Tyler's Top 25 Of 2010
No scrubs. |
| 25 |  | Sleigh Bells
Treats
It's a one-trick pony, but it could probably win the Kentucky Derby. |
| 24 |  | The Gaslight Anthem
American Slang
It's no '59 Sound, but New Jersey's golden boys have an unmistakable charm
that carries them through American Slang's weaker tracks |
| 23 |  | Titus Andronicus
The Monitor
The Gaslight Anthem's incestuous cousin. |
| 22 |  | Arcade Fire
The Suburbs
Contrary to Neon Bible, it's more about the album than the songs, and with
Arcade Fire, I wouldn't have it any other way. |
| 21 |  | Parades
Foreign Tapes
This was a huge surprise. It grew off a bit, but it still has amazing ambition, and
Parades might become Sputnik's darling band in future years. |
| 20 |  | Shugo Tokumaru
Port Entropy
Port Entropy rules, but it seems like Shugo's schtick might be getting a little old. |
| 19 |  | Robyn
Body Talk
As far as straightforward, unadulterated pop goes, it doesn't get any better than
Body Talk. |
| 18 |  | Vampire Weekend
Contra
I threw off Vampire Weekend as some overhyped band not worth hearing for so
long. But this is IT. |
| 17 |  | Beach House
Teen Dream
Suspended in a sunbeam. |
| 16 |  | letlive
Fake History
Why does Fake History transcend its flaws so well? Swagger. More than
anything else, letlive has a pure swagger that carries them all the way through
Fake History. |
| 15 |  | Gold Panda
Lucky Shiner
Normally, I don't like this kind of thing, but Gold Panda composes so organically.
Just perfect production. |
| 14 |  | Dark Time Sunshine
Vessel
At the end of "Feel Me" on Big Boi's album, Big Boi says, "Damn, and that's only
the intro." That's what I feel like saying after "Vessel", the intro to Dark Time
Sunshine's latest. The rest of the album rides on that level of excellence. |
| 13 |  | Maps and Atlases
Perch Patchwork
Maps and Atlases trade spastic math rock for weird, Vampire Weekend-inspired
pop, and win. |
| 12 |  | Chancha Via Circuito
Rio Arriba
If Burial did cumbia instead of dubstep, it might sound something like this. |
| 11 |  | Kids and Explosions
Shit Computer
No mashup album compares. "There is a Burning Ball of Fire in Outer Space" is
a monster. |
| 10 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Option Paralysis
After not being a huge Dillinger fan, Option Paralysis blew me away with a
combination of their typical technicality and songs with a purpose and a vision. |
| 9 |  | Flying Lotus
Cosmogramma
Honestly, my best experience with this album was while smoking hookah. It
just worked. I'm so fucking cool. |
| 8 |  | Sufjan Stevens
The Age of Adz
There's no other way to follow Illinois, really. |
| 7 |  | Deftones
Diamond Eyes
The title track is worth the price of admission alone. |
| 6 |  | Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Listen to "Shine Blockas" and try not to smile. You will fail. |
| 5 |  | Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
The best art isn't perfect; it's passionate. If nothing else, My Beautiful Dark
Twisted Fantasy is the most personalized, powerful, passionate effort of Kanye's
career |
| 4 |  | The National
High Violet
I've never seen a live show as raw as The National's. Not musically, but
emotionally, as Berninger destroys heartstrings on "Terrible Love", terrifies on
"Conversation 16", and otherwise leads his audience through his warped lyrical
head. High Violet is the most realized statement of The National's musical
image and of Berninger's dementia. |
| 3 |  | Janelle Monae
The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III of IV)
What do you get when you cross orchestral overtures, Clair de Lune, blistering
Andre 3000-style rock, R&B, hip-hop, science fiction, 1920s film, and one little
woman in a tuxedo? |
| 2 |  | The Tallest Man on Earth
The Wild Hunt
The Tallest Man on Earth bears the weight of the world on his shoulders and still
lives up to his name. |
| 1 |  | Daniel Bjarnason
Processions
Just when "modern classical" seems too academic, too pedantic for plebeian
tastes, Processions comes along as an album emotional and visceral enough to
affect listeners beyond the academic musical world. |
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