Guest Best of 2010: Anti-Snob
Since it is impossible for anyone to listen to a year’s releases in their entirety, I thought I’d round out our Best of 2010 lists with a few provided by friends. My buddy Will runs a blog called Anti-Snob, and he was nice enough to offer it up for BIYL readers. Enjoy!
15. The Spires – Curved Space
Sweet & sour pop buried in reverb and dischordal euphoria. ‘Nuff said.
14. Klaxons – Surfing the Void
I’m not sure what gives these songs that special touch but I think it’s the 80s goth/Depeche Mode wall of voices with big choruses.
13. Film School – Fission
Dreampop like this may be outdated to some, but if the formula keeps on working then I will be listening to sweet, blissful, psychedelic rock like this for years to come.
12. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks
An album from a D.C.-based political punk band with strong pop sensibilities and classic rock tendencies may sound like an anomaly. But that’s exactly what makes The Brutalist Bricks a truer testament of Ted Leo’s enigmatic voice that speaks from the lean fences which protect the college rock community from the nihilistic punk militia.
11. Woven Bones – In And Out and Back Again
When the tempo is slowed down, Woven Bones can sound like Jesus & Mary Chain in the raw. When the tempo is back up and a few surf riffs are thrown in, Woven Bones perform in the spirit of The Cramps. A well mastered lo-fi garage record that works well within the oxymoron.
10. Spoon – Transference
The seventh album by Britt Daniel and company is a stripped down exhibition of no-frills Texas soul-rock. For a band that comes from a part of Americana known for it’s BBQ as much as it’s music, Spoon delivers like a piping hot plate of the finest grilled baby-backs basted with nothing finer than ketchup.
9. The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack
Another example on how good garage rock, when well produced, can be accepted by the American music press when referred to as ‘indie rock’. If you’ve become bored from lo-fi and emotionless garage rock over the last 10 or 15 years, The Soft Pack may be your last great white hope.
8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo
With a few soundtrack appearances under their belt (including last year’s New Moon from the Twilight Saga), B.R.M.C.’s only logical agenda now is to make quality music consistently to satisfy the indie diehards and secure their expected 500-1000 in each American city while comfortably touring once every 2-3 years. This record is an acceptable and promising initial step for the latter phase of B.R.M.C.’s journey.
7. Ty Segall – Melted
Hailing from San Francisco, Ty Segall is one of the few nomads of the American underground who are leading a new post-garage musical movement that is also psychedelic, lo-fi, and advant-garde.
6. Loving Thunder – Photographing the Wild
Bass driven psychedelic math-rock from this short lived, now defunct Seattle side project featuring members of Cobra High and Death Wish Kids.
5. The National – High Violet
The National matured since Boxer, even more so than Matt Berninger’s now-bearded face. It’s hard to believe that these guys don’t get more Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry comparisons. Dark, damp, yet amazing compositions.
4. MGMT – Congratulations
I don’t care if there are no pop hits on this album. ‘It’s Working’ reminded me of Syd Barrett while the album ending title track is both the ballad of the year and the best music video of the year (which happened to have been shot in Scottsdale).
3. Wavves – King Of The Beach
I am inventing a new sub-genre to describe Wavves: Acid-Surf.
2. Fitz and The Tantrums – Pickin’ Up The Pieces
Better than any other Motown-inspired retroactive.
1. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?
Often noted as the album Anton Newcombe has been wanting to make since the turn of the century, BJM delivers a record that is an intense, yet experimental interpretation of psychedelic/dance-rock fusion. Missing from this sporadic collection of songs are Dylan-esque folk numbers that Newcombe often gets stereotyped with. That omission alone makes Who Killed Sgt. Pepper possibly BJM’s most focused album in years.
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