Monthly Archives: December 2010

Mon Monarch – Waterproof Matches
Chuck E. Costa steps out of singer-songwriter land and makes and sad, beautiful record with an enthralling and mysterious soundscape. This album is a sweet slow burn.

Cahalen David Morrison & Eli West – The Holy Coming of the Storm
Legitimately old-timey while still being nuanced, unique and captivating. Great songs and lightning chops. I listen all the way through each time.

Storyhill – Shade of The Trees
These two have been on the folk circuit for a long time, and instead of sounding dated, they sound fresh and bright. The harmonies are what set these 2 apart, you’ve never heard 2 voices come together so wholly.

Anais Mitchell – Hadestown
A brave and long coming concept album based on the Orpheus myth. Anais is the Leonard Cohen of our time while being completely her own. This album/story is bejeweled and remarkable in spirit.

Jonathan Byrd – Cackalack
Back to his North Carolina roots, Byrd has made an album that has married his humor and timelessness. His melodies are woven with gossamer. This album has the live and wild feel of Cash at Folsom Prison.

Jack Wilson – Jack Wilson
No doubt my favorite voice in Americana, Austin/Seattle migratory wolf Jack Wilson, takes classic themes and chords and imbibes them with a psychadelic turn. This self titled record has the feel of a lost Band bootleg where they weren’t worried about a top 10 hit.

Johann Wagner – Disappear
Great Austin, TX players appear on this record with some of Johann’s greatest songs. Disappear moves like a desert wind, so much so, you can practically smell creosote on the rain.

Rebecca Loebe – Mystery Prize
Mystery Prize is a delicious indie-pop jewel that is full to the brim with the cleverest and most deeply endearing songs you’ll hear. This album drips with life and energy. Lush and rich like triple chocolate cake with raspberries.

3 Penny Acre – Highway 71
3 Penny Acre is a newgrass trio from Fayetteville, AR. Highway 71 was captured live in the living room of the 2 of the members. There is such a purity here, you can hear the joy they have in playing together.

{these 3 albums count as 1 because they haven’t actually been released yet, however, i got them in 2010 and ADORE them}

Carrie Elkin – Call It My Garden
Recorded live in 4 days (yours truly sings all the girl harmonies) in an artsy house up on a hill in Austin, TX. Carrie’s songs are alive without any shame, they are bright candles in the night. This album captures her big voice and brave words in their natural environment.

Datri Bean – Ruby
You can hear Datri Bean smile on this record. This deft and wise jazz/folk record is best enjoyed with a bottle of good red, spicy italian food with a side of collard greens. Ruby (title track is an epic song about Datri’s piano teacher) always has me dancing in my kitchen.

Robby Hecht – Last of The Long Days
Robby has the sweetest of voices, reminiscent of James Taylor. This album has smart pop sensibilities without any fluffy gimics, the songs are damn good. An album to make love to… not that I know.

As the second daughter of a country music historian and a Jewish poet, Americana musician and songwriter Raina Rose revels in sharing with you her beautifully twisted, yet refreshingly optimistic perspective on the world. Her unique voice and exceptional guitar playing transcend age, gender, generation, and even catch the ears of those who aren’t typically into acoustic guitar-driven songwriting. She’s probably on tour right now.

In no particular order:

Sufjan Stevens – Age of Adz
I wasn’t sure I liked Age of Adz at first – it’s not the typical Sufjan-sings-about-states record – but after a few listens, I was completely hooked. From its whisper-quiet opening to its 25 minute, slightly autotuned electro-classical closer, Age of Adz is possibly Sufjan Stevens’ most interesting record.

Best Coast – Crazy for You
Crazy for you is 27 minutes of sunny, danceable girl-meets-boy pop gems. The slightly fuzzy guitars and cute girl singer make it a perfect modern garage pop record.

Harlan T. Bobo – Sucker
Sucker could easily be written off as Harlan T. Bobo’s “happy record”, solid, but without the gut-wrenching brilliance of “Too Much Love”. Don’t write it off, though – the 12 song record is full of love, songs about fatherhood, bad errand girls and enjoying the moment.

