Top Ten Albums 01.25.10

Honorable Mention: "City Route 85 EP" by John K. Samson
It's no secret that Samson writes some of the most beautiful music on the planet. I don't think he has written a single song since the first Weakerthans album I don't love. This is the first in a series of EPs about roads in Manitoba. "Heart of the Continent" sounds a lot like "One Great City!" from Reconstruction Site, which I dig.

1. "Odd Blood" by Yeasayer
The more I listening to this album the more I realize this isn't a contender for Best Album of 2010. It may very well be among best in the decade. After a dozen or so listens, I can't find anything wrong with it. Beyond this it holds up to shuffle, the mark of a truly great album. Most played: "ONE", "Mondegreen", and "Madder Red"
2. "Questamation" by Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker
This might be the first time the top two stayed. Not as big on it this week, but still great, the weak spots are starting to show. I got more shades of Beck than Kurt Cobain in the vocals this week. Most played: "Laces Out", "Neurochemical Warfare Gas Masquerade", and "3 Purple Butterflies"
3. "This Addiction" by Alkaline Trio
 I've been waiting for this since I first heard they were recording last May. Lived up to my expectations. Not a return to their Goddammit days like they promised, I hear more shades of Good Mourning. "Dine, Dine My Darling" turned out to be my favorite track (like I predicted), it reminds me a lot of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes' cover of "Goodbye Earl". The album as a whole is a lot darker than their recent work, but not in a sad way. You might call it "Poe Rock", music with with a brooding melancholy and crows. Most played: "Dine Dine My Darling", "Off The Map", and "Eating Me Alive" (which sound like it might have been stolen from Skiba's side project, Heavens.
4. "My Dinosaur Life" by Motion City Soundtrack
This album makes an appearance in large part due to the bonus tracks. Something about Justin's voice with an acoustic guitar is like crack to my ears. I also enjoy how they added a little synth to the mix, it makes them just about the perfect sing-a-long songs. I just can't understand how "So Long Farewell" was left off the album, it's by far the best song Most played: "So Long Farewell", "Disappear (alt. version)", "A Lifeless Ordinary (acoustic)", and "Delirium"
5. "The 59 Sound" by The Gaslight Anthem
Haven't listened to them in a bit, so I threw it into the mix. Over a year after I first heard it still evokes the same level of emotion. And it makes me impatient for their new album, which got a title and release date ("American Slang", June 15th) Most played: "The '59 Sound", "Great Expectations", and "Miles Davis and the Cool"
6. "IRM" by Charlottle Gainsbourg
The lead single "Heaven Can Wait" evokes shades of  Revolver-era Beatles and the rest of the album keeps up. It sounds as though the Beach Boys and Beatles took a bunch of songs and said "We can't use these, they need a to be sung by a woman". This is much a compliment to Beck's production as to Charlotte's writing. She is anomaly among French singers, she is at her best when singing in English. Most played: "Heaven Can Wait", "Dandelion", and "IRM"
7. "Lever L'Ancre" by Alfa Racoco
I took the time to listen to the lyrics here and they are beautiful. My french is a bit off, so it takes a while, but I can catch most of it. The title track is wonderfully dichotomous Most played: "Lever L'Ancre", "Peau De Chagrin", and "La Laboratoire"
8. "A Little Place In The Wilderness" by Memphis
I started listening to "Heart" by Stars, Torquil's other band, but just wanted to hear his voice. First I went to his other project, Dead Child Stars, before setting on this album. A tough to find album, but a gem worth the effort. Almost jazzy and lounge like. I'd love to hear "Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey" in a bar sometime. Most played: "Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey", " Swallows and Amazons", and "A Ghost Story" (which sounds like a solo version of Stars' "Personal")
9. "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" by Bright Eyes
A flashback to one of my favorite albums, after hearing news of his album nearing completion and a re-recording of an EP. Most played: "Easy/Luck/Free", "Light Pollution", and "I Believe in Symmetry"
10. "Everybody Make Some Noise" by The A.K.A.'s (Are Everywhere)
It's been a year since I went to DC for Obama's Inauguration and the corresponding "Punk Rock Inaugural Ball". The A.K.A.'s (and Mike Ski) put on a killer show. Blew everyone away. This album is just a fun dancehall album (or as the band calls themself "dancehall fight music"). Thrashing guitars and keyboards set to organ music with 4 members singing and sing-a-long choruses, what's not to love? Most played: "Dead Flowers Forever", "Knives on 45s", and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mouth"

I also did end up getting around to listening to Vampire Weekend's "Contra" and Ok Go's "Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky" it's just neither really was in my wheelhouse, a lot of the stuff seemed generic. Though, gun to my head, I would say Ok Go had the better album. A number of things didn't make the list, due to being too late in the week, but I assure you the list will change next week. I went on a dance-punk binge, with a dash of atheist hip-hop (such a thing does exist), acoustic, and rockabilly.