Sidney Jayne's Guide to the Best Albums of 2010

2010 has been a banner year for some fresh beatz and sick hooks, my friends. Let me share a few with you. In no particular order.

Florence + the Machine - Lungs
I love this album. So do five kajillion other people. I crossed the finish line to my first half marathon to "Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)", so it holds a special place in my heart. Aw, barf.

Sounds like: That weird ethereal British chick in your class who you made fun of in 3rd grade,but then she got really talented and you're like 'OH SHIT'. I don't know what that really means.

Favorite Tracks: "Cosmic Love" & "Between Two Lungs"





Foals - Total Life Forever
Foals are finally getting some recognition. Good for them. I feel they've grown so much as musicians, that they'll have to change their names to Mares. HAHAHAH OH SIDNEY.

Sounds like: Aggressively eating cookies when you're high, and you're chowing down HARD. Sweet, yet hardcore. I don't know what that means either.

Favorite Tracks: "Total Life Forever", "This Orient", "Black Gold"



Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void
My dad loves this album. So do I.

Sounds Like: Some early 70s southern folk rock band that your dad listened to, but never got any radio play. Womp wommmp.

Favorite Tracks: "Below the Hurricane", "Destroyer of the Void"

Passion Pit - Manners
Okay, so I may have not been in a completely coherent state when seeing them at Sasquatch this year, but I had a moment where I fell head over heels in love with them. Could have been the tequila, but listening to this album sober makes me think it was more than that. Mmmm.

Sounds Like: The bridge between cool music and popular music.

Favorite Tracks: "Moth's Wing", "Little Secrets", "Make Light"



S. Carey - All We Grow

This album is good. It's especially good when you're lying on your bed, and thinking 'Yeah man, I get it. Hrrrnnngggggggggg'. Just like that.

Sounds like: Bon Iver's slightly embittered brother

Favorite Tracks: "In the Dirt", "In the Stream"





Mark Ronson & The Business Intl - Record Collection

Say what you want, but this album is THE SEX. IT IS JUST SEX. I am not even ashamed. It makes me want to dance in ways I didn't know were kinetically possible.

Sounds Like: Funky sexy time

Favorite Tracks: "Bang Bang Bang", "The Bike Song", "The Night Last Night", "Lose It (In the End)"



The Head and the Heart - S/T

Aw, Seattle. You have such great rising talent. These guys are getting big really quickly. You still have a little time to listen to this and say you heard them way back when.

Sounds Like: Crosby, Still, & Nash screamed too loud so their voices were hoarser. And then they were like 'hey, let's add a chick to the band'.

Favorite Tracks: "Down in the Valley" "Cats & Dogs"


Mad Rad - The Youth Die Young

More Seattle awesomeness. I still feel sort of like I'm not allowed to listen to hip hop, like I'm not cool enough to be in the club. Whatever, I DO WHA I WAN.

Sounds like: Hip Hop + Electronic + Crooning

Favorite Tracks: "Love in a Strange World", "The Machine", "I Want Your Blood"


Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

I have to admit, when I first heard this album, I was like 'WHAT IS THIS TOMFOOLERY?'. But then I simmered, listened again, and began to enjoy the aforementioned foolery of tom. I feel like I'd like this album more on some sort of barbiturate, but it'll do, pig.

Sounds Like: Sufjan Stevens parents gave him a MIDI synth for Christmas. And drugged his egg nog.

Favorite Tracks: "The Age of Adz", "Vesuvius"


The Courage - Fearful Bones

Formerly Noah Gundersen & the Courage, these Seattle kiddos are superb. And they just keep getting better. No pressure, guys.

Sounds Like: The Von Trapp Family singers, if they kicked ass and threw in some killer fiddle. Also, they sound nothing like the Von Trapp's. Whatever

Favorite Tracks: "Frequency", "Chances", "Summer Sky"

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Okay, I'm getting too lazy to upload more photos and awkwardly try to format them (Blogger, you need to step it UP. Ugh), so here are the rest:

Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History
Favorite Tracks: "Something Good Can Work", "I Can Talk"

Viper Creek Club - Letters
More local awesomenesssss.
Favorite Tracks: "Eliza", "Doubt"

The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Well, duh.
Favorite Tracks: "City With No Children", "We Used to Wait"

Sleigh Bells - Treats
WHOA.
Favorite Tracks: "Tell 'em", "Treats"

Symmetry & Ryan Lewis - S/T
Ulllllltra awesome local hip hop / funky jamz, even if you don't think you like hip hop.
Favorite Tracks: "Down", "Feel Right"

Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer
Aw, yeaauuhh.
Favorite Tracks: "No One's Gonna Love You", "Fuck You"

Dan Black - Un
Think Mika + even more electro goodness. Super guilty pleasure. But it's good, shut it.
Favorite Tracks: "U + Me =", "Symphonies" , "Cigarette Pack"

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm kind of over it too. And yet, it's still good. Goddammit, general population, stop ruining good albums for me.
Favorite Tracks: "Awake My Soul", "White Blank Page"

Hey Marseilles - To Travels and Trunks
Seattle is just pumping out some great music this year. GO SEATTLE! This album is pretty great.
Favorite Tracks: "Rio", "Goodbye Versailles"

Washington - I Believe You Liar
This one is sort of hard to track down, but it's totally worth it. Think Laura Marling if she had more lady balls. And throw a little Florence in there too.
Favorite Tracks: "The Hardest Part", "Rich Kids", "Lover/Soldier"

Congratulations - MGMT
That lead singer is hot. I shouted that a lot when seeing them at Sasquatch. Om nom nom.
Favorite Tracks: "Congratulation", "I Found a Whistle"

And there you have it. Go forth, young music lovers. Go forth and listen.