2010: Best / Worst / Surprising / Disappointing
still a lot i have to listen to and relisten to, but this is it for now. haven't been listening to as much new music as i used to and death metal sorta really grew off me. tired of the same sounding osdm for the most part. next year actually looks ridiculously promising for death metal though (i mean just next month two of my fav death metal bands of the 2000s are gonna release something) so hopefully that gets me back into it. |
| 1 | | Top 10 of 2010
|
| 2 |  | Flying Lotus
Cosmogramma
4.5/5 |
Just simply amazing. |
Highlights: |
Drips//Auntie's Harp |
Dance of the Pseudo Nymph |
Do the Astral Plane |
Zodiac Shit |
most of the album, really |
| 3 |  | Immolation
Majesty and Decay
4.5/5 |
Sometimes it does sound a bit too much like previous Immolation albums, but this is definitely a return to form, a big step up from their last two albums. I will admit that some songs do seem rushed and such, but when Immolation continues to do what they do best - deliver riffs that hardly any modern death metal artist can otherwise supply - I simply cannot complain. |
Highlights: |
In Human Form |
The Rapture Of Ghosts |
A Glorious Epoch |
The Comfort Of Cowards |
A Token Of Malice | |
| 4 |  | Sufjan Stevens
All Delighted People EP
4.5/5
I just adore this. From the dreamy "Tell me what you saw in me / And I?ll try to replicate it with a scene" to the heart-wrenching "Your face has changed / I hardly know who you are this time" to the ridiculous inclusion of a "Classic Rock Version" of the already long title track. The first ~12 minutes of "Djohariah" is a bit too ridiculous for me though. "Heirloom" does feel slightly weaker than the other tracks as well, but it's definitely not bad. |
Highlights: |
From The Mouth Of Gabriel |
Enchanting Ghost |
The Owl And The Tanager |
All Delighted People | |
| 5 |  | Adversarial
All Idols Fall Before the Hammer
4.5/5 |
The snare can get annoying but after a few listens the riffs reveal themselves - and they are really fucking good riffs as well. The overpowering drums aren't anything new in the Canadian black/death metal scene, but I don't think many do it to this extent. The snare most noticeably affects songs like "Thralls" which was present in the demo where the production was quite different, but other than that this album is just incredible. Easily one of the strongest death metal releases of 2010. Reminiscent of early Ulcerate and possibly even Molested. |
Highlights: |
Churning the Storm |
In A Night of Endless Pain, War Came to Flood His Heart... |
All Idols Fall Before the Hammer |
Ruin Enshrined |
Scourge of a Wold Ablaze | |
| 6 |  | Titus Andronicus
The Monitor
4-4.5/5 |
Loathe myself for enjoying this so much (which probably just results with me liking this more). During my first listens I found this excruciatingly boring, and I thought anyone who enjoyed this was full of shit. There are gang vocals aplenty, angsty lyrics and just minute after minute of agonising, uninteresting instrumentation. It was also pretty lengthy as well, just testing my patience. But a few days ago I guess I was in the right mood while listening to this and fell in love. The best part of the album is definitely the vocals and lyrics, which are passionate, desperate and filled with self-deprecation, loathing and angst. There are some great one liners and passages spread throughout the duration of the album, and some lines that are just delivered so perfectly. After enjoying those aspects, some of the aspects I found boring before seem just fine as well. My favourite songs are the three longest songs, and probably over half of each is just instrumentation - which seem more lively now. Gang vocals within songs don't irk me any more. I still don't enjoy the opening track as much as the rest of the album and I don't even bother listening to the two two minute tracks. |
