My Year In Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2010, 50-26

2010 has come to a close. So what's more important than counting down the best albums of the year? I can't think of a single thing. When I look back at this year musically, I have a couple thoughts. A lot of well established artists released good material (Arcade Fire, The National, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem, for example), Some long awaited rap albums finally saw daylight (Big Boi and Kanye), and punk music had something of a revival (Male Bonding, Titus Andronicus, Tyvek, Let's Wrestle, etc.). Those topics will show up a considerable amount in this list. All in all, it was a great year for music.

50. Liam The Younger - Revel Hidden Worlds

Just a nice, simple, relatively straightforward record.

Standout Tracks: Crossed Water, Lie, Ode

49. S. Carrey - All We Grow

A beautifully lush, low key album from one of the members of Bon Iver.

Standout Tracks: In The Dirt, Mothers, Action

48. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)

A surprisingly cohesive sophomore album from Crsytal Castles.

Standout Tracks: Baptism, Suffocation, Vietnam

47. Jónsi - Go

Although the absence of a full Sigur Ros limits him a little, Jónsi's still manages to put out a sonically beautiful album.

Standout Tracks: Go Do, Animal Arithmetic, Boy Lilikoi

46. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Frustratingly top heavy, but the first half is very, very good.

Standout Tracks: Ambling Amp, Madder Red, O.N.E.

45. The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme

Warm and fuzzy electro-pop.

Standout Tracks: Heaven's on Fire, This Time Around, The Video Dept.

44.  Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales

Godspeed You! Black Emperor side project moves farther away from its roots with a more vocal heavy approach. Still pretty good at that post-rock stuff.

Standout Tracks: There is a Light, I Built Myself A Metal Bird, Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos)

43. Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

Still the champions of twee pop. Maybe the weakest of their recent albums, but they still know how to write simple, catchy, pop.

Standout Tracks: I Want The World To Stop, Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John, I'm Not Living in the Real World

42. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

The OG of hip-hop returns from a long hiatus with a deep, foreboding album.

Standout Tracks: I'm New Here, I'll Take Care of You, New York is Killing Me, Running

41. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo

Carefree indie pop. The winner of the annual "band that sounds like The Shins" award.

Standout Tracks: What's It In For?, Five Little Sluts, Summer Cum

40. Gayngs - Relayted

It's sooo smoooooth.
Standout Tracks: Cry, No Sweat, Faded High

39. Abe Vigoda - Crush

Abe Vigoda get a little emotional on their second album. For the most part its works.
Standout Tracks: Dream of My Love, Crush, Repeating Angel

38. The Black Keys - Brothers

The best Black Keys album in some time. Also one of the best album covers I've seen in a long time.
Standout Tracks: Everlasting Lights, Howlin' For You, She's Long Gone,

37. Fang Island - Fang Island

A momentous album, filled with raucous harmonies and guitar riffs.
Standout Tracks: Careful Crossers, Daisy, The Illinois

36. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

If it wasn't for Olivia Tremor Control, this would be the best Beatles-esque psych pop band.
Standout Tracks: Lucidity, Solitude is Bliss, I Don't Really Mind

35. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Similar to Yeasayer in it's top heavy-ness. Overall a stronger record, though.
Standout Tracks: Thieves in the Night, I Feel Better, One Life Stand

34. Buke and Gass - Riposte

It feels like they just threw whatever they could at this album, and most of it manages to stick.
Standout Tracks: Medulla Oblongata, Sleep Gets Your Ghost, Page Break

33. Menomena - Mines

Not their strongest effort, but it grew on me.
Standout Tracks: Taos, Killemall, Tithe

32. Perfume Genius - Learning

I only need one word to describe this: haunting.
Standout Tracks: Learning, Lookout, Lookout, Mr. Peterson

31. Yellow Ostrich - The Mistress

These guys are gonna go places. It seems like they really get the basics of making catchy songs. Lots of promise here.
Standout Tracks: WHALE, Hate Me Soon, Mary

30. The Apples In Stereo - Travelers in Space and Time

Robert Schneider, the only original member of Elephant 6 that it's still consistently active, is still able to create amazing pop albums. Probably the best ELO album ever made.
Standout Tracks: Dream About The Future, Dance Floor, Told You Once

29. Tim Kasher - The Game of Monogamy

Cursive and Good Life front man releases a solo album. More of the same, but that's never been a bad thing.
Standout Tracks: Cold Love, Bad, Bad Dreams, No Fireworks

28. Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils

Although I'm not the biggest fan of surf rock, this album was a very good example of what the genre should sound like. Carefree, laid back, and nostalgic
Standout Tracks: Vacation, Lazy Day, Daydream

27. Vampire Weekend - Contra

It took me a long time to like this album. Vampire weekend are still amazingly catchy, whatever you think of them.
Standout Tracks: Horchata, Holiday, Run

26. Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing

This album sounds like it came from the 70's. Just a great rock record, filled with uplifting songs.
Standout Tracks: Free Energy, All I Know, Young Hearts


25-1 coming soon.