Other great things: The Gories reunion at Empty Bottle, Louie CK, Omar Souleyman at Grant Park, my daughter entering pre-school, the continuing proliferation of outstanding craft beers and playing with the Violent ARP Band.

Emily Elhaj
LADY GAGA
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WINNING THE SUPER BOWL
Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Etienne Jaumet – Night Music (Domino)
Best Coast – Crazy For You (Mexican Summer)
Magik Markers/Sic Alps – Tour Only 12″ (Yik Yak Records)
Sylvester Anfang II – Commune Cassetten (Blackest Rainbow)
Ken Camden – Lethargy & Repercussions (Kranky)
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu Steps Ahead (Strut)
Blessure Grave – Judged By 12, Carried By 6 (Release the Bats)
Sun Araw – On Patrol (Not Not Fun)
Caribou – Swim (Merge)
Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (Universal Motown)
Phil Cohran – Armageddon (Katalyst)
Pantha du Prince – Black Noise (Rough Trade)
Cacaw – Cacaw (Permanent)
Dum Dum Girls – Blissed Out (cass) (Art Fag)
Fielded – Terrageist (Catholic Tapes)
Janelle Monae – The Archandroid (Bad Boy)
Geffika – Geffika (cass) (Love Lion)
Emeralds – Does it Look I’m Here? (Editions Mego)
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (4AD)
Amen Dunes – Murder Dull Mind EP (Sacred Bones)
Wild Nothing – Gemini (Captured Tracks)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Returnal (Editions Mego)
Julian Lynch – Mare (Olde English Spelling Bee)
The Dream – Love King (Def Jam)
Best Coast – Sun Was High (So Was I) 45 (Art Fag)
High Confessions – Turning Lead Into Gold… (Relapse)
Dirty Beaches – True Blue/Sweet 17 45 (Zoo Music)
Purple Rhinestone Eagle – The Great Return (Stank House/Love Lion)
Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was… Liber I (Debemur Morti)
Angel Olsen – Lady of the Waterpark (cass) (Love Lion)
Tinsel Teeth – Trash As The Trophy (Load)
Dead C – Patience (Badabing)
Brain Idea – Survival Scrolls (Permanent)
Games – That We Play (Hippos In Tanks)
Burzum – Belus (Back on Black)
Sleep Over – Outer Limits 45 (Forest Family)
Deathspell Omega – Paracletus (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

(((SHOWS)))
Thrones – Empty Bottle
Best Coast – Empty Bottle/Pitchfork/Metro
Sleep/Ga’an – Logan Square Auditorium
Joan Jett – 7/11 Parking Lot
Omar Souleyman – Grant Park
Solvent – Home Sweet Home, New York
Enslaved – House of Blues
Cacaw – Ball Hall
John Wiese – MCA (Wire Festival)
Julian Lynch – Gravity Records, North Carolina
Cropped Out Festival, Louisville, Kentucky
Riccardo Muti at Millennium Park

Dave Hofer
BEST OF 2010 (no order):
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot
Decrepit Birth – Polarity
Aeon – Path of Fire
Primate – demos
Blacastan – Blac Sabbath
Fuck the Facts – Unnamed EP
Bongripper – Satan Worshipping Doom
Angel Eyes – Midwestern
Drake – Thank Me Later
Puerto Muerto – Drumming for Pistols
Sleepy Sun – Fever
Guilty Simpson – OJ Simpson
Whitefield Brothers – Earthology
Cephalic Carnage – Misled By Certainty
Centarus – Pulse
Nails – Unsilent Death
Cardiac Arrest – Haven for the Insane
Muzzler/Harpoon – Split 7″

Kate Ruggeri
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: Son of Chico Dusty
Brain Idea – Survival Scrolls
The Dream – Love King
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
Gregory Isaacs – All I Have is Love
Group Doueh – Beatte Harab
Group Inerane – Guitars From Agadez, Vol. 3
Lee Perry – Sound System Scratch
Neil Young – Le Noise
Sun City Girls – Funeral Mariachi
Sun Araw – On Patrol / Off Duty EP

Dan Maloney
Ariel Pink & The Haunted Graffiti: Before Today
Field Music : (Measure)
Gil Scott Heron : I’ m New Here
Javelin : No Mas
Tallest Man On Earth: Wild Hunt
Robert Plant: Band of Joy
Beach House: Teen Dream
Tame Impala: Inner Speaker
Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest
Secret Sisters: S/t
Sun Kil Moon: Admiral Fell Promises
Neil Young: Le Noise

Reissues

Bruce Springsteen: The Promise
Anibal Velasquez & Su Conjunto: Mambo Loco
Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology
Jim Sullivan: UFO
Kris Kristofferson: Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends (Publishing Demos)
Ride: Nowhere
Slowdive: Soulvaki & Blue Day
Robert Wyatt: Shleep
Dadawah: Peace & Love
Bridget St John: 4 Men With Beards Reissues
Pastor T.L Barrett: Like A Ship

Libby Zanders
In no particular order:
Love Lion cassette label
Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir “Like A Ship… (Without A Sail)” reissue LP
Brain Idea “The Survival Scrolls” LP
Eddy Current Suppression Ring “Rush to Relax” LP
Burzum “Belus” LP
Los Saicos “Demolicion!” 7″ box set
Heavy Times “Dead” LP
Kris Kristofferson “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends: the Publishing Demos 68-72” LP
Pissed Jeans “Sam Kinison Woman” 7″
Mississippi Records still killin’ it- Check out their tape series!
Tandoori Knights “Bucketful” 7″
Lady Gaga taking over the country
Beyonce “Why Don’t You Love Me” music video
Sleep at the Logan Square Auditorium
Implodes at the Empty Bottle
extra photos of Bruce Springsteen from Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions
touch & go book

Katie Kapuza
Into the Great Wide Yonder- Trentemoller
Ay Ay Ay- Matias Aguayo
Black Noise- Pantha Du Prince
U Don’t Like Me- Diplo & Lil Jon
A Sufi & A Killer- Gonjasufi
Strange Weather Isn’t It- !!!
Mercy- Sweet Cobra
Dust- Ellen Allien
Madlib Medicine Show #4- Madlib
Where Did the Night Fall- Unkle
DJ Kicks- Apparat
Modeselektion Vol. 1- Modeselektor
Blood of Heroes- Blood of Heroes

Caroline Yohanon
(in no order)
dungen “skit i allt”
beach house “teen dream”
whitefield brothers “earthology”
Javelin “no mas”
black keys “brothers”
the liminanas “the liminanas”
sade “soldier of love”
lcd soundsystem “this is happening”
chicago thrash ensemble “chicago thrash ensemble ep”
field music “field music”
tame impala “innerspeaker”
thee oh sees “warm slime”
tallest man on earth “the wild hunt”
robert plant “band of joy”
mgmt “congratulations”
baths “cerulean”
black angels “phosphene dream”
sleigh bells “treats”
yeasayer “odd blood”
twin sister “color your life”
mulatu astatke “mulatu steps ahead”
peed glue & shinki “speed glue & shinki” (reissue)
various artists “pomegranates”

best shows
the violent arp band @ empty bottle
dungen @ lincoln hall

Billy Smith
2010 best of looks mostly mellow

Peter Gabriel “Scratch My Back” (Real World)
Loscil “Endless Falls” (Kranky)
Jonsi “Go” (XL)
S O U N D G A R D E N is B A C K
Johann Johannsson “Fordlandia” (4AD)
Olafur Arnalds “And They Escaped The Weight” (Erased Tapes)
Superchunk “Majesty Shredding” (Merge)
Swans “My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky” (Young God)
Posies “Blood/ Candy” (Rykodisc)
Local H “Local H’s Awesome Mix Tape # 1 (G&P)

