Top 10 of 2010

Given that blogs have been scarce in these parts recently, I've decided to continue a theme, albeit a little different from the last time.

So, music of 2010.
Here are my top 10 songs from this year:

10. "Sing" by My Chemical Romance

Love or hate My Chemical Romance (and aside from not knowing who they are, love or hate do appear to be your only options) you can't deny they write catchy songs. I don't even really like "Sing" that much, My Chemical Romance seem to be another example of melodramatic posturing and bright colours triumphing over real musical talent. But it's still a decent song in what has been a year of music hardly filled with good stuff.

9. "Best Friend" by The Drums

On the surface The Drums appear to be everything I am against. Hipster-fueled indie pop, exactly the kind of people who would wear loafers with no socks. Dickheads. But I think this song is really good. I've listened to the rest of the album, and although I haven't given it a chance to grow on me, I doubt it ever will.

8. "Retiring Spies" by The Sleeping

Now, I've tried to include only "singles" in my list of songs but I don't think The Sleeping released a single from their excellent new album The Big Deep, so I've put down my favourite song from the album. Despite having a guitar lick that's hugely similar to 'A Place For My Head' by Linkin Park, I still think this song has an awful lot of merit on its own.

7. "Closer To The Edge" by 30 Seconds To Mars

I saw 30STM live a few backs. Good band, similar to the My Chemical Romance issue of melodramaticism. To me they suffer a little bit from the Foo-Fighters-problem, and by that I mean they write two or three fantastic songs per album, and then fill out the rest with fairly average tracks. Thankfully, Closer To The Edge is in the former category.

6. "Hallucinations" by Angels and Airwaves

Angels and Airwaves get a lot of stick, probably because they aren't as good as Blink 182, and also Tom DeLonge believes (and vocalises that) they are saviors of music. 'LOVE' is a good album no matter what people say about them, and Hallucinations is the probably the best track.

5. "Swim Until You Can't See Land" by Frightened Rabbit

I was introduced to Frightened Rabbit a little late, by Tom, who appears to know my musical taste better than I do. It's difficult to dislike this track, it's friendly and pleasantly musical like a Scottish Mumford & Sons with more talent. Infectiously catchy.

4. "It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now" by Four Year Strong

Four Year Strong had a few years of mediocrity releasing pop-punk with a rockier edge. New album 'Enemy of the World' is by far their best work and the extravagantly-titled lead single. With the alternative music scene filling up with by-the-numbers pop(-punk) like All Time Low, We The Kings and Boys Like Girls, Four Year Strong are a nice break to the mold.

3. "My Best Theory" by Jimmy Eat World

An example that you don't need to move with trends to be succesful, Jimmy Eat World have effectively played the same music forever. It still seems fresh and new, though, JEW have never stagnated. This is a great song with a raucous main riff and a classic chorus. I wish all bands had Jimmy Eat World's longevity.

2. "You Wouldn't Have To Ask" by Bad Books

Up until the second that I came to write this little text, I had numbers 1 and 2 the other way round. This is a great song, really really great and definitely has the best lyrics of any "single" this year. Bad Books are the supergroup composed of Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra, and this is an example of how utterly amazing they could be. Unfortunately their self-titled debut album feels like a split of either Kevin Devine songs or Manchester Orchestra songs + this masterpiece.




1. "Drugwolf" by Crime In Stereo

I don't think anyone I know agrees with me, but this defacto single from Crime In Stereo early year release 'I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone' is the best song of this year. Well, if you like alternative rock music and have a limited capacity for tolerating other people's opinions anyway. Crime In Stereo's album was impressively recorded using only guitars, bass, drums and vocals and yet with the example of Drugwolf, it has a much more musical and epic feel than anything they've done before. The chorus, which I have to admit I disliked upon first listen, soars if you give it a chance and the crescendo at the end is awesome.

Given that this video, the only one on YouTube of the recorded version, has had 3,147 views, it seems likely that my view isn't shared by very many people. So you must listen to it, and agree with me.