2010 Magazine's Albums Of The Year Thread For Posting Lists and Discussion

and why are people consistently putting the caribou record over four tet's when the latter does the same things way better?

don't agree at all - Four Tet is mostly just pleasant loops but i like even Hannibal more than anything on There Is Love In You apart from maybe Angel Echoes. obv i don't have much of a problem with Snaith's singing tho.

Am genuinely unsure as to why people would think that the Caribou and Four Tet albums sound anything alike tbh - seems more like lazy grouping to me.

Although even my vinyl copy (on Type) is 2009, by the looks of it. Weird. Perhaps the Type CD issue is 2010?

Yeah, the Type CD didn't come out until January:
http://www.discogs.com/Richard-Skelton-Landings/master/212852

The Four Tet album is closer to the Gold Panda album than it is to Caribou. Mind you I am a Caribou hater whereas the other two are pleasant enough.

srs qn 4 u tho - whats the most limited/hardest to get a hold of release youd put on a top x of 2010 list? like do you think theres a point in repping for stuff that was only put out in like a 30 cassette run or w/e? also did you hear the bj nilsen tape 'draught #1'? its crazy good & im kinda sad the wire seems to have missed it

― Lamp, Thursday, December 16, 2010 1:46 AM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

yeah this is an interesting topic. i really object to the "this old album/random mix CD/thing that was passed around between 10 of my friends is my album of the year" thing but i feel like as long as a record was available to the public in some capacity it should be fair game. the best show i saw all year was this little no-name North Carolina band, they were giving away a CD-r of their debut album at the merch table, but the CD wasn't burned right and wouldn't play in my player, then a couple weeks later they put a download link on their Facebook page and i got the album. i thought about putting it in my top 10 but ultimately decided against it, more because the record isn't quite as good as the live show than because i was squeamish about repping for something so obscure though.

but then i do a lot of local coverage for the Baltimore alt-weekly and with that stuff i have no compunction about going as obscure as possible if i think the best stuff is being overlooked. our local top 10 this year had some stuff that's not even well known around town, and no boring-ass Beach House thank god.

reading the blurbs made me want to check out forest swords, women, kylesa and abe vigoda. anyone here have opinions on those?

That Abe Vigoda album is one of my favorites from this year. It's exactly the right blend of pop and moody post-punk noodling.

Kylesa album is great. Though, being a metal record championed by lots of indie rock sites, of course the last album is better then the one that's actually getting attention (other examples of this phenomenon: baroness, pig destroyer, mastodon, fucked up, etc etc ect)

like do you think theres a point in repping for stuff that was only put out in like a 30 cassette run or w/e?

yeah of course, if it's good enough! agree w/shipley re: random mix cds though. one of the contenders for my EOY ballot is an album by an argentinian cumbia rapper that afaik she just dumped on her fbook page.

princesa's más fuego btw - check it out, it's great - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Princesa/50457721134

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej8s1wgGMIQ

(though i did buy a 200-run Eluvium CD which is v nice)

whiney, what is this?? (and why do i not have a copy ;_;)

Though, being a metal record championed by lots of indie rock sites, of course the last album is better then the one that's actually getting attention (other examples of this phenomenon: baroness, pig destroyer, mastodon, fucked up, etc etc ect)

Yeah that happens a lot, not just in metal. Band in niche genre puts out great album, gets lots of love from genre enthusiasts, makes some year-end lists or blog hype or whatever, builds up enough buzz that the next album actually gets heard out side the genre. (Major metal exception I can think of in recent years is Torche, because even after going back and listening to all the earlier stuff, I still like Meanderthal best.) But yeah, if you're not following a genre closely, the first album you hear of by someone in the genre is probably the one after their actual great record.

Yeah, but there's no real excuse. These aren't like little DIY Tame Impala underground bands finally getting a break, they're decent sized metal bands on big labels (the ones I named did their best work on Prosthetic, Relapse, Relapse, Relapse, Jade Tree) who are ostensibly sending these writers the same promos I'm getting.

