The Tracklist's Top 20 Albums of 2010

It seems like just yesterday I was ranking the best albums of 2009 and here we are again. Last year's list was a tall task. I had just started this blog in July '09 and had a very broad idea of what I wanted to do here. This year I felt I was able to hone in on the genre and overall feel of the music I wanted to cover; thereby leading to a much clearer year-end list.

Without any further ado, here are my Top 20 Albums of 2010.


20. Sleigh Bells - Treats


19. Matt & Kim - Sidewalks


18. Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love


17. She & Him - Volume Two


16. Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP


15. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms


14. The Morning Benders - Big Echo


13. Best Coast - Crazy For You


12. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz


11. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach


10. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening


9. The Black Keys - Brothers


8. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life


7. Weezer - Hurley


6. Ra Ra Riot - The Orchard


5. The Drums - The Drums


4. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy


3. Vampire Weekend - Contra


2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs


1. Beach House - Teen Dream

Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"

Sufjan's second release of 2010 after All Delighted People in August (read about it here). I really liked that record but The Age of Adz is something else entirely. I'll be the first to admit I don't know all the nuances of Electronica -- at times the bleeps and bloops just seem random -- but if Sufjan loses the listener in places, he never loses himself. Yes, this album is rife with experimentation but you can still hear Sufjan's orchestration. As a composer, his songs are always building, building, building. He does lose some of the intimacy he shared on previous records but the melodies continue. And I must mention 25 minute closer "Impossible Soul". It is a symphony unto itself featuring movements, themes, and a storyline all it's own.

Must hear: Too Much

(Release Date: 10/12/10)

Mike Posner "31 Minutes to Takeoff"

Someone I work with has been asking for this review for awhile. He likes Mike Posner's back story of how he was recording demos in his dorm room and got signed to a major label and then just blew up.

By now everyone should have heard his worldwide hit "Cooler Than Me". Lyrically, the rest of the album is quite similar to this track. It almost acts as a diary of his college experiences. Musically, the record covers a variety of sounds and influences. However -- amazingly -- at no point does it seem like it is covering new ground.

Must hear: Cooler Than Me

(Release Date: 8/10/10)

Girls "Broken Dreams Club EP"

Girls released their debut album late last year and it earned a lot of praise from a lot of people (including me). While we all eagerly await Album #2, Girls has whet our appetite with this 6-song EP entitled Broken Dreams Club. You can tell immediately from the similar album cover that it won't be deviating far from its predecessor.

While there are certainly some similarities, this is a great step forward. You can sense a different production value about it. Much more instrumentation on these tracks -- a wider array of sounds and textures. Lead singer Christopher Owens sounds more confident as a musician and songwriter, while still crafting lyrics that charmingly lack confidence. This small glimpse shows that Girls is on the right path and it certainly raises the bar for what their second full-length could accomplish.

Must hear: Heartbreaker

(Release Date: 11/22/10)

N.E.R.D. "Nothing"

N.E.R.D. is well beyond the stage in their careers where they sell 100,000 records in one week. They're past the initial lovefest when everyone is jumping on their bandwagon as the next great thing. Truth be told, the hope for this group was always based on Pharrell and Chad Hugo's production skills as The Neptunes. But then the world heard Pharrell's falsetto and girls everywhere swooned and people mistook popularity for quality.

Of course the adoration wasn't completely undeserved. In Search Of... is one of the greatest debut albums ever and Fly or Die had a huge hit in "She Wants to Move". But then Pharrell went down the solo path recording with Snoop Dogg ("Beautiful") and putting out his own album. When the boys got back together 4 years later there was no longer a market for them.

Nothing has kind of an old-timey feel to it. Could be an interesting concept when done correctly but with these guys you expect groundbreaking and this is far from it.

Must hear: Hot-n-Fun (f. Nelly Furtado)

(Release Date: 11/2/10)

Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (ADVANCE)

It's amazing how regardless of the shit storm Kanye has been in throughout this past year it always comes back to the music. And order is restored. And all is forgiven.

First and foremost -- lest this be forgotten -- Kanye is an artist. He's creative, quirky, crazy. But these are the tools he uses to create his art. And what's nice about it is that it's not just still life; it's performance art. He doesn't just rap his verses, he lives them. And he is exactly who we want him to be. Which is to say that the bravado, the cockiness, is justified because of the end result. It's unfair not to take the good with the bad as they both make him who he is.

