This post was originally published on the first incarnation of the CurbsideAudio blog, renamed Malevolent Media by its new owner when I joined Under The Gun Review.
Top Ten Albums
Compiling a list of my “Top Ten” this year was difficult. 2010 was a great year for music overall. I started with a list of 30 or so albums and finally dwindled it down to a “Top Ten.” I also added an honorable mentions list.
- The Emptiness - Alesana
- There is a Hell, Believe Me, I've Seen it. There is a Heaven, Let's Keep it a Secret. - Bring Me The Horizon
- Would it Kill You? - HGB
- An Airplane Carried Me To Bed - Sky Sailing (Adam Young)
- Prepare the Preparations - Ludo
- Enemy of the World - FYS
- Hurley - Weezer
- My Forever - He is We
- Illuminaudio - Chiodos
- Recovery - Eminem
Alesana’s The Emptiness is honestly one of the best records to flow through my headphones in years. I am a huge sucker for concept albums and Alesana delivered with a fantastic adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem Annabel Lee. Alesana has always been fantastic at taking great literature from all sorts of mediums and creating a soundtrack that can please the modern listener and the literature buffs. Making a song inspired by a story is one thing. However, writing an album/story based on a poem is no easy feat. Within The Emptiness there is a storybook. This book contains the whole story of the Artist and the events that transpired within those daunting hours. If you haven’t bought this album yet, do it. You won’t be disappointed.
THE EMPTINESS WILL HAUNT YOU.
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)
- Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (+ The Mad Gear and Missile Kid EP) - MCR
- 4x4=12 - Deadmau5
- B.o.B Presents: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray - B.o.B
- Brand New Eyes - Paramore
- Dark is a Way, Light is a Place - Anberlin
- Deceiver - The Word Alive
- Emarosa - Emarosa
- Favorite Fix - Artist Vs. Poet
- Imperial - In Fear & Faith
- Invented - Jimmy Eat World
- Selfish Machines - Pierce The Veil
- Take a Vacation - The Young Veins
- The Upsides - The Wonder Years
- Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
Disappointments
- Ø (Disambiguation) - Underoath
- What Separates Me From You - A Day To Remember
- Year of the Black Rainbow - Coheed and Cambria
- Night & Day - The Secret Handshake
I was really looking forward to these albums. Maybe that’s why I was so disappointed with them. I gave in to the hype and expected too much. Nevertheless, these albums really fell short of my expectations. Now, I still listen to all of them, they are all great albums. They just weren’t what I was looking forward to. You can’t please everyone, huh?
This was a big year for the Extended Play. Lots to choose from, but only 10 made the cut. Check it out!
Extended Plays (EP)
- The Hearts of Lonely People - Isles & Glaciers
- Waiting in the Moment - Take Cover
- Life is Good - Jason Mraz
- Do Overs and Second Chances - Go Radio
- The Sound of Symmetry - Sky Eats Airplane
- Zombie - The Devil Wears Prada
- Hello World - Amely
- Life Gone Wild - Asking Alexandria
- The Hippy Hop EP - MOD SUN
- Beneath it All - Hey Monday
Mixtapes
- Health, Wealth, Success, & Happiness - MOD SUN
Overall, I’m pretty happy with my lists. I know I’m missing some key albums from 2010, but I just forgot to get some of them. Remember, this list is just what I enjoyed the most. Your list may be completely different. That’s awesome. So, instead of writing hateful comments, I challenge you to make your own “Top Ten” and send me a link to it. This way we can all enjoy each other’s preferences. 8]