I think the new Kylesa is a huge step up from the last one.

i prefer static tensions but there's really not much of a diff between them

Unless it was some horrific nightmare I was having this morning when the news came on my alarm radio, it appears he's taking over from Larry King on CNN. It's not like CNN is a good station or even that Larry King was a great interviewer but it still fills my heart full of woe to think of that obsequious thunder cunt in gainful employment on your television. And the only respite from this depression can be gained by imagining some strong and honourable colonials shanking him in the fucking neck with broken glass.

― Carl Jung Jeezy (Doran), Thursday, 16 December 2010 08:56 (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

omg ew end world plz now

that princesa is awesome.

wish i could d/l the full thing

I think the new Kylesa is a huge step up from the last one.

― EZ Snappin, Thursday, December 16, 2010 7:20 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark

and the blue record's easily my favorite baroness since first, sometimes critics united gets it right

I preferred blue to red (though the 1st 2eps are still by far the best thing they did, which meant a lot of us were disappointed with red)

Kylesa has split their fanbase with this one. Some of the sludge/punk (VLV crew) fans hated it but their more alt-rock fans love it.

Seeing/hearing "Mas Fuego" for the first time and I like it.

For anyone that might be interested the SOMB Compilations/Re-issues results are at http://www.soundopinions.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=23737 and the EP countdown is being done now at http://www.soundopinions.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=23739

lol at this exchange on cocaineblunts courtesy of our boston phoenix rap listmaker:

Chris Faraone Says:

December 16th, 2010 at 11:44 am
LOLOLOL. You shit on my list and come with this? E-40! Lil Wayne!! Soulja Boy!!! I’m not even offended any more. Cracking up over here.

ChickenBone Says:

December 16th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Oh god, this Chris Faraone list is a howler. Please check it if you want to see the definition of a rap Republican. Can’t believe this guy actually found 100 songs from this year that are still stuck in the late-Nineties rap mentality. Move on! Faraone why do you even check this site when you can get all your ninth-generation Wu-Tang joints and hot fire C-Rayz Walz tapes at 2 Dope Boyz and Okayplayer?????

noz Says:

December 16th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
I don’t even know who Chris Faraone is nor have I “shitted” on anyones list.

nico Says:

December 16th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/112769-100-essential-hip-hop-tracks-for-2010/

dude seems to think since an anonymous poster dissed his shit and linked this cbrap article that you, yourself, noz are the one dissin! What an idiot! I mean, look at his list and then examine his logic in believing he was attacked by noz… what an erb.

i'm actually down to listen to that. if u think about it there must be at least a few really great 90's throwback tracks made each year, like probalistically speaking it must be so, enough people doing it you figure a few of them would get lucky

this is fun & pretty lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-xkQD5VaE&feature=player_embedded#at=52

the best list would prolly be one that's 3/4 noz and 1/4 Farone

Faraone Monch

hot fire C-Rayz Walz

lol

maybe like 1/8, lots of garbage here

anyway, more evidence that the boston phx list has no excuse

But while Drake's personal life is undoubtedly inextricable from Thank Me Later, you don't need to be a celebrity to relate to it-- just someone who's ever felt dissatisfied with society's idea of success. --Ian Cohen

hmm

Surprised to see The Radio Dept. didn't even get acknowledged even in the honorable mentions by p4k but i guess i have to thank them for putting me onto Clinging to a Scheme earlier in the year.

