As the Jewish year 5770 came to a close, it’s time to take a look back at the year that was. Next up, these are the top ten records that rocked, or folked, or danced, our world.
1. Yeasayer, Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian) – Legend goes that this Brooklyn threesome found a magical glowstick buried in its Woodstock recording studio which then transformed them from lo-fi campfire jammers into full-on Euro-pop synth romantics. With its second album, Yeasayer certainly delivered on the Odd-promise crafting this past year’s stand-out example of creative growth. “O.N.E.” was a infectious “alt-rock”-hit yet it should have been played on the dancefloor alongside “Party In The USA” and “Teenage Dream,” and “Ambling Alp” is the best song ever written about mid-century boxing. You try name-checking Max Schmeling in a pop song.
2. Frightened Rabbit, The Winter of Mixed Drinks (Fat Cat Records): Recommended track: “The Loneliness and the Scream”
3. Hot Chip, One Life Stand (Astralwerks): “Take It In”
4. Local Natives, Gorilla Manor (Frenchkiss Records): “Airplanes”
5. Beach House, Teen Dream (Sub Pop): “Silver Soul”
6. The Drums, self-titled (Island): “Best Friend”
7. Future Islands, In Evening Air (Thrill Jockey): “Tin Man”
8. Bear In Heaven, Beast Rest Forth Mouth (Hometapes Records): “Lovesick Teenagers”
9. Gayngs, Relayted (Jagjaguwar): “Cry”
10. Menomena, Mines (Barsuk): “Dirty Cartoons”
10.5. Robyn, Body Talk Part 1 EP (Cherry Tree): “Dancing On My Own”
Kudos on Gayngs, but no Gorillaz? A Shandeh!
I’m such a dweeb, I’ve never heard of any of this stuff. My votes would be for Joanna Newsom’s Have One On Me and The Black Keys Brothers. And I thought listening to that stuff made me “in touch”.
I dunno, Dream, that Gorillaz album is pretty inconsistent. Imma huge Albarn fan but this one peters out.
And Jonathan, start with any of the 10.5 above. They’re all fairly accessible (no noise-art-rock included).