Highlights: |
The Battle Of Hampton Roads |
Four Score And Seven |
A Pot In Which To Piss |
Theme From "Cheers" |
Lowlights: |
Titus Andronicus Forever |
...And Ever | |
| 7 |  | Defeated Sanity
Chapters of Repugnance
4/5 |
Not as great as their previous albums, but still one of the best brutal death metal albums out there. It has everything you would expect from that; amazing drumming and riffs, along with groovy and brutal slams. |
Highlights: |
Engulfed in Excruciation |
Calculated Barbarity |
Coerced Into Idolatry |
Consumed By Repugnance | |
| 8 |  | Deathspell Omega
Paracletus
4/5 |
I absolutely loved their release before this album, the band's twenty minute opus; Chaining the Katechon. That probably set the bar too high for their next release, but this does for the most part deliver. This definitely seems more accessible and melodic when compared to say, Fas, but it's still fantastic, just more easy to digest. The more melodic sections, found in "Abscission" and the closer, "Apokatastasis Pant?n", are actually pretty amazing, they evoke an almost depressing sense of 'awe' and are pretty (as gay as it sounds) epic. They do balance out the more melodic sections with darker songs such as "Dearth" and "Phosphene". Everything in between consists of a typically enjoyable whirlwind of DsO riffs. |
Highlights: |
Abscission |
Apokatastasis Pant?n |
Phosphene |
Wings of Predation |
Devouring Famine | |
| 9 |  | Mount Kimbie
Crooks & Lovers
4/5 |
So chill. |
Highlights:
Before I Move Off |
Carbonated |
Mayor |
| 10 |  | Deerhunter
Halcyon Digest
4/5 |
One of the big-name indie bands that didn't disappoint. Maybe it's because I wasn't really into their 2008 release that much. I'll definitely have to revisit that too. This album is just a relaxing listen. |
Highlights: |
Desire Lines |
He Would Have Laughed |
Helicopter |
Fountain Stairs | |
| 11 |  | Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
3.5-4/5 |
I know I have other 4/5 albums, but I have probably listened to this more in the past few week than those remaining albums. Black Milk may have taken this spot instead, but this is just so much more fun. There are some inconsistencies in the album and even within otherwise great songs. But regardless, Big Boi's verses are usually amazing and fun. The beats aren't particularly amazing, but they do the job. Many of the hooks and choruses annoy me though. The album starts of really strong too, and then juts flops in the middle with "Hustle Blood" and "Be Still". There is a great track or two towards the end though. |
Highlights: |
Daddy Fat Sax |
General Patton |
Shutterbug Ft. Cutty |
Follow Us Ft. Vonnegutt |
Fo Yo Sorrows Ft. George Clinton, Too Short And Sam Chris |
Lowlights: |
Hustle Blood Ft. Jamie Foxx |
Be Still Ft. Janelle Monae | |
| 12 | | Honourable Mentions
Axeman - Arrive |
Black Milk - Album of the Year |
Four Tet - There Is Love in You |
The Wakedead Gathering - Tenements of Ephemera |
Actress - Splazsh |
Baths - Cerulean |
Castevet - Mounds of Ash |
Nightbringer - Apocalypse Sun | |
| 13 | | Bottom 10 of 2010
|
| 14 |  | Annotations of an Autopsy
II: The Reign of Darkness
why did i listen to this idk 1/5 |
| 15 |  | As I Lay Dying
The Powerless Rise
metaLOLcore 1.5/5 |
| 16 |  | Deftones
Diamond Eyes
loll 2/5 |
| 17 |  | In Mourning
Monolith
idk all i remember was the chuggy gay numetal riffs, 2/5 |
| 18 |  | Brain Drill
Quantum Catastrophe
mindless and irritating wank 2/5 |
| 19 |  | Periphery
Periphery
fucking djent 2/5 |
| 20 |  | Arsis
Starve for the Devil
2/52/5 |
| 21 |  | Misery Index
Heirs to Thievery
think i liked a groovy part somewhere but other than that it was shitt 2/5 |
| 22 |  | Nevermore
The Obsidian Conspiracy
boringgggg 2/5 |
| 23 |  | Cynic
Re-Traced
no whywhywhy 2/5 |
| 24 | | Honourable Mentions
Polarity
12 Gauge
Degenerate
Belus
Year of the Black Rainbow
