Sunday, December 12, 2010

Twenty Ten's Greatest Hits - Amy's Edition D:

This was waaay more difficult than it needed to be, but here we are! I have finally decided on my fave albums of this yurr. I probably (definitely) over-thunk my choices, and I'm sure in like 2 months I'll be regretting them hard, but here goes. I've written a blurb for my top 3, and for the rest I've listed a few raisins as to why (INSERT ALBUM TITLE) should be your favourite album of the year!

So here it is: my ‘probably’ favourite album of the year known as 2010

Love Remains by How to Dress Well


It took me a ridiculously long time to choose, but I ‘probably’ couldn’t go past this, just because it’s the album I’ve listened to the most this year. By a long way, really. From beginning to end I find this album just so fucking beautiful. And yeh, know I’m sounding like a pretentious cunt when I say that.
It’s possibly a tad depressing for some people’s tastes, but above all I think this album is really smart. Sure, it sounds like it’s been recorded on my laptop’s microphone over heavy traffic (i.e. if you don’t like lo-fi sounding stuff, I wouldn’t recommend it… But I still do.) but there are little flourishes in every single song that make you pay attention, or even make your fucking hair stand on end. Doesn’t hurt that I think the dude’s voice is really pretty.

A lot of the songs on here are kind of funky, too. I read in an interview with this guy a while back that he’s inspired by a lot of 80’s R&B and stuff like that, and it really shows on this album. Much of it sounds kind of haunting, but after a while you’ll find yourself nodding along to the beat. Shit has layers, man. To any of you guys that read our blog and haven’t heard this album, I urge you to pick it up here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?aytilb99fpoq3hm

And if you dig it, he also has a pretty neat blog wherein he basically wonders what the fuck is going on, and why anyone is listening to his music/he gives out a lot of free choons:

http://howtodresswell.blogspot.com/

2. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

I just revisited this album fairly recently, and in doing so it skyrocketed up my hypothetical ‘Best Albums of 2010 list’ (I’ve been thinking about this since about May). So anyway this is an ALBUM album meaning, you probably have to listen to it all the way through, start to finish, to fully appreciate it. There’s sort of no gaps in between songs and shit, it’s really fast paced, frenetic stuff. Flying Lotus has produced this album REALLY well, it sounds amazing coming out of good speakers. Between this album, Four Tet's and Skream’s, I’m really excited about ‘The Future of Electronic Music.’ That’s p much all I have to say about it, but you should all check it out.

Here is the video for ‘Zodiac Shit,’ one of the highlights (and it has a p cool video too):



3. Vampire Weekend – Contra

I reaaaaally wanted to hate this album. And to an even greater extent, I wanted to deny my love for this album enough to keep it off my albums of ’10 list. Alas, I cannot. Apart from that fucking gammin ‘Holiday’ song – holiday ohhhh holiday and the best one of the year! Great fucking work on the lyrics Ezra, you preposterous douchebag. Oh and that song with the autotune... wow there really are some terrible songs on here.

I’m mostly including this for the song that’s kind of the name of the album – I Think Yr a Contra. That song is permanently attached in my brain to a p confusing period of my life (no, not the gay thing), and for that alone I cannot hate on this Vampy Weekend jam. Not to mention there are also some really fine pop songs on here – Diplomat’s Son, White Sky, Giving Up the Gun and Horchata amongst them. I also rly like the album art, despite the Vampys getting raped over it (in the… legal sense).


4. Robyn – Body Talk Pt. 1

- Makes you want to get drunk/get into a catfight/hook up/break up/turn into a female robot

- It’s better than Part 2

- Um, have you guys heard ‘Dancing on my Own?’

- My ________ (insert anything at all) is killin’ me


5. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II

- It’s a follow-up album that didn’t completely suck

- I deem ‘Doe Deer’ Most Frantic Song of 2010

- That jam they re-did with Robert Smith is so fucking tight

- There is a song on here called ‘Pap Smear’


6. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

- Because Kanye West, even if you think he’s a complete wanker, is a fucking WORDSMITH, man

- There’s a lot of funny/nonsensical/clever lines

- ‘Monster’

- This is the best (or maybe 2nd best) album he’s ever released. 10.0!


7. Skream – Outside the Box

- 2010 is officially the Year of Dubstep

- This guy is a total QT :3

- He managed to make a song with La Roux that isn’t total shit (it’s actually quite good!)

- There is literally not a bad song on this album


8. Avey Tare – Down There

- UM, DUH IT’S BY AVEY FUCKING TARE (TEAM AVEY 4EVA)

- It’s perfect music for when you’re really bummed out

- Some really good pop choons (3 Umbrellas, Lucky 1, Oliver Twist)

- Will prove to be better than Panda Bear’s ‘Tomboy’ album – quote me on this (Cosmic Foxhole just lost all credibility!)


9. Foals – Total Life Forever

- Another follow up album that didn’t completely suck

- ‘Spanish Sahara’ is my (and your!) favourite post-rock song of the year despite technically not actually being post-rock

- These dudes write really good pop music, believe me on this

- Less ‘pointy’ than their debut. This makes sense in my head


10. Best Coast – Crazy For You

- One day I’m going to gay marry the lead singer. Bethany, be mine <3

- Album is almost completely about boyz and why they suck and smell and but I’m in luv

- The album art rules

- Makes you feel like you should probs quit yr job and move to California and smoke weed erryday


Hooray! I'm really glad I can put this behind me. I hope y'all keep reading in 2k11! Now go and download some killer choons