Top Albums/Songs 'n stuff Version: 2010

(DISCLAIMER: Until 2020 all my "Best Of" lists were on Facebook in the Notes section. In 2020, when I hadn't used Facebook for 6 months, they decided to do away with Notes. I was still able to access some of them, such as this one, but the layouts are a little wonky.)

Looking at my Last.fm profile, you'd think I was still in 2009.  Well, that's because there's several bands I didn't discover or start really listening to until this year, and I'll have a section for that down below. 

Now I'll be the first to admit I haven't listened to EVERYTHING that came out this past year, but please enjoy(or argue or criticize or hi-five) this list.

 

1. Mumford & Sons - "Sigh No More"

    AND

    The Forecast - "The Forecast"

Ok, I seriously couldn't choose between these two.  Both of these albums are ones that I believe can be listened to straight through and every song on them is worthy of your ears. 

"The Forecast" is the first album from The Forecast in 4yrs(they released an EP in 2009, but it only contained 2 new songs, 2 acoustic versions of old songs and 1 cover), but it was well worth the wait.  You just can't beat the dueling Male/Female vocals these guys have, along with the lead singer's voice just sounding so honest. 

They say they chose the 12 songs on the album from a batch of about 35 that they had written over the past 4yrs.  I can say they chose the right 12.....though I wouldn't mind hearing the other 23 also hah.  Only complaint is that I'd like to make the first song longer.

 

Although I believe The Forecast should be very successful and popular, Mumford & Sons is the success story of the year.  They seemed to have taken the Folk/Rock genre that has slowly gotten popular the past couple years and perfected it and brought it to the masses.  While the Banjoist seems to do most of the background/harmony work, they all sing and harmonize at some point in pretty much every song.  They also play multiple instruments other than their main 4, having seen them use Accordian, Xylophone and Mandolin.

They also don't have a full-time drummer, which you may find odd for a band, but everything sounds great anyways.  Personally, I'd like to see them get a drummer and have the singer strap on an electric guitar a little more often and bring on some more Rock the next time around.  Probably have to wait until 2012 for their next effort though.

 

3. Jonsi - "Go"

If you want to experience like you're running through a lush forest on a bright, sunny day and then you trip and all of a sudden find yourself in a cold, snowy, dead forest that is still somehow tragically beautiful.....buy this album immediately.

While it is a little different, Jonsi doesn't stray away too much from the sound that Sigur Ros fans are used to, so if you're a Sigur Ros fan you NEED this album(although chances are if you're a Sigur Ros fan you already have the album lol).  One word I would choose to describe this album is Beauty.  Whether it's the type that would make you smile or cry, that's what this album is.

 

4. Frightened Rabbit - "The Winter of Mixed Drinks"

As I'm sure my CS collegues, and Frightened Rabbit fans in general, will say, this album is great....but doesn't surpass their previous one.  Don't get me wrong though, this album IS great and is better than most things that came out this year, and is definitely better than your local pop radio station.  It's more polished/produced than the last album, and they use more ambiance...a lot more ambiance heh but in a good way.  They also added a 5th member so they could bring as much as they could from what they did in the studio to the live shows.  And this is another band that seems to be able to play any instrument you put in front of them.  Except for the Lead Singer/Guitarist and Drummer, the other 3 members bounce around from Guitar to Bass to Mandolin to Organ/Keys to Percussion.....and Backing Vocals too.  So if you haven't heard of these guys, definitely pick up this album, and MAKE SURE you check out their last one.

 

5. Underoath - "Disambiguation"

After hearing earlier this year that Drummer/Vocals/Co-Songwriter Aaron Gillespie had left the band, I definitely had worries about how this album would turn out.  Seems my fears were for naught.  This album turned out great.  Granted, Aaron's drumming style and voice are missed, but Underoath carries on nicely.  Especially after not being tuned in too much to the heavier side of the music scene, it's nice to get back into it with this album.  Overall it's a little heavier than any of their previous works, but it's somehow pleasant and they don't sound like an average, annoying Metal band that just screams/growls and throw riffs in your face without purpose.  They seem to say "Hey, we're still a band without Aaron, this is us now, so like us or leave us, we'll still be around."  I'm definitely on board.

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS of 2010

Hellogoodbye - "Would It Kill You?"

It was nice to hear Hellogoodbye again after a couple years of what seemed like silence from them.  It was also good to hear some more Rock and horns from them instead of the synth sound I was used to.  Don't get me wrong, I loved their last album, it's just nice to see a change.

 

The Audition - "Great Danger"

Though I believe they'll never live up to their debut album from 2005, they seem to be usually solid on their releases.

