Top Ten Albums of 2010

Making this list has been difficult. I played the hell out of some of these records (namely, Best Coast, Beach House and She & Him - the top three), and some of these albums I really liked, identified them as fantastic album but didn't overplay.

Does one make a top ten list based on playability and frequency of plays, or the artistic merit of the album itself? I guess I've gone for a combination of the two. True, my most loved albums from 2010 weren't exactly groundbreaking stuff (heck, the Brian Wilson album is basically comprised of covers), but as I grow older, I've found that I tend to stick to what I like (girl group sounds, 60's pop, harmonies). I think this list really shows that.

1. Best Coast - Crazy For You
2. Beach House - Teen Dream
3. She & Him - Volume Two
4. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
5. Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now
6. Brian Wilson - Reimagines Gershwin
7. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
8. Wild Nothing - Gemini
9. Spoon - Transference
10. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

Honourable mentions:
The Walkmen - Lisbon
Gigi - Maintenant
Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
Love Language - Libraries
Miles Kurosky - The Desert of Shallow Effects

Missing in action.

It's been ages since I last posted - anybody miss me? I haven't been very motivated to blog in the past while and when I had some spare time, I didn't feel very inspired. Not sure if I should continue that 30-day meme as I've kinda lost interest in it.

At the moment, I'm really just posting to say that I'm still around! Lately, a lot of great bands have shown up on Conan O'Brien's new late night show, Conan. I'm a huge huge huge Conan fan and I've always been pretty certain that he has fantastic taste in music. I've been loving his new show and was thrilled when She & Him performed "I Put A Spell On You" on December 9th and Jenny and Johnny showed up a full week later (on the 16th) to perform "Big Wave"!

Oddly, I can't seem to get these videos to play for me, but as far as I know, they work for other people. Maybe it's because I'm Canadian. In any case, let me know if they don't work and I'll see if I can find alternates.

ALSO: go to the Team Coco website for more, web exclusive videos - She & Him do "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with Conan himself, and Jenny and Johnny do another song ("Scissor Runner").

secrets & lies.

Just kidding about the lies part! =)

I was tagged by Katrina over at The Demure Muse to share seven secrets about myself! So here goes...

1. I've never dyed my hair. Well, aside from two occasions in first year university when my friend put some red streaks in my hair. My hair is a chameleon-like shade of dark brownish-red, which looks black sometimes in low light and its true colour in sunlight/better lighting. I also have natural strands of red and gold hairs. True story!

2. The first concert I attended was.... Savage Garden. Yep, it's true. I liked cheesy pop and boy bands in my early teenage years.

3. I really can't wear tops with a v-neck. I hate them, think they're ugly and they look wrong on me. I used to make an exception for v-neck sweaters, but no longer. I hate v-necks!

4. I don't know how to ride a bicycle. I rode a bicycle with training wheels until I was about... 9? After that, all bicycle-involved activities came to a halt. I'd like to learn, though.

5. I can't whistle. I put my lips in the shape to whistle; no sound comes out.

6. My biggest dream is to start a 60's-style girl group band with a slight punk influence. Can someone make this happen for me? Be in a band with me?

7. I eat pretty healthily, but I love hash browns from McDonald's. This "secret" is in honour of the fact that I just gave into my cravings and polished off two hash browns from McD's.

I don't know who to tag! I'm supposed to pick seven people but I don't know who reads my blog AND has their own blog. Here's two, at least. DO IT GUYS!

Debra at Ate by Ate
Breige at Rare Opal