Michelle Hodges
best coast – crazy for you
merchandise – (strange songs) in the dark
jack rose – luck in the valley
detachments – s/t
anika – s/t
scientists – this is my happy hour
swans – my father will guide me up a rope to the sky
death in june – peaceful snow
daily void – eclipse of 1453 ep
bastard noise – a culture of monsters
total abuse – mutt
drunkdriver – s/t
slices – cruising
raw nerve – s/t
sick/tired – highlife
double negative – daydream nation
manipulation – violence 7″
low threat profile – s/t 7″
mens interest – more war 7″
leather – anchorite 7″
vile gash – s/t 7″
veins – s/t 7″
vaccine – human hatred 7″
sea of shit/ socially retarded split 7″
raspberry bulbs – dust in the fallen face cs
population – demo cs
skrapyard – demo cs

vinyl reissues:
the fall – wonderful and frightening world of the fall
crisis – hymns of faith
les rallizes denudes – heavier than a death in the family
black tambourine – s/t
hoover – the lurid traversal of route 7
ride – nowhere
galaxie 500 (all of them)
spacemen 3 (all of them)
wake – harmony

shows:
   swans @ bottom lounge
   dropdead & double negative @ treasure town
   the clean @ bottom lounge
   bastard noise @ ronny’s

Matt Jencik
Agalloch “Marrow of the Spirit”
Aguaturbia LP reissues
Alcest “Ecaille De Lune”
Anika “s/t”
Autopsy LP reissues
Blut Aus Nord “What Once Was…Liber I”
Brain Idea “Survival Scrolls”
Jane Birkin “Di Doo Dah” reissue
Burzum “Belus”
Ken Camden “Lethargy & Repurcussions” LP
Chris Connelly “Ed Royal” book
Deathspell Omega “Paracletus”
Deuter “D” LP reissue
Deux “Decadence” LP reissue
Disappears “Lux”
Drudkh “Handful of Stars”
Enslaved “Axioma Ethica Odini”
Fielded “Terrageist”
Furze “Reaper Subconscious Guide”
Katatonia “Dance of December Souls” LP reissue
Les Rallizes Denudes LP reissues
Liars “Sisterworld”
Love Cry Want “s/t” LP reissue
Nachtmystium “Addicts: Black Meddle Part Two”
Orkustra “Adventures in Experimental Electronic Orchestra”
from the San Francisco Psychedelic Underground”
Parasites of the Western World LP reissue
Parson Sound LP boxset
Armando Piazza “Suan” reissue
Ramleh “Hole in the Heart”
Ride for Revenge “Wisdom of the Few”
Triptykon “Eparistera Daimones”
Until the Light Takes Us 2XDVD
Voivod “Negatron”/”Phobos” LP reissue
Yellow Swans “Going Places”
Neil Young “Le Noise”
V/A Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974
V/A Secret Museum of Mankind Vol. 1 LP reissue

Live shows
Alcest @ Reggie’s
Brain Idea @ The Hideout
The Clean/ Mannequin Men @ Bottom Lounge
Enslaved @ House of Blues
Entombed @ Reggie’s
Guided by Voices @ Riviera
Iggy & the Stooges @ Riviera
eyehategod/ Nachtmystium @ Empty Bottle
Omar Souleyman @ Grant Park
Sleep @ Logan Square Auditorium
Sunn O)))/Boris at ATP NY
Triptykon @ Bottom Lounge

Erika Hendrix
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: Before Today (4AD)
Best Coast: “Something in the Way” [7”] (Post Present Medium)
Das Racist: Shut Up, Dude (digital mixtape)
Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest (4AD)
Disappears: Lux (Kranky)
Dum Dum Girls: I Will Be (Sub Pop)
Hallo Gallo: “Blinkgurtel” [7”] (Vampire Blues)
Hunx and his Punx: Gay Singles (True Panther)
Moderne: Moderne 1980-81 (Minimal Wave)
Moon Duo: Escape (Woodsist)
Munly & the Lupercalians: Petr & the Wulf (Alternative Tentacles)
Newsom, Joanna: Have One on Me (Drag City)
Olsen, Angel: Strange Cacti (Bathetic) [tape]
Swans: My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky (Young God)
Teengirl Fantasy: 4AM (Thrill Jockey)
Thee Oh Sees: Warm Slime (In the Red)
Umberto: Prophesy of the Black Widow (Not Not Fun)
The Vaselines: Sex with an X (Sub Pop)
Yellow Swans: Going Places
Zola Jesus: Stridulum EP (Sacred Bones)
Various artists: Minimal Wave Tapes, Vol. 1 (Stones Throw)

Honorable mentions:
Beach House: Teen Dream (Sub Pop); Future Islands: In Evening Air
(Thrill Jockey); Grinderman: Grinderman 2 (Anti-); LA Vampires & Zola
Jesus: LA Vampires Meets Zola Jesus (Not Not Fun);Lynch, Julian: Mare
(Old English Spelling Bee); Sadier, Laetitia: The Trip (Drag City)

Reissues/compilations/box sets::
Black Tambourine: Complete Recordings (Slumberland)
Deux: Decadence (Minimal Wave)
Neu!: Neu! reissues/Neu! box set
Orange Juice: Coals to Newcastle (Domino)
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club: Buried Behind the Barn (Alternative
Tentacles; originally released in 2004 as a CD-R)

Melissa Grubbs
Alcest- Ecaille De Lune
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh
Ken Camden – Lethargy & Repercussions
Phil Cohran- Zulu 45s 7” boxset
Deux “Decadence” LP reissue
Enslaved “Axioma Ethica Odini”
Grinderman- 2
Group Inerane- Guitars From Agadez Vol. 3
High Confessions – Turning Lead Into Gold…
Syl Johnson- Complete Mythology
Omar Khorshid – Guitar El Chark
Les Rallizes Denudes (reissues)
Liars- Sisterworld
Janelle Monae- The Archandroid
Parson Sound LP boxset
Pastor T.L. Barrett “Like a Ship Without a Sail”
PNS & ZAVALA- Canciones Modernas
Mark Ronson- Bang Bang 12″ (with Q-Tip! Best guilty pleasure 12″ in a while!)
Sade- Soldier of Love
Gil Scott Heron- I’m New Here
Sylvester Anfang II – Commune Cassetten
Umberto – Prophesy of the Black Widow
Anibal Y Su Conjunto Velasquez- Mambo Loco
Various Artists- Cloud Cuckooland
Various Artists- Cumbia Beat Vol.1 1966-1976: Experimental Guitar-Driven Tropical
Various Artists: Ecstatic Music of the Jemaa El Fna
Various Artists – Pomegranates
Various Artists – Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974
Whitfield Brothers- Earthology
Robert Wyatt- Shleep (vinyl reissue)
Neil Young- Le Noise

