The mystery is over; the lineup for the inaugural Orlando Calling music festival is here. Set to take place November 12-13 at Orlando’s Citrus Bowl Park, the festival will feature an eclectic mix of modern and classic rock, R&B, and country, with acts like The Killers, The Raconteurs, Pixies, The Roots, Kid Rock, and Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band topping the bill.

The festival’s first day will feature mostly modern rock and indie acts. Joining The Killers, The Raconteurs, Pixies, and The Roots will be The Avett Brothers, Iron & Wine, Pete Yorn, Local Natives, Dr. Dog, Gogol Bordello, Jenny & Jonny, Drive-By Truckers, and The Felice Brothers.

Day two will offer a classic rock and country school slant, with Kid Rock and Bob Seeger performing alongside the likes of The Doobie Brothers, Buddy Guy, Warren Haynes, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Blake Shelton, Blues Traveler, Justin Townes Earle, Michelle Branch, Chris Isaak, and Brandi Carlile.

Check out the entire confirmed bill at our Festival Outlook.

General admission field and reserved seat tickets go Saturday, July 23rd at 10 AM EDT via the festival’s website. Prices are $85 for single day tickets and $150 for both days, and $165/$265 for VIP seats and amenities.

Following the crystalline folk pleasantries of The Wellspring, second opener Ben Kweller giddily skipped on the stage for a solo set. While his sincere crowd interactions sweetened his golden AM cuts, he could have benefited from a full band to give his songs the more fully orchestrated punch found on the majority of his albums. Some artists (Ted Leo comes to mind) can hold a crowd with just their voice and a guitar, and some simply can’t. Kweller fell into the latter category, showing sparks of frenetic brilliance whenever he kicked up the distortion, but otherwise falling shy of a wholly compelling show.

Photo by Joshua Mellin

After a short break, Yorn and company strode onstage shrouded in darkness, nonchalantly picking up their instruments and launching into a rousing full band version of Junior Kimbrough’s “I Feel Good Again”, known to Yorn fans as the opening rarity from Live In New Jersey. The lights blasted fluorescent as Nightcrawler gem “For Us” followed suit, the band backlit by artful projections of neon cityscapes, shutter-speed nature backgrounds, and nostalgic watercolor paintings, bathing the entire show in a kaleidoscopic environment that was retro without being kitschy. “For Us” is typically a faster number, but bassist Zak Shaffer, lead guitarist Mark Noseworthy, and drummer Scott Seiver added an extra layer of rhythmic muscle, diversifying the song’s steady beat with meaty backing vocals and minor soloing. “Precious Stone”, the opening track from his latest self-titled album continued the trend of spiced up arrangements, starting with a purposely stalled intro that gradually segued into a full band kick.

Yorn’s sleepier songs benefited the most from the live treatment, with hushed breezes such as “Sans Fear” and “Stronger” getting slightly punkified to hold their own against the rest of the raucous set. A cover of “Rockin’ In The Free World” and first encore “Burrito” received opposite reworkings, their distorted momentum slowed down and sparsely dramatized by nothing more than Yorn’s slightly slurred howl and acoustic guitar. These quiet moments were strategically placed after anthemic rockers “Velcro Shoes” and ubiquitous musicforthemorningafter single ”For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)”, making their singular focus all the more punctuated and affective.

Photo by Joshua Mellin

Yorn’s only blunder was the inclusion of slogging cock rocker “Always”. The song’s lethargic nu metal pace and generic chorus of “bring it on” performed in front of projections of slow motion flames was an exercise in half-baked machismo, and the sole weak spot in an altogether stellar show. Luckily, the encore set snapped back into Technicolor with the twinkling majesty of “Crystal Village” and classic Yorn closer “Murray”. The entire evening was a reminder that Yorn can rock out with the best of them, his heart forever hanging proudly in the garage. The guy’s last album was produced by Frank Black, for God’s sake, and even in a snub nose indie world, that’s got to count for something.

Photography by Joshua Mellin.

Setlist:
I Feel Good Again (Junior Kimbrough cover)”
For Us
Precious Stone
Rock Crowd
Life On A Chain
Just Another
Sans Fear
Velcro Shoes
Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young cover – solo)
All At Once
Stronger Than
Bad Man
Strange Condition
Closet
For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)
Encore:
Burrito (solo)
Always
Crystal Village
Murray
——

Scheduled for release on March 22nd via Sony, the 2-CD set will feature the original album version of musicforthemorningafter, as well as another disc with some extra goodies including four rare and previously unreleased tracks. The gem of the bonus disc is the full audio of Yorn’s live performance on Santa Monica’s KCRW radio station the day the album was released (March 27th, 2001). The 10th anniversary set is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com, so head on over for a chance to get your hands on a copy.

To support the anniversary release, Yorn will be trekking across the country and taking Ben Kweller and The Wellspring along for the ride as openers. The tour begins in Tempe, AZ on Valentine’s Day and hits some major cities on both coasts before winding down in Atlanta, GA on April 22nd. Tickets can be purchased via Yorn’s official website for all confirmed dates listed below.

CD 1: musicforthemorningafter:
01. Life On A Chain
02. Strange Condition
03. Just Another
04. Black
05. Lose You
06. For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)
07. Murray
08. June
09. Sense
10. Closet
11. On Your Side
12. Sleep Better
13. Ez
14. Simonize
15. A Girl Like You

CD 2: KCRW Performance and Rarities:
01. Intro (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
02. Life On A Chain (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
03. Strange Condition (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
04. Sense (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
05. For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is) (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
06. Pete Yorn Interview Segment (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
07. Panic (Live, KCRW 3-27-01) (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
08. On Your Side (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
09. Just Another (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
10. Murray (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
11. Show Outro (Live, KCRW 3-27-01)
12. Closet (Demo) (Previously Unreleased)
13. The Barber (Previously Unreleased)
14. Knew Enough To Know Nothing At All (Vinyl release, B-side)
15. Life On A Chain (Hooky’s Mix) (Brad Wood Mix) (Previously Unreleased)

Pete Yorn 2011 Tour Dates:
02/14 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
02/16 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
02/17 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
02/19 – Council, IA @ Horseshoe Casino
02/20 – Kansas City, MO @ VooDoo Lounge
02/22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
02/23 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
02/27 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
03/01 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
03/02 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
03/04 – Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargo’s
03/05 – Toronto, ON @ Toronto Opera House
03/08 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
03/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre
03/11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
03/14 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04/01 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
04/02 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
04/03 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04/05 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
04/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
04/09 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04/10 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
04/14 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
04/15 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
04/16 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Waller Creek Amphitheatre
04/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage

We could sit here and reminisce on everything of prominence over the past 365 days, and all of you gracious readers that strapped us into the #1 Music Blog position on About.com could bask in nostalgia’s glorious sun shower. In the essence of practicality, while revisiting landmark albums like Exile On Main St. and Pretty Hate Machine, dismantling Consequence of Kanye at the culmination of his Dark Twisted Fantasy, and doling out five stars to Arcade Fire, we had the chance to compile this lovely Top 100 list for your critiquing and commenting pleasure.

This is the cream of the crop from all walks of genre, sub-genre, and fused genres alike. This is the definitive mark, two-thousand-ten’s best album releases, summarily graphed — and generously bled for — by your favorite Web site’s dedicated writers and contributors. So much has happened in such a minute expanse of time, we could not feasibly compress it all into a single article, but nonetheless, here lies the certifiable superlative one-off for 12 months’ worth of music.

[cue the confetti strands and silly string]

Significant moments leave a deep impact during December; we start wondering if things were given due justice. Questions arise as to why certain obligations might have been neglected (did you listen to even half of the albums on our list yet?). Perhaps many will silently renew devotions for the sake of a new year. Personally, I try not to guilt myself too harshly; After all, humans are imperfect creatures. Forget about making some last-minute proclamation of weight-loss goals and nicotine withdrawals. Why not focus on enjoying that year-end martini? If you want to lose pounds or finish your novel, do it for your own reasons, not because it’s the standard.

Make 2011 a time of positive build, not redundant letdown. Other usual goal selections are still worthy causes, but nothing is ironclad. If another passing birthday has taught me anything, it is that life is too short to bitch and moan. Think of the positives instead of the negatives, and you will find that the music sounds much sweeter than it did. The rose tint is absent, the naggers are quieted — What remains is the soothing remedy of a happy medium, the way it makes sense for you.

Welcome to the end of 2010 — May your resolutions be fruitful, may your Armageddon be swift, and may your record collection exponentially grow in value. May Chinese Democracy be your how-to guide for overhype. May the last lone Walkman live long and prosper. And may your iTunes gift card see plenty of use.

In bowing out, we implore you… pop the Scroll Lock from your keyboard — it’s obsolete now.

-David Buchanan
Senior Staff Writer

100. Black Label Society – Order of the Black

Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde have both released albums this year: the former’s Scream, the latter’s latest Black Label Society disc, Order of the Black. While Scream seems to have fallen from grace (despite being entertaining enough), Black Label Society have risen from the grave. With old school rising to the nth degree, Order of the Black is definitely one of the best heavy metal albums all year. Is it favoritism if Wylde shares a birthday with my daughter? -David Buchanan

99. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo

High school must have been a trip for this fresh-out-the-suburbs band that only recently graduated. Following in the ’60s-recalling footsteps of fellow indie poppers MGMT, Avi Buffalo’s self-titled debut gives us innocence on mushrooms, and plays like their own personal summer of love. “Truth Sets In” and “Five Little Shits” show the craftsmanship behind the music is top-notch. Noodly guitars form flower-child pop rock with forays into folk and country as on “One Last”. The lyrics may be a little high school, but Avi Buffalo write music like pros. The guitar work alone sounds 20 years older, as they work through one sunny jam after another. Avi Buffalo couldn’t have come at a better time, what with so many throwback rock bands making their mark in the past year. While timing is everything, so is having a solid record where every track stands out. With an album like this, it sounds like the next generation will be all right. -E.N. May

98. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang

Nowadays, rock and roll music is married to a lot of different genres, be it rap, pop, various forms of world music, etc. Rare is the truly good album that is just plain rock and roll. However, The Gaslight Anthem proved rock can still just be rock, with the down-on-their-luck punk rock of American Slang. Pain and frustration roar through the speakers, all on the backs of big, booming guitar and tight-as-it-comes drumming. The album showed that while rock music is drifting further away from its glory days, there’s still tons of room for the good, old-fashioned stuff. -Chris Coplan

97. Caribou — Swim

When an artist makes a turn towards pop, one wonders whether the artist has actually improved or simply tricked the listener into accepting the music. I wondered this after hearing Merriweather Post Pavilion and The Suburbs, but 48 listens later each, I’m pretty sure those are both still good albums. Like, 90 percent sure, but I didn’t need to be converted. Caribou sparked these same questions for me with Swim, and going with my instinct was the right choice. It’s hard to put this down, as they used to say when albums were physical objects. Even if you’re not on drugs, Swim will make you feel like you are. It’s not just for dance music junkies though — Caribou has much more to offer than a beat and some synth fiddling. -Harry Painter

96. Tokyo Police Club – Champ

After a somewhat disappointing debut LP in Elephant Shell, which failed to capture the spark of their A Lesson in Crime EP, Tokyo Police Club returned in 2010 with Champ. Like its name would suggest, the album feels triumphant in that it reintegrates that catchy vibe and also sees the band expand their lyrical concepts by adding a dash of worldly cynicism and diversifying their sonic output with lots of effects and improved instrumentation. Consider this the band’s musical equivalent of Rocky making it to the top of the stairs. -Chris Coplan

95. Mike Patton – Mondo Cane

Mondo Cane in one sentence: Mr. Bungle meets ’50s Italian pop with a backing orchestra. Seriously, it’s Mike Patton! Weird is not his calling card — it’s his genetic makeup, and I look forward to more operatic productions in the future. At the very least, a Mr. Bungle reunion? Pretty please? -David Buchanan

94. Cotton Jones – Tall Hours in the Glowstream

Not many records do an artist’s influences perfect justice, creating something strangely fresh without sounding like imitation. But Tall Hours in the Glowstream, Michael Nau’s dreamed out, smoky, hazy exploration of country’s golden age, is exhilarating in both its authenticity and dreamy beauty. -Drew Litowitz

93. Laurie Anderson - Homeland

Homeland is a sprawling and desolate quasi-sequel to Laurie Anderson’s first breakthrough 1984 performance piece, United States Live. This revisiting of America rides on the back of economic desperation, global unrest, and the new electronic reality. It’s a fascinating and haunting perspective on our day and age, from America’s greatest performance artist. -Cap Blackard

92. Weezer – Hurley

On Weezer’s eighth full-length album, Hurley, the band did what they do best; they made a Weezer album. And as always, Rivers Cuomo kept it close to the heart. He and the guys rehashed the glory days “back when Audioslave was Rage” on the Jackass sing-along “Memories”. Rivers kept the power pop Weezer alive too, with “Ruling Me” and “Hang On”, but also wrote some personal and emotional songs like “Trainwrecks” and “Time Flies”. No matter how many releases they have, Weezer showed us that all they will do is rock. At least as long as they have the limbs to do it. -Ted Maider

91. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night

Shoegaze and ’70s AOR make for a strange combination, but together they make The Besnard Lakes‘ sophomore LP, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, which sees the band continue to sharpen their sound with lush, slow-burning jams. Jace Lacek’s classic guitar work and resonant voice fit perfectly with Olga Goreas’ acidy soprano. Turn it up, bang your head, and vibe out. -Jeremy Larson

90. Antony and the Johnsons – Swanlights

More a step sideways than a step backwards, the new album by Antony and the Johnsons doesn’t quite reach as many high points as his previous two albums, but it doesn’t have many low points either. It’s another very solid effort from one of the most unique voices in modern music. Adding more guitar-based songs gives this album a wider palate than before, but the highlights are still Antony and his piano. His voice, like always, is the main attraction, and his lyrics are just as affecting as ever. The centerpiece of the album is the title track, a mysteriously sprawling song that is simultaneously one of the strangest songs Antony has ever produced and also one of his best. If his self-titled effort was an introduction, I Am a Bird Now was his breakthrough masterpiece, and The Crying Light was the solid followup to a near perfect album, then Swanlights proves that Antony is here to stay. -Carson O’Shoney

