2010 is almost over, and I thought I'd start throwing together some posts featuring my favorites from the last 12 months. :) There were a ton of new records released last year, some great, and some not so good. These are my favorite "albums as a whole" from the last year. [my favorite singles will be featured later!] I think it's a pretty good mix of genres. :)
1. "The Suburbs" - Arcade Fire. I hadn't listened to a lot of their music before Lollapalooza, but I'm sure glad I saw them live. This is hands down my favorite album from the past 12 months. Haunting melodies, chill vibes, pump up tunes, all with a semi-vintage feel. It's almost impossible to pinpoint Arcade Fire's sound, but that's what makes it so wonderful. Simply amazing.
key tracks: "ready to start," "rococo," "we used to wait," and "sprawl ii [mountains beyond mountains]"
2. "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye West. Say what you want about Kanye and his d-bag tendencies, but this album is siiiiick. Kanye's best to date. He's finally found the perfect balance of the rap that made us start listening mixed with the new-agey jams of his last release, '808's and Heartbreaks.' Definitely a performance art piece not to be missed.
key tracks: "runaway," "monster," "all of the lights," "power," and "gorgeous."
3. "Contra" - Vampire Weekend. I've been a Vampire Weekend fan for some time now, but this was on of my most anticipated releases.The So-Cal by way of Brooklyn Hipster/African beats blend makes for the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon of lounging around the house, studying, or hosting a chill party.
key tracks: "horchata," "cousins," "california english," and "run."
4. "Volume 2" - She & Him. Nothing beats Zooey Deschanel's voice, really. It's powerful, but not in the "pop starlets of today" way. It has such an old-time Hollywood, glamorous, jazz/cabaret sound. That resonates in the tone of the music, too. It's all very 50s/60s mod-pop sounding--the upbeat tracks put a spring in your step, and the mellow, more ballad-y tracks are soulful and deep.
key tracks: "don't look back," "lingering still," and "gonna get along without you now."
5. "Congratulations" - MGMT. This album was not received well by critics, and while I think I like 'Oracular Spectacular' more, I really loved this album. I appreciated the risks MGMT took, veering from the hippie-stoner vibe of their smash hit debut, to experiment with a more post-modern, electronic sound.
key tracks: "flash delirium," "brian eno," and "congratulations."
What are your top 10 albums for the year???
*see #6-10 after the jump :)
