Best of 2018

Favorite Albums of 2018:
01. Tune-Yards - I can feel you creep into my private life 
02. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs
03. Tancred - Nightstand
04. Ought - Room Inside The World
05. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
06. Flasher - Constant Image
07. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
08. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
09. Spirit of the Beehive - Hypnic Jerks
10. Young Guv - 2 Sad 2 Funk

Off the top of my head this is the first time I can remember my favorite album coming out in January. I listened to Icfycimpl a lot last winter and thought it was really interesting, despite previously being allergic to Tune-Yards. The more I listened to it, the longer the streak of great songs grew. I got back to hitting this album hard around September, and the streak is still growing to the point that almost every song on the album is an A. It's not apparent at first, but to me there are a few surprising melodic similarities to Beauty Pill. On the surface, it's a sample-heavy electronic pop album, but there are elements of a specific style of clean, discordant indie rock that I love. By the middle of this year I thought that there were not going to be any 2018 albums that I loved, but I'm happy to say I was wrong.

Favorite Songs of 2018:
01. Tancred - "Apple Tree Girl"
02. Ought - "Desire"
03. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Hunnybee"
04. MGMT - "When You Die"
05. Drake - "In My Feelings"
06. The 1975 - "I Couldn't Be More In Love"
07. Field Music - "Count It Up"
08. Calvin Harris/Dua Lipa - "One Kiss"
09. Flasher - "Business Unusual"
10. Sitcom - "Still Life"



Favorite older/non-2018 albums:
PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
King Krule - The Ooz
Soul Coughing - Ruby Vroom
Leonard Cohen - New Skin For The Old Ceremony
Blur - 13
Ben Kweller - Sha Sha
Frank Ocean - Blonde
(*I just checked and two of these were on last year's post...apparently it's getting harder to tell the years apart)

2018 Albums I liked:
St. Vincent - MassEducation
Field Music - Open Here
Joyce Manor - A Million Dollars To Kill Me
Sitcom - Be The One You Love
Hurry - Every Little Thought
Wild Nothing - Indigo
Open Mike Eagle - What Happens When I Try to Relax
Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
Bonny Doon - Longwave
MGMT - Little Dark Age
The 1975 - ABIIOR
 
Albums by artists I like that I didn't really listen to more than once or twice:
Drake - Scorpion
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Sparkle Hard
Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams
Kurt Vile - Bottle It In
Stove - Stove's Favorite Friend
Ovlov - Tru
Tony Molina - Kill The Lights
Speedy Ortiz - Twerp Verse

Three best events of 2018:
1. All In @ The Sears Centre, Chicago 09/01/18
2. My Bloody Valentine @ The Rivera, Chicago 07/27/18
3. King Krule/Standing On The Corner @ St. Andrew's Hall 04.28.18

Other stuff:
Health - quit pop this summer; ran a ton, including 13 miles one Saturday in October which still shocks me
Work - super challenging; got better at my job, learned a lot, but it was a difficult year
Fam - Grease, XBox, Minecraft, The Good Place
Fun - played music for Something Rad/improv, put out an album and did a music video, 2 Rapid Eye Movement shows, curling, Cranbrook, Radiohead @ LCA, Renaissance Festival, Niagara Falls, Legoland

Solid year of existence, somewhat derivative. 6.8.

Best of 2017

Liked/Listen to:
Sean Nicholas Savage - Yummycoma
Satoshi & Makoto - CZ-5000 Sounds & Sequences
Omni - Multi-Task
Major Murphy - On & Off Again
Toro y Moi - Boo Boo
Charly Bliss - Guppy
The Courtneys - The Courtneys II
The Feelies - In Between
Twin Peaks: Music From The Limited Event Series
Brandon Can't Dance - Graveyard of Good Times
Hoops - Routines
TOPS - Sugar At The Gate
Syd - Fin
Ryan Adams - Prisoner
MUNA - About U
Tim Darcy - Saturday Night
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN
Lorde - Melodrama
Girlpool - Powerplant

Like/Didn't listen to:
St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION
The Clientele - Music For The Age of Miracle
Bully - Losing
A. Savage - Thawing Dawn
Cornelius - Mellow Waves

Discoveries/Older Favorites:
Digible Planets - Blowout Comb
Blur - 13
PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
ODB - Return To The 36 Chambers
X - More Fun In The New World
Yoko Ono - Approximately Infinite Universe

Other: Twin Peaks, S-Town, Paddleboarding

Favorite Songs:  
10. The Courtneys - "Minnesota"
9. Beach Fossils - "Social Jetlag"
8. Jen Cloher - "Regional Echo"
7. Jens Lekman - "To Know Your Mission"/"Wedding In Finistere"
6. Lorde - "Green Light"
5. Protomartyr - "A Private Understanding"
4. Exit Someone - "Fade To Black"
3. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - "Over Everything"
2. The XX - "On Hold"
1. Drake - "Passionfruit"

Favorite Albums:
20. Wazonek - Whichever Way The Winds Are Blowing
19. Jen Cloher - Jen Cloher
18. Jesus & Mary Chain - Damage & Joy
17. Haim - Something To Tell You
16. Bonny Doon - Bonny Doon
15. Exit Someone - Dry Your Eyes EP
14. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
13. Copneconic - Generation Parasite
12. Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent
11. King Krule - The Ooz
10. Priests - Nothing Feels Natural
09. Stef Chura - Messes
08. Aimee Mann - Mental Illness
07. Yumi Zouma - (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
06. The Bats - The Deep Set
05. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
04. Jens Lekman - Life Will See You Now

03. Beach Fossils - Somersault
02. Dream Version - Fight Fair
01. Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

Best of 2016

Some of my favorite bands including Dinosaur Jr., Teenage Fanclub, Bob Mould, Field Music, Junior Boys put out albums this year. I didn't listen to any of their albums more than once. I didn't dislike any of them, I just wasn't really interested in spending time with them. My favorite older albums were Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest, Avalon by Roxy Music, and Kick by INXS.

Favorite releases of 2016

20. Lloyd Braun - New Age Hooey
19. Preoccupations - S/T
18. Hurry - Guided Meditation
17. Congress - Ugly Eye
16. Angel Olsen - My Woman
15. Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms - Basement Punk
14. Drake - Views
13. Zoos of Berlin - Instant Evening
12. Greys - Outer Heaven / Warm Shadow
11. Solange - A Seat At The Table
10. Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression
9. Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
8. Parquet Courts - Human Performance
7. Kendrick Lamar - Untitled Unmastered
6. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
5. Stove - Is A Toad In The Rain / Is The Meat That Fell Out
4. Joyce Manor - Cody
3. Pup - The Dream Is Over
2. David Bowie - Blackstar
1. Tancred - Out of the Garden

 

Best of 2015

20. Young Guv - Ripe 4 Luv
19. Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You
18. G.L.O.S.S. - Demo
17. Stove - Is Stupider 
16. Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Goin Down

15. Twerps - Range Anxiety
14. The Sidekicks - Runners In The Nerved World
13. Destroyer - Poison Season
12. Bully - Feels Like
11. Mountain Club - Time Waits For No One
10. Juliana Hatfield Three - Whatever, My Love
9. Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again
8. Dream Version - Beginners
7. Grimes - Art Angels
6. Ought - Sun Coming Down
5. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
4. Beauty Pill - Describes Things As They Are
3. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit
2. Ryan Adams - 1989/Blue Light/Burn In The Night/I Do Not Feel Like Being Good/Willow Lane
1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

I moved Father John Misty higher up the list than the original one that was posted on SYGrecs. I've been embarrassed about liking him for so long that I wanted to pretend I didn't like the album as much as I do. But I do. It's great.
I also wanted to add these, but I didn't get into them until mid-December:
Tame Impala - Currents
Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion
Braidedveins - BVLP

Major Head Injury came out this year. I thought it was pretty good.

Best of 2002 (from LJ)

this is not a very fair list to make because i can't say that i've given enough albums a thorough listen (there are way too many), but here is my top ten favorite albums of 2002.

in order (for now).

1.) jurassic 5: power in numbers. this album is terribly amazing. the songs are catchy, but not too poppy, the lyrics are smart and sometimes funny. i never thought i could like a hip hop album as much as i like this.

2.) nada surf: let go. this could have very well been number one, for it is also an incredible album. i believe it was only released in england, but not the u.s. it should come out sometime this year which means i get to use it again on the 2003 list! yeah!

3.) coldplay: a rush of blood to the head. i was kind of caught off guard by this album because it is nothing like parachutes which is also one of my favorite albums. this album is so much more complex and beautiful than the first but it took me a while to figure that out.

4.) piebald: we are the only friends that we have. for the longest time i swore this would be number 1 but, it just wasn't. it is still an excellent pop album.

5.) the flaming lips: yoshimi battles the pink robots. who can deny a concept album about robots trying to take over the world? i am such a fool for missing their tour with beck. i knew little to nothing of them until the end of this year when i fell head over heels for them. the soft bulletin is also a complete gem.

