Best of 2010: Canadian Albums [TOP 10]

Finally the time has come.
After a month of listening and re-listening the Canadian albums that has been released in the year 2010.
I have made my Top 10 (11) since there is a tie and totally forgot to put down one record which should be on this list.
Since I was going to do a Top 50 which went down to 75.
If you want ot check out the whole list of the Top 75, it is on this page.
Be surprised if this album is not #1 like everyone has been putting it on their best of list.
Wanted to spotlight someone else for the #1 position.
Interesting enough that Luke LaLonde is featured three times in this list.
So let’s cheer or jeer on the Top 10.

1. Forest City Lovers – Carriage


Surprise, Surprise! Why did I choose this as my favorite album of 2010.
More of a fuller sound and unique instrumentation and vocals.
Nice guest appearance from Luke LaLonde of Born Ruffians in the track Pocketful Of Rocks.
Its a superb, brilliant and lovely indie pop-folk album!
Listen to Minneapolis (via http://www.drawuslines.com), If I Were A Tree, Constellation, and Tell Me, Cancer



2. Basia Bulat – Heart Of My Own


The sound is more dynamic and superior.
She still maintains that folk-pop sound that we are familiar with.
Her voice just amazes me and I can not get sick of listening to her.
With the vibrant energetic sounds of the instruments, the lyrics of the songs if you listen closely can be dark, sad and more of deeper meaning on lost love.
Listen to Go On, Heart Of My Own, Run and Gold Rush

3. (TIE) Women – Public Strain/Owen Pallett – Heartland


On Public Strain by Women.
Seems like Public Restrain picks off after the first album.
Filled with great noisy lo-fi alterna-pop sound is what we expect from them in tracks in Can’t You See, Heat Distraction, China Steps, Drag Open and Eyesore.
Public Strain is an album conveying the themes of insanity and paranoia.
This is a step up from their debut.
Listen to Can’t You See, Narrow With The Hall and Eyesore

On Heartland by Owen Pallett.
Heartland is like listening to a opera with electronica beats of sound.
Think of Fantasia mix with radical instrumentation and interesting lyrics.
Some people may not like it since his music isn’t for commercial appeal or accessible.
Just think of it as a piece of artwork.
Listen to E Is For Estranged,Lewis Takes Action, Lewis Takes His Shirt Off and The Great Elsewhere


4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs


What a shock, everyone would have thought this would have been my #1 pick.
I still love the album as it is. Just that its already on everyone’s #1 list and want to give a smaller band some recognition.
It has been their year overall with the album and a stream of live concerts.
The Suburbs is a change from their previous albums with somewhat of a strip down approach and less of that “Wall of Sound”.
It is one of those albums that has divided everyone in the music community.
While gathering new fans and the long time fans somewhat turned their backs on them (I could be wrong on this).
One being its the best album they have done.
While the others have been (mostly hipsters) “This album is too long, alot of tracks and the only surprise is the song Sprawl II”.
Overall I love the Suburbs as it was the album I couldn’t stop listening to in 2010.
Listen to The Suburbs, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), We Used To Wait, Ready To Start, Rocco, Empty Room & Half Light II (No Celebration).



5. The Acorn – No Ghost


The highest for a Ottawa band to be in this year’s list.
A follow-up to their critical darling of “Glory Hope Mountain”.
The theme on the album in my interpretation is about loneliness and moving on.
No Ghost doesn’t disappoint and its a fine record.
More of a heavy rocking album with some softer acoustic tracks like Misplace, On The Line and Slippery When Wet (NO! Not the Bon Jovi cover).
While Cobbled From Dust has abit of the experimental rock glitchy sound.
One of the best album the band has done.
Listen to Misplaced, Cobbled From Dust, On The Line, Bobcat Goldwraith & Restoration


6. Caribou – Swim


Cariobu in 2010 came back with a different sound in Swim.
Swim is more of a electronic liquidly sound (hence the title) than the psychedelic Beach Boys pop sound from Andorra.
Lots of experimentation in tracks like Sun and Bowls.
To the ending of Jamelia which Luke LaLonde of Born Ruffians sings in it which is mindblowing.
Listen to Odessa, Sun, Kaili & Jamelia.



7. Land Of Talk – Cloak and Cipher


Production is high on this album.
Its alot of experimentation and a fuller sound.
What is great about this album it came during Liz’s downtime on recovery from her vocal surgery.
She had alot of writing and making music during her downtime.
There is a mix of the mellow LoT (Better and Closer) and angry LoT (The Hate I Won’t Commit).
Blangee Blee sounds like its picks up the song where Some Are Lakes left off.
There are some tracks that I have a sense of emotion and connection to which are Goaltime Exposure, Quarry Hymns and Color Me Badd.
Listen to Quarry Hymns, Swift Coin and Hamburg, Noon.


8. Olenka and the Autumn Lovers – And Now We Sing


One of the best albums I’ve heard this year from the talented Olenka Krakus.
Her voice is just so smoky and sultry when she sings.
Great storytelling and songwriting.
Its one of those albums you just have to listen to.
She will blow your socks off.
Listen to Odessa (Not the Caribou song) and Sparrow.

9. Stars – The Five Ghosts


The big themes in the album is mostly about ghosts and is a bag of mix emotions of happy, sad and anger.
Lost of innocence on “Dead Hearts”.
Mending a relationship on Fixed and death on “I Died So I Could Haunt You” and “The Last Song Ever Written”.
Its a mixed of Set Yourself On Fire and In Our Bedroom After the War.
Listen to Dead Hearts (My favorite!), He Dreams He’s Awake (Second favorite) I Died So I Could Haunt You, Fixed, We Don’t Want Your Body & Wasted Daylight


10. Born Ruffians – Say It




I have to say the Pitchfork reviewer must have been on crack giving them a bad review.
Its one of those albums you need to re-listen to alot to actually appreciate Say It.
Its a far more mature record and less of the hyper energetic sound we are used to from them.
Listen to The Ballad of Moose Bruce,Sole Brother, Nova-Leigh, What To Say & Oh Man

So that was the year 2010.
Hope good things will happen in 2011.