Best Albums of 2010 Part 2
Hopefully, I've whet your appetite for adventurous music with the first installment of my picks for the Best Albums of 2010. Judging by the comments, at least some of the artists featured in the first part of the list were new to the readers. My only hope in doing these lists is that I am able to turn some of you on to music that you haven't heard of yet. With that being said, let's get on to the second installment of the Best Albums of 2010. Please drop a comment to let me know what albums and artists made your list in 2010.
21) Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Rush to Relax
You wouldn't expect that a gang of office workers who met at a Christmas office party would be capable of producing the ecstatic, adrenaline-fueled garage punk of Rush to Relax. But the off-the-rails vocal delivery of Eddy Current combined with the blistering guitar solos of Brendan Suppression help make this an album worth revisiting again and again.
You wouldn't expect that a gang of office workers who met at a Christmas office party would be capable of producing the ecstatic, adrenaline-fueled garage punk of Rush to Relax. But the off-the-rails vocal delivery of Eddy Current combined with the blistering guitar solos of Brendan Suppression help make this an album worth revisiting again and again.
Listen: I Got a Feeling and Second Guessing
22) David S. Ware- Onecept
It is incredibly impressive that considering the challenges that David S. Ware has been up against lately with kidney failure and recovering from a kidney transplant, that he would have the wherewithal and stamina to produce a new record filled with so much kinetic energy that the sound practically jumps out of the speaker. It goes without saying that longtime friend and musical parter-in-crime William Parker adds an indelible dose of seasoning to the sonic stew with his phenomenal, inventive bass playing techniques. This is a powerful, spiritual musical statement from one of the elder statesmen of the free jazz movement.
Listen: Desire Worlds and Vata
23) Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba- I Speak Fula
Finding really solid contemporary international music can be a challenge sometimes. So, when I came across this truly rewarding record by onetime Ali Farka Toure collaborator, Bassekou Kouyate, I knew that it had to make the cut for this year's list. An utterly spellbinding concoction of electrified desert blues juxtaposed with dazzling ngoni finger picking that recalls the transcendent banjo playing of bluegrass masters like Earl Scruggs or Hobart Smith.
Listen: I Speak Fula and Ladon
24) Ebo Taylor- Love and Death
Those of you who are familiar with afro-beat music know that the songs can sometimes go on for up to twenty minutes, especially songs from the King of Afrobeat Fela Kuti. So, it is a great feat that Ebo Taylor has managed to condense his message into bite-size fragments that are more easily digestible in a single sitting. Also, I would like to note that this is Ebo's first internationally distributed record, so make sure to take advantage of this opportunity to own your own copy of this record.
25) The Liminanas- S/T
Since most of the garage rock I have been exposed to has been created within the confines of the United States, it is absolutely refreshing to find this gem recorded by French duo The Liminanas. This is a fantastic mix of garage rock, kraut rock and kitschy instrumentals all powered by propulsive rhythms and a sense of cool that is intoxicating.
Listen: Down Underground and Tigre Du Bengale
26) The Swans- My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope Into the Sky
With the Swan's first musical output in over twenty years, you would think that it would be lackluster or half-formed. This couldn't be further from the truth, as they conjure up an album filled with songs that are so intense it practically makes your skin crawl. There are more musical dynamics on here than previous efforts, as the closing track, "Little Mouth", features an unaccompanied vocal from M.Gira that will absolutely chill your bones.
Listen: No Words No Thoughts and Little Mouth
27) Paul Carey- Ghost of a Man
I was first introduced to the music of Paul Carey when I purchased a Thee Oh See's 7" split on Stankhouse records. While the songs on this 7" didn't exactly blow me away, they held promise that he would deliver something worth hearing in the forseeable future. After hearing Ghost of a Man for the first time, I knew that Carey had delivered on this earlier promise, as this record features an intoxicating brew of smoky, nicotine-tinged melancholy balanced with an upbeat rockabilly garage fury that really gets the blood pumping.
Listen: Curse of China Bull and On the Rise
28) Little Women- Throat
Add this to the ongoing barrage of misleading monikers, as there are no women in this band, and they certainly are anything but little. What we have here is one of the most intense displays of caterwauling free jazz since Peter Brotzmann's relentless classic Machine Gun. This is definitely not for the faint of heart, though there are moments where the listener is given a breather, only to sense that there is catharsis just around the corner.
29) Women- Public Strain
From the visceral free jazz of Little Women, I move on to the haunting lo-fi melancholy of Women. This Canadian collective garnered the attention of the independent press with their self-titled debut last year, and this year's follow-up is definitely not subscribing to the sophomore slump theory. Hazy songs that seem to be filtered through a murky film, while irresistible melodies lurk just below the surface. Not nearly as experimental as their last offering, but as beguiling as ever.
Listen: Locust Valley and Untogether
30) Yu- Before Taxes
The solo project from Diamond District's Yu is the breath of fresh air necessary to elevate true hip-hop to the top of the heap. In light of media darlings like 50 Cent and Lil Jon, it is refreshing to hear a rapper spit styles that are reminiscent of Rakim with samples of old-school soul peppering the tracks.
