sufjan is another artist that all my friends really like but I’ve never really got into. I don’t own any other of his records. I’ve heard Illinois. All in all, I think it’s a great record. I think the use of electronic elements (especially Auto-tune) really add to the tracks and they don’t sound like he’s doing it just to say he put electronic elements on his record. There’s some great songwriting on this record. My only complaint is that the drum beats he used on each track really start to sound the same after a few listens. I could use a little variations in the tones or something.
5. Vampire Weekend, Contra
This record is a weird pick for me, especially for my number 5. When I purchased it, I enjoyed some tracks and not others. I listened to it a few times and then put it away. I liked what Josh Moore said about it, “Hey Vampire Weekend, I like Paul Simon’s Graceland too but you don’t see me jumping in the shower with it.” That’s a good description of the music. His voice, the guitar parts, and the drum beats all sound like they could be on Graceland. To tell you the truth, the only reason this record made it so high on my list is that every time I hear a track played on the radio or a commercial, I get really happy. So there.
4. Jonsi, Go
I’m going to admit to something: I don’t own any Sigur Ros albums. Not one. I’ve heard plenty of songs (not enough to really have an opinion of them) but not a whole album. Anyways, I decided to grab this record for no apparent reason except for it being a new release I was interested in. To sum up the sound, it’s the beautiful soundscapes of Sigur Ros in a 4 minute pop song. To sum up why I dug it, well, it made me want to dance.
3. Spoon, Transference
I really was a latecomer to Spoon. When I finally listened to Ga 5x, I enjoyed it. But just enjoyed it. Then this record came out and I picked it up. I fell in love. The simplistic yet intricate piano parts, the weaving of minimalistic drums and guitars, and the rough voice all combines into a great sound and a great record.
2. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Can you find which one doesn’t fit in with the rest? You’re right! This one. And yet, it made the number 2 spot. Let me tell you why I even purchased this record and then I will tell you why I couldn’t stop listening to it. The main reason I decided to go for it was Derek Webb recommended it. I respect his opinion but I thought, “I don’t like rap or hip-hop. Why would I listen to this record no matter what Derek Webb says?” Then I considered why I don’t like rap: Auto-Tune and overuse of curse words. Let me use two records on this list to explain why I overcame this reasoning. First Auto-Tune: if a rapper uses it, it’s annoying and stupid but if Sufjan Stevens uses it, he’s pushing the boundaries and is a musical genius. See the faulty logic? Also, cursing: if a rapper uses it, it’s vulgar and unintelligent but if Mumford and Sons or Sufjan Stevens (or Derek Webb) use it, they’re going to extremes to prove a point (or however you want to justify it). So after destroying my own reasoning, I went for it. The album itself is great. If you can imagine somebody getting both extremes of narcissism and self-loathing and shoving it into a hip-hop record with a great cast of collaborators, this is what this record is. To get a full review of the record, check out Rolling Stones or Paste Magazine.
1. Mumford and Sons, Sigh No More
A friend of mine, Katie Stensrud, burnt me a copy of this album. I’m eternally grateful for that. Once I finally put it into my car to listen, I couldn’t take it out. I don’t really know why. I know why I like it: I love Americana music (even if they’re from England), I love his accent, I love the lyrics, and I love the simplistic instrumentation (banjo!). What I don’t understand is why I couldn’t take it out. Musically speaking, the record can be somewhat predictable. Yet, I could not stop listening. If I tried to listen to something else, it took about 3 songs before I would put this back on. And that is why it’s number one.
So there you go. Take it our leave it. Well, I guess you kind of have to take it since it’s only an opinion.
Thanks,
Tyson Gene Peveto
P.S. Honorable Mentions: Feedback by Derek Webb, Sea of Cowards by Dead Weather, All Day by Girl Talk, Volume Two by She & Him, Infinite Arms by Band of Horses, and (shameless plug) my band’s newest record that we released for free on noisetrade.com, No Love. No War. November. by The Loch.