89. Los Campesinos! – Romance is Boring

Singer Gareth Campesinos! wants to talk to you about sex. And death. And fighting. And football. And everything in between. Seems like a lot of material to shove into one album, right? Yet, not only does Romance is Boring cover all of this and more, it does so in a dramatic, sarcastic, and anthemic fashion. The sprawling, 15-song effort is full of tasty moments to digest over multiple listens. The band covers sparse arrangements, noise rock, and even what the casual observer may call a hit song. Numbers like the title track, “There Are Listed Buildings”, and “Straight in at 101” are certainly highlights, but this is a record you should hear from beginning to end. Romance may be boring, but Los Campesinos! is anything but dull. -Joe Marvilli

88. El Guincho – Pop Negro

The man who has been hailed the “Panda Bear of Spain” followed up his immensely successful sophomore album, Alegranza!, with yet another album of his curiously eccentric brand of pop music. Although this release did not receive the same acclaim as its predecessor, it was, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable pop albums of the year. Opening track “Bombay” proved not only to be perhaps the sunniest, most memorable track on the album, but also provided one of the coolest videos of the year. El Guincho stayed true to form on Pop Negro, losing absolutely no integrity, having instead created yet another enjoyable work from his zany imagination. Spanish speaker or not, everyone will be able to understand the obvious musical prowess showcased on this album. -Winston Robbins

87. The Thermals – Personal Life

It ain’t easy squeezing a respectable catalog out of three chords. Few bands do it well, but The Thermals have thankfully stepped up to join the ranks of artists like The Bouncing Souls and Bad Religion as the modern day torch carriers of power punk. Unlike their earlier work, Personal Life displays more new wave tendencies, with lovelorn, bass-heavy tracks like “Only for You” and “Never Listen to Me” owing more to The Cars than The Germs. But mellowed out or not, 10 perfect songs in under 35 minutes is an equation that can’t be beat, even by their younger, rabble-rousing selves. -Dan Caffrey

86. Interpol - Interpol

Even though Carlos D was in the studio for Interpol‘s fourth go-round, the self-titled LP will always be associated with the visible bassist’s departure soon after its release. This is not completely unfair; If it weren’t for Paul Banks’ distinctive monotone, it would be hard to recognize this as an Interpol album. True, it’s not the Interpol we remember and expect, and it’s no Turn on the Bright Lights. But, my, did this LP not deserve to be ignored the way it was. This is more an album of scattered standout moments than one of constant pop perfection, but given repeat listens, those standout moments are worth the time. It’s hard to give Interpol the benefit of the doubt at this point, but here’s hoping the future improves for the New Yorkers. -Harry Painter

85. Four Tet – There Is Love in You

It turns out that 2010 was an amazing year for emotional, powerful electronic music, but none is more emotionally strong than Four Tet‘s There Is Love in You. It’s a powerful album where a baby’s heartbeat is turned into an actual beat. The vocals, the beats, the atmosphere — it’s all beautiful. -Evan Minsker

84. Delorean – Subiza

Spanish quartet Delorean know what they’re doing. Subiza offers layer upon layer of samples, synths, and catchy melodies that result in an uplifting, atmospheric album sure to have your toes tapping. Repeated, airy vocals entrance the listener and add even more depth to the already complex and varied soundscape. The album plays like a DJ set, songs flowing in and out of one another, keeping true to the band’s Balearic roots. Animal Collective references aside, Delorean has forged a home in today’s overpopulated realm of electronic pop music. Whether it’s the ,majestic single “Stay Close” or “Warmer Places”, with its anthemic repetition of “Never settle, never settle, never settle”, Subiza does no wrong. -Caitlin Meyer

83. Pete Yorn - Pete Yorn

Before the drowsy acoustics of 2009′s Back and Fourth and a bubbly collaboration with Scarlett Johansson, Pete Yorn was roughing it up in the garage with producer Frank Blank. At the Pixies frontman’s behest, Yorn swiftly recorded his eventual sixth album in 2008, giving his usual classic rock stylings a newfound sawtooth urgency. Pete Yorn‘s first half is pared down to nothing but crunchy distortion, with power pop nuggets like “Velcro Shoes” and “Badman” recalling a scrappier T. Rex, while the more jangled second half pays tribute to R.E.M. and Big Star. “Come on wheels, take this boy away,” he croons in the twangy closing track. As long as it’s back to where he started, we’ll all be in good shape. -Dan Caffrey

82. Charlotte Gainsbourg – IRM

Inspired by Charlotte Gainsbourg’s brush with death and subsequent time spent in an MRI scanner, IRM reveals Gainsbourg’s continued evolution and maturation as a singer. Through producer and co-writer Beck’s diverse instrumentation which ran the gamut between lush and minimalist, Gainsbourg’s distant, barely there whisper offers the occasional peek behind her mystique. The collaboration between Gainsbourg and Beck is a match made in heaven, with both artists bringing the best out of each other. Who else but Beck could replicate the pulsating rhythm and sense of claustrophobia produced by the machine, and turn it into such captivating music? IRM is two artists nearing 40 exploring and reflecting upon death, and the result is the best Beck album since Sea Change. -Frank Mojica

81. Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love

A new Belle & Sebastian album is a welcome outcome in itself; Such is the band’s track record. This latest offering doesn’t disappoint, but requires repeat plays to really sink in. Once there, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that B&S have delivered yet another first-class pop album — bright, breezy and accomplished, both vocally and in the tight, rich ensemble instrumentation. -Tony Hardy

80. Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett

On his ninth LP, the grossly undervalued alt-folk lion continues his decades-long odyssey into the broken heart of America, working with friend and producer Richard Swift to deliver a collection steeped in vintage sounds and ideas. Damien Jurado‘s work on Saint Bartlett is timeless and penetrating, at once a sonic nod to mid-century production techniques and a reminder of the importance of storytelling in an age that increasingly has little appetite for nuance and reflection. Indeed, his thoughtful, literary tales and troubled, but familiar characters have never seemed so vital. -Ryan Burleson

79. Wild Nothing – Gemini

Upon listening to “Summer Holiday”, the first single from Wild Nothing’s debut full-length Gemini, it would be too easy to lump the band and its principal actor Jack Tatum in with other bands currently feeding on ’80s nostalgia pop, like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. In fact, tracks like “O, Lilac” do sound as if they came out of the Pains’ playbook. However, the album as a whole is a bit more diverse. Not simply relying on fuzzy tones or shrilly synths as a crutch, Wild Nothing also owe something to early ’90s indie pop for its sound. The more I listened to Gemini, the more I also heard elements of the Drop Nineteens and the Swirlies (or other bands from the early SpinArt roster), especially in the way Tatum plays his guitar. Everything is utilized loosely to help highlight the wistful haze surrounding Wild Nothing’s particular approach to dream pop. The carefree jangle theand gorgeous vocal harmony on “Our Composition Book” is like Galaxy 500 on caffeine. “Bored Games” has an underlying dance beat that is akin to some of the sounds found with IDM artists on Ghostly International, and “Chinatown” is simply a strong pop song oozing with dreaminess. -Len Comaratta

78. Fang Island – Fang Island

Give credit to these punks. They’re punks in the true sense because their style and sound is something at odds with the status quo. The frugality that 2010 favors in its music is laughed at by Fang Island’s three part guitar harmonies and the band’s exuberant vocal power. Their sound is that of a band incubating until they someday find themselves in a stadium or an arena. You’d be hard-pressed not to have people tell you it’s prog, but underneath there’s a rich cushion of the history of rock, metal, and strong arena melodies. In other words, they make what they do sound authentic — the highest form of currency in 21st century music listening. -Jeremy Larson

77. The Drums – The Drums

If there was a perfect pop album from cover to cover this year, a strong argument could be made for the Drums‘ self-titled full-length. Coming off the success of 2009’s Summertime EP, the Drums returned with a strong, vibrant album that captured elements of ’60s pop melodies and blended them with the jaded post-punk/new wave attitude of many U.K. bands from the late ’70s. The full-length featured a few repeats from the 2009 EP, including a re-recording of “Let’s Go Surfing”, the hot single that started it all; But newer tracks like “Forever and Ever Amen” and “Best Friend” demonstrate that the band has for-real potential. Their look and sound is vintage U.K. new wave and if they were to be subjected to a time machine accident dumping them out on the streets of post-Punk Revolution London or Glasgow, nobody would bat an eye. With that in mind, the Drums are in no way derivative and they do for the pop sounds of the era what bands like Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand did for the post-punk/dance punk sounds of bands like Gang of Four and Wire. -Len Comaratta

76. of Montreal – False Priest

Coming off their proggiest album, 2008′s Skeletal Lamping, of Montreal could have gone any direction with this release. Fans and critics alike criticized Skeletal for being too nonsensical and tough to grasp, which are spot on analyses. Fortunately, of Montreal stuck to their guns for False Priest, expertly cranking out infectious psych-pop. But, of course, in true of Montreal fashion, the sound of the music did not remain static. This album incorporated the usual Prince/David Bowie influences, but also a largely unexplored territory for the psych-rockers: R&B. Citing Stevie Wonder as a major influence for the record, front man Kevin Barnes deliberately included appearances from longtime friend and psych R&B darling Janelle Monáe, as well as Solange Knowles, the younger sister of pop enigma Beyoncé. In the end, the record wasn’t their strongest, but it was a return to the youthful, lovable of Montreal we’ve all become so enamored with. -Winston Robbins

75. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

My Chemical Romance made its name on vampire songs and screamy music for sad kids. This will only take you so far in terms of earning critical respect, though. They followed up 2006′s heavy-handed concept album The Black Parade with 2010′s Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. This is another concept album, to be sure, but it’s one that rings true and doesn’t overwhelm the music. The album takes us through a radio show piloted by pirate DJ Dr. Death through a post-apocalyptic wasteland controlled by a mysterious corporate behemoth. Luckily, alter-egos the Killjoys are on the loose, providing us with death-defying escapades, corporate defiance, and, of course, some of MCR’s best music to date. It’s still guided by Gerard Way’s snarly, self-indulgent punk vocals, but this time, they’re layered over the top of some solid rock music. Danger Days takes the best of MCR’s skill set and combines it with incredibly listenable, textured rock tunes that will lend MCR some much-needed cultural relevance for many years to come. -Megan Ritt

74. School of Seven Bells – Disconnect from Desire

For School of Seven Bells, creating atmosphere is what it’s all about. On their second album, they do more than succeed at that lofty goal. Each track transports you to a new location, one that’s different, yet still familiar. It turns from the high-pitched, rhythmic vocals of “Windstorm” to the rave-inducing “Dust Devil” and back to shoegaze without any jarring transitions. The duel vocals of twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza move between angelic and haunting within the same song. Meanwhile, guitarist Benjamin Curtis brings up a whole array of effects that he masterfully uses to his advantage. My recommendation? Lie back, close your eyes, and lose yourself in this album. You won’t regret it. -Joe Marvilli

73. Goldfrapp – Head First

These days, there are a ton of bands who readily make use of the musical cash cow that is the 1980s. However, none do it as skillfully as Goldfrapp on their fifth LP, Head First. Full of shiny synths, melodies like sweet ear candy, and coming off like ABBA meeting Olivia Newton-John on some glorious dancefloor in paradise, the album is everything most people loved about the ’80s with an update, thanks to some kicking house and dance music. Plus, you don’t have to wear shoulder pads or neon to enjoy it. -Chris Coplan

72. Miniature Tigers – F O R T R E S S

It was going to be hard to top Tell It to the Volcano, but Miniature Tigers did just that on the followup to their 2008 debut LP. F O R T R E S S was greatly overshadowed by the hype surrounding Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs (which was released a week later), but music fans who overlooked this album missed one of 2010’s brightest nuggets of precision-crafted pop and a timeless collection of songs that our own E.N. May called “so close to perfect, it hurts.” -Ray Roa

71. GAYNGS – Relayted

GAYNGS’ debut LP led to The Purple One attending (and almost playing at) their first show ever, but what Relayted really accomplished was giving us something to chill to without having to call it “chillwave.” Filled with bowel-shaking low end and airy vocals, the 11-track effort from this super collective – which features members of Bon Iver, Megafun, and Solid-Gold – was surely the soundtrack to many a joint-smoking session. -Ray Roa

70. PS I Love You – Meet Me at the Muster Station

PS I Love You‘s album was a pleasant surprise this year — a rock ‘n’ roll record without pretensions or frills from a band who broke through with one single. Paul Saulnier churns out some instant hits here: “Facelove”, “Breadends”, and the title track all come to mind. Killer rock, no gimmicks. -Evan Minsker

69. Revere – Hey Selim!

Revere is an eight-piece London outfit that skilfully blends rock and orchestral instrumentation to create a lush and majestic sound. This fusion, attached to some great songs and an expressive lead vocal, is an explosive mix. This debut album provides a glimpse of the intensity of the band’s live performances through epic songs like “The Escape Artist”. The group is still relatively unknown outside the U.K., but the impact of this album has already led to an invitation to SXSW in 2011. -Tony Hardy

68. Rufus Wainwright – All Days Are Night: Songs for Lulu

All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu finds Rufus Wainwright in an intense place, both musically and personally, as the album was written as his beloved mother succumbed to cancer. This album, full of love songs to the dark muse, represents a major evolution for the songwriter. He’s dark without being morose (“Zebulon”, “What Would I Ever Do with a Rose”), he’s heartbreakingly earnest (“Martha”), and respectably well-read (“A Woman’s Face”, “Shame”, and “When Most I Wink”, all adaptations of Shakespearean sonnets). The resulting album — performed on tour in a grand, uninterrupted song cycle — is a moving collection of 12 tracks that represents some of Wainwright’s most well-composed and executed work to date, music to be remembered by. -Megan Ritt

67. Liars – Sisterworld

This dank, echoing gem of an album accomplishes something I didn’t think possible: It comes close to the glory that was Drum’s Not Dead. And Liars achieve greatness on Sisterworld with string arrangements as they did on Drum’s with feedback. Angus Andrew, Aaron Hemphill, and Julian Gross masterfully produce dark, powerful rock without delving into the overt theatrics of metal or the macabre-for-the-sake-of-it aesthetics of goth material. The disc plays out like the soundtrack to an expressionist horror film yet to come. Not the slasher “he’s right behind you!” type, but the eerie, “what’s going on here” type. -Adam Kivel

66. Torche - Songs for Singles EP

If Mastodon has its passion for epic themes, and ISIS was Tool with a twist, Torche is most likely a candidate for the second coming of Kyuss and Beaver. Strapped with a wall of stoner metal fuzz, ethereal vocals, and a drummer on speed, 2010′s Songs for Singles EP keeps up the tradition of ’08′s Meanderthal — short bursts of Torche awesomeness that leave ringing in your ears. -David Buchanan

