Favorite Music of 2010

So here it is: another list of music. I’m not going to claim that these albums are the best albums of the year, but they’re pretty close (I just haven’t listened to Kanye yet).

Enjoy.

Favorite Albums: 2010
Honorable Mentions

20. Punchline – Delightfully Pleased
19. Anberlin – Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place
18. Weezer – Hurley
17. Paper Tiger – Made Like Us
16. OK Go – Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
15. Girl Talk – All Day
14. Hellogoobye – Would It Kill You?
13. The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever
12. House of Heroes – Suburba
11. Jimmy Eat World – Invented

10. The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
9. Eli “Paperboy” Reed – Come and Get It!
8. Dessa – A Badly Broken Code
7. The National – High Violet
6. Vampire Weekend – Contra
5. Lazerbeak – Legend Recognize Legend
4. Fang Island – Fang Island
3. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
2. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
1. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

Favorite Songs (no order)
Dessa – “Dixon’s Girl”
Mumford & Sons – “Sigh No More”
The Gaslight Anthem – “The Spirit of Jazz”
Sufjan Stevens – “Too Much”
Eli “Paperboy” Reed – “Come and Get It”
Cee Lo Green – “F You”
The Hold Steady – “The Weekenders”
The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
OK Go – “This Too Shall Pass”

Biggest Disappointment
The Rocket Summer – Of Men and Angels

Wish I Would Have Loved Earlier…Wish I would have loved e
K’Naan
Listener

Disclaimer: All of these decisions are subject to change without notice or reason.

Favorite Songs of 2010

Hellogoodbye – Would it Kill You?

Hellogoodbye – Would it Kill You?

2010

Probably my favorite album in this “genre” to come out this year. Steel Train’s was good, but I never really find myself wanting to listen to it. Young Veins wasn’t really memorable, and I ended up deleting it. Would it Kill You? has been a long time in the making. I don’t even remember when my preorder for Zombies! came in the mail with that funny fuzzy poster. This blows that album out of the water (and I enjoyed that album a lot). It has such good hooks and maturity, which makes pop music fantastic. This’ll probably end up on my end of the year list.

Albums I’m Digging (10/26/2010)

So I totally forgot about this blog. Ha. I think I’m going to try to update this thing weekly. No promises though.

Lazerbeak – Recognize Legend Recognize:  He’s not much of a singer or rapper, but he really makes it work. His lyrics are pretty simple, but again, it works. The beats are perfect for what he’s going for. He’s definitely going to end up in my top ten this year.

Jimmy Eat World – Invented: Please, it’s Jimmy. So I really did like Chase This Light, unlike many. It shows its place in their discography. I probably listen to it more than Bleed American. Anyway, the new album is just really good. Brings back a little darkness, which seems to be their trump card.

Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz: He’s back, and still fantastic. This was a big grower for me, but it seems to be blooming at the moment. Deeply personally and super interesting.

Valencia – Dancing with a Ghost: I’ve probably been digging this one less than the rest. I’m not totally sure why. It is really good. When it hits, it hits. I’m not sure it’ll make the top list of the year though.

Listener – Return to Struggleville: I think Matt sent me a video of them. Just great. Hip hop meets mewithoutYou (though apparently Listener has been doing this before Aaron Weiss). If anyone has their new album, I’d love to give it a listen.

Weezer – Hurley: Redemption is spelled H-U-R-L-E-Y. “Unspoken” is my jam.

Albums I’m Digging (6/29/2010)

It’s been a while since I’ve done on of these. Ha, oh well.

The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang: I’m really enjoying this one. I think I may like it a bit better than The ’59 Sound, but it may just because it’s new. It feels like they’re trying to be themselves now, instead of a band trying to do something different. I like that. Really honest and well written.

K’naan – Troubadour: So I heard this one on a whim from that World Cup song, I’m not gonna lie. May I just say that Wavin’ Flag is an incredible song. Not the Coca-cola remix, but the actual song about growing up on the streets of Africa. It gives me chills every time. The rest of the album has the same affect on me.

The Hold Steady – Heaven is Whenever: I love this album. Probably not as much as Boys and Girls, but it’s quite good. I love “The Weakenders” so much. Straight up rock with interesting vocals and stories.

Fang Island – Fang Island: Hardly any vocals, and they’re not really missed. The instrument work makes up for it in all cases. I love that they don’t really have a lead singer, they all just kind of go for it. Very creative and catchy. I’m always humming along.

Dessa – A Badly Broken Code: Good. rap. music. Legit lyrics and flow. The beats and instrumentation is so interesting and takes it above most in the genre.

The Rocket Summer – Of Men and Angels

The Rocket Summer – Of Men and Angels
2010

The Rocket Summer is a band that I always get excited about when a new album is released. I’m not sure if I’d put them in my top favorite bands, but I enjoy all of their albums almost equally. (I know he’s only one guy, so “them” is a misnomer). Anyway. Of Men and Angels is good. I wouldn’t say it’s great, but it’s good. It has some great songs though. “You Gotta Believe,” “Hills and Valleys,” and “Of Men and Angels” are some of the best songs Bryce has written. Of course along with this, there are some of his worst efforts. “Japanese Exchange Student” is no good, and “Tara, I’m Terrible”‘s title is not far off.

