Once again Thanksgiving reminds us that another year will soon be in the books, and I begin to think about my Top 10 albums for the year.\u00a0 Actually I have been thinking about it all year.\u00a0 Since this represents my fourth year of a formal review, I take the responsibility all the more seriously.\u00a0 For 2010 I am adding a slight new wrinkle, I am preparing this list before the national media (not trying to sound like Sarah Palin) publish theirs.\u00a0 This way the list cannot be influenced by other year end reviews.\u00a0 So for the record, this list was complied Thanksgiving weekend and uninfluenced by Paste, Rolling Stone, Inquirer, etc.<\/p>\n
The current world seems to carry a fair amount of uncertainty.\u00a0 We just witnessed another political shift.\u00a0 Our economy feels like it wants to move forward but European issues and real estate debt are keeping economic growth in check.\u00a0 The sports world\u2019s current obsession is Michael Vick and his rise to the top of the NFL after a dramatic fall from grace.\u00a0 Golf fans wonder if Tiger can recapture his greatness after his publicly revealed dark side and subsequent divorce.\u00a0 Yet, one of the most uncertain businesses continues to be the music industry.\u00a0 Sales of recorded music once again experience steep drops.\u00a0 The album model seems less important with increasing individual song downloads.\u00a0 To make it easier for you to listen to great albums I present my Top 10 for 2010!<\/p>\n
Top 10 CD\u2019s of 2010:<\/strong><\/p>\n Mumford and Sons \u2013 Sigh No More<\/strong> – This quartet from Scotland leads my list with their debut release.\u00a0 With driving banjos, great harmonizing, a background trumpet, and folksy lyrics, they sound almost Americana making it hard to believe they are from across the pond.\u00a0 The album is easy to listen to from the get go and then continues to grows on you with each listen.\u00a0 A very pleasant surprise and the best album of 2010.<\/p>\n The Roots \u2013 How I Got Over <\/strong>– Philly\u2019s finest just gets better and better.\u00a0 The hardest working and best live act in hip hop produced two great CD\u2019s this year, have a regular gig on the Jimmy Fallon show, performed as the house band for a Haiti telethon and still manages to tour.\u00a0 They are lead by MC\/singer Black Thought and his high school classmate Questlove, who may be the best drummer on the planet.\u00a0 The rest of the band are also excellent musicians.\u00a0 This CD has tremendous variety from the slow redo with Jim James on \u201cDear God\u201d to the gritty \u201cOut in the Streets\u201d.\u00a0 Their other release was the very good \u201cWake Up\u201d made with Philly resident and smooth crooner John Legend and featuring covers with political themes from the 60\u2019s.\u00a0 I love the Roots!<\/p>\n Arcade Fire \u2013 The Suburbs<\/strong> \u2013 This Canadian band features lead singer and primary song writer Win Butler and his wife Regine Chassagne.\u00a0 After previously tackling the heavy themes of religion (Neon Bible) and death (Funeral), they now go after the dreariness of suburban living.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to imagine how a traveling band of artists under 30 can understand life in the burbs, but the songs are easy to relate to.\u00a0 Concepts and images covered include too many shopping malls, looking for cool people in the big city, and losing touch with old friends.\u00a0 There are 10 plus in the band, and many of them play multiple instruments so the sounds are all over the place, albeit somewhat poppy.\u00a0 Arcade Fire songs frequently build slowly and end up as anthems. I saw them outdoors at the Mann Center, and it was my top concert of the year.<\/p>\n Kayne West \u2013 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy<\/strong> \u2013 Go ahead and tell me that you hate Kayne.\u00a0 Yes, he can be really annoying.\u00a0 Yes, what he did to innocent Taylor Swift was horrible, but the guy is one of the greatest pop talents in music today, and he released what may be the best record of his career.\u00a0 The lyrics are his typical bravado (and at times profane), but he seems almost apologetic at times for his recent obnoxious behavior.