Frightened Rabbit – Winter of Mixed Drinks
It’s wrong to hope for some one’s continued heartbreak, but I’m not sure what will happen to Frightened Rabbit if lead singer Scott Hutchison ever falls in love. Standout track “Living in Color” has been a staple in my car this year.

Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’
Allo Darlin’s first record is packed with ukuleles, duets, pop culture references (to Weezer and Woody Allen) and songs about the possibility and magic of the beginning of love.

Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be
I really hope the guys at Goner can bring the Dum Dum Girls to Gonerfest next year. Their loud, distorted fast garage rock would be perfect for the festival. Plus, I really want to dance to “Bhang Bhang, I’m a Burnout” live.

New Pornographers – Together
I can’t pretend to always understand what New Pornographers’ songwriter Dan Bejar is talking about (what’s a silver Jenny dollar?), but I know that it makes me happy. “Together” is a great pop record, perfect for parties, the car or the bar.

Luv Clowns – Love Clowns
Love Clowns may be a kids’ record, but there’s nothing childish about their amazingly perfect cover of the Mr. Rogers classic “Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things”. The band (which is made of local legends Tim Prudhomme, Harlan T. Bobo, Doug Easley and Alex Greene) is more than a little weird and the record may not be appropriate for the youngest listeners, but it’s the only kids’ record I’ve loved as an adult.

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig
The Chocolate Drops are a revival black string band that plays old-school, front porch jug band music. They’ve also got a cover of Blue Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style” that’s even more spiteful and joyfully indignant than the original.

The Mynabirds – What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood
It took approximately one listen to the super catchy “Let the Record Go” for me to decide that I loved the Mynabirds. They’re part indie-pop and part Dusty Springfield with just a pinch of Blondie. I dare you not to dance.

Kerry Crawford runs I Love Memphis, a blog about Memphis music, food, sports, art and culture. When she’s not working, she skates with Memphis Roller Derby and DJ’s beer bust at the Hi-Tone from about 10 p.m. until she gets tired (usually around 1:30). They’ve got $5 all you can drink PBR, $3 shots and $1 cheese pizza slices, no cover.

Related articles

• Music Review: Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’ (seattlepi.com)
• Sufjan Stevens: All Delighted People (EP) (uprightjazz.wordpress.com)
• Mayer’s Picks: Best Songs of 2010, Pt. 2 (twangville.com)

STEVE WYNN & THE MIRACLE 3 – NORTHERN AGGRESSION
A stellar return from The Miracle 3 after Wynn’s side trips with The Baseball Project and a solo record recorded in Slovenia. The rockers rock, the psychedelic songs are extra trippy and the mighty Linda Pitmon remains one of today’s great rock drummers!

MIDLAKE – THE COURAGE OF OTHERS
Denton, Texas’ standout band follow up their 2006 dreamy pop masterpiece The Trials of Van Occupanther by remaking themselves as a modern day Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Interestingly, the band thought they dropped the ball on this record, but you couldn’t prove that by me. Also from Denton, TX – check out Sarah Jaffe and Isaac Hoskins with the Heelers.

JOHN GRANT – QUEEN OF DENMARK
Midlake got a chance to flex their dreamy pop muscles as the backup band for ex-Czars singer John Grant on this solo record. Beautiful.

ROKY ERICKSON – TRUE LOVE CAST OUT ALL EVIL
Pretty. Weird. At times, pretty weird. Not the “You’re Gonna Miss Me” or “Two Headed Dog” screamfest we were all hoping for, but a fine record for those who loved “Starry Eyes” and “You Don’t Love Me Yet”. With all that he’s been through, just surviving is amazing. Remaining productive is a miracle, for us as well as Roky.

GRINDERMAN – 2
Not quite as audacious as their debut, but it’s still Nick Cave, and a very horny Nick Cave at that!

