Best of: Music in 2010

Here be my 10 favourite albums of the year:

1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
All those crazy, musically-diverse layers - beats, lyrics, themes, ego and doubts - through the album.

watch: the trailer (or "moving portrait" as Kanye called it) for the video for 'Power' (which is rumoured to be 40+ minutes long), my favourite song along with 'Monster' (but I love Monster more for Nicki Minaj's verse - she steals the song out from everyone)


2. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
The album did not grab me on first listen, but it was definitely a grower - just like previous album Neon Bible - and by the end of the year I had completely fallen in love with the storytelling, the atmosphere. The music is lighter, but the claustrophobia of the Suburbs is clear still within, the dark heart under the beautiful, peaceful surface.

Listen: 'The Suburbs' / 'Month of May'


3. All Days are Night: Songs for Lulu by Rufus Wainwright.
I love that Rufus Wainwright's idea of“stripped back”still includes gorgeously lush piano-driven heartbreaking paens to grief and love.

Download: 'Who are you, New York?'

4. Everything Under the Sun by Jukebox the Ghost
So many fine, catchy pop songs, so much intelligent thought behind it. Great follow-up album.

Watch: the band being interviewed at the 'Bean' in Chicago, where they talk about Ben Folds Five comparisons and why they have such a weird band name.


5. Mines by Menomena
I love the musical layers in the songs, from the different qualities of the voices to the fuzzy bass to the beat to those great horns.

Download: 'TAOS'

6. Danger Days by My Chemical Romance
Anthemic and built to be played loud - it's not rocket science, but it is damn catchy and fun.

Watch: Art is the Weapon - a trailer of sorts for the first single, the intro for the thru-story and palette and concept for their whole album.


7. Life is Sweet! Pleased to Meet You by Lightspeed Champion
Great songs that are more complex than they seem at first, with lush orchestral arrangements, clever lyrics, and diverse musical styles.

8. Steel Train by Steel Train
Sweet, fun indie pop that I've had on repeat constantly this year.

Listen: 'Turnpike Ghost'

9. The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens
I'm still not sure I entirely like this album end-to-end though that might be my reflex reaction to at times deliberately harsh electronica mix through his trademark his beautiful, floaty music. But the album does have some absolutely terrific moments, such as I Walked and the 25 minute standout, Impossible Soul.

Download: 'I Walked'

10. The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae
I love her voice, and the ambitious mishmash of genres and styles all through her music, while remaining catchy as hell.

Watch: the video for 'Tightrope' - great song, great storytelling, creepy video with some mesmerising footwork. What's not to like?


Honourable Mentions

Bad Books – Bad Books
Belle and Sebastian - Belle and Sebastian Write About Love
Annuals – Sweet Sister EP
Boy & Bear – With Emperor Antarctic EP

Looking forward to new releases in 2011 from:

Patrick Wolf (Lupercalia)
Panic! at the Disco (Vices and Virtues)
The Decemberists (The King is Dead is out now)
Bright Eyes (The People's Key)
Okkervil River (I am Very Far)
Manchester Orchestra (Simple Math)
Taking Back Sunday

also rumoured to release new albums are:
fun.
Radiohead
Blink-182

It's looking to be an exciting new year of music! And hopefully some of these guys tour, which brings me to...

live music from 2010!

I saw a total of 19 bands at 16 shows. This included seeing Kevin Devine 3 times and Brand New twice in the space of five days and I don't regret any of that at all (as you will see from the list of best shows below).

Nine Favourite Performances

1. Kevin Devine @ East Brunswick Club, 29 Mar
2. Brand New @ Enmore Theatre, 25 Mar
3. The Decemberists @ The Metro, 19 Jan
4. The Pixies @ Hordern Pavilion, 14 Mar
5. Delta Spirit @ Factory Theatre, 3 Oct
6. Band of Horses @ Enmore Theatre, 29 July
7. Spoon @ The Forum, 7 May
8. Sunny Day Real Estate @ UNSW Roundhouse, 23 Feb
9. Neko Case @ City Recital Hall, 12 Jan

Upcoming Shows:
Sufjan Stevens, Menomena, Andrew McMahon, Belle and Sebastian

Mixtape (Sad Bear, October 2010)

Long time no mixtape, eh? Let's revive an old tradition around these parts...


Side A

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons - We Should Fight
(indie rock)

I wrote this song inside a paper bag

Dr. Dog - Heart it Races
(indie rock-pop)

And we go back to where we moved out
to the places
heart it races

Jukebox the Ghost - Hold It In
(indie rock pop)

Baby I'm in love and maybe it's not to tell
Only thing that I can do is hold it in, hold it in

Delta Spirit - Children
(indie rock, Americana)

Children shut your eyes
we'll tell you what to see
this world is burnin' down
and you're the ones to lead

Lackthereof - Last November
(lo-fi, experimental)

I'm arriving in style
More importantly, alive
And there's something
To be said for
Surviving

Side B

Arcade Fire - Black Mirror
(indie rock, baroque pop)

Black mirror knows no reflection, knows not pride or vanity
Cares not about your dreams, cares not for your pyramid schemes

Shearwater - Red Sea, Black Sea*
(indie folk-rock)

In place of the sun
In place of the moon
A terrible light
Will flood every room

* The link takes you to the artist page on their label. I would download not just Red Sea, Black Sea, but everything on this page. The songs are all really good.

Boy & Bear - Mexican Mavis
(indie folk-rock)

'Cos my love's not a limit

Minus the Bear - Guns & Ammo
(indie, experimental, math rock)

Skip the "you don't understand"
Skip the "you're such a petty man"
Skip the way you'll never listen
You never listen

Annuals - Brother
(indie rock, experimental)

I fell down in a creek bed
Brother wept
In his face I met fear
That I could die right there