Let's talk about Taylor Swift. Fully knowing it's only the MTV VMA's, how can she win the Best Female Video category and Beyonce win the overall Best Video category? C'est impossible. Kanye was drunk, yes. Kanye is bff's w/ Jay & B, yes. Taylor Swift is "an innocent", yes. BUT THIS IS KANYE. Nothing he does should surprise us because he's been up front about it the whole time. Check out this line from "Stronger":
"You should be honored by my lateness / That I would even show up to this fake shit / So go ahead go nuts, go ape shit."

He's saying that to paying customers at his concert! He doesn't give a fuck about us as a consumer, only as fans. He's all about the music and he just wants us to focus on his music and let him do whatever he needs to that keeps letting that creativity come out.

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But let's get to the task at hand. "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is very G.O.O.D. (See what I did there?) Even though only the clean/edited version has leaked it really doesn't feel lacking except for a few key spots where some adult language is missing.

I went in expecting it to be overkill hearing songs that he already released as G.O.O.D. Friday tracks. They weren't singles played on the radio but they had heavy rotation on my iPod. The big surprise is that most of them are different mixes and have either little tweaks ("Monster") or an extra verse ("Devil in a New Dress") or a 3 minute outro ("Runaway"). They really freshen up the songs and keep you wanting to come back and study them even more sonically and lyrically.

Must hear: Runaway (f. Pusha T)

(Release Date: 11/22)

The Drums "The Drums"

The Drums have been getting a lot of buzz as one of the best new bands of the year. They have a very distinct guitar pop sound. It's almost a social experiment, in a sense. The crunching of the guitars overwhelm our senses because we are so accustomed to -- and even expect -- lighter sounding pop songs. It's a rebellion against the pre-packaged B.S. the major labels release and radio stations play, and it is a desperately needed breath of fresh air.

But lyrically it's pop through and through. Catchy little songs with numerous repetitions to get stuck in your head. But again, you can't assume the lyrics are soft because of the "pop" label. The opening line of the album is, "You're my best friend but then you died." This should tell you everything you need to know about what The Drums are trying to accomplish.

Must hear: Me and the Moon

(Release Date: 6/7/10)

Matt & Kim "Sidewalks" (ADVANCE)

One year after their breakout hit Grand (and it's ridiculously fun single "Daylight"), Matt & Kim are back with another high energy, dance-tastic treat in Sidewalks. It's upbeat, it's fun and it's rocking. Check out lead single "Cameras" below. One of my favorite lines from that song, "My water comes straight from the tap / And those bottles are all just for show" proves that their recent success hasn't exactly gone to their heads.

Must hear: Cameras

(Release Date: 11/2/10)

Belle & Sebastian "Write About Love"

Belle & Sebastian's long awaited follow up to their breakout hit The Life Pursuit. Not a lot of risks here; it's another collection of mid-tempo, old-timey pop songs. Certainly not the game-changer some expected but the formula wasn't broken in the first place. The guitars still jangle and the vocals still harmonize.

Must hear: I Want The World To Stop

(Release Date: 10/12/10)

Marina & the Diamonds "The Family Jewels"

Not to be confused with the similarly named Florence & the Machine, Marina's debut release came just 4 months after Florence's. Marina & the Diamonds is like a dance pop version of Regina Spektor -- similarly known for her piano prowess, soaring vocals and oddball lyrics. I'm only 2 sentences into this review and have already used the word "similarly" twice. Normally the kiss of death but this really is like nothing else out right now. It's easier to describe as a variation of something that already exists. Here's one more -- she's like a warmer, more inviting La Roux. Nevermind, just have a listen.

Must hear: Hollywood

(Release Date: 2/15/10)

Sleigh Bells "Treats"

I'm not late to the hype, just late to the bandwagon. I heard about these guys early this year... probably around SXSW. Except I found their sound to be abrasive and didn't understand how people were classifying them as "pop". The only song I heard that I liked was "Rill Rill" which is sort of the black sheep of the album.