Ethan D’Ercole
SYL JOHNSON BOX
PHIL COHRAN 7″ BOX
MANNEQUIN MEN- HOBBY GIRL/ SEE SAW (HOZAC)
MANNEQUIN MEN/ JACK OBLIVIAN SPLIT 7″ (VICE)
HIGH CONFESSIONS- TURNING LEAD INTO GOLD (RELAPSE)
(DUTCH) OUTSIDERS- AFRAID OF THE DARK (PSEUDONYM)
THEE OH SEES- WARM SLIME (IN THE RED)
ENDTABLES- S/T (DRAG CITY)
CHICAGO THRASH ENSEMBLE- S/T (PLASTIC AIRLINES)
BEDFELLOWS- LIVE AT THE HIDEOUT (IMPORT ONLY)
SMALL FACES- ALL OR NOTHING (DVD)
ARIEL PINK- BEFORE TODAY (4AD)

Robbie Hamilton
Disappears “Lux”
Besnard Lakes “Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night”
David Vandervelde “Summertime Hits”
Ariel Pink “Before Today”
Swans “My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky”

Movie of the year:
“I’m Still Here”, Directed by Casey Affleck

Sarah Frier
1. Brothers – The Black Keys
2. Phosphorescent Dream – The Black Angels
3. Majesty Shredding – Superchunk
4. Before Today – Ariel Pink
5. Square Shells EP – Kurt Vile
6. Band of Joy – Robert Plant
7. I Learned the Hard Way – Sharon Jones
8. Expo 86 – Wolf Parade
9. Teen Dream – Beach House
10. Le Noise – Neil Young
11. This is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
12. Go – Jonsi
13. Transference – Spoon

You made this year funny awards: Kristin Wiig, The Best Show on WFMU, David Cross, Tina Fey & the hometown heroes at The Beat Kitchen’s Chicago Underground Comedy. Go to there.

Ken Camden
Group Inerane – Guitars From Agadez Vol. 3
Fielded – Terrageist
Jonas Reinhardt – Powers of Audition
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Brain Idea – Survival Scrolls
Disappears – Lux
Brian Mcbride – The Effective Disconnect
Sylvester Anfang II – Commune Cassetten
Alex Barnett – Section 1-3 (cassettes)
Geffika – Geffika (cassette)
Reissues
Slava Ranko – Arctic Hysteria
Daphne Oram – Oramics
Dwarr – Animals
Snowy Red – Right to Die
Deux – Decadence

Steve Shoup
Artificial Peace – Complete Sessions
Autopsy – reissues
Beherit – Engram
Bitchin Bajas – Tones/Zones
Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was… Liber I
The Body – All The Waters Of The Earth Turn To Blood
Brain Idea – The Survival Scrolls
Burzum – Belus
Cacaw – Cacaw
Ken Camden – Lethargy & Repercussions
Can – Peel Sessions
Cave – Pure Moods
Crisis – Hymns Of Faith
Daily Void – Eclipse Of 1453
Deathspell Omega – Paracletus
Drudkh – Handful Of Stars
Dwarr – Animals
Emeralds – Does It Look Like I’m Here?
Fielded – Terrageist
Ga’an – Call Of The Black Equus
Geffika – Geffika
Goblin – Roller reissue
Heavy Times – Dead
Omar Khorshid – Guitar El Chark
Leather – Anchorite 7″
Les Rallizes Denudes – Blind Baby Has Its Mother’s Eyes
Les Rallizes Denudes – Heavier Than A Death In The Family
Lungfish – Pass & Stow reissue
Ozzie – The Parabolic Rock 1975-1982
Parasites Of The Western World reissue
Parson Sound box set
Pissed Jeans – Sam Kinison Woman 7″
Plastic People Of The Universe – Magical Nights
Psychic Steel – Ofsteme
Ride – Nowhere reissue
Rorschach – Remain Sedate/Protestant reissue
Section 25 – Always Now reissue
Snowy Red – Right To Die
Spacemen 3 – reissues
Steel Pole Bath Tub – Unlistenable
Wipers – Out Takes
Neil Young – Le Noise
SHOWS:
Bastard Noise
The Body
The Clean
Harvey Milk
Negative Approach
Bill Orcutt
Pissed Jeans
Sleep
Swans
Thrones
… and far too many Chicago bands to list here

Kip McCabe
Chicago Backhawks winning the Stanley Fucking Cup!

Meshuggah “Alive”
Shipping News “One Less Heart to Fear”
Bottomless Pit “Blood Under the Bridge”
Melvins “The Bride Screamed Murder”
The Books “The Way Out”
Andrew Bird “Useless Creatures”
Dungen “Skit I Allt”
Neil Young “Le Noise’

Dan Worland
Disappears – Lux
Tyler Jon Tyler – s/t + both 45s
Night Beats – H-Bomb EP
Midwest Beat – At The Gates
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush To Relax
Spoon – Transference
1900s – Return of the Century

Courtland Green
JOSHUA ABRAMS “NATURAL INFORMATION”
SADE “SOLDIER OF LOVE”
ANIBAL VELASQUEZ Y SU CONJUNTO “MAMBO LOCO”
MEATY OGRE & CRUSHCON 7 “SWORD”
PNS & ZAVALA “CANCIONES MODERNAS”
ROBERT WYATT “FOR THE GHOSTS WITHIN”
BILL ORCUTT “WAY DOWN SOUTH”
SYL JOHNSON “COMPLETE MYTHOLOGY”
GIL SCOTT-HERON “I’M NEW HERE”
GREGORY ISAACS “ALL I HAVE IS LOVE”
WHITEFIELD BROTHERS “EARTHOLOGY”
V/A “ECSTATIC MUSIC OF THE JEMAA EL FNA”
PASTOR T.L. BARRETT “LIKE A SHIP WITHOUT A SAIL”
V/A “REAL SOUND OF CHICAGO”
FUMIO HAYASAKA & MASARU SATO “AKIRA KUROSAWA’S MOVIE
SOUNDTRACKS”
PARSON SOUND “PARSON SOUND” boxset

Gar Brandtt
NO particular order except number one is #1.
LCD Soundsystem “This is Happening”
Books “The Way Out”
Grinderman “2”
Lustmord “Dark Places of the Earth”
Holy Fuck “Latin”
Doomstar! “Rainbow Bloodsucker”
National “High Violet”
Perseus Noble S/T
Health “disco2”
Les Savy Fav “Root For Ruin”11. Altar Eagle “Mechanical Garden”
Band of Horses “Infinite Arms”
Deerhunter “Halcyon Digest”
Robert Plant “Band of Joy”
Swans “My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky”
Stereolab “Not Music”

New to Me (Reissues and Remasters)
David Bowie “Station to Station”
Amanaz “Africa”
Neu! “Boxset”
Syl Johnson “Complete Mythology

