Albums of the year, 2010 late edition.
1. Baths - Cerulean
So this guy was twenty when this record was made, and he did it alone in his bedroom. Then released it on Anticon. On his last.fm profile picture a puppy is sitting on his chest. I find nothing disagreeable with any of this. In all seriousness it sounds like the logical pop endpoint of what Hood have been trying to make all these years.
2. Wild Nothing - Gemini
This album is fast becoming a default choice for that situation where you need something ‘not too noticeable or experimental but still fairly fun’. Which is just wonderful if you are a person who tends to find yourself in ‘fairly fun’ environments regularly.
3. Menomena - Mines
I have loved Menomena for many years, and this is simply a logical extension of their sound. Needless to say I am rather excited to see them in three weeks time. ‘Dirty Cartoons’ is one of the best tracks they have recorded.
4. Mount Righteous - Mount Righteous
Nine-piece-anti-orchestra-punk-marching-pop band. What more is there to say?
5. Xiu Xiu - Dear God, I Hate Myself
The other day on their blog Jamie Stewart posted his experiences about having a vasectomy, and a resultant scrotal weight of what felt like fifty pounds. It’s comforting to see Xiu Xiu slowly gain the appreciative audience that they deserve.
