My year in music... if you give a shit.

I've always said "I'm bad a favorites". I like things differently. So I won't be any good at the Top Albums or the Top Singles lists. Instead, here are my things to note about a year in music 2010 style... dare I call it: Mary's Music Moments of 2010. Fucking alliteration, can I be any more of a nerd?

Favorite song to turn the radio way WAY UP!:
Sleigh Bells - "Crown on the Ground"
Check out a poor quality, fan video HERE

I will gladly blow my speakers on that one. Their debut album Treats dropped last summer, so I may be a little slow on the pick up. Part of my hold up was every time I got back to my computer I could never come up with the band name. A lot of "Bells" on the scene, right? I don't know how many times I asked, "You know that song they've been playing on the Current with the dope beat and the static-y mic?" No one seemed to be able to satisfy me with an answer. Memory jogged last week. Album purchased. And it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Can't wait to catch this Brooklyn duo in person.

PS. Don't check out their website.... it doesn't make them look awesome...

Favorite album to belt out while alone:
Florence + the Machine - Lungs

I know I bought this a year ago Christmas, so technically it must have been released in 2009, but the airwaves caught on mid 2010 with "Kiss with a Fist". Guttural and fun to sing along to. That bass drum driving your pulse and your voice box trying to keep up. If you are braving the sing along - be sure to have the track playing loud... most chords are no match for Florence's. What I really love about this album though is how sweetly dark it is. I grow tired of music that takes itself too seriously, and lyrics like "I said Hey, Girl with One Eye, Get your filthy fingers out of my pie" fit my sentiments exactly.

Check out one of my favorite tracks - Drumming Song - OFFICIAL VIDEO

Favorite female-lead girl-crush:
Oh yeah, that goes to Florence too...
We all have them, don't we?

Favorite live performance:
Dirty Projectors

Hands down!! It surprised the hell out of me too! That September night could go down as one of my all time favorite concerts. Go out and buy Bitte Orca (extended edition, that includes some nice acoustics stylings on the same great tracks [bargain price of $5.99 on iTunes today] ). I had an older album of theirs, Rise Above, and liked it enough but didn't hit the replay that often. It wasn't until I saw them live that I fell. And FUCKING HARD! Eating up anything any band member has had it's hands on. The trio of female voices were so incredibly on point with harmonies tighter than tight - it dropped the jaw of this former-singer. Throughout both albums those voices are used percussively. Live, it was UNREAL!

Perfect example, check out this live footage - Remade Horizon - LIVE

God I love that shit! To add a little romance to the love affair born that night, that show was also a killer first date for me. Bom chikka wa wa!

Favorite let down:
Haley Bonar

Now, there are some bands that are Make-or-Break when it comes to live performance. The aforementioned being the epitome of MAKE. Locally grown, Haley Bonar, was my breaking point. Now, I'm not saying she doesn't have a beautiful voice with a great album as a result, but this is the year's concert that I wish I would have just stayed home.

Why do I feel like it's important to tell you this? Because, I really liked her. I overplayed Big Star like What! I was excited to see her live and.... she broke my heart. The music was good and fine (aside from her attempt at a larger band ensemble), but I walked away not liking her as a person (how is that possible in the singer/audience relationship? I dunno, but it is somehow). She seemed ungrateful to be there with us, we were inconveniencing her somehow or maybe it was fucking PMS. Either way. I haven't listened to her album since and I'm sincerely bummed about that! I wanted to love it SO BAD!

Favorite ringing in the ears post-show:
The Black Keys

I loved every minute of that tingle. I would have taken my ringing ears right into the second night's show if he hadn't been sold out. There aren't many shows that I would be willing to pay a $35 ticket price twice to see the exact same set... enough said. Their album release Brothers easily made my most played list. It also made me back track to Attack & Release -n- beyond, and dig up Dan Auerbach's solo album (Keep it Hid) and side projects (Blakrok). Bottom line, good dish-washin' music. It gets me through every time!

Favorite song to get me through the work day:
Cee-lo Green - "Fuck You"

I don't know why, but this song always got stuck in my head during paid hours. Ok... maybe you know why... I always found myself belting out the chorus in my tight-quartered-office until I fumbled my way to 'the' lyric. As the song goes, "Fuck That Shit"! We all learned how fun swear words are to doo-wop to. The radio version being less than satisfying. Still a track that's just as catchy as Cee-lo tends to deliver... Ooo OoO OOO!


Others on the Over-Play list (I have my reasons...) :
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
The xx - xx
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs - God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise
The Dead Weather - Horehound
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
the Books - The Way Out
Spoon - Transference

There are too many more... I don't want to do this anymore...