 

Chiodos - "Illuminaudio"

You don't hear too many heavy bands like these guys.  Who knew mixing Metal riffs, double-bass drumming and screaming with calm strings and piano parts would be good?  Sure there's been other bands, like Metallica, that have done the whole Metal/Orchestra thing, but these guys are more on the Screamo side and are consistent about their sounds...not just having one album where they play with an orchestra.  I've never fallen in love with their stuff, but always liked it.  Original if nothing else.

 

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2010:

Anberlin - "Dark is the Way, Light is a Place"

I wasn't expecting a genius album here, but I guess my hopes were too high anyways.  I'll always love "Cities" & "Never Take Friendship Personal," and "New Surrender" was pretty good too, just guess I'll have to wait until the next album to really get back into them...I hope.

 

ALBUMS OF 2009 I OVERLOOKED OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT

 

We Were Promised Jetpacks - "These Four Walls"

So I knew of this band last year, I just never took the time to listen to them enough to care.  Well, I definitley listened this year.  Some may say they're a not-as-good version of Frightened Rabbit...while they are similar, they have their own sound enough, and I'll be following them closely awaiting their next release.

 

Biffy Clyro - "Only Revolutions"

(Honestly I've been listening to this album since summer of '09, but since I didn't do a Top Albums last year, I figured I'd throw it in this area)

These guys come from the same Scottish Rock arena that We Were Promised Jetpacks and Frightened Rabbit do, however, they're quite a bit different.  Their main influences seem to be oldschool Metallica and the Grunge/Alternative era of music form the early-mid 90s, while still mixing in modern Indie-ness.  While they're not rich enough to bring a horn section with them on tour, I saw them live and I can say they have a very full sound...especially for a 3 person band.  The Bassist and Drummer both provide a sufficient amount of backing vocals, which is what I think makes them seem so full at their live show.  They're also very tight, and I hope they get more recognition than they have right now.

 

Telekinesis! - "Telekinesis!"

Aside from having a great name(and the one superpower that I'd want) Telekinesis! makes some pretty good tunes.  Their album was recorded on analog and produced by Chris Walla(Death Cab's guitarist), so you can definitely hear the Death Cab influence, but again, just like Jetpacks, I believe they have their own sound enough and will showcase it more in the next album they release.  Another band I'll be following this coming year.

 

Noah and the Whale - "The First Days of Spring"

Seeing a band title their album "The First Days of Spring" you'd think it's a poppy, upbeat album that will make you feel butterflies in your stomach and sunshine in your eyes, well it is...sort of.  While most of the lyrics are saying things will get better, and to hope and look forward to the future, the music is mostly all slow, dark and contemplative.  It's pretty obvious, even to someone like myself who has a tough time with lyrics, that the theme of this album is the writer's most recent break-up.  I should also note that Noah and the Whale is actually just one man.  If you haven't heard of them/him, don't wait any longer, go out and get this gem now.

 

Metric - "Fantasies"

This band has been around for 10 or so years now, and the only reason I had heard of them before this past year was because a friend I knew in high school('03-'04) said they were one of their favorite bands.  I checked them out.....but back then any sort of "Indie" music was way outside my comfort zone of what I liked to listen to.  So I basically just threw the band to the back of my mind and forgot about them.  Anyways, this album is great, especially if you're looking for a female-fronted band to break away from the monotony of some plaid wearin', beard growin', male-centric Indie/Rock bands.  And their music is also featured in the movie "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" which is a great movie too.

 

Puscifer - "C is for(Please Insert Sophmoric Genitalia Reference HERE)"

This is an EP that was released in late '09.  Puscifer is yet another band from the mind of Maynard James Keenan(Tool, A Perfect Circle).  The song that made me want to find out more about this band was "The Humbling River," the last track on the EP.  I downloaded the EP, liked it, then went back to find their previous full-length CD that was released in 2007.  The full-length was a disappointment because I pretty much didn't like a single song on it.  So I suggest sticking with the EP.  **Explore at your own risk**

 

BEST OF 2010 MIX

(a few 2009 songs are featured as well, so deal with it)

This isn't in an order of favorites, it's in the order of a 12-track CD.  I wanted to limit myself to a 12-song CD, and only have one song by each artist....otherwise there'd be a few bands that I'd have put 2 or 3 songs each and this would be a 20-song CD.  So I wanted to keep it simple.

 

1. "God Save the Foolish Kings" - House of Heroes

2. "Finding Something to Do" - Hellogoodbye

3. "Go Do" - Jonsi

4. "The Loneliness" - Frightened Rabbit

5. "Dead Hearts" - Stars

6. "The Humbling River" - Puscifer

7. "Cosmic Love" - Florence & the Machine

8. "Mountains" - Biffy Clyro

9. "I'll Set You Free" - The Forecast

10. "Thistle & Weeds" - Mumford & Sons

11. "This is My House, This is My Home" - We Were Promised Jetpacks

12. "Vacant Mouth" - Underoath

 

I promise next year I'll only have 2011 songs on it.  If you would like a CD of this, just let me know.