Mafia |
| 25 | | Most Surprising
|
| 26 | | Sufjan Stevens
All Delighted People EP
Well Sufjan hasn't really released anything since Illinois, and this just came out of nowhere. Definitely a welcome surprise. |
| 27 | | Titus Andronicus
The Monitor
This is obviously something I did not expect to be on my list a week ago - not in the top 10 anyway. Same can be said for Big Boi as well. |
| 28 | | Most Disappointing
|
| 29 |  | The National
High Violet
3-3.5/5 |
I absolutely love Alligator, and eventually Boxer grew on me as well. High Violet was just so disappointing. Especially when it was so fucking hyped up - people were claiming it was already the best National album barely after a day's worth of listening. A majority of the album is dull, and everyone participating sounds bored - oh wait no that's just because they matured. The lyrics, overall, sound unfocused and awkward - they lost the charm they had on Alligator. There are some really great tracks though, and not all of it is awful but in the end it was a disappointment. |
also from my last list: |
'chan makes 5/5 review and these ppl prolly only listened to it once and they are like WOW 4.5/5 BEST 'INDIE' BAND WOW THE DRUMMER I GOT THE DURGS TO SORT IT OUT NEVER HEARD OF NATIONAL B4 BUT THIS IS THE BEST ALBUM OMG. then i listened to it and was like holy shit wtf happened. national lost their fuckin charm thats what. the lyrics were just so tame and boring and felt uninspired' ^_^ |
Highlights: |
Little Faith |
Conversation 16 |
Lemonworld |
England |
Lowlights: |
Terrible Love |
Sorrow |
Runaway |
Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks |
| 30 |  | Sufjan Stevens
The Age of Adz
3/5 |
I love Sufjan. He's adorable. |
I enjoyed "You Are The Blood" off of Dark Was the Night. |
I don't really like this though, apart from a few tracks. After his fantastic EP my hopes were high for this alum. I've also been getting into electronic music this year, so I was positive I'd enjoy an album like this. The first song he released (I Walked) sounded good to me! This isn't another case of hype destroyed this album for me, since I listened to it soon after it leaked and there were barely any comments or reviews. I just didn't like it; it felt like an overblown mess. I thought this was just one big elaborate joke. I mean the last track was 25 minutes, it had auto tune, a part lifted from The Final Countdown, etc. I guess that song putting a smile on my face wasn't a bad thing, and it really does not feel like it's that long. However once the reviews did start rolling in, they all gave this release a perfect score (sputnikmusic). They all seem to say the same thing - that Illinois was over-hyped and soulless, while this on the other hand has more soul than any other release by anyone ever. Sufjan's best album. The next Kid A. |
lol |
Eventually with more listens I did appreciate some of the songs, but a lot of it is still meh. |
Highlights: |
I Want To Be Well |
Futile Devices |
I Walked |
Get Real Get Right |
Impossible Soul |
Lowlights: |
Too Much |
Age of Adz |
Bad Communication |
All for Myself |
Impossible Soul | |
| 31 |  | The Gaslight Anthem
American Slang
2.5-3/5 |
I really liked The '59 Sound - well before I overplayed it anyway. This just simply never had the same impact. |
| 32 |  | Have a Nice Life
Time of Land
2.5-3/5 |
Well anything would have been disappointing after the massive Deathconsciousness. |
| 33 | | Streetlight Manifesto
99 Songs of Revolution: Vol 1
2.5/5 |
We used to be in love, but now we're just in dislike. |
| 34 |  | Off With Their Heads
In Desolation
2.5/5 |
This is so bland, especially when compared to Hospitals and From the Bottom |
| 35 |  | Dark Tribe
Archaic Visions
2.5/5 |
Just another case of an artist not living up to their previous album. |
| 36 | |
|
| 37 | |
|
| 38 | |
|
| 39 | |
|
| 40 | |
|
|