6.) koufax: social life. there was no way i was going to like this album, (i grew to hate the first) and then i loved it (i grew to like the first). it's just so well written, i couldn't not like it.

7.) sigur ros: (). this is so f'ing pretty, i just wanna bash its head in and gouge its eyes out.

8.) kylie minogue: fever. yeah. that's right. i'm not apologizing either. there's something about her music that's very european and all her dancers do these strange german looking moves that seem to fit the music perfectly, it's just really cool dance music.

9.) sleater-kinney: one beat. this was the first thing i heard from this band and i will definitely be checking out their other stuff. apparently, there was a guy who went to all of their concerts and masturbated to them, then he got arrested.

10.) motion city soundtrack: i am the movie. i saw these guys in 2001 at flintfest and they were not good. then i saw them at the magic stick and they were good. very good, even. the melodies are incredible on this album.

Best of 2003 (from LJ)

welp, this definitely isn't researched very well, it's mostly off the top of my head, so if i'm forgetting something, it's for that very reason.

13. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
12. Rainer Maria - Long Knives Drawn
11. The Neptunes - Clones
10. The Postal Service - Give Up
9. Nanang Tatang - Muki
8. The Thrills - So Much For the City
7. Jay Z - The Black Album
6. Anathallo - Holiday at the Sea EP
5. The Rapture - Echoes
4. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
3. Junior Senior - d-d-d-don't stop the beat
2. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
1. Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Fave 3 songs of the year:
3. Beyonce - Crazy In Love
2. Q and Not U - Book of Flags
1. Mates of State - HaHa

Best of 2005 (from LJ)

Because I happen to like music and thought 2005 to be an excellent year of music, I comprised a list of my favorite albums. It seemed as if on the whole there were a lot of really well crafted albums, and I couldn't tell if I had lowered my standards or if everyone was aiming to make a landmark record. This list is based on my personal favorites, but was influenced by the "greatness" and "bestness" factors.

20. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us (Gooom)
I bought this album in philly on perhaps the best weekend of the year, after playing a huge show. I was sick and listened to it driving home with kent and mar and sometimes when I hear it, I feel sick, but not because the album's sickening! Sometimes melodramatic, but really nice tones and atmosphere.


19. Supersystem - Always Never Again (Touch and Go)
After seeing them at the best show of 2004 as El Guapo, I was interested, but heard the El Guapo albums were a bust. This came out, and owned. Nothing new really, somewhere in between Q and Not U and !!!, but it's fun.


18. Coldplay - X & Y (Capitol)
Not a hip choice, Trav. Have you grown into a high school girl? Everytime I see them or read about them, I really dislike Chris Martin more and more. If that were not the case, this would probably be higher because it's a really solid album. Sounds like it was recorded in 2015, awesome synth / organ combos, funkier drumming than last 2 albums. 'Future Music' for malls.


17. Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die (Bar None)
I thought this was an uncreative creative album. Uncreative: steals premise of polyphonic spree, who steal from the flaming lips. Creative: Songs. Really happy, I guess annoying if you're not happy. Hippies, beards, excess instrumentation. Sounds like I don't like this. I do though.


16. The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever (Too Young To Die)
Cool! I really liked the theme of "Be Gentle With Me" which is about the fragility of life, but with a disco beat! I ended up putting it on almost every mix I made this year. Folky, 70's AM Gold harmonies.


15. Deerhoof - The Runners Four (Kill Rock Stars)
First Deerhoof album I've heard. People that like Deerhoof LOVE Deerhoof and swear they're the almighty band of bands. I don't really get that, but they are unique and creative and kinda charming. The selling point is the guitar solo in "You Can See."


14. Brendan Benson - The Alternative To Love (V2/Startime International)
This reminds me a lot of Novi because, I believe, this was the last album I bought living there and ended up listening to it a lot while knowing I would be getting out soon. So there's a lot of hopeful excitement that I attached to this. I like where Dude's head is at, but this is also the second album that features a song for a car commercial...and the other isn't even coldplay! Gah...i'm not doing so hot here...


13. Alec Jensen - Oh! Brother (King of Hearts)
The Great White Hope of Michigan Indie (Segernomics being the Diaper Dandy/Freshman Phenom of 05 for Michigan Indie). This is really awesome and authentic. Very appropriate production and great songwriting. It's exciting to me that there is a guy just around the corner, full of creativity that's just getting started.


12. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
This was not "You Forgot It In People" and it was not supposed to be...or was it? I don't expect them to make the same album, but maybe at least to keep up. Production was a bit too slick, songs were a bit too catchy, it's just a bit "too," you know? The restraint and emptier points of YFIIP were what made it great. This album is balls to the wall from start to finish, and to that I say, "Hey. Guys. Take your balls off the wall sometimes."


11. Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge)
I swear when I bought this I thought "D+, maybe C at best" and considered trading it in. Foolish! What a cool rock album! Swagger rock! Britt Daniel seems to be a bit pretentious, but maybe I misread him. Good luck on Veronica Mars, dude!


10. Kanye West - Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
I don't like Kanye West. If I knew how to change the font to a smaller size, this would be the album I would do it for. Maybe more embarassing than Coldplay. Now, initially this may seem hypocritical because I have decided in recent past that I don't think I could integrate rap albums with indie rock albums because it's kinda like comparing apples and oranges. But I don't see this as a rap album or even a hip hop album. True, there is "rapping" on the album, but musically it's a jazz/pop album. If this said Jon Brion "Late Registration" it would probably be bumped up 5 spots.


9. Of Montreal - The Sundlandic Twins (Polyvinyl)
In the summer this was my favorite to be number 1, but pop don't last, bro. Still a really neat one man show. Bright, funky, jazzy, poppy, happy.


8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
Oh where to begin. Kinda shallow, fellas. The songs are mostly steady, moderate, stable (no pun intended). Didn't really take a lot of chances. I guess the end of "Different Names..." is new for the band, but they're really just incorporating the Postal Service which is kinda whoring themselves, I think. It is hard to take them at their word anymore, and their credibility is kinda shot. But "Marching Bands of Manhattan" is one of the best songs they've ever written. Oh, and The OC. I think there's an unwritten law that says I'm obligated to mention that somewhere.


7. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! (Asthmatic Kitty)
The overwhelming pick for album of the year, the definitive 2005 album. This probably should have been much higher on my own list. When I was making my list, I seemed to think there was a lot of unnecessary noise tracks that broke up the flow of the album. I don't know why. I was really really wrong. I don't have a lot of emotional ties to this as I did with Seven Swans but this is an excellent, excellent album and deserves all of the praise it's receiving.


6. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)
This album was quick to be awesome. But it was obviously awesome to many people and was a bit overhyped (SAT analogy - Death Cab: The OC, as Wolf Parade: Isaac Brock). Fun fact: I once listened to this album two times in a row, maybe the only time this feat was accomplished with a 2005 album. It was still 1000 times easier and more fun than one listen of Frances the Mute.


5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! (Self-Released)
Best band name of the year until I heard of "Let's Get Out Of This Terrible Sandwich Shop" on The Onion. This is really smooth and jerky at the same time. Each song is great and maybe the best on the album. I don't know how much staying power this will have or what the next album will sound like. Hopefully they won't go the way of other NY bands like The Rapture or The Strokes and fade away.


4. Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift (Barsuk)
Nada Surf, you wounded bird, I will love you when nobody else does. This is maybe the album that I hold nearest and dearest to me for the simple fact that no one else liked it. Which is fair. At first, I thought the lyrics were super campy and the music was too simple. But it eventually blossomed, much like "Gimme Fiction," and I saw all of its wonderful-ness and have come to love it maybe more than "Let Go" which is an all-time fave.


3. The Decemberists - Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
They were next in line to absorb the "favorite indie band" title from death cab, but had to go and totally blow it. Capitol's cool though, say hi to Yellowcard for me. Another slow-growing album, but aren't those always the best? If this is their last great album, I can live with that.


2. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (Matador)
13 bombs of exploding joy! Super dense power pop, way better than the last album. It has lots of variety and great hooks; each song has its own quirks. Carl Newman is 37! Holy crap! Do you know Neil Diamond, man?


1. Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent, Jens (Secretly Canadian) - This is my most favorite album that I heard all year. It has redefined what I love as a "sound": Clever like Moz, lush like Belle & Sebastian, lo-fi like Yo La Tengo. This album also has 100% awesome individual songs, each unique and special. "Pocketful of Money" has booming backup bass vocals that sound like Thurl Ravenscroft singing that one song about the grinch. "A Man Walks Into A Bar" is lyrically funny like Atom and His Package, but endearing; the perfect balance of humor and sincerity. "Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill" is awesome block party music for hot summer nights with an neat Warren G reference. I heard that Jens is hanging it up for a while, which bummed me out, but that might make this album even more special.

Best of 2006

Here is a list of my favorite songs and albums of 2006. I did not comment on all of the albums individually, but I will say that while my love for each of these albums varies from "Somewhat" to "Intense", the only ones I can't live without are the top 5. This strikes me as odd because as much as I cared for some of these albums at one point, only five will probably be timeless?


