As I look back at the year, I’m always reminded of how big of impact music has on my life. This year at first glance I think there weren’t nearly as many new artists I discovered or new albums I listened to, but after making a list well I was right for the most part. 2010 was full of catching up on a lot of great stuff from 2009 for some reason. A lot of bands and albums that for some reason I put on the back burner and really didn’t listen to until some point this year. I’m still going to include them in my list tho because I can.
Albums of 2010
Neon Trees - Habits
I saw these guys open up for a local band in Rexburg in early 2009 and though they were pretty nifty, but it wasn’t until I saw them open up for 30 Seconds to Mars that I got hooked on them. While short, their debut album is rich in energetic happy-ish music that just makes you want to dance. And that’s really all I can ask for from anybody.
Scott Pilgrim Soundtrack
The movie was epic and the soundtrack was just as fantastic. For a show about music I’m sure it was pretty difficult to select a soundtrack that would reflect the odd world that the characters lived in. What we got was an indie world of unknown stuff, but that’s ok because it was all good unknown stuff at least to me anyway. The 8-bit soundtrack to the game was just as good however and that little something something to make you smile and remember the good ole days.
Preston Pugmire EP
Preston is not a signed artist nor known by anybody outside the immediate Idaho/Utah area, but he should be. He’s a one man band that I’ve seen perform numerous times over the years either as a solo act or in other bands. Apparently he’s made the jump to full time musician and taking his solo act on the road. This was a small free 5 track EP that was released on his website and its just that sort of sweet melodies and looping that he’s well known for that makes you think a little.
The Left Rights - Bad Choices Made Easy
The side project of Jimmie Urine and Steve Righ? Of MSI, The Left Rights are just a huge collection of stupid 1-2min songs that really have no relevance to anything whatsoever. But they are hilarious and that’s all I need to know.
3oh3! - Streets of Gold
While I’m still having a hard time listening to all of it, much like their previous release, Streets of Gold is everything you’d expect from 3oh3. It’s a bunch of energetic rap/pop songs that just make you want to move and dance, only this time with a lot less “gangsta”
persona going on.
I Fight Dragons EP
I saw these guys open up for Cobra Starship this past summer and while I don’t listen to it quite as much anymore, it did introduce me to the world of chiptuning, or in otherwords using an old NES or gameboy motherboard to create 8-bit sounds to go along with your music. Very cool and very fun.
The Throbbing Testicles EP
Absolutely tooting my own horn here, but we also released a new album this year and yes I listened to it quite a bit for awhile. While it was not really anything new, but just a compilation of some of our best songs, it was recorded in a studio for the first time as well as putting keys/synth on a lot of songs for the first time as well. It solidified the idea that in a good setting we could make this work and that’s all I need. Plus its funny.
Birds of New York EP
Ryan White of the band Resident Hero recently created this little side project that is a more power pop feel than heavy rock, but his sweet voice excels just as much here as it does in the former rock trio. I’m not even sure if this EP is available anywhere, but I managed to harass him into emailing it to me. Its that sort of good feeling space out music that takes you on a little trip, not the drug kind but the life experience kind, before dropping you off back where you were at the last few notes.
The rest of the albums that I listened to a bunch this year didn’t come out in 2010, but rather in 2009. I only just now got around to listening to them.
LMFAO - Party Rock
Flyleaf - Memento Mori
AFI - Crash Love
30 Seconds To Mars - This is War
(I did listen to this in 09, but I didn’t like it very much. It wasn’t until I saw them perform again in January that it became a staple cd in my car)
Electric Valentine - Automatic
Stephen Lynch - 3 Balloons
Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
There’s more to be said, but I’ll save it for the next one.
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