What really turned me onto these guys was a mashup album created by DJ O-Face called Jay Bells. That's right, Jay-Z and Sleigh Bells. I had never considered the "abrasive" beats they sang their "pop" songs over are like hip-hop beats. The best mashup on the record is "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" rapped over "Crown On The Ground". It absolutely owned my soul for a couple weeks.

So I went back to Treats and that's when it all fell into place. The songs made sense and it was a fun listen. Impossible not to get into.

Must hear: Rill Rill (& Dirt Off Your Crown by DJ O-Face [#6])

(Release date: 5/11/10)



DJ O-Face Presents: Jay Bells (Jay​-​Z vs. Sleigh Bells) by Hypetrak

Weezer "Hurley" (ADVANCE)

Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news. Hurley is better than the album cover would make you think. Reports of the forthcoming apocalypse seem to be unfounded, as Hurley takes Weezer back to where they were before the 2 very wrong turns of The Red Album and Raditude.

The Red Album was a challenging concept that didn't lend itself to mainstream acceptance. Raditude was much too sophomoric for the now 40 year old Rivers Cuomo to get away with. As a matter of fact, Rivers seems to be through his mid-life crisis and is finally acknowledging his age; this record is bookended by the songs "Memories" and "Time Flies".

It sounds like Rivers has found his voice again. These new songs harken back to Weezer's heyday. It is a brand of enjoyable, intuitive power pop-rock. Even the 4 bonus tracks on the Deluxe Edition (including a cover of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida") are top notch.

Must hear: Ruling Me

(Release Date: 9/14/10)

Brandon Flowers "Flamingo" (ADVANCE)

Much like Julian Casablancas and (to a lesser extent) Dan Auerbach last year, the lead singer of a reputable rock band has decided to release a solo album. Brandon Flowers, if you don't know, is the frontman of The Killers. Flowers is a showman, first and foremost, and with the Killers he usually knocks it out of the park. But without having to listen to input from other band members it can really let an ego run wild and prevent the best possible song from being made.

These were my thoughts going into it. Most lead singers fail solo. It's the Beyonces that are the rare cases. Casablancas' solo turn was a complete 180 from the Strokes. They're garage rock and he went electronic. Flowers also went in the opposite direction of his main band. The Killers are heavy synthpop so Flowers went for a more straightforward rock sound.

It's actually not bad. A little preachy at points but he does well to stay away from anything that would make you think "this is a Killers song." The biggest issue I have is that he buried the lead single "Crossfire" as the 8th track on this 10 song set. You want to grab the listener quickly with something they are familiar with and presumably like. Now, it's a rookie move making it the first track but it needs to fall between songs 2-4. A petty point sure but something that is awkwardly noticeable.

Must hear: Crossfire

(Release Date: 9/14/10)

Ra Ra Riot "The Orchard"

Ra Ra Riot's sophomore release takes the mid-tempo, baroque pop they introduced on their debut and expand it into something more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, The Rhumb Line had its moments but it's mostly downtrodden.

The Orchard opens up with the strings-heavy title track, the lead single, and a possible future single. The middle third loses focus and is uninteresting until the tail end of "You And I Know", which really sets up the rest of the album to go out in a blaze.

Now anyone who discusses Ra Ra Riot is contractually obligated to mention Vampire Weekend so I will make this my final point. I think Contra is one of the best albums this year and was a huge step forward for VW. I am willing to put The Orchard right up there as a gem of 2010 and the most complete album RRR have made.

Must hear: Boy

(Release Date: 8/24/10)

Beach House "Zebra EP"

Beach House's Teen Dream is still in the lead for my year-end rankings, so when I heard they had put out an additional EP, I had to take a listen. It consists of 4 tracks: a radio edit of "Zebra" (from Teen Dream), a remix of "10 Mile Stereo" (also from Teen Dream), and 2 new songs.

"Zebra" was one of my favorite songs off their full-length release but I am not a fan of this radio edit. It is probably fine if you have never heard the original, but they cut out a full minute and it loses a lot of ambiance. I also didn't care for the "10 Mile Stereo" remix. They totally lost the original song in there.

The real treat for me was one of the new songs, "The Arrangement". It is just as good as anything on Teen Dream and would have fit in nicely on that album. Either way, it's a treasure as a B-side.

