Your 2010 Album of The Year

[JOYCEfromNS]

Do you have a New Release Favourite of 2010

Mine     Arcade Fire  Maybe even for The Decade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Suburbs_(Arcade_Fire_album)

[BlastersFan55]

Man, tough one. 

Four pop into my head immediately:

Mark Olson; Many Colored Kite
Justin Townes Earle: Harlem River Blues
Great American Taxi: Reckless Habits
Jimmy Webb: Just Across The River

So, if I was forced to choose, I'd have to say Webb's album is my choice.               Happy New Year!   

[ducktrapper]

First of all, I declare 2010 to be one of the worst years in the history of music. Then I've got to say that the Bob Dylan mono set and The Whitmark demos have given me the most enjoyment. IMHO, new music either kind of sucks or all sounds like something that was once (or twice) done better. Am I totally wrong here?   

[BenF]

I'll throw in a vote for 'In the Hills, the Cities' by James Edge and the Mindstep, and 'Where Lovers Die' by Ghost Trains.

Both albums by people that I have subsequently become acquainted with, and made me realise just how much great music is made and never gets above the radar, by normal everyday talented and devoted people.  In saying that, the Ghost Trains record has received some high profile acclaim in recent weeks, and the early drafts of tracks from their second album are brilliant.

The Ghost Trains stuff is mostly free to download from their website.

[OutWithTheBlue]

Antoine Dufour - Convergences.....hands down.

[Walkerman]

Leo Kottke 6 and 12 String......

Well, 2010 was the first time I heard anything by him, so it's a new album to me.

I'm kinda with Duck on this one....I don't much care for the "new stuff."  Guess I've been spoiled.

[BenF]

Nope, the new stuff is there, it's just burried under a whole lot more rubbish than it used to be. I would argue that 2010 was a very good year for new music, but it is so easy for uninspiring musicians to get noticed, and so much emphasis on reality TV show music and manufactured drivel, that you have to work to find the good.

I have found that finding one good act can lead to many others, as they tend to notice each other.  I have become friends with some great musicians, and they constant battle to get their records into the ears of reviewers and promotors is much harder than getting a record completed, getting signed to a small label, or even collaborating with some of the best known musicians in the country.  It's been a real eye opener.

I mentioned James Edge and the Mindstep above. He is a great songwrite and musician, but some of the names on the album sleeve jump out. Robert Kirby did much of the string arrangements, famous for doing the arrangement of Nick Drakes first two albums and more recently artists like Paul Weller and The Magic Numbers. Sadly Robert died recently. A true musical genius.

And yet James' record never appears on a commercial radar.  Very sad, when you consider the success of interweb sensations like Justin Beiber. It's not the lack of good music, it's the money making machine hiding it from us.  James is currently working as producer for others of similar talent. It's amazing the artists I have discovered just from buying his album and speaking with him.

[Walkerman]

Nope, the new stuff is there, it's just burried under a whole lot more rubbish than it used to be. I would argue that 2010 was a very good year for new music, but it is so easy for uninspiring musicians to get noticed, and so much emphasis on reality TV show music and manufactured drivel, that you have to work to find the good.

I have found that finding one good act can lead to many others, as they tend to notice each other.  I have become friends with some great musicians, and they constant battle to get their records into the ears of reviewers and promotors is much harder than getting a record completed, getting signed to a small label, or even collaborating with some of the best known musicians in the country.  It's been a real eye opener.

I mentioned James Edge and the Mindstep above. He is a great songwrite and musician, but some of the names on the album sleeve jump out. Robert Kirby did much of the string arrangements, famous for doing the arrangement of Nick Drakes first two albums and more recently artists like Paul Weller and The Magic Numbers. Sadly Robert died recently. A true musical genius.

And yet James' record never appears on a commercial radar.  Very sad, when you consider the success of interweb sensations like Justin Beiber. It's not the lack of good music, it's the money making machine hiding it from us.  James is currently working as producer for others of similar talent. It's amazing the artists I have discovered just from buying his album and speaking with him.

I couldn't agree less. Good music, even by unknowns, will eventually get out.  And that is especially true if the musician can perform well live.  Look at "Bat Out of Hell."
It's just like movies....even those with mega stars...if they don't deliver, word of mouth kills them.  But a good movie...even a low budget one, will do well.
I hear a lot of new music...I just am not impressed with it.

[Capodave]

I like Marc Cohn's "Listening Booth:1970"

[BenF]

I couldn't agree less. Good music, even by unknowns, will eventually get out.  And that is especially true if the musician can perform well live.  Look at "Bat Out of Hell."
It's just like movies....even those with mega stars...if they don't deliver, word of mouth kills them.  But a good movie...even a low budget one, will do well.
I hear a lot of new music...I just am not impressed with it.

That's up to you then. Either you are not prepared to look hard enough, or are so close minded to be able to accept that new music isn't identical to what's been in your hi-fi for 40 years.

I'll stop my little dream world of endless musical discovery and put on Sgt Pepper and pretend nothing else matters.

Happy days of monotonous comfortable continuum.

[ducktrapper]

Oh phooey. Of course, you can't hear all of them and there is always a lot of "decent music" of the "I've heard it all before" variety. No one looks harder for and is less impressed with most of what I hear than ... me. I just moved my CD, record and tape collection and I'm pretty sure I'm up there with the "seekers". 2010 really sucked. Even the Drive By Truckers are disappointing me. I'd cast my vote for Josh Ritter's "So Runs the World Away" if I was forced to vote for one.

