Zer0

The year's not over yet but here's my albums of the year (so far)



1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Lol predictable wasn't it? Well to be honest this was the album that defined 2010 for me, i'll have plenty of great memories attached to it. It's just a fantastic album from them, very much on par with Funeral. There's plenty of different styles and moods to be found on this album and it doesn't seem to drag despite it's long running time. Just an epic album.



2. Beach House - Teen Dream
It took me a while to grow to love this album but it's a truly amazing listening experience. I just love immersing in those beautiful, dreamy soundscapes, a really great album to lose yourself in. I'm very interested to hear what they do next.



3. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms
By far their most accomplished and realised album to date. Songs like 'Laredo' and 'Dilly' show that this band has evolved while still staying true to their original sound. The band certainly sound like they're on the top of their game.



4. School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
I was confident that this album would be far better than it's patchy predecessor Alpinisms, and i was certainly far from disappointed. The band have really found their sound here on this album. The combination of electronics and guitars has never sounded better, and the vocals sound really amazing. A very addictive and memorable album.



5. Alcest - Écailles de Lune
A seriously epic album. It's not quite as good as 2007's incredible Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde but it is truly an amazing album. What i really love about this album is the atmosphere, the music certainly lives up to it's awesome album cover. The combination of quiet instrumental passages, heavy guitars, hushed vocals, and haunting black metal screams make this album and amzing listening experience.



6. Butterfly Explosion - Lost Trails
My Irish album of the year. This album really hits the spot for me, it has no shortage of memorable songs and it's beautiful dream-pop/shoegaze-influenced soundscapes sound truly amazing. The guitars just sound really amazing.



7. Autolux - Transit Transit
Was this album worth the wait? Hmm maybe. Is it better than Future Perfect? Probably not, but it's still one of the best albums released this year. This album sounds a bit darker and heavier at times and there's some really great experimentation going on. This album is certainly a welcome release and hopefully we wont have to wait as long for the follow-up.



8. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Probably the most surprising album of the year for me. Having never really grown to understand the appeal of Microcastle this album has certainly changed my perspective on the band. The songwriting and musicianship here is really amazing and the songs have enough variety to keep you hooked from start to finish. Great stuff.



9. The National - High Violet
I do admit that i'm a bit of a latecomer to The National, but when this album finally clicked inside my head i went and got the rest of their discography. A really passionate and emotional album with memorable, well-written songs.



10. The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth
Ok i only got this album like a week ago but **** it, i've been playing it pretty much non-stop. Certainly one of the most addictive albums i've heard this year and is jammed-packed with amazing songs. It's not as experimental as their debut but the songs sound all the better. Great stuff.


Might as well mention a few more:

11. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
12. Blood Red Shoes - Fire Like This
13. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
14. Villagers - Becoming A Jackel
15. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
16. Les Discrets - Septembre Et Ses Dernieres Pensees
17. Fight Like Apes - The Body Of Christ, And The Legs Of Tina Turner
18. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
19. Wintersleep - New Inheritors
20. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

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NSW

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way (2010)

Awesome music from one badass soul-ishious lady, Sharon Jones. If want something with that old-school soul sound, check it out.
Favorite songs: "I Learned the Hard Way" and "Mama Don't Like My Man".


Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (2010)

I read an online review of this album that described her sound as "Stevie Wonder meets Outkast meets Alicia Keys". It's pretty accurate, but that doesn't mean hers is a rehashed sound from other artists. She's definitely made the music her own. And the album concept is just too awesome not to like: spacey-scifi-hip hop goodness.
Favorite songs: "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" and "Tightrope"


The Knife in Collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock - Tomorrow, in a Year (2010)

This one is really difficult to describe. It's definitely has the sound of other The Knife albums, but it's more operatic and moody. It seems like there is a lot more noise/sound experimentation on this album, for example the song "Variation of Birds". It's a song that fits it's name so well. Really I think that song is perfect, but strangely I cannot listen to it all the way through. You might see why if you give it a listen.
Favorite song: "Schoal Swarm Orchestra"


Soundgarden - Telephantasm (2010)

Soundgarden: The sounds of my teenage years. That is the biggest reason I can give for absolutely loving this album. It's nothing special I suppose, just a compilation of previously released output. But man, this takes me back. I feel like I'm being transported to 1995 everytime I listen to it.
Favorite songs: "Spoonman", "Pretty Noose", "Burden in my Hand".