65. Everybody Was In The French Resistance… Now! - Fixin’ the Charts, Volume 1

Known for his work with Art Brut, Eddie Argos combined forces with his girlfriend, Blood Arm member Dyan Valdes, and came up with a unique concept for an album: make responses to famous pop songs. Whether it’s telling Bob Dylan that ex-girlfriends should think twice or playing the part of Billy Jean’s bastard son, Argos and Valdes crafted a concept album that isn’t weighed down by its concept, instead being free to be smart and funny and appealing without being overly cerebral. Pop music ain’t perfect, but they’re the best maintenance team we could ask for. -Chris Coplan

64. These New Puritans – Hidden

Tighter around the frame than its predecessor, mixing elements from trip-hop, theatrical music, jaunty keyboard, and avant-garde, Hidden is what future critics will undoubtedly label as These New Puritans‘ 2010 magnum opus. Regardless of who is right or wrong, this Immediate Music meets Interpol for the Dead Man’s Bones fans (the handful left) will stay stuck to your brain, sobriety be damned. -David Buchanan

63. Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer

Known for being a member of Atlanta-based rap group Goodie Mob, Cee-Lo Green returned with his third solo album like he was the blaxploitation version of James Bond. The Lady Killer was drenched in the sounds of soul, R&B, and top-40 radio from the ’70s, every song about being done wrong by a she-devil. With a voice to match, Green demolished a lot of preconceived notions and forged himself an album of the best vintage sounds he could cull, and that’s as one-of-a-kind as the introverted and bombastic singer himself. In a phrase, he killed it. -Chris Coplan

62. The Chemical Brothers – Further

The Chemical Brothers‘ seventh studio album holds a special place in the electronic genre. With the romantic swirl of “Snow” and “Escape Velocity” giving way to the soaring highs of “K+D+B” and “Wonders of the Deep”, the Brothers Chemical showed on Further that electronic music can be cool, slick, technical, danceable — and most importantly — emotional, moving, even almost religious. The results are an endlessly listenable album that transports the audience to a higher place. -Megan Ritt

61. The Walkmen – Lisbon

Lisbon plays out like the music a civil war-era punk band might conjure up, if time, technology, and knowledge permitted. With click-clacking trashcan drums, minimally vintage electric guitar, occasional strings, lush brass, and, of course, Hamilton Leithauser’s reedy howl, Lisbon takes The Walkmen sound deeper into the past. By imitating the sounds of yesteryear with contemporary instrumentation, Lisbon sounds like something entirely new. -Drew Litowitz

60. Ryan Adams – Cardinals III/IV

In a year where Ryan Adams released a bunch of crappy demos and a metal album, the realization of the long-awaited Cardinals III/IV was a sight for sore ears. While Adams’ journey into the mythology of metal was a fun distraction, this two-disc album demonstrates what Adams does best: He makes rocking, folksy music with a down-home appeal and lots of deviation and experimentation, songs that, at their core, are universal and eat their way into your bloodstream. It’s good to have you back, Mr. Adams. -Chris Coplan

59. Avey Tare – Down There

In 2010, Camp Animal Collective has been the fodder for the TMZ of indie rock, with every critic and fan pouring over relationship updates (Is Deakin back in the band?),and impatiently waiting for a sequel to the surefire decade list-topper Merriweather Post Pavilion. Meanwhile, Avey Tare (Dave Portner) quietly released this slightly minimal album of electronic textures, full of repetitive journeys through the aural equivalent of a hellish swamp. The dark vibes on Down There were inspired by dark times (his sister’s cancer scare, family deaths), but there’s also a joyful release to the mournful music, like a tripped-out New Orleans funeral march. We’re still impatiently waiting, but this is one hell of a holdover. -Ryan Reed

58. Peter Gabriel – Scratch My Back

Cover albums are often forgettable or regrettable, but when a massively influential artist like Peter Gabriel steps up to the task of reimagining some of his favorite songs, the result is nothing short of amazing. The music is simple, somber, and stripped of any bells and whistles, leaving only raw intentions, pure lyrics, and Gabriel’s passionate voice. This collection of tracks, culled from everyone from Paul Simon to Radiohead, are laid bare, exposing just what makes the originals beautiful and brilliant while lifting them up to an emotional catharsis they may have never intended to go to. What’s more, Scratch My Back is part of a double-album concept in which the artists Gabriel covers return the favor by covering him. If the moons align, the reciprocal follow-up compilation, I’ll Scratch Yours will be out next year. -Cap Blackard

57. The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme

Hailing from Sweden, relative unknowns (except to a very small, devout following) The Radio Dept. have kept a low profile for the majority of their career, which began back in 1998. And that’s where they’d like to stay, I believe. Does that mean they have to make bad music to stay out of the eye of the masses? Absolutely not. They have released dozens and dozens of tracks that are as solid as any indie pop out there, only they haven’t marketed the music to those selfsame masses. Due to very minimal touring and virtually no deliberate public accolades, The Radio Dept. has remained relatively low key. Clinging to a Scheme is their third official studio album, but was the first heard for many individuals. The album is a testament to a band who has honed in on their craft and made it everything it can/should be. Don’t be surprised if The Radio Dept. continues to release good music, but also don’t be surprised if Scheme becomes their magnum opus. The perfectly placed vocal samples, the wonderfully ethereal musicianship, and the pop mastery are hard not to like, and make for The Radio Dept.’s most polished work. -Winston Robbins

56. The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack

The Soft Pack‘s opening track “C’mon” coaxes listeners to sing along and dance — and with the band’s straightforward, high energy, ridiculously catchy brand of punk rock, they don’t have to try too hard. The simplicity of The Soft Pack‘s sharp lo-fi is what makes their music so charming; You know all of the lyrics to the choruses halfway through the songs, and can’t help but sing along. The album is reminiscent of a night of drunken debauchery with its rapid tempo, atonal vocals and, honestly, endless fun. There’s no profundity in the lyrics, no pretension in the instrumentation. The Soft Pack isn’t out there to hide meaning in their songs, they’re there to make you dance. This honesty and straightforward approach is refreshing, and the result is a downright addictive 30 minutes of punk bliss. -Caitlin Meyer

55. Menomena – Mines

On their fourth release, Menomena take everything that worked so well on Friend or Foe standouts like “Muscle and Flow” and spread it all over the place. The Portland, OR trio’s homebrewed approach to music-making can be heard in the playfully layered loops of spontaneous riffs and bangs on tracks like “Tithe” and “Oh Pretty Boy, You’re Such a Big Boy”. Mines gets haunting on “Dirty Cartoons” and “Killemall”, while bringing elaborate rock on “TAOS.” One of their best to date, Brent Knopf and crew have created an accessible record that stays unabashedly unconventional. -Ben Kaye

54. B.o.B – The Adventures of Bobby Ray

B.o.B had some serious all-star power behind his highly anticipated and fulfilling debut. Hayley Williams, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Rivers Cuomo, and more helped make B.o.B’s dreams come true with one of the best albums of the year. It was a big year for hip-hop, and this album stands as one of the best. The hit single “Airplanes” was everywhere this summer, and “Nothin’ on You” featuring Bruno Mars netted a Grammy nomination. B.o.B shows all of his talents on this album and his vocals are just as good as his raps. The Adventures of Bobby Ray is as entertaining as it is impressive and proved that it was highly worth the wait. -Kevin Barber

53. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

Waiting nine years between albums is a potentially lethal move. But for indie royalty Superchunk, their unique blend of boyish ache and super sweet chops proved that time means nothing when you’ve still got something to say. Despite being in their 40′s, the guys and gal of Superchunk prove on Majesty Shredding that their nervous, awkward ways can still translate into relatable, rocking songs that transcend any generational gap. The album’s so good, we’d consider waiting another decade for the next one if necessary. -Chris Coplan

52. Phosphorescent – Here’s to Taking It Easy

Phosphorescent‘s last album was a full-length of Willie Nelson covers, so it was relieving to discover Matt Houck and company still had the goods on Here’s to Taking it Easy. His fifth album may be so refreshing because his company is more stable this time around. As Philip Cosores pointed out, it’s Houck’s first time recording an album with a traditional band, and this is reflected in the sound. It feels like we’re experiencing an assault of alt country and folk rock, but Phosphorescent has been under the radar for too long and this record would shine in any era. -Harry Painter

51. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor

This record is a paradigm of artistic collaboration, with the band members sharing creative duties on nearly every aspect of its formation. The resulting indie smorgasbord is alive with ethereal tones and charging rhythms that expose impressive craft for a young debut. Simply masterful harmonies reflect on lost family members and European excursions from an almost Keatsian perspective. Gorilla Manor reveals a group so talented and thoughtful, you’ll wish you’d spent time in the house of the title, waxing poetic about past loves and future possibilities. -Ben Kaye

50. Hans Zimmer & Johnny Marr – Inception: Original Motion Picture Score

Equal parts Bernard Hermann and Elliot Goldenthal, Hans Zimmer and Johnny Marr‘s encapsulating score to this summer’s strongest film, Inception, echoes of sleek, silver-lined decadence. From the strictly lucid start (“Half Remembered Dream”) to the heart-thudding finale (“Time”), it’s easy to understand why the film lingers in people’s minds, even five months later. In a recent episode of South Park which parodied Christopher Nolan’s film, one of the characters starts mimicking the score in the corner of a room. It’s an incredibly coarse imitation, but the score’s become so iconic and memorable that it’s impossible to be lost on the joke. That says something. It also means South Park‘s reaching pretty far these days. Sheesh. -Michael Roffman

49. Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone

Mavis Staples‘ album You Are Not Alone, recorded with Jeff Tweedy, is everything it should be — an amazing showcase of both talents. The title track is a gorgeous ballad written by Tweedy and expertly sung by the soul legend. The disc also includes a series of amazing gospel tunes. This is the roots album cure for “too much T-Bone Burnett”-itis, and it’s a pure delight to listen to from front to back. -Evan Minsker

48. Jukebox The Ghost – Everything Under the Sun

Prog rock is a wasteland of complicated musical creations built for boys. However, thanks to the infusion of happy, piano-powered rock and lyrical sentiments about life as a 20-something on Everything Under the Sun, Jukebox the Ghost found an oasis in the grandiose sound for anyone to come and drink of the sweet water of frenetic, overjoyed pop rock. And, oh, how sweet it tasted. -Chris Coplan

47. Frog Eyes – Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph

Paul’s Tomb is the definition of the word epic. Carey Mercer’s already acrobatic, wild voice has an added growl to it, another trick to add to his repertoire. The fuzzed out, clanging guitar that opens the album on “Flower in a Glove” is the standard-bearer of the pomp and destruction within. Drummer Melanie Campbell’s maniacal thumping and guitarist Ryan Beattie’s lightning-bolt stabs lend tracks like the concussive “The Sensitive Girls” and the expansive title track a conquering air. Mercer’s songwriting just keeps getting stronger, tighter, more insular, and more powerful. -Adam Kivel

46. Foals – Total Life Forever

Foals‘ 2008 release, Antidotes, revealed a debut full of rapid percussion, rhythmic guitars, melancholy, and, interestingly enough, an undeniable urge to dance. Two years later, Foals have returned with Total Life Forever, grown and matured. Vocals receive more of a focus in this second outing, and as opposed to competing with entrancing rhythms and guitar, they work together superbly. Furthermore, instead of giving us the beat up front, “Spanish Sahara” and “Blue Blood” make us earn it — and we love every second of it. Sporadic touches of funk bring to life tracks such as “Miami”, the juxtaposition of styles truly allowing both to shine. Each song is markedly different, yet Total Life Forever fits together seamlessly to create a thoroughly engaging, enjoyable record; hopefully this is indicative of future releases from this young band. -Caitlin Meyer

45. Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns

Before its release, Mike Shinoda described A Thousand Suns as genre-busting. It doesn’t quite reach that level, but it does blow away any restraints on what Linkin Park could be. This is not the same band that showed up 10 years ago as part of the nu-metal movement. Instead, A Thousand Suns features a more mature, experimental Linkin Park, one that took the best parts of their first three albums and threw them into a blender with Pro Tools. After two and a half albums of screaming lyrics about his own life, singer Chester Bennington has joined Shinoda in looking outwards. The band really stepped up their game for this one, making a statement loud and clear — they’re going to make the music they want and they’re here to stay. -Joe Marvilli

44. Warpaint – The Fool

Warpaint was subject to some sudden focus this year thanks to the band’s live performances of tracks from its still unreleased debut full-length album, The Fool, so its October release elicited unfounded worries of sucktitude. Needless to say, it did not suck; In fact, it’s safe to say this was the best debut album by an all-female indie rock quartet this year. Heh, kidding. But while Emily Kokal’s voice borders on whiny at times, The Fool is every bit the brooding art rock gem that tourmates The xx’s debut was in 2009, and Warpaint will likely have similar overbearing pressure to follow it up. -Harry Painter

43. Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can

I Speak Because I Can is a record that impacts immediately, yet has such depth that you grow fonder of it over time. It marks a true coming of age as Laura Marling goes beyond cataloging the trials of young love and speaks maturely as she explores the roles and responsibilities of full womanhood. The quality of the songwriting is astonishing, as traditional folk sensibilities are seamlessly worked into a modern thesis. Musically, the songs are subtly embellished, yet space is left for Marling’s exceptional vocals to rule. -Tony Hardy

42. Wolf Parade – Expo 86

Recently, Wolf Parade concluded a Toronto performance with the announcement of the group’s indefinite hiatus. With the sheer energy and masterful avant-pop of Expo 86, I doubt many people saw it coming. On their latest — and potentially last — outing, Krug, Boeckner, and the rest of the pack have created yet another collection of songs bursting at the seams with the coked out, danceable gloss of glam, the intricate song structures of prog, the quickfire licking of math, and the catchy synths of electro. If they are indeed signing off, they bow out with the utmost grace. -Drew Litowitz

41. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow

To consider an intersection between mathcore, punk, and metal is to define the very essence of “heavy.” Kylesa is a pulsating breed of sophisticated, a haunting juggernaut on the verge of scaring you senseless, and 2010′s Spiral Shadow fleshes them out completely. Think you’ve heard everything? Give standouts like “Drop Out” and the title track a try, and whisper, “There’s no place like home.” -David Buchanan

