#10 ) “This is Happening” – LCD Soundsystem

This is the third and last album from James Murphy.  The album does an excellent job of combining electronic punk and dance music with haunting and sardonic lyrics with songs ranging from the the nearly 9 minute feast “Dance Yrself Clean” to the very funny “Drunk Girls.”

#9) “Odd Blood” – Yeasayer

This is the second self-produced album by these guys and it’s a fun ride.  Drawing from a variety of genres, including being heavily influenced by pop music, the lyrics pay homage to figures ranging from John Lennon to the boxer Joe Louis.  Their song “Ambling Alp” may be the most famous, but the whole album is equally good.

#8) “Sigh No More” – Mumford & Sons

Technically, this band’s album was released in the UK in 2009, but it came to the U.S. in February of 2010 so it counts in my book.  This English folk group has put together one of the most complete albums of 2010 and feature great songs from the down and out “I Gave You All” to the driving “Little Lion Man.”  These guys are a great band to see live.

#7) “High Violet” – The National

The National has been making the music scene since 1999, from their humble origins of Ohio.  The baritone singing voice of Matt Berninger is iconic and combined with Sufjan Stevens on the song “Afraid of Everyone” is impeccably moving.

#6) “Lisbon” – The Walkmen

This indie group is based out of New York City and this album is a tribute to the city Lisbon in Portugal.  Featuring great songs like “Angela Surf City” and “Blue As your Blood,” this album warrants listening to it several times because the songs get even better.

#5) Broken Bells

Broken Bells is the music project of producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and James Mercer (of The Shins) and it is a phenomenal album.  Their single from the album “The High Road” is a good sampler to start out with.  If you enjoyed The Shins, you will probably love this band.

#4) “God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise”    – Ray LaMontagne

Ray LaMontagne has such a soothing voice and he has been very prolific over the years.  His new album is incredible and the song “Beg Steal or Borrow” was nominated in the Grammy’s for Song of the Year and deservedly so.

#3) “Brothers” – The Black Keys

This is the 6th album by the duo Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, produced by Danger Mouse.  Just listen to the album and tell me it’s not incredible with heavenly songs like “Tighten Up” and “Ten Cent Pistol.”  The band does a good job of molding blues and rock with catchy rhythms that are intoxicating.  I couldn’t put this album down.

#2) “The Suburbs” – Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire has put out one of their best albums to date, in my opinion.  It is a pack leader for Album of The Year.  This album is epic and has a wide variety of music.  I love the combination of lead singer Win Butler and Regine Chassagne on the song “Sprawl (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” which is my favorite piece on the album, paying homage to Haiti.

#1) “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”                                     Kanye West

There’s very little dispute when listening to this album that it is the best album of 2010.  Kanye West tells life like it is and he isn’t afraid to open his mouth.  With deeply existential songs like “Power” and “Monster” we are given a keen insight into an egomaniac who is at the top of his form.  Every song seems to incorporate samples of other work and the power of Kanye is taking that to a new level.  You may not have the highest opinion of this guy, but he has put together one of the greatest albums of the 21st century and definitely the top of 2010.

Honorable Mentions:

Jamey Johnson, Vampire Weekend, Eminem, Robert Plant, The Dead Weather, Beach House, Neil Young, Big Boi, Spoon, Superchunk, Gorillaz, Cee Lo Green, M.I.A., Janelle Monae, Deerhunter, Flying Lotus, Sufjan Stevens,  Best Coast, Two Door Cinema Club, Robyn, Lost in the Trees,  Sleigh Bells,  Eels, Spoon, Surfer Blood, Los Campesinos!, Against Me!, Band of Horses, Titus Andronicus, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and Jonsi.

What are your top albums of 2010?

#10 ) “In A Gadda Da Vida” – Iron Butterfly

This was the song that clocked in at 17 minutes and 5 seconds on the 1968 album version, with some people speculating that the original lyrics were “In the Garden of Eden” but that lead singer Doug Ingle was too intoxicated and just slurred the words.  This song has taken on a mystical and cultural following, including being parodied on The Simpsons.

#9) “It’s Raining Men” – The Weather Girls

The Weather Girls were an American girl group that formed in 1982 and released this song that year that become one of the best known club and pops hit of the era.  Too bad it was raining duds later on.

#8) “Macarena” – Los Del Rio

Los Del Rio is a Spanish music duo from Seville  who wrote the song “Macarena” about a woman of the same name in 1995.  The song has been widely credited as one of the greatest one hit wonders and “The Bayside Boys Mix” has become the most popular reincarnation of the song featuring lyrics in English.