Favorite Songs of 2006 (That were not included on a Top 20 Album)


Arctic Monkeys - Leave Before The Lights Come On
Black Walls - Levitation Goggles
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
Camerata - The Golden Years
CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
Field Music - You're Not Supposed To
The Futureheads - Skip To The End
The Never - Cavity
Oh No Oh My - I Have No Sister
Oxford Collapse - In Your Volcano
Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
Sound Team - Your Eyes Are Liars
Tiny Steps - Did You Get It All?
Voxtrot - Mothers, Daughters, Sisters & Wives
The Word Play - Long Winded
Zoos Of Berlin - Coliseum


Favorite Albums of 2006


20. Danielson - Ships
19. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
18. Cursive - Happy Hollow
17. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
16. Emily Jane Powers - Apple Blossom
15. Cat Power - The Greatest
14. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
13. The Walkmen - Pussycats Starring The Walkmen
12. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Broom
11. Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
10. Gamenight - Simple Starts In The Mind
09. The Velvet Teen - Cum Laude
08. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
07. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
06. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped

05. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed

I have a thing for blandness sometimes. I listened to this album a few days before it came out and it did not register with me in any way. But I kept listening to it and eventually, I started to become really attached to it. Maybe it was the familiarity. It's really just straight forward three piece pop-rock band with some solid hooks and excellent production.

04. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time

This album has the most beautiful, pristine sounding guitars. The opening chords of "The First Song" sound like waves of crystal clear ocean water crashing on shores of white sand. I think of this every time I hear this album and it immediately calms me and I feel like I'm on vacation. I also associate the album, specifically the song "Monsters," with Nat Mons' trip home from Indiana when I actually was on vacation, having a really nice moment, so one could see why I love this album.

03. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

Poor, poor foresight in the comments section: http://iibasilicaii.livejournal.com/35879.html

02. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

This album is epic and sprawling in every way I can imagine while maintaining boundaries of good taste. I will probably love this album forever because of its diversity. After 6 months of listening to this album, I still barely understand it and my favorite song changes upon each listen. They have also become one of my favorite bands over their last four albums.

01. Maritime - We, The Vehicles

I feel like if ever there was an album made specifically for me, this has to be it. It has everything I love about music: warmth, sadness, rhythm; it just sounds good. I have discovered that the parts in music I value above all else are chord structure and melody and how they intertwine. Melodically, this is almost perfect. I said earlier this year that I think it's probably my favorite album since 2003, and I'm pretty sure I believe this is true. It makes me feel nostalgic for times in my life when this album didn't even exist, and I've come to associate those moments with this music, which is a little weird. I had heard that this was supposed to be a big improvement on Glass Floor which sparked my interest, but I knew immediately the first time I heard it that it was a perfect album for me. I felt this way the first time I heard "The City" by The Dismemberment Plan, which was the first and maybe the only truly mind-blowing experience I've had from hearing a song. My mind wasn't necessarily blown when I first heard We, The Vehicles, but I instantly fell in love and I think it's saying quite a bit for me to even mention something in the same league as that song. I think if ever something should be elevated to those ranks, this album is it.

2014

Annual blog post for posterity. I don't really want to write about these songs and albums because this year, I felt them more than I really thought about and understood them.

Songs

10. The Men - "Another Night"
9. Ought - "Today More Than Any Other Day"
8. Cheap Girls - "7-8 Years"
7. Sun Kil Moon - "Ben's My Friend"
6. Joyce Manor - "Catalina Fight Song"
5. Merchandise - "Green Lady"
4. David Bowie - "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)"
3. Future Islands - "Seasons"
2. Twerps - "Consecutive Seasons"
1. Hurry - "Oh Whitney"


Albums

Honorable mention: Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal, Real Estate - Atlas, Pixies - Indie Cindy, Sundials - Kick, Loose Planes - S/T & Unwound, Posse - Soft Opening, Sun Kil Moon - Benji, The Weaks - The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die

10. Hurry - Everything/Nothing

9. Twerps - Underlay

8. Bob Mould - Beauty & Ruin

7. Camper Van Beethoven - El Camino Real

6. St. Vincent - St. Vincent

5. The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams

4. Viewfinder - Do You Even Want Anything?

3. Cheap Girls -  Famous Graves

2. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams

1. Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again 

2014 was a terrific year for music. I loved a lot.  I spent a lot of time with new music because I wanted to, and it rarely felt like a chore. Reliable favorites delivered (Mould, Cheap Girls), some bands proved that things are just as good under the radar (Viewfinder, Hurry), and post-hype sleepers came back from the dead (Hold Steady, Ryan Adams). Regarding Ryan Adams: it has finally come to this, a full on embrace of one of the foremost purveyors of Starbucks rock. It makes sense to me now to be completely honest about my favorite albums and not dock bands for being uncool. I can't say that doesn't bum me out a little. I think Ryan Adams is embarrassing. Oh well.
I think of Joyce Manor as some kind of futuristic miracle. Their first album was a classic; Never Hungover Again is better. 10 songs, 19 minutes. The hooks are obvious, but the structures are profound. Take "Falling In Love Again:" it feels like every new section begins on the second chord or the last time through the previous section. You rarely get verse/chorus/verse. Their progressions are meant to disorient the same way My Bloody Valentine's do. And it's never overwhelming because the songs are two minutes long. But despite all the hooks it's all presented in such an unfamiliar way that 6 months later there's still enough going on to keep me on my toes. Lyrically, it's totally distinctive - every song sounds like a house party with a surreal twist and just the right touch of sentimentality. "'Never Better' read the letters on your hands/as you lay next to me by the heated swimming pool." Settling in to young adult purgatory with fuck-up slacker friends sounds just about as good as it gets.

Favorite Music of 2013

Hello Future Me, Alec, and Quillen,
In 2013, it became abundantly clear that a blog is no longer the ideal format for me to communicate socially. At the end of 2012, I mentioned that that had been the busiest year of my life. Nothing's slowing down at this point. And so writing in this blog will likely become an annual event to make a long form list of my favorite albums. I'm at peace with this, but it does make me a little wistful for my midnight days and the absurd amount of free time I had back then.
So anyways, firstly, it's important to note that 2013 was the year of Save Your Generation Records. I had assumed for the last few years that I wouldn't really have an opportunity to be a part of a music community again.  The work that Tony's done has helped develop and shape a really great local scene that I'm lucky to be a part of. It's certainly been a high point in my years of being in bands.
All of that wonderful stuff aside, 2013 was a craptacular year for new music. I think I'm in the minority in believing this, but it may have been the worst year as a music fan of my adult life. It was certainly the worst since 2007. I started to realize a pattern in my listening habits where I seem to care more about the artist than the album. It's not right or smart or anything, I just tend to listen to albums based on familiarity and comfort, I guess. I don't think that bodes well for future years of new music.

I listened to a lot of albums that I won't even mention, some from bands that I've previously loved. I was bummed out by almost as many bad albums as I was pleased by albums that I liked. Several albums I heard were "good" to "very good," but I don't have enough of a personal attachment to rank them. They are:
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
California X - California X
The Dismemberment Plan - Uncanney Valley
The Front Bottoms - Talon of the Hawk
Martin - The Worst Part EP
Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
Minks - Tides End
Pixies - EP1/Bagboy
Potty Mouth - Hell Bent
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Regarding Uncanney Valley, I've listened to it enough to know that it's not really very good. However, the more I listen to it, the more comfortable I'm becoming with it. That's not to say it's a grower or anything (it's more of a groaner), I just know that I'm stuck with it and I feel like I need to learn to enjoy it. Love is complicated.

Here are my ten favorite releases:
10. Camper Van Beethoven - La Costa Perdida
09. Sundials - Always Whatever
08. Daylight - Jar
07. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold/Tally All The Things You Broke EP
06. Deer Widow - Deer Widow EP
05. David Bowie - The Next Day
04. Ovlov - Am
03. Title Fight - Spring Songs EP
02. My Bloody Valentine - m b v
01. Haim - Days Are Gone 

Clean, palm-muted leads. Classic R&B/Pop melodies. Bassface. Days Are Gone is my favorite album of 2013.
If you haven't actually listened to the record, I get the hate for this band. The first time I heard "The Wire" this summer, I hated it before it actually started playing based on the Sirius/XM dj's description. The second time it came up, all I heard was Shania Twain and The Eagles. That's not winning anybody over. It took Steven Hyden's Grantland article on the band for me to actually consider giving them a shot. 45 seconds into "Falling," I was shocked, and shortly after, hooked for good (and I realized "The Wire" rules).
It's not uncommon for people to talk about the influence of their dad's record collection on their tastes. What about Mom's influence? That's one of the things I'm frequently reminded of on Ds Are G. Mariah Carey, Madonna, 80s Fleetwood Mac, Sheryl Crow, Cars 108...in all of their adult contemporary glory. Haim is also the reason I'm downloading an unreasonable amount of Gloria Estefan three months after their album's release. My first experience with the best song on the album, "If I Could Change Your Mind" was similar to my experience with "Round And Round:" multiple consecutive listens, bewilderment, goosebumps, getting a little emotional over how great of a song it is. It's still amazing how there are so many great parts that are arranged to fit together so well. That high level of insight and instinct runs throughout the album. There's a considerable amount of soul and subtle, tasteful funk in these songs that are often overlooked. Hyden talks about Haim representing the end of "indie." Style-wise (or anything else-wise), there's nothing really indie about it. It's just an album full of great music.

