It's far enough away from 2010 now to make a reasonably balanced decision about that year's best music. Sure, most lists come out in December or January but I say that's far too soon. Albums need time to sink in and take effect. It's a rare album that hits you straight away. Also, I'm lazy and have just gotten around to it.
Firstly it's worth mentioning 2 albums that are not eligible to be the best albums of the year. One is live and the other a compilation. I only count studio albums as contenders because I'm a pedantic bastard. Clearly Allmusic Guide doesn't agree, listing live albums under their 'Main Albums' category - that shits me to tears.
Bill Callahan's live album Rough Travel for a Rare Thing contains the eternally brilliant Cold-Blooded Old Times, possible my favourite song of the 90s (Jesus, was it that long ago?) as well as several other gems from his unique back catalogue. It's worth a little listen.
The video is of a pretty crappy nature but it's a good version of the song. I've always wondered why Bill Callahan does not have a beard. I feel he should have a beard. And it's not just beacuse they're cool these days, for he always should have had one. Even when he was 9:
Also released in 2010 but ineligible was the tribute compilation Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox, which contains 36 covers of Kiwi Chris Knox's songs by a range of great artists such as Jeff Mangum, Lambchop, Bill Callahan, Lou Barlow, Will Oldham, The Mountain Goats, Yo La Tengo and Stephen Merritt as well as some lesser known New Zealand indie acts.
Here's a fan-vid of Jay Reatard's version of Pull Down the Shades:
Now into (some of) the best music of 2010. I'm not doing it in any particular order, not because I'm totally ball-less, but because it changes weekly. It's actually quite random, based on the quality of the album, the song and the video, as well as whim and fancy.
This is Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti with the surf-rock Bright Lit Blue Skies which takes me back to the 1970s, Chico Rolls and The Sandman:
Woods are great. 2 brilliant albums in 2 years. They seem to just fuck around in someone's bedroom and accidentally produce great music:
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck got together in 2010. Musically that is. If they got together sexually let's hope their baby has Gainsbourg's looks. Beck is from the Noah Taylor gene pool.
This looks like a fan-vid but is actually the official Subpop video for Beach House's fucken ace Zebra:
This is probably my (and my 5 year old son's) favourite video of the year:
I've posted this Black Mountain video twice before but, you know, it's cool. And what's wrong with repetition? Interpol has released the same album 4 times:
Helicopter by Deerhunter is one of those songs where the singer, Bradford Cox in this case, and at least for some of the time, sings the same melody as the instrumentation. Paul McCartney did it in I Want You (She's So Heavy), probably Abbey Road's best song.
Damon Albarn. We can't go under him, we can't go over him, we'll have to go through him:
Broken Social Scene released best album of the year, and one of the best videos:
While we're waiting for the next Fleet Foxes album, we'll have to make do with Local Natives:
This song makes me wanna punch the air. And then shout. And then have tea and bikkies with Bruce Springsteen.
Just discovered this ripper little video by the New Pornographers. Laugh? I nearly went to Ethiopia:
This guy probably isn't the Tallest Man on Earth:
I've always dreamed of a Perth-based George Harrison:
I think The Walkmen are underrated. Unless there are lots of people rating them:
Finally, Twin Shadow, straight from 1984:
