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The Five Best Albums of 2010 So Far

June is seeing Eyewear celebrate good things that come in 5s.  So - the best indie/ pop / dance albums of 2010? It's been a very impressive year.  Notable new albums from many have appeared, including many of the critics darlings, like: Yeasayer, Vampire Weekend, The National, The Black Keys, The Drums, The Dead Weather, The Avett Brothers, Teenage Fanclub, Stornoway, Plan B, Paul Weller, MGMT, Massive Attack, Laura Marling, Kos, Kelis, Keane, Kate Nash, Hot Chip, Hole, Gorillaz, Goldfrapp, Gil Scott-Heron, Foals, Four Tet, Delphic, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Broken Social Scene, Broken Bells, Black Francis, Beach House and Band of Horses - to name 33.  My pick will of course be personal - and can only be guided by the albums I have returned to, again and again.

I think the best, so far, are, in no order:

Paul Weller, Wake Up The Nation;
Broken Bells, eponymous;
Beach House, Teen Dream;
The Soft Pack; eponymous;
Massive Attack, Heligoland


My top ten would likely include Charlotte Gainsbourg, Hot Chip, Foals, The National, and Kate Nash, too. - and may do so end of year - but there is far more to come, including the new Scissors Sisters - and Bionic may grow on me.

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I have enjoyed particular tracks from other artists, often as guilty pleasures, especially 'I Am Not a Robot' by Marina and the Diamonds, Ke$ha's 'TiK ToK' and Gabriella Cilmi's 'Hearts Don't Lie'.

I have been slightly underwhelmed by Delphic, Midlake, Gorillaz, and Vampire Weekend - though they were well received, generally.  I need to give Laura Marling more time.
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Comments

puthwuth said…
The best album of 2010 is, of course, Joanna Newsom's Have One on Me.
Thu Jun 10, 07:57:00 pm 2010
EYEWEAR said…
David, yes, that's a good suggestion. I left Newsom off because the album grated on me after awhile, but it is very good, indeed. I selected Newsom's album of a few years back as the best of that year.
Thu Jun 10, 08:13:00 pm 2010
Alex Ramon said…
Have you heard David Byrne/Fatboy Slim's Here Lies Love? It's a grower. I'd also love to hear your take on Natalie Merchant's Leave Your Sleep. I reviewed it here:
http://boycottingtrends.blogspot.com/2010/03/leave-your-sleep-review-wears-trousers.html
Fri Jun 11, 10:33:00 am 2010
Adam Horovitz said…
And have you heard Hadestown by Anais Mitchell? It's been described as a folk opera, but don't let that put you off. It's a stunning retelling of the Orpheus myth, with Bon Iver, Annie DiFranco and more. My album of the year so far.
Fri Jun 11, 04:12:00 pm 2010
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