Favorite Albums of 2012

2012 has been the busiest year of my life (I couldn't even tell you another year that I would even come close to classifying as "busy"), and thus, the opportunity to write about unimportant things has pretty much vanished. However, I will never be too busy to rank and list unimportant things that I love because that's the way my brain works.
If discovery is the purpose of reading year-end lists, read Can You Still See The Sunset. I've been exposed to far more new great things from their lists over the last couple of years than any other site's. As always, the purpose of mine is documentation because I don't want to forget anything ever.
I turned 30 this year and my priorities were skateboarding and wrestling. Seriously, next year, books/movies/diet/exercise.

Albums I liked okay:

Casket Lottery - Real Fear
Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan (Was the "short film" not the most hilariously pretentious thing that could ever be made in 2012?)
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
The White Wires - WWIII

Albums by some of my all-time favorite artists that I did not like at all:

Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
I don't know how you screw up such a simple and successful formula, but they totally blew it here. Time for another 10 year break.
Forgetters - Forgetters
What happened? There's difficult, and then there's "difficult." If you wanna be antagonistic, just don't make music. Don't dump on your legacy.

Top Twenty:

20. Sebadoh - Secret EP
I don't even like these guys!
Jam: "I Don't Mind" 

19. South South Million - Wind Hand Caught In The Door
Otherworldly. Ethereal. Drugs.
Jam: "Baff Speech"

18. The Sea & Cake - Runner
This is an album by The Sea & Cake.
Jam: "A Mere"

17. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
This might be better than I am aware of it being, but at this point, I don't totally "get it."
Jam: "Farewell American Primitive"

16. Frankie Rose - Interstellar
On my first few listens, I enjoyed this, but lumped it in with other Captured Tracks and Slumberland stuff, and filed it away with the other trendy, non-essential post punk/new wave-revival stuff of the last few years. But after a few months, it just hit me that I need to listen to this album again and it was way better than I remembered it. Texture and Thomas Dolby. Thomas Dolby's textures, the textures of Thomas Dolby.
Jam: "Apples For The Sun"

15. Sundials - When I Couldn't Breathe
Weird how everyone latches onto something like this all at the same time and just agrees that it pretty much rules.
Jam: "Seventy-Five"

14. Sneeze - I'm Going To Kill Myself
These guys'll give ya the fuzzy business. It's tricky trying to understand what it is exactly that makes a song sound like the summer of '93, but Sneeze seems to have a pretty good clue. Also, great title.
Jam: "Quit Shitting"

13. Snooze - Dwell & Dwell
4 heartwarming/-breaking songs that were perfectly recorded with a unique stylistic range. "My Cyclic Heart" totally needs to end up on a CW teen drama.
Jam: "My Cyclic Heart"

12. Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
I'm glad they put out a straight up rock album where they eliminated the really overwrought ballads. I thought that was going to make this their best album, but it didn't. In fact, I like almost all of their other albums more. Maybe I like slow songs?
Jam: "Waiting For Something"

11. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
This was my favorite 2012 album in June. But after I settled in with it, it seemed too grandiose to go back to. I think it demands a degree of emotional investment to listen to, and sometimes (most of the time) I just want to listen to something awesome that I don't have to feel affected by. "If I had all of the answers and you had the body you wanted / would we love with a legendary fire?" isn't a line you can listen to casually; it's aching for something...I mean, arena rock "whoa-oh"s, Mutt Lange drums, fireworks for chrissakes...I feel a little overwhelmed and maybe a little guilty that I don't always have the passion to respond to that. But when I do, Celebration Rock is unstoppable.
Jam: "Fire's Highway"

10. The Fencemen - The Times Are Alright
This wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to be a Small Brown Bike side project that sounds like Small Brown Bike, but nowhere near as good. But it turned out to be very much it's own thing; literary lines, dischordant guitars, excellent sax and Lemmy vocals. A wonderful, gruff, wonderfully gruff surprise.
Jam: "Century Blues"

9. Lucero - Women & Work
I try to be as much of a feminist as I can reasonably be. I will always push for women to have every opportunity and equal treatment that men have. That being said, this album sounds like a celebration of being just a regular dude, and it gives incredible feelings. Obviously, there are plenty of female Lucero fans, as there should be. But personally, W&W hits on something in me that I don't think would strike me the same if I were a woman (though I'm certain there are plenty of women who enjoy this album at least as much as I do). And maybe writing all this out is missing the point of enjoying a Lucero album, but I'm trying to say "Guy stuff!" without being offensive.
Jam: "On My Way Downtown"

8. Glocca Morra - Just Married
You can't just do some two-hand tapping to make a good emo album for the twinkle-daddies. And for real, all those notes can get old fast. But these dudes added some excellent melodies and progressions that make them more legit than all the other new nu emo nerds.
Jam: "Irrevocable, Motherfucker"

7. Cheap Girls - Giant Orange
Pretty much as close to the ideal band as any on this list. Riffage.
Jam: "Pacer"

6. Wild Nothing - Nocturne
I think Gemini was my #5 or #6 favorite album whatever year it came out, but this is so much better. I was okay with letting go of these guys, but this album was awesome, and now I'm more interested than I ever was before. A rare instance of an album that I like that starts weak and gets better as it goes. One of the most remarkable moments of the year is the 4:07 mark of "Paradise" after the drone-y section when the drums kick in...so mature.
Jam: "This Chain Won't Break"

5. Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Best live set of 2012. Highest of hopes for this band. Thank you dudes for having the courage to leave your songs at 1:30. The world needs more of that.
Jam: "Video Killed The Radio Star"

4. Field Music - Plumb
So glad the Brewi returned to form. On par with Tones of Town in every way.
Jam: "Just Like Everyone Else"

3. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Very similar to Plumb in that the song sections seem to be cut and pasted together leaving each section seeming like its own song; very unique in just about every other aspect. It's unique, visceral and raw. It doesn't really seem like an album you just casually throw on; yet I found myself going back to this album maybe more than any other this year.
Jam: "Every Single Night"

2. Title Fight - Floral Green
#2 for the second year in a row, but Title Fight is an entirely different animal in 2012 than they were on Shed. On Floral Green, they grew, expanded, and sought to cover new ground. It's ostensibly just a melodic rock album, but considering where they've come from, it feels like a revolutionary benchmark for the entire punk genre. The guitars are the perfect equal amount of haze and fuzz playing gorgeous full chords that support excellent shredding vocals. A brilliant future classic.
Jam: "In-Between"

1. Bob Mould - The Silver Age
This is the second year in a row my favorite album has come from a 50-something artist(s). I really love Floral Green and The Silver Age equal amounts; I had to make a decision based on what these albums represent: youth vs. age. Title Fight are genuinely exciting and emotionally dynamic and sort of sexy in the way that they seem to suggest endless possibilities, but I can't deny that I identify more with the old dude. He gets alternately cantankerous (using phrases like "stupid little kid") and stately (in the classic college rock-referencing "Keep Believing") without ever getting too self-righteous. Mould never tries to reinvent the wheel on this album, he just does what he does best. And as far as I know, nobody else on this list made two of the best albums of all time within the same calendar year, so there are very few existing bands, reunited or not, whose best can hang. On my favorite song of 2012, "The Descent," Mould sings wryly about being past his prime, and his acceptance thereof. I know it sounds sulky and pathetic to say that makes sense at 30, but I've been past my prime since 8th grade. This rings true.

Favorite Albums of 2011

I really enjoy making a list of my favorite albums every year, but it seems that with each passing year, seeing every publication's list becomes increasingly dreadful. Everything starts to blend together, and nothing really means anything. After the first list or two, they tend to seem like just lists of things that existed this year. Unfortunately, I guess I'm contributing to that, but it's fun for me to talk about albums. So, apologies.

Here's 40:

40. Craft Spells - Idle Labor 
Overlooked. Check out "Ramona."

39. Melted Toys - Washed & Dried EP 
Just what it sounds like.

38. Spraynard - Funtitled
Brief, to-the-point, fun punk. Go download it and pay them $5000.

37. Wilco - The Whole Love
Higher highs than they've had since A Ghost Is Born. They're probably never gonna be one of my favorite bands, but I'm glad they're around.

36. Washed Out - Within & Without 
This is the lamest and beardiest album on this list. But, you know, it's nice. Drop the chillwave tag, and it's a pleasant soft rock album. Too bad his Rough Trade Mix was better than this album.

35. Small Brown Bike - Fell & Found 
Honor your elders.

34. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
Better than its ranking; I was actually floored by the album the first time I listened to it this summer. Then I listened to it one more time and haven't heard it since. Where is an album like this supposed to exist in my life?