Lauren Kornman
1. Various Artists “Minimal Wave Tapes, Volume One” (cd/lp) (minimal wave)
2. Los Saicos “¡Demolición! – The Complete Recordings” (cd) (Munster)
3. Omar Khorshid “Guitar El Chark” (lp) (Sublime Frequencies)
4. Deux “Decadence” (lp) (minimal wave)
5. Various Artists “Cumbia Beat Vol. 1: Experimental Guitar Driven Tropical
Sounds From Peru 1966-1976 (vampi soul)
6. Bruce Haack “Farad: The Electric Voice” (lp/cd) (Stones Throw)
7. Dara Puspita “1966-1968” (cd) (Sublime Frequencies)
8. Pastor T.L. Barrett: “Like a Ship (Without a Sail)” (lp/cd) (Light In The Attic)
9. Various Artists “Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974” (lp)
(Sublime Frequencies)
10. Syl Johnson “Complete Mythology” (lp/cd) (Numero Group)
11. Various Artists “Vol 1: Wave The Ocean, Wave The Sea – Field
Recordings 1959-1960” (lp) (Mississippi Records)
12. Various Artists “Vol 2: Worried Now, Won’t Be Worried Long – Field
Recordings From Alan Lomax’s “Southern Journey”,1959-1960″
(lp) (Mississippi Records)
13. Various Artists “Vol 3: I’ll Meet You On That Other Shore – Field
Recordings From Alan Lomax’s “Southern Journey”, 1959-1960″
(lp) (Mississippi Records)
14. Various Artists “Vol 4: I’ll Be So Glad When The Sun Goes Down –
Field Recordings From Alan Lomax’s “Southern Journey”,
1959-1960″ (lp) (Mississippi Records)
15. Various Artists “Psych Funk Sa-Re-Ga!” (lp/cd) (Stones Throw)

Dylan Posa
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE – FALL BE KIND EP
BEAK – S/T

Best New Records Of 2010 (in no order)

THE MAJOR LABEL SUCCESSES (against all odds)
=========================
ERYKAH BADU ‘NEW AMERYKAH PT.2’ – a little mellower than Part One,
but good tunes nonetheless
FLAMING LIPS ‘DARK SIDE OF THE MOON’ – a seemingly bad idea actually
works, and is (dare I say) improved on in some spots
DEVO ‘SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE’ – haters will hate, but the new
songs are just as good as the old. Nostalgia is for squares.
ROOTS ‘HOW I GOT OVER’ – another brilliant concoction from the
hardest working band in show business
ELVIS COSTELLO ‘NATIONAL RANSOM’ – brilliant trawl through the
record collection, but in a good way

LITTLE BIGS THAT COULD (the Indies that feel like Majors)
======================
GIL SCOTT-HERON ‘I’M NEW HERE’ – a brilliant and thoughtful return
from a true original
TED LEO ‘BRUTALISM BRICKS’ – not one of his best, but still pretty
strong
BOOKS ‘THE WAY OUT’ – incredible constructions of pop collage
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS ‘TOGETHER’ – better and better

SMALL PLEASURES WITH GOOD DISTRO (I wish we sold more of these)
================================
MIDLAKE ‘COURAGE OF OTHERS’ – gorgeous uk folk/rock that sucks you in
FIELD MUSIC ‘MEASURE’ – ork/prog/pop genius
JAGA JAZZIST ‘ONE ARMED BANDIT’ – closest thing to a new ’70s Zappa
record you can get (and that’s a good thing)
LOCRIAN ‘TERRITORIES’ – their most fully-realized statement yet
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN ‘OPTION PARALYSIS’ – unfuckingbelievable
KAYO DOT ‘COYOTE’ – creeeepy
HARVEY MILK ‘SMALL TURN OF HUMAN KINDNESS’ – what can you say about
this band: perfect in every way, like a dinosaur.
BASTARD NOISE ‘CULTURE OF MONSTERS’ – I’m loving the dense punk
construction of these songs
HIGH CONFESSIONS ‘TURNING LEAD INTO GOLD’ – totally compelling and
seriously one of the best records I’ve heard in the last 10 years
MEGAFAUN ‘HERETOFORE’ – these guys combined UK folk and American
avant-garde tendencies to create an interesting amalgam
BAD PLUS ‘NEVER STOP’ – another batch of knotty “loud jazz”
compositions (too bad the vinyl is pressed so quietly)
CALLERS ‘LIFE OF LOVE’ – like Beefheart combined with Bacharach
GREYMACHINE ‘DISCONNECTED’ – came out last year but the vinyl finally
arrived in 2010. Godflesh for the aughts…
MARNIE STERN ‘S/T’ – guitar pyrotechnics plus indie rock
WOLF PEOPLE ‘STEEPLE’ – possibly the most slept-on record of 2010,
considering how much people loved Dungen
GLASSER ‘RING’ – cooler than Zola Jesus and Kate Bush combined
CIRCLE OF ANIMALS ‘DESTROY THE LIGHT’ – High Confessionals have some
Killing Joke love
WEEKEND ‘SPORTS’ – a late entry in the list, this one caught us all
by surprise

Best Reissues Of 2010 (in no order)

WEEZER ‘PINKERTON’ – Anything to do with this record gets an automatic
“Best” whatever.
ELVIS COSTELLO ‘LIVE AT HOLLYWOOD HIGH’
EMBRYO ’40’
WITCH ‘LAZY BONES II’ – In a glut of Afrorock reissues, this one
had some of the most compelling songwriting and playing.
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN ‘HAUS DER LUGE’ – One of their most accessible
and beautiful records, finally spiffed up for CD.
JIMI HENDRIX ‘WEST COAST SEATTLE BOY’ – an excellent collection
of, amazingly, unheard material.
Jason Verhagen
1. DEVO “SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE” (WARNER BROS)
2. SAIGON ROCK & SOUL 1968-1975 “VARIOUS ARTISTS” (SUBLIME FREQ.)
3. KOES PLUS “DHEG DHEG PLAS. VOL.2″ (SUBLIME FREQ.)
4. CHARANJIT SIGNH “TEN RAGAS TO A DISCO BEAT” (BOMBAY CONNECTION)
5. CHICAGO TRASH ENSEMBLE “12” (SELF-RELEASED)
6. TRANS AM “THING” (THRILL JOCKEY)
7. DARA PUSPITA “1966-1968” (SUBLIME FREQ.)
8. M.I.A. “MAYA” (XL RECORDS)
9. ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI “BEFORE TODAY” (4AD)
10.PAUL COLLINS “KING OF POWER-POP” (ALIVE REC.)

TOP CONCERTS OF 2010
1. BUZZCOCKS
2. P.I.L.
3. OMAR SOLEYMAN
4. RIOT FEST (CIRCLE JERKS,CRO-MAGS,N.A.,OFF)
5. DEVO

Angela Ziles
Best of 2010 List

Electric Wizard- Black Masses
Balam Acab- See Birds
Harvey Milk- S/T
Mount Kimbie- Crooks & Lovers
The Besnard Lakes- The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
The Daily Void- The Eclipse of 1453
Deux- Decadence
White Hills & Gnod- Gnod Drop Out With White Hills II
Date Psalms- Of Psalms
Phil Cohran & Legacy- African Skies
Anika- S/T
The Warlocks- Rise & Fall, EPs & Rarities
James Blackshaw- All Is Falling
Psychedelic Aliens- Psycho African Beat
Umberto- Prophecy Of The Black Widow
Arp, Anthony Moore- Frkwys Vol. 3
Lee “Scratch” Perry- Sound System Scratch Lee Perry’s Dub Plate Mixes

Mark Lux
ken camden lethargy & repercussions
steel pole bathtub unlistenable
ariel pink before today
plastic people of the universe magical nights
seu jorge & almaz
sun city girls funeral mariachi
pippo spera a buen perto
junip fields
bruce springsteen the promise
disappears ‘me’
dwarr animals
group inerane guitars from agadez vol. 3
running/loose dudes split 7″
chris & cosey heartbeat reissue
mount carmel
jonas reinhardt powers of audition

Laura Deutsch
Flowers-Corsano Duo
The Four Aims
VHF
This album just might be the greatest thing I’ve come across in the last few years. After being a fan of Chris Corsano’s for many years, I got to see the duo live in Massachusetts and was blown away. On this album, Corsano is as skilled and quick as ever while Mick Flowers soars with an intense, rhythm-driven performance on the organ and tanpura. While these two musicians are undeniably talented on their own right, it is beyond clear (to me) that Corsano and Flowers bring out the best in one an other when playing together in this duo.

