My process for compiling my year end recap is a lengthy one consisting of rereading posts, revisiting albums, looking at my iTunes play count etc. The part I like doing the most though is asking friends, other writers, musicians what the highlights of their years was. So, this year I decided to ask some folks to guest post their “best of.”
The rules were very simple. They could choose theme, length and level of detail. The selection of guest writers is a truly random assortment and I look forward to introducing you to some folks whose opinions I respect and tastes I learn a lot from.
To kick things off I asked Chris, the man at the helm of Battering Room and one of the most fascination minds to pick about music, to share his favs from 2010. The resulting list is pretty sweet- a few I knew would be there and a few bands that are entirely new to me- and I think you’ll find the same.
1 Foals – Total Life Forever
2 Midlake – The Courage of Others
3 Mussels – When We had Nothing
4 Born Ruffians – Say It
5 Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
[MP3] Airplanes (live)
6 Junip – Fields
[MP3] Always (Runroc Remix)
7 Best Coast – Crazy For You
8 Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
[MP3] Vital Signs (Midnight Juggernauts Cover)
9 The Thermals – Personal Life
10 Fang Island – Fang Island
11 Dinosaur Feathers – Fantasy Memorial
[MP3] Fantasy Memorial
12 Crime In Stereo – I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone
13 Matt & Kim – Sidewalks
14 Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
15 Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
16 Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
17 Working For A Nuclear Free City – Jojo Burger Tempest
18 The Press – INTEOTWIJTEOAE
19 Medications – Completely Removed
20 Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
[MP3] Little Lion Man
21 Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
22 The Mugs – Gracias
23 The Besnard Lakes – Are The Roaring Night
24 The Megaphonic Thrift – Decay Decoy
25 The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
26 Girl Talk – All Day
27 Male Bonding – Nothing Hurts
28 Menomena – Mines
[MP3] Wet & Rusting
29 Cloud Cult – Light Chasers
30 Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart
If EPs are more your thing Chris was kind enough to toss in his top five of those too. In no particular order…
Highlife – Best Bless
Sufjan – All Delighted People
[MP3] Too Much (Short Version)
Milagres – Tour EP
Magnetic Island – Out At Sea
Keepaway – Baby Style
Marie Stella – Trust
Yawn – Yawn
[MP3] Kind Of Guy