I realize that it has been a while. Life is busy, let’s move on. We’re approaching Christmas, so it is time once again for all the year-end lists to start pouring in. Well, I decided to forgo the song list and jump right to albums to start things off (next will be TV, then movies. If you want to know what games I liked this year, well, all you need to know is Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption, Fallout: New Vegas and Alan Wake). I’ll admit right off the bat that I didn’t listen to enough music this year, so this list is going to be a little lacking, and I’ll be surprised if anyone at all agrees with my #1 pick, but c’est la vie. Enjoy (if possible). Please, leave your own lists in the comments!

Honourable Mentions

  • Sea of Cowards – The Dead Weather
  • The Social Network OST – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
  • Homeland – Laurie Anderson
  • We Were Exploding Anyway – 65daysofstatic
  • How to Destroy Angels EP – How to Destroy Angels
  • All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood – The Body
  • False Priest – of Montreal
  • Champ – Tokyo Police Club
  • One Life Stand – Hot Chip

20. Go - Jónsi

Sigur Rós’ Jónsi decided to go solo, and this mostly forgotten about album was the result. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it was a fairly big departure for him. It’s very pop, in its own way, but it’s fun and unique and like a better version of MIKA. I swear that’s a compliment. But yeah, no one really seems to have liked this album too much, but I did. Moving on.

19. Black City – Matthew Dear

I only listened to this album recently, but it made an impression on me. The thing that initially captured my interest was the “Closer”-esque beat in “You Put a Smell on Me”, but after the NIN similarities, I realized that Matthew Dear was entirely original, and an expert at piecing together different sounds and making it sound acceptably coherent. Some songs are better than others, but overall it’s a breakthrough album and hopefully we’ll see more of this guy.

18. All Alone in an Empty House – Lost in the Trees

This is another album that I don’t see getting any end-of-the-year recognition, but it deserves to. All the convincing I needed came in the form of “Walk Around the Lake”, a song that is both beautiful, pounding, loud, quiet, orchestral, and rocking. The rest of the album doesn’t quite match it, but all of the songs are nice to listen to, and it’s a very well-rounded album.

17. All Day – Girl Talk

The ultimate mash-up master, Girl Talk, released another waiting-to-be-sued album this year, and it was just as divisive as the rest of his work. Some people can’t stand mash-ups, and lots think it takes no talent. Girl Talk shows that it does – the level of perfectionism, exactness, and coherence is unbelievable and he picks some amazing songs to go together – Ol’ Dirty Bastard singing over Radiohead’s “Creep”, for example.

16. Sisterworld – Liars

I first got interested in these guys after hearing the song “Plaster Casts of Everything”, and practically everything on this album sounds different than that song – and that’s a good thing. They changed their sound, and it’s more mature, more interesting, and more advanced. “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant” in particular is a fantastic song. This album solidified the band’s place as one of the most interesting to watch what they’ll release next.

15. The ArchAndroid (Suites II & III) - Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe is unlike anyone else making music today. Continuing the story of the messianic android that began in her debut EP, this concept album combines pop, funk, dance, punk, soul, and electronic music to synthesize into this brilliant creation that peaks with “Tightrope”, a song that both holds the album together and exemplifies what Monáe is capable of (with the vocal help of Big Boi).

14. This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem

Not quite as monumental as 2007′s Sound of Silver, this album was met with some criticism. Supposedly the last LCD album, there was a large feeling of “This is good, but you can tell James Murphy’s wit is about to run out”. I wouldn’t quite agree with that, although it’s impossible to know what the next LCD album would’ve sounded like. Either way, from “Pow Pow” to the unpredictable “Drunk Girls”, This Is Happening made me smile and think.

13. Plastic Beach – Gorillaz

This album had impossible expectations. Damon Albarn and his cartoon friends somehow managed to meet them with this repeat-ready, fresh album that features guests like Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, and more. It is at once daring and magnificent, shaking up pop and hip-hop to a point where it is recognizable as neither genre. Experimental and innovative, Albarn impresses yet again.

