Awards, click to see the best album of 2010!!! (not spam I swear, here’s proof: Battlestar Galactica, The Flaming Lips, ID4)

So as the year closes, a man must reflect on the joys, sorrows, laughs, and tears of the past year. In my case I gotta reflect on sweet music.

Just to give some history of this illustrious award, I’ll present some of the previous winners. It’ll help show the prestige of the award along with that much needed context. I would pretend I was alive in 1969 and had to choose between Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin’s self titled debut, but naw, that would be too hard to do for each year since 1960. (Abbey Road for the record)

But I can tell you the most recent winner, as declared in a facebook status around this time last year. I declared The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists the winner. It won by a fair margin despite being up against some albums from my old favorites such as Wilco (the album), and Embryonic (Flaming Lips). I loved how it was a modern rock Opera, complete with epic swells and luls, and common themes interweaved into several songs. Also, despite using non traditional (for rock) instruments such as the accordion, they rocked hard!

So as anyone who has watched a lame overdrawn out awards show, you know I have to drag this out a little bit. So without further dragging, here’s a list of the runner ups:

Is There Nothing We Can Do: by Badly Drawn Boy. Ok ok, so this came out at the end of last year, don’t worry its just a runner up anyways. I’ve loved this group for ages. This album got me through the CPA tests successfully the first time! So I had to give it a place on this list. Those who know the group already know of their excellence in doing soundtracks. About a Boy like this album, and heck like The Hazards of Love has recurring themes and great dreamy atmosphere throughout. Check it out, you’ll only regret it if your kinda lame. (also side note, unfortunately the new album from BDB wasn’t quite up to the standards of this and older classics, still good, but not awesome)

It pains me not to give the award to this next group. They’ve been on my radar for a while, but I never had the opportunity to really appreciate them. Luckily all the albums were like $3 right before I came to California. The Arcade Fire has since become one of my favorite bands. The Suburbs is said to have “early 30’s angst”. I agree (and almost can relate :), it is an achievement in its own right and is fairly unique. As a previous facebook status stated, I actually had a dream where 2 songs from this record were performed flawlessly in the background. It definitely got in my head and was a staple in getting me to work in the morning. Also, check out the drum beat in Modern Man, its fun to try.

The final runner up is an anomaly in my collection. I really don’t have too much music that’s related to it (if there is any music closely related to it). Its pretty much techno indie rock. It was a lucky find off of serious satellite radio. I guess they have been big and I’ve enjoyed going to their older stuff. I’m talking of LCD Soundsystem of course. They totally are Daft Punk for todays kids. The lead man is very much amusing, with a voice reminiscent of the guy from Cake. Lyrically, they make me laugh with their observations and “talk singing”. Highlights include Dance yrself clean and You Wanted a Hit.

Honorable mention goes to Ben Folds’ Lonely Avenue and to Weezer’s Death to False Metal and Hurley.

And so we reach the end of our show, where we recycle jokes. There can only be one winner so without further mumbo jumbo… Spoon: Transference. I’ve loved the band since like 10^th grade (when I discovered some great stuff like this, Wilco, and the flaming lips and the shins…) Spoon has been consistently interesting. Each album has an intensity about it that is different from their other albums. For instance, they had the garage band sound going on back in A Series of Sneaks, a melancholy love going on in Girls can Tell, a dark plea for rock in Gimme Fiction, and now with Transferance, Spoon has stripped down its sound to a more intimate sound, opening with a great example of this. Is Love Forever has an interesting progression in lyrics(weirdest fan video ever). The Mystery Zone explores what happens to acquaintances who move on in life and disappear into obscurity. Written in Reverse is the bombastic “pop” track. My personal favorite from the album is “out go the lights” Its gentle, showcases his amazing voice, and drifts into a beautiful ending. Its pretty well perfect.

Of course this show was rigged, I saw Spoon live in SLC with Emily. They blew me away. Masters at their craft, how could I not give them #1. Concerts are funny because you want them to play their old hits but they usually play new stuff. In this case however, I was entranced with both the old and the new and again, went home sans breath.

Also I’ve been listening to an NPR concert from Spoon in Austin while I’ve been writing. So good,

Anyways, goodnight folks, its been a good year eh?