Mick’s Picks: Best Tracks of 2010
Ok – here goes… it’s kind of funny – throughout 2010 I kept thinking to myself that I wasn’t that impressed with the musical offerings… Looking at the total body of 2010, however, it was a pretty damn good year for music. So, without further adieu…
Flyin’ Hi – Faithless – I’m a sucker for any track upon which Maxi Jazz is featured. This track is hypnotic and I love the way the tempo of the track follows the story Maxi is telling. All around, thought The Dance was a great energetic offering from the London trio…
Little Secrets – Passion Pit – call this a mulligan for missing this one in ’09, but thanks to a reissue of Manners, victory is mine…
Long Live the Fallen World – Young Galaxy – ANTHEM. I am captivated by the Canadian dream-pop group. Easily one of the most original records that I heard in 2010…
Horchata – Vampire Weekend – incredible lyrics, fun as hell to sing, and just brings you to a summertime vibe every time…
Rolling in the Deep – Adele – late addition to the list, but everything that Adele touches turns to gold. If this is what we have to look forward to on the new record, we are all in for a big treat. Huge fan of the stomp…
Yellow Brick Road – Angus & Julia Stone – I really can’t get enough of this track. Even without the Neil Young references in the lyrics, this song oozes a vintage Neil Young vibe – down to the 3-plus minute outro that is reminiscent of ‘Cortez the Killer’ or ‘Down by the River’…
Dilly – Band of Horses – hard not to smile and nod your head to this one. Anyone else get a ‘Buddy Holly’ vibe from this one?…
Sinister Kid – The Black Keys – the first 2 seconds of this song immediately kicks me into a rock and roll mode with the “Uhh” into the filthy groove that the Black Keys lay down on this one. For Brothers, they took to the legendary Muscle Shoals recording studio (google that for a history lesson on R&B and early southern rock) and they clearly channeled the ghosts of Muscle Shoals on this record and this track…
Do What You Gotta Do – Black Taxi – the only track that Black Taxi released in 2010 and it has to make the list. Simply put – this is the underground band that I am most excited about. Energy. Originality. Stage presence. Boom goes the dynamite…
Let’s Go Surfing – The Drums – title suggests summer and the track takes you the rest of the way. The break toward the end of the song is totally infectious…
Taos – Menomena – Rock? Meet roll. This track has everything – heavy guitars, badass vocals, sax, and an intriguing and unexpected use of strings. Love, love, love this throwback track (with a twist) off a pretty solid all-around record. I’m definitely excited to see these guys live…
Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnificent Zeros – did we go back in time? Edward Sharpe hit it out of the park with this one. ‘Nuff said – just listen and love…
Total Life Forever – Foals – best groove of 2010, hands down. I can’t get enough of this track. For me, this might have been one of the toughest picks, due to the strength of the total album…
We Don’t Eat - James Vincent McMorrow – love the insistent key strike on this track and the overall build-up. Another rising star on the indie singer-songwriter circuit with an incredible live show…
Timshel – Mumford & Sons – another tough call considering that Sigh No More rips from the opening note throughout. But this one has some of the best lyrics that I have heard in a long, long while…
Ambling Alp – Yeasayer – still not sick of it. In fact, I think that I love this track more and more with every listen (going on 1,000 soon, I reckon). This is one to throw on the iPod as you walk out of the office Friday afternoon…
Boy – Ra Ra Riot – I can’t get enough of the use of bass lines on Ra Ra Riot tracks. The first single off the newest record and to me the most fun and another great summer weekend song…
Firestruck – Young Galaxy – Yep, two tracks from this record and it’s NOT my album of the year. This one is as beautiful a song as I heard all year. Beautiful, yet pained. I am counting the days until Young Galaxy make their way back to the States so that I can catch this track live. It’s that good. The end is insane, with the calm coming out of the cacophony…
Ventilator Blues – The Rolling Stones – a tip of the hat to my favorite Stones record – clearly not released in 2010, but re-released with a Deluxe Version. Accompanying it is the DVD Stones in Exile chronicling the lead-up to and making of the seminal record. My top choice from the album….
Song of the Year: ‘Timshel’ – Mumford & Sons
Album of the Year: Infinite Arms – Band of Horses
Category: Music
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