My Top 25 Albums of 2010

ArtistDeerhunter
AlbumHalcyon Digest
Track“Desire Lines”

ArtistTame Impala
AlbumInnerspeaker
Track“Vital Signs”

ArtistNew Mexico (formally Apes of Wrath)
AlbumHave You Met My Friend?
Track“Abused and Amused”

ArtistTy Segall
AlbumMelted
Track: “Imaginary Person”

ArtistLower Dens
AlbumTwin Hand Movement
Track“A Dog’s Dick”

ArtistFuture Islands
AlbumIn the Evening Air
Track“As I Fall”

ArtistThe Radio Dept.
AlbumClinging to a Scheme
Track: “This Time Around”

Artist: Woods
Album: At Echo Lake
Track: “Blood Dries Quicker”


Artist: Mount Kimbie
AlbumCrooks & Lovers
Track: “Blind Night Errand”

ArtistSea of Bees
AlbumSongs for the Raven
Track: “Marmalade

ArtistSonny & The Sunsets
AlbumTomorrow is Alright
Track“Lovin’ on an Older Gal”

ArtistTamaryn
AlbumThe Waves
Track: “Mild Confusion”

ArtistSun Airway
AlbumNocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier
Featured TracksPut the Days Away”

Artist: J. Irvin Dally
Album: Despistado
Track:  “The Little Ones”

Artist: Royal Baths
AlbumLitanies
Track: “Nikki Don’t”

Artist: The Dig
Album: Electric Toys
Track: “You’re Already Gone


Artist: Phantogram
Album: Eyelid Movies
Track“When I’m Small”


Artist: Caribou
Album: Swim
Track: “Sun


Artist: Local Natives
Album: Gorilla Manor
Track“Sun Hands”


Artist: Twin Tigers
Album: Gray Waves
Track“Everyday


Artist: The National
Album: High Violet
Track“Afraid of Everyone”


Artist: The Black Keys
AlbumBrothers

Artist: The Black Ryder
AlbumBuy the Ticket, Take the Ride
Track: “Gone Without Feeling

ArtistWarpaint
AlbumThe Fool
Track: “Undertow

ArtistGeographer
AlbumAnimal Shapes
Track: “Original Sin”

The Power of Ten: 10 Albums for 10/10/10

It’s 10:10 AM on 10/10/10. A perfect 10. These tri-numeral dates come around once a year and this year it falls on the number 10. Is it an auspicious day or a bunch of hullaballoo? There is a certain completeness of order with the number 10. For the Chinese the number is lucky, representing perfection or completion. We’re born with 10 fingers and 10 toes after all. Perfect beauty is measured on its scale. Top 10 lists are ubiquitous. And any respectable album contains at least 10 songs.

If you’re technologically-inclined, today is a “binary” day. The ones-and-zeros representing the binary code or the mathematical language “spoken” by computers to create all things digital. Converting the date 10/10/10 to binary code gives us 101010. And in the binary counting system, that number translates to 42, which means…absolutely nothing.

But hey, it’s a nice theme for a post isn’t it? And everyone loves a top 10 list. So, here’s mine.  The 10 albums I’m obsessed with on this month, this day, this year. The albums I have on heavy rotation right now and keep coming back to again and again. Ten, in a long list, of albums you should most definitely own. Listed in no particular order, they are:

Artist: Royal Baths
Album: Litanies
Track: “Nikki Don’t”

Artist: Deerhunter
Album: Halcyon Digest
Track: “Desire Lines”

Artist: Sea of Bees
Album: Songs for the Raven
Track: “Marmalade

Artist: Sonny & The Sunsets
Album: Tomorrow is Alright
Track: “Lovin’ on an Older Gal”

ArtistLower Dens
AlbumTwin Hand Movement
Track: “A Dog’s Dick”

ArtistTame Impala
AlbumInnerspeaker
Track: “Vital Signs”

Artist: Future Islands
Album: In the Evening Air
Track: “As I Fall”

Artist: Ty Segall
AlbumMelted
Track: “Cesar

Artist: Tamaryn
AlbumThe Waves
Track: “Mild Confusion”

SXSW Pick: Ty Segall

Ty Segall – “Cents

Have I told you lately how much I love SF’s Ty Segall? Well, it’s been a couple weeks since my last declaration so I’ll say it again.  I love Ty Segall. Few things make me happier than listening to his variety of lo-fi garage rock. No, happy isn’t the right word.  Giddy is more like it. And if musical happiness is what you seek in Austin then I suggest you run – not walk – to the following gigs.

Mar 18 2010 2:30P
SXSW – Bay Area Takeover at the Beauty Bar Austin, Texas
Mar 18 2010 4:00P
SXSW – The Independent Austin, Texas
Mar 18 2010 7:00P
SXSW – Burger Records Showcase @ Trailer Space Austin, Texas
Mar 19 2010 4:00P
SXSW – Trouble In Mind Showcase @ The Longbranch Austin, Texas
Mar 19 2010 5:45P
SXSW – Club 1808 Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2010 2:15P
SXSW – Goner Showcase @ Beerland Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2010 4:00P
SXSW – Waterloo Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2010 11:45P
SXSW – Panache Showcase @ The Mohawk -indoor stage Austin, Texas
Mar 21 2010 5:00P
SXSW – Panache Hangover @ Beerland Austin, Texas