40. Grinderman – Grinderman 2

Nick Cave has always been a badass. For years now, he has been pumping out dark and terrifying rock, and his new outfit, Grinderman, has continued the assault with reckless abandon. Their sophomore album, Grinderman 2, took a bit of a more psychedelic turn, but still was able to creep you out and make you want to thrash all over the damn place. With strong lead singles “Heathen Child” and “Mickey Mouse and The Good-bye Man”, Grinderman 2 punched you in the throat, picked you up, did it again, and then you still came back and asked for more. As elder statesmen, Cave and his bandmates continue to push forward and keep consistent, where bands half their age falter and stumble under the pressure. -Nick Freed

39. Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame

Dr. Dog is part of the modern cache of bands that have spent quite some time perfecting its craft. What once was a band of dual personalities finally came together on Shame, Shame. Combining the styles of Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman, the album gives the band one sound meshing McMicken’s Beatles style pop rock with Leaman’s bluesy growl. The harmonies are flawless, and the song writing certainly has its moments of genius. This isn’t anything new for Dr. Dog however, this is just how they’ve always make records. -E.N. May

38. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

Nary a moment of bloat during its 63 minutes, Broken Social Scene’s fourth album is a joyfully poignant, slow-burning collection of indie pop and post-rock anthems. More cohesive and less chaotic than in the past, the Canadian supergroup continues to epitomize the indie rock collective ideal with the special guest-laden Forgiveness Rock Record. It may have been five long years since their last album, but Forgiveness Rock Record was worth the wait. -Frank Mojica

37. No Age – Everything in Between

The duo that is No Age made one of the most sonically interesting records of the year with their third album, Everything in Between. The drumming builds and builds throughout every song, while the guitar work sounds totally unique. The opener, “Life Prowler”, is a fine example, with guitar loops building upon and crushing one another, all as the drums set the mood. There’s also plenty of punk shredding, with tracks like “Fever Dreaming”, “Shred and Transcend” (which comes complete with whaling feedback), and the despair of “Valley Hump Crash”. But at the same time, there is plenty of artistic instrumental work with tracks like the longing “Positive Amputation”, the choppy “Dusted”, and the constant aural change of “Chem Trails”, a finale that will keep this album on your stereo for weeks to come. -Ted Maider

36. Eminem – Recovery

After a couple of confusing and aggravating releases, Eminem returned this year to release Recovery, and the title could not be more fitting. He kicked his drug addictions, ditched the annoying voice impersonations, and put his focus back on creating witty, quick, and hilarious rhymes, all while producing his best album since 2002’s The Eminem Show. The inspiring single “Not Afraid” and the Rihanna featuring “Love the Way You Lie” both spent multiple weeks at number one. Not only did this release bring Marshall Mathers back into the spotlight, it also revitalized a gifted artist who had lost his ways for years. It’s safe to say, Eminem has truly recovered. -Kevin Barber

35. Free Energy - Stuck on Nothing

In the opening moments of Stuck On Nothing, lead singer Paul Sprangers optimistically affirms “we’re gonna start a new life, see how it goes.” It’s a fitting allusion to a new musical beginning for a band that formed out of the ashes of Minneapolis rockers Hockey Night. But if Free Energy is an attempt at rock and roll redemption, it appears, then, that this Philadelphia-based quintet has grabbed their second chance by the horns. Stuck on Nothing offers ten throwback songs of freewheeling 70’s-influenced rock seemingly posed to force its way into the ranks of today’s great bar-rock bands. -Max Blau

34. Owen Pallett – Heartland

Trading the Final Fantasy moniker for his birth name, Owen Pallett has fully come into his own with Heartland. Incredibly intricate string arrangements, dynamic and compelling in their own right, nicely complement Pallett’s vocals, syncopated rhythms and synths bouncing between headphones. All of these result in a beautifully complete, complex album, perhaps Pallett’s most accessible work to date. The album is a story, but also a study in song construction and pop perfection. The masterful “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt” epitomizes the strengths of Heartland, with upbeat percussion, full orchestral crescendoing, and a triumphant repetition of “I’m never gonna give it to you”, which, like the rest of the album, keeps toes tapping and humming going for hours after listening. -Caitlin Meyer

33. Jason Boesel – Hustler’s Son

As the drummer for indie rock darling Rilo Kiley, Jason Boesel has spent his time making albums that flirted with a kind of country, folk-y feel. For his debut solo effort, though, Boesel dives head first into the heartache like a modern day Kris Kristofferson or Don Henley, living life in the desert and recounting every painful scar on his acoustic guitar. Jenny Lewis had Johnny, but Boesel’s debut shows there’s life outside RK. -Chris Coplan

32. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks

It’s easy to forget that Ted Leo was once a mainstay of hardcore music. The energy on The Brutalist Bricks reminds us of Leo’s punk past while maintaining the diverse style that’s made him legendary. On the opening track, “The Mighty Sparrow”, Leo declares that he’s “coming to” and, although this track is classic Leo, that is how the remainder of the album feels, like a reawakening. Lately, the vocalist has expressed his frustration with the music industry and, more specifically, his own career. Perhaps that’s where the sense of urgency heard in this album comes from. Regardless of its source, it is certainly welcome. -Michael Cromwell

31. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

Fuck the 50 States. The Age of Adz, while not as consistent or unanimously life-altering as 2005′s obvious opus Illinois, is an even more important album for Sufjan Stevens. Side-stepping a musical identity crisis (in which he questioned the entire point of releasing another album), Stevens does the long player another service, indulging up to his eyeballs in auto-tune, analog synths, and a boatload of brass and woodwinds. “Fucking around” never sounded so good. -Ryan Reed

30. OK Go – Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

With Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, OK Go have become something so much more than Internet video darlings. True, they’re still pulling out all the stops with their visual accompaniment, but musically, they’ve evolved into so much more. Of the Blue Colour of the Sky is pure art rock – fun, soulful, funky, with just enough cynicism to keep things raw. Their matured sound is built on the backs of greats like The Pixies, Talking Heads, and Prince, but ultimately the sound is their own, and OK Go have now joined their ranks. Between the album, the videos, forming their own label, and endless hi-jinks both on the road and at cutting-edge arts festivals, 2010 has proven that OK Go are true musical artists. -Cap Blackard

29. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

Halcyon Digest isn’t the album Deerhunter will be remembered for—that award goes to 2008′s Microcastle, which immediately usurped its widespread acclaim with bold, surprisingly direct soundscapes and a handful of hooky anthems, downplaying the raw experimentation of their previous work. Halcyon Digest is ultimately more of the same: focused instrumental textures, headphone engulfing production, and occasionally accessible melodies. So while it doesn’t arrive with such a resounding jolt as Microcastle, the quality of the songs proves it to be well more than a step sideways. Working with producer Ben Allen (who helped introduce Animal Collective to this pesky thing called “bass” on Merriweather Post Pavilion), Deerhunter creates a slightly more reserved album, casually revealing its gently crafted charms over time. From the crawling, minimalist psychedelia of opener “Earthquake” to the collage of borderline tribal rhythms in the euphoric closer “He Would Have Laughed” (a dedication to recently deceased comrade Jay Reatard), Halcyon Digest is built for the long haul, their most consistently compelling collection yet. -Ryan Reed

28. The Black Keys – Brothers

Thanks to Brothers, it’s obvious now how much working with Danger Mouse has had an effect on The Black Keys‘ songwriting. Their debut record, The Big Come Up, rose straight from the wax of Junior Kimbrough, weathered and distorted as Dan Auerbach piped his delta blues revival through a beat up bass amp. It’s been a long time since the blues sounded that heavy. That was 2002, and over the past eight years the duo that is The Black Keys have evolved from a two man blues band into a pop rock band with soul. Brothers is the culmination of that evolution, taking what they started with on Attack and Release and finishing it. Now they are as far removed from the garage rock scene as it gets, yet The Black Keys remain exactly who they were from the beginning: a couple of guys obsessed with the blues. From the start, “Everlasting Light” is full of that dug up soul sound, doo-wop back up singers and all. The crunchy guitar and heavy blues riffs remain constant. Added instruments on “The Only One” and “Never Gunna Give You Up” turn The Keys into an R&B band. This move to broaden their sound was exactly what the band needed, and Brothers makes it sound effortless. That’s what made this record great, and it’s what will keep The Black Keys that way into the future. -E.N. May

27. Best Coast – Crazy for You

I saw posters for this album long before I ever heard it, and the artwork made me assume it to be silly. But it’s not silly; It’s sort of joyful in that little kid way that makes you want to color outside the lines. Best Coast combined Kim Deal’s voice and the Beach Boys’ musical chops to create Crazy for You, one of the best half-hours/catchiest indie records of the year. Tracks like “Boyfriend”, “Goodbye”, “Happy”, and “When the Sun Don’t Shine” stick in your brain on repeat with their catchy chords and simple lyrics. It’s fun when it’s easy to sing along. Meanwhile, there are more mood altering numbers, like the longing “Summer Mood”, the grungy snarl of “Bratty B”, and the despair of “Honey”, the longest track on the album, which barely cracks three minutes. If you’re lucky, you got the bonus track, “When I’m With You”, a catchy 50s style tune that will play in your stereo for days. Basically, this album was an enjoyable and simplistic breeze; It lasted a second, but left a positive impression. -Ted Maider

26. Les Savy Fav – Root For Ruin

With labels like post-hardcore and art rock attached, you’d expect something loud and stuffy from the likes of Les Savy Fav. However, for the band’s fifth studio album, and the first since 2007′s Let’s Stay Friends, the NYC-based indie rock outfit takes itself less than serious, crafting an album full of sarcasm and a sense of humor. Doing away with a lot of their previous effort’s aims to expand musically, the group have opted instead to make a straight-forward rock album. The record’s comfortable feel stems from the act finally reaching a happy place regarding their sound, free of the demands of innovation and able to truly take advantage of that frenetic, sweaty vibe that hangs over a lot of its live shows. The ragged sensibilities that the band had held on to for much of its existence also seemingly soften, without coming off as the band giving up or losing their edge. And that ain’t no joke. -Chris Coplan

25. Neil Young – Le Noise

In the past 20 years, Neil Young has done work that’s been less than thrilling. There were some total jams on Fork In The Road, but come on, an entire album about an electric car? That’s why Le Noise, Neil’s atmospheric opus helmed by Daniel Lanois, was such a delight. “Walk With Me” and “Hitchhiker” anchor the album with boisterous, barking autobiography. “Angry World” gets into that whole political thing, but this time, it’s not as preachy as it was on Living With War, or in his documentary CSNY: Deja Vu. And to top it all off, Lanois adds this sonic atmosphere that’s absolutely entrancing. It’s one of Young’s best in recent memory and it competes with some of his best from his heyday. -Evan Minsker

24. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me

A good portion of listeners who have given Have One on Me a spin have surely given up mid-rotation. A member of this group might be a guy who normally listens to, you know, all the stuff other hip dudes listen to these days — The National, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Kanyizzle. So, as our imaginary hip listener browses the tubes for music news throughout the year, he undoubtedly comes across Joanna Newsom enough times to pique his curiosity — Who the hell is she and what’s so good about her? And what the fuck has she done to deserve a tribute album? Our friend hits up Grooveshark, finds Newsom’s new album, assuming he’ll love it, and after three or four songs, is confused, angry, bored out of his mind, or all three.

It’s not easy music, and there are no easy answers to our hero’s questions. We’re talking about a dolphin-voiced harpist from an inconsequential town in Northern California who has put out three albums of sleepy, almost nauseatingly pretty harp tunes, and this time around she’s given us two hours and 18 tracks that often clock in around 10 minutes (and this is supposed to be her accessible album!). Not exactly a recipe for popular approval, but we’re largely not talking about a work of pop music; We’re talking about a work of anti-pop that makes Björk sound like Britney. This is no criticism of Björk, of course; It’s simply to say that in a still rock-dominated world, Newsom has made it (sort of) big ignoring everything that goes into the conventional rock formula. The result is not something to bob your head to as much as gape in awe at. If Have One on Me is the peak of her creativity, she should not feel shame. -Harry Painter

23. Wavves – King of the Beach

While Astro Coast may have the upperhand thanks to less gimmickry, there’s no denying the fact that the super baked music of Wavves belongs toward the top of the list thanks to one simple fact: it isn’t Wavvves. Unlike the previous LP, and thanks to the inclusion of the former backing band of Jay Reatard, the project of Nathan Williams became more than just a stoner in his basement making the most unrefined, nihilistic fuzz rock; It became a real band. The album saw the addition of more complicated musical constructions, songs with more subtlety, chord progressions, melody, varied speeds, and a range of influences from ska to punk to doo wop, all without losing Wavves’ sense of dread and stripped-to-the-core sound. As a lyricist, in front of new band members Stephen Pope and Billy Hayes, Williams grew by leaps and bounds, leaving behind some of the trademark anti-social tendencies to talk about love and growing up, once again without losing the minimalism the band was known for. No other follow-up album from a band was so vastly different and yet so unbelievably familiar than Wavves’ third offering. Not bad for a guy who was probably stoned out of his gourd 90% of the time. -Chris Coplan

22. Deftones – Diamond Eyes

In 2008, the Deftones had been in the middle of writing Eros, their highly-anticipated follow-up to the underrated experimental album Saturday Night Wrist, when bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a tragic car accident. Eros was halted indefinitely while the band had the difficult decision of what to do next – disband in honor of the critically injured Cheng, or continue doing what they do best: making music. The Deftones ended up soldiering on and recorded Diamond Eyes, and we’re glad they did. The result is one of the best rock albums of the year. From the crunchy, melodic waves of the opening title track and the angry, demanding ride of “Cmnd/Ctrl”, to the intense urgency of “Rocket Skates” and the beautifully written push and pull of “Risk”, there isn’t a weak track to be found. The haunting notes and Chino Moreno’s stirring vocals on the last track “This Place is Death” is the perfect closer to an emotional ride. This album is what the Deftones are all about. It may not be too brave in the sense of musical deviation, but the fact that the Deftones were able to put out such an undeniably solid album in the wake of tragedy shows the band’s braveness in a different way. Cheng would be proud. -Karina Halle

21. Janelle Monáe – The ArchAndroid

Following up on her initial plans to create a comprehensive piece of work based on her alter ego in a science fiction universe, Janelle Monáe celebrate 2010 with one of the year’s quirkiest and most listen-able albums. Utilizing the friendships she’d made over the past few years (namely Big Boi, Diddy, and of Montreal), Monáe dropped her much anticipated debut, The ArchAndroid, to universal critical praise. Her album sits at the number three position for the year on critical aggregating website metacritic, behind only Bruce Springsteen and Kanye West. Not bad for a debut. But all things considered, it makes absolute sense. Her off-the-wall themes, impressive lyricism, tight musicianship, and even more impressive vocal capability all exceed the mark on this release. What’s more, to do it all on an R&B concept album (very few of those, historically) that can be performed live is more than noteworthy. Her live show (which opened for of Montreal this summer/fall) may be the only thing that exceeds the glory of the studio recording itself. Monáe has always sworn by the free-thinking mentality, and given her successes thus far, the only way up for Miss Monáe is up. It’s a career that we’ll all have our eyes on closely, and we advise you do the same. -Winston Robbins

20. Hot Chip – One Life Stand

Live energy is a powerful ally, but when you can harness that into studio form, it speaks volumes. Hot Chip remains wildly present here on One Life Stand, a record that feels louder, cleaner, and sharper than anything I’ve heard from the band previously. Whether it’s on the discotheque-inspired “We Have Love”, “I Feel Better” meets evangelical “Brothers”, the tongue-in-cheek malaise of “Thieves In The Night”, or the classy jangle of “Hand Me Down Your Love”,  One Life Stand‘s final product feels ready to take on every nightclub in the 50 states, and then some (not to mention the band’s creative lead in music videos to rival OK Go).