Must hear: The Arrangement

(Release Date: 4/17/10)

Sufjan Stevens "All Delighted People EP"

While people have been debating which state was getting the Sufjan-treatment next, after the huge success of Illinois and Michigan, Stevens has kept busy. In 2009 he wrote a symphony about New York's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway entitled The BQE and performed it at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House. Later in 2009 he released a new version of his Enjoy Your Rabbit record rearranged for strings and re-titled Run Rabbit Run.

So it should be of some surprise that Stevens had time to create, and that no one was even expecting, a brand new album. All Delighted People was released on his website just yesterday; completely out of the blue and with no marketing buzz. Yet by late afternoon he was the #1 trending topic on Twitter. It's really an amazing story and we don't need to wait for the sales numbers to say that it was a success.

The real gem on this release is the title track. It's an 11 minute epic that culminates in a rising fury of strings. The other songs are classic Sufjan: folk, storytelling style, religious allusions, etc. A must for any music fan.

Must hear: All Delighted People (Original)

(Release Date: 8/20/10)

Best Coast "Crazy for You"

Best Coast is a special brand of lo-fi surf pop; and on this, their debut release, they lay the groundwork for something special. It's funny, I remember having a similar sentiment to last year's Girls' album.

Depending on your generation, the term surf pop either makes you think of the Beach Boys or Jack Johnson. But JJ is a bit mellower than Best Coast and early Beach Boys consisted mostly of pop anthems. This album made me think of Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys. I know, I know - blasphemy. What I mean is it's more based in reality. It's not bubblegum pop. It's "Wouldn't It Be Nice" yearnings to be with someone. It's "Sloop John B" yearnings for the comforts of home. Serious matters presented in an easily identifiable package of pop music.

I think the lo-fi aspect of the recording is what really sets it apart. If it was just another clean cut, perfectly produced, shiny ribbon on top assortment of pop songs then it wouldn't have the impact that this collection does.

Must hear: Boyfriend

(Release Date: 7/27/10)

Arcade Fire "The Suburbs" (ADVANCE)

The Arcade Fire are back! 3 years after the release of Neon Bible and 6 years after their world-changing debut, Funeral, the band re-introduces themselves with The Suburbs.

The Suburbs reminds me of the already classic film Inception. It is heavily layered. There's the main theme throughout the record; namely, growing up in the suburbs. But then there are additional themes within each song. Also like Inception, one of the first songs/images you see reappears at the end. In this case, the titular song opens the record and also closes it but with a sparser, orchestral mixing.

There are a lot of standout tracks here. Some of my favorites include The Suburbs, Modern Man, Rococo, Month of May, Sprawl & Sprawl II. And it's a much more diverse Arcade Fire than I'm accustomed to. They have the usual expansive strings, some real steam train rockers, and one electronic surprise.

Must hear: The Suburbs

(Release Date: 8/2/10)

The Constellations "Southern Gothic"

The Constellations self-released this album in 2008 but now that they have latched on with a major label they are getting a proper debut. Other than a wider marketing campaign, the only difference from their self-issued version is the addition of the song "Weighing Me Down" in lieu of "Remurder is a Lovemix".

These guys play with a lot of different sounds and genres from rock to hip-hop to soul to electronic. Very eclectic and yet it all feels like it fits together. And that's no small task.

The band has set out to make a record about their hometown Atlanta. It's more The Hold Steady (bar rock) than it is Outkast (ATLiens) but there is definitely something here to build on. It's singable, it's danceable, it's all-around enjoyable.

Must hear: Felicia

(Release Date: 6/22/10)

The Roots "How I Got Over" (ADVANCE)

So Questlove has been blowing up my Twitter stream about his new album 'HIGO' so I had to give it a listen. I have ZERO history with The Roots, other than knowing they are one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop and R&B and that their music is a fusion of Funk, Soul, and Jazz. It's a delicate balance yet they manage it incredibly well.

The music on this album is light enough to allow you to pay attention to the rhymes being dropped over it but simultaneously captivating enough to entertain you fully during the transitions. It's really incredible to listen to a band who is both politically charged and technically sound. The fact that they are great musicians just adds to their message.

