Music of 2010

Post date: Jan 02, 2015 6:24:28 AM

This was the year I finished my conversion to digital music: I bought 6 CDs and downloaded 55 full albums from eMusic, iTunes, and the late, lamented Lala.

Albums

Arcade Fire — The Suburbs

Somewhat disappointing.  Their debut Arcade Fire EP and full-length Funeral were among the best releases of the mid-zeros, but the two followups have been a bit dull, though well-intentioned and not without some highlights. I liked the new "Sprawl 2 (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" enough to play it at Laura's and Stephan's reception, but the rest of the album lacks the beautiful eccentricity that they used to have in songs like "I'm Sleeping In A Submarine" and "Crown Of Love"? 

Autolux — Transit Transit

Broken Social Scene — Forgiveness Rock Record

Devo — Something For Everybody

A nice return after two decades.

The New Pornographers — Together

Soundpool — Mirrors In Your Eyes

Spoon — Transference

Vampire Weekend — White Sky

The Besnard Lakes — The Roaring Night

Blonde Redhead — Penny Sparkle

Stripped down to pretty surfaces.  "Love or Prison" has worked itself into me.

Deerhunter — Halcyon Digest

Department of Eagles — Archive 2003-2006

Here We Go Magic — Pigeons

A very listenable progression from their debut.  Though nothing is as perfectly catchy as last year's "Fangela", it has a bunch of subtle, pretty songs.

Albums from earlier years

Depeche Mode — Sounds of the Universe and Playing the Angel

Portishead — Third

Songs

Portishead — "Chase the Tear"

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — "Bad Blood"

The Chemical Brothers — "K+D+B"

Songs from earlier years

Franz Ferdinand — "Live Alone"