Having a lead singer who looks like Wayne Coyne on a techno beat with the classiest lounge/electro band at his side doesn’t hurt, either. -David Buchanan

19. Robyn - Body Talk

It’s easy to give pop music nowadays a bad rap. A lot of it is watered down and derivative, produced as if it were processed by a mainstream Hits Factory. That doesn’t mean, however, that pop music has to be ignored, and we’re not talking about poppy indie music. Yes, uber saccharine, top 40 music can be just as important and vital as any Arcade Fire LP. That is, of course, if and only if it comes from Swedish songbird Robyn. With two releases toward the beginning of the year, the aptly-titled Body Talk Pt. 1 and Body Talk Pt. 2 combined to make Body Talk toward the end of the year, Robyn has made pop music light and airy, full of nymphomaniacal sex appeal, loneliness, and devastation, all with a beat that demands to be moved to. Unlike other pop vixens, the transition from heart-wrenching ballads crying out for a lost love to hyper-sexualized gimmicks involving ripped pantyhose don’t feel quite as artificial. Robyn has mastered the art of being seemingly invulnerable, a disco valkyrie, still damaged and open, picking and choosing moments of depth as she pleases, readily tossing them aside for frivolity at a moment’s notice. There’s a lot, emotionally, throughout the course of the collected songs, but one thing’s for sure: it’s all fucking real. -Chris Coplan

18. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot

A lot of things could have happened with Sir Lucious Left Foot:The Son of Chico Dusty. Big Boi could have fallen into the trap of unnecessary, lackluster collaborations with every name in the game. He could have ended up with the auto-tuned, kick drummed, drug-ridden monotony that plagues today’s generic rap. He could have eulogized the Outkast days. None of these scenarios knows Big Boi.

Instead, we’re given “one half of the Outkast return like ghost of Christmas past”, 80′s synths, stellar guest appearances, and an album that is, seriously, so fresh and so clean. His clever verses paired alongside excellent production make you want to put it on repeat for hours at a time. Each song offers something different, keeping Sir Lucious a constantly engaging listening experience. Dancing to “Shutterbugg”, driving to “General Patton” with full bass, going out to “Tangerine” — there’s a little bit of everything and it’s all executed masterfully. Even the questionable components of the album, such as Vonnegutt’s chorus on “Follow Me” or Yelawolf’s appearance on “You Ain’t No DJ” are quickly countered, respectively, by layered, irresistible synths and Big Boi’s refrain and killer beat. For a man who has been in the game for so long, with Sir Lucious Left Foot, Big Boi has once again seduced us with something new and potent. -Caitlin Meyer

17. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

While it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for James Murphy to top “All My Friends” on any given individual track, he doesn’t have to on This Is Happening. If cohesive albums are the measure, then the third time’s a charm for LCD Soundsystem. The group has demonstrated their versatility throughout their career, ranging from disco-punk to sprawling anthems and everything in between. But This Is Happening brings it all together into one fluid masterpiece. “Dance Yrself Clean” blows the doors open with a dynamic nine-minute entrance, while “Drunk Girls” brashly maintains their sardonic perspective. “I Can Change” showcases LCD Soundsystem at the most sentimental, and “Home” closes shop with Murphy’s nod to The Talking Heads’ “This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)”. LCD Soundsystem has visited all these places at one point or another, but This Is Happening brings it together like never before. -Max Blau

16. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

2010 was a big year for a lot of bands. It was the year to put up or shut up, and for Yeasayer, well, it was us that shut up. Odd Blood is a new beginning for the band, one that scrapped any notion of who they were and shifted the focus to who they could be. It was exciting and very fresh; Peter Gabriel should be proud. They switched from a loser jammy bohemian sound to tightly constructed electro-jams, ditching most of the traditional instruments for computer programs and other electronics. It worked so well, but only because they kept their original essence found on their debut All Hour Cymbals that got them noticed in the first place: a free form feel that, no matter how carefully constructed the song actually may be, the ideas still feel natural and freaky. Chris Keating and Anand Wilder sound amazing on the bohemian disco track “O.N.E”, with Keating, at four and a half minutes in, providing the band’s first big dance hook. The Prince style funk of “Mondegreen” is an energized, sexualized romp with its horn section and sleazy guitar solo. All the tracks are exercises in vocal gymnastics as well, and as we hear on “Madder Red”, they nail every move. It was one of the first hyped records, and now at year’s end, it has more than proven itself worthy of a year’s worth of spins with many more to come. -E.N. May

15. The Dead Weather – Sea of Cowards

The Dead Weather‘s followup to their 2009 debut, Horehound, took Jack White and Allison Mosshart’s “Evil Twin” relationship and ramped it up a few notches. If they were a playful duo before, in Sea of Cowards they’re skirting the edges of madness together, egging each other on in a slinky showdown that’s dramatized by the album’s schizophrenic mix of blues, soul, and psychedelic rock. The album kicks off with the throbbing grooves and twang of “Blue Blood Blues”, while White sings “shake your hips like battleships”. The album moves on to the dark and vibrating single “The Difference Between Us” and the disorienting thump of the psychotically-tinged “I’m Mad”, where Mosshart gets to show off her convincing cackle. The dizzying showdown culminates with the quickly rattled fuzz of “Jawbreaker” and the haunting “Old Mary”, a track that closes the album with a sense of unease and claustrophobia. At times during Cowards you can’t even tell which one of the two is singing (or yelping or snarling), which makes you wonder if they are indeed mirrors of each other or perhaps two people in one, battling to rise above the fury. If anyone walks away a winner though, it’s the listener, for having heard one of the most interesting and defiant rock albums of 2010. -Karina Halle

14. The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt

Inherently, achieving notable differentiation within folk music is pretty difficult. The idea is that this music is for the folk by the folk, so, virtually anybody can play it. Thus, while a lot of the genre’s sounds are beautiful, passionate, and authentic, innovation–especially aesthetic in nature–tends to contradict the genre’s very basis. That’s where wailing Swede Kristian Matsson, better known as The Tallest Man on Earth, comes in. His innovation shines through his stunning songcraft, a style that feels at once familiarly folked-up and almost entirely novel. Over frenetically masterful acoustic fingerpick/strum combinations, Matsson’s hair-raising vocals borrow from Dylan as much as they do contemporary pop, R&B, and pretty much everything else. On The Wild Hunt, his voice soars even higher and cuts even further into his impeccable fingerwork. The record comes off like a collection of brilliant, but undiscovered pop songs, found and reworked by an incredibly gifted folk singer so that they suit the genre. As the record progresses, Matsson’s gravelly voice gallops through vivid metaphorical imagery, expressing some of the most complex of human emotions beautifully, passionately, and, of course, authentically. -Drew Litowitz

13. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 2010 is the year of surf rock. No other sub-genre had as much impact and appeal within the indie rock community than the uber sweet lyrics and jangly guitar sound of surf rock. Countless acts took the lo-fi blast of sonic destruction that was so big in 2009 and infused within it the feel-good vibes of youthful abandonment and heartache. But while Wavves was busy blowing people’s minds with noise and melodies, and Best Coast was making us sullen with her Sixteen Candles-esque feelings of girly forlorn, Surfer Blood was one of the first acts of the year to show the power of the genreitself. Done without quite as many gimmicks and substantially less sunshine, Astro Coast is the angry, witty brainchild of a group of lads reared on the Pixies, pop culture, and a love of the very basic framework of surf rock, adorned with the trappings of worldly influences, lyrical maturity without losing the heartache, and a dash of much-needed oomph. With the band recently signed to Warner Bros., it’s clear that their kind of music was the big kahuna in an ocean of seemingly-identical competitors. -Chris Coplan

12. Devo – Something for Everybody

It’s hard to believe that Devo had not released an album since 1990’s Smooth Noodle Maps, a mediocre album at best that left a bleh taste in the mouths of Devo fans around the world, leaving us longing for another Freedom of Choice. When word came down that the boys had recorded a new album, needless to say, I was not thrilled. I half expected some regurgitated retro mess of new wave synthesizer sounds buzzing chaotically, or, at best, a once great band trying to re-capture some element of its previous grandeur. I was wrong. Completely and totally wrong. The album begins with a hard driving synth-drum combo and, immediately Devo takes off as if 1986-2009 never happened (or hadn’t happened yet). The opener, “Fresh”, and the following number “What We Do” are somewhat autobiographical with lines like “So fresh, it’s giving me a second life” and “What we do, is what we do, it’s all the same, there’s nothing new.” As the album plays out, it becomes pretty obvious that Devo are being Devo. They haven’t changed anything of what they do, other than perhaps using a more contemporary means of production and recording. Devo looked at what worked for them, went back and created an album that could fit perfectly within the frames of Freedom of Choice and New Traditionalists, all while maintaining a relevance to today’s audience. In a decade marked by a resurgence of sounds from the 80s and the new wave movement in particular, I find it most appropriate that the decade ends with a release from a band that was in part responsible for the stereotypical sounds of the era. -Len Comaratta

11. Sleigh Bells – Treats

A lot of bands broke new ground 2010, but Treats was the golden shovel. How can this album sound like everything you’ve ever heard and alternately like nothing you’ve ever heard? It’s a noisy, hooky, abrasive 35-minute ride fit for everything from impressing your metal friends to en bloc blackout nights at the club. So many bands make their two-person rock duo sound broken and cheap, but Sleigh Bells carve their sound from the richest and purest of elements, creating perfect gems. Opener “Tell ‘Em” is their ubiquitous standard-bearer, “Rill Rill” shows they can craft a pop hook fit for tween television, and “Infinity Guitars” may contain the most rocking moment of the year in its final verse. Alexis Krauss and Derick Miller find success with their vulgar production and copious use of lyrical repetition, blurring the line between dance and metal. Krauss’ vocals are just as unpredictable as Miller’s guitar work. Will she be cooing, rapping, or letting out a banshee scream? Will he be shredding, synth-ing, or letting out a banshee scream? And did I mention all of the hooks? -Jeremy Larson

10. The Roots - How I Got Over

In a year of gigantic hip-hop releases from the likes of newcomers Drake and Nicki Minaj and heavyweights Big Boi and Eminem, The Roots‘ ninth LP is easily the one that came in under the radar of many fans and industry insiders. Despite the lack of comparative buzz, the album easily out-punches its competitors. Full of technical skill thanks to ?uestlove and the band, the rhymes of Black Thought and guest MCs like Dice Raw get a high-energy, live feel that adds a bright sheen to the dreary rhymes about everything from religious experiences to life in the street and on the grind. With heavy, heavy influences of soul (especially with the addition of John Legend), blues, and even funk, the album hits the standard benchmarks of black music while experimenting with indie elements, thanks to cameos by Jim James and Joanna Newsom. No other hip-hop release had as much sonic diversity, production value, innovation, lyrical depth, or catchiness as How I Got Over. Plus, it wasn’t even the band’s only release of the year. Apparently, hard work is the answer for getting over. -Chris Coplan

09. Jónsi – Go

What’s gotten into Jónsi over the past few years? As frontman for critically lauded Icelandic art-rock giants Sigur Rós, he’s layered his angelic falsetto into some of the most majestic, transportive tunes of the decade. But for all the weeping audiences and descriptions like “god weeping tears of gold in heaven,” Jónsi and company have never exactly been known for their good humor. That is, until 2008′s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, their most accessible, upbeat release to date, with a handful of legitimate pop songs (and even one minor toe-dip into English lyrics).

Go marks Jónsi’s first adventure into solo material, and it’s an actual adventure. The last Sigur Rós record was just a preview of the sonic carpe diem explosion that weaves its wondrous way throughout these nine tracks. Working with arranger extraordinaire Nico Muhly, boyfriend/multi-instrumentalist Alex Somers, and Swedish percussionist Samuli Kosminen (aka unexpected God of Drums), Jónsi creates a musical landscape of truly unlimited possibilities. In the sort-of title track “Go Do”, he sounds positively enthralled in the sounds and feelings, his childlike plea surging over a flurry of woodwinds and tidal wave percussion: “We should always know that we can do anything!” On his excellent debut, he pretty much does. -Ryan Reed

08. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

According to Steve Ellison, or Flying Lotus, cosmogramma is the relationship between the universe and the hereafter– heaven and hell. It’s a cosmic drama. It’s something he learned from his great aunt, Alice Coltrane, and his relationship with the space-jazz queen comes across on Cosmogramma, which, as he says, sounds like a cosmic drama. It’s a mostly-instrumental album with a pointed soundscape, but with a lot of different sounds– glitches, clicks, drums, weird voice samples, scat, horns, and beats, to name a few. Cosmogramma sounds like an adventure, a love story, a drama– an epic. Sure, it could be called “trippy,” but it’s so much more than that. It’s an album that creates its own universe without needing to bother telling a story.

The supporting cast of the album only adds to the drama: the jazz tinges of Ravi Coltrane’s horns, Thundercat’s bass, Laura Darlington’s smokey vocals, and Thom Yorke’s album-stealing guest shot on “…And The World Laughs With You”. But the star here is obviously Ellison, whose work hearkens back to those “Space Is the Place” jazz days of the ’70s (there are songs on here called “Arkestry”, “Satelllliiiiiteee”, and “Galaxy in Janaki”) while maintaining its own post-Dilla vibe. This isn’t an album to be used as incidental music at a gallery or in the kitchen– this is an album to really get lost in. -Evan Minsker

07. Beach House – Teen Dream

Look at how far Beach House has come between over the past two years. Devotion was bleak, lonely and mysteriously beautiful, hazily drifting from song to song. Melancholic? No question. Beautiful? Definitely. But it lacked purpose. On their third record, Teen Dream, lead singer Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally found the resolve that was lacking throughout Devotion on both a lyrical and musical level. This time around, Beach House finally peaked outside the constraining doors of their bedroom dream-pop, awakening from the demons haunting them throughout their earlier work. In doing this, Teen Dream makes a subtle, yet pivotal progression.