Must hear: How I Got Over

(Release Date: 6/22/10)

The National "High Violet"

Our personal lives cause us to see things, hear things, and perceive things in a certain way. It directly reflects our likes and dislikes at that time. I believe this is true for most people. Why do I mention this now? I find this National album to be very steeped in emotion. When I first listened to it I just couldn't get into it. This record was not made for a passive audience. You have to be able to relate to the stories, to the singer's plight. Just throw yourself into it and let it wash over you.

My first listen only claimed "Terrible Love" as an interesting song. My second listen enlightened me to three more enjoyable songs. And so on it goes. I'm sure if you have listened to the National previously that it is easier to jump into their new album. However, for anyone giving them a shot for the first time: be patient. Allow your first listen to be entirely consumed by Matt Berninger's distinctive voice. Then you can move on and judge the music itself.

Must hear: Terrible Love

(Release Date: 5/11/10)

Crash Kings "Crash Kings"

By now you may have heard the Crash Kings song and legitimate hit "Mountain Man". It recently reached #1 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. This isn't an entire album of "Mountain Man" sound-alikes but it is better than anticipated. I hear a lot of different musical influences here: The White Stripes, Ben Folds, Weezer, Queen, The Fray, Snow Patrol, Augustana, etc. It may not be the most original material but if you're going to copy styles at least they're taking it from well-liked and successful bands.

Must hear: Mountain Man

(Release Date: 5/26/09)

The Dead Weather "Sea of Cowards"

Part 4 of Jack White's "I'd rather do anything than put out another White Stripes album" mid-career crisis. Two Raconteurs albums later and only 10 months after the first Dead Weather record, White brings back Alison Mosshart, Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence for another go-round. My initial thought was "B-sides". A quick, slapped together album made simply to capitalize on the success of their debut (A classic example being The Doors' Strange Days).

What really gives it away is that no song lasts longer than 3:45. Not something I would normally point out but Horehound had 4 songs longer than that. They just seem less invested in making this a piece of art and more invested in exploiting their current popularity to sell more records.

Must hear: Die By The Drop

(Release Date: 5/11/10)

Band of Horses "Infinite Arms" (ADVANCE)

NOTE: You can stream the album for free here.

This is a mood album. It works best when you're in a certain frame of mind. It's mostly mid-tempo, moderate rockers that try to be expansive while hardly reaching the 4:00 mark.

If that sounds like a bad review it's not meant to be. This is an interesting album that has its moments but is not one that will be especially memorable or overly entertaining. But, then again, I've never been a huge fan of the Americana genre.

Must hear: Laredo

(Release Date: 5/18/10)

The Black Keys "Brothers" (ADVANCE)

Ever since Jack White put the White Stripes on hold to focus on his many side projects, I have been waiting for a blues-rock duo to step up in their place. Enter the Black Keys. While they're not quite on the level of the Stripes, they're also no copycat. Their 2008 record Attack & Release was produced by Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells) and they brought him back to produce their lead single "Tighten Up".

Along with that new track, the band has made it clear that they are not going to reuse the same formula over and over. While there are still the standard, dirty rockers, the boys have made a concerted effort to take some risks and try some new things. What's most surprising is that the 2nd half of the record sounds much stronger than the first. I guess once you put all the radio-friendly, help-market-the-album songs behind you, then you're able to really focus on making quality music.

Must hear: Tighten Up

(Release Date: 5/18/10)

The Hold Steady "Heaven is Whenever" (ADVANCE)

There's just something about Craig Finn's voice/singing style that really divides people. I think he's gotten much more melodic in recent years and has left behind the nearly spoken word songs of their earlier days. This is a good thing.

Probably my favorite Hold Steady song to this point had been "Cattle and the Creeping Things" all the way back from 2005. This new album as a whole is comprised of much more mature songs. Not necessarily lyrically, per se, but definitely musically. Much more full-bodied and rich. And it's rockin' too.

Must hear: Hurricane J

(Release Date: 5/4/10)

Broken Social Scene "Forgiveness Rock Record" (ADVANCE)

As we learned from my last post, I don't have much of a history when it comes to seminal indie bands. (AKA why Animal Collective wasn't my #1 album from last year). Along those lines, I gave my first listen to a Broken Social Scene album today. Now, my history with BSS isn't completely non-existent; I was a HUGE fan of "Fire Eye'd Boy" from their last record. But that was about the extent of it.

