2010 - A Year In Music and Top 10 List Part 1

2010 was a great year for music. Any way you slice and dice it, it was a great year for music. So many artists and so many albums were released this year that were just great and far too many that were above average.

I love music and every year I buy an excessive amount of music. I read reviews, take suggestion and I do my due dilligence to find new music, old music, undiscovered gems and every day classics. I love music. So naturally, I have an opinion on what trends I found most intriguing and what albums were the best.

One of my favorite trends of the year was the emergence or rebirth of 60's and 70's soul music. Maybe it's not really a new trend. Artists like Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings and the Budos Band have been laying down modern day funk inspired by James Brown for years. John Legend and Jill Scott have been making 60's and 70's soul inspired R&B safe for Barnes and Noble costumers for quite a long time as well. But this year was a very special year for soul music. It seems to be pushing itself forward as well as rediscovering itself all over again. John Legend recording an album with the Roots covering classic soul tracks from artists like Bill Withers, Marlena Shaw, and Baby Huey. Classic soul singers like Mavis Staples, Gil Scott-Heron and Bettye LaVette recorded new albums this year. New groups like Kings Go Forth found inspiration in the Motown and Philadelphia sounds of the 60's. While acts like Janelle Monae and How To Dress Well pushed soul music forward beyond the wildest imaginations. There are plenty of acts looking back towards Motown, Gamble and Huff, Stax, Parliment and Prince for their inspirations. Shoot, even Huey Lewis and the News recorded an album at Ardent Studios where many Stax greats like Otis Redding recorded their legacy. Let's not forget R. Kelly dipping his brush in the Motown sound as well with his latest album. Soul, funk, Rhythm and Blues are on the up and up, and I love it!

Another trend I am enjoying is that it seems more and more bands are recording cover songs. Such as the Flaming Lips took on the daunting task of recording their own version of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon. Not only did they record the album but put they also performed the album at several festivals across the country. Levi's was kind of enough to create something they called their Pioneer Sessions in which acts like the Shins, She & Him, Nas and Ryan Bingham recorded cover versions of some of their favorite songs. The Bird and Bee released a tribute album to Hall & Oates and even though Glee is the most detestable show on earth, it does a fabulous job of keeping great musical hits of the past in our collective conscience. Throw in a tribute album to Chris Knox and John Prine and the year gets a little better. You'll find covers on the latest She & Him and Local Natives records. I am sure there are a lot more to mention that hasn't been mentioned already. Why are covers becoming more and more popular? A friend of mine suggested that for the current generation, rock music has the same relevance that the great American Songbook had for the great jazz singers of the past.

This was also a fabulous year for electronic music. Dance music, club music, or whatever it is that you want to call it. Great albums from Caribou, Crystal Castles, Holy Fuck, Simian Mobile Disco, Delorean, Matthew Dear, Four Tet and Hot Chip. These are simply the albums I've heard and found in the clubs. Not a bad year to have rhythm and dancing shoes, not bad at all.

Unfortunately not even a great music year could withstand the blemish that is Justin Bieber. My goodness does that kid suck something awful.

Now for the awards!

Most overrated - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Wavves and Cee-Lo Green album's will go down as the most overrated works. Sorry Cee-Lo. We've had some great times together but your overproduced and more cheeky than tongue album is fun but I don't get the fanfare over "Fuck You" and the rest of your album.

Favorite uncovered gem - Ernie Smith. Ernie Smith is a reggae artist I had never heard of before until a collection of his hits were released over the summer. A fabulous reggae talent, Smith didn't quite sing like Johnny Nash or Bob Marley even though Smith was a contemporary of those music legends. No, Ernie Smith had a very clean delivery that is a blend of Bill Wither and Kris Kristofferson. On the collection you'll even find a cover of Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down." It's great to see Smith get some recognition and even Neil Diamond is getting into action as Diamond covered Smith's "Love Song" on his latest album of covers. I was very happy discovering this artist and I hope you discover the same joy I have with his music.

And every year, there is some music released that I have a hard time explaining why I enjoy so much. This year I award two albums as my Favorite Guilty Pleasure

Favorite Guilty Pleasure 1 - The Dream's Love King. With it's hip hop club, synthy pop, dance fusion sound and lyrics entirely about sex this album is fun, hip swiveling, sexy and playful. Maybe the best thing about The Dream is that his confidence is not off putting. He wants to rock your world and he will say it metaphorically or literally. For club music or baby making music, the sound is very rich and layered, the choruses are catchy and the swagger is on! "Yamaha" is just a great song, catchy with layers and layers of synth magic.

Favorite Guilty Pleasure 2 - Fitz and The Tantrums, Pickin' Up the Pieces is just a great soul record with big choruses that seem more like Vegas than Motown. Think a little bit of Maroon 5, Hall & Oates, George Michael and 80's soul hits. This five piece band minus a guitar player is just fun. Whether it is the romantic anthem "L.O.V." or the political inspiration of "Dear Mr. President" Fitz and The Tantrums find their groove with big funk inspired soul songs. Fitz doesn't have the range for ballads but heck a majority of these songs are meant to make you dance and dance you shall!

Producer of the Year - T-Bone Burnett

Sure, Madlib tried to release/produce 13 albums in one year but fell a little short. He released 10. Who else produced 10 albums this year with the same variety as Madlib? T-Bone Burnett. Much of what Madlib produced was his own work but Burnett worked with Elton John and Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Robert Randolph, Jakob Dylan, Willie Nelson and several others. In some casess Burnett helped produced their best material in years. In that same time, Burnett even won an Oscar for producing and writing the hit track for the Crazy Heart Soundtrack. Burnett is a fabulous musician and has a great knack for song crafting. Already in the works is an album with Steve Earle and Gregg Allman in 2011.

In the end, this was a great year for music. I don't get to listen to everything. I am not a magazine. I am not employed at a record store or a radio station. I don't have a truck full of money I can throw at any record I want. Boy, I wish. I don't get to listen to every album but that doesn't stop me from making a Top 10 list.

Soon to come a Top 10 list.