Ryan's Top Picks for 2010

It was an interesting year for music. A lot of great tunes came out, and a lot more crap ones, but it seemed to me like there was no real dominant theme or pattern to anything that was coming out. Here's some stuff that I did like:

Top 5 Albums of the Year

5. Record in a Bag, Hollerado: Ten years from now, this one might not hold up as one of the greatest albums of our time, but for now it’s a fun, danceable rock and roll record that kept me entertained throughout the year.
4. Slash, Slash: The idea here wasn’t a new one - you have to look no farther than the last decade of Santana’s career to see an execution of “Famous guitarist records an album with a series of guest vocalists”. Like with the Santana albums, the result is a little eclectic, and doesn’t always feel like what an ‘album’ classically has. There’s some excellent guitar work throughout, though, and if you were ever the kid sitting around saying “Yeah, but could you imagine if Slash and Ozzy were in a band together?”
3. Tron: Legacy Sountrack, Daft Punk: I realize I’m most likely going to get mocked for this choice. Allow yourself to forget, for a moment, that it’s a soundtrack to a Disney film. What you find yourself listening to when you do is a finely honed, perfectly orchestrated electronic concept album. I’m often critical of electronic music as being soulless and shallow, but Daft Punk proves that need not be the case with this album.
2. The Suburbs, The Arcade Fire: I live in the suburbs, and have for most of my life. One thing that I’ve been acutely aware of as a result is the reflexive sense of scorn that city-dwellers feel for the burbs. There’s a lot more going on than meets the eye, though, and Arcade Fire chronicles that in this album, which isn’t a concept album in the traditional sense, but does manage to maintain a strong sense of theme throughout it.
1. Brothers, The Black Keys: I first got interested in this album entirely because of the cover art - simple white text on a black background declaring “This is an album by The Black Keys. The name of the album is Brothers.” Which in itself is a declaration - that the album doesn’t need to win you over, because it’s strong enough to not worry about such things. It was an accurate assessment, and the blues-influenced rock (or is it rock-influenced blues? I’m not quite sure) turned me into a fan on my first listen.

Top 10 Songs of the Year

10. Juliette - Hollerado The chorus of this song makes it an instant summer classic. Hook-laden, poppy, catchy, I found myself singing this one at odd moments for months.
9. This Too Shall Pass - OK Go The music video has fast become a dying art form, with most bands going with the tried and true rather than taking creative chances. OK Go is shaming all those bands, and making great tunes along the way. This is just one of them.
8. Trace Decay - Wintersleep I was excited about the New Inheritors, but didn’t find it to be that great upon listening to it. This track is stellar, though.
7. Highway of Heroes - The Trews All wars are tragedies, and the Trews definitely seem to understand that with this song, which walks the fine line of respecting and honouring the fallen without turning jingoistic or blindly patriotic. It’s a subtle song that I think a lot of people overlooked because of its subject matter.
6. I Was A Teenage Anarchist - Against Me! There’s something almost anachronistic about this song - it’s got a classic punk feel that seems almost out of place in 2010, but then again, nostalgia is always anachronistic, isn’t it?
5. Les Chemins de Verre - Karkwa A lot of people were upset at Karkwa winning the Polaris prize this year. Not me. It wouldn’t have been my first choice, but songs like this one are great arguments as to why they deserved the nod.
4. Ready to Start - Arcade Fire The strongest song on a strong album. Welcoming and accessible, just as any single should be, but not in a cloying or needy way. If Arcade Fire wasn’t on your radar before this one, they definitely should be now.
3. Black Sheep - Metric If nothing else, this song’s a statement as to how powerful of an album Fantasies was, that one of its B-sides is better than the A-sides on most albums.
2.Rose Garden - Shad. This song is one of the reasons I’m glad we started the Polaris blog. Hadn’t heard of Shad before, and probably wouldn’t have heard him if not for the blog, and I walked away with one of the most entertaining songs of the year.
1. Ten Cent Pistol - The Black Keys. The blues are about pain, and dealing with pain, and there’s no pain deeper than a partner who’s cheated on you. That was true in Hendrix’s Hey Joe, and it’s true in this tune, about a woman done wrong who seeks her revenge.

