The best records of 2010

I know we are already into February, so this is a little late, but I still wanted to get my favorite records for 2010 out there. Some of them were late adds, so I m glad I got a little more time with them.

The nominees:
Brothers by The Black Keys
I love this record, it didn't win my record of the year, but it could have. One guy on drums and the other on guitar, what's not to love. They play stripped down rock and roll that is passionate and powerful. They also won the Colbert sell-out-athon with more songs in commercials than Vampire Weekend. You can hear the songs from this record on Cadillac, Subaru and about 25 other commercials. You know why? Because they are great songs. I have no problem with selling your song to a car company, you didn't create it for the commercial. You just made a great song that someone wants to pay you a lot of money to use, go for it.
Lucky Shiner by Gold Panda
What a beautiful record. If you just want to chill out and listen to something that will take you away to another world this is it. If I could make one record the sound track to my life this is it. I don't want to get into the exotica of electronic music and what is and isn't dubstep, I am too old for that. I just know this is awesome and I still can't stop listening to it.




My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
I'll be honest, I did not want to like this record. When Carrie Brownstein named it her record of the year on NPR's All Songs Considered, I thought she was crazy. I only liked one song the first time I heard it, because Kanye sings, "this is for the douche bags" and I thought he was talking about himself. Well damn it, this record has grown on me so much that I love it now when one of the songs pops up on my iPod. Kanye you are a douche bag. You are famous for being famous. You are now writing songs about the downside of the fame you don't deserve, but turns out they are great songs.

Treats by Sleigh Bells
When Robin Hilton named this his record of the year on NPR's All Songs Considered, he got unmitigated sh*t. People turned on him like a pack of wolves. I think Sleigh Bells is a band that provokes that kind of emotion, you either love them or you hate them. As Hilton said in his review, when I hear these songs I want to punch someone in the face. For that, I love them. The energy on this record is unparalleled. The funny thing is, the song that was a big radio hit was the one softer song. Go figure.



Love And Its Opposite by Tracey Thorn
I reviewed this record earlier in the year and it stayed with me as one of my favorites. Tracy Thorn is one half of the band Everything But The Girl. This is her third and best solo record. The emotion and rawness of this record is amazing. It also heartening and brave to see a women put out an age appropriate record.





What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood by The Mynabirds
Another record I reviewed earlier this year that didn't seem to make into any of the top 10 lists I saw out there. Laura Burhenn is a beautiful reincarnation of Dusty Springfield with a little Cat Power thrown in. "Numbers Don't Lie" is a candidate for my favorite song of the year.





This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
This is a record that got a lot of attention from all the major critics. As I said in my review, I missed out on LCD's first record and was glad to get acquainted with him this year. This is my favorite dance record of the year. The beats are amazing, you can't stop moving when you hear them, and as a bonus he has a great sense of humor. "Drunk Girls" and "Dance Yrself Clean" two candidates for song of the year.




Come Around Sundown by Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon rock. Done. Buy this.









New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh by Erykah Badu
I didn't want to buy this record. Frankly New Amerykah Part One was a mess and I did not enjoy it. This record is much more analog in the instrumentation and much more emotional in the lyrics and song choices. I hate to say this, but she went old school and it works all day. This is why we love Erykah Badu.






(And the winner is...) Record of the year:

Good Things by Aloe Blacc
This record rose to the top because it has everything. A great single, "I Need a Dollar," that was used as the title song in the HBO show, How to Make it in America; a singer with a great voice and a bunch of really emotional, passionate and grooving songs. I feel like Aloe Blacc is the Marvin Gaye for the new generation. His words are political and thought provoking but they are sung so smoothly and beautifully that you somehow feel like it's going to be all right.




Single of the year:

"F*** You" by Cee Lo Green
I saw that Cee Lo Green was going to be on Saturday Night Live and all I could think was how can he play that song on TV, he says the F word like 100 times. Because I have stopped listening to the radio, I didn't realize there was a radio friendly version of the song, where he sings "Forget You." What a let down, that version sucks. So that raises the question, do I only like this song for the shock value. Maybe, but it's also a good tune and he has so much fun with it, that it's still the one song that I have to stop everything and sing along with when it comes on.