Top 25 Albums of 2010: 20-16

For albums 25-21, visit here.

20. The New Pornographers Together

Seriously, how good are the New Pornographers if Together is one of their lesser albums.  95% of the bands out there would kill to make an album this good.  The New Pornographers are a collective who makes powerful power-pop anthems.  Their hooks are the hookiest, the choruses the catchiest, and the vocals are the biggest.  Put it in, turn it up, and shout along.

The New Pornographers "The Crash Years"

19. Bubblegum Lemonade Sophomore Record

It’s fairly obvious Bubblegum Lemonade mastermind Laz McLuskey probably has a better record collection than you.  In a fine Scottish tradition, Bubblegum Lemonade mine the vaults of Jesus and the Mary Chain, toss in some Beach Boys, and add a pinch of Scottish twee.  The result is a bouncing collection of tunes that takes the ghosts of rock past and brings it into the present.

MP3: "Caroline's Radio"

18. Very Truly Yours Very Truly Yours

  

Remember the Sundays?  They had a minor hit in the 90’s with “Summertime”.  Well, here is their 2010 counterpart.  Very Truly Yours makes pretty, if non-descript, breezy, autumnal pop songs.  It’s an album to put on when you need to smile, when you need warmth, when you need to be reminded that the world isn’t a terrible place, when you need to know that there is joy and beauty all around.

MP3: "I'd Write You a Song"

17. Arcade Fire The Suburbs

  

Whatever accusations you made about me for my placement of Sufjan Stevens, feel free to do with Arcade Fire as well.  The only difference:  this album rules.  Every song is a fist pumping anthem.  It might very well be their best album yet.  It features the thematic complexity of Funeral and Neon Bible with an ever increasing prowess as musicians.  Arcade Fire might very well take the throne of kings of rock.  Why so low?  I just don’t listen to it very much.  Also, it could probably stand to be a bit shorter.  If you disagree, make your own list.

Arcade Fire "Ready to Start"

16.  A Sunny Day in Glasgow Autumn, Again

More than a great name, A Sunny Day in Glasgow continue to put out strong neo-shoegaze albums.  As a genre, shoegaze tends to slide into My Bloody Valentine worship.  At it’s most generic, 40 minutes with a shoegaze album mostly makes me want to reach for Loveless or Slowdive.  A Sunny Day in Glasgow certainly follows in the pattern of Loveless:  it’s three minute pop songs layered with layer upon layer upon layers of guitars, sequenced to sound like a monolithic whole.  The key, as far as I can tell, is the “three minute pop song” core.  There has to be something to build on.  More often than not, Autumn, Again succeeds.  Need proof: check out the catchy as I’ll get out “Drink Drank Drunk”.

You can download the album for free here.

For albums 25-21, visit here.