Michael Hurley
Armchair Boogie
Mississippi Records
Hurley’s voice on this album reminds me of every back road in the northeast.

Bill Nace, Paul Flaherty
An Airless Field
Ecstatic Peace!
I had been waiting to get my hands on this album and finally picked it up when Nace played at Enemy earlier this year. Nace creates a layered and grounding sediment for Flaherty to jump off from in his ever-weird ways. The sound remains cool and piercing throughout, keeping the listener on their toes. There’s even a dog barking in the background at the end of side one! Probably confused as shit as to what was going on when this doozie was recorded!

Irma Thomas
Wish Someone Would Care
Imperial
I was introduced to “Break-a-Way” on a mixtape earlier this year and promptly sought out this album. It’s very east to fall in love with the crackle in Irma’s voice.
Neil Young
On the Beach
Warner Bros
His best eight songs. His best album. Period.

Fat Worm of Error
Broods
Ecstatic Peace! / Open Mouth
Weirdest of the weird. The vocals punch through the mountain of sound from somewhere that, although LOUD, always seems like it’s making its way up from underground. Each song leaves the listener trying to figure out just how it makes such perfect sense.

Chairmen of the Board
Give me Just a Little More Time
Invictus
General Johnson’s strained high notes hit hard! “Patches” and the group’s rendition of “Come Together” rule.

The Band
Stage Fright
Capitol
Levon Helm’s subdued, gravely singing is just dreamy.

The Stranglers
La Folie
Liberty
There’s something super elegant and super creepy about this album, and the harpsichord on “Golden Brown” is one of the best things ever.

Ike & Tina Turner
ANYTHING
I had really never listened to Ike and Tina before very recently and now I can’t get enough. I know I’m late to the game but the more I hear the more I like. It feels like there’s just an infinite amount of awesomeness to uncover. The Ikettes rule for that matter too!

Daniel Morris
9 things I remember liking in 2010,
in very particular order:

1. Jeremy Jay – Splash
2. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
3. Purple Rhinestone Eagle – The Great Return
4. Aziz Ansari – Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening
5. Bruce Springsteen – The Promise
6. Apple Records Box Set
7. ok, those Beatles remasters sound awesome too
8. Thee Oh Sees – Warm Slime
9. Janelle Monae – The Archandroid

Chris Connelly
1: Baalstrom sing omega – Current 93
2:Absolute dissent – killing joke
3:Swanlight – Antony & the johnsons
4:Up here in the clouds – Cindytalk
5:Destroy the light – Circle of Animals
6:My father will guide me up a rope..-Swans
7:Night work – Scissor sisters
8:Station to Station (reissue) – David Bowie
9:Kill City (reissue) Iggy pop & james williamson
10:Public image limited -live, june 2010, Chicago

Colman Cooney
ALPHABETICALLY:

Beach House – Teen Dream
Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
The Books – The Way Out
Bottomless Pit – Blood Under the Bridge
Califone – All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
Ken Camden – Lethargy and Repercussions
Fang Island – Fang Island
Group Inerane – Guitars from Agadez vol. 3
Harlem – Hippies
Heavy Times – No Plans 7″
Jonas Reinhardt – Powers of Audition
Kings Go Forth – Outsiders Are Back
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Brutalist Bricks
Liars – Sisterworld
Getatchew Mekuria & the Ex – Moa Anbessa
Menomena – Mines
Midlake – Courage of Others
Gil Scott Heron – I’m New Here
Soft Pack – Soft Pack
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding

Luc Rogers
1. Pissed Jeans – Sam Kinison Woman 7″: The Allentown foursome’s combination of witty lyrics, non-traditional song structures, and stellar, nearly cosmic sounds have worked well for them in the last few years. Recently hush on any forthcoming album; instead we were presented with this two-song slab of perfection. Both noisy as fuck and toast worthy, these little numbers not only satiate the PJ fans but offer a perfect introduction to those unfamiliar in that “Sam Kinison Woman” could’ve easily fit on any of their records while “The L Word” demonstrates perfectly their penchant for simple humor (“Love is a word/I use to describe/The way I feel inside/I love this pie”) and not giving a single fuck.
2. The Walkmen – Lisbon: The years have been good for these Walkmen. Unfairly lumped in with the early 00s Brooklyn rebirth, Hamilton & co. have only grown more distinct and distant from their press-adopted brethren. Their worship of classic songwriters such as Roy Orbison and Harry Nilsson not only help with their singular sound but also give it a timeless feel. Interviews regularly find them listing their favorite Sun Studio recordings, ones they studied on finding the perfect sound for this album, their penchant for using the greatest of vintage equipment for sound and not kitsch, and their very un-rock star quality of a semi-quiet life. In addition, Hamilton’s voice has grown far from the Dylan-worshipping days of A Hundred Miles Off and has really found itself a perfect place in their both sparse and soaring sounds.
3. Watain – Lawless Darkness: In an interview posted on a metal website last year, “e,” Watain’s outspoken vocalist, proclaimed that the world has merely seen 20% of what black metal is truly capable of and he has taken it upon himself to show the other 80%. Whether or not that has been done (I say hell no) it is truly wonderful to sit and listen to something as powerful and all encompassing as Lawless Darkness. Their masterful songwriting abilities, first truly showcased on 2007’s Sworn to the Dark, separate these heathens from most of the other black metal bands currently active in that it offers an accessibility to people that wouldn’t normally listen to something such as this. An underlying melody permeates every song without sacrificing any of the intended result of punishing blast beats and all out classic Swedish metal blasphemy. While club owners may truly hate their use of real blood onstage (and their decision to try and kill pigeons for the use of their blood before a Canadian show) it cannot be denied that while it may seem ridiculous and over the top to most of the world it is life to these guys. The near silliness of their antics combined with the brilliance of the actual music only adds to what makes metal both the most enjoyable and brushed off genres today.
4. Candy Cane/Oranssi Pazuzu – Split: While the USA is deservedly gaining more notoriety in the black metal scene Europe will forever remain the best. Finnish avant-garde black metallers Candy Cane (best name ever) and Oranssi Pazuzu teamed up to release this split to a surprisingly hush audience. Candy Cane combine the power of traditional black metal with fancy studio tricks and the addition of beautiful instruments like xylophone and piano to create something instantly memorable and terribly frightening. With song titles such as “16061978” and “10091989” making them hard to remember (obvious referral to dates of some sort of significance) the music contained therein is certainly not so. Oranssi Pazuzu offer a less WTF approach to black metal albeit nonetheless interesting and haunting. A cloudier sound reminiscent of France’s Deathspell Omega is instantly recognizable despite its much more listenability to the general public. With psych breakdowns galore these newbies (formed in 2007) will hopefully gain momentum and fans in the coming years.
5. Rose Kemp – Golden Shroud: On her last two albums, UK songstress Kemp showcased singular songwriting styles combining voice and guitar with heavier, Sonic Youth-y explosions (most notably “Violence” from her debut Handful of Hurricanes). Then out of nowhere comes her three song follow up to 2008’s Unholy Majesty, an album that was already teeming with noticeable darkness. For Golden Shroud Miss Kemp has gone full-on doom metal without sacrificing her vocal prowess (clean into growl into all out belting with astonishing quickness) and lyricism. While only three songs it is definitely a full length at 30+ minutes and it is in its entirety that one needs to sit and ingest completely. There are a lot of things to discern here, all of them rewarding in their own capacity.
6. Superchunk – No Pocky for Kitty/On the Mouth re-releases: Classic masters of DIY, Superchunk introduce themselves to a new generation with the re-releases of two of their best albums (with Foolish hopefully coming sometime) remastered and on fancy pants 180 gram vinyl for the first time. Not all-pop nor all-punk, and certainly not pop punk , they were their own beast in the 90s. Mac’s distinct voice is perfectly showcased on these records as is the band’s taught, melodic/noisy dichotomy. “Tie a Rope to the Back of the Bus” (No Pocky…) and “Package Thief” (On the Mouth) have remained favorite songs and it is truly special to hear

