Music On My Balls: December 2010

10. The Tallest Man On Earth "The Wild Hunt"

When Swedish folk singer Kristian Matsson first burst into the music scene in 2006 under the moniker The Tallest Man On Earth with his debut self-titled EP, people were quick to compare him to Bob Dylan. And with good reason. An extremely masterful acoustic guitar player, Matsson's highly-colorful songwriting mixed with his unique voice often resembled Dylan in his early years, or Nick Drake in the early 70s. His second LP "The Wild Hunt" is an amazingly huge step forward in his songwriting skills from his 2008 LP "Shallow Grave", and it's very nice to see folk artists like Matsson around today.

Favorite tracks: Burden of Tomorrow, King of Spain, Love Is All, A Lion's Heart

9. Deerhunter "Halcyon Digest"

Atlanta-based shoegaze band Deerhunter's fourth LP titled "Halcyon Digest" is very different than their past albums. As opposed to the on-the-edge tension present in their 2008 album "Microcastle", you get a more straightforward yet euphoric sound. Which is not a bad thing. What I like about Deerhunter is that they can mix My Bloody Valentine guitar sounds with nice, simple melodies that can be at times beautiful, yet they can make tense, dark music at the same time. Halcyon Digest does this perfectly, and it is a truly great listen.

Favorite tracks: Earthquake, Revival, Desire Lines, Helicopter

8. Eminem "Recovery"

Marshall Mathers, a very famous rapper from Detroit, has been in and out of the public eye since 2004's "Encore". The death of his friend Proof in 2006 mixed with his troubled family issues resulted in him taking a 5-year hiatus. In 2009 he returned with "Relapse", but with the exception of a few standout tracks, the album was fairly mediocre. This year, however, he has learned from the mistakes of that album and created a fantastic hip-hop record that is a huge step forward in his music and his career. He raps about his troubled past and his future ambitions, and while it may not be a return to form, it is still great to see him put out great rap tunes.

Favorite tracks: Talkin' 2 Myself, Going Through Changes, No Love, Space Bound, Cinderella Man, 25 to Life

7. Brian Eno "Small Craft on a Milk Sea"

Ambient music pioneer and producer Brian Eno has been making innovative ambient and experimental music since the 70s. He has produced such classic albums like "Remain in Light", "The Joshua Tree", and David Bowie's "Low". He has made great music his whole career, and 2010's "Small Craft on a Milk Sea" is no exception. Brilliantly crafted and cohesive, it mixes his staple ambient sounds with tribal drums and guitar reverb, which all together forms a cacophony of unique sounds and song structures. Overall this is a very welcome addition to Brian Eno's already huge discography.

Favorite tracks: Emerald and Lime, Horse, 2 Forms of Anger, Paleosonic, Calcium Needles

6. Vampire Weekend "Contra"

In 2008, Vampire Weekend released their self-titled debut LP to great reviews. Highly influenced by Paul Simon and afropop, it was a charming breath of fresh air. This year, their newest album Contra builds upon that sound with orchestrated strings, tribal drum patterns, and lush production. This might be the best production I've heard all year. You can really hear every instrument clearly, and not a single time are any of the instruments drowned out in the background. Contra is a really fun record and it makes me glad that there are bands like Vampire Weekend around today.

Favorite tracks: Horchata, White Sky, Holiday, Cousins, Giving Up the Gun

5. Titus Andronicus "The Monitor"

When New Jersey-based indie punk band Titus Andronicus released their debut album "The Airing of Grievances" in 2008, it was neat to see an indie band release ambitious and energetic rock music with a strong punk aesthetic. Their sophomore LP "The Monitor" is an even more ambitious album, with highly-energetic punk rock songs that can exceed to lengths of over 14 minutes long. Throughout "The Monitor", you can hear all of their influences which range from the surreal songwriting of Neutral Milk Hotel to the singing style of their lead singer that resembles Bruce Springsteen and Conor Oberst to the dynamic instruments that soar with punk energy. Overall, "The Monitor" is an incredibly ambitious album that is a very very good listen.

