Honorable Mentions : 25-21 : 20-16 : 10-6 : 5-1
Purchase Lisbon here.
The latest LP from these inebriated troubadours is brimming with simple tales of love lost and economical melodies that are deceptively charming. I have always felt that Walkmen songs were the ramblings and snapshots of a guilt ridden drunk. On Lisbon, lead singer Hamilton Leithauser's lyrics are empowered as rather than shameful and angry. He is still a drunk, but aware that this time around he was the one who was wronged. Now steely in righteousness, he spills out tongue in cheek rants and melancholy croons as his boys ably back him up with graceful stomps and stumbles. Look to single "Angela Surf City", the peppy "Woe Is Me" and the soaring "Victory" for the highest points and the boozy title track as a fitting epilogue. This new stately persona The Walkmen have embraced is a welcome change, making this year's effort even more surprising and special.
The Walkmen - Victory
Purchase Everything in Between here.
Read my original review here.
The power rock duo was ever so prolific over the past year with No Age making the most glorious noise of them all in full length form. The boys from L.A. have definitely cleaned up their act from their fuzz box standout Nouns. To be honest, there are times when that noise is sorely missed. As parents do with children, we should treat album's all as individuals and love them for what they are. In this case Everything In Between is a great album in a totally different and accessible way. It is overflowing with positivity and shows new facets and influences. I still nominate the first four tracks from "Life Prowler" to "Depletion" for the 2010's most rocking album kick off.
No Age - Glitter
Purchase Sleep Forever here.
I feel this album wins the award for underappreciation this year, as Sleep Forever has flown way under the radar based on how good it was. Another duo from California (who actually counts No Age as huge supporters), Crocodiles takes a slicker production to its 60's psych-throwback sound and the result is a humming dissonance that straddles shoegaze and retro with efficiency and style. Being blessed with the full album for listening at your leisure, direct your mouse to the furious opener "Mirrors", the druggy downer "Girl In Black", the slinky, scuzzy "Billy Speed" and the Beach Boys sourcing by way of Jesus and Mary Chain "Hearts Of Love". I know what you are thinking and I am not sure how this slipped past you as well.
Crocodiles - Sleep Forever (full album)
Purchase Root for Ruin here.
Read my original review here.
These indie punk stalwarts have carved out quite the legacy for themselves, but have never sounded so unencumbered. For the past 13 years or so, Les Savy Fav has been equal parts art rocker and punk rocker while letting it all hang out for their storied live shows. However, Root For Ruin cuts out the middleman and brings all of the reckless abandon right into the studio and rolls it out without much consideration for that artsy fartsy stuff. Not to say that this album lacks in smarts or savvy. Root For Ruin chooses to attack head on by showcasing snickering barnburners like "Appetites", "Dirty Knails", "High and Unhinged" and "Calm Down". The point is duly noted guys, you unequivocally rock.
Les Savy Fav - High and Unhinged
Purchase This Is Happening here.
Read my original review here.
James Murphy has carved out quite the role for himself. To paraphrase something I wrote earlier, he has become an accidental spokesperson for my generation by impersonating the collective conscious of the aging hipster. On This Is Happening, he is setting his sights on the best things in life while showcasing his music tastes through crafty homages of the heroes from his record collection.The results are epic songs that are much more about the journey than the destination that traverse through the history of cool music. Personally, the best tracks on This Is Happening such as "Dance Yrself Clean", "You Wanted A Hit" and "Home" are the ones where LCD Soundsystem doesn't sound like anything less than themselves. Early in the game, Murphy said that he would stop focusing on full lengths after three albums, with this being his last. Throughout the year, he may have softened his position a bit. I say take yr time.
LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted a Hit
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