My Up and Coming Music List. Updated. Again.

Tweet

Originally written on 4/24. Updated on 5/20. Since that time, I have indeed wasted more money. I have updated this list. I have also reformatted this list. Looking back I was composing it on paper the same way the titles rest in my head, but, that only really makes sense to me. So, I have broken the records down into easily digestible categories.

Inspired by Stevie's Up And Coming Book List, I am going to start the same thing with my music purchased for the year. My favorite blog to write is my year end music review. And it be honest, I start it in January of each year. I start collecting music as soon as possible, and use a smart playlist to amass them all in one place for easy listening and examining. As we stand on 6/61, I have purchased 58 albums from 2010 (including records released after 10/1/2009 to today. How am I expected to judge an album in less than three months? It's impossible. So the last 3 months are tagged on to the next year.) That is 20 more records added to this list since 4/24. Thats less than 2 months. This is an issue that may actually be a compulsion. This is depressing, yet joyful. Anyways....

Below you will see a quick list of the albums I have picked up so far this year. I will try to update them every month or so. If I have an opinion of the record, will post a quick note, but keep in mind, I may change mine.

Surefire. Albums that will absolutely make my year end list.
1. First Aid Kit - "The Big Black and The Blue" AMAZING. I LOVE THIS RECORD. I have since purchased the whole catalog and will be seeing them on 6/5.
2. Frightened Rabbit - "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" Very Very Good.
3. Girls - "Album" Released last week of Sept. in 2009. This is the record I regret the most leaving off last years list. It is a hell of a record, and I am bending my Oct. rule to get it the attention it deserves.
4. Local Natives - "Gorilla Manor" Surefire.
5. Mimicking Birds - "Mimicking Birds" Top five as of today. Great, GREAT, album.
6. Mumford & Sons – “Sigh No More” Great record.
7. The Tallest Man On Earth - "The Wild Hunt" Surefire. Top three possible, top five probable.
8. Wakey!Wakey! - "Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You...." The best record of the year so far. It's overtly poppy, but in an unobnoxious way. It is really wonderful. Songs like Car Crash and Dance So Good will surely be near the top of my best songs list.

Albums that are SO FAR very enjoyable, but have not gotten me excited…. Yet.
1. the bird and the bee – “Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates” This should NOT work. But it does, and it has a REAL chance to grow on me enough to make my list. If I ever make an ironic music list, this will be a shoo-in.
2. Broken Bells - "Broken Bells" Recommended by Stevie's Mister, so far it’s a good pick up, need to cycle through a few more times.
3. fun. “fun. Presents Selected Selections From Their First Full-length Album, Heretofore Known as, 'Aim and Ignite', Performed Acoustically Live At Fingerprints” Very Very good
4. Janelle Monae – “The ArchAndroid” Too new to judge. But there are a few spectacular songs on this record.
5. Matt Pond PA – “The Dark Leaves” Good, but kinda forgettable.
6. The Middle East - "The Recordings of the Middle East EP" Nice so far but, too new to judge.
7. The Morning Benders - "Big Echo" Pretty good. Need more spins.
8. One-Eyed Mule – “Drifting to a Happy Place” So far, so good. Very Excited to see where this record takes me.
9. Portugal. The Man - "American Ghetto" Very good record with great potential.
10. Trent Dabbs - "Your Side Now" Very solid singersongwriter stuff. Might really grow on me. Hasn’t so far.
11. She & Him - "Volume Two" Borderline, but probable.
12. Vampire Weekend - "Contra" When I first picked this up, I thought it was too much the same. But now that I have run it through more than a few times, I am starting to love it.
13. Wale - "Attention Deficit" Very good. So far, the best hip-hop of ‘10
14. Yeasayer - "Odd Blood" Strange fucking record that I am really really liking. This album may not make the list, but it may have my two favorite songs of the year so far. But, do two songs make a record?