Rebecca Crawford
Limananas
Deux “Decadence”
Superimposers “Sunshine Pops”
Circuit 7
Snowy Red “Right to Die”
Aerial Pink “Before Today”
Devo “Something for Everybody”

Steve Rahman
THE ROOTS – HOW I GOT OVER
JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS – WAKE UP!
BEST COAST – CRAZY FOR YOU
CORINNE BAILEY RAE – THE SEA
BLACK MILK – ALBUM OF THE YEAR
SKYZOO & ILLMIND – LIVE FROM THE TAPE DECK
TIM KASHER – GAME OF MONOGAMY
FOREIGN EXCHANGE – AUTHENTICITY
VON PEA – PEA’S GOTTA HAVE IT
BILAL – AIRTIGHT’S REVENGE

Whitney Mercer
in no fancy order
Fielded – Terrageist
Cacaw – Cacaw
Best Coast – Crazy For You
Tallest Man On Earth – Wild Hunt
Liminanas – Liminanas
Heavy Times – Dead
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
Black Keys – Brothers
Charlotte Gainsbourg -IRM
Pigeon John – Dragonslayer
Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
Buke and Gass – Riposte
Owen Pallett – Heartland
Frightened Rabbit – Winter of Mixed Drinks

Anthony Illarde
ARTICLES OF FAITH
New Normal Catastrophe (Alternative Tentacles)
Live at Riot Fest 10/09 AAA
TRISTRAM CARY
It’s Time For Tristram Cary (Trunk)
DA
Exclamation Point (Factory 25)
DIRTY BEACHES
True Blue/Sweet 17 (Zoo 7″)
Omon Ra II / Dirty Beaches (Split CS)
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING
Rush To Relax (Goner)
FUCKIN’ FLYIN’ A-HEADS
Swiss Cheese Back 7” (De Stijl 7″ reissue 2010)
BRUCE HAACK
Farad – The Electric Voice (Stones Throw)
LAZY SMOKE
Corridor of Faces (Jackpot vinyl reissue 2010)
MONKEES
The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees Box Set (Rhino Handmade)
Head Box Set (Rhino Handmade)
SYL JOHNSON
Complete Mythology Box Set (Numero Group)
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
I Learned the Hard Way (Daptone)
BRUNO MARS
Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra)
ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI
Before Today (4AD)
SUN RA
Strange Worlds In My Mind: Space Poetry Vol 1 (Norton)
Sub-Dwellers: Space Poetry Vol 2
Outer Darkness: Space Poetry Vol 3
SUPERIMPOSERS
Sunshine Pops (Wonderfulsound)
TUTU & THE PIRATES
Sub-Urban Insult Rock For The Anti-Lectual 1977-1979 (Factory 25)
FRANK ZAPPA
Greasy Love Songs (Zappa)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
My Friend Rain [Soundtrack] (Sublime Frequencies)
Pomegranates – Persian Pop, Funk, Folk & Psych of the 60s & 70s (Finders Keepers)
Turkish Freakout: Psych Folk Singles 1969-80 (Bouzouki Joe)
DVD/FILM
The Short Films of Al Jarnow: Celestial Navigations (Numero Group)
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) (D: John Scheinfeld)
BOOKS
Husker Du: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock (Andrew Earles)
Spray Paint the Walls: The Story of Black Flag (Stevie Chick)
Touch & Go:The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine 79-83 (Tesco Vee & Dave Stimson)

Charles Taylor
Midlake: The Courage Of Others
Mike Patton: Mondo Cane
Paul Weller: Wake Up The Nation
Tunng: …And Then We Saw Land
Groundhogs: The Liberty Years
Radio Massacre International: Time & Motion
Satoko Fujii: Desert Ship
Atomic: Theatre Tilters
Tyshawn Sorey: Koan
Aki Takase: A Week Went By
Decoy: Vol.1 Spirit
Anthony Braxton: 19 Standards (Quartet)
Parker/Guy/Lytton/Evans: Scenes In The House Of Music
Vandermark 5: The Horse Jumps And The Ship Is Gone

Chris Wilkus
BEST HIP HOP/R&B ALBUMS OF 2010

1) KANYE WEST “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
2) LIL’ B “Rain In England” (Weird Forest)
3) PRINCE “20Ten” (NPG Records)
4) BIG BOI “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty” (Purple Ribbon/Def Jam)
5) KIDZ IN THE HALL “Land of Make Believe” (Duck Down)

BEST ALBUMS OF 2010 (NON HIP-HOP)

  1) ELUVIUM “Similes” (Temporary Residence)
  2) MELVINS “The Bride Screamed Murder” (Ipecac Recordings)
  3) JULIAN LYNCH “Mare” (Olde English Spelling Bee)
  4) INDIAN JEWELRY “Totaled” (We Are Free)
  5) ACTIVE CHILD “Curtis Lane EP” (Filter/Merok)
  6) UMBERTO “From the Grave” (Sonic Meditations)
  7) VILLA NAH “Origin” (Keys of Life)
  8) BLANK DOGS “Land and Fixed” (Captured Tracks)
  9) COCONUTS “Coconuts EP” (No Quarter)
10) THE SUPERIMPOSERS “Sunshine Pops!” (Wonderfulsound)
11) SQUAREPUSHER PRESENTS “Shobaleader One: D’demonstrator” (Warp Records)
12) MATTHEW DEAR “Black City” (Ghostly)
13) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM “This Is Happening” (Virgin/Parlophone/DFA)
14) HOT CHIP “One Life Stand” (Astralwerks)
15) BITCHIN BAJAS “Tones / Zones” (Important Records)
16) BRIAN ENO “Small Craft On a Milk Sea” (Warp Records)
17) HAROLD BUDD & CLIVE WRIGHT “Little Windows” (Darla Records)
18) KEN CAMDEN “Lethargy & Repercussions” (Kranky)
19) CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG “IRM” (Because Music/Elektra)
20) ZOLA JESUS “Stridulum EP” (Sacred Bones)
21) THE DURUTTI COLUMN “A Paean to Wilson” (Kookydisc)
22) THE BOOKS “The Way Out” (Temporary Residence)
23) FUTURE ISLANDS “In Evening Air” (Thrill Jockey)
24) SLEEP IN “Carnival” (Enemies List Home Recordings)
25) WHITE RING “Black Earth That Made Me” (Disaro)
26) THE SOFT MOON “The Soft Moon” (Captured Tracks)
27) GONJASUFI “A Sufi and a Killer” (Warp Records)
28) MÜHR “Shepherd/Blood” (Self-Released)
29) HEAVY HAWAII “HH” (Art Fag Recordings)
30)LAKE RADIO “Planet Earth About to Be Recycled”