Favorite tracks: A More Perfect Union, A Pot in Which to Piss, To Old Friends and New, The Battle of Hampton Roads

4. Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"

Sufjan Stevens is a man that can't really stick to one sound. Whether it be the experimental sounds of "Enjoy Your Rabbit" or the fragile folk stylings of "Seven Swans" and "Illinois", Sufjan is a very versatile musician who seems to master every genre he touches. With "The Age of Adz", he mixes electronics with the lush, cinematic orchestration that you might find in a Disney movie. On top of that, his songwriting here is very top-notch. The electronic sounds on this album are very pleasing to my ears. It really makes you wonder how a man with an indie-folk past can make these kinds of sounds. The songs are very ambitious, too. Taking up over a third of the album's length, the final track on the album "Impossible Soul" is a 25 minute long journey through the twisted mind of Sufjan Stevens. And dammit, does it sound amazing. Overall, I really enjoy this new musical path Sufjan is going down, and I hope Sufjan continues to make music like this in the future.

Favorite tracks: Too Much, Age of Adz, I Walked, Now That I'm Older, I Want to Be Well, Impossible Soul

3. Arcade Fire "The Suburbs"

Canadian indie-rockers Arcade Fire are one of the biggest names in indie rock. And with good reason. The beautifully somber lyrics of "Funeral" and theatricality of "Neon Bible" really make this band unique. Their third album "The Suburbs" is a much more ambitious album than their previous two, and the songs here are very good. Whether it be singer Win Butler's great lyrics on "The Suburbs" or the lush string section on "Rococo" or the nostalgic hook on "We Used to Wait" or the brilliant chorus on "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", Arcade Fire are a band whose sound never copies itself, and every song is a different musical adventure waiting to be explored. It really makes me wonder what new music they will release in the future.

Favorite tracks: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Rococo, We Used to Wait, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

2. Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

Kanye West is a rapper who is usually made out to be a bad guy in the media. It seems like every thing he does or says is somehow twisted around to make him look like a bad person, but I don't really care about that. The man has made some awesome music in the past, and "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is no exception. Not only is it his best album, it's highly innovative and a gigantic leap forward in the world of hip-hop. There are songs on here that exceed 9 minutes in length. He is also on top of his game in the songwriting department as well. He raps about the media and pokes fun at his "hatas" that have tried to bring him down in the past. The beats are some of the best and unique beats I've ever heard in a rap album. There are also a lot of infectious hooks on this album that can get stuck in your head for days. Love him or hate him, Kanye is a very innovative hip-hop artist that makes excellent songs while laughing in the face of the music industry.

Favorite tracks: Dark Fantasy, Power, All of the Lights, Monster, Runaway, Hell of a Life

1. LCD Soundsystem "This Is Happening"

James Murphy is a man who knows his music. His band LCD Soundsystem is very good at making great dance music with a subtle punk aesthetic, but unlike a lot of dance music, LCD Soundsystem is a very sophisticated group that can make epic music with brilliant grooves. After their amazing first two albums "LCD Soundsystem" and "Sound of Silver", James Murphy has taken all the epicness and infectious grooviness of those two albums and has mixed it together to make a brilliant record called "This Is Happening". This album is just pure ambition. Every song travels through many different dynamics while maintaining a solid groove, with Murphy's David Bowie-style voice on top of it all. Overall, "This Is Happening" is an amazing album that can deliver incredible dance music that is a very fun and rewarding listen. This is by far my favorite album of the year.

Favorite tracks: Dance Yrself Clean, Drunk Girls, One Touch, All I Want, I Can Change, You Wanted a Hit

Honorable mentions:

MGMT "Congratulations"
Lil' Wayne "I Am Not a Human Being"
Grinderman "Grinderman 2"
Gorillaz "Plastic Beach"
Deftones "Diamond Eyes"
The Dillinger Escape Plan "Option Paralysis"
65daysofstatic "We Were Exploding Anyway"
Janelle Monáe "The Archandroid"

Music On My Balls

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My Top Ten Favorite Albums of 2010

Titus Andronicus "The Monitor"

Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"

LCD Soundsystem "This Is Happening"

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