Hell, I wasn't even a big fan of their new single "World Sick" when I got the free download last month. (On the plus side, now I'm on their email list :P) But I know my weaknesses and one of them is a low tolerance for wasting time. If a song doesn't catch me immediately, I'll skip right over it. Sometimes the key is repetition. I feel Forgiveness Rock Record is like that. With multiple listens I will be able to catch the nuances and subtle brush strokes that may not have immediately caught my ear. What I can say is that there is enough here to make me want to listen again and again.

Must hear: Texico Bitches

(Release Date: 5/4/10)

LCD Soundsystem "This Is Happening" (ADVANCE)

I've never really sat down with an LCD Soundsystem album before. I was even raging against all the hype that their third (and final?) record was already getting. But that song "Drunk Girls" just rocks and I decided I wanted to hear more.

And, let me tell you, I am now a believer. This album absolutely kicks ass. I'm going to have listen to their previous records again because how did I miss this? So melodic, so high energy, so... DANCE PARTY!

Don't let the length of the songs put you off. There are so many new elements they add throughout the song that it doesn't feel like 8 minutes. It's the perfect record to get you pumped before you go out on a Thu/Fri/Sat night. Just start with the first track. Trust me, you won't be able to stop.

Must hear: Dance Yrself Clean

(Release Date: 5/18/10)

Florence and the Machine "Lungs"

I had heard about this band since late last year but never really got around to listening to them. I happened to be watching the movie Jennifer's Body last weekend (not recommended... except for the Fox/Seyfried makeout scene. F' yeah) and they played "Kiss With A Fist" and I thought it was fantastic. Really, the whole album makes for a stunning debut. Mixing pop, soul and folk, all held together by Florence Welch's astounding pipes. This girl can sing. And write. Each song is catchy enough and memorable enough to be a single.

Must hear: Kiss With A Fist

(Release Date: 10/20/09)

Phoenix "Live in Sydney EP"

I saw these guys in concert last October with Spoon and Passion Pit and they absolutely stole the show. Unbelievably entertaining live performers. This EP gives you a taste of that, featuring 8 songs off their breakout hit Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. And they've made it available for free download on their website (here).

Must hear: 1901 (Encore)

(Release Date: 3/24/10)

The Morning Benders "Big Echo"

The pros & cons of Indie Pop; it never gets so upbeat that you forget about the indie side of things. This album does its best to blast you with rays of pop sunshine but it still carries some indie weight.

"Big Echo is an album made to be played LOUD. Shouting into a valley. Big Shout: BIG ECHO." (Insound.com)

They're right. This isn't an album you can throw on your iPod and just go about your daily routine. You need to sit with it, blast it, and really hear what they're trying to say. Any other way and you're just missing the point.

Must hear: Promises

(Release Date: 3/9/10)

She & Him "Volume Two" (ADVANCE)

This is the perfect album for Spring. It's a light, breezy pop gem. You can't help but smile listening to the enchanting vocals of Zooey Deschanel.

Similar to their previous effort, Volume One, Zooey & M. Ward have recorded a couple cover songs for the record. Noticeably, the choices fit well in the group dynamic and overall feel of the album. I also have to mention the music video for lead single "In the Sun" is arguably the cutest thing I've seen that doesn't involve kittens.

Must hear: In the Sun

(Release Date: 3/23/10)

Broken Bells "Broken Bells"

I've literally had this for over a month and I couldn't bring myself to listen to it. For those who don't know, Broken Bells is comprised of James Mercer (The Shins) and Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley). They made a record that sounds like The Shins with some half-hearted synths and faux production effects. And I don't say that just because of Mercer's voice. These songs are all mid-tempo, front & center guitar strummers that don't get too intense one way or another. If this album was a baseball player it would be Livan Hernandez. It ain't sexy but it will eat up 6 innings every time it takes the mound. Don't ignore the Broken Bells buzz but tone it down considerably.

Must hear: The High Road

(Release Date: 3/9/10)

Frightened Rabbit "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" (ADVANCE)

The best feeling in the world is listening to an album for the first time and immediately falling in love. The Midnight Organ Fight was like that for me. Needless to say, I was very excited to hear The Winter of Mixed Drinks.