#7) “I’m Too Sexy” – Right Said Fred

This English Trio released this song in 1992 and is sung from the point of view of a narcissistic model.  It has featured many remixes and has been popular around the world.

#6) “Bittersweet Symphony” – The Verve

English alternative group The Verve recorded one of the most beautiful violin riffs of all time in this piece.  The song has been credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for their song “The Last Time”after a long legal battle.

#5) “No Rain” – Blind Melon

Blind Melon is an American group formed in California in 1989 and broke up in 1999, then got back together in 2006.  Their most popular song was “No Rain” off their 1992 self-titled debut album.  Too bad it was all downhill from there.

#4) “MMMBop” – Hanson

You remember when Hanson was popular?  Well they released their album Middle of Nowhere with this song in 1997 and it became one of the biggest debut singles of all time.  The group is still around today and have sold 12 million records worldwide.

#3) “Who Let The Dogs Out” -  Baha Men

This is actually a cover song by Anslem Douglas that producer Steve Greenberg liked and gave to this group.  The Baha Men are around today, but have not let any more dogs out.

#2) “Ice Ice Baby” – Vanilla Ice

This is probably the definition of a one-hit wonder because Robert Van Winkle (Vanilla Ice) reached the acme of success with this song.  Featuring a sample bassline of “Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen, the song was an instant hit and the first hip hop song to top the Billboard Charts.  Vanilla Ice is now in a Home Makeover Reality Show on DIY that aired in October.

#1) “Mickey” – Toni Basil

1982 never saw it coming as “Mickey” was released by Philadelphia singer Toni Basil.  The song was on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week.  The song is a cover of “Kitty” by the UK Band Racey.  Unfortunately, Toni Basil never returned to the Billboard.

Honorable Mentions:

What are some bands/artists who you think had a one-hit wonder?

#10 ) Bad Religion

This band isn’t so much weird, as that they defy the conventions of punk music.  Lead singer has received his Ph.D. at Cornell University and teaches courses in paleontology and life sciences at UCLA.  He does this punk band on the side and the lyrics stretch the horizons for the power of politics through song.

#9) The Clever Hamsters Jazz Band

I think the name alone is interesting, but the band members may be even more so being entirely composed of Hamsters.  This band has been has been traveling through the wheels of the world, exciting audiences everywhere.

#8) Buckethead

This guy is a virtuoso guitarist who released 29 studio albums and is one of the best guitarists in the world.  He usually is in concert with a white bucket on his head and an expressionless white mask.

#7) The Muppets

Could you imagine if someone from outer space came to our planet and saw The Muppets?  Granted, they are some of the greatest vocalists of the 20th and 21st century, but they are by all means…very strange.

#6) Mr. Bungle

Mr. Bungle was an experimental band from the sunny state of California that was active from the Mid 80’s to 2004.  They were well known for their crazy song structure and would often run through several genres in one single song.  The band would often dress up in costumes and masks on stage and they had a heavy cult following.

#5) GWAR

This is a rock band founded in the 1980’s that would dress up in elaborate sci-fi/horror movie costumes and were well-known for their really obscene lyrics combined with raunchy stage performances that would re-enact morally taboo subjects.  Their current lead singer goes under the name “Oderus Urungus.”

#4) All Girls Topless Band

This was an all-girls band that came from New Jersey in the 1960’s.  The main reason their shows were so popular was because they were…you guessed it…topless.  Rumor has it they were hounded by the Bra police and moved their band to Las Vegas, where the law was more relaxed.

#3) Marilyn Manson

Brian Hugh Warner put together his stage name by combining the names of Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson.  He has been attacked from all fronts by children activists for the violent lyrics of his music and is one of the most fascinating musical artists out there.  He was born in Ohio and is rumored to wear his leather boots 24/7.

#2) Amon Amarth

This is a Swedish metal band that is heavily influenced by J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. They base most of their songs on Norse mythology and love everything Viking.  I guess that’s good if you like death metal and Viking songs…but I don’t.

#1) The Zimmers

The Zimmers have been active since 2007 and are the oldest band in the world.  Their oldest member Buster Martin claims to be 103 years old.  They released their first album Lust for Life in 2008.

Following up

What are some strange bands that you know of?

#10 ) Genesis

Genesis has earned a nod because they round out the bottom of the barrel.  It’s not that I hate Phil Collins, it’s just that some of their songs are so awful that I cringe to think about listening to them.