I think what this album suffers the most from, is that it has too many songs. I’m more of person who’d rather take quality over quantity. Give me 10 excellent songs over a mixed bag of 15. Save the rest for that B-Sides album you’ll release in a few years.

I think the album would be better if it went like this:

1. Roses
2. You Gotta Believe
3. Hills and Valleys
4. I Want Something to Live For
5. Walls
6. Pull Myself Together (Don’t Hate Me)
7. Of Men and Angels
8. Let You Go
9. This Is a Refuge
10. Light

I may also put “Walls” in as the closing track, because I think it throws off the flow.

So pretty much I dumped tracks 8-12. They’re not all terrible, but a lot of them are pretty mid-tempo and take away from the vibe and flow of the album. Actually thinking about it, I may replace “This Is a Refuge” with “Nothing Matters,” I probably like them about the same, but I don’t think both need to be there.

Anyway, this is another solid album from Bryce complete with soaring choruses, sunshine and bad album art: everything we’ve come to expect from Mr. Avery.

Favorite Music of 2009

I know you’ve all been anxiously awaiting this entry all year. Well here it is. I be no means claim this to be a “best of the year list.” It is a list of my favorite music. Granted, I believe that my musical taste is a cut above the average. All of these artists come highly recommended. Check them out. You may just find your new favorite band. Enjoy.

Favorite Albums: 2008
Honorable mentions

20. Person L – The Positives
19. Paramore – brand new eyes
18. Weezer – Raditude
17. Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
16. Coconut Records – Davy
15. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
14. The Swell Season – Strict Joy
13. The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
12. MUTEMATH – Armistice
11. Relient K – Forget and Not Slow Down

10. Say Anything – Say Anything
9. Movits! – Appelknyckarjazz
8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
7. P.O.S. – Never Better
6. fun. – Aim and Ignite
5. mewithoutYou – it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright
4. Freelance Whales – weathervanes
3. Sherwood – QU
2. Paper Route – Absence
1. The Dangerous Summer – Reach for the Sun

Favorite Songs (no order)
P.O.S. – “Purexed”
Appelknyckarjazz – “Epistel No. 1”
mewithoutYou – “The Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie″
Freelance Whales – “First Floor Generator”
The Dangerous Summer – “Weathered”
White Rabbits – “Percussion Gun”
Weezer – “Put Me Back Together”
The Swell Season – “Low Rising”
Sherwood – “Ground Beneath My Feet”
fun. – “Light a Roman Candle With Me”

Favorite eps
5. Jack’s Mannequine – Dear Jack
4. Gold Motel – Gold Motel
3. Death Cab for Cutie – The Open Door
2. Bon Iver – The Blood Bank
1. Sunbears! – Dream, Happy Dreams

Biggest Disappointment
Two Tongues – Two Tongues

Best Live Performances (no order)
The Gaslight Anthem/ Good Old War, Mr. Smalls
Copeland, Mr. Smalls
mewithoutYou, HUB
Punchline, Diesel
The Dangerous Summ, Diesel

Band Discoveries that I Should’ve Loved Earlier
Girl Talk
Under the Influence of Giants
P.O.S.

Favorite New Band (first full length released)
Freelance Whales
Paper Route

Favorite Covers
House of Heroes – “Can’t Buy Me Love (The Beatles)”
Weezer – “The Weight (The Band)”

For more comprehensive list visit: Rate Your Music

Disclaimer: All of these decisions are subject to change without notice or reason.

Favorite Albums of the 00′s

Here’s the list: Rate Your Music

I tried to include minimal albums from this year, and I only used one album per artist. I’d be full of mewithoutYou, Copeland, and Death Cab if I didn’t. Anyway, here it is.

Honorable Mentions:

Say Anything – …Is A Real Boy
Spoon – Kill the Moonlight
Deas Vail – All the Houses Look the Same
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
Punchline – Action
Ben Folds – Rockin the Suburbs
The National – Boxer
The New Amsterdams – At the Foot of My Revival
Weezer – Maladroit

25. The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow

24. Straylight Run – Straylight Run

23. Anberlin – Cities

22. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls of America

21. The Rocket Summer – Hello, Good Friend

20. Paper Route – Absence

19. Good Old War – The Only Way to Be Alone

18. Acceptance – Phantoms

17. Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger

16.The Dangerous Summer – Reach for the Sun

15. Bleach – Again, for the First Time

14. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals

13.Motion City Soundtrack – Commit This to Memory

12.The Gaslight Anthem – The 59′ Sound

11.House of Heroes – The End Is Not the End

10.Fall Out Boy – Take This To Your Grave

9.Sherwood – Sing, But Keep Going

8.Copeland – Beneath the Medicine Tree

7.Jimmy Eat World – Futures

6.The Format – Dog Problems

5.Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism

4.Relient K – Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right… But Three Do

3.The Postal Service – Give Up

2.Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise

1. mewithoutYou – Brother, Sister

Favorite Songs of 2009

Mid-Year Favorites 2009

So here are some of my favorite albums at this halfway point. No order should be taken yet.

mewithoutYou – it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright

The Dangerous Summer – Reach for the Sun

Paper Route – Absence

New Found Glory – Not Without a Fight

Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health

Sunbears – Dream Happy Dreams [ep]

Disappointed by:

This Providence – Who Are You Know?

Two Tounges – Two Tounges

Can’t quite get into:

Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything to Nothing

Kevin Devine – Brother’s Blood