Category Archives: Best Of ’10

12.30.2011 · 5:34 pm

Looking Back: Best Of 2010

About this time a year ago, I posted my favorite albums of 2010. Looking at my Top 10 from last year, it’s pretty amazing to think about how they compare to this year. I’m not sure if it’s simply the quality of what’s been released in 2011…or maybe it’s how attached I became to the music…but my favorite albums THIS year seem to be of a much higher caliber. My 2011 list will be up on the 1st of the year!

pH balanced –  Top 10 of 2010:

1. Vampire Weekend – Contra
2. Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms
3. Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs – God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise’
4. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
5. The Black Keys – Brothers
6. The New Pornographers – Together
7. Josh Ritter – So Runs The World Away
8. Ben Folds & Nick Hornby – Lonely Avenue
9. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
10. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

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01.04.2011 · 8:19 pm

Favorite Songs Of 2010

Alright, I’m completely milking this Best Of 2010 thing, but this is the last entry, I promise! This is a slowish time of year for new music…in a week or two, I’ll be in better shape on here. For now, enjoy my 5 favorite songs of 2010. The songs I listened to over and over and over and over and over…

Guster – “Do You Love Me?”

Robert Randolph & the Family Band feat. Ben Harper  – “If I Had My Way”

Galactic feat. Irma Thomas – “Heart Of Steel”

Cee-Lo Green – “Fuck You”


Frightened Rabbit  – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”

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01.02.2011 · 2:09 pm

Close Calls

After revealing my Top 25 album picks for 2010, I thought I’d mention a few artists that ALMOST made the list. Here are 10 songs that I really loved this year… in most cases, the entire album as a whole didn’t do it for me, so that’s why it didn’t land on my list.

Justin Townes Earle – “Harlem River Blues”
Fistful Of Mercy – “Father’s Son”
Frightened Rabbit – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
Peter Gabriel – “The Power Of the Heart”
Xavier Rudd & Izintaba – “Time To Smile”
Jack Johnson – “You and Your Heart”
Trombone Shorty – “Backatown”
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim feat. Sia – “Never So Big”
Galactic feat. Irma Thomas – “Heart Of Steel”
Punch Brothers – “Rye Whiskey”

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01.01.2011 · 10:07 am

My Favorite Albums Of 2010

After some deliberation, I’ve finalized my Best Of 2010 list. Let me know what albums on here you also loved, and feel free to give me suggestions if you think I missed something. The music world is so dang vast, and I’m always psyched to be introduced to new stuff. Here’s to a new year! I’m already VERY psyched for new music in 2011…

1. Vampire Weekend – Contra

2. Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms

3. Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs – God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise


4. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor

5. The Black Keys – Brothers

6. The New Pornographers – Together

7. Josh Ritter – So Runs The World Away

8. Ben Folds & Nick Hornby – Lonely Avenue

9. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

10. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

11. Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame
12. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
13. Anais Mitchell – Hadestown
14. Spoon – Transference
15. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – I Learned the Hard Way
16. Ryan Montbleau Band – Heavy On the Vine
17. Joe Pug – Messenger
18. Martin Sexton – Sugarcoating
19. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
20. The National – High Violet
21. Dwight & Nicole – !Signs
22. She & Him – Volume II
23. Robert Randolph & the Family Band – We Walk This Road
24. David Gray – Founding
25. The Weepies – Be My Thrill

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thanks for reading!

pH

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12.27.2010 · 11:48 pm

Best Of ’10: Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend… I know I did! I had some time to listen more closely to the latest Arcade Fire album. I will admit, I’m just not as WILD about it as a lot of people I know. Don’t get me wrong, it’s SOLID, and I’m sure I’ll love it even more the more I listen. It just wasn’t one of the albums that really grabbed me and held on this year. But it should definitely be on the radar when I finalize my Top 25 list… it’ll be posted within the next few days!

Favorite tracks: “Ready To Start”, “Modern Man”, “We Used To Wait”

Check it out if you like:

Arcade Fire
The Suburbs

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12.15.2010 · 11:33 pm

Best Of ’10: Local Natives

Local Natives – Gorilla Manor

There’s so much music out there and I’m mostly excited by that fact, but occasionally I have moments where I get bummed that I’ll always be missing out on so much good stuff. Ultimately, I’m just thankful for the amazing music that my friends, family, co-workers, and the internet have all pointed me towards. I could have easily overlooked this band, but I’m so glad they were highly recommended to me. Gorilla Manor is so gorgeous throughout, with unique compositions and soaring harmonies. Local Natives have won me over with their debut album, and they’re probably my favorite new band out there… well… that I’ve heard :)

Favorite tracks: “Airplanes”, “World News”, “Who Knows, Who Cares”

Check it out if you like:

Local Natives
Gorilla Manor
MySpace

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12.07.2010 · 7:12 pm

Best Of ’10: The Black Keys

The Black Keys – Brothers

This album is a sure bet for my Top 25 list. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are The Black Keys and these two guys really know how to put a song together. From the first track of Brothers, they had me on the edge of my seat to hear what was coming next. Their songs (and this album as a whole) sonically reach unexpected places that just sound SO GOOD. It’s a sound that’s tough to describe and almost impossible to compare to much else… a sound that got them 4 Grammy nominations!

Favorite tracks: “Everlasting Light”, “Tighten Up”, “Howlin’ For You”

Check it out if you like:

The Black Keys
Brothers
MySpace

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11.30.2010 · 4:28 pm

Best Of ’10: Band Of Horses

Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms

I’m really not sure why there was disappointment from BoH fans when this album came out. It’s been one of my favorite and most listened to albums of the year, especially for cold weather and dreary days. Most songs are somber, echoy, and dreamlike, with a sprinkle of more energetic tunes like “Compliments”, “Laredo”, “Dilly”, and “NW Apt”. Infinite Arms has been on repeat in my car for the last few months – the perfect soundtrack to my short little drives around the island… and it’s even better when listened to from start to finish.

Favorite tracks: “Factory”, “Blue Beard”, “Infinite Arms”

Check it out if you like:

Band Of Horses
Infinite Arms
MySpace

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11.27.2010 · 12:22 am

Best Of ’10: Ray LaMontagne

Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs – God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise

The 10 tracks on Ray LaMontagne’s new self-produced album are dripping with the same soul and heartache that are felt in his previous releases. The first track, “Repo Man”, starts things off with a bang, but the rest of the album is lilting and somber. As always, LaMontagne writes thought-provoking and retrospective lyrics that cut to the core. The album is rich with pedal steel (featured on almost every track), which gives me that feeling of watching the sun rise or set…as pictured in the album artwork! This is sure to be one of my top 10 albums of the year, especially after seeing almost every new song performed live at the Bank Of America Pavilion show in August.

Favorite tracks: “Repo Man”, “Beg, Steal, or Borrow”, “Like Roll & Roll and Radio”

Check it out if you like:

Ray LaMontagne
God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise
MySpace

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11.22.2010 · 6:28 pm

Best Of ’10: Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend – Contra

Sometimes January releases can slip through the cracks when the year comes to an end and people compile their “Best Of” lists. This album is NOT one that I’ll soon forget about. In fact, Contra (Vampire Weekend’s sophomore release) is sure to be in my top 5… this Brooklyn-based band continues to delight me with their fun, catchy, smile-inducing tunes while also adding depth to their sound and to their lyrics with songs like “Taxi Cab”, “Run” and “I Think You’re a Contra”. This band is so easy for so many people to hate, but I’m totally won over thus far.

Favorite tracks: “Horchata”, “White Sky”, “Giving Up the Gun”

Check it out if you like:

Vampire Weekend

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