Top 10 Albums Of 2010

Here is my list of top 10 albums of 2010 :

10. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night

This is basically the album My Bloody Valentine would have created after Loveless. Soaring music, beautiful lyrics and a sense that the band wants to tell the sad, sad tales that they have encountered throughout their lives. If you were a fan of MBV, you have got to get this as it would be a wonderful extension to that era.

09. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

Another minimalistic album which I downloaded based on the recommendation from Will’s Band Of The Week and fell in love with by the time I was half way through. This has been my “running” album of choice and whenever I have recommended it to fellow runners they have been full of high praises for it. The thing I really like about the album is the vocals and the guitar work and the most surprising thing about the album was the drums. I was fully expecting a drum machine but I swear that they have a live drummer. This simple change lit up the album! Loved it!

08. Menomena – Mines

I have a full post of this album so I will direct you there

07. Quest For Fire – Lights From Paradise

This band, in my books, is the best band from Toronto this year.The sonic landscapes and the lazy vocals are perfectly in tune with each other and take the listener off to a higher experience. In this album they seem to have specialised in building the tension in the songs and never ever releasing it. Especially the opening track ‘’The Greatest Hits By God’’ which basically lays the foundation for the album. Looking forward to their live performance.

06. Wintersleep – New Inheritors

The track Black Camera is the one song that really draws you to this album. I mean a group coming out with a song as rousing and catchy as Black Camera has got to offer more, and they did not disappoint. The album is frankly a very straightforward rock album but maybe that’s why I really like it so much. Songs have the right amount of grunge and right amount of pop to pass off as awesome! Loved the album.

05. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Their follow up to an outstanding album was amazing! In fact, I would venture to say that it was better than the first one (Midnight Organ Fight) even though it sounds “over-produced”. The first one was raw and full of emotions of falling out of love. This one did not have a central theme and if it did, I completely missed it. However, the songs are just amazing. I think the buzz that they have going on each song (and the dark, dark lyrics)
really made it one of my favourite albums of 2010.

04. Diamond Rings – Special Affections

First came across his music (yes, it’s just one man band) on CBC radio 3 podcast. I just loved the guitar work and the “minimalistic” sound of the song and went and bought the album. I was expecting the album to be an ok album because I have had a few miss hits lately and was pleasantly surprised. What really sets the mood is John O’ Reagan’s vocals. He has this nonchalant  way of singing which I really love and his impossible-to-ignore hooks in each and every song in the album. Can’t wait to see him live!

03. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

Finally! After 5 long years and they have come up with an excellent album. Seems like Kevin and Brandon finally were able to sort their differences out and get the band together (along with their old cahoots who are now as, if not more, famous than BSS – Feist, Emily Haines and Amy Millan) for a an excellent ramshackle album which delights, pauses one to think and then gives wings to the heart with scintillating music.

I saw this band live last week. And since the show was in Toronto, everyone was present including Feist, Emily and Amy. At one point I counted 16 people playing on stage! There was chaos but an organised chaos which delighted the 2500 or so people present at the Sound Academy. More on the show at a later post.

02. Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart

They are back! I love this Vancouver band and have been following all their different versions (Pink Mountaintops and Lightning Dust) for the last few years and they have progressively gotten better. Their latest album takes us back to their rock and roll roots with a bombastic sound that just gets my heart pumping! Awesome album.

01. Grinderman – Grinderman 2

What an awesome sound! What amazing performers! And what heart wrenching and disgusting lyrics. Everything these guys have done in the last few years has top notch and inspiring. I mean anyone who comes up with “What has that husband of yours ever given to you?/ Oprah Winfrey on a plasma screen” deserves the lyricist of the year award! However, it’s their music that really attracts me. Pounding, ear splitting noise that ensures adrenaline keeps rushing through your veins all the time. Outstanding album and my number 1 album of the year.

Honourable Mentions
1. Jeremy Fisher – Flood (Upcoming folk artist in Canada. Wonderful soothing tunes.)

2. KaiserCartel – Secret Transit (Folk with a tinge of Indie sounds. The vocalist has the best pipes I have ever encountered.)

3. The Pack A.D. – We Kill Computers (I have to add the obligatory ‘like The Black Keys’ this duo is vocalist guitarist and vocalist drummer but that’s where the comparison ends. The way this band pounds and sings, it would put Black Keys to shame.)

4. Small Sins – Pot Calls Kettle Black

5. Los Campesinos! – Romance Is Boring

6. The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack

7. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Still trying to “get“ the album)

8. The Black Keys – Brothers