Listening to King of the Beach right now, love the way the insanely upbeat backing vocals come in and escalate the song / counter the self-loathing on Idiot.
Still a perfect opener. Feels like saying fuck it and driving off on a hazy summer evening.
4 Likes
The Suburbs was a surprise for me. Someone gifted Funeral for my birthday in 2005, and by 2006 I pretty much hated it. Wanted to stab my eardrums if I heard anything from it. Needless to say I didn’t listen to Neon Bible and wasn’t looking to hear anything else from them either. After The Suburbs came out, an old friend asked if I’d heard it, and that I should check it out because it was “based” on the suburb where we knew each other from and where I spent my late teens…The Woodlands, Texas (a suburb of Houston). I reluctantly put it on and found it more pleasant than Funeral, and played it quite a bit. Found it interesting to listen to in that context but also just genuinely enjoyed it. Had several contemplative walks in the park while listening to it.
2 Likes
Album nomination:
Caribou - Swim
I listened to him way back with Start Breaking My Heart when he was making wintry, relatively modest tunes as Manitoba then went off him with Up In Flames, at the time I thought it was just so messy and unfocused. A few years and a name change later Odessa led me back and oof, Swim blew me away. There were traces of what he was before but moving to dancier territory, really embracing it, just delighted me. Swim’s a colourful, beautiful, sumptuous record, I’ve loved Dan and his little soulful voice since.
Honourable mention to Heartland by Owen Pallett which is an absolute stunner too
2 Likes
Song Nomination
The Knife - Colouring Of Pigeons
A pretty staggering construction that puts images in my head of a rainforest at night, a landscape where everything is thrumming with life. I’ve not heard anything else quite like it.
7 Likes
Revisiting this album now as I only ever listened to it once. That track’s a standout, along with “Seeds” so far.
1 Like
I wasn’t really following *new *music at that point (think I found Penguin Cafe Orchestra at this point, for reference), but what I know of 2010 is Beach House, Ariel Pink and Twin Shadow in the main.
1 Like
Album nomination: Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
As if it was going to be anything else. A classic that still sounds like it’s both from the past and the future at the same time 12 years after it’s release.
5 Likes
Also good…
Infinity Body - Carve Out The Face of My God
Madlib - Madlib Medicine Show #5: The History of the Loop Digga, 1990-2000
James Blake - CMYK EP
Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Optional Paralysis
Actress - Splazsh
Roc Marciano - Marcberg
Freeway & Jake One - The Stimulus Package
3 Likes
Also bit of a quiet year for hip hop. Kanye dominated the year and judging by my last.fm, it managed to put me off hip hop for most that year. It’s when the cult of Kanye really started to show and I apparently did my best to keep as far away from it as possible.
The year did give us Marcberg, though. An album that took about 10 years for everyone to play catch up with.
Album: Women – Public Strain
Song: Eyesore
Played this to death, but I still love it.
6 Likes
Album: Beach House - Teen Deam
Song: Janelle Monae ft Big Boi - Tightrope
6 Likes
Album Nomination: Fang Island - Fang Island
Great year wasn’t it? The above is about the most fun half hour of music ever recorded. At the time I was very into Deftones’ album and LCD Soundsystem’s “final” album and “final” tour. Think I stayed up to 4am to watch the farewell gig from MSG. Was very, very into the Unwinding Hours album, felt like they were going to be massive after the disappointment of Aereogramme’s demise. Latin by Holy Fuck as well, their best album.
Got into MBDTF the year after I think. Feel like I came to Body Talk very late in the year as well, have a vivid memory of listening to both those albums on headphones on my ex’s bed while she was studying.
3 Likes
2010 wasn’t a classic year but some gems to be found that still sound vital.
Foals - Total Life Forever
Radio Dept - Clinging To A Scheme
Sufjan Stevens - Age Of Adz
Lonelady - Nerve Up
Frightened Rabbit - Winter Of Mixed Drinks
Unwinding Hours - s/t
But two clear candidates for my nominations that haven’t been mentioned yet.
Nominate album:Everything Everything - Man Alive
Nominate Song: Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can’t See Land
3 Likes
2 Likes
Nominate album
Owen Pallett - Heartland
Nominate song
Sufjan Stevens - Impossible Soul
I think 2010 is my favourite year for music. So much amazing stuff that I loved at the time and then some more stuff I discovered later.
7 Likes
Nominate: LCD soundsystem - Dance yrself clean
I still remember where I was the first time I heard it. On a small island of Honduras 
.
Good times.
7 Likes
Was also the year that Madlib released an album a month!
1 Like
Good - nay great - year. There’s really only one winner here for me, but here’s my top 11 list for reference:
Agnes Obel - Philharmonics
Angel Olsen - Strange Cacti
Giant Sand - Blurry Blue Mountain
Gil Scott-Heron - I’m New Here
Hot Chip - One Life Stand
Howe Gelb - Alegrias
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
John Grant - Queen of Denmark
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
Massive Attack - Heligoland
2 Likes