33. Meat Puppets - Lollipop
Good times adult weirdo rock. Respite from the over-marketed stuff that the indie-corporate labels are constantly waving in everyone's face.

32. The Sea & Cake - The Moonlight Butterfly 
This is an EP by The Sea & Cake.

31. Crystal Stilts - In Love With Oblivion
Man, I just never listen to this. It's not often that I say to myself, "I need to hear some psychedelic garage rock about the sun and the moon." It really is good, I just need to put it on without considering what it is.

30. Maritime - Human Hearts
Return to form! Too bad I'm not 24 anymore, this might've been #1. It's probably better than We, The Vehicles.

29. The Bats - Free All The Monsters
Not especially thrilling, but if they have something to say, I'm listening.

28. Algernon Cadwallader - Parrot Flies
Why did this have to open with a 6 minute song? I didn't realize until right now that almost all the other songs are under 3 minutes. Gah, I have to go back to this.

27. Fucked Up - David's Town
I love and envy their album-of-songs-by-fake-bands idea. It was risky; most bands couldn't pull this off without getting too silly. But here, there are some beautiful moments.

26. Junior Boys - It's All True
Once again, it's taking me some time to catch up to Junior Boys. On first listen, I thought there was only one worthwhile song here. Now, there's maybe only one that's not a gem. I'm gonna keep on liking this.

25. Big Troubles - Romantic Comedy
This would've been an amazing 5 song EP. The second half is filler. It's a drag that they cleaned up and tried to make a Pains-style Slumberland album...I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. (That's supposed to make them feel worse).

24. Yuck - Yuck
Terrific concept, questionable execution. A promising first album. If their handlers had any sense, they'd be fumbling over themselves screaming "Get me Butch Vig on line 1!"

23. Lemuria - Pebble  
Open stronger and leave out "Pleaser," and this coulda been great. Sheena is still one of the best guitar players going. Curious to see what they do next.
 
22. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing
BT on cruise control. Totally acceptable.

21. Crisis Of Conformity - Fist Fight! 7"
I liked so much jokey stuff this year...I'm probably gonna end up trading in all my records for Weird Al imports.

20. Nodzzz - Innings
So, so nerdy.

19. Beach Fossils - What A Pleasure EP
Captured Tracks had countless releases this year that sounded great (that Wild Nothing-style sad 80s synth thing). I should've been thrilled, instead I kinda feel like it devalues stuff like this. Now when the label puts something out, I silently say, "I know what that sounds like, and I don't need to hear it again." It's a shame, because this EP is actually very good.

18. J Mascis - Several Shades Of Why
Initially underwhelming, then totally pleasing. J Mascis owns.

17. Empty Orchestra - One More Time, All Together Now
Remember when musicians meant what they said and allowed themselves to be vulnerable? I mean, other than Adele? Me neither, it was a really long time ago. A unique and timeless set of songs.

16. The Fucking Cops - Fuck You Up With Some Truth EP 
Punk rock a la Spraynard, Cheap Girls.

15. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself
Delightful.

14. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
For me, this is the most interesting record on this list. Since her debut, I've openly derided her and been completely dismissive of her music. Why would I want to listen to a Sufjan disciple who looks like a model and makes Apple-rock? What could she possibly have to say that would be interesting to me? Strange Mercy changed all that. It's dark and gnarly, like Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel during their synthy, experimental phases in the 80s. And the playing on it is incredible. "Surgeon," especially; there are an album's worth of highlights in that song alone (not to mention "I spent the summer on my back" is one of the best opening lines I can think of). What can I say? She made an album that sounds like no other album that I loved in 2011. Moral of the story: don't judge a book by it's waifishness.

13. Cheap Girls/Lemuria - Split 7"
2 monster jams.
 
12. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine 
Most impressive musician of the year. This guy hears and arranges things in a way that could make Jimmy Iovine tremble with fear. From the way he shifts the listener's focus to the way he orchestrates dynamics, it's clear that this isn't some jerk fumbling around in the dark with a sampler. He knows what he's doing, and he is the real deal.

11. Destroyer - Kaputt 
On paper, this sounds like a gimmick that's sure to fail, but Dan Bejar's always-esoteric poetry and gravely serious vocals anchor the breezy yacht rock in a surprisingly effective way. It's a stark contrast that creates a very specific and totally unsettling world of an International Man Of Distinction. The first half is easy, all singles and catchy leads; the second half is where the album's earns its depth. Just reading "Bay of Pigs" can have serious emotional impact ("Listen I've been drinking/as our house lies in ruin...Haven't seen you for ages/I still fly into rages at the mention of your name...I took a walk and threw up in an English Garden"). It's great to have a Destroyer album like this. He'll probably never make another one like it.

10. Rival Schools - Pedals
10 years is a long time to go between albums, but you wouldn't know it listening to Pedals. It's spruced up a bit, smoother around the edges, but that same sound from United By Fate is there. Rival Schools sound like Rival Schools. Walter is the man.

9. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
This is my favorite Radiohead album! I'm not sure why people didn't like this. Did they not expect a Radiohead album to sound like the future? With weird production and dubstep influences? I mean, this is Radiohead. If it's too weird, it's your fault.

8. Samiam - Trips
I guess I remember these guys, but I was never really a fan or anything. I'm pretty sure their name has always made me cringe (even in high school, when I was listening to King For A Day and Jimmy Eat World without blinking an eye). But I'm pretty sure their sound has always had a maturity that would've been hard for High School Me to identify with. Part grizzled wistfulness, part loud-drinking anthemic punk, Trips is man-rock. There are lighter moments like the opener "80 West" and "Freetime," and there are moodier songs like "Magellan" and personal favorite, "Demon," a upbeat song with emo chords about being haunted by an ex-lover. Put down that goddam Bon Iver record and be a man!
 
7. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead  
One of the best kind of surprises I can have as a music fan is when a band that I think is dead in the water comes back to life. Who would've thought this band would even be interested in making a simple folk rock album, considering the past two monstrosities they've wrought? I probably wouldn't have even given this a chance if I hadn't heard it blindly. But it was hard for me not to fall for this. Also, Rolling Stone told me it was good.

6. Vivian Girls - Share The Joy
This year's obligatory Vivian Girls entry. I like that they're trying new things, even if it doesn't always turn out right. Even I can tell that it has some glaring flaws, but they're always gonna be my band.

5. Real Estate - Days
This album is so close to everything I love about music that sometimes when I listen to it, I feel like it's mocking me. Real Estate has shown enormous growth from their 2009 debut, improving in just about every way. The most obvious difference between Days and Real Estate is the warm, autumnal production. The secret weapon here is the drums. The muffled tone borders on drum machine-quality (in the way that the best Phoenix songs do), and the de-emphasis on the cymbals allows for the chimey-ness of the guitars to shine through. But more importantly, Martin Courtney's singing and songwriting has grown in leaps and bounds. Plenty of "indie" albums sound good, especially in 2011, but very few artists have the skill to craft such amazing songs. As a frontman, Courtney is especially impressive on Days. He never oversings, never tries to squeeze in too many words; he says as little as it takes to get his point across. A song like "Green Aisles" proves that he's found his voice. It's the second perfect Real Estate song - they've always sounded like the things he sings about here, but now Courtney has finally written lyrics to fit that feel. Of course, this album would not be possible without the existence of...

4. The Feelies - Here Before
Sadly, this is a case of missed connections. Had this album come out two years ago when I was living and breathing The Feelies, it would've been over for me. Like, sell-my-albums-join-a-monastery over. But this year, I hit a new phase as a listener where I'm generally preferring heavy-handed hooks and catchy pop over the calculated simplicity and charming boredom of the VU-inspired bands that I had previously loved so much. The best moments for me as a Feelies fan feel like the musical equivalent of Magic Eye posters: just sit and zone out to these very simple two chord songs, and sometimes everything clicks and the music explodes into something much bigger than what it appears to be on the surface. Here Before is as good as any album The Feelies have made. I just need to remind myself to get bored sometimes and embrace this.

3. Minks - By The Hedge
A full year old (I first listened to this putting up Christmas lights in 2010), By The Hedge hit me in two separate periods, both during cold, gray months. This album does not sound the same in the summer. It is made for the bleakest weather and loneliest times. It's not especially devastating or sad, in fact it's probably more pretty than sad. It's just so heavy on mood and atmosphere that hearing it in the wrong setting changes everything. Its most obvious ancestor is Isn't Anything, and at times (especially "Boys Run Wild"), it seems like the gothiest thing since Pornography. Even brighter moments like "Cemetery Rain" that sound like, well, cemetery rain. This is certainly a personal classic that hold up for years alongside the aforementioned universal classics.