Legrand’s serene voice has always remained the focal point of Beach House. That’s still the case on Teen Dream, but the pieces have come together around her to round everything out. Scally’s layered guitars no longer exist as background accompaniments, instead providing prominent staples of their wearily drifting warmth. The slide guitar acts as an equal counterpart to Legrand’s heartrending croon on “Silver Soul”, while Scally also places his musical fingerprints all over “Norway”. More importantly, acoustic percussion has largely replaced the lo-fi drum machines of Beach House’s past, a change evident from the first moments of the album opener “Zebra, a track laced with shimmering, crashing cymbals and timely syncopation. All the pieces come together gloriously on “10 Mile Stereo”, as Beach House awakens from its customary dreaminess, ascending into an astounding climax that stands as their finest work to date. For a band previously known for their minimal, lo-fi dream pop, Teen Dream represents one gigantic step forward. -Max Blau

06. The National – High Violet

Perfection is a dangerous word to use when it comes to something as subjective as music. When you say an album or song is perfect, you’re just asking for a fight. Well, you know what? Bring it on. To me, High Violet is a perfect album from beginning to end. The National have been building towards this moment for a long time, ever since they broke through with Alligator. While both that record and Boxer are incredible, their latest effort distills the band’s formula into its most essential state. The 11 tracks within use every trick the group has shown us before, plus some new ones thrown in for good measure. For one thing, it gains so much power in its restraint. There’s nothing as aggressive as “Abel” or as straight-forward as the chorus of “Fake Empire”. Instead, all the emotion is barely kept hidden behind the curtain, until those moments when the band does cut loose, when it floors you.

Most people have probably heard the big songs like “Terrible Love” and “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, but the deeper cuts are what hold the album together. Listen to the grinding guitar in “Little Faith”. Hear how Matt Berninger gradually loses control as he coughs out the ending of “Afraid of Everyone”. The piano from “England” takes you down the Thames on a gentle, rainy day. As for “Conversation 16”, hell, just take in everything that the track has to offer. You’ll be hard-pressed to find many other albums that are as strong from front to back as High Violet. It’s beautifully fragile, lyrically haunting, and musically ambitious throughout every second. There’s only one word that comes to mind for an album like this. Perfect. -Joe Marvilli

05. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

An important thing: this album isn’t about The American Civil War. I mean, no more than Julius Caesar is about The Liberators civil war in 42 B.C. Rome. Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in anticipation of the growing Protestant/Catholic tensions arising from Queen Elizabeth’s frequent capping of Protestants. Titus Andronicus and their poet laureate Patrick Stickles aren’t interested in telling you the tale of the famous ship the album gets its title after. There are more important matters at hand, both micro and macro. There are binary relationships and post-modern nihilist philosophy, Bret Easton Ellis and Bruce Springsteen, whiskey and cigarettes, punk and rock & roll, and the pursuit of the American dream in a place so absurd as America.

What The Monitor is is a kind of punk manifesto. At its most extroverted, there are rallies around the flag, cries of unity against “them,” and two warnings as to the ubiquity of the enemy. Conversely, the album revels in public solitude, as Stickles continually airs his personal grievances. But even at its most introverted, the album reaches out to the listener by ripping pages out of music’s greatest books. A chapter from The Boss, a little Pogues, and some Minor Threat all build the pretense that The Monitor is just one shout chorus after another, but underneath it’s a meticulous and existential look at our/his bleak and irrational world, perfectly couched in punk anthems. Stickles leads by example, putting his heart, mind, and country into the abyss of self-analysis. And while it ain’t always a pretty site, it’s what our forefathers fought for, and it’s what we should continue to fight for in 2010 and beyond. -Jeremy Larson

04. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

It took five years for the Gorillaz to return to our stereos, the charts, and concert venues with a new album, but it was obviously worth the wait, as Plastic Beach went on to be one of the finest pop/rock records of the year. Damon Albarn’s songs were some of the sharpest his animated side project has ever been accounted for, showing that his craftsmanship is only improving with time. And Jamie Hewlett provided a new Gorillaz aesthetic to their videos, their album art, and their live show display. But it was the tunes on Plastic Beach that made this disc so memorable.

Snoop Dogg joined the brigade for the first time, a match made in heaven, for the track “Welcome to the World of Plastic Beach”. The Gorillaz stocked their band up with a little celebrity status by adding members of the Clash on the title track, and on their tour. Lou Reed even made a vocal appearance on the acclaimed track “Some Kind of Nature”. Albarn composed a few gems with his memorable vocal style, including the ever-catchy “Rhinestone Eyes”, and the serene “On Melancholy Hill”. The Gorillaz kept the dance and hip-hop elements at an all-time high with bizarre numbers with De La Soul (“Superfast Jellyfish”), Michael Jackson-esque grooves and high pitched vocals (“Empire Ants”) and, of course, a super poppy, rap gem that everyone could bump in their stereos. This obviously refers to the Mos Def and Bobby Womack featured song, “Stylo”.

“All we are is dust,” the cartoon band sang on one of this year’s finest records. We all may be dust, but this record is solid musical gold. Cheers. -Ted Maider

03. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

Every so often, an album comes along that speaks from the collective consciousness of a generation. The Suburbs was made specifically for this moment in time, for the twenty-somethings of 2010. The world as we know it is changing. The Suburbs isn’t just a portrait of restless former suburbanites and the listless teenagers they used to be, but of the world that this generation was the last to know, and what’s already been left behind. The digital age has come. Everything is instantaneous, no one is truly lost anymore, and it’s easy to feel lost in memories for a pre-Internet existence that seems like a lifetime ago.

The Suburbs marks the efforts of Arcade Fire’s previous albums combined – the darkness and rich musical layering of Neon Bible, and Funeral’s dream-like hopefulness in spite of the world. It doesn’t place suburban sprawl and teen angst on a pedestal, nor does it condemn them. As a concept album, it embraces the full scope of angles and emotions, keeping the songs from choking on their own sentimentality. What makes The Suburbs stand out amidst other teenage snap-shots is that it’s not just a simple photo, it’s a panorama. And it belongs to us. -Cap Blackard

02. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

At this point, all there is to be said about Kanye West‘s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has been said, and then some. We’ve seen praise and hate, album reviews that all but declare him as the second coming of Christ, and college essays explaining how he is actually the real-life incarnation of the devil. Some, like our Mike Denslow, declare West’s fifth LP “hands-down the most ambitious mainstream rap album ever made.” Others say you can’t review it without taking into context West’s well-publicized meltdowns and, for that, can we truly bestow him with such praise?

At the end of the day, however, I think the most insightful thing I read regarding My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came during a late night troll on a message board dedicated to the rapper, as I awaited one of those G.O.O.D. Friday tracks to drop. Someone wrote that the album is great because it’s a culmination of West’s previous four studio albums, taking each of their strengths — the soul of College Dropout, the pop of Late Registration, the electronics of Graduation, and the art of 808s & Heartbreak — and making a greatest hits album of sorts, only the content is entirely new. While The College Dropout may forever be known as West’s best album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the one which will likely best reflect his self and his ideals when it’s all said and done. It’s innovative, it’s risk-taking, it’s charming, it’s frustrating (people still complain about the mix), and, most of all, it’s plentiful, which I think might be the word that best describes Kanye West. Just as Kanye never stops, this album never stops. Even on the 15th or 25th listen, there’s something new to discover between the time Nicki Minaj’s fake British accent introduces us to “Dark Fantasy” and Gil Scott-Heron’s spoken-word “Who Will Survive in America” leaves us as confused as Kanye is.

No, Kanye is not the greatest ever and, yes, he still needs to work on his manners, but if My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy proves anything, it’s that one can be innovative while still being accessible. “Runaway” and “All of the Lights” are two of West’s most ambitious feats to date, but they’re also two of the album’s biggest hits. “Power” is as exposing as it is appropriate for Monday Night Football, and “Blame Game” is smart beyond its years, while still leaving us with room to laugh. Regardless of your perception of him, if you think he’s only an average lyricist or that the album is overhyped, there’s no denying how beautifully put together this album is, how much work went into it, and how at the end of the day it will likely influence generations to come. The only question now is what he’ll do next. -Alex Young

Buy: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

01. Vampire Weekend – Contra

Leave it to Vampire Weekend to release the year’s best album. Wait! What? Believe us, we were surprised, too. When we first sat down to hammer out this list, most of us came to the table with arguments supporting the latest from Kanye West or Arcade Fire or even the Gorillaz. But, then we started to think. You see, once you start playing the Devil’s advocate, it’s hard to return to your original argument. It’s sort of like that episode of Seinfeld, where Costanza buys a cashmere sweater for Elaine, and it looks beautiful and quite a bargain…until someone points out the glaring, red dot to him. Throughout the episode, naturally, the running gag is that every time Costanza attempts to pass the sweater off as a gift, someone notices the dot. And once it’s seen, the whole thing’s fucked. ANYWAY, after four hours of debating, none of us felt comfortable with our choices. That is, until someone muttered two words:

Vampire. Weekend.

People respect redemption tales. They cherish epics. But, above all, they love success stories. Now, it’d be ridiculous to assume that Vampire Weekend is indie rock’s Rocky Balboa, or Coach Gordon Bombay (depending on your preference of fictional sports characters with remarkable comebacks), but turn the clock back a year and you’ll find the band in a very unfavorable position. They weren’t underdogs per se – after all, they were roping in thousands of fans per festival gig – but they were sailing on some rough wake of hype. What would happen with their sophomore record? Just about every indie blog from here to Australia pegged ‘em for disappointment. In certain respects, everyone waiting for the sophomore slump preceded the actual music that would end up on Contra.

But all that went away. Instead of a jarring, forgettable, or even taxing listen, Contra added up to be, well, one of the better sophomore albums in recent memory (The Strokes’ Room on Fire comes to mind). What started with their self-titled debut sure enough continued here. The sunny Afro-pop still intact, frontman Ezra Koenig vacationed within his perspicacious lyrics, digressing on subjects that, at the time, felt typical of his background. Only now, some 12 months later, they come off just downright smart…fitting even.

Music is all about escape. It should take you places. With Contra, Koenig plays the part of a “friend with access” more than the chic aristocrat that so many make him out to be (myself included). He makes sure there’s room in the backseat, so you can hear about “how the other private schools had no Hapa Club” or realize “there’s nowhere else to go.” Some might argue most of his stories are irrelevant, one-sided, or even pretentious. But, at face value, this band makes no secret about either its identity or its influences. You don’t walk in expecting to relate to these guys, you walk in surprised at how much you do relate to them. Also, who doesn’t love a pop song with references to Futura font?

By far the most appealing aspect to Vampire Weekend, and something that’s evolved greatly since the band’s debut, is how cognizant and well versed they are in terms of instrumentation. This isn’t the sound of your typical “indie band.” It’s the result of a real band, who has fully realized its potential and continues to expand. Anyone still tossing out the Paul Simon comparisons aren’t truly listening. This goes far beyond Graceland. A song like the genre-spanning “Diplomat’s Son” sounds nothing like the driving indie rock of “Giving Up the Gun”, yet they blend seamlessly into one another. And, as if to throw the finger at those that felt they only had “A-Punk”, they did one better and issued even stronger singles with “Cousins” and “Holiday”, two songs that perfectly capture how witty and musically sincere this band can be.

In their review of Contra, NME called Vampire Weekend “one of the most unique bands on the planet.” We don’t necessarily agree with them all the time, but they’re absolutely on the money there. In a year that’s seen the market flooded with buzz band after buzz band, it’s important to acknowledge the New York scholars. They removed themselves from the muck (an agreeable and enjoyable muck at times, sure, but, nevertheless, still a muck). Instead, they braved the storm, nullified all odds, surged ahead, and issued not only a stellar sophomore album, but this year’s most solid release. If we’re to assume there’s a holy brethren of releases this year, then for us, we can’t think of any other leader than Contra. -Michael Roffman

According to Prefix Magazine, the list of performers includes Patti Smith, The Roots, DeVotchKa, J. Mascis, Pete Yorn, Aimee Mann, Living Colour, The Cowboy Junkies, and Jeffrey Campbell, who is a part of Bob Dylan’s live band and will lead the house band. On top of a night of musical diversity, five charities (the Pinwheel Project, the American Symphony Orchestra Music Notes, FIKS [Fixing Instruments for Kids in Schools], Church Street School of Music, and the Music Unites All-Youth Chorus) will benefit from that evening’s proceeds. Ticket prices range from $45 – $140 and you can buy them here.

And in news that doesn’t make it appear is if Young his on his last leg, the journeyman recently released his 32nd studio album, Le Noise, and talk of a Buffalo Springfield reunion in 2011 also recently surfaced. It’s good to be Young.

From Phoenix, it’s onto shows in Salt Lake City, UT, Kansas City, MO, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Portland, OR, and beyond.  After a final series of shows in California and Texas, the tour wraps up on April 22nd in Atlanta, GA. Opening for the entire tour will be Ben Kweller.  As if Kweller isn’t a special enough treat, those fans who buy tickets within the first 14 days via Ticketmaster will get a free download of Yorn’s latest self-titled effort. You should do that in order to get to know some of the songs he’ll be playing (plus, it’s pretty good).

Tickets for the dates are already on sale at Ticketmaster.com. As always, stay tuned for more news and additional shows as they’re announced.

Pete Yorn 2011 Tour Dates:
02/14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theater ^
02/16 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Depot ^
02/17 – Denver, CO @ Ogden ^
02/19 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Whisky Roadhouse ^
02/20 – Kansas City, MO @ VooDoo Lounge ^
02/22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue ^
02/23 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre ^
02/27 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant ^
03/01 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue Theatre ^
03/02 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall ^
03/04 – Detroit, MI @ Clutch Cargos ^
03/08 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues ^
03/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero ^
03/11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 ^
03/14 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club ^
04/01 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Sodo ^
04/02 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom * ^
04/03 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ^
04/05 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency ^
04/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern ^
04/09 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues ^
04/10 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues ^
04/14 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues ^
04/15 – Dallas, TX @ Granada ^
04/16 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs BBQ ^
04/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stag ^

* = Free album offer not applicable
^ = w/ Ben Kweller

In all seriousness, though, Austin stayed true to both its claims to fame; it maintained its DIY aesthetic and its no BS policy. The combination of these two ideals created the glorious Austin City Limits Music Festival. Considered one of the four biggest music festivals in the country (Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo being the other three), it played house to seven stages, over 130 bands, and somewhere around 70,000 people. Needless to say, it was an event that needs some serious re-capping.

