Favorite Albums of 2010

The end of the year seems to approach faster and faster -- unless it's just my age finally catching up with me. And with the end of the year comes all those wonderful and wacky "Best Of" lists. Like mine. However, unlike other such lists, mine consist only of things that I've seen, read or bought myself. So within the next few weeks, I will bombard all my wonderful readers with what I feel are the best CDs/Albums, reads and live performances of 2010 -- though the performances may have to wait until after the first of the year since we're seeing Next To Normal on the 28th.

Let's kick off the lists with: best CDs/Albums of 2010!!

1. The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe
Hands down, my favorite album this year. Monáe has an incredible voice that switches seamlessly from James Brown infused funk of Tightrope to jazz to pop to traditional R&B and even to the very Jimi Hendrix psychedelia of Mushrooms and Roses. And she combines them all to tell the story of an android falling in love with a human. Inventive, fun and soulful, this is a masterpiece of an album.

2. Go by Jónsi - Icelandic pop from the lead singer of Sigur Rós. Very lush, melodic and definitely not the American/British version of pop. And it doesn't hurt that he's openly gay.

3. Music for Men by Gossip - A mix of 80s new wave and punk, with strong vocals from Beth Ditto.

4. The Lady Killer by Cee Lo Green - The first single is a fantastic song, and the entire album does a fine job bringing back the 70s Motown and funk sound with a 21st-century twist.

5. A Low High by All India Radio - I love atmospheric electronica, and this is one of the best examples of the genre from 2010.

6. Scratch My Back by Peter Gabriel - An album of covers songs molded into Gabriel's African-tinged, epic sound. He selected songs and placed them in the perfect order to tell a story of love and loss. (And the concert was incredible!)

7. Makara by E.S. Posthumus - Bombastic, cinematic music that re-creates the feel of an epic adventure tale. This music should be blasted as loud as possible from the speakers.

8. A Christmas Cornucopia by Annie Lennox - Yes, a holiday album, but how can you go wrong with Annie Lennox? She breaks the mold of holiday albums for me by including all the verses of the carols, and she tints quite a few with a bit of African flavor. Though, my favorite track is her version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, turning it into more of a mummer's dance.

9. Barbara by We Are Scientists - A catchy little rock album.

10. Night Train by Keane - A good album that features their lush vocals and instrumentations. Not a fan of the rap section, only because some of the lyrics seem a bit silly and out of place, but a still a good album.

Image from The Wondaland Art Society Blog.