Brett Grossman
34 Records/ 12 Months

The New Pornographers- Together (Matador)
Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest (4ad)
Casino Versus Japan- Night on Tape (Attack 9)
Eluvium – Similes (Temporary Residence)
Ian Hawgood – Slow Films in Low Light (Home Normal)
Ursula Bogner- Recordings 1969-1988 (Faitiche)
Julian Lynch – Mare (Olde English Spelling Bee)
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (Drag City)
Four Tet – There Is Love in You (Domino)
White Fence- White Fence (Woodsist)
Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Tape & Bill Wells – Fugue (Immune)
Ducktails / Dracula Lewis “Split 12” (No Fun)
Broken Bells- Broken Bells (Sony)
James Murphy- Greenberg Soundtrack (Virgin)
Liars- Sisterworld (Mute)
Ken Camden- Lethargy & Repercussion (Kranky)
Woods- At Echo Lake (Woodsist)
Frog Eyes- Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph (Dead Oceans)
Sparklehorse & Danger Mouse- Dark Knight of the Soul (Capitol)
Sleigh Bells – Treats (Mom & Pop Music)
Wolf Parade – Expo 86 (Sub Pop)
Various Artists- Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox (Merge)
The Books- The Way Out (Temporary Residence)
Caribou- Swim (Merge)
Best Coast- Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)
Here We Go Magic- Pigeons (Secretly Canadian)
Altar Eagle- Mechanical Gardens (Type)
Land of Talk – Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek)
Keith Fullerton Whitman – Generator (Root Strata)
No Age- Everything In Between (Sub Pop)
Gonjasufi- A Sufi And A Killer (Warp)
Coma Cinema- Blue Suicide (Wonder Beard)
Catherine Christer Hennix- The Electric Harpsichord- Reissue (Die Schachtel)

Friends of Reckless
Aaron Aites: Director of “Until the Light Takes”
in no particular order
Sun Araw: On Patrol / Off Duty
Digital Mystikz: Return II Space
Salem: King Night
Natural Snow Buildings: The Centauri Agent
Swans: My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
Marnie Stern: Marnie Stern
Demdike Stare: Liberation Through Hearing / Forest Of Evil / Voices Of Dust
The Advisory Circle: Mind How You Go (Revised Edition)
Burzum: Belus
The Dead C: Patience

Mike Venutolo-Mantovani: Matador Records
10.Superchunk – Majesty Shredding (Merge)
9. Belle and Sebastian – Write About Love (Matador)
8. Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday (Sub Pop)
7. Pantha du Prince – Black Noise (Rough Trade)
6. Fucked Up – Couple Tracks: Singles 2001-2009 (Matador)
5. The Parting Gifts – Strychnine Dandelion (In The Red)
4. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor (XL Recordings)
3. Dylan LeBlanc – Pauper’s Field (Rough Trade)
2. Black Breath – Heavy Breathing (Southern Lord)
1. Sharon Van Etten – Epic (Ba Da Bing)

Brian Case (ex-employee, member of DISAPPEARS, THE PONYS)
Lower Dens – Twin Hand Movement
Easily my most listened to album this year. Initially I picked this up because I thought a friend of mine was in it, turned out he recorded it. So good, hope to do some shows together at some point.

Spoon – Transference
Spoon get better and more popular with every release by constantly evolving. This is their best album in my opinion, one of the few bands out their pushing their fans into new territory.
Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
Another band that succeeds by changing. At first I was on the fence with some of this but after seeing it live a few times and a few serious headphone sessions I really got the mood and aura of the recording.

Women – Public Strain
This sounds better and different every time I listen to it. I hope they didn’t break up.

Anika – Anika
Woke up with this on my ipod one morning – don’t remember how I found it but it’s easily the coolest music made in 2010.

Weekend – Sport
Like Peter Hook in a Krautrock band. Lots of layers that never layer together, it’s great.

Veronica Falls – Both singles
Kinda surprised more people aren’t all over this band – they’ll have an album our sometime 2011 that will be my favorite for the year.

Brian Eno – Small Craft on a Milk Sea
Was really suprised by this, the guys he’s collaborating with are excellent. Everything about this – label, art, music – was really thought out and tasteful.

Soft Moon – Soft Moon
This is sneaking in right at the end of the year, very impressed with this guy.

Thread Pulls – New Thoughts
Heard this on the New Noise Podcast, really sparse – lots of space, just getting into it but I like it a lot
.
Beach House – Teen Dream
What a great year for music, this record is perfect

Stephen Sowley: ex-employee, studio manager at Electrical Audio, bouncer & DJ @ Danny’s, former bingo caller, hunk
“When I was 15, a record shop employee named Brady McTigue introduced me to Throbbing Gristle, Chrome, and Big Black; he also introduced me to the culture of independent record stores. This is for him…RIP friend.”

Slices–Cruising
The Fall–Your Future Our Clutter
Rot Shit–You’re Welcome 7″
Jack Rose–Luck In The Valley
Nina Nastasia–The Outlaster
Veins–Veins 7″
Dadawah–Peace & Love (reissue)
Joshua Abrams–Natural Information
Madlib–Madlib Medicine Show: Beat Konducta In Africa
Harvey Milk–A Small Turn Of Human Kindness
Bill Orcutt–Way Down South 12″
Hannibal Burress–My Name Is Hannibal
Population–Population Demo Cassette
Bill Callahan–Rough Travel For A Rare Thing
Love Cry Want–S/T (reissue)
Double Negative–Daydream Nation
Burning Star Core–Papercuts Theater

Joe Wetteroth: BRAIN IDEA

Conformists “None Hundred”
Heavy Times “Dead”
Neil Young “Le Noise”
Heater “God and Hair”
Fielded “Terrageist”

Henry Owings: CHUNKLET
Shipping News-One Less Heart To Fear (Karate Body)
Slices-Cruising (Iron Lung)
Dum Dum Girls-I Will Be (Sub Pop)
Black Helicopter-Don’t Fuck With The Apocalypse (Ecstatic Peace!/Limited Appeal)
White Shit-Sculpted Beef (PPM) + White Shi’ite (Wantage)
Ocean-Pantheon of the Lesser (Important)
Black Bug-self titled (FDH)
Twin Stumps-Seedbed (Fan Death)
Disappears-LUX (Kranky)
Drunk Driver-Self Titled (self released)
Woven Bones-In And Out And Back Again (Hozac)
Nails-Unsilent Death (Southern Lord)
The Limiñanas-self titled (Trouble In Mind)
Grids-White Walls (Ink Blot)
Tre Orsi-Devices and Emblems (Works Progress)
Hank IV-III (Siltbreeze)
Part Chimp-Thriller (Rock Action)
A Frames-3 (SS)

Cory Rayborn: Three Lobed
“We don’t normally make lists around here, but inspiration has struck the last few days for some reason or another to put together a little a little non-definitive (and non-ordered) list of some releases that we have found ourselves listening to with substantial frequency over the course of 2010. Maybe there’s something on here that you’re not familiar with that piques your interest. – Three Lobed