#9) Korn

Some people like to listen to Korn because of this “totally awesome beat.”  But, they’re just not a very good band.  They recently did a cover of “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd and murdered it.  They took the song out into a cornfield, made it dig a hole, and then shot it several times.

#8) Michael Bolton

I think the movie “Office Space” sums up Bolton the best as a “no-talent ass clown.”

#7) New Weezer

Weezer has just been destroying everything I have loved about them.  Granted, they’ve put out a few good songs recently, but their last albums have had some real stinkers.

#6) Dave Matthews Band

The only thing worse than this band are its fans.  They’re awful.  “Dude, you have to check them out because they’re like the greatest band ever.”  No, they’re not.  Seeing them is like going out to dinner for what you think is a real fancy meal, only to get moldy bread and stale water and being forced to pay $50 for it.

#5) Train

Hey Soul Sister, get off the radio!

#4) Jimmy Buffett

Oh man, this one might give me some flak, but I don’t care.  I hated Jimmy Buffet the minute I heard anything he wrote.  The cheeky clang of his guitar combined with his awful voice that sings solely about beaches and margaritas is just so awful.

I think media scholar Cartman from South Park sums it up eloquently, “Nobody likes Jimmy Buffet except for frat boys and alcoholic chicks from the south!  F$@% you Jimmy Buffet, you f$*@ing suck!

#3) Def Leppard

Why don’t you go pour some sugar in your mouth and be quiet?  I mean the 80’s were a terrible decade for music.  They had some good stuff, but Def Leppard is not on that list.

#2) Insane Clown Posse

How can I even begin to describe my loathing for this band?  I think I can sum it up in one of their hilarious lyrics off the song “Miracles:”

“I’ve seen miracles all around me, stop and look around it’s all astounding, water, fire air and dirt, f@cking magnets, how do they work?  I don’t want to talk to a scientist, ya’ll MF lying and getting me pissed.”

Talk about poetry!  Wow.  Coming out of the deep intellectual void of Detroit (I apologize if you’re from Michigan), the two members of the group are called “Violent J” and “Shaggy 2 Dope.”  Don’t listen to them.

#1) Nickelback

Listening to them makes me angry.  Not in a sense of I want to be violent, but just mad that they exist.  But they have to, right?  I mean, our definition of what’s good has to be in relative proportion to what’s bad, right?  And these guys are really really really bad, so it makes me appreciate a lot more music.

All their songs sound the same and are so generic and bland.  And I bought one of their albums when I was young and naive.  I’m not a perfect human being, and paying for Nickelback has given me a lot of buyer remorse.

Following up

What are some of your least favorite bands/singers?  I’m sure that we can come up with a growing list of people we just can’t stand!

Fitz and the Tantrums

One album I can NOT stop listening to is Fitz and the Tantrums “ Pickin’ Up the Pieces”, a soul-influenced group from LA.  Apparently I’m not the only one, because in just one year, this multi-ethnic high energy band went from playing living rooms to the main stage.

The instrumentation is perfection and the songs bring us back to the memories of the golden age of soul music.

However, Fitz and the Tantrums are not a “throwback” to the 60’s. They lovingly take the genre to a contemporary place, looking very dapper while doing so. So until they come to Madison, we will have to make do with some video.

April Smith and The Great Picture Show

This is a great Halloween hangover pick…a creepy song from a singer-songwriter named April Smith, who hails from Toms River New Jersey. She says she was influenced by everyone from Tom Waits to Kinky Friedman, and grew up giving impromptu shows to anyone who would pay attention. Her band is called April Smith And The Great Picture Show, and her album that’s been out since the spring is called Songs for a Sinking Ship. April says the album’s sound was influenced  by “the ’30s and ’40s, juke joints and cabaret, the Andrews Sisters and, of course, Tom Waits.”
I can’t get enough of this song “Terrible Things.” Caution…the video might be too morbid for the meek.

Ping Pong Orchestra

A song used during a poignant scene during a movie or television show can make or break the scene. I’ll always remember how The Dire Straits song “Brothers In Arms” was used during the final scene of season two of The West Wing.  It was perfect.

Lately, I’ve been watching the HBO show Eastbound and Down.  This show is no The West Wing.  In fact, it’s pretty much the complete opposite.  It’s filled with vulgarities and sophomoric humor, but it can still have some reflective moments.  In the final scene of the first season, the main character ends up leaving is girlfriend, literally.  They have plans to move to Florida, but he ditches her at a gas station.