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adidasss

Pretty much the only list I can even remotely relate to. Maybe us indie folk really should do a separate list...:\

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sidewinder

What good would that do? Then you'd have a list of barely-different lists - sounds pretty boring.

The Band of Horses album will undoubtedly be on my list; Arcade Fire, Deerhunter and Autolux might but I don't know if they'll break the top 10.

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I'd love to see your signature/links too, but the huge and obnoxious ones have caused me to block all signatures.

dac

Due to hitting senior year of engineering school, my time for music and particularly this site has disappeared, but I thought I'd weigh in anyways.


A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head
I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. At first I thought it was just ok, not quite as good as their debut, but after a few more listens I was sold. The last four songs make up possibly the most incredible stretch of an album ever. I mean, just effing listen:



Now go DL this.


I really, really enjoyed Mogwai's live album that came out, but idk if that really counts. Someone mentioned Autolux's Transit Transit in here and I have to say that that was probably my letdown of 2010 :/

Also, this sounds awesome, I can't wait to DL it

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duga

If you thought it was just ok the first couple times around but now it's in your top of the year, I might just listen to it a bit more. I listened to it twice and wasn't too impressed, but I heard potential. Maybe I need to pay more attention.

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Confusion will be my epitaph...

Zer0

That album was released last year but it is a very solid album . It's not as abrasive as their debut but i think it's pretty much on par with it. I absolutely love the ending of the album where it sounds like your speakers are being toasted, just brilliant.

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clementine

those three are just great, specially Écailles de Lune, that one's on my list. the rest I'm not sure though I'd probably add Jónsi's solo album "Go"

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Hank The Drifter

Hour of 13 - The Ritualist

Hour of 13's second release is one of my favorites of the year. This traditional doom metal band has made yet another album that's going to go down as a classic. It differs a bit from the earlier self titled album by the band, because the lessened the NWOBHM influence, but that doesn't take away from the album at all in my opinion, still one of the top releases of the year for me.

Howl - Full of Hell

I don't know where to start with Howl's debut album. This is some of the most 'brutal' sludge I've heard in a very long time, and maybe ever. By brutal I mean it just beats you up. The music isn't always slow, and gets pretty quick at times but the overall heaviness of the album is just overwhelming. The stoner vibe this music has going really helps too. This album beats you up, but at the end you're left wanting more.

Winterfylleth - The Merican Sphere

Winterfylleth is easily one of my favorite black metal acts out there right now. Two releases and two great efforts in my opinion. This album features some clean vocals which surprisingly work pretty well, along with some acoustic ambiance, yet the album maintains that rough and raw harsh black metal the fans love so much.

Negură Bunget - Vîrstele Pămîntului

This release by the Romanian black metal monster, Negură Bunget isn't quite as good as the older releases, but this is almost a completely since the 2006 release by the band. However, it still comes out quite good. I mean I couldn't possibly compare this one to the 06 release by the band, but yeah. Anyway, this album has that variety of folk instruments that I've grown so close to in my black metal. Also the new release has much better production in my opinion than the older releases by this band. I've heard these dudes compared to Drudkh and Agalloch and those two certainly aren't bad bands to be compared to. If you're a fan of black metal with some folk influence mixed in, this is a must check out album/band.

Wooden Stake - Vampire Plague Exorcism

Wooden Stakes first release is this EP. However, this sounds like something pulled right out of the 80s underground occult doom scene. Its just pure heavy occult doom metal. Its a two person band, from the United States..Oh yeah..the vocalist is a woman who does a pretty darn good job with the vocals. I suggest this heavy hitting album to anyone into heavy doom metal with a side of evil!

Sorry for the poor writing, but I'm not a very good writer, haha.

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Sljslj

Me thinks you have good tastes, as well. The only one of these I've heard is Full Of Hell, but that's a very good one. Also, you're a doom metal and black metal fan, that's a Godzilla-sized plus in my book. Have you heard The Northern Ontario Black Metal Preservation Society? If not, check them out here, second post on the page.

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