A little late this year (a whole month to be exact). I blame a winter flu and head cold on the delay. Well, here we go:
25. Gatekeeper - Giza EP
Chicagoans , Gatekeeper, mix elements of early 80's horror movies and dancefloor beats. Keep an eye on them.
24. Abe Vigoda - Crush
Hints of Cold Cave and a young David Bowie. Young brude has risen.
Dream Of My Love (Chasing After You)
23. No Age - Everything In Between
The dynamic duo from LA, are back with their third album. Continuing with their hard-charching punk songs with slow burning reverb, this is their most accomplished release to date. Apart from their sleeper live shows, this duo should be around for awhile.Skinned
The highly prolific Thee Oh Sees, from Bay City, bring their strange psych0/garage sound to your welcoming eardrums. This is an album i always forget about, but can never stop listening to when it comes across the shuffle. What other band would start their album off with a 14 minute epic!
Everything Went Black
21. The Drums - S/T
Brooklyn buzzband, the Drums, evoke sounds of Erasure and 80's guitar pop. Listen when you are on the beach or mourning the loss of a good friend. Ya, it works for both.Me and the Moon
20. Light Asylum - In Tension EP
Brooklyn band #2, Light Asylum, are an internet sensation. They have worked with everyone from !!! to TV On The Radio. Singer Shannon Fuchess is a cross between Grace Jones and Ian Curtis with a hint of Peter Murphy. This EP does what good EP's should; leave you breathless craving MORE. This band is going to be huge in 2011.Knights and Weekends
19. Chelsea Wolfe - The Grime and The Glow
Another woman with an unforgettable voice, Chelsea Wolfe makes you fall in love with the rough edges of life. A voice so powerful you forget what the world was like before you heard it. Haunting.
Advice and Vices
Nika Roza Danilova classically trained voice evoke memories of Siouxsie and the Banshees. She is able to fuse the line between horror and heroine. Gone are the static sounds from previous releases, her voice now sunk right in the middle of gothic sounds.
Night
17. Sleigh Bells - TreatsThe hype is right for this duo. Knocks you on your ass from the get go. Not just background music.
Tell 'Em
16. Fang Island - S/T
A band oozing with creativity and energy. Infectious, with a mix of Animal Collective, Fang Island wants to be the life of any party, and sometimes that's all you need.
Life Coach
15. The Body - All the Waters of Earth Turn to Blood
This album is a field of detours and surprises. Fans of Sunn O))) will taking a liking to this. Sometimes almost impossible to listen to, The Body grabs you by the wrist on the opening track and refuses to let go til the nightmare is over.
A Curse
14. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Mistakenly compared to early Weezer, Surfer Blood lifts their music above the overdone genre, with a spike of youthful exuberance. Catchy, these young boys from Florida are helping rewrite the rock 'n roll stereotype.
Swim
13. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
Changing without notice from mood to mood, Flying Lotus will keep you guessing and toe-tapping for hours. With headphones on, you swear some of the sounds are coming from downstairs. Spooky.
Nose Art
12. Salem - King Night
Elements of shoe-gazing and trip hop make up the ethereal soundscape that is Salem. This Chicago trio plays with the two genres forming what they call "drag". Hypnotic.
King Night
11. I, The Breather - These Are My Sins
This Baltimore-based quintet begin an aural assault that never lets up. This is my go-to album on TTC rides from hell. Merciless and punishing, this is one fails to disappoint.
The Common Good
10. Liars - Sisterworld
With their fifth album, Sisterworld hits all of the Liars' talents. Hush tones and explosive moments keep you in check. We always want their sound to knock you over - just not knowing when is their specialty. Do yourself a favour and check them out live! They do not disappoint.
Scissor
9. Wolf Parade - EXPO 86
A solid turnout by the boys from Montreal, they challenge what the masses consider indie. Loud, muddy but always harmonic the album gets more rewarding with every listen.
What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)
8. Jonsi - Go
Like being slapped with a hammer of sunshine, while being trapped in a hurricane. Beautiful and emotionally gripping. Seeing him live was one of my highlights of 2010. Stunning!
Grow til Tall
7. Women - Public Strain
Influences of Velvet Underground and Joy Division are apparent in Public Strain. And that is not a bad thing! After breaking up in dramatic fashion in a Victoria BC bar this might be the last we hear from them for awhile.
Can't You See
6. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Social Network
Longtime NIN fan, I was very excited when i first heard Mr. Reznor was doing a David Fincher film score. I exhausted the album long before I saw the movie. Let's hope he keeps doing this as a side project.
Hand Covers Bruise
5. Japandroids - Art Czars/ Younger Us / Heavenward Grand Prix 7"
BC duo darlings were on tour all 2010, so they had no time to enter the studio. So they released three 7" all year to keep the fans at bay. The highlight being Big Black cover "Racer-X". These guys are a treat to see live too.
Racer-X
4. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
An arresting collection of sounds, that is perfect for that summer bike ride down some quiet streets.
You
3. Weekend - Sports
Noise and more noise. Behind a wall of reverb, Weekend, balances rhythmic harmonies with endless chaos.
Coma Summer
2. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Plain and simple this is the album David Bowie wishes he could make after "Let's Dance". Take note Thin White Duke.
All I Want
1. Daughters - S/T
By far this album dominated my playlists. Hints of Jesus Lizard only make me love them more. The only sad note is they broke up before any tour could be arranged. Not a bad way to go out. With a bang.
The Theatre Goer
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