Albums of the Year
10. Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends
Takes the Black Moth Super Rainbow formula to the next level. I challenge you to listen to this without bobbing your head and tapping your feet.
Best Song:
Hairy Candy
9. We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery
Never understood why this album was seemingly hated compared to With Love and Squalor or at least thrown into the stereotypical bad mainstream sophomore album ideology. This album is full of many great tracks, especially the Daft Punk-sampledChick Lit and the new-wave influenced Lethal Enforcer.
Best Song:Chick Lit
8. Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
It took me many listens to "get" this band...to understand just how freaking cool this music was. What did it for me was seeing the video forFocker, linked here. Definitely "Coolest" Band of the Year.
Best Song:Focker
7. These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
The number of surreality. This band makes me want to move to the UK.
Best Song: Infinity ytinifnI
6. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Cut Copy, I thank you for getting me into Australian dance music and reopening my eyes to electronic music again. I'll admit I like Bright Like Neon Love more, but this album is quite fantastic beginning to end. Australia wouldn't be bad to move to either.
Best Song:Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
5. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Thanks must go to Decoymusic.com for getting me into Friendly Fires. A near perfect album which combines many of the best parts of some other bands that I only sort of like (The Rapture, Bloc Party, etc).
Best Song: Jump In The Pool
4. Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem
Definitely one of my most anticipated albums coming into this year, and I wasn't the slightest disappointed. In a genre that is quickly getting oversaturated with cheesy and just plain bad electro-rock bands, tight songs, great beats, and a top live performance places Innerpartysystem as one of the best right now.
Best Song: Last Night in Brooklyn
3. Foals - Antidotes
Not much needed to say except that you're doing yourself a great disservice if you have not allowed yourself to listen to this album. Just love their sound.
Best Song: Heavy Water
2. The Presets - Apocalypso
This cd was given to me at a Cut Copy show early this year and at first several listens, I absolutely hated Julian's singing. It was the only thing I could focus on and even had to force myself to give the album a couple more listens. But damn, how this album has grown on me.
Best Song:Talk Like That
1. Fear Before - Fear Before
Here's your warning...If you like anything else in my list, I wouldn't recommend this album, or if you like this album, you may not like anything else on my list. Simply put, this album is quite unlike any of my other favorites from this year.
It's hard for me to say that this album was Fear Before's (the March of Flames) best because I like each album for different reasons. This album is reminiscent of Radiohead's post-Kid A release, Amnesiac. Following their primarily electronic-based album The Always Open Mouth, the self-titled combines what made their previous releases great and unique into one album.
Best Songs (can't pick one): Tycho, Jabberwocky
Honorable Mentions(in no order):
The Sound of Animals Fighting - The Ocean And The Sun
The Whip - x Marks Destination
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Sébastien Tellier - Sexuality
Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Songs of the Year
10. The Black Ghosts -Some Way Through This
9. We Are Scientists -Chick Lit
8. Empire of the Sun -Walking On A Dream
7. The Bloody Beetroots - Mac Mac
6. Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool
5. Minitel Rose -Magic Powder
4. Crystal Castles -Untrust Us
3. Fear Before - Tycho
2. Ladyhawke -My Delirium
1. Late of the Pier -Focker
Live Shows of the Year
12. Soulwax - Virgin Fest
11. Rabbit in the Moon - Virgin Fest
10. Crystal Castles - Popped! Fest
9. Dan Deacon - Popped! Fest
8. Spank Rock - Lollapalooza
7. Radiohead - Susquehanna Bank Center
6. Pendulum - Ottobar
5. Girl Talk - Lollapalooza
4. Underworld - Virgin Fest
3. Innerpartysystem - Fletcher's
2. Radiohead - Lollapalooza
1. The Presets & Cut Copy - 9:30 Club
10. Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends
Takes the Black Moth Super Rainbow formula to the next level. I challenge you to listen to this without bobbing your head and tapping your feet.
Best Song:
Hairy Candy9. We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery
Never understood why this album was seemingly hated compared to With Love and Squalor or at least thrown into the stereotypical bad mainstream sophomore album ideology. This album is full of many great tracks, especially the Daft Punk-sampled
Chick Lit and the new-wave influenced Lethal Enforcer. Best Song:
Chick Lit8. Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
It took me many listens to "get" this band...to understand just how freaking cool this music was. What did it for me was seeing the video for
Focker, linked here. Definitely "Coolest" Band of the Year.Best Song:
Focker7. These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
The number of surreality. This band makes me want to move to the UK.
Best Song: Infinity ytinifnI
6. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Cut Copy, I thank you for getting me into Australian dance music and reopening my eyes to electronic music again. I'll admit I like Bright Like Neon Love more, but this album is quite fantastic beginning to end. Australia wouldn't be bad to move to either.
Best Song:
Nobody Lost, Nobody Found5. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Thanks must go to Decoymusic.com for getting me into Friendly Fires. A near perfect album which combines many of the best parts of some other bands that I only sort of like (The Rapture, Bloc Party, etc).
Best Song: Jump In The Pool
4. Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem
Definitely one of my most anticipated albums coming into this year, and I wasn't the slightest disappointed. In a genre that is quickly getting oversaturated with cheesy and just plain bad electro-rock bands, tight songs, great beats, and a top live performance places Innerpartysystem as one of the best right now.
Best Song: Last Night in Brooklyn
3. Foals - Antidotes
Not much needed to say except that you're doing yourself a great disservice if you have not allowed yourself to listen to this album. Just love their sound.
Best Song: Heavy Water
2. The Presets - Apocalypso
This cd was given to me at a Cut Copy show early this year and at first several listens, I absolutely hated Julian's singing. It was the only thing I could focus on and even had to force myself to give the album a couple more listens. But damn, how this album has grown on me.
Best Song:
Talk Like That1. Fear Before - Fear Before
Here's your warning...If you like anything else in my list, I wouldn't recommend this album, or if you like this album, you may not like anything else on my list. Simply put, this album is quite unlike any of my other favorites from this year.
It's hard for me to say that this album was Fear Before's (the March of Flames) best because I like each album for different reasons. This album is reminiscent of Radiohead's post-Kid A release, Amnesiac. Following their primarily electronic-based album The Always Open Mouth, the self-titled combines what made their previous releases great and unique into one album.
Best Songs (can't pick one): Tycho, Jabberwocky
Honorable Mentions(in no order):
The Sound of Animals Fighting - The Ocean And The Sun
The Whip - x Marks Destination
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Sébastien Tellier - Sexuality
Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Songs of the Year
10. The Black Ghosts -
Some Way Through This9. We Are Scientists -
Chick Lit8. Empire of the Sun -
Walking On A Dream7. The Bloody Beetroots - Mac Mac
6. Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool
5. Minitel Rose -
Magic Powder4. Crystal Castles -
Untrust Us3. Fear Before - Tycho
2. Ladyhawke -
My Delirium1. Late of the Pier -
FockerLive Shows of the Year
12. Soulwax - Virgin Fest
11. Rabbit in the Moon - Virgin Fest
10. Crystal Castles - Popped! Fest
9. Dan Deacon - Popped! Fest
8. Spank Rock - Lollapalooza
7. Radiohead - Susquehanna Bank Center
6. Pendulum - Ottobar
5. Girl Talk - Lollapalooza
4. Underworld - Virgin Fest
3. Innerpartysystem - Fletcher's
2. Radiohead - Lollapalooza
1. The Presets & Cut Copy - 9:30 Club