\u00a0 The CD has an all star collaboration list including Jay Z, Pusha T, Elton John, Beyonce, Chris Rock, John Legend, Common, and Rhianna, but the lyrics and beats are all Kayne.\u00a0 \u201cNo one man should have so much power\u201d is a quote from one of the better songs, a great hip hop beat, and typical introspection from Kayne.<\/p>\n Broken Bells \u2013 Broken Bells<\/strong> \u2013 This collaboration from Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and James Mercer, (the lead singer from the Shins) came out in early 2010.\u00a0 And while James Mercer\u2019s vocals are unmistakable, Danger Mouse gives it the extra edge – little funky beats and hooks to make it a great album<\/p>\n Delta Spirit \u2013 History From Below<\/strong> \u2013 Delta Spirit released their third release mid – 2010.\u00a0 This band from San Diego features unconventional instruments like trash can lids and orchestral bass drums.\u00a0 Their music could be classified as alternative country but there are rock and soul influences which make it unique.\u00a0 The lyrics contain an almost spiritual quality to them. Another band with a similar sound that I enjoyed is Dawes and their album North Hills.<\/p>\n Herbie Hancock \u2013 The Imagine Projec<\/strong>t \u2013 This jazz icon continues perfecting his craft with his latest musical journey.\u00a0 This album of covers focuses on the theme of the title, – Imagine if we could all live in peace.\u00a0 Herbie, who has been a driving force in jazz music for over 50 years, still wants to grow and promote a better world.\u00a0 Guest singers include John Legend, Pink, Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeski, Dave Mathews and Los Lobos.\u00a0 The songs were recorded all over the world and include singers from Africa, Ireland and Jamaica. Herbie finds ways to make any song sound as if it was his original.\u00a0 While this is not a true Jazz album, it is an album that reflects his journey to a better place.<\/p>\n The Heavy \u2013 The House That Dirt Built<\/strong> \u2013 Although technically this didn\u2019t come out in 2010 I discovered it in early 2010 and it is one of my favorites.\u00a0 You have heard the hit \u201cHow Do you Like Me Now\u201d but the whole CD rocks, with some soul, blues and jazz thrown in for good measure.<\/p>\n The Black Keys \u2013 Brothers<\/strong> \u2013 These two buddies from Ohio went back to what suits them, basic blues rock from a drummer and a guitar player and no one else.\u00a0 Danger Mouse produced their last album and it just didn\u2019t feel right.\u00a0 These guys seem like they are two low-life, flannel shirt-wearing, beer-guzzling slobs, but boy can they play and make a big sound come out of two instruments.\u00a0 Lyrics are not their strong suit, but playing some good ole blues is!<\/p>\n The LCD Soundsystem \u2013\u00a0 This Is Happening <\/strong>\u2013 James Murphy has perfected the\u00a0 electronica\u00a0 and dance sound.\u00a0 He is also a tremendous lyricist.\u00a0 This CD contains so many catchy and funny songs.\u00a0 Electronica can sometimes sound repetitious but James Murphy never lets that happen.<\/p>\n Honorable mentions go out to Nas and Damian Marley for their rap\/reggae release, Titus Andronicus (a kind of punk meets Bruce Springsteen), and of course Bruce Springsteen\u2019s Promise which contains unreleased songs from the Darkness on the Edge of Town album.\u00a0 All my Springsteen-hater friends do not need to comment!<\/p>\n Memorable shows included Arcade Fire and Herbie Hancock a week apart at the Mann Music Center; John Legend and the Roots at the WCL during the Non-Com convention in June; Carbon Leaf, sitting at the stage in the tin angel; Black Crows at the Tower; Dawes at the WCL Free at Noon the day I closed on a building in Ardmore!<\/p>\n Hope 2010 was good and 2011 is even better! Once again Thanksgiving reminds us that another year will soon be in the books, and I begin to think about my Top 10 albums for the year.\u00a0 Actually I have been thinking about it all year.\u00a0 Since this represents my fourth year of a formal review, I take the responsibility all the more seriously.\u00a0 For […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/veseycapital.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nVZ<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"