I SEE HAWKS IN LA – SHOULDA BEEN GOLD
The true Cosmic American Music band of our time, I See Hawks present a “Best Of” for a band without any hits (although God knows they should have been). A fine career retrospective although it does omit my personal favorites “Beautiful Narcotic” and “Slash from Guns & Roses.” Phenomenal live band!

ROLLING STONES – EXILE ON MAIN STREET
The re-mastered CD was a bit too thin sounding and the bonus songs featured a lot of new rerecording to fairly little impact, but the vinyl reissue got it just right. It sounds exactly like the glorious mess that it was in 1972.

THE DREAM SYNDICATE – THE MEDICINE SHOW
Originally dismissed as a “major label sellout” after their debut The Days Of Wine & Roses knocked everybody for a loop back in 1982 when everyone talked about the Velvet Underground, but Steve Wynn & Company were actually channeling them. Personally, Medicine Show was my favorite then and remains so. The songwriting is just killer especially the title track, “Burn” and the epic closer “Merritville.” If you turned your nose up at it in 1984, give it another listen and feel proud to have been wrong.

MAGIC KIDS – MEMPHIS
Yummy Gummy Pop at it’s best! Not what you expect from a record entitled Memphis maybe, but that might be one more thing to love about this album.

THE DIRTY STREETS – PORTRAIT OF A MAN
Another Memphis band that sounds decidedly non-Memphis. Humble Pie? MC5? Grand Funk? Works for me every time I hear them!

Dan Montgomery is an Americana artist based in Memphis, TN. His just released album You’ll Never Be a Bird was voted one of the Top Ten Albums in Memphis’ Commercial Appeal. Look for him on tour all of 2011.

Related articles

• John Grant getting his sad mojo working (thestar.com)
• Music Video: Young Bride by Midlake (keikomushi.wordpress.com)
• Okkervil River’s Will Sheff ‘Casts Out’ Roky Erickson Doubts About Collaboration (spinner.com)
• Nick Cave Announces New Bad Seeds Album (spinner.com)
• Nick Cave of Grinderman (sfgate.com)
• The Texas Shuffle (nytimes.com)

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Well, sorry guys…

This one’s a little obvious. This weekend’s a New Year’s joke without being at the Hi-Tone for Harlan T. Bobo’s New Year’s Eve show. You don’t want to miss it because he’ll probably have something up his sleeve like one-man bouncy castles for everybody or puppets playing all the instruments while wearing invisibility cloaks.

Or it could just be some rock and roll and champagne on New Year’s Eve.

Harlan is this city’s most unique songwriter and performer. His latest and third release, Sucker, came out earlier this year. The record received a 4.5/5 star review from American Songwriter. Pitchfork sums it up as “…an album about settling in but not settling down or, god forbid, simply settling, and Bobo’s music reveals all the wanderlust left in him.”

Goner also released an album by a new project, including Bobo at 1/4th of the helm, called Luv Clowns. The Luv Clown’s debut, Love Clowns!, finds Harlan, along with Memphis underground vets Doug Easley, Alex Greene, and T. Prudhomme, singing and playing fun, goofy, quirky songs for kids along with little skits between. If you ever wanted to to raise indie rock kids, make this their soundtrack til their tiny ears bleed.

Long-time collaborators Jack O. and the Tennessee Tearjerkers open the New Year’s Eve show Friday night at 10pm. It’s should be a truly raucous night of music on probably the most raucous night of the year. Make it happen.

Harlan T Bobo / Jack O. / Facebook Event /Tickets

Related articles

• Opus One crosses over: Handel, Hendrix, Harlan (commercialappeal.com)
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First of all, the year musically for me revolved around a big positive – the release of the Posies album, our first in 5 years, which I think is far and away our best work. All that came from this album, which earned high praise from Mojo, Uncut, the Washington Post, and more…well, that’s been amazing.

