Counting Down The Minutes - Thom's Top 5

2010 has been considered a shitty year by almost everyone I've come in contact with. As far as music is considered, it also wasn't too spectacular in my eyes. It wasn't bad, per se, just not the flurry of options and groundbreaking albums that 2009 was. There were a lot of really assured albums, some great EPs, and some very listenable stuff that just didn't resonate with being on a Top of the Year list. These 5 albums though, were listenable over and over again for me. A lot of Top Lists so far have been so nauseatingly packed with Best Coast, Gemini, Ariel Pink, Robyn and Arcade Fire (they're indie darlings, I get it, but I don't get it) that I couldn't bear to put these unneededly hyped albums onto my list. For the sake of brevity, here are my Top 5 of the year, which I hope you'll give a listen, if you haven't already.



Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
The legend himself, poet, revolutionary, and, as he's not nearly recognized enough, wonderful musician. I'm New Here is a short album - a few songs, spoken words, and a history lesson, but it's a wonderful listen that's everything I thought it would be.



No Age - Everything In Between
I love No Age, have since I first had my eardrums vibrated by them back when I saw them close out FYF in 2008. I was hooked on Nouns, but I was blown away by this year's record. Their track Shred and Transcend is more than just an awesome title, it's a mantra for the whole album. As self-pious and eye-roll-worthy as a two-piece formed by LA vegans sounds, their sound is so in the moment it's global; and damn enjoyable.



Harlem - Hippies
I almost forgot this was released in 2010, because I've been listening to it so steadily it felt like I've had it forever. It's just what Harlem has always been - punky, completely unserious, fun, catchy and more replayable than Mario Kart.



Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
This is a close contender for first place, with it's melding of the Civil War as a metaphor for small-town boredom and bad breakups. I'm afraid if I keep reviewing I'll spill my guts out for too long, so I'll just say this - listen to it, and rally around the flag, fellow fighters.



Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
For all his bravado, asshole antics, and auto-tuning to the millionth power, Kanye has never failed be an innovator. This album is not hip-hop in the strictest sense, it's an experiment in genre-bending ear sex. This album is touted as one of the best of the year for good reason - it's fantastic. It's not the perfect 10 Pitchfork jizzed all over, but it's his best album to date. West's boasting and self-patting on the back has come to splendid fruition - basically, the Ego has landed.

Honorable Mentions: The Strange Boys - Be Brave, Warpaint - The Fool, Moonhearts - Moonhearts, The Growlers - Hot Tropics, Small Black - New Chain, Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Happy New Year Everyone,
Thom