I really like, but probably will get less enjoyable with repeated listens.
1. The Album Leaf - "A Chorus of Storytellers" Falling From the Sun is a hell of a song, have not absorbed the rest of the record yet.
2. Horse Feathers – “Thistled Spring” Very relaxed record. Great to just shut your eyes too.
3. Jeff Jacobson - "Lunch in the Park" This should be forgettable, its run of the mill singersongwriter stuff, but I never change the song when shuffle stumbles onto this. Ithink I like it.
4. Little & Ashley - "Stole My Heart EP" This is the music behind those adorable amazon kindle commercials. Very cute indie pop.
5. Nick Jaina - "A Bird In The Opera House" This is really growing on me.
6. Peirson Ross – “Reverse & Ready – Side B – EP” Forgetable.
7. Sad Brad Smith - "Love Is Not What You Need" SOLID

Eh, Alright, has an outside shot.
1. Adam Green (from The Moldy Peaches) - "Minor Love" Pretty good, like Mike Doughty lite. I think if he took himself more seriously, so would I.
2. Beach House - "Teen Dream" Borderline and fading. People really seem to love this, so I might have to give it a closer listen.
3. Dum Dum Girls - "I Will Be" Still too new to judge. Couple GREAT tracks, but a few tracks do not make a record.
4. The Dutchess & The Duke - "Sunset/Sunrise" Slipping from very good to…eh.
5. Fang Island - "Fang Island" Why the hype? Nothing special so far.
6. Jason Castro - "Jason Castro" Former American Idol singersongwriter needs to continue to grow. Not a bad release, but a little immature.
7. The Joy Formidable – “A Balloon Called Moaning” Interesting, but unsure of where it fits in
8. Julian Casablancas - "Phrazes For The Young" Interesting, but unsure.
9. Justin Nozuka - "You I Wind Land And Sea" If I was in an unhealthy place in my life. If I was heavily depressed or sedated, I would LOVE this record. But I think I am too content for it. It is good, but very depressing.
10. Los Campesinos! - "Romance is Boring" This was my most anticipated release of the year, but the band has lost something for me. Do not get me wrong, this is a good recording, with some great individual songs. But this is not a great record. Not like their first two. Not sure if it will make my list, which is shocking to me.
11. Mike Doughty - "Sad Man Happy Man" Little disappointing, except for the bonus tracks and covers.
12. Surfer Blood - "Astro Coast" Purchased today. I texted KGB and asked, "What is the best album of the year so far?" and Surfer Blood was what they told me, so I buy.Just alright. Damn KGB.
13. Sweetheart 2010 - Various Artists. Quality all the way through. Likes of Hey Marseilles, Spoon and Jose Gonzalez.

Have not listened enough to gain a usable opinion.
1. Band Of Horses – “Infinite Arms”
2. Bear In Heaven – “Beast Rest Forth Mouth”
3. The Big Pink – “A Brief History Of Love”
4. Born Ruffians “Say It”
5. Broken Social Scene – “Forgiveness Rock Record”
6. Colonies – “Thirty Thousand”
7. Drink Up Buttercup “Born and Thrown On a Hook”
8. Four Tet “There Is Love In You”
9. Greg Laswell “Take A Bow”
10. LCD Soundsystem – “This is Happening”
11. Mia Carruthers and The Retro's - "We Will Grow EP"
12. Murs & 9th Wonder – “Fornever” Still have not found that great hip-hop album of 2010.
13. The National – “High Violet”
14. Samantha Crain “You (Understood)” If the show she JUST put on at The Vera Project is any indication, this record could be very special.
15. Sleepy Sun – “Fever” & “Open Eyes EP”
16. Wakey!Wakey! – “Silent As a Movie (live) EP”

Just Flat Out Do Not Like
1. Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears - "Mad Valentine" Don't like.
2. The Magnetic Fields - "Realism" My least favorite of the year so far.
3. South China - "Washingtons"Unimpressed for the most part. Almost always hit “next”
4. Titus Andronicus - "The Monitor" When I heard indie rock themed around the Civil War I thought I could be very interesting. And it is interesting, just not very good.
5. Toro Y Moi - "Causers Of This" Don’t really like.