Posted 1 year ago
My Favourite Music of 2010
Lists! Aren’t lists cool? They’re an easy of way of letting people know about your likes and dislikes without too much effort. That’s why everyone does them!
Looking back on my list from last year, I think it lacked a little something. Namely, explanations for why I’d chosen the songs I had (Nicholas Stevenson’s glorious ‘Here, Now’ being the one exception. And that was just because he was a friend).
Not so here. I’ve taken a little longer with reflecting on why these tracks mean something, and why they kick ass. This is mostly due to my self-imposed restriction on these lists I make: it has to fit on an 80 minute CD-R. This was the first year where I briefly considered stretching this list over two CDs. There was that much great music this year. To wit…
- Kanye West - POWER
Having written about the album in possibly the most pretentious manner I could have mustered (unintentionally), I realised a serious error in my review: I didn’t explain that the music was fucking amazing. Screw artistic intent, that’s what matters at the end of the day. And that’s why I loved it so much.
It was hard choosing just one track to represent the album here. For a while, I was leaning towards ‘Lost In The World’/’Who Will Survive In America’. But it all came down to one thing: the “woah-oh hey” sample that kicks off ‘POWER’. This was also the first part of the first track from …Fantasy that most of us heard. It was electrifying then, and it still is now.
Winner of this year’s ‘Oh Shit Award’. - Big Boi - Shutterbugg
It’s important for a song to grab your attention from the beginning. Too much of a build-up could have people skipping to the next track before your song has had a chance to shine.
This is where ‘Shutterbugg’ excels. A smash of glass, and then BASS. Big Boi raps in a way that seems slick, precise and laid-back all at once. Immediately danceable. This is what great club music sounds like. - Janelle Monáe - Tightrope
And so is this. These days, it’s rare to find a mainstream artist who can sound as good (better, even) as they do in the studio. Monáe kills this song live, like a resurrected James Brown.
Winner of this year’s ‘Funkiest Joint Award’. - Cee Lo Green - Fuck You
Anyone who bought the censored radio edit of this song should punch themselves in the face for being a prudish cow. The profanity in this song is half of the reason why it works so well. It’s not a malicious ‘fuck you’, it’s a sigh of exasperation with a smile.
In the song, things aren’t going too well for Cee Lo. He’s been broken-hearted and had a good old cry about it but, at the end of the day, he won’t let it get him down. And fuck you for thinking it will.
Winner of this year’s ‘Best Poetry Award’. - Sleigh Bells - Kids
I’ve never been punched in the face by a guitar before, but I imagine the sensation would feel something like Sleigh Bells’ debut album sounds: fucking awesome. I love how this band somehow perfectly straddles the line between noise rock and dubstep (two genres that I’m only just learning to properly appreciate). This one will be getting a shitload of plays during the years to come.
Runner up for this year’s ‘Play This Loud Or Not At All Award’ - Japandroids - Younger Us
It’s been a good year for “woah”s. First Kanye brings them back in style, then Brian King takes that shit to a whole other level (@2:54).
Winner of this year’s ‘Best Kind Of Rock Award’. - The Drums - Let’s Go Surfing
I don’t know what happened with The Drums. They were poised to take over the world this time last year, and just went ‘poof’. Maybe it was the weighted expectations, the tremendous hype. Or maybe people just forgot to listen to the album when it came out, because I loved it.
Perfect summer music, if the title didn’t already tip you off. - The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
This one still gives me goosebumps, despite not knowing what the heck the song is about. I’m okay with that.
Winner of this year’s ‘Best Singing Voice Of The Last Ten Years Award’. - Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
Contrary to what I said earlier about kicking a song off as soon as possible, it’s the songs that slowly spiral and escalate that I love the most. Play this one loud, and enjoy it getting louder.
Winner of this year’s ‘Musical Sorcery Award’. - Vampire Weekend - Giving Up the Gun
Just watch the video. Nothing else needs to be said.
Winner of this year’s ‘Most Appropriately Awesome Video Award’. - Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Ah, The Suburbs. I’m still not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, only a couple of tracks stand out for me. On the other hand, I felt the same way about Funeral and Neon Bible in the past. Maybe it’ll just take a little time.
This one jumped out at me immediately, though. Almost definitely because of Régine’s voice. French-Canadian accents are the bomb. - Villagers - Becoming a Jackal
British folk represent! This one made the cut on the strength of the double-tracked vocals in the chorus alone. And the rest of the song’s pretty good too. - Joanna Newsom - On A Good Day
I was a little annoyed that I didn’t have enough room to put a longer Newsom track on the list. It’s one of my favourite albums of the year. Luckily, ‘On A Good Day’ condenses everything I love about the album to less than two minutes. It’s like she knew! - José González - Far Away
I’m a little disappointed with the people who make lists like this one that Far Away has been absent from every list I’ve read.
It’s arguable that the moment this song fades in once you escape to Mexico in this best moment of the game, even better than the ending.
Winner of this year’s ‘Demands More Attention By Everyone Award’. - Hot Chip - Take It In
You can always rely on Hot Chip to release two or three awesome singles from an otherwise average album. This one might be one of the angriest love songs I’ve ever heard. Excellent dance music. - Yeasayer - O.N.E.
But not as excellent as this, which, as a joyous break-up song, sort of represents the other end of the dance spectrum.
Winner of this year’s ‘Make People Dance Or Die Trying Award’. - LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
You ever get the feeling that James Murphy just needs a hug? I forbid anyone to do so. The longer he goes without a hug, the more of this beautiful stuff we get.
Winner of this year’s ‘Aww, C’mere! Award’. - Crystal Castles - Not In Love feat. Robert Smith
If Heaven has a nightclub, this song will close every set. That is all
Winner of this year’s ‘Play This Loud Or Not At All Award’ - Robyn - Dancing On My Own
The genius of Robyn’s music is simple. Even if we haven’t been in the same situation as she has in the song, we can relate. We can sympathise.
Let it be a lesson for everyone. Whenever an ex-thing finds someone new before you do, you feel like shit. But there’s always something that lifts the spirits: dancing. Even if it is on your own, dance your black cloud away.
Winner of this year’s ‘Best Song Ever Award’.
And there we have it. An extra honourable mention to Girl Talk. All Day is, without a doubt, one of the finest albums released in 2010. Sadly, it’s all one big mix, meaning there wasn’t a single track I could use for this playlist. On the bright side, the entire album is free to download here. Enjoy 2011 guys!
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