The year in music: 2010

[Czech]

I like those + "The Children," it's just one of those albums I'm not always in the mood for, it turns out. Sort of like how I realized I can't listen to Remain in Light when I'm driving. Almost had to throw it right out the window.

 

[Incandenza]

Odd Blood is definitely a front-loaded record, but I feel so strongly about the first half that I'm comfortable tossing the "L" word around even though the second half is only merely good.

I've always felt Remain in Light is front loaded, too, but rare is the time I make it to side two on that album.

 

[C Dubya 09]

I'm an unapologetic mark for the Hold Steady, so take this with a grain of salt, but I really like the new album. It's less self referential than their prior ones and more song based, which is probably time for that development.

If you like their other albums, you'll like this one too.

 

[Mik]

I think it's really good, too.

Out of all the albums that recently came out, that and High Violet were my favorites. This is Happening is ok and I still need time to decide on Together but I wasn't blown away... the two Bejar songs are my favorites. I think Silver Jenny Dollar was my favorite on first listen but I haven't come close to making up my mind on that one yet. It took me about four months to appreciate Challengers.

 

[Cheech]

Anyone into the Black Keys? The new album leaked and it's pretty good.

 

[CookieMueller]

Odd Blood is, without hesitation, my favourite album of the year so far. "Mondegreen" is my favourite song though. "O.N.E." is amazing as well.

 

[Gary]

The new Flying Lotus album "Cosmogramma" is awesome.

 

[C Dubya 09]

Enjoying the final pressed version of High Violet. So far Afraid of Anyone, Bloodbuzz, and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks are the highlights for me.

 

[RedJed]

Anyone into the Black Keys? The new album leaked and it's pretty good.

Yeah, it was much better than I thought it could be. Big favorite of mine right now.

Also got an early leak of the new Dead Weather album a few weeks ago. Total shitbomb after listening through it twice. Won't probably bother a third time. Horehound was so strong, and this seemed to be the afterbirth of the previous. Total garbage.

New Gogol Bordello is alright, about what you would expect with these guys. I think Rick Rubin produced this, so it felt a little more polished and focused than most of their work.

MGMT's latest......if the Dead Weather album is garbage, this is the toxic liquid that drips off the garbage bag. Absolutely horrible. Sounded like they tried to put it together in an afternoon and under heavy HEAVY sedation. There isn't even a single track that stands out anywhere close to previous efforts. It's all one big ole mess.

LCD is alright, but still kind of growing on me. Ive only given it a listen through one time so far.

 

[Gary]

If you enjoy Noise/Drone music, then the new Yellow Swans album is great-their best yet IMO.

 

[FLAM]

I'm not really feeling the new LCD Soundsystem. It's not terrible, but just eh for me. Maybe it's a grower? Though, I only really liked a handful of songs from the previous album. Murphy's vocal melodies just don't do it for me.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

This is my favorite song of 2010 so far.

nana grizol - cynicism [1/11]

 

[Lord of The Curry]

Enjoying the final pressed version of High Violet. So far Afraid of Anyone, Bloodbuzz, and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks are the highlights for me.

Seconded, though "Runaway" is the standout for me so far.

 

[Gary]

I think I'm in love with the new Janelle Monáe album.

 

[Incandenza]

I'm not really feeling the new LCD Soundsystem. It's not terrible, but just eh for me. Maybe it's a grower? Though, I only really liked a handful of songs from the previous album. Murphy's vocal melodies just don't do it for me.

You mean you don't like the new album by a band you don't like?

 

[FLAM]

Um, ok, so I like a number of LCD Soundsystem songs. That means I don't like LCD Soundsystem enough to check out a new album? Cool, bro.

And yeah, I'm digging the new Janelle Monae album. Her previous ep is tremendous.

 

[Sesquipedaliantique]

I think I quite like the new LCD Soundsystem album, but I'll have to give it a couple more spins before I can be absolutely sure.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

New Ra Ra Riot record in August. Expect me to pester you with information on this record excessively when it comes out.

