Originally written on 4/24. Updated on 5/20, 6/6 and 8/25 (Which I somehow accidentally deleted. Dammit) 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 11/11, I have purchased 116 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 28 more records added to this list since 8/25. 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.
Bad Books – “Bad Books”
Born Ruffians “Say It” The personification of fun
Drake – “Thank Me Later”
Fences – “Fences”
First Aid Kit - "The Big Black and The Blue" AMAZING. I LOVE THIS RECORD. I have since purchased the whole catalog and seen their amazing live show.
Girls - "Album" Released last week of Sept. in 2009. This is the record I regret the most leaving off last year’s list. It is a hell of a record, and I am bending my Oct. rule to get it the attention it deserves.
Mumford & Sons – “Sigh No More” Great record.
Steel Train – “Steel Train” & Steel Train Covers - “Terrible Thrills Vol. 1” One hell of a record with an even more amazing bonus albums made up completely of covers by some of the most interesting females from the indiesphere.
The Black Keys – “Brothers”
The Head and The Heart – “The Head And The Heart” Just one of those records that makes you love life and love the fact that some bands still just make music because they need to not because they want to find fame. Breathtaking.
The Tallest Man On Earth - "The Wild Hunt" Surefire. Top spot possible, top three probable.
The Tallest Man On Earth – “Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird – EP”
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.
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?
New Category… Albums That I Mistook Lust for Love. That Were Surefire but have since fallen off some. Still great, but not certain. /Climbing up, but not there yet.
Damien Jurado – “Saint Bartlett”
Frightened Rabbit - "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" Very Very Good.
Janelle Monae – “The ArchAndroid” There are a few spectacular songs on this record.
Local Natives - "Gorilla Manor" Surefire.
Mimicking Birds - "Mimicking Birds" Falling like a stone since May.
Samantha Crain “You (Understood)” If the show she JUST put on at The Vera Project is any indication, this record could be very special. CLIMBING!!!
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.
The Dead Weather – “Sea Of Cowards” There are some very very good songs on here, but the album has holes
The Middle East - "The Recordings of the Middle East EP" Has my favorite song of the year on it.
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.
Wale - "Attention Deficit" Very good. So far, the second best hip-hop of ‘10
Why? – “Eskimo Snow”
Albums that are SO FAR very enjoyable, but have not gotten me excited…. Yet.
Allo, Darlin’ – “All, Darlin’”
Cold War Kids – “Behave Yourself EP”
Delta Spirit – “History From Below”
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
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. I think I like it.
Matt Pond PA – “The Dark Leaves” Good, but kinda forgettable.
Niki & The Dove – “DJ, Ease My Mind”
One-Eyed Mule – “Drifting to a Happy Place” So far, so good. Very Excited to see where this record takes me.
Portugal. The Man - "American Ghetto" Very good record with great potential.
She & Him - "Volume Two" Borderline, but probable. Fading
Stars – “The Five Ghosts”
Summer Camp – “Young EP”
The Morning Benders - "Big Echo" Pretty good. Need more spins.
Wakey!Wakey! – “Silent As a Movie (live) EP” One word. “Cokehead”
White Hinterland – “Kairos”
I really like, but probably will get less enjoyable with repeated listens.
Gold Motel – “Summer House”
Good Old War – “Good Old War”
Little & Ashley - "Stole My Heart EP" This is the music behind those adorable amazon kindle commercials. Very cute indie pop.
Nick Jaina - "A Bird In The Opera House" This is really growing on me.
Peirson Ross – “Reverse & Ready – Side B – EP” Forgetable.
Sad Brad Smith - "Love Is Not What You Need" SOLID
Sleepy Sun – “Fever” & “Open Eyes EP” I never realize that I like this album, but I never change the songs when they come on during shuffle mode.
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..
Trent Dabbs - "Your Side Now" Very solid singersongwriter stuff. Might really grow on me. Hasn’t so far.
Eh, Alright, has an outside shot.
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.
Beach House - "Teen Dream" Borderline and fading. People really seem to love this, so I might have to give it a closer listen.
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.
Drink Up Buttercup “Born and Thrown On a Hook” A fun ruckus of a record.
Dum Dum Girls - "I Will Be" Couple GREAT tracks, but a few tracks do not make a record.
Fang Island - "Fang Island" Why the hype? Nothing special so far.
Horse Feathers – “Thistled Spring” Very relaxed record. Great to just shut your eyes too.
Julian Casablancas - "Phrazes For The Young" Interesting, but unsure.
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.
Mike Doughty - "Sad Man Happy Man" Little disappointing, except for the bonus tracks and covers.
Surfer Blood - "Astro Coast" 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.
Sweetheart 2010 - Various Artists. Quality all the way through. Likes of Hey Marseilles, Spoon and Jose Gonzalez.
The Dutchess & The Duke - "Sunset/Sunrise" Slipping from very good to…eh.
The Joy Formidable – “A Balloon Called Moaning” Interesting, but unsure of where it fits in
World History – “You Can’t Stop Trying”
Have not listened enough to gain a usable opinion.
Avi Buffalo – “Avi Buffalo”
Cary Brothers – “Under Control”
Colonies – “Thirty Thousand”
Egyptian Hip Hop – “Some Reptiles Grew Wings”
Grace Potter and The Nocturunals – “Grace Potter and The Nocturunals”
Heart- Sick Groans – “Gentleman, If You Ain’t Right, Get Right!”
Hot City – “Twist”
Hustle Ent. – “I’m Reppin”
Jenny And Johnny – “I’m Having Fun Now”
JoJo – “Can’t Take That Away From Me”
Junip – “Fields”
Junip – Rope and Summit EP
Lo-Fi-Fnk – “Sleepless”
Passenger – “Divers & Submarines”
Pearly Gate Music – “Pearly Gate Music”
Peter Wolf Crier – “Inter-Be”
Phosphorescent – “Here’s To Taking It Easy”
Sea Wolf – “White Water, White Bloom”
Silver Columns – “Always On”
Spectrals – “A Spectrals Extended Play”
Spectrals – “Peppermint LP”
The BGP – “Love and Rent”
The Lights – “Acoustic”
The Love Language – “Libraries”
Disappointing…
Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs – “God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise”
Citizen Cope – “The Rainwater LP”
David Gray – “Foundling”
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.
The Weepies – “Be My Thrill”
Not Impressive Enough To Rank, But Not Horrible Enough To Hate.
Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”
Band Of Horses – “Infinite Arms”
Bear In Heaven – “Beast Rest Forth Mouth”
Erland & The Carnival – “Erland & The Carnival” & “Trouble In Mind EP” & “Was You Ever See EP”
Four Tet “There Is Love In You”
Free Energy - “Stuck on Nothing”
Greg Laswell “Take A Bow”
Jason Castro - "Jason Castro" Former American Idol singersongwriter needs to continue to grow. Not a bad release, but a little immature.
LCD Soundsystem – “This is Happening”
Mia Carruthers and The Retro's - "We Will Grow EP"
Murs & 9th Wonder – “Fornever”
Owen Pallett – “Heartland”
Sufjan Stevens – “The Age Of Adz”
The Big Pink – “A Brief History Of Love”
The National – “High Violet”
Just Flat Out Do Not Like
Big Boi – “Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son Of Chico Dusty”
Broken Social Scene – “Forgiveness Rock Record”
Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears - "Mad Valentine" Don't like.
South China - "Washingtons" Unimpressed for the most part. Almost always hit “next”
The Magnetic Fields - "Realism" My least favorite of the year so far.
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.
Toro Y Moi - "Causers Of This" Don’t really like.