It wasn't love at first sight but there is definitely a strong attraction. Scott Hutchinson's voice has such a feeling of honesty to it. He draws you in with his Regular Joe attitude and the way he addresses real life problems. I've never heard a more ferocious opening line to a breakup song than from "Nothing Like You": This is a story and you are not in it uh uh.

Yes, this album is a story, but it's comprised of little bits of all of us.

Must hear: Swim Until You Can't See Land

(Release Date: 3/9/10)

Gorillaz "Plastic Beach" (ADVANCE)

This is a much more experimental Gorillaz album. It's not difficult to hear their old sound buried under but the boys play with new production elements and sonic dimensions. The one thing this record really lacks is a radio-friendly single. There is no "Clint Eastwood" or "Feel Good, Inc." to be found here. When I first heard "Stylo" on the radio -- the new single -- I was disappointed. The song is very layered and takes a few listens to fully appreciate. Still, it's not something that will be in heavy rotation. This album may end up being critically lauded but it will never match the critical and commercial success of their previous efforts.

Must hear: Superfast Jellyfish

(Release Date: 3/9/10)

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists "The Brutalist Bricks" (ADVANCE)

TL/Rx are back! Packing as much punk politico into 40 minutes as can fit, Ted Leo has managed to make another in a long line of one-of-a-kind records. Similar to his more recent releases, this album has its ups and downs but more songs hit than miss.

Must hear: Even Heroes Have To Die

(Release Date: 3/9/10)

Two Door Cinema Club "Tourist History" (ADVANCE)

A friend of mine turned me onto these guys in November. She knew I had been going through an electropop phase and thought I would dig TDCC. She was 100% right (thx Summer!)

Their Four Words to Stand On EP showed the considerable talent they have and this, their debut LP, puts it all together. Great beats that keep your head bobbing and great hooks that keep you singing into the night. These guys are young too (I can't find confirmation but pretty sure they're under the legal drinking age) so they only have room to continue to grow.

Must hear: Undercover Martyn

(Release Date: 3/1/10)

Cold War Kids "Behave Yourself EP"

This EP consists of 4 songs that Cold War Kids recorded soon after the release of their last album, Loyalty to Loyalty. These tracks are surprisingly restrained and in complete opposition to their previous "let it all hang out" rockin' efforts.

Must hear: Audience

(Release Date: 1/19/10)

Spoon "Transference"

Fair disclosure: I saw Britt Daniel & Co. live last year and was not impressed. But their studio stuff is always so good. Their style of art rock just doesn't cut it (for me) in concert, but it's what draws me to their records. I loved Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga but their follow up finds less production and less orchestration. Yet all the experimentation is still there and they keep you guessing throughout.

Must hear: Written in Reverse

(Release Date: 1/19/10)

Motion City Soundtrack "My Dinosaur Life"

Motion City Soundtrack's fourth album and their major label debut. This is how pop punk should sound... a little emo and a lotta fun. Insanely catchy and it's neck and neck with Commit This To Memory as the best of their career. Quit reading and give it a listen.

Must hear: Her Words Destroyed My Planet

(Release Date: 1/19/10)

Beach House "Teen Dream" (ADVANCE)

This is the best album of 2010. Haha, it's an easy call to make this early in the year. But seriously, this is a huge step forward for Beach House. Miles ahead of their last record and guaranteed to bring them more fans and more fame. I think the phrase "dream pop" is a dirty word but this album really has direction and it isn't just a hazy, nonchalant, meandering of the musical landscape.

Must hear: Norway

(Release Date: 1/26/10)

Vampire Weekend "Contra" (ADVANCE)

Let's start off 2010 with a bang... new Vampire Weekend!

What made VW's debut an instant classic? Uptempo, high energy pop songs that introduced us to some African beats and a new genre classified as Indie R&B. Contra is more balanced and carries both bubbly and subtle songs. It's more complex than their debut and it takes some time to digest. That being said, the first song "Horchata" is a good bridge from old VW to new VW and lead single "Cousins" is just a hectic romp that will keep you bopping your head and craving more.

Must hear: Cousins

(Release Date: 1/12/10)