Biggest Flop of the Year
20Ten, Prince I really wanted to like this - Prince’s music in the last decade has shown that he’s still a competent, capable musician in spite of all the craziness that usually surrounds him (check out the instrumental jazz album NEWS or 3121 to see what I’m talking about). This album feels only half-finished in comparison, and doesn’t hold a candle to the others.

Dave's Top Picks of 2010

This year in music was a confusing year. On one side it was filled with a mish mash of pop songs and dance hits, and on the other it was a beautiful harvest of artists creating reflective music of their times. If you stand back in 10 years and look at 2010, it probably won;t be a year that changed music or culture, but it probably will be a year that won;t be forgotten either. Here are my Top 10 songs, Top 5 Albums and my biggest flop. Enjoy and feel free to disagree - that's why we do it, to foster debate. Nothing on my list is on any order either, just as it came to me, don't read too much into that part of it.

TOP 10 SONGS

1. Kanye West - Runaway - The moment i saw this at the VMAs I was connected with it. Everything else after it has been a bonus. Kanye has lived up to the bravado and the image, and in the end it's really art that pushes expectations.

2. Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars - A song to define the year. Loud, frenetic buy still full of melody.

3. Cee Loo Green - Fuck You - Amazing amazing amazing.

4. Eminem - Not Afraid - Perfect single for a comeback that is full of repent. Honest? I hope so, for fans sake.

5. Jay Malinowski - How It Comes - This is the song that stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it. A really underrated album too.

6. Shad - Rose Garden - A hooky soul driven jam that optimized summer for lots of people in this country. This song is a huge step for Shad, proving he's not just the run of the mill MC in this country either, he's got staying power and a huge ability to move beyond what people expect of Canadian Hip-Hop

7. Arcade Fire - We Used Wait - Sums up my teenage life along with this albums sentiments perfectly. Angsty, remorseful, and performed to a tee. The video is also magical and visionary.

8. Broken Social Scene - Sweetest Kill - A song that hits me right where I need it too every time i listen to it. It's haunting, and sticks with you for days - in the best way possible. A slow burn of the perfect kind.

9. The Black Keys - Never Give You Up - Any song from this album could have been on my list really but Never Give You Up echoes the the roots of what made me love The Black Keys way back when. Grab you're love and have slow dance to end the year, make them feel special and forgive people, just forgive.

10. Band Of Horses - Laredo - This track is a stand out for me on this album that surprised me from top to bottom. It proves that American rock legacy is in good hands, and that today's bands can still write a solid rock song, without ostracizing their fans, but still including others. That guitar lick is also just dirty enought.

TOP 5 ALBUM

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record: I was harsh on these guys in my Polaris review but this album is one I revisit again and again for sheer enjoyment. After seeing them live in Vancouver by myself, I was convinced this record was something that would stick with me for ages, and that I was quick to judge it based soley on a week or two worth of listening.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: As an artist he put tons of preassure on himself to deliver a landmark album. For musics sake he did. We'll all look back on MBDTF in 10 years and realize how influential it is - there's no doubt kids in basements everywhere are trying to replicate this, heck, even Diddy Dirty Money is trying to replicate this. It truly did become a cultural movement for a short time - with ALL CAPS.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs: This band does everything I love about music on this album. And most of all it feels so fucking relevant to everyone, everywhere.

The Black Keys - Brothers: I've loved this band for a long time, and I was hesitant when I heard they were going 4 piece. Still knock down rock, with the softest touch - only they could pull off such a rise to stardom with such a fantastic album. Sweaty, sweaty, sweaty rock.

Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms: This band started from scratch this year. They fired everyone, and hired all new players, and still they put out a solid record that slowly takes listeners through the emotional journey of an artist. This band is on the cusp of bigger things really - the next Kings of Leon maybe.

BIGGEST FLOP

When I interviewed bands and artists for a living I had a line I'd use when I'd meet them: if I liked the album I'd say so. If I didn't like it I'd say 'congrats on getting this out'. I know, I know - totally transparent and slimey but I was 22 and back then thought it was a smart thing to say. This year I'd have to say the artist that deserves biggest 'congrats' is: Interpol. One of my favorite bands phoned it in, and maybe packed it in for good too with their self titled release this year. Very disappointing for me and a world full of fans craving a record.

Gary's Top Picks for 2010

Looking back over 2010 the first thing I noticed is that this year didn't have the same quantity of amazing songs and albums that previous years offered. That's not to say the albums that did make the list weren't deserving. There were some great tracks and it made narrowing the list down much easier. So with that here are my tops songs and albums of 2010.

Top 10 Songs

Kanye West - Power: The first minute of this song gets the adrenaline flowing. Try as I might to dislike Kanye's ego and bravado this song is just really good. Plus his Saturday Night Live performance was pure spectacle.

Broken Bells - The High Road: I expected a lot more from this album which I found, on the whole pretty underwhelming. That said, this song is solid.

Foster The Kids - Pumped up Kicks: Not knowing much about the band, this song crept out of nowhere to leave an impression.

Tegan and Sara - On Directing: This one song encapsulates all the things that make this duo great.

Beach House - Zebra: Emotionally this track means a lot to me. I've played it a lot over the year and expect to hear it a lot in 2011.

Arcade Fire - Rococo: There's something oddly affecting about the repetitive chorus and swelling stomp of this one. I can't help but love the depiction of how naive we are as teenagers thinking we know what life is all about.

The Black Keys - Tighten Up: Such an amazing groove and the whistling at the start gets me every time.

Broken Social Scene - Meet Me in the Basement: I thought this song was good after hearing it on the album. I thought it was amazing after seeing the video, post-G20 Toronto riots.

Ok Go - WTF: Just watch the video and try not to be amazed.

Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars: My favourite song for 2010 and with blazing guitars and screeching vocals, it should be evident why.

Top 5 6 albums

Beach House: Teen Dream: It's a simple well written album that evokes so much emotion (as mentioned above). I'm so eager to hear what they come up with next.

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record: I couldn't stop listening to this album all summer. There's virtually no missteps; so solid from start to finish.

Sleigh Bells - Treats: After hearing Infinity Guitars I had to see what the rest of the album was like. No two songs are alike and everything is short, sweet and to the point. I fully expect the track Rill Rill to catch a lot of people's attention very soon.

The Black Keys - Brothers: Dirty, dirty old school rhythm and blues. Indie music's hardest working duo.

Karkwa - Les Chemin De Verre: There were some people scratching their head when Karkwa won the Polaris Prize this year. But one listen to this haunting and beautiful album should explain why the were so deserving.

Arcade Fire - Suburbs: I hated Arcade Fire's last album Neon Bible. I thought it was the height of pretension and all that was wrong with indie music. So I went into this album expecting more of the same. I was so wrong. Arcade Fire have produced a personal yet epic sounding album that flows perfectly and hits all the right notes. You can consider me a fan once again.

Honourable Mentions - Ok Go - Of The Blue Colour of the Sky, Wintersleep - New Inheritors

Biggest Flop

Kings of Leon - Radioactive: I won't get to deep into how big a fan I was and how the first two albums exist in a very sacred place for me. I don't want to sound like one of those snobbish people who constantly go on about how great a band was when no one else was listening. But, this song (and the album) is terrible. The video is awkward and forced, the band has shed all the urgency and desperation that made them great and traded it in for the polished, top 40, gosh-I-wish-we-could-be-on-Glee commercialism that ruined bands like U2 and Coldplay.