It's now December. Time for the Best of Lists. I always love to compile my own and read others.

Still working on mine. I have most of it settled (I think) but the bottom have is still somewhat fluid. Once I figure it out I'll share.

In no order:

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Black Keys - Brothers
Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
Surfer Blood - Astrocoast
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
Delta Spirit - History from Below
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Violent Soho - Violent Soho
Jeremy Jay - Splash
The National - High Violet
The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Spoon - Transference

I found myself liking these EPs 10x better than the majority of full-length albums:

Chappo - Plastique Universe EP
Fez - Hot Light EP
French Films - Golden Sea EP
Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP
The Postelles - White Night EP

Here we go.


1.

USX - Run Thick In The Night

2.

Quest For Fire - Lights From Paradise

3.

Yawning Man - Nomadic Pursuits

4.

Ufomammut - Eve

5.

Zoroaster - Matador

6.

Man's Gin - Smiling Dogs

7.

Lesbian - Stratospheria Cubensis

8.

The Orb wit David Gilmour - Metallic Spheres

9.

All Time High - Friends In High Places

10.

Humo Del Cairo - Self Titled

Definitely Transference and The Suburbs. I will also throw in White Crosses to cement myself as a sycophantic apologist for Against Me. Also dug most of American Slang by The Gaslight Anthem, The Monitor by Titus Andronicus, MGMT's Congratulations, and Le Noise by Neil Young (I have a soft spot for Rust Never Sleeps styled Neil).

I enjoy doing this as well. My list is gonna be a little more diverse than usual, since I've gotten heavier into other genres this year.

10. SoulChef - Remember When


It's not often that I enjoy a producer showcase album, but this was awesome. A pleasant surprise.



9. The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme


This one took a while to grow on me. But I love it now. So many good tracks. They released an EP of Never Follow Suit with a couple of dope B-sides too.



8. Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa, No Filla


Gangsta Gibbs released an album with most of these tracks on it, but this mixtape came out first and had more songs, so I wound up listening to it more. One of the few "ghetto" rappers left.



7. R.J. & Technique - Crash Sanaa


Every year, a hip hop album comes out of nowhere that blows me away (last year was Tab-One - Tabloids... check it out NOW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lxuk5BDyRo). I've never heard of these guys before, but this album is amazing. Sounds like mid 90's hip hop.



6. The Drums - The Drums


If someone told me at the beginning of the year that one of my favorite albums would be from a surf-rock group, I never would have believed it. But I kept coming back to this one. So many catchy tunes.



5. The Roots - How I Got Over


It's been a while sing I really liked an album by The Roots. But this one was well worth the wait. Fantastic hip hop all around.



4. Beach House - Teen Dream


This seems to be at the top of everyone's list this year and I have to agree. It took a while for me to really get into it, but it's amazing.



3. J. Cole - Friday Night Lights


This is actually a mixtape. But, like Drake last year, when you release a mixtape better than most people's albums, I'll let it slide. This is great from beginning to end.



2. Curren$y - Pilot Talk 2


I never thought that a rapper who has, basically, one subject to talk about could be this good. His voice, flow, delivery, beat selection are all top notch. If only he'd talk about more than weed, he'd easily be my favorite MC. Even so, he's probably in my top 5 favorites right now.



1. Vampire Weekend - Contra


A lot of people seem to be "off" Vampire Weekend. I guess that's what happens to an indie band that immediately skyrockets to fame and isn't "underground" anymore. But I loved this album. I think I liked it even more than their first album, actually. Diplomat's Son is definitely in my top 5 songs of the year.

These lists tend to change based on my mood, but here's my top ten right now:

1. The Flatliners - Cavalcade
2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
3. The New Pornographers - Together
4. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
5. Fake Problems - Real Ghosts Caught on Tape
6. The Slackers - The Great Rocksteady Swindle
7. Vampire Weekend - Contra
8. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
9. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
10.Against Me! - White Crosses

I haven't heard The Roots in years. I like that posted song.

1) arcade fire "the suburbs"
2) vampire weekend "contra"
3) MGMT "congratulations"
4) the black keys "brothers"
5) lcd sound system "this is happening"
6) beach house "teen dream"
7) dead weather "sea of cowards"
sufjan stevens "age of adz"
9) belle and sebastian "write about love"
10) The National "High Violet"
11) Evelyn Evelyn

Mumford and Sons - glad to see them have a larger audience...awesome. Joanna Newsome - not likely to get airtime but she bestills my heart.

Justin Bieb...hahhahahaha, just kidding...

Not a country fan, but Need You Now by Lady Antebellum, and Darius Rucker's solo effort were easy to listen to.

Vampire Weekend is an interesting band, for sure...Beach House as well.

Emma McKenna is a voice emerging from Canada.

The Decembrists new stuff looks very promising...

i'm a big decemberists fan. "Down by the water" is a cool song and the album sounds like it will be a more straight forward type album from them unlike the previous conceptual album.

I'm also really looking forward to the new Bright Eyes album in February

those are 2 great starts to 2011 for me

Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
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everything else

I asked my 11 year-old son this morning what the song reminded him of, and he thought and said, "The River". Exactly what I was thinking. Eerie in their shared essence, but "Down by the Water" is not simply a rip off--it stands well on its own.