2. Title Fight - Shed
Sometimes I feel pretty awkward listening to a lot of the punk albums I listen to, especially when I'm going to work to tell teenagers what to do all day. Title Fight relieved some of the guilt with Shed. It still has that raw, youthful spirit, but there's a confidence and maturity to it that most emo/punk albums lack. I admit I had lost a bit of faith in Title Fight after The Last Thing You Forget. It was a huge departure from Kingston, and it was just a weird variation of classic emo sound that they supposedly were going for. But Shed is Title Fight at the top of their game. Excellent chord progressions and melodies, and top notch musicianship. It sounds like no one else (except, of course, the first two Lifetime albums). Their live show was one of the best performances I've ever seen, playing for close to an hour, going full bore and never missing a note. I can't believe they're not Fall Out Boy-popular yet. That day could still certainly come, and when it does, as long as they're still making albums like this, I'll be right there in line at the Hot Topic with your nieces waiting for the jams.

1. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
What does it mean to have a favorite band when you're almost 30? How much more important does that band seem than your favorite band at 20? My relationship with R.E.M. almost feels like my marriage lately: it's reliable and extremely comforting, yet still surprising. My Death Cab years were a kid and a band, both still young and evolving, stretching out, learning new things, eventually growing apart. With my musical tastes changing less and less with each passing year, and R.E.M. retiring in September, I wonder if I'll ever have another favorite band.
Collapse Into Now is not the best R.E.M. album. It is, however, the first time they've sounded like R.E.M. since Bill Berry left. In fact, the album it reminds me of most is New Adventures In Hi-Fi, specifically because it seems like it should've been the album to follow it. In addition to the Automatic-style ballads and Monster-glam guitar moments, it features the hallmarks that have made R.E.M. iconic: Peter Buck's ringing arpeggios, and some of Mike Mills' best vocal work (which is why their breakup was so painful to hear: it's clear that they could've continued to make better-than-average R.E.M. albums). Those reminders turned out to be more important than anything any other band could create right now. And I'm surprised to realize that for the first time, I truly know what "The singer, not the song" means, instead of just believing it.
Whenever I try to explain my feelings about Collapse, I find myself in a difficult position. I realize it's not a "great" album, so I find myself saying things like "it's not a 'great' album." But the thing is, to me, it IS a great album. I genuinely love the songs, and get excited whenever I hear "All The Best," and "That Someone Is You," and am honestly moved by the beauty of the melodies in songs like "Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando And I" and "Uberlin." Yet, I recognize the corniness of the "Marlon Brando" title, and I hate that recognition. I'm too old to pretend that happiness is not the most important part of being a music fan.
And so this is my favorite album of 2011. It's also the greatest.

2010

Here are my 20 favorite releases of the year.

20. Field Music - Field Music (Measure) Their live show made me really hostile toward them, but I couldn't tell you why. Still has some jams.
19. Nada Surf - If I Had A Hi-Fi The Go-Betweens cover kinda makes the whole thing worthwhile. I hope it doesn't mean we have to wait another two years for a proper album.
18. Sun Araw - On Patrol
17. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker
16. The Vaselines - Sex With An X Can't deny that this was kinda disappointing, but it's not entirely a waste.
15. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms 2010 kinda felt like 2005. Nice to see bands who write actual songs put out albums instead of only bands who try to sound cool. Lo-fi is a dead horse beaten.
14. New Creases - About Last Night 7" Perfect little 3 piece punk band from Columbus.
13. Art Museums - Rough Frame Throwback to the new romantics/fuzzy Style Council.
12. No Age - Everything In Between How is it that an album that sees a band getting "better" in every way kinda feels like a step backwards?
11. Spoon - Transference What would happen if the second half was as good as the first? Would everyone just stop making music?
10. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
09. Women - Public Strain
08. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks Ted almost makes up for his last two albums here. As good as Hearts of Oak.
07. Forgetters - S/T 7"
06. Wild Nothing - Gemini & Golden Haze EP Which is better: the LP or the EP? "Chinatown" or "Your Rabbit Feet?" Doesn't matter; 18 songs that sound like this means everyone wins. 
05. Big Troubles - Worry I can tolerate trendiness if the songs are there, and these guys wrote some of the best songs this year.
04. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs I'm not even sure if devoting an entire blog post would be enough space to talk about this album. Just ask me about it sometime. I love it, and that love is hard-earned.
03. Tyvek - Nothing Fits I thought this was lacking at first, but it really turned out to be the lack of quirk that made Nothing Fits smoother and more legit than last year's self-titled. I would guess that next year, this will be my favorite 2010 album.
02. Real Estate - Out Of Tune/Reservoir 7" It's only two songs, but they're both perfect, and they really helped define 2010 for me.
01. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today Nothing came close to touching it.

 

Overrated 
Beach House - Teen Dream Fine, just totally bland. I know this is gonna end up as one of everybody's faves, it just sounds like Josh Groban to me.
Best Coast - Crazy For You Foremost evidence that there's something wrong with the biz. Not bad at all, just very safe and sterile, and unbelievably overrated. How is this any different than a hundred other lo-fi bands who sang about the beach? Seems like a cash-in.
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest I have a really hard time understanding how anyone could feel passionately about this band. They are the musical equivalent of a meaningless blank stare.

Worst
Crystal Castles - S/T I never actually heard this. I'm just guessing.
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening Ugh...always ugh.
Sleigh Bells - Treats One of the absolute worst things I've ever heard. Ever. Just totally offensive to me in every way. This is Satan's favorite band (and not cool "Danzig Satan" either. The real Satan. Bieber Satan).

Discoveries/Revelations 
Not completely literally, just my favorite older albums that I was into this year. The first half of this year was an amazing time where I was finding a perfect album once a month and spending just the right amount of time with it before moving on to a new perfect album.

8. Jesus & Mary Chain - Darklands (1987)
7. Galaxie 500 - Today (1988)
6. Teenage Fanclub - A Catholic Education (1990) 
5. My Bloody Valentine - Ecstasy & Wine (1987)
4. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan (1992) 
3. Husker Du - Everything (I know I mentioned them last year, but my infatuation with them this fall blows that away).
2. Eugenius - Mary Queen Of Scots (1994)
1. Gin Blossoms - Dusted (1989)

TV
Bad year for TV and me. I generally preferred syndicated sitcoms to any new shows. My favorites from this year were SNL, Louie, The Simpsons, Eastbound & Down, and The Real World: New Orleans, which was probably the best season and best cast of a reality show I've ever seen. I also liked it more than everything else.

Movie
I didn't even see Inception. I think I only saw one movie, Scott Pilgrim, and it was awesome.

2011
The Feelies!!!!!

Aughts Albums

Here are my 20 favorite albums of the decade, the list I've been looking forward to writing more than any other. There is no debating this. I am 100% certain that this is undeniable, incontrovertible, concrete truth, which I believe to be self evident. This is a long one, so get comfortable.

Honorable mention goes to Person Pitch by Panda Bear and Yellow House by Grizzly Bear, along with about 30 others...


20. Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent, Jens (2005)

This album marked a turning point for me as a listener. It was the first time I really embraced an album of lesser production quality. More of a collection than an album, almost all of the songs are excellent and entirely Lekmanesque. It's not necessarily more intimate, but more relatable and easier to love than his other releases.


19. The Hold Steady - Boys & Girls In America (2006)

I didn't even care about The Hold Steady when this came out. But after listening to the yarns Craig Finn spun here, it was really hard for me not to be totally won over. Bs & Gs In A is less severe than their earlier work, and the stories felt like they took place in the small rural towns up north that operated on their own time, isolated from the rest of society. Plus, is there a better defining statement about those post-educational transition years than "Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together?" I really love almost every song. And it's one of the rare occasions at this point in my life where a traditional pop ballad ("First Night") is a standout. Plus, guest vocals from Elizabeth Elmore? Did they do that especially for me?


18. Cursive - Domestica (2000)

This was my favorite album at one point, and I figured that should probably be recognized. This was so much what became everything that I idealized about music in that era of my life: the chords, the low palm-muted riffs, the anthemic nature, even the concept...It turned out to be the peak moment of their career (for me, anyways) and also one of the peaks for the entire genre. Few albums make me feel as much like myself as this one.


17. Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls (2008)

This is significant because of the stake it claimed for the Great (and later dreaded) Lo-Fi Rush of the Late Aughts. 20 years from now, I will look back on these years where a thousand bands exploited reverb and say, "Well, at least it gave me Vivian Girls."


16. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007)

I thought I was going to write an entire post on how Spoon is the best band of the 00s, but I didn't get around to it. Anyways, they are and here's why. 4 perfect albums, each with a unique sound and feel, blending the poppiest hooks from rock history's greatest bands with an art-rock ambience that gives them critical currency. And while everyone else will argue that Radiohead or Animal Collective are the most important bands of our time, Spoon has the same elements that make both of those bands great, along with something neither of those bands have ever really been: fun. Anyways, consider this entry interchangeable with the 3 other albums they released this decade because I pretty much love them all equally. I can't wait for Transference.


15. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)

Lately I've been thinking that maybe I've been too hard on these guys. If you consider the jumps made from their first to second to third albums, they are pretty apparent, albeit within the boundaries of good taste. Maybe the quality well just went dry in the middle of Plans.
Anyways, I murdered this album. Hard. And like with all the other albums I listened to way too much, I needed a break. Now, whenever I hear one of these songs, it requires a little extra attention. But they're still capable of massaging my organs like nothing else. Also noteworthy is the fact that I never got tired of "We Looked Like Giants."


14. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)

I counted myself among the "Don't Get It" crowd for years after this came out. I liked all of the non-Kid A-ish singles like "Idioteque" and "How To Disappear Completely" and "The National Anthem." But after years of ignoring this while simultaneously growing in the things I listened to, this album totally revealed itself to me. All of the songs that I couldn't tell apart before ("Optimistic," "In Limbo," "Morning Bell," "Kid A") are now the songs that I've realized are integral to the album's purpose. Like most great albums, it just took a little time. And eventually it made OK Computer look like The Bends.


13. The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000)

I find it really hard to write about Since I Left You. I feel like more than any of these other albums, it's something that probably needs to be experienced. Everything I said about the title track in the Songs List is what I would say to describe this album. It's hyper-musical, pregnant with musicality. There's a highlight that pops up every two minutes. There are about 50 great melodies and riffs that get lodged in your brain after hearing this. Half the fun is going back and trying to find them.


12. Beauty Pill - The Unsustainable Lifestyle (2004)

Smooth, emotionally detached, jazzy...these are some of the buzzwords that make me light up when hearing about a band. And yet, Beauty Pill seems like the oddball of this list. But in reality, they have a lot in common with many of the bands that I love. The guitar work is some of the best of the decade. The riff on "Such Large Portions," a song that was probably criminally left off my Songs List, is on par with the best Kevin Shields has ever whammied. The rhythms of all the instruments are complex and fascinating. It doesn't hurt that the band is right on the nose when it comes to musical politics.
This is also one of the rare occasions where a multiple lead singer situation is better than one standard frontman. Could any man be capable of combining the same sexy edginess with the vulnerability that Jean Cook sings with on "Prison Song?" Could "Goodnight For Real" feel any more right than with Chad Clark singing? Even bringing Other Guy into the mix for "Drive Down The Coast" was a totally righteous move. This is the beginning of the perfect albums. I'm excited just writing about this.


11. Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts Of The Great Highway (2003)

There's really nothing like this album. I suppose I've always thought this is similar to Pink Moon, but Nick Drake has always made me sad/tired, while Ghosts makes me sad/sob-in-the-dark-because-no-matter-what-you-will-always-feel-at-least-a-little-lonely. It is truly an album I can't always listen to. There is an almost tangible change in my mood whenever I hear it. Sorta like that Seinfeld episode where the guy would stare off into the distance whenever he heard "Desperado." If this is the case, "Carry Me Ohio" is my "Desperado." I think Pink Moon is probably technically better, but Ghosts is more emotionally affecting. Which is really saying something considering that dude offed himself.


10. Nada Surf - Let Go (2002)

I had a really hard time picking out which Nada Surf album I thought was the best. In the end, I decided to go with this one. It has stood the test of time, or at least the test of 8 years. And as I've changed over that time, Let Go has continued to offer me something at each phase. I downloaded this album out of boredom, and nothing else (well, maybe "Popular") and it turned out to be one of the most crucial moves of my musical life. I've always loved the melodic precision in songs like "Fruit Fly" and "Hi Speed Soul," while simultaneously finding it really easy to get lost in a song like "Killian's Red" or "Paper Boats." They continue to churn out totally serviceable 3 piece rock/pop songs with the absolute best vocal melodies in the game.


9. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped (2006)

Please never ask me to name my favorite song from this album. It will give me a nervous breakdown. Rather Ripped has always seemed like a sister album to The Unsustainable Lifestyle to me. From the guitar work of "Incinerate" and "Jams Run Free" to the delicate perfection of "Do You Believe In Rapture?" to the Moore/Gordon/Ranaldo vocal trade-offs, they have so many of the same musical characteristics in common. As far as I can tell, Sonic Youth have never done anything else like this. I never really want them to, and I'm not sure why. And, oh yeah, THE ALBUM TITLE.


8. Ida - Will You Find Me? (2000)

You'd think I'd want to see this as a sad album, but it's more gorgeous than anything. And it's a special kind of gorgeous that manages to exist without seeming grandiose or precious. W You F Me? immediately became one of my favorite albums after hearing it Freshman Year. "Maybelle" and "The Radiator" were the ones that hooked me, but so many of the 14 songs on this masterpiece, from the slow minor-key perfection of "Shotgun" to the staggered rhythms and bone-blowing harmonies of "Man In Mind" still offer a kind of mystery I have rarely come across since. Stumbling across this on vinyl for $5 at Encore two or three years ago is probably my favorite find ever.


7. Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)

I don't know what I can say about this album that hasn't already been said. I have no unique perspective. Chances are, if you're reading this, you were there and you know. This is what Good Times sounds like.


6. The Sea & Cake - Everybody (2007)

With apologies to Geoff Farina, no one does jazzy indie better than The Sea & Cake. And The Sea & Cake have never done jazzy indie better than they did on Everybody. I have trouble understanding how they were able to come up with so many perfect variations of such a specific style. For the longest time, I found it impossible to mentally come down after the coda of "Lightning." When I eventually did, I was surprised and delighted to find that they quietly snuck three of the best songs on the album in afterward. Sam Prekop continues to deliver a Dream Band-level of vocal excellence, while being more prominently featured and musically-supported than ever before. And I'm pleasantly frightened to realize that Car Alarm is finally approaching Everybody territory.
I'm starting to have a hard time coming up with different ways of saying "This is perfect."


5. Field Music - Tones Of Town (2007)

Adulthood! Class! Todd Rundgren! Not exactly the sexiest themes to consider when hearing about an album (unless you are me). But man, who could've expected these results with those kind of elements? If that's the path you're gonna travel, you better know what you're doing or else your album's gonna bomb. Field Music proved that they know about these things better than anyone currently making music. They are most convincing on the "Kingston"-"Working To Work"-"In Context" middle section (almost a suite). And like I mentioned at the end of 07 when this was my favorite album, I think of perfect sunny summer morning bike rides through downtown Fenton, and I have a hard time thinking of better things. I think this collection of songs, more than any other, helped me adapt to a really comfortable place as an adult.


4. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (2005)

I kinda like that everybody hates this band. It's hard to deny that their success is a product of industry hype, but after the dust has settled and all the bloggers have forgetten about the CYHSY debut, I will be there, laughing and holding hands and picnicking on blankets with it. My love for this album is unconditional. Every song is so casually put together and tossed off like it's only just another song. And that's a big part of their charm. But a bigger part is that EVERY ONE OF THESE SONGS IS INCREDIBLY GOOD. And I love that I can really only understand about 5 lines on the whole album. That's part of why I've always resented the David Byrne comparisons. They're similar but entirely different. Byrne is sharp and wired and frazzled, Ounsworth is stoned and slurry and sleepy eyed. They create totally different moods. So there. I'm glad I was able to defend Ounsworth's honor 5 years too late.
On a humiliating and shameful side note, this is the only album of this list that I do not own. But I guess in some ways that's appropriate, considering its relevance as a digital entity. It has no bearing on my feelings toward it, only my buying/collecting habits. Dudes in the band, please do not be offended. When I said I loved you, I said I would love you forever.


3. The Anniversary - Designing A Nervous Breakdown (2000)

Here is an album that will only be made once in history. Some may try, but will never be able to replicate what was created here. Every voice on this album, both human and instrumental, can only be heard on D-ing A Nervous B-Down. This slice of heaven, this holy element of the body of Christ, was bestowed upon me, as so much had already been, by Initial Records. Along with my order for Breakdance Suburbia and the If They Do EP, they sent a Heroes & Villains 4-song sampler that featured "All Things Ordinary." And I was immediately captivated by the haunting chords and harmonies and lyrics and overall feel. The synths and drums (oh god, the drums) screamed 80s production, but not the kitschy kind or the cool, jangly kind. It seemed to be from a lost era that I was sure had existed. The Anniversary managed to take those aspects and blend them with bursts of post-emo indie, and I was changed.
The anthemic chorus of "Til We Earned A Holiday" and the controlled cool of the synth lead on "Hart Crane" always made them my favorite among favorites (guess what: the album's perfect), but over the last year my favorite has become "Without Panasos." When I didn't know better, I guess I figured the lyrics were probably b.s. But then I realized they're perfectly oblique and fantastical and the kind of thing I can really get behind. Their live shows were always exciting and gave me great memories of that part of my life. As much as I loved it then, I love it at least as much now.


2. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye (2006)

If you know me, you probably know that I love this album. I've tried to explain the intensity of this love before, but I'm not sure I've ever been able to better do so than by publicly stating that it is my second favorite album of the decade. Perfect in all the right ways (vocals, texture), and many of the wrong ones (so much space!), So This Is Goodbye set the bar for chord/melody-based perfection this decade. Never mind that it is electronic. I totally believe that this album would be of exact equal greatness with a traditional guitar/bass/drums arrangement. It's melodic perfection is evident everywhere, from the chorus of "First Time" to the flawless synth pattern at the end of "Like A Child" to the smooth gorgeousness of the "ooohs" in "FM's" chorus, and pretty much everywhere in between. This is to say nothing of Jeremy Greenspan's immaculate vocals, which make Sam Prekop sound like Bobcat Goldthwait. If I had to sum up my feelings about this album in one word, it would be, um, perfect.


