AA's Top Ten of 2010

Let’s just get right into it. Here are my 10 favorite albums of 2010.

#10 Of Montreal – False Priest

The of Montreal gang is back and funkier than ever. They’ve infused their quirky sound with pure sex in a manner that only those arty rockers could do. I suppose hanging out with the Wondaland Arts Society and listening to a lot of Parliament was largely responsible for the new sound.



# 9 Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

While sticking to their experimental dreamy sound, Halcyon Digest is the clearest indication that Deerhunter has solidifed their own unique sound. Gone are the aimless clouds of noise that obscured some of their last album, and instead a coherent haze of noise has emerged. More aptly their unique style of coherent chaotic soundscapes has emerged, and it’s damn good.



#8 Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

I’m a bit shocked that this hasn’t been on more people’s lists this year. I’ve always been a tremendous fan of Broken Social Scene, so I suppose it comes as no surprise that their new album made my list. Their sound is always incredibly expansive, intricate, and elaborate, although that’s hardly surprising considering the bevy of talented musicians that are in the band. The album hangs together well, and their tendency to wander and compact a million different ideas into one song has been further refined as they string together a series of cohesive songs.



#7 Beach House – Teen Dream

While much more accessible than their previous albums, Teen Dream still has all the abstract and moody elements that made me fall in love with Beach House initially. The dark sensuous vocals, the dreamy organs, and the swirling guitars make for some pretty soothing yet melancholy music.



#6 The Pass – Burst

As I mentioned in a recent post, The Pass makes some of the most fun and danceable music that I’ve heard in a long time. Throwing this album on always makes a spontaneous dance party wherever you are.



#5 NYC UFO's – Newer Stations

Raw garage rock with a New York sound that sounds like The Strokes from a bunch of up and coming youngsters dropping their first album. ‘Nuff said.



#4 The Morning Benders - Big Echo

Their march to ever greater musical stardom continues on unimpeded. Who would have thought that the sleepy hills of Berkeley would produce such awesomely inspired music. Big Echo is an amazing follow up to their first album that establishes the Morning Benders’ own unique sound, shows their increasing maturity, and puts them on the path to ever greater heights.



#3 Shout Out Louds - Work

There’s just something about these Swedes that I love. They have this infectious sound that always puts a massive smile on my face. What better reason for liking an album a lot?



#2 The Black Keys – Brothers

Few good bands have that vintage pure rock and roll sound these days, but album after album The Black Keys have managed to keep their edge. In large part, it’s due to the fact that they understand that rock n’ roll evolved from the blues. So I suppose it’s no surprise that on Brothers, they take their explorations of the underpinnings of rock even further by delving into Mo-Town soul and doo wop to find an even more inspired sound.



#1 Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

While Arcade Fire’s new album being at the top of lists is getting to become a cliché, the hype is deserved. This was the album that I most eagerly looked forward to all year, and the album actually lived up to their inflated reputation.

Thoughtful, mature, and hauntingly good, they continue to grapple with serious issues moving beyond youthful angst and rebellion to a quiet understanding of their new lives. Moreover, their anthemic rock is absurdly catchy and always emotionally raw. The crack in Win Butler’s voice is no longer as melancholy as it once was, but it’s still equally as powerful and earnest.

I mean seriously, it’s pretty damn hard not to like such a genuinely nice band.

Broken Social Scene - New York 9/18 Summerstage Concert Review

Update: For photos and videos from the show head over to Brooklyn Vegan

I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a show than Broken Social Scene’s appearance at Summerstage in Central Park New York last Sunday. Due to many unfortunate events, primarily my laziness and geographic location, I never actually made it to see BSS live despite many ill-fated attempts in the past 4 years. Fortunately, like a spoiled little girl receiving her pony for Christmas, I finally had the pleasure of watching BSS live for the first time and HOLY SHIT was it amazing.

With such a large and ever changing lineup it’s difficult to predict who will be at their show. This time around when the band came on stage it was full of familiar faces with regulars Charles Spearin, Kevin Drew, Andrew Whiteman, Brendan Canning, Lisa Lobsinger, and Justin Peroff all in attendance as well as an impressive horn section.

The band made full use of their 2 hours, playing continuously and refusing to take a break even for an encore. Kevin Drew simply stated, “Fuck it. We don’t have time to get off stage and come back on, so this is the encore right now.”

They went full throttle early playing “Texico Bitches” and immediately followed it up with “7/4 Shoreline.” The crowd was equally as pleased with newer songs like “Sweetest Kill” and “Forced to Love” as they were with “Fire Eyed Boy” and “Looks Just Like the Sun.”

Highlights of the show include the always intimate “Lover’s Spit” where the band departed for a few moments for a brief Kevin Drew solo, Lisa Lobsinger’s dizzying ethereal vocals on “Anthem For a Seventeen Year Old Girl,” the long solos and improv driven version of “Stars and Sons,” and of course their unbelievable energy on “Meet Me In The Basement.” Nearly an hour and half into their set, everything seemed to have built up to “Meet Me In the Basement,” where the band’s energy really peaked. They retreated from the microphones to congregate in the center of the stage to unleash a flurry of screaming guitars and thumping bass to an anthemic drum beat.

For the most part, the show had this same amazing voyeuristic feel as if we were privy to the greatest jam session ever amongst a large group of insanely talented friends. The session was only occasionally interrupted, when Kevin Drew would realize there was an audience present and acknowledge our presence much to the crowd’s delight.

His banter was full of bratty swagger but oddly playful and humble in an endearing way. At one point, he urged the crowd in joining him in chanting, “Fuck you I won’t do you what you tell me.” While at another point, Kevin Drew expressed his dismay with the proposed outdoor smoking ban in New York by lighting up a cigarette and exaggeratedly enjoying it. These moments were interspersed with humility where he generously thanked the crowd for its attendance and support over the years. Later, he would send Brendan Canning, Charles Spearin, and Sam Goldberg crowd surfing while he gently admonished the crowd to be careful like a clucking mother hen.

All in all another fantastic Broken Social Scene concert. Their insane talent and passion for music was blatantly obvious as they played an adrenaline fueled non-stop 2 hours of music. More importantly, their desire to put on a good show for their fans was clear.