This festival is unique in its nature because it’s such a united front. Everyone is completely in agreement when it comes to the importance of this festival. Entering Austin, there are signs everywhere you turn in support of the festival. Businesses change their marquees to support the onslaught of people, people set up shops all up and down the ways in an out of the festival, and even the airport was nice enough to welcome all foreign ACL-goers with a pleasant sign as soon as we stepped off our respective planes. The city genuinely wants this event to happen, and they genuinely go all out. Even within the festival, things are different. People are more pleasant, more accommodating (not like Coachella, where I felt like I might get cut at any second for accidentally stepping on someone’s toes). This festival truly belongs to the city, which makes it truly special.

It wasn’t all fun and games, however. The logistics were unbelievably bad. The festival layout was straight out of an M. Night Shyamalan film – that is to say it was big, bizzare, and full of holes (ba-zing!). We may as well have all been blindfolded and left to the sense of feel to find our way anywhere. The lines in and out were misleading and literally miles long. The stages were far too close together, which made for frequent sound-bleeds, which is a big no-no at any reputable festival. And worst of all, they allow (take a deep breath) chairs. This was my first ACL, but it was not my first festival rodeo. Sweeping in and out of massive gangs of camping chairs reduces mobility to about a half of what it usually is at festivals. Getting from stage to stage was an absolute cluster-cuss. The set times were way too long for some bands and way too short for others, and the placement of hype bands on adjoining stages made for some confusing and maddening situations.

But we’re above logistics here at CoS, because at the end of the day, it’s still about the music. And that’s one thing this festival couldn’t have done more right.

Friday, October 8th

Miike Snow
Honda, 3:00 p.m.

The sun was relentlessly blaring down upon Miike Snow and their abnormally large crowd. The combination of the innate drawing power of heavy electronic beats and the close proximity of the Honda Stage to the AMD stage made for an absurdly large crowd at Miike Snow. Dressed in all black, with a black banner behind them, the six man electro-pop crew was sweating bullets in the Texas heat. Multiply the heat and their costumes by their intense sound and that makes for one supremely blazing performance. I mean that past sentence literally and figuratively, but mostly literally. Miike Snow only had a decent debut album, and performed slightly above par at ACL. Maybe it was the heat, but the show seemed to slump a bit after they inched a few songs into the set.

Girls
ZYNC Card, 3:00 p.m.

An unreasonably small crowd (considering the 70,000 people at ACL) gathered to hear one of the best acts to come out of 2009. Sporting a new haircut, Girls‘ Chris Owens was almost too calm as he and his band ran through their fairly small catalog. I’m sure that touring the same material for two years would be taxing on anyone, but they seemed downright bored. Don’t get me wrong, it sounded spot on, and I always love seeing Girls live, but I think the rumors of disharmony that surfaced at Matador at 21 might hold some water. They need to get off the road and into the studio soon. “Hellhole Ratrace”, “Laura”, and “Lust For Life” all got the crowd pumped, but it was only an intro to the great day that was to come.

The Black Keys
AMD, 4:00 p.m.

One of the more prominent victims of the strange scheduling was The Black Keys. They did get the amount of standing space to accommodate the massive hoard that came to listen to their unique style Blues-Rock, but the early slot was perplexing to me. Why book such a large act so early in the day?  No sense in playing the blame game, though, especially because The Black Keys took it in stride and rocked Austin to its knees. With hits from all over their vast back catalog, the Akron duo wowed everybody at the festival. “Your Touch”, “I Got Mine”, and newbie “Everlasting Light” all saw plenty of applause, and rightfully so. The Black Keys were one of the best acts booked at this year’s ACL, hands down.

Beach House
Honda, 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

In theory, Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scally’s dreamy pop tunes should not have fit in well with the blistering heat of Texas. It’s a bit more suited for a mirthless trip to the moon. But for whatever reason, the sights and sounds of Beach House went down blissfully smooth despite the dusty Texas heat. LeGrand’s never sounded better, and when the band arrived at their climactic version of “Norway”, the crowd couldn’t help but be sucked in by the stark musicianship and the star-show being put on as a background. The biggest cheers, surprisingly, were for their older songs “Gila” and “Heart of Chambers”.

Spoon
AMD, 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

Local Austin heroes Spoon took the stage to what was easily the biggest crowd at the AMD stage all weekend. But 16 years and counting behind the plate has given Britt Daniel time to polish his poise game. Completely at ease onstage, the natural-born frontman led the crowd through a set fraught with hit after hit. The hour long set played like a greatest hits album with the exception of when he invited The Fiery Furnaces’ Eleanor Friedberger for a duet version of “Someone Something”. That song was not only poorly delivered, but it received noticeably less fanfare. Every single other song, however, riled up the crowd. “I Turn My Camera On”, “The Ghost of You Lingers”, “Don’t You Evah”, “I Summon You”, “Don’t Make Me A Target”, and countless others made everyone remember why Spoon remains such a constant presence in independent music. They announced that this would be their last tour date for some time, and what better way to celebrate a wonderful album and ensuing tour than at one of the biggest festivals on earth which just so happens to be in their hometown.

Amos Lee
Austin Ventures, 6:00 p.m.

Mr. Amos Lee also fell victim to scheduling, easily out shined by Spoon, but that’s to be expected for an act as small as his. That’s not to say his performance was anything short of masterful, though. His particular brand of music is something of a dying breed, and the fact that he’s even keeping his head above water, let alone drawing a sizable crowd during one of ACL’s premiere acts, speaks volumes about this man’s talents. After he closed with “Seen It All Before”,  he thanked everyone for sticking with him, and you could tell he meant every word he said.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

Vampire Weekend
ZYNC Card, 7:00 p.m.

Poor Sonic Youth. Their entire crowd wasn’t even half of Vampire Weekend’s. I’m not a huge Sonic Youth fan or anything, but they are pioneers and deserve their fair amount of respect. But, in reality, Vampire Weekend deserves their fair share of props as well. They beat the hell out of the concept of having a sophomore slump by releasing an album twice as good as its already incredible predecessor. Contra remains one of the best albums of the year, however many times we have to hear the songs. This was my fourth encounter with VW this year alone, and I was still impressed with how tight their sound is these days. Contra tracks “White Sky”, “Cousins”, and “Giving Up The Gun”, when performed live, will never cease to impress me.

Sonic Youth
Honda, 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Jac Malloy

As mentioned, the majority of the people who could have been at Sonic Youth were at Vampy Weeks, for better or worse. Didn’t phase Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, and friends, however. They played through a fairly solid set that was unfortunately a bit Eternal-happy. “The Sprawl” and “’Cross The Breeze” represented the old days pretty well, but had there been any actual teenagers in the audience, I think a teenage riot would’ve occurred at the fact that they didn’t play, well, “Teenage Riot”.

The Strokes
AMD, 8:00 p.m.

Fifty-five minute set, and still they were the best of the fest. In true Strokes fashion, the boys swaggered onstage nearly 15 minutes late, and proceeded to jump into an insane set that had people going bananas. Much different than their previous reunited tour dates of 2010, the band seemed to act as one cohesive machine. Nostalgia ensued as Julian Casablancas, clad in a leather jacket with a hoodie underneath, took the mic stand and made love to it during opener “Is This It”. He seemed to regain a bit of that lost youth that everybody’s been yearning to see, and so did the other members of the band. Back to sporting Chuck Taylors and frayed jeans (except for Albert Hammond, Jr., in his signature white three piece), the boys were back.

Casablancas acknowledged their youth by introducing “Someday” as a song they used to play in empty bars. Throughout the show, they were pitch-perfect on every classic hit and had only one awkward moment, when everyone went off for an encore, except Casablancas who wasn’t helping anything by his awkward rant about how cool The Thundercats theme song was (although his argument does hold water). They even played songs that they hadn’t played since touring in 2006 – “Evening Sun”, “Between Love And Hate”, and “Trying Your Luck”. It was a sizzling performance. Which is why I, along with the 10s of thousands of other fans, was perplexed when Casablancas announced 20 minutes ahead of schedule that this would be their last song and jumped into “Take It Or Leave It”.

On paper, they were allotted 90 minutes to do with what they pleased, yet they only used 55 of them total. Frustrating, sure, but it was still hands down the best set of the entire festival. Quality over quantity, I suppose. At the very least, it was a glimpse into the past that made me (a cynical a-hole) hopeful for the future of The Strokes.

Photo by Paul Woodruff.

Saturday, October 9th

First Aid Kit
Honda, 12:00 p.m.

Rabid Records label members, and sister duo First Aid Kit made a nice name for themselves on what would turn out to be a massively talent-filled day. The very first act of Day 2, they came on towing some unexpected confidence, especially for an act with as little experience as them. It actually reminded me of the first time I saw Fleet Foxes way back when. Strong, confident harmonies all following a confident melody. They played their still most popular song to date, “Tangerine”, with expertise, and debuted an ornate new song called “Lion’s Roar”, indicating that the follow-up to their debut, which dropped in January of this year, is close at hand. Best part of the show came when they covered labelmate (and technically label owner) Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up” with a folk twist.

The Very Best
Budweiser, 12:30 p.m.

My favorite kind of performer is one that is having more fun than the audience. The Very Best‘s Esau Mwamwaya is exactly that kind of performer. He was all smiles in his 50 minute performance that was largely made up of Warm Heart of Africa tracks and samples of other popular tunes that he’d sing over. He did a rendition of “Paper Planes” that ended up being better than M.I.A.’s. He also sampled Yeasayer’s “Ambling Alp” and the late Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There”. I was hoping Ezra Koenig would show up to do “Warm Heart of Africa” with him, but he didn’t. All the same, that song got the party jumping and the crowd ready for the great things to come.

NINJASONIK
Austin Ventures, 1:20 p.m.

The Brooklyn natives went on to a fairly large crowd on the second smallest stage at ACL. NINJASONIK was a fantastic breath of fresh air because there was very little hip hop happening at this festival. They came out with their crazy eccentric (and often hilariously obscene) rhymes and moved the crowd to a chant of “We are Ninja f***ing Sonik, we are Sonik f***ing Ninjas”, which they repeated over and over. They apologized for their explicit lyrics (somewhat unapologetically), saying “I know there’s kids in the audience, but we’re straightforward people.” Indeed they were. Other memorable chorus chants from their electric performance: “Somebody gon’ get pregnant!” and “We don’t do bars/We don’t do clubs/We drink PBRs/And we do drugs.” Gotta love it when a little known hip hop duo completely wins over a crowd they probably shouldn’t have.

Bear In Heaven
ZYNC Card, 1:30 p.m.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

Whoever delivered all the acclaim for Bear in Heaven’s debut album stands as one the most generous men or women on Earth. On a good day, I only kind of like hearing this band. The sound acts as regurgitated noise rock over a shaky vocalist. Not much to it. They aren’t great showmen, either – barely saying the obligatory, “How you guys doin’ out there?” The hipsters made a full-fledged showing though, always keen on whatever the next buzz blog’s buzzin’ about. However, they didn’t seem happy to be hearing the music. Instead, they sort of just stood around with their hands in their pockets and looked at each other. Then again, maybe that’s just how hipsters celebrate good music. Regardless of the energy, the music stayed true to the dingy studio recorded versions, and “Lovesick Teenagers” won over the crowd; that is, if getting kids to shove their hands in their pockets and eye one another can be considered winning.

Pete Yorn
Honda, 1:30 p.m.

Ah, the sultry vocals of Pete Yorn. Somehow, his music just felt right in Texas, even though the majority of it’s about Jersey, where he grew up. The audience just reveled in his easy on the ears music, many taking the opportunity to sit down and slow the day down a little bit. Yorn put on quite a show, playing many tracks off his latest record, the eponymous Pete Yorn. But he didn’t forget to pay tribute to the tracks that made him who he is, playing “On Your Side” and “Lose You” from his acclaimed Musicforthemorningafter.

Broken Bells
AMD, 4:30 p.m.

Unfortunately, I wish I could say better things about this once in a lifetime show. But there isn’t much to be said about Broken Bells. It may have simply been that they kind of got the short end of the stick on stage choice and time of day, but I think it had more to do with being a boring live band. Obviously, it was fun to see Danger Mouse, and it was instant Garden State nostalgia every time James Mercer opened his mouth, but this was a lackluster performance on the whole. The good news – “The High Road” sounds awesome live, and they even debuted new material indicating that the alleged new album may be closer than we thought. If that weren’t enough, they played an awesome cover of The Black Keys’ “Everlasting Light”.

Local Natives
Austin Ventures, 4:45 p.m.

Does it seem like Local Natives have been on tour since the day their album came out like 10 months ago? I swear they’ve been at every festival I’ve been at, and come through my local venues twice this year. Regardless, I had to see what kind of game they’d bring to this huge festival, and it was exactly what I expected tit for tat. They played their regular set, did it just like it sounded on the record, and had pretty minimal crowd interaction. The more I see this band, listen to their album, and really think about it, I think they’re another band who really didn’t deserve all the hype. (That is, if you buy into that sort of media hoopla.) Solid album, solid performance, but nothing special here, which is an act murderer when you’re directly up against artists who excrete creativity (i.e. LCD Soundsystem, Monsters of Folk – individually, of course, and  The xx).

The xx
ZYNC Card, 5:30 p.m.

Man, The xx have the music world by the balls right now. They have such a unique sound that everyone seems to love, and that point made itself very clear by the unthinkable amount of people that showed up to hear their sultry tunes. I will admit that I did get pretty excited when I heard the first notes of “Intro”, even though I’ve seen them twice in the past six months. Their debut was just so enthralling that it struck a chord with me. And by the showing of people at their ACL performance, I’m not the only fan of the album. The living statues of indie rock and roll got particular love from the crowd for the tracks “Crystalised”, “Heart Skipped A Beat”, and “Basic Space”. But their performance was the first domino to fall in a series of dominoes that turned out to be the biggest logistical screw-up done by the festival.

Photo by Jac Malloy.