12. Swanlights – Antony and the Johnsons

After the heights reached with their last album (seriously, go download The Crying Light), Swanlights is a little more low-key. Once again, Antony’s goal with his soaring, crooning, impossible, old-fashioned voice is to illuminate the darkness in our world, and he achieves that goal to an almost depressing degree. Antony’s voice is a spectacle to listen to, and the beautiful melodies bring it all together. This album is simply beautiful.

11. High Violet – The National

“Fake Empire”, from The National’s last album, is one of my favourite songs – ever. Predictably, nothing from this album was quite that good. However, unlike their last album, High Violet is much more consistent and excellent across the board, which makes for a much better album from start to finish. Matt Berninger’s voice is iconic and full as always, and the guest work from Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon just adds to the mix. A great album to close your eyes to and allow it to engulf you.

10. Expo 86 – Wolf Parade

Wolf Parade are a tireless, overtly creative band, and although their last album – 2008′s At Mount Zoomer – didn’t quite meet the expectations made by 2005′s Apologies to the Queen Mary, Expo 86 exhibits seamless chemistry between bandmates and fuses together guitar, vocals and synths beyond anything they’ve previously done. “What Did My Lover Say?” is easily one of the best songs of the year, and the rest of the album comes close to its achievements.

9. How I Got Over – The Roots

The Roots might be the hardest working band today. They are Jimmy Fallon’s inventive house band every night, they released this album in June, and the album Wake Up!, with John Legend, in September. Plus they do a bunch of live shows on weekends. It seems impossible, but they do it, and How I Got Over shows their skill. The best song, which also happens to feature John Legend, is “The Fire”, a song with a simple but catchy beat, overtop layers of instrument and vocals, creating a perfect mixture of soul, pop, rock, jazz and hip-hop – much like the album in general. To be clear, though, I’d follow ?uestlove into hell.

8. Teen Dream – Beach House

Carefully, delicately, beautifully arranged, Teen Dream is an album that really put Beach House on the map – particularly for hipsters, but still! Admittedly more accessible than past work, this album manages to be deeper and more gorgeous, while still being more listenable. “Zebra”, the album’s standout song (and apparently the inspiration for the album artwork), is Beach House at its most Beach House-y. Which basically means it’s really complex and beautiful and meaningful and all that. This album is tightened up and polished more than anything they’ve done, but it seems to have worked.

7. Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons

Folk rock has been booming for the last couple years, so it would understandably be difficult to do something original with the genre right now. Mumford & Sons came under the radar and released this album, which has gained more and more traction since its release in February. They are above the competition – I’m looking at you, Grizzly Bear/Fleet Foxes/etc. – with their sounds-older-than-they-are (they’re all twentysomething) sound and Marcus Mumford’s weary but addictive vocals. What’s most surprising is how sincere they sound – and how hard-rocking they can get (see: the end of “Dust Bowl Dance”).

6. Halcyon Digest – Deerhunter

I was a fan of Deerhunter’s last album – especially “Saved by Old Times”, the song that got me interested in them in the first place – but I never really understood why everyone loved them so much (for example, lead singer Bradford Cox’s solo project, Atlas Sound, well…it sucks). Halcyon Digest, as you can see, blew me away. “Helicopter” is clearly the best song, and the most accessible, but the entire album is varied, focused (while not being overly thought out – in a good way) and more than a little haunting. I’m not even sure why I really don’t like Atlas Sound when Deerhunter is largely the result of Mr. Cox’s ideas and such, but Halcyon Digest is an album of blissful offerings, one that I’ll be sure to listen to again.

5. Transference – Spoon

Spoon is one of the most consistent bands out there, and although Transference wasn’t met as warmly as past albums (critics weren’t really sure about the uncharacteristic looseness that the album holds – the band is known for their attention to detail), but for me it only continued their growth as a band. While not radically changing their sound, the album was definitely a kind of departure with its almost “fuck it” attitude. “Written in Reverse”, “Is Love Forever?”, “I Saw the Light”…Transference is full of Spoon just being Spoon, and remaining consistently awesome is a surprisingly very difficult thing for a band to do these days. And Spoon continues to show them all up, perfection or not.