 

[Czech]

Some of High Violet is okay, but the rest of it is generically turgid and loud. Guess I'll give it time.

 

[C Dubya 09]

I'm not getting the loud part at all, I actually wouldn't have minded them getting a little more amped up on some of the tracks.

Gotta say though, using generically turgid as a way to describe music seems to be a turgid post.

 

[Czech]

Not really. You seem upset with me. I thought "swollen" was a good way to describe a lot of what was going on, with all the bass and double-time drumming and general wall of sound throughout. Lot of big low frequencies, which is usually something I love, but something about it feels a little muddy to me this time around. As for loudness, I don't know, it certainly seemed loud to me, and often in the overcompressed There Can Be No Dynamic Contrast way. I think this band is one of those where I love a few perfect songs but can't enjoy the entire catalogue because it eventually gets too samey and played out. The National is basically Interpol without the constant teetering on self-parody.

Excellent cover art, at least.

 

[Mik]

Just in time for Czech to be peaking in the thread... a new single and B-side from the upcoming Arcade Fire album.

http://stereogum.com/386941/arcade-fire-thesuburbs-month-of-may/mp3s/

 

[Gary]

I quite enjoy the new National album, but I have heard albums that I consider superior (Alcest, Flying Lotus, Les Discrets, High on Fire, Janelle Monáe and Four Tet.) I still have some catching up to do (still haven't heard the new LCD Soundsystem yet) and there's still a lot yet to come this year (New stuff from Foetus, Rome and Current 93.)

*I was going to include the new Deftones album, but I'd probably get laughed off of the board. I do love their new album though.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

The Monitor is still the best record of the year.

 

[Czech]

Without elaborate arrangements and instrumentation, the Arcade Fire has nothing to offer to this world. This is just a long strummy slog like about half of Neon Bible. I can't really tell what he's saying because he's slurring his words low in the mix and I don't really care anyway because it's just five minutes of chunk-chunka-chunk-chunka. There are some upper-register strings, but they grate more than they soar. If this a shitty bootleg of a bootleg or something, I'd have been better off waiting for the fully mastered version; if this is that, then this band is cooked.

"The Month of May" is a piss take and I'm not going to comment on it. Time to admit that this band was just one magical moment, right place, right time.

 

[Mik]

I agree with you 100% here. That song is just not very good.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

Best thing the Arcade Fire were ever associated with is that video for 'My Body is a Cage' which is just a clip from Once Upon a Time in the West.

 

[C Dubya 09]

Not really. You seem upset with me. I thought "swollen" was a good way to describe a lot of what was going on, with all the bass and double-time drumming and general wall of sound throughout. Lot of big low frequencies, which is usually something I love, but something about it feels a little muddy to me this time around. As for loudness, I don't know, it certainly seemed loud to me, and often in the overcompressed There Can Be No Dynamic Contrast way. I think this band is one of those where I love a few perfect songs but can't enjoy the entire catalogue because it eventually gets too samey and played out. The National is basically Interpol without the constant teetering on self-parody.

Excellent cover art, at least.

Eh, I was just kidding.

It basically sounds like the National isn't really for you, as I think you kind of described their sound pretty well.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

The Sleigh Bells album is righteous.

 

[Czech]

re: The National, I don't actively dislike them, I just can't canonize them, that's all. Being really dark and loud is cool and all, but when they do it for too long, the novelty wears off. What makes "Secret Meeting" such a good song is that they come in strong but still give it room to breathe and grow, or that they allow themselves to break through the sludge on stuff like "Mr. November." I like songs on Alligator and Boxer, but nothing's resonating with me on the new one. Usually when this sort of thing happens where everyone who counts really likes an album that I don't like that much, I scoff and chalk it up to it being the best in a weak field (hellooooo, Sufjan Stevens), but I don't think we're particualrly bereft right now, so maybe it's just okay for me not to like everything.

Just went to youtube for the first track off that Sleigh Bells album. That is righteous! It elicited the same "yeahhhhh" of heavy-beat approval not elicited since "We Own The Sky." Now I can't get around to finishing this album until I listen to "We Own The Sky" again.