And abig downer – I couldn’t recap 2010 with a bunch of fluff about how great this record or that record was, without acknowledging that with the deaths of Alex Chilton and Andy Hummel, the amazing 2nd life of Big Star had come to an end. This has been a 17-year relationship for me (not counting my love for Big Star’s music long before my involvement with Alex & Jody in the revitalized band). When good records come out, yes, these are great things. But often, merely pleasantries. I’m more likely to have my life changed, these days, by an actual person than a record – I think that’s sane, and mature. Knowing and working with Alex and Jody changed my life, even more than those incredible, moving, heart-wringing Big Star records did when I first heard them in the 1980s. The loss is many faceted – not only will I no longer have Alex in my life, but, unfortunately, I can’t count on spending time with the very much alive Jody Stephens as much as I would if the band were still active. A loss felt well and truly.

I saw some great shows this year, I honestly didn’t have that much time to listen to music, I’m usually making it. So here’s a mix.

Khottal is a great band from Malaysia, that I opened for in Melaka, Malaysia in January. They have a great CD single based on ‘the Woo Song’ you can check out. A bit of Arcade Fire, a bit of I’m from Barcelona.

Billy & The Firm “Thoughts from the Lioness’ Lab” – I produced this album for this amazing, hard rocking Israeli band. Led by video artist/musician Billy Levy, the album has Sonic Youth-like white hot shredding anthems, and more contemplative, spacey moments. Hard to disagree with a nine minute anthem called “Women Wanna Kill”.

Hanggai – I had the pleasure to perform live and record with Hanggai, a mindblowing band from Beijing who play Mongolian folk music with modern rock dynamics. All the traditional elements are there – throat singing, horse head fiddle, the two or three string lutes they call ‘banjos’ but play more like minimal guitars. But the dynamics and power are fully 21st century. Their album “He Who Travels Far” is a masterpiece; check the Mongolian lullabyes and see if you aren’t crushed by the end.
Aqueduct – I’ve been a fan of this Seattle band for years and this year I had the distinct pleasure to tour with them, as they supported the Posies and Brendan Benson on all our US/Canada shows. I Sold Gold is an album I have listened to over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over to. Their live presentation was so good, the band and leader Dave Terry are so charming…well, if you can’t be conquered by this, you are in fact, in need of burial.

Star Anna – We had many guest singers appear with us on the Posies tour, replicating the parts on our album performed by Lisa Lobsinger and Kay Hanley. (Hugh Cornwell‘s distinctive vocalizing was so unique that only he could replicate it). We had so many great singers join us – so I won’t say that Star Anna, who joined us in Seattle, was the best because there are several contenders for ‘best’ over the course of the 3 month Posies tour. But she was brilliant, and she’s a northwest homey, and I believe in her, so…check her out.

OK, happy holidays to all

KS
Venice Beach

Related articles

• Andy Hummel, Original Big Star Bassist, Dead At 59 (mtv.com)
• Andy Hummel of Big Star, RIP (brooklynvegan.com)
• Posies back on tour – and back in style (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

1. The Posies – Blood/Candy
In truth, this is both my favorite record of the year, and probably my favorite Posies record of all-time. Ken Stringfellow‘s contributions (“Licenses to Hide,” “Take Care of Yourself,” etc.) in particular are his most soulful compositions to date, and immediately suck you in.

2. The Overnight Lows – City of Rotten Eyes
Fast, snarky, memorable hooks. For me, this is exactly what punk rock is supposed to sound like. Far and away the best Memphis-associated release of the year.

3. The City Champs – The Set-Up
Booker T & the MGs re-imagined.

4. The Vaselines – Sex With An X
Maybe the biggest surprise of 2010 is how great this comeback record is. Noisy guitar, big pop hooks, boy/girl vocals: three things I like.

5. Tim Kasher – The Game of Monogamy
I don’t even like Cursive that much . . . but this record found me at the perfect time.

6. Tommy Hoehn – Losing You to Sleep (re-issue)
Long out-of-print classic Memphis power pop + worthwhile bonus tracks and cool new cover art by Alex Warble.

