I can say with 100% confidence that if it weren’t for Guha I wouldn’t have the same appreciation for and curiosity about indie music of all varieties. He was the booker for The Cave, the student run pub on my college campus, and in my four years there was instrumental in bringing some exceptional musicians to my attention. Even though the college years are long gone Guha still sends me new artists he has discovered and carries on the conversation about music past, present and future. If there is anyone I’d love to have as a regular contributor to TWIAPC ia would be this man. Alas, he is off doing super honorable environmental research which makes him a very very busy fella. However, he did take some time to pull together these awesome lists looking back on the music that grabbed his attention in 2010.
21 Worded Songs
Antony and the Johnsons, “Thank You For Your Love“
Arcade Fire, “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
Black Keys, “Everlasting Light“
Das Racist, “Who’s That? Brooown!“
Roky Erickson with Okkervil River, “Goodbye Sweet Dreams“
Frightened Rabbit, “Living In Colour“
Gorillaz, “On Melancholy Hill“
Grinderman, “Palaces Of Montezuma“
Konono No. 1, “Konono Wa Wa Wa“
LCD Soundsystem, “All I Want” (Live)
Janelle Monae featuring Big Boi, “Tightrope“
The New Pornographers, “Crash Years“
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, “Say No To Love“
Retribution Gospel Choir, “Hide It Away“
Superchunk, “Digging For Something“
11 Wordless Albums
The Bad Plus, Never Stop
Brooklyn Rider, Dominant Curve
The Nels Cline Singers, Initiate
Emerson String Quartet, Old World – New World
Hilary Hahn; Vasily Petrenko Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Higdon/Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos
Vijay Iyer, Solo
Rudresh Mahanthappa & Steve Lehman, Dual Identity
Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green, Apex
Brad Mehldau, Highway Rider
Jason Moran, Ten
Steve Reich (eighth blackbird/Bang On A Can), Double Sextet/2×5
1 Greatest Musical Moment EVER
No Age/Sonic Youth/Pavement at the Hollywood Bowl