Musically speaking, 2010 had a tremendously strong start with releases by Yeasayer, Spoon, Beach House, Hot Chip, and Gorillaz (click here to read more about those). I’m happy to report that great music is on a roll, and that excellent new recordings continued to come out right through the summer and leading up to the fall. Here are five of those albums:
- For a band with worldwide fame to change its success formula and still come up with an amazing record is a truly impressive feat. Montréal’s own, The Arcade Fire, have done exactly that; they stepped away from their brand of folk-rock and experimented with raw rock elements, epic compositions, and hints of synthesized sounds. The seemingly autobiographical album is full of tension, questions and answers, pain and pleasure; it’s the soundtrack of your life. Check out the title track, “the Suburbs,” “Modern Man,” and “Sprawl II.”
- If the term ‘dream pop’ isn’t registered in your vocabulary, listen to Blonde Redhead’s new album, Penny Sparkle, and things will start to make sense. This is the band’s eighth studio recording and quite possibly their best. If you’re like me and have always been a fan, you will love this album. And if you weren’t a fan, this will surely change your mind about them. The murky melodies and soft sounds, laced wistfully with Makino’s vocals will melt your heart and soothe your soul. The best songs on this album are “Here Sometimes,” “My Plants are Dead,” and “Oslo.”
- The next item is one that I mentioned in my ‘looking forward to’ list last time, and boy, did it deliver! MGMT’s upbeat and experimental new album, Congratulations, is in a genre all its own, one I can only describe it as psychedelic surf pop. This is a step away from the band’s electro-infused-pop-anthem days, but it ranks just as highly in my books. The highlights are “Song for Dan Treacy,” “Brian Eno,” and the title track “Congratulations.”
- We’ve all heard the influence of 1980s pop on the last ten years of dance music; and while some do it better than others, the novelty has been wearing off for some time. What Thieves Like Us did differently is reference the soft and romantic side of post-punk/synthpop. Again and Again, the band’s latest, is a collection of love songs fit for a bedroom dance party. “Never Known Love,” “One Night With You,” and “Forget Me Not” are my picks from this album.
- This next album came out in the spring, so I’m sure you’ve heard it, but if you haven’t, it’s a must hear. Broken Bells has to be one of the greatest collaborations in pop music; the band is made up of singer/songwriter James Mercer of the Shins, and one of the best and hardest working producers in the industry, Brian Burton (also known as Danger Mouse). The self-titled album is short (approx. 35 minutes), but it offers a unique blend of sorrowful lyrics, simple guitar melodies, punchy drumbeats, and sweeping synth arrangements. My favourites from this dynamic duo’s release are “the High Road,” “Your Head is on Fire,” and “the Mall & Misery.”
Honourable mentions for summer releases go to Scissor Sisters’ Night Work, LCD Soundsystem’s This Is Happening, and Beach Fossils’ self-titled debut album. I’m still very excited about the new Justice, and the rumored release of a new Radiohead. What I am looking forward to most, however, is the Gorillaz Plastic Beach live show at Rogers Arena in Vancouver (November 3rd, 2010). See you next time.