7. Luv Clowns – Love Clowns
Children’s music for grown-ups. Features the best Mr. Rogers cover you’ll ever come across.

8. Pastor T.L. Barrett & Youth For Christ Choir – Like a Ship (re-issue)
The band is funky, the Pastor can sing his ass off, and the youth choir is loud and gloriously pitch-y. A great time, even for we non-Churchfolk.

9. The Magic Kids – Memphis
Over-the-top (in a very good way) sunshine-y pop music.

10. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Mojo
Still the fucking man.

A regular contributer to the Memphis Flyer and the co-host of the weekly “Sounds of Memphis” segment on the Chris Vernon Show, J.D. Reager might be the runner-up for sincerest local-Memphis music journalist of all-time, second only to the late, great Bartleby Vestiments (later shortened to Hulett). He also plays music – his debut solo album The Repechage is available wherever finer music products are sold and/or stolen, and his new band The Near Reaches is currently at work on a debut record in the studio.

Related articles

• Posies back on tour – and back in style (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Posies Aim to Become Better Storytellers (spinner.com)
• KEXP Staff & Volunteer Top 10 of 2010, Part 2 (kexp.org)

For those of you I haven’t met, let me introduce myself: I’m Chris Milam (“MY-lum”). I’m a singer/songwriter from Memphis, then Nashville, then NYC, now back in Memphis, splitting my time between home and an overactive touring schedule. I like BBQ, football, dogs, and democracy (in that order). My passion for trampolines is “well above average.” I have an encyclopedic knowledge of Saved By the Bell, but can’t do long division. I enjoy everything Paul Newman ever made, including pasta sauce. And (obviously) I love music.

I keep a blog at my site, ChrisMilam.com, where I talk a lot about music: writing it, performing it, and listening to it. Recently, Memphis music community dynamo Rachel Hurley asked if I’d like to contribute to Vinyl District’s soon-to-launch Memphis site. Naturally, I said yes!

Every month I’ll have a running feature that will be posted right here. Occasionally I’ll post something extra, such as today’s Top 10 Albums of 2010. And, of course, you can get all my posts on TVD and elsewhere by simply bookmarking the Chris Milam Blog and/or subscribing.

Being an artist and writing about other artists gets tricky; drafting a Top 10 Albums list when you’ve released an album in 2010 yourself is like voting on superlatives at a super-small high school. With every omission or oversight, you nonsensically expect someone to feel slighted. As I type this, I imagine a scenario in which Eminem (whom I’ve never met) gets his feelings hurt and shows up at my door with baseball bats and half the Detroit Tigers.

Naturally, I’m giving a superlative flair to my list. Here, now, are my Top 10 Albums for 2010!

(Side note: Please feel free to join the conversation in the comments! But be forewarned: this isn’t a “Best Of” list, it’s a “Favorites” list. Sometimes “best” and “favorite” aren’t the same thing. For example, “Day In the Life” is the best song on Sgt. Pepper, but “Good Morning, Good Morning” is my favorite. You get the idea. So, I’m totally open to the fact that some albums that might’ve been better than these. They’re simply my ten favorites of 2010. With high school superlatives assigned to them. Enjoy!)

10) “Life of the Party”: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, I Learned the Hard Way.

I Love It Because: They’ve always been a great band, but this is a another leap forward in their songwriting.

Perfect For: Going to a party your ex is attending and having an awesome time despite them.

Listen To: “I Learned the Hard Way”

9) “Most Huggable”: Magic Kids, Memphis.

I Love It Because: The Beach Boys‘ sonic influence drew me in; the Beach Boys’ intellectual influence that kept me listening: simple songs conveying complex emotions. Earnest, charming, and beautifully-executed.

Perfect For: Hanging by a pool in July with a girl you secretly like.

Listen To: “Phone”

8) “Most Dependable”: Delta Spirit, History From Below.

I Love It Because: I think this about sums it up. After Ode To Sunshine, this sophomore album gave me the right balance of expected pleasures and pleasant surprises.