Monsters of Folk
Austin Ventures, 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Jac Malloy

Right next door, some of the most creative men of our generation came together to jam – or in other words, they put on a Monsters of Folk show. Donning their Sunday best, M. Ward and Mike Mogis looked right at home in their smartly chosen suits, as well as Conor Oberst, who sported a brown three-piece, the jacket of which he quickly disposed of to reveal that rustic vest look. The only one who looked like he’d been forced by his girlfriend to dress up was Jim James, who seemed a little out of place without his magic cape and moon boots. Attire and pretentious name aside, these truly are some of the best independent folk minds of our generation, and to see them collaborate live was a thing of beauty, although I was only able to stay for the first three songs (if I ever miss an LCD show it’ll be because I’m dead). They came out guns blazing with arguably the best track they created together, “Say Please”. Following this, they took turns at the helm, Ward playing “Slow Down Jo”, James fronting “In The Right Place”, and Oberst showcasing a bit of his solo work with an awesome re-worked version of Cassadaga cut “Soul Singer In A Session Band”. It was truly a spectacle for the brief time I was there. But reluctantly I slide away to join my new best friend, James Murphy.

LCD Soundsystem
Budweiser, 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

Why was this set not at night? Why was it right next to The xx? Logistical nightmare part three. Bad move, C3. LCD Soundsystem‘s James Murphy acknowledged the terrible conditions himself by saying “I apologize for the asshole behavior of wearing sunglasses onstage, but if you could see what I see… Just forgive me.” The sun hit directly on the Budweiser stage, where all the hipsters from The xx had migrated, creating an unreal amount of human flesh. Not one to let his own fans down, Murphy and co. (joined by part time LCD part time Hot Chip man Al Doyle!) made up for the bad conditions, jumping right into “Dance Yrself Clean”, arguably the best singular track of 2010. However, ACL screwed up yet again, this time not getting the sound levels right, making Murphy’s vocals too loud and the synth (which is the most important component of the song) not nearly loud enough. It was no matter, however, and we all danced ourselves clean right there in the sweltering heat anyway.

The setlist continued with surprisingly few Sound of Silver tracks, or track, I should say. After giving his shout out to the “Drunk Girls” and proclaiming “I Can Change”, Murphy jumped into the always emotional “All My Friends” just as the sun set. From there it was an all out dance party with a seamless “You Wanted A Hit”/”Tribulations” medley followed by “Movement”, “Yeah” and finally “Home”. As far as top to bottom setlists go, this one wins best of fest.

Deadmau5
ZYNC Card, 7:30 p.m.

Commence logistical nightmare part three. So, highly the infectiously danceable LCD Soundystem has just finished playing their 11 minute beat-building track “Yeah” and called it a night, so of course, everybody’s pumped to go see Deadmau5 and continue their dancing. Only problem: people coming in early to line up for Muse (oh, and crossing the sea of chairs). It was like a mass emigration of dancers with a small, very enthusiastic immigration of Muse-heads. It was utter chaos. Deadmau5 should have been on any stage but the ZYNC stage, which faced the Budweiser mainstage, but logistics aside, this is when things got real. Deadmau5 put on his usual dazzling display of lights and colors multiplied by a cube stage multiplied by an unbelievable mouse head multiplied by grade A house music. When he put on a ghost costume to usher in “Ghosts n’ Stuff” (and a little bit of “Moar Ghosts n’ Stuff”), the crowd went berserk. He maintained this same energy throughout the remainder of his show with tracks like “I Remember”, “FML”, and “Faxing Berlin”.

Photo by Paul Woodruff

M.I.A.
AMD, 8:30 p.m.

I know it’s, like, the cool thing to hate on M.I.A. right now, but she makes it nearly impossible not to. In 2008 when I saw her at Sasquatch! Music Festival, I was blown away by her natural swagger and obvious knack to work a crowd. She took the stage at that festival with all the confidence in the world. The music scene was truly at her fingertips and the world was her oyster. But somewhere between that day and October 9, 2010, something changed in Maya Arulpragasam.

Her album was tangibly less authentic than its predecessors (although it was better than everyone made it out to be), and her image was rapidly depleting. A big spat with the press, and she was sort of on the outs with everyone. I gave her the benefit of the doubt through this time, but I now see that I was wrong to do that.

She’s gone Lady Gaga on us, I’m afraid, her live show filled with overly elaborate pyrotechnics, unnecessary costuming, and minimal focus on the task at hand: the music. It was fun to hear classic M.I.A. tracks like “Boyz”, “Bamboo Banga”, and “Galang”, but her new material just doesn’t pop live. I gave it three chances. I was able to hear “Lovalot” (my favorite track from MAYA), “Teqkilla”, and “Born Free”, but I was unimpressed. Even hearing “Paper Planes” was sort of depressing. Especially because The Very Best did it better earlier in the day. Let’s hope she can pull herself out of this slump because she’s been a solid musician over the years.

Muse
Budweiser, 8:30 p.m.

Part four of the logistical nightmare. After Deadmau5, the hoards of people headed directly towards the Budweiser stage, creating further confusion in the mishmash of human beings and chairs (damn those chairs). It took quite an effort for me to swim upstream to catch a bit of M.I.A. so I could finish up with Muse. But I should have just stuck with M.I.A. the whole time.

Photo by Jac Malloy

Three times have I seen Muse this year, and three times have I left feeling like I just saw an old friend who used to be really cool that is no longer very cool. At all. The Resistance easily makes my top five list for biggest let down albums of the past decade, and for some reason everyone seems to get that except for Muse themselves and girls in junior high. And for some other reason, I decided that I’d give Muse one more shot at redemption, which they blew.

When they opened with “Uprising”, I knew I was in trouble. But then they pulled “Supermassive Blackhole” out of their arsenal and I was pleased. Things improved when they unveiled “New Born”, but it was a slippery slope from there on out. It’s a dangerous territory to be in when you’re touring an album that’s downright awful and you have a pretty impressive back catalogue. Song placements can make or break you. And I’m afraid that in the end, it broke Muse. “MK Ultra”, “Undisclosed Desires”, and “United States of Eurasia” were the straws that broke the camel’s back.

Photo by Jac Malloy

Placed far too close to one another and next to outright blasphemous covers of Hendrix’s versions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”, the setlist proved to be an epic failure. One which could not be saved, even by at three hit combo of “Time Is Running Out”, “Stockholm Syndrome”, and “Starlight”.

Sunday, October 10th

Warpaint
ZYNC Card, 11:45 a.m.

Photo by Jac Malloy

L.A. art-rock up and comers Warpaint gave a dazzling early day performance. Despite not having much experience or even a debut album to speak of (it’s slated for release later this month on October 25^th), the all-female band played a solid set to fair share of folks. Logistically, they lucked out because Ted Leo and the Pharmacists were on an adjacent stage immediately following their set, which brought many onlookers unfamiliar with Warpaint’s small body of work. The incredible harmonies on the track “Bees” was especially moving.

Blind Pilot
ZYNC Card, 1:15 p.m.

Literally the only act that dropped my jaw early Sunday afternoon. Compared to day one and day two, day three was simply average. The allocation of talent over the three days was not proportionate in any way, but that’s not any of the bands’ faults, it’s the festival’s. So day three was a bit of a bummer comparatively. But a bummer at a music festival beats even the best day in the real world. Anyway, I digress. I’m surprised and disappointed that Blind Pilot hasn’t caught on with a larger audience yet. The audience at Zilker’s was pretty small, which is a shame because the Seattle folksters played some beautiful tunes as a cool breeze swept in to soften the rays of the blaring sun. “Oviedo”, “The Story I Heard”, and “Go On, Say It” were all received to big fanfare.

Photo by Paul Woodruff.

Portugal. The Man
Budweiser, 2:00 p.m.

This was a toss-up. On opposite ends of the park, Portugal.The Man and Devendra Banhart were playing. I’d tried my hand at experimental folk twice already at Warpaint and Blind Pilot, so I figured I’d go to see Portugal one more time before festival season was over. And I was greatly rewarded for doing so. They put on such an explosive live show. And they have such a devout following, who may have been the most impressive thing about the whole set. The 87 degree weather and the scorching sun did nothing to throw a monkey wrench in the sizable crowd that assembled to see The Man. Barnburners: “All My People”, “The Dead Dog”, and a sweet extended version of “My Mind”.

Dawes
Austin Ventures, 2:20 p.m.

The smooth harmonies sifted through the sweltering heat to match the mood perfectly. Now I know that Dawes are from L.A., but the music fit the outdoor Texas setting like a glove. Lead singer Taylor Goldsmith announced (after a spot-on performance of “When You Call My Name”) that this was their first show in about a month. He explained that their absence from touring was due to recording a new album. They promptly went into a new song entitled “Far Away” to close the set.

The Morning Benders
Honda, 3:00 p.m.

Well, I had no choice at this point. Well, technically, I did have a choice. Either I had to listen to the crap band that had to fill in for GAYNGS after the tragic theft of their equipment, or go see The Morning Benders. Either way, I’d be wishing I was seeing GAYNGS. But after seeing (and hearing) that the filler band used a mini-supercross motorcycle as one of their go-to instruments (sounds cooler than it was), I bounced. At least The Morning Benders wouldn’t make me feel like I was at a monster truck rally. Everyone who was hoping to see Justin Vernon’s side project decided to do what I did, so The MB’s was doubly packed. But they stepped up to the plate and didn’t hit quite a home run, but I’d say got at least a ground rule double with the spotless version of their acclaimed Big Echo track “Wet Cement”.

Yeasayer
AMD, 4:00 p.m.

Admonishing us with “Wait For The Summer” seemed like a cruel thing for Yeasayer to do, as there are like another nine months of chills ahead of us, but that’s what they opened with anyway. From there it was a thunderstorm of blissful power-pop that really picked the mood up for the day. Up until this point, there was not a whole lot of good that could be said about the day on the whole, due to a variety of reasons (mostly an unbalanced schedule that lacked anything entertaining). Yeasayer played a key part in lifting everyone’s spirits and getting us back into the jive. They stuck to their guts, playing some hits off Odd Blood “Ambling Alp”, “O.N.E.”, etc., but playing largely the good old tracks off All Hour Cymbals. Setlist aside, I couldn’t imagine a better primer for The Flaming Lips, who went on shortly thereafter.

The Flaming Lips
AMD, 6:00 p.m.

If you haven’t been to see The Flaming Lips, do so immediately. It’s not just a show, it’s an experience. The climax of the festival hit during the Lips incendiary performance, and it’s not mere happenstance. Wayne Coyne will take you on a zany ride you’ll never forget. He’ll preach to you (about how it’s important that we love each other and stay safe). He’ll make you laugh. He’ll get emotional with you (tears literally came to his eyes hearing the cheers from his adoring Austin fans during “Do You Realize??”).

Photo by Jac Malloy

This was my second Flaming Lips experience, and the Oklahoma natives have a knack for working a crowd, no doubt about it. First, can I say how impressive it is to me that they drop the whole “I’m better than you, I’m a Rock Star” bull? Each of the members of the band, including Coyne, came out and set up their own equipment, with the help of an experienced team of roadies (there’s a lot of equipment involved in these shows). Next, I’d like to openly criticize the festival for not only putting The Flaming Lips while the sun was still out, but only giving them one hour. Wayne Coyne was even irked by this, saying, “Honestly, from the bottom of our hearts, we would stay here and play all night for you guys. But the festival’s giving us one hour, which we thank them for, and we’re going to make it the very best experience possible for everyone involved.” He then went on to say, “This is a beautiful night in a beautiful city. You’re all beautiful and we’re at a festival where the point is we all get to do whatever the fuck we want, and we get to do it together.” His preach was powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the ensuing music and visuals.

Although it was a largely un-danceable Embryonic-heavy set, the crowd was kept incredibly involved. This was partly due to Wayne’s signature bubble ride, the band’s entrance through a large vagina, and about thousand pounds of confetti. The only tracks that were non-Embryonic were “She Don’t Use Jelly” and “Do You Realize??”, which were both sung along to with unshakable gusto from the Austin audience. Too short, sure, but man what a show.

The National
Honka, 7:00 p.m.

Coming directly off the highest of highs from Flaming Lips closer “Do You Realize??” and coming into The National’s earthy, ominous tones is like going from an especially nostalgic acid trip to a high you get from some skank weed. Maybe that’s too harsh. But truly, how could anything The National had to offer compare to what the crowd had just experienced together? Once the initial shock of the brutal comedown wore off, people were able to enjoy The National’s show. Matt Berninger and friends played solidly (are they capable of anything less than great?) through a setlist that incorporated songs from their last three (incredible) albums. Obviously, there were some higher points (“Abel”, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, and “Mistaken For Strangers” come to mind quickly), but on the whole, they played a standard National show: packed with talent and flawless.

The Eagles
Budweiser, 8:00 p.m.

This was about the point in the night/three day experience that all the college age kids who had been partying way too hard threw in the towel. What was left was still enormous, from the entrance of Zilker Park all the way to the Budweiser stage, but it was mainly made up of people over the age of 30 and their children. I’ll give generation LOL their due credit, however. Peppered in the sea of graying faces were young music enthusiasts who wanted to see one of the most talented and influential acts of the 70’s play their relentlessly catchy folk-rock. And that’s exactly what they got. Kind of.

Photo by Jac Malloy

The Eagles took the stage with an impressive dive into their beloved cover of “Seven Bridges Road” before pulling out the more recent songs, which were highly less regarded by the crowd, even though lead single “How Long” is a pretty solid track top to bottom. Then they did something that I still don’t understand.

They jumped into a six song course that basically used up a great deal of their best material. Back to back to back (x6), they played “Take It To The Limit”, a trumpet intro-ed “Hotel California”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “I Can’t Tell You Why”, “Witchy Woman”, and “Lyin’ Eyes”. It’s like they used all their magic early on, and then left the crowd bored for a long, long time. After two or three more new songs, people began to shuffle out of the park by the multitudes. Why they would play all the songs everyone wanted to hear so early in the set is perplexing. It was like an invite to leave early and beat the inevitable downtown Austin post-show madness.

Photo by Jac Malloy

For those who stayed and braved the not-so-good Long Road Out Of Eden material, though, they had a couple more tricks up their legendary sleeves. The band rolled out with closers “Heartache Tonight” and “Life In The Fast Lane” before coming back to a blistering encore of “Take It Easy” and “Desperado”. The legends finished out in style, rounding out what will certainly go down in the history books as one of the most incredible Austin City Limits festivals in years.