We round out our Best Albums of 2010 countdown with the Top 10 of 2010. With all our contributors voting on this one, there were a few surprises as to the order they appeared – but the decision for number one was virtually unanimous. Enjoy and check back later in the week as we begin our top songs of 2010 countdown!
Parades – Foreign Tapes
All art is subjective and regardless of a band’s musicianship, song writing prowess or ‘value’ as ‘serious recording artists’ my favourite music has and always will be determined by the way the songs make me feel and Parades – Foreign Tapes LP is one of those albums that I can blast on repeat and the sound never grows old. Their music is comfort on a bad day and makes the good times better. Not to mention the fact that they have flawlessly pieced together 10 lush, dreamy soundscapes that are sheer listening delight. Parades wear their influences firmly on their sleeves but they never sound unoriginal or uninspired. I can’t wait to see what they get up to in 2011. – Kat Mahina
2010 saw a major dynamic shift in the Australian music industry – no longer settling for the Powderfingers and Jets, the demand instead came for the Washingtons and Cloud Controls to stand up and be counted. With this in mind, the album that was not only the most important Australian album of the year, but the best overall, was the debut album of Sydney band Parades. Drummer Jonathan Boulet had already struck gold with solo success only a matter of months before the release of Foreign Tapes, and this bottled lightning continued onto his band’s release; bettering Boulet’s self-titled debut tenfold – and that album was excellent. What was created in Foreign Tapes is a unique soundscape of shimmering guitar, multi-faceted vocals and music that stuns upon first listen, before capturing one’s entire imagination in what can often feel like an alternate reality. This was a fantastic year for Australian music, but nothing even came close to the sound of Foreign Tapes, let alone came close to bettering it. – David Young
Sia – We Are Born
Apparently this is the album that Sia has wanted to make for a long time, and when you listen to it, it’s easy to see why. She sounds like she’s having a blast and the fun definitely rubs off. – Josh Brown
Comprised completely of heavy loaded pop music designed solely to induce a frenzy of intoxicatingly sweet happiness, this album is the perfect blend of joyful beats and dancey rhythms. – Fay Al-Janabi
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
Finally touring Australia almost 10 years after “Clint Eastwood” first hit the airwaves, 2010 also saw the debut of Gorillaz third long player – Plastic Beach – and the concept record (from a concept band) once again lived up to all expectations. The collaborations were inspired, the orchestrations were powerful, and hearing Damon’s voice in any project is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Particular props to introducing the world to the little known (no pun intended) Little Dragon and my personal favourite number “Superfast Jellyfish”. It was a no brainer for the top 10, really. – Larry Heath
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
LCD Soundsystem’s third album, This is Happening is my number one album of the year because it is the only album this year that continually makes me feel excited whenever I listen to it. As soon as album opener, ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ begins, it is an album I find immediately invigorating, making you want to dance and maybe even throw in a good ol’ fist pump! James Murphy’s tongue-in-cheek appeal is dripping from the lyrics, part of what gives LCD Soundsystem more of an edge (Murphy hasn’t quite lost it yet) over other pop electronic acts, flawlessly creating a mesh of contemporary electronica and synth throwbacks straight from the 1980’s. After seeing LCD Soundsystem live, it was then this album was really cemented as a favourite of mine for the year. There is something genuinely cool about James Murphy and the music he writes, and This Is Happening is lacking in nothing that makes an LCD Soundsystem album what it is. – Alexandra Duguid
Foals – Total Life Forever
The appealing hooks and riffs, the pounding keyboard notes – elements that made Antidotes so successful – the band has taken, brushed up and expanded upon to create a second album that is experimentally darker and much deeper in sound and substance. Total Life Forever is testament to Foals’ progression from repetitive, dance-orientated melodies to sonically beautiful soundscapes that weave tales of layered emotion. – Tania Hoang
Yeasayer – Odd Blood
With tracks such as the anthemic Ambling Alp and the sprighlight ONE, Odd Blood emerged as the record that would break the band to mainstream audiences. Fortunately, it would not cost them their sense of artistic integrity. For all its sporadic commercial appeal, Odd Blood remains an adventurous, imaginative journey. – Nick Mason
The National – High Violet
“I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees / I never married, but Ohio don’t remember me.” Yup, still gives me chills after the umpteenth listen. Oh, and the rest of the album is pretty outstanding too. Ahead of the pack, deservedly so. – Josh Brown
The National have been built on establishing a pathos connection with the everyday masses, and the toils of daily activities. However one could argue that the slightest hint of a nasal whine in such songs as “Runaway” and “Conversation 16” contribute to a sound which in its entirety does not quite match up to Boxer. But maybe those that enjoy such emotional torturing will find High Violet highly charming. While this may preclude it from running for album of the year, High Violet remains a highly enjoyable album to listen to and confirms the National’s place as one of the true darlings of the indie world. Who else is excited for Falls Festival? – Dennis Yu
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Not only has Kanye refreshed and improved upon his production skills by presenting us with his ambitious fantasy, he has raised the bar for hip-hops elite, encouraging them to step out of the realms of hip-hop. He has re-written so many rules with this album that it would be criminal not to name this the album of the year. He isn’t raps top lyricist, and he isn’t the be all and end all of producers, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the best album I’ve heard all year. – Chris Singh
We have reached the point where everything that could possibly be said about this album has been said. And that is saying something in itself. While other records were the soundtracks to scenic views along a railroad, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was the railroad; daring, determined, and unshakeable. It is the album we’ll all still be talking about in 10 years’ time and for that reason it is probably the most important release of 2010. – Richard Lucano
Angus & Julia Stone – Down The Way
‘Down The Way’ is an enchanting album about life, love and everything else in between. Angus & Julia Stone have improced both musically as well as lyrically and they still have that amazing knack of sucking you in and casting their spell over you. This album is simple, yet beautiful and is an absolute joy to listen to – Rikki Lorger
I have long been a fan of this brother sister duo and their latest album didn’t disappoint me. Full of a great mix of delightfully melodic tunes, Down The Way is the perfect accompaniment to a quiet evening in. Julia’s distinctive vocals really shine on the album, and their sound seems to have matured and expanded since their last album. Big Jet Plane and And The Boys are just a couple of the album’s songs that make me smile every time. – Victoria Nugent
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. What can be said about Arcade Fire that hasn’t already been said? This time around the band present a distilled emotional dystopia with a fascinating sense of tension. Another ambitious, mysterious and ultimately captivating effort. – Nick Mason
2010 saw Arcade Fire return with their latest album, and it really does top the bill as best album of the year. As a record it shows real depth and character. With Win Butler and co feeling confident enough to shake up their sound frequently throughout. The trademark Arcade Fire is still there but it has grown, matured and more polished. There are no bad or filler songs on this record, indeed in many cases it is the complete opposite, with some fantastic songs being showcased throughout. If for some reason you haven’t bought this album yet, do it! You will surely not regret it. – Simon Clark