1. The Dismemberment Plan - Change (2001)

Initially, I had no clue what my favorite album of the decade was. I thought about all of my favorites (this one included), and there was no clear answer. Then I thought about it again and realized, "Of course it's Change!"
If I could define my idealized image of myself in realistic way with one album, Change would be it. On Emergency & I, The Plan were manic and jittery and urgent, and moving toward something. On Change, they seem to be coming down from all of that activity and expended energy. They're tired and reflective and cool, but still haunted and a little sick. More than anything (and this is the key to what I relate to most about the album), they were resigned. Everything seems to be an observation, and there's nothing Travis Morrison is doing about it. One of the best opening tracks of the decade, "Sentimental Man," lays out the album's doctrine, and sets the emotional tone for every song that follows. And thematically, the album never skips a beat. I used to think that it was a concept album where the first 10 songs were about Ellen & Ben, and on the last song, the camera pulls back and the narrator gets a chance to talk about the state of his life. I don't believe that anymore, but it's a testament to the album's cohesiveness.
There are so many highlights. The breakneck pace and brilliant wordplay of "The Other Side." The emotional force of the closing lines of "Time Bomb." The smooth, momentum-building dynamics of "Face Of The Earth." And the imagery! How many times does he say the word "unseen?" The man is clearly unsettled. Oh, and I guess I should note that everyone in the band is an elite musician, which is an understatement for the rhythm section. I've never seen or heard anyone play the drums like Joe Easley.
If you're at all interested in this album, immediately read this interview, in which the album is dissected track-by-track by Travis Morrison and he offers some baffling revelations about the origins of "Face Of The Earth" (it's about Michael Jordan) and "Ellen & Ben."
Thanks for making it to the end and allowing me to indulge in relatively unimportant nonsense. I am soooooo list-ed out.

2009

MUSIC

I had been thinking that 2009 was a pretty bad year for music. And while pound-for-pound that may be true, there were plenty of good things to hear. These were my 25 favorites.

25. Passion Pit - Manners I know this is annoying, but there's a lot of things I like about it.
24. The Horse's Ha - From The Cathmawr Yards - Open tuning acoustic stuff, like Kozelek or Nick Drake.
23. The Meat Puppets - Sewn Together This is so clean. Whichever Kirkwood sings has one of the best voices.
22. Ducktails - Landscapes Not much different from all the other Not Not Fun lo-fi cassette stuff, but I've trusted Matthew Mondanile since hearing the II album and Predator Vision/Sun Araw split on the blogs a few years back.
21. Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen This is like a veteran workhorse album. Writing about writing: Ooooooh!
20. House Boat - The Delaware Octopus Pop-punk, emphasis on the pop. And the punk.
19. Summer Cats - Songs For Tuesdays Stylistically ideal, if "The Tenure Itch" is the best song of the year, "Wild Rice" is #2.
18. Pants Yell! - Received Pronunciation Polite, but effective. Like Maritime.
17. Tyvek - S/T Pride of the D!
16. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs Plenty of great, great songs, but I wish this was better.
15. Shook Ones - The Unquotable A.M.H. Lifetime-style punk. Dynamic and fast. "Double Knot That" is an incredible song.
14. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - S/T Good.
13. The Evening Rig - Is Doin' Stuff Minneapolis-style Replacements/Hold Steady rock. This dude's voice shreds.
12. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic Uncharted territory, international waters.
11. The Word Play - How I Became Illustrated These songs are old, but ever-awesome.
10. Cheap Girls - My Roaring 20s Everyone compares them to 90s alt bands like The Lemonheads and Sebadoh, but they're too distinctive to be that kind of a rip.
9. Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong I don't listen to this very much, I don't even own it yet. But I still love you, Viv Girls.
8. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca I really flipped for this at first, but I kinda feel like it's a little ballad-heavy now. I still feel a lot of the same things I initially felt, but there's too much music to get bogged down on stuff that doesn't own all the time.
7. Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care I love Junior Boys. This sounds like they've grown past the point of perfection. Which is fine. It's still interesting, and they still have one perfect album. Other than Small Brown Bike, this was my favorite show of the year.
6. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm Does anyone else think this and Beyond are significantly better than any of their classic albums?
5. Hidden Ghost Balloon Ship - S/T Magic bowie great weird.
4. Dear Landlord - Dream Homes This is a perfect punk album for me. I don't even want to explain what that means, I just want to point to this album.
3. Alec Jensen - Waterparks What? No, I'm not gay! Whatever, Alec's the best. I listened to this as much as anything.
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion This is a really incredible music, I'd even go so far as to call it "art." It's new, which is really hard to do. It's definitely the best album of the year, and I figured it was going to be my #1 for most of the year. I think very highly of it, but I haven't listened to it in months.
1. Real Estate - S/T This is boring, and so am I. But I'm definitely attracted to this album in an indescribable way. New Jersey is a little slice of heaven.

DISCOVERIES/REVELATIONS

These aren't all "Discoveries" in the literal sense, sometimes it's something I heard before but didn't fully embrace. I spent about 85% of my listening time with older stuff this year.

10. The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (1971) I became more interested in albums that had a couple of bad songs on them. Carl rows the boat ashore, hallelujah.
9. The Promise Ring - The Horse Latitudes (1997) Emotional Songing.
8. Miracle Legion - The Backyard EP (1984) Polaris dude's original band, more PETEROCK.
7. Various Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven Songs - Specifically "Eye Of Fatima, Pt.1," "Sweethearts," "Teen Angst." I wish David Lowery could have put together one full, great early 90s alt-rock album.
6. Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey (1986) & Flip Your Wig (1985) Super inconsistent, but each has some stone-cold classics. Don't be misled by Zen Arcade like I was.
5. The Slits - Cut (1979) So-o-oh oh TUFF!
4. Can - Ege Bamyasi (1972) & Future Days (1973) I am embarrassed that I never actually knew what Krautrock was. It sounded like a dirty word, but it's way better than anything I thought it would be.
3. The Stone Roses - S/T (1989) I had heard this a couple of times over the last two years but never really focused on it. Sometimes it takes a reissue for me to calm down for a second and give proper attention. It's terrific.
2. My Bloody Valentine - Sunny Sundae Smile 12" (1987) This year I learned that Loveless actually probably ranks somewhere in the middle of their catalogue.
1. The Bats - Daddy's Highway (1987) This slid in next to Only Life as one of my absolute all-time favorites.

TV

I had been complaining about the last few years being pretty bad TV years. But toward the end of this year, I realized there are some pretty great shows that were on this year. I didn't watch everything because we don't have HBO, so no 7th season of Curb yet. Mad Men is boring and 30 Rock has taken a sharp, sharp dive. And The League improved exponentially toward the end of its season. Otherwise, if it's not here, I'm probably not that interested.

1. Eastbound & Down - I've seen all six episodes four times. The Jody Hill/Danny McBride/Ben Best team has been flawless. Unique and dark and fantastic.
2. Party Down - Almost any other year this would've been my favorite. It's awesome. Adam Scott and Martin Starr are top notch.
3. Parks And Recreation - Whoa whoa whoa! When nobody was watching, this show became nearly perfect. I had to watch it on Hulu. Why didn't anyone tell me? It's gotten to the point where I've become so conditioned to laughing at the characters that I start when I see Ron Swanson's face in the opening credits. Also, the theme song is up there with Taxi ("Angela") and Pete & Pete ("Hey Sandy") as one of the best ever.
4. Jersey Shore - Everything I hoped it would be. It's hard to define how I feel about these people. I don't have that typical reality show despicable-but-fascinating relationship with them. I kinda like most of them. Plus, they offer immortal quotes like Ronnie's "We smooshed" after consummating his relationship with Sammi Sweetheart, and JWoww's absolute deadpan "I love it" after Pauly D shows her his Prince Albert. Also, Ronnie dancing. And it's only been on for 4 weeks!
5. Big Brother 11 - Much like Jesus, you cannot be lukewarm toward any BB11 cast member. This was on three times a week, and I still looked forward to it.
6. Several Adult Swim Shows - One of the most pleasurable things in my life is staying home on my nights off, listening to music and watching Adult Swim.
7. The Office - I miss the days when this was uncomfortable and sad and less wacky. But syndication has helped remind me of its greatness and even helps reveal some of the best parts of the early seasons in the new ones.

MOVIES
Adventureland, Observe & Report. I saw like 3 movies this year.

BOOKS
I didn't read nearly as much as I had for the last few years. But my favorite things I read this year were Lolita and Consider The Lobster. Nabokov amazes me. Wallace is Wallace. The Pale King in 2010!