BEST OF 2010


 
ANTI-SNOB's TOP 15 ALBUMS OF 2010


1. BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - WHO KILLED SGT. PEPPER? (A. Records)
Often noted as the album Anton Newcombe has been wanting to make since the turn of the century, BJM delivers a record that is an intense, yet experimental interpretation of psychedelic/dance-rock fusion. Missing from this sporadic collection of songs are Dylan-esque folk numbers that Newcombe often gets expected to write. Those omissions alone make Who Killed Sgt. Pepper possibly BJM's most focused album in years.
Read the full review HERE


 2.   FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS -  PICKIN' UP THE PIECES (Dangerbird)
Better than any other Motown-inspired retroactive act I have seen in a long time.

3. WAVVES - KING OF THE BEACH (Fat Possum)
I am inventing a new sub-genre to describe Wavves: Acid-Surf


 4.   MGMT -  CONGRATULATIONS (Columbia)
I don't care if there are no pop hits on this album. 'It's Working' reminded me of Syd Barrett while the album ending title track is both the ballad of the year and the best music video of the year (which happened to have been shot in Scottsdale).

 5.   THE NATIONAL  - HIGH VIOLET (4AD) 
The National matured since Boxer, even more so than Matt Berninger's now-bearded face. It's hard to believe that these guys don't receive more Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry comparisons. Dark, damp, yet amazing compositions.


6. LOVING THUNDER - Photographing the Wild (Hot Dog City Record Co.)
Bass driven psychedelic math-rock from this short lived, now defunct Seattle side project featuring members of Cobra High and Death Wish Kids
Read the full review HERE


7. TY SEGALL - Melted (Goner Records)

From San Francisco, Ty Segall is one of the few nomads of the American underground who are leading a new post-garage musical movement centered around psychedelic, lo-fi, and advant-garde inspirations. His new 11-track album released by Memphis noise distributors Goner Records recalls memories of Jay Reatard's pop-punk experimentations found on both his last album and recent singles.



8. BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB - Beat The Devil's Tattoo (Vagrant Records)
With a few soundtrack appearances under their belt (including last year's New Moon from the Twilight saga), B.R.M.C.'s only logical agenda now is to make quality music consistently to satisfy the indie die-hards and secure their expected 500-1000 in each American city while comfortably touring once every 2-3 years. This record is an acceptable and promising initial step for the latter phase of B.R.M.C.'s journey. 
Read the full review HERE


9. THE SOFT PACK - The Soft Pack (Kemado Records)
Another example on how good garage rock, when well produced, can be accepted by the American music press when referred to as simply 'indie rock'. If you have ended up becoming bored from lo-fi and emotionless garage rock over the last 10 or 15 years, The Soft Pack may be your last great white hope.
Red the full review HERE


10. SPOON - TRANSFERENCE (Merge Records)
The seventh album by Britt Daniel and company is a stripped down exhibition of no-frills Texas soul-rock. For a band that comes from a part of Americana known for it's BBQ as much as it's music, Spoon delivers like a piping hot plate of the finest grilled baby-backs basted with nothing finer than ketchup.
Read the full review HERE


11. WOVEN BONES - In and Out and Back Again (Hozac Records)
When the tempo is slowed down, Woven Bones can sound like Jesus & Mary Chain in the raw. When the tempo is back up and a few surf riffs are thrown in, Woven Bones perform in the spirit of The Cramps. A well mastered lo-fi garage record that works well within the oxymoron.
Read The Full Review HERE


12. TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS - THE BRUTALIST BRICKS (Matador Records)
An album from a D.C.-based political punk band with strong pop sensibilities and classic rock tendencies may sound like an anomaly. But that's exactly what makes The Brutalist Bricks a more truer testament of Ted Leo's enigmatic voice that speaks from the lean fences which protect the college rock community  from the nihilistic punk militia.
Read the full review HERE

 13.   FILM SCHOOL - FISSION (Hi-Speed Soul)
"Dreampop like this may be outdated to some, but if the formula keeps on working then I will be listening to sweet blissful psychedelic rock like this for years to come"

 14.   Klaxons -  Surfing the Void
 "I'm not sure what gives these songs that special touch but i think it's the 80s goth/Depeche Mode wall of voices big choruses"

15. The Spires - Curved Space
"Sweet & sour pop buried in reverb and dischordal euphoria. 'Nuff said.

Top 5 EPs

 ANTI-SNOB.com's Top EPs   
 1 The See See  - Mary Soul 
 2 Cold War Kids  - Behave Yourself  
 4 Thee Piatcions  - Time 
Sweet psychedelic pop with a country twang here and there. "Time" is one of my favorite singles of the year.
 5 Bubblegum Lemonade -   Caroline's Radio  
Here are some other albums & EPs that passed through my earbuds during 2010.

I like this album better than Our Love To Admire, but really nothing too spectacular otherwise.
Flying Blanket
Scorpion Vs Tarantula
This is Pop - German Electro-Punk band
Broken Bells
Avenue Boulevard






   
       
    Share on Facebook

Posted by Will Tynor - aka Vil Vodka at 12/19/2010 10:42 AM
Categories: Best of
Tags: Brian Jonestown Massacre The National Spoon BRMC MGMT Fitz and the Tantrums Wavves loving thunder Ty Segall The Soft Pack Woven Bones Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Film School Klaxons The Spires The See See Cold War Kids Vampire Hands Thee Piatcons Bubblegum Lemonade Interpol Scorpion Vs Tarantula This Is Pop Broken Bells Avenue Boulevard Antique Scream The Pains of Being Pure At Heart Shout Out Louds Wow and Flutter The Soft Moon Darker My Love Dead Models The Earps Dirty Tactics Goldstars Hollowpoints Hypernova The Number Hellbound Glory Spencer Moody Flower of Zeus
 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this post
  • No trackbacks exist for this post.
Comments
  • No comments exist for this post.
Leave a comment

Submitted comments are subject to moderation before being displayed.

 Name

 Email (will not be published)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.