2010 Sucked! And Here's Why... (A "Best-Of's" Mix) [2010]

2010 has come and gone quickly, but in that seemingly small amount of time a large amount of good music has been put out. So now is the time when we celebrate. Here's 23 of my favorite songs this year. It's 22 completely different artists with only 1 group having more than one song (I'm sorry, I just loved Settler's album so much). So hopefully you'll give it a listen, find some new music, and discover why 2010 was really that good. Some albums I've reviewed, some I haven't (shame on me) so some will have links to the full album set up. Hopefully 2011 will be half as good as 2010.

Tracklisting:
1. Gypsyblood - Take Your Picture (From the EP GYSPYBLOOD)
2. Circa Survive - Get Out (From the album Blue Sky Noise)
3. Portugal. The Man - 1000 Years (From the album American Ghetto)
4. Tides Of Man - Home (From the album Dreamhouse)
5. Zach Hill - Face Tat (From the album Face Tat)
6. Motion City Soundtrack - Disappear (From the album My Dinosaur Life)
7. What's Left Of The Trees - Wake Me! You're Not Waking Me! (From the EP Where There's Water, There Must Be Shore)
8. Foxy Shazam - Wanna-Be Angel (From the album Foxy Shazam)
9. The Black Keys - Sinister Kid (From the album Brothers)
10. Native - Ponyboy (From the album Wrestling Moves)
11. Maps And Atlases - Solid Ground (From the album Perch Patchwork)
12. The Xcerts - Slackerpop (From the album Scatterbrain)
13. Look Mexico - They Offered Me A Deal (I Said No, Naturally) (From the album To Bed To Battle)
14. Fang Island - Sideswiper (From the album Fang Island)
15. Lost Apparitions - Hey Zeus (From the album Old Friends On New Planets)
16. Tera Melos - Frozen Zoo (From the album Patagonian Rats)
17. Settler - * (From the album War Wolves)
18. Minus The Bear - The Thief (From the album OMNI)
19. Settler - War Wolves (From the album War Wolves)
20. Options - Static (From the album Some Light)
21. Snowing - Mark Z. Danielewski (From the album I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted)
22. The Dear Hunter -B. Linus (From the EP The Branches EP)
23. Tubelord - Night Of The Pencils (From the album One For The Grandparents)


- A

Fang Island - Fang Island [2010]

Fang Island have been on my radar for about a year and half now when I first heard their early EPs, but when I found out they were releasing their first full-length on Sargent House I got super excited. My favorite label meets with an awesome band? Good things are bound to happen. And they did. Their self titled record is a anthemic rock album that sounds like, as the band describes it "everyone high-fiving everyone." The semi-instrumental songs are epic in scope yet have a really fun feel to them, making you want to dance sing along. The album starts off with Dreams Of Dreams which is builds into the head-rocking Careful Crossers and sets the tone for the record. The rest of Fang Island is a roller coaster of excitement, never giving the listener time to cool down until the closer Dorian. Fang Island has created one of the most fun records I've heard in a while and is definitely one of the best of 2010.

Genre: Funrock
For Fans Of: Settler, Tera Melos, Andrew W.K.
Contact: Myspace
Tracklisting:
1. Dreams Of Dreams
2. Careful Crossers
3. Daisy
4. Life Coach
5. Sideswiper
6. The Illinois
7. Treeton
8. Davy Crockett
9. Welcome Wagon
10. Dorian



- A