The Top 50 Albums of 2010 (So Far)

Hi there, Cats n Dawgs!

Time for another guest blog entry from our resident musicologist, Jon Schwartz, whose tweetage you can find here. Since the year is half over already, Jon has compiled for us what he feels to be the 50 best albums released so far. I will note that he submitted this list to me like a month ago, and if he did it today, it might be quite different. Also, he'd no doubt include Arcade Fire's latest, The Suburbs (though I really can't speak for him, I just kinda did. Mea culpa, JS.) So now, WoFA, The Songs In My Head proudly presents Jon Schwartz's Top 50 Albums of 2010 (So Far).

The Top 10:

1. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
I fell in love with this album before I found out it’s a collaboration between super-producer DJ Danger Mouse and The Shins frontman James Mercer. The album is immediately addictive. Songs are catchy without sounding forced. The production is crisp without sounding over-produced. This is Synthy-Indie-Rock at its finest.

2. Minus The Bear - OMNI
OMNI is a journey. Each track flows effortlessly into the next. Some may find this album too slick sounding. It is a little over-produced, but I just think it works so well with this particular album. Minus the Bear have released the best album of their decade-long careers.

3. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame
Dr. Dog is one of those bands that sound like they have genuine fun making music. Their brand of Jangly-Indie-Rock makes me think Wilco meets Cake meets The Teeth meets The Impossible Shapes. Shame, Shame is a group of well crafted, catchy, fun songs delivered with confidence and exuberance.

4. Efterklang - Magic Chair

5. Beach House - Teen Dream

6. The Black Keys - Brothers

7. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

8. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms

9. Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time

10. Field Music - Field Music (Measure)

The Rest:

11. The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme
12. Ok Go - Of The Blue Color Of The Sky
13. Spoon - Transference
14. Wolf Parade - Expo 86
15. Foals - Total Life Forever
16. Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer Of The Void
17. Jónsi - Go
18. Fang Island - Fang Island
19. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
20. Seabear - We Built a Fire
21. The Morning Benders - Big Echo
22. Tokyo Police Club - Champ
23. Midlake - The Courage Of Others
24. Caribou - Swim
25. Menomena - Mines
26. Massive Attack - Heliogland
27. Ratatat - LP4
28. Yeasayer - Odd Blood
29. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
30. Plants and Animals - La La Land
31. The Drums - The Drums
32. Harlem - Hippies
33. Ruby Suns - Fight Softly
34. The Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards
35. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
36. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
37. Jon Spencer - Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown!
38. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
39. Neon Trees - Habits
40. Jagga Jazzist - One-Armed Bandit
41. MGMT - Congratulations
42. Eels - End Times
43. Delphic - Acolyte
44. Benni Hemm Hemm - Retaliate
45. Paper Tongues - Paper Tongues
46. The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
47. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
48. Hot Hot Heat – Future Breeds
49. Liars - Sisterworld
50. The Hot Rats - Turn Ons

Did you like that? I hope so. Thanks so much, Jon, for putting this together for us. Sorry I ran out of juice to link each band and album, but I figure you readers can google it yourself. Rumor has it that Jon is also working on a Top Solo Albums of All Time list and that The Songs in My Head might have exclusive publishing rights. Or maybe Jon should start his own freaking blog, because he's a thoughtful music reviewer, great writer, and he's got stuff to say. Whadduyouthink?

xo
Sooze