Reaper's Top 30 (plus Honorable Mentions) Favorite Albums of 2010

[Reaper16]

This year, a very deep year for music, I will post a top 30, complete with descriptions and YouTube embeds to a song I really like from each album.

My top 30 isn't quite complete yet. I anticipate posting everything for that list tomorrow. But in the meantime, this thread will begin with a handful of Honorable Mentions, listed alphabetically, for people to mull over.

Honorable Mentions:
Brotha Lynch Hung - Dinner and a Movie
Enforcer - Diamonds
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
Manticora - Safe
Oceansize - Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up
Overkill - Ironbound
Pain of Salvation - Road Salt pt. 1
Sleigh Bells - Treats
Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Tech N9ne - Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Mojo
Bobby Watson - The Gates BBQ Suite
Kanye West - G.O.O.D. Fridays


Top 30:
30.) The National - High Violet
29.) Kutt Calhoun - Raw and Un-Kutt
28.) Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
27.) Gayngs - Relayted
26.) Johnny Cash - American Recordings VI: Ain't No Grave
25.) Burzum - Belus
24.) Blind Guardian - At the Edge of Time
23.) High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine
22.) Karnataka - The Gathering Light
21.) Ihsahn - After
20.) Das Racist - Sit Down, Man
19.) Kvelertak - Kvelertak
18.) Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
17.) Heathen - The Evolution of Chaos
16.) Briton Rites - For Mircalla
15.) Glasser - Ring
14.) Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
13.) Borknagar - Universal
12.) Sigh - Scenes from Hell
11.) Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
10.) Alcest - Écailles de Lune
09.) Robyn - Body Talk
08.) Ces Cru - The Playground
07.) Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones
06.) Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
05.) The Lord Weird Slough Feg - The Animal Spirits
04.) Angra - Aqua
03.) Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
02.) Dessa - A Badly Broken Code
01.) Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit

Thanks for reading/listening! Feel free and discuss the albums mentioned or the albums snubbed.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

I originally listened to Agalloch – Marrow of the Spirit about a month ago and while I really enjoyed the band, the vocals killed it for me. I'm sorry, but that vocal style takes zero talent... and to me, I'd rather just talk to satan himself. Imagine this band with a very melodic and powerful singer... now THAT would be fantastic. Thats the problem with metal.... the band can be so awesome and the vocals can kill it the majority of the time.

I disagree entirely. There are some shitty harsh vocals and some great harsh vocals and lots of average harsh vocals. Just like there are with singing voices. I lovelovelove John Haughm's vocal work in Agalloch. His clean singing has this perfect timbre for the band's music, and his harsh vocals sound like the whispers of a ghost; they fit the aesthetic of the band to a T.

Originally Posted by KCUnited

That's the beauty of metal for me, instrument mastery and vocals used as just another instrument, the least important instrument.

I'm generally this way. The vocals are the least important instrument in metal. This is especially true in death and black metal. The vocals are very, very important in power metal, though.

[Omaha]

My favorite of 2010 was The Gaslight Anthem's American Slang. I also liked Pearl Jam - Backspacer and the new KOL CD.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Omaha

My favorite of 2010 was The Gaslight Anthem's American Slang. I also liked Pearl Jam - Backspacer and the new KOL CD.

I have Sound of '59. Might grab the newer one because I like the other one.

[Omaha]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

I have Sound of '59. Might grab the newer one because I like the other one.

You'll have to tell me what you think. Speaking of "no sophomore slump", I thought the songwriting actually improved on American Slang. I'm very surprised that they've not been mentioned in ANY of the lists I've seen.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Omaha

You'll have to tell me what you think. Speaking of "no sophomore slump", I thought the songwriting actually improved on American Slang. I'm very surprised that they've not been mentioned in ANY of the lists I've seen.

I believe that Spin had them in their top 50.

[Titty Meat]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the Roots album that seems to be your cup of tea Reaper. I need to peep the Ces Cru CD i've been playing that Float song for a few months now. I was pretty surprised they made such a good song i've seen a few of there concerts they were less than impressive.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by billay

I'm surprised you didn't mention the Roots album that seems to be your cup of tea Reaper. I need to peep the Ces Cru CD i've been playing that Float song for a few months now. I was pretty surprised they made such a good song i've seen a few of there concerts they were less than impressive.

"Float" is among the weaker songs on the album, IMO. It's a really impressive album. As for their live shows... their success or failure seems directly tied into how drunk Godemis is on stage. The less booze for him the better.

I totally dig The Roots. Their 2010 album is amongst the LARGE selection of albums that got cut before honorable mentions. I easily listen to over 200 albums a year, and 2010 was no exception.

[Bowser]

Reaper, any takes on Volbeat and their new album? You like, you hate, you're ambivalent?

[QuikSsurfer]

Thanks for the list and time invested.
Just picked up Ihsahn’s After and the new Enslaved

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

I originally listened to Agalloch – Marrow of the Spirit about a month ago and while I really enjoyed the band, the vocals killed it for me. I'm sorry, but that vocal style takes zero talent... and to me, I'd rather just talk to satan himself. Imagine this band with a very melodic and powerful singer... now THAT would be fantastic. Thats the problem with metal.... the band can be so awesome and the vocals can kill it the majority of the time.

Zero talent? I'm pretty sure you don't really believe that.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

"Float" is among the weaker songs on the album, IMO. It's a really impressive album. As for their live shows... their success or failure seems directly tied into how drunk Godemis is on stage. The less booze for him the better.

I totally dig The Roots. Their 2010 album is amongst the LARGE selection of albums that got cut before honorable mentions. I easily listen to over 200 albums a year, and 2010 was no exception.

I listen to How I got over a lot. Great album for the car.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

I originally listened to Agalloch – Marrow of the Spirit about a month ago and while I really enjoyed the band, the vocals killed it for me. I'm sorry, but that vocal style takes zero talent... and to me, I'd rather just talk to satan himself. Imagine this band with a very melodic and powerful singer... now THAT would be fantastic. Thats the problem with metal.... the band can be so awesome and the vocals can kill it the majority of the time.

I like Agalloch's vocals.

[TrickyNicky]

I wish you would do a top 10 every month. It seems like there is so much good stuff that I just miss due to ignorance.

[Halfcan]

Wow the only name I reconized is Iron Maiden.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Wow the only name I reconized is Iron Maiden.

That's because you're old and irrelevant, unlike all the cool kids in this thread.




(and in all honesty, I feel ridiculous at times being close to 40 and still keeping up with musical trends like Sleigh Bells, Kanye West, and Robyn).