The song playing during that final scene is by Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra.   Lee has made lots of music for movies and television shows.  This one is called “Kiss the Sky”.  Enjoy.

Spaghetti Western music?  Heck yes.

I love movie soundtracks.  And I love western movie soundtracks.  For those of you who are unfamiliar, Spaghetti Westerns are a genre of films that came out of Italy (hence ’spaghetti’) that were about the wild west.  Particularly, the most famous director of that movement is Sergio Leone and his Dollars trilogy including “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”  Great great film.

Anyways, I’ve also been watching a lot of NFL lately and they took a track by Ennio Morricone that was called “Ecstasy of Gold” and they remixed it and have been playing it in some previews/commercials for games.  I love it.  Here it is below:

Duffy, “Well, Well, Well”

I fell I love with Duffy back in 2008 when she released her debut album Rockferry.  She has one of the most unique, interesting and instantly recognizable voices I’ve ever heard.  Not only that, but the girl can give it some power.  The rest of the world seemed to take notice to, earning her three Grammy Nominations and a win for best pop vocal album.

Duffy is soon to be releasing her sophomore album, Endlessly, and has pre-released the first single.  The song “Well, Well, Well” is just what Duffy does best.  It has a little soul, a little jazz, and the Welsh songstress belting out the lyrics in a commanding way.   It’s upbeat, and contagious with a big band production, a sultry rhythm and a catchy chorus.  Is that another Grammy nod in Duffy’s future?  I would bet yes.

Duffy has already released a video with her new single.  check it out below!

#1 ) “Up From Below” — Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes

Edward Sharpe climbed to the top of this list to the top of list by having excellent tracks and an amazing 10 person band that play everything from trumpets to accordions to the ukulele.  The album was released in July of 2009.  Here’s their hit “Home” below.

#2) “Sigh No More” –Mumford and Sons

This album is a force.  Released in October of 2009, it has steadily climbed onto the radio and has the band virtually sold out on its tour.  Here’s the song “Little Lion Man” below.

#3) Broken Bells

Broken Bells features the awesome power of James Mercer, the lead guitarist/vocalist of The Shins and Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse).   The album was released in March of 2010.  Here’s the song “Trap Doors” below.

#4) “Astro Coast” — Surfer Blood

The name makes you think of metal, but don’t be fooled because Surfer Blood is more akin to early Weezer and has put out a fabulous album in January of 2010.  Here’s their song “Swim” below:

#5) “Tourist History” — Two Door Cinema Club

This band takes a little bit to get used to and it has been criticized for its lack of depth, but it really is a great album overall.  It was released in February of 2010.  It has quick sharp notes and very catchy beats.  Check out the song “Tourist History” below:

#6) One eskimO

One eskimO is a band that caught my attention last year when they debuted their self-titled album in September of 2009.  Here’s a link for a free download of their awesome some “Kandi.”  http://wmmm.radiotown.com/kandi.zip Here’s the song “Astronauts” below:

#7)  The Drums

This is an indie band from Brooklyn.  They put out their self-titled debut in June of 2010 and what a killer one it was.  Here is their song “Let’s Go Surfing.”

#8) Fever Ray

I really can’t get enough of the Swedish music front.  Karin Dreijer Andersson  is a wild performer, incorporating masks and costumes into her performances.  Her album is magical and haunting and was released in March of 2009.  Here’s her song “When I grow up” below:

#9) “Treats” — Sleigh Bells

If you’re not a fan of the noise pop genre, then stay far away because it’s about to get crazy.  It was released in May of 2010.  It’s a visceral smack in the face album that take’s no prisoners.  It was released in May of 2010. Here’s the song “Rill Rill” below:

#10) “Lungs” –Florence and the Machine

This album is product of British pop singer Florence Welch and her work with a variety of different artists.  Rolling Stone writer Jon Dolan wrote about the album that “the best bits feel like being chased through a moonless night by a sexy moor witch.”  How about that?  The album was released in July of 2009.  Here’s the song “Kiss with a Fist” below:

Honorable Mentions

Here are some bands that are good that didn’t make the list.  Let us know if you can think of others to check out!

Fools Gold, Bombay Bicycle Club, White Lies, Band of Skulls, The Soft Pack, Everything Everything, The Very Best, Music Go Music, Exit Calm, xx, Japandroids, Tired Pony…

Let us know what your favorite debut albums of 2009-2010 were!