1 Yellow Swans “Going Places” (Type) – This is one hell of a closing bow from Pete and Gabe. Dense, rich, and otherworldly.
2 Flying Lotus “Cosmogramma” (Warp) – If Sun Ra was given a turntable he would end up making a record like this. Deeply textured and rewards with new discoveries on each spin.
3 Jack Rose “Luck In The Valley” (Thrill Jockey) – A beautiful final album from a dearly missed friend.
4 Jenks Miller & Nicholas Szczepanik “American Gothic” (Small Doses) – Scrapes, tones and drones for the most gorgeous of all waking frightmares. Some really wonderful minimalist activity is contained within these 35 minutes.
5 Barn Owl “Ancestral Star” (Thrill Jockey) – a varied collection of transportational and enveloping imagined landscapes.
6 Bonnie “Prince” Billy & The Cairo Gang “Wonder Show of the World” (Drag City) – Emmett Kelly’s guitar playing provides a perfectly paced foil to some of BPB’s most haunting lyrical performances. “The Sounds Are Always Begging” always produces chills.
7 Rangda “Rangda” (Drag City) – Alternates between intense dual guitar shredmanship (“Waldorf Hysteria”) and hypnotic hymns (“Plain of Jars”). Hopes are already high for the next chapter of this mega-dream team’s joint explorations.
8 Group Doueh “Beatte Harab” / Group Inerane “Guitars From Agadez, Vol. 3” (Sublime Frequencies) Hisham and Alan constantly bring the goods during each of the past several years – they are out there turning over stones and going to remote locations to bring back treasures that we all need in our lives. While Sublime has brought us prior gems from both Group Doueh and Group Inerane, one would be remiss to pass
on these two latest without heaping praise upon them. The Doueh offers a plate of concise, intricate artistry as a sort of complementary collection alongside lengthier jams from last year’s “Treeg Salaam”. The Inerane record picks up right where the group’s first LP with Sublime left off – it’s a total keeper.
9 Sun City Girls “Funeral Mariachi” (Abduction) – A nice pairing with the radiantly alive “Luck In The Valley,” “Funeral Mariachi” is a somber collection of goodbyes. Ghostly and haunting.
10 Jefre Cantu-Ledesma “Love Is A Stream” (Type) – Shimmering, squelching organic guitar landscapes. The sort of jams that you will put on repeat and repeat…
11 Bottomless Pit “Blood Under The Bridge” (self-released) – As glorious as the late, great Silkworm. Anthemic greatness.
12 Endless Boogie “Full House Head” (No Quarter) – Count me fully on the side of those who adore this band, their approach and their product. “A Life Worth Leaving” is one truly splendid slice of deep fried, gravy soaked boogie

Matt Rucins: Schubas
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
Morning Benders – Big Echo
Robyn – Body Talk
Sharon Van Etten – Epic
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Dave D’estroyer: Revolver Distribution
our love will destroy the world “blue eyes are my reward” – favorite record this year, maybe next too
all things purling hiss, 3 classic records in one year? amazing.
segall / vandamme split – hilarious idea actually makes for an interesting listen
SDM cassette – pod blotz + zaimph = mind-expanding synth racket
chrisma re-issues – great for when all this minimal wave stuff starts to sound the same
stellar om source – exises cd-r & trilogy select lp & “gamers” 7″ – yes!
peter gordon + love of life orchestra – probably the most plays in the office since devon williams
shaangra electro comp on honest jon’s – impossible not to move to this
afro beat airways on analog africa – see above
anika – this year’s pleasant surprise award
death sentence: panda! – spectral arms – whoaaaaaaaaa
honestly i can’t even narrow down all the amazing music that came out this year, keep it up world

Ian Lawrence: Forced Exposure distribution
Top 10 Albums/Singles/Compilation/Reissues of 2010 (in no particular order)

ALBUMS:
Actress – Splashz (Honest Jon’s)
Sun City Girls – Funeral Mariachi (Abduction)
The Fun Years – God was like, No (Barge Recordings)
Jefre-Cantu Ledesma – Love is a Stream (Type)
Rene Hell – Porceline Opera (Type)
John Roberts – Glass Eights CD (Dial)
Deepchord present Echospace – Liumin (Modern Love)
Demdike Stare – Symbiosis/Liberation Through Hearing/Voices Of Dust LPs (Modern Love)
Thomas Fehlman – Gute Luft CD (Kompakt)
Prins Thomas – Prins Thomas CD (Full Pupp)

SINGLEs/EPs/12″/7″:
Shackleton – Man On A String Part 1 And 2/Bastard Spirit 12″ (Woe to the Septic Heart!)
Little John & Billy Boyo – What You Want To Be 12″ (Dug Out)
Balam Acab – See Birds EP (Triangle)
Mark Ernestus vs. Konono No.1 – Masikulu Dub/Masikulu Rhythm 12″ (CNG)
Eddie Hooper – Pass It On (Part 1)/Tomorrow’s Sun 12″ (Soundway)
Anthony Redrose – Electric Chair 7″ (Dug Out)
Bill Orcutt – Way Down South EP (Palilalia)
V/A – Sofritos Super Singles EPs 1 & 2 (Sofritos)
Farben – Farben 12″ (Faitiche)
Margaret Dygas – How Do You Do? (Power Shovel Audio)

REISSUES:
Mandre – 4 (Rush Hour)
Dadawah – Peace and Love (Dug OUt)
Parson Sound – Parson Sound Box LP (Subliminal Sounds)
Les Rallizes Denudes – Heavier than a Death in the Family LP (Phoenix)
Ted Lucas – Ted Lucas LP (Sebastian Says)
Michael Hurley – First Songs LP (Folkways)
The Parasites of the Western World – The Parasites Of The Western World LP (De Stijl)
Ozzie – Parabolic Rock LP (SS Records)
Alexander Robotnic – Ce N’est Q’un Début LP (Medical)
Charanjit Singh – Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat LP (Bombay Connection)

COMPILATIONS:
V/A – Pomegranates LP (Finders Keepers)
V/A – Diggin’ Down in Argentina LP (Crazy Apple Boutique)
V/A – Watch how the People Dancing LP (Honest Jon’s)
V/A – Vanity Records: Finest Selection 1978 to 1981 LP (Save Music Before Loose It)
V/A – The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia In 1970s Nigeria LPs (Soundway)
Dara Puspita – Dara Puspita 1966-1968 CD (Sublime Frequencies)
Daphne Oram – Oramics LP (Modern Love)
V/A – Soft Sounds For Gentle People 5 CD (Pet Records)
V/A – Lagos Disco Inferno LP (Academy)
v/A – Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas LP (World Psychedelic Funk Classics)

Label of the Year:
Honest Jon’s

TOP 10 celebrity shoppers at Reckless in 2010 (in no order)
1.Paul Simenon
2.Glenn Danzig
3.Dan Auerbach
4.Winona Ryder
5.Keith Morris
6.Wreckless Eric
7.The Buzzcocks
8.Fred Schneider
9.Tesco Vee
10.David Cross

We are always looking to buy your unwanted vinyl LPs, CDs, DVDs, cassettes and video games. Please come on in or contact us if you have questions about selling your collections. We buy at all locations every day up to an hour before closing time.

Reckless Records 2010 employee & friends best of lists