4. The Suburbs – Arcade Fire

How to talk about Arcade Fire without repeating everything that’s already been said. Well, The Suburbs is an interesting album, because it’s one of those that divides people to the point where Arcade Fire fans up until this point feel betrayed for whatever reason (gone mainstream? changed too much? not changed enough?) and other fans continue their devotion to a band that continues to aspire to greatness and continue to get there. “We Used to Wait” grew on me to become one of my favourite songs of the year. “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” was another grower. The more I listen to the album, the more I like it. And then there’s that Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Hipsters can whine about going mainstream all they want, but would you really rather see Katy Perry win?

3. The Age of Adz – Sufjan Stevens

Like many albums on this list, The Age of Adz (that’s pronounced “odds”, by the way) had mega expectations. After dabbling in multimedia projects and things like that, Sufjan finally released his first full-length album since 2005′s Illinois (not including the Christmas album). After abandoning the admitted joke 50 states project, he went onto something only slightly less ambitious with this very electronic and experimental album (don’t worry, there’s still plenty of indie folk – plus some Auto-Tune!). Sufjan’s trademark beautiful voice remains wonderfully intact, and you can still expect him to do the unexpected – like a 25-minute song that covers more ground and reaches more heights than a lot of artists do in a lifetime. Now, hopefully we don’t have to wait so long next time for another album.

2. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Kanye West had one hell of a year. From the Today show to his impossibly entertaining Twitter feed to his massive ego on display wherever he went, Kanye was unavoidable in year 2010. And the music started coming out. “POWER” is a song that changes music, “Monster” confirmed Nicki Minaj’s hype and also managed to be one of the year’s best songs, “Runaway” is indescribable, “Lost in the World” utilizes Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon (he’s everywhere!) excellently…there is no downpoint on this album, every song is amazing and you almost wish this insufferable douchebag wasn’t so goddamn talented but he is. He is the best hip-hop artist there is and he does it by challenging the genre and by both apologizing for his personality and then ten seconds later touting and exploiting it. We may never fully understand Mr. West, but he certainly understands us. Or at least how to make us forgive him.

1. Heligoland – Massive Attack

It’s okay if you don’t know what this is or think it has no right to be called the best album of the year. But that’s you, silly, and this is my list. I’ll be the first to admit that I discovered Massive Attack because “Teardrop” is the theme for House. But then I listened to Blue Lines and Mezzanine and Protection and I discovered a band that created “trip-hop” but also a band that has no right to be so popular. 2003′s 100th Window was shit. Their line-up changes, different members refuse to participate on certain albums, and there were wide gaps between work. Finally, after seven years, they managed to get Heligoland out and although it was met with a largely mediocre reception from critics, it blew me away and I consider it to be their best album. So sue me. “Paradise Circus” very well may be my favourite song of the year, with Hope Sandoval’s barely-there-but-beautiful vocals and the song’s overall mesmerizing atmosphere. “Atlas Air” is almost 8 minutes of pure Robert Del Naja, and it almost lulls you to sleep – if only it wasn’t so cryptic and engaging. Every song demands your attention because each and every one has it’s own atmosphere that pulls you in – not exactly to a comforting level, but one where you don’t want to leave. Listening to it from start to finish is a haunting but beautiful task – it’s perfect to run to, or take a bath and listen to. Horace Andy has the standout vocal job on “Girl I Love You” – the lyrics are simple and almost juvenile, but his voice expertly weaves them together and the result is phenomenal. Damon Albarn, that guy from Gorillaz and Blur, pops in for “Saturday Come Slow”, a song with such earnestness and yearning that as he asks “Do you love me?”, you want to answer him. This is an album not for everyone, I’m sure, but for me it was the best of the year and I think I’m going to go listen to it now. You should do the same, see what you think.

So, that’s my list. Happy holidays.