[meadowlands2000]

Yea, Ritter is the man!  Also check out The Swell Season's Strict Joy or is that '09?  can't recall... and Mason Jennings The Flood.  Agree for the most part that the quality is definitely down this year but it's not THAT bad where there isn't still very enjoyable music out there..

Also I checked out Antoine Dufour (from earlier post) and he is AMAZING.  Those Youtube clips are unbelievable, as is Andy McKee's stuff

[Queequeg]

First of all, I declare 2010 to be one of the worst years in the history of music. Then I've got to say that the Bob Dylan mono set and The Whitmark demos have given me the most enjoyment. IMHO, new music either kind of sucks or all sounds like something that was once (or twice) done better. Am I totally wrong here?   

You sound like an old fart, duck.
(and I couldn't agree more.)   
I only bought one really new [2010] release last year: Elton John & Leon Russell / The Union
I was disappointed. I haven't really enjoyed anything from Elton John for a few decades but I always liked Leon Russell. EJ should have simply produced this for Leon, and stood clear of the piano and microphone. He ruined the CD for me.

[Walkerman]

That's up to you then. Either you are not prepared to look hard enough, or are so close minded to be able to accept that new music isn't identical to what's been in your hi-fi for 40 years.

I'll stop my little dream world of endless musical discovery and put on Sgt Pepper and pretend nothing else matters.

Happy days of monotonous comfortable continuum.

Perhaps I just have higher standards.  I suppose that you consider Bach and Motzart as part of that "monotonous comfortable continuum."
If the new music was good enough, it would find me....I wouldn't have to go on a forced safari to find it.  As I said, I listen to lots of new music (I have 2 sons in their 20's who regale me with it)...I am just not impressed with it.  Sure, every once in awhile I hear a song I like...but a whole album?  Hardly.

Now, Blue Rodeo was a first for me this year, and I really liked their music.  Turns out
1. My appreciation for them is widely shared on this forum (speaking for my good taste) and
2. They are NOT a new group.

Also, I really liked Robert Plant's new music, which was really different from his Zep stuff.

[Queequeg]

Yea, Ritter is the man!  Also check out The Swell Season's Strict Joy or is that '09?  can't recall... and Mason Jennings The Flood.  Agree for the most part that the quality is definitely down this year but it's not THAT bad where there isn't still very enjoyable music out there..

Also I checked out Antoine Dufour (from earlier post) and he is AMAZING.  Those Youtube clips are unbelievable, as is Andy McKee's stuff

The Swell Season's Strict Joy is really very good. They are headlining Ann Arbor Folk Festival the end of this month.
I met Antoine Dufour last year and heard him in concert. Pretty good show. Andy McKee... not so much.

[jeremy3220]

Jakob Dylan's 'Women and Country' was really fantastic.

[BenF]

And for the umpteenth time Walkerman picks up his ball and smugly goes home.

The abundant attitude is that music cannot be good unless it meets certain criteria, these being

a) it is by an artist you already know, and may have many records by. I note that many people seem to judge eras of music solely on the quality of Bob Dylan's last record.

b) the artist is an offshoot of a known band, or perhaps a relative of someone you know well. How well did Bob Marleys kids do, considering 90% of their stuff was rehashed Bob Marley stuff. Again, the Robert Plant stuff sells well for similar reasons.

c) occasionally new artists get a glowing review from a journalist you may already know, and you may take a chance on it.

Bottom line is that the people directly influencing all these are getting older with you, and either care less, stop making music, or do a random hardcore album like David Bowie.  There is plenty of talent that never meets these criteria, and therefore, and I don't think this is an unreasonable point considering the last post from Walkerman, it must be rubbish.

The other point is that if you personally don't like music then it is bad by default. Considering the effort that goes into making the records you or I don't happen to like, I find that opinion disgusting.

What will we do whenBobDylan snuffs it. Cut off our ears I suppose. Sheesh.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Well Friends I believe it is a matter of perspective please no barbs BUT I think the older we get the less open and narrow we tend to get.

Ben you are younger I would guess the younger 20 percentile on the Forum thus most likely more open to "new".

Certainly am not judging saying one is better than the other BUT i certainly see myself getting  less open with each passing year. I think it's natural.

[BenF]

I may also add that some of the artists producing very fine music are members of this forum, and therefore your views are directly insulting. I am sure there are many here pursuing musical careers, with Augustin Amigo, Larry Pattis, Denis Tirbide and George Skarogiannis just 4 that jump to mind. Others also write very fine music for their own pleasure and gigging. Much kudos to them!!!

[Walkerman]

Let me just debunk your first point.....

"...a) it is by an artist you already know, and may have many records by. I note that many people seem to judge eras of music solely on the quality of Bob Dylan's last record...."

I gave the example of Blue Rodeo....a band I had never heard of, yet I liked their music enough to inquire here about them.  For all I knew at the time, the odds were they were a new band, being as I hadn't heard of them.  MOF, back a few months, I asked about Government Mule in this forum...another band I heard played on the radio and liked.  Could have been a new band for all I knew.

So, to debunk your original premise...the balls in your court, and I believe that point went to me.  Now, let's continue without the personal attacks (disgusting, insulting, closeminded etc).

Lastly..."...The other point is that if you personally don't like music then it is bad by default...."
Now, I never said it was "bad"...I simply said I was not impressed by it...ie...it wasn't to my taste.  You seem to be under the impression that if you like something, it is by default good music.