Well another year has ended and a new one has begun. I finished off the year watching two good friends get married New Years eve and started 2011 at Disneyland which has become a new annual tradition. So after dancing all night in stilettos and then walking all day at Disneyland my feet are getting some much needed rest as I reflect on a great year of new music.
Putting together my top 10 album releases gave me a great excuse to go through my iTunes library and rediscover some great music. Though many of my favorite finds last year didn't nessesarily release in 2010 I thought I should stay true and just pick my favorite albums actually released in 2010 (with that can I give special mention to Florence + The Machine... 2009 claims this beauty). I also decided to exclude EPs. So in no particular order and for no other reason other then the fact that I love it and it makes me happy here is my top 10 of 2010:
The Daylights - This great L.A. band is fresh off their tour with Needtobreathe and hasn't left my car stereo since I bought it at the release party in September.
Sleigh Bells - Treats. This album is unlike most of the music in my library but I can't get enough since I first heard them during my brief stint with satellite radio.
Greg Laswell - Take A Bow. Nothing much I can say other then the fact that his voice does bad bad things to me... Oh Ingrid Michaelson you are a lucky women.
Andrew Belle - The Ladder. Another voice I can't get enough of and apparently the music supervisor of Grey's Anatomy can't either. We have good taste...
Punch Brothers - Antifogmatic. While I have great memories of listening to Chris Thile in Nicklecreek this new project is way more fun. Especially when they don't mind you cornering them for a picture...
The Morning Benders - Big Echo. This June album release was just in time to be my perfect summer soundtrack.
The Black Keys - Brothers. This in absolutely fantastic album that hasn't left my car stereo since its day of release. I pretty sure I've amused a few fellow drivers with my inability to resist dancing to this music.
Vampire Weekend - Contra. Its a good thing this album did well this year after the model on the cover decided to sue the band, photographer and company. In any case I can't resist singing along and usually break into song quite often with my coworker, "In December drinking horchata I look psychotic in my balaclava!"
Sia- We Are Born. This girl sings with such passion all the time and her album covers show how quirky she is. Fun and colorful is putting her style simply.
Frightened Rabbit - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks. This Scottish band brings an album of tracks filled with songs about feeling alone, lost and on the edge but pushing through. I believe we’ve all felt that way at one point or another and I don’t know about you but it’s always been nice to hear songs written by others who have gone through the same things. Somehow though the subject matter sounds severe the music itself is light, upbeat and encouraging.
(Honorable mention goes to The Weepies, Audra Mae and Fitz & The Tanrums)
Top Music Memories of 2010:
Punch Brothers
Seeing The Civil Wars live finally and meeting them after!
In case you missed the 2011 Grammy Awards this year there is just one performance you must see. Sure Lady Gaga did her usual craziness, and Cee Lo Green wore a bird suit... however it wasn't an official performance that made me jump up with glee and squeal like a little girl. It was actually John Mayer, Norah Jones and Keith Urban presenting the award for Song of the Year with a little improv performance of one of my favorite songs of all time, Jolene by Dolly Parton. The combination of all their voices with John and Keith's crazy guitar skills filled my roommates and I with absolute delight and we quickly rewound and rewatched it. The only bad part was how short it was. Someone please tell these three to do a project together! Pretty please!