Pitchfork's top 50 albums of 2010
20-1

20. Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal
19. How to Dress Well - Love Remains
18. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh
17. Caribou - Swim
16. Sleigh Bells - Treats
15. Robyn - Body Talk
14. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
13. No Age - Everything in Between
12. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid
11. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
10. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
09. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
08. James Blake - The Bells Sketch EP / CMYK EP / Klavierwerke EP
07. Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
06. Vampire Weekend - Contra
05. Beach House - Teen Dream
04. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
03. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
02. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
01. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

the photos look great on that spread

they do!

btw whiney I enjoyed your takedown of "trap door" in the VV today. I thought that track might end up at #1

aw, thanks man. <3

I gotta say I'm relieved that there's only one entry (How To Dress Well) I haven't heard yet. After binging on over 70 albums this week, I'm spent. Napoleon III, Wild Nothing, Abe Vigoda, Black Milk, White Hills, Prins Thomas, Grass Widow, Three Mile Pilot, Moon Wiring Club, Nails, Wino and Rangers will likely snake into my top 100. Treblezine is also completed, and Cokemachineglow should finish top 10 tomorrow.

Not top 100 material, but I think I like the Diddy Dirty Money a lot more than the Kanye West...

^^definitely.

guardian top 40:

1 Janelle Monáe The ArchAndroid
2 Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3 Hot Chip One Life Stand
4 Arcade Fire The Suburbs
5 These New Puritans Hidden
6 Caribou Swim
7 Robyn Body Talk
8 Laura Marling I Speak Because I Can
9 Ariel Pink Before Today
10 John Grant Queen of Denmark
11 Beach House Teen Dream
12 Sleigh Bells Treats
13 Gil Scott-Heron I'm New Here
14 Yeasayer Odd Blood
15 Warpaint The Fool
16 The-Dream Love King
17= Anaïs Mitchell Hadestown
17= Drake Thank Me Later
19 Kelis Fleshtone
20 The National High Violet
21 LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening
22= Ikonika Contact, Love, Want, Have
22= Gayngs Related
24 Vampire Weekend Contra
25= Gorillaz Plastic Beach
25= Avi Buffalo Avi Buffalo
27 Big Boi Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
28 Joanna Newsom Have One on Me
29= Paul Weller Wake Up the Nation
29= Steve Mason Boys Outside
31 Titus Andronicus The Monitor
32 Erykah Badu New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
33 Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté Ali and Toumani
34 Rihanna Loud
35= MIA MAYA
35= Plan B The Defamation of Strickland Banks
37 MGMT Congratulations
38= Nicki Minaj Pink Friday
38= Glasser Ring
40 I Am Kloot Sky at Night

i voted for #s 8, 16, 22*, 32 and 38**

*ikonika not that godawful gayngs record
**glasser not nicki minaj

Funny how various commenters say that the Guardian list is so much worse than the NME or Pitchfork ones when, let's face it, about half the entries are exactly the same. When you've been reading this thread for the last few weeks the same names just shuffle around.

dorian i'm about to embark on the john grant album! i'll let you know how it goes.

I voted for 6 in the Guardian 40. Hot Chip/These New Puritans/John Grant near the top, and Ali & Toumani/Glasser/I Am Kloot near the bottom.

I thought the Guardian music team spent about two weeks being vocally underwhelmed en masse by the Kanye record so I'm genuinely surprised to see it turn up so high.

I actually spent so much time talking/thinking about it that I thought I must have cracked and voted for it but I just checked my ballot and no.

The John Grant album is the one that's come out of nowhere for me, never heard of it before.

17= Anaïs Mitchell Hadestown

Never heard of this either. What is it?

The Ikonika album is good but I can't help but feel that the Guido album is better and would play better with Guardian readers. Respect for voting Love King so high though.

Oh, the Anais Mitchell album appears to be a recording of a "folk opera" on Righteous Babe records described as "the story of Orpheus and Eurydice set in post-apocalyptic Depression-era America." Sounds kind of ludicrous but probably more interesting than another placing for Deerhunter.

Matt DC, I don't know how many critics are polled but it must be a fair number because neither Tom, Lex nor I voted for Kanye. I'm surprised by the same placings as you - not even heard of Anais Mitchell and found the Ikonika record very dull. But then it's good to be surprised by your own publication. Would never have predicted the National coming below Drake and Kelis.

Anyone else think it's a bit weird P4K putting three James Blake EPs in their albums list? It's not an album is it?

It's a trending topic!

#JamesBlakep4kcontrov