Top Albums of 2010

I'm finalizing my annual "Best of" playlist, but I thought I'd post a couple albums from 2010 that I thought were stellar.


If I'm in the mood for something mellow and introspective, I pull out See You on the Moon by Tift Merritt. I've been following her for a few years now, but this album is a cut above her previous albums. It is more alt-country than straight up country, and gives it a more approachable, hipster-friendly feel. When I listen to it, it makes me want to take a road trip.


On the other hand, if I'm in the mood for upbeat pop/hip-hop, then I turn on the latest effort from Gorillaz, Plastic Beach. I had this playing on repeat for about a week this Spring. While there are no real standout singles, all of the songs are good and span a variety of modern electronic sub-genres (no doubt due to the wide variety of guest artists).

Honorable Mentions


I shouldn't like this album. It sounds way to much like 1970's post-hippie music, but it mesmerizes me. All the songs pretty much sound the same, which makes it difficult to pick out a track to put on the Best of mix, but it is definitely worth a listen.


And here is another quality album from Plants and Animals. Again, there are no standout singles, but the album as a whole is full of fun, jangly, indie rock. It probably would be great to listen to while cleaning the house.