Listen: Thought About It and The Up and Up
31) Group Doueh- Beatte Harab
The latest offering from Group Doueh proves that Sublime Frequencies can barely do any wrong. I have to admit that I felt that the recording quality of the last Group Doueh record was a little below par, but this one has really captured the beauty and complexity of the band. Featuring a simple arrangement of a three-stringed lute called a tinidit, clay drums and the passionate vocals of Doueh's wife Halima Jakani, this couldn't be further from the blown-out lo-fi sound of previous efforts by Group Doueh. Another essential release from the Sublime Frequencies stable.
Listen: Kar Wazan Abayad and Kar Lakhaal
32) Magic Lantern- Platoon
The latest mind-bending psychedelic voyage into the gray matter of Sun Araw's Cameron Stallones does not disappoint. Epic, wah-wah inflected solos combine with a dub-heavy sound to make one of the most intoxicating listens of the year. Whether you like drugs or not is irrelevent, this album will transport you to other sonic worlds that you would have throught unimaginable before.
Listen: Dark Cicadas and On the Dime
33) Matmos and So Percussion- Treasure State
Not much electronic music grabbed my attention this year, but Matmos is always worth a listen. This is a collaboration with So Percussion, who I'm guessing lend a more jazzy sound to the usual experimental electronic sound of Matmos. Certain tracks like "Treasure" start out sounding fairly normal, only to explode into a frenzied assault of fuzz guitars. One of the best surprises of the year!
34) The Black Angels- Phosphene Dream
If someone were to tell me that The Black Angels was going to make an album as good as this one, I would never have believed them until I was able to listen to Phosphene Dream with headphones. They have tightened their sound and eschewed the epic sounding guitars in exchange for a psychedelic head-trip of an album that isn't far from the majestic sound of the 13th Floor Elevators. Aftter repeated listens, I am utterly incapable of shaking the melodies of "Yellow Elevator #2" from my subconscious.
Listen: Yellow Elevator #2 and Phosphene Dream
35) Tera Melos- Patagonian Rats
New discovery for me that still leaves me scratching my head in disbelief. I simply can't fathom a band with this many inventive ideas put in a context that somehow maintains an accessible sound. Wildly eclectic, experiemental prog-math rock channeled through the soul of an indie-rock band. Give this a listen if you are up for a truly interesting musical adventure.
Listen: Trident Tail and Another Surf
36) Josephine Foster and the Victor Herrera Band- Anda Jaleo
As far as I know, this album didn't make any of the musical lists that were scattered throughout the internet. This is a total shame, as Jospehine Foster has made an enduring musical statement with a south-of-the border sound that reminds me of the moody mariachi instrumentals of Calexico coupled with a powerful female singer who carries these songs to the next level.
Listen: Los Pelegrinitos and Zorongo
37) Fight the Big Bull- All Is Gladness in the Kingdom
A fantastic hybrid of jazz and rock that never runs out of energy or ideas, keeping the listener glued to the speaker. Tempos start off really slow on some tracks, only to build into a cacophonous frenzy. Others start off with screaming solos straight out the gate, only to dissolve into ambient washes of sound. Whether you like your rock with a jazz tinge or vice versa, you will undoubtedly have plenty to sink your teeth into with this record.
Listen: Mothra and Eddie and Cameron Strike Back/ Satchel Paige
38) Royal Baths- Litanies
While this is largely a rock-n-roll record owing a heavy debt to The Velvet Underground, Royal Baths manage to maintain their own sound. Disaffected vocals hover over dark instrumental passages while torrential, screaming guitar solos melt the inside of your eardrums.
Listen: I Detest and Sinister Sunrise
39) Mostly Other People Do the Killing- Forty Fort
Exuberant free jazz with an infectious, free-loving big band spirit and a sense of humor to boot. Highly listenable collection of songs that manage to challenge your ears while pleasing them at the same time.
Listen: Pen Argyl and Forty Fort
40) Sun City Girls- Funeral Mariachi
Aside from the slightly off-kilter opening track, "Ben's Radio", this proves to be the most mellow Sun City Girls album in their entire discography. With several tracks rarely getting past a funereal pace, it is fitting that the title of this record is Funeral Mariachi, but it is undoubtedly a Sun City Girls record. A perfect swan song for a band who wore many different musical masks throughout its career, but managed to always stay ahead of the curve.
Listen: Ben's Radio and Blue West
This concludes part 2 of my picks for the Best Albums of 2010. I hope that you have enjoyed reading through my list, and I would love to hear what albums made your list in 2010.
Comments
Thanks for all the hard work. While I have been digging myself deeper into the past, you've come up with lists of 40 releases for this past year. Well, it's nice to surface for some fresh air now & again. I already had Group Doueh & Deerhunter, but thanks to you I am now listening to Benoit Pioulard, Effi Briest, Magic Lantern, & the latest from one of my faves, Sun City Girls. Props, brother.
I would love to know what artifacts from the past have been blowing your mind recently. I have kind of been out of the loop on older music since I have been working on compiling this list over the past couple months. Sounds like you were able to grab a few choice things from the list that you liked. I figure that most people have heard of Deerhunter, but I still think that they created one of the best records this year. Did you dig any of the free jazz like Little Women, Mostly Other people Do the Killing or Mary Halvorson. I thopught those were definite standouts in the genre of free jazz.
Anyway, I'm glad that you keep stopping by and throwing your thoughts into the mix. It helps keep me motivated to continue on doing this blog.
Best, Kevin