Perfect For: Coming home after a long time away and feeling a little uneasy. Bonus points if fireflies are somehow involved.

Listen To: “Golden State”

7) “Most Likely To Succeed”: Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More.

I Love It Because: British group with Avett-esque roots, anger issues and otherworldly harmonies? Sign me up. Bonus points for a folk-band being this pop-friendly and ambitious–I’m excited by this album, but I’m more excited to see where they go next.

Perfect For: Drinking by yourself in January and wondering if you should call her (for the record, the answer is “no.”).

Listen To: “Sigh No More”

6) “Class Beauty”: Band of Horses, Infinite Arms.

I Love It Because: Sheer sonic beauty. Nearly every song on this album has at least one moment that makes me want to hear it again. And again, and again…

Perfect For: Driving through a snow flurry a week before Christmas. Bonus points if you’re exhausted/a little sick/ambivalent about your destination.

Listen To: “Older”

5) “Most Popular”: Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown.

I Love It Because: I loved their first album for its sound and attitude. I loved the second album for its songs. I loved the third for its scope and weirdness. I loved the fourth for its naked ambition–they’re clearly gunning for the title “Biggest Band On Earth.” And I love the fifth album because they’re embracing that success–they sound at ease. I love bands that explicitly want to be the Biggest. Come Around Sundown shows KOL as the rare band comfortable in that role.

Perfect For: Attending a birthday party for someone you don’t know.

Listen To: “Mary”

4) “Class Clown”: Dr. Dog, Shame, Shame.

I Love It Because: It sounds like a 40-minute, understated, lovely goodbye letter from an old friend. There’s great levity–and underlying sadness–in all of my favorite Dr. Dog songs, and this album walks that tightrope beautifully.

Perfect For: Whatever you do the most without thinking about it, then thinking about it.

Listen To: “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7TrU4_-JTYShadow People”

3) “Most Well-Rounded”: Dawes, North Hills.

I Love It Because: I love anything/everything that successfully derives from the Band. Their lyrics–weaving between narratives, self-examination, and philosophical musings–kept me listening. The music industry is increasingly niche-driven, which puts pressure on artists to focus each album around doing “one thing well.” Kudos to Dawes for putting so many different types of songs together, and letting their strengths and their collective story speak for themselves.

Perfect For: Playing in the background as you’re raking leaves, trying not to think about a girl (and failing).

Listen To: “Mary”

2) “Prom/Homecoming King”: Tom Petty, Mojo.

I Love It Because: It’s Tom Petty’s Love and Theft. Because Petty’s been making great pop songs for decades, we tend to take him for granted. We shouldn’t: his gift of making something this hard look this easy, song after song, album after album, is maybe the rarest of all. These songs sound like a breath of fresh air–inspired, exuberant, and deftly-performed–which is remarkable from one of rock’s elder statesman.

Perfect For: Motel-hopping in the great American west, flirting with diner waitresses, and daydreaming about pirates.

Listen To: “I Should’ve Known It”

1) “Most Likable”: New Pornographers, Together.

I Love It Because: I can’t imagine anyone not loving something on this album. It’s catchy, generous of spirit, familiar yet surprising, lyrically challenging, and imminently listenable.

Perfect For: A spring day alone in the park, and enjoying yourself even more than if you had a date.

Listen To: “Moves”

Also receiving votes (in semi-alphabetical order):

Valedictorian: Belle &; Sebastian (Write About Love), Josh Ritter (So Runs the World Away)

Lives of (Another) Party: Black Keys (Brothers), Hold Steady (Heaven Is Whenever), Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy), MGMT (Congratulations)

Class Rebel: Dead Weather (Sea of Cowards), Jamey Johnson (The Guitar Song)

Best Dressed: Vampire Weekend (Contra)

What were your favorites of 2010? What did I leave out? Hit up the comments and join the fray!

Related articles

• Popdose Listmania: Top 20 Albums of 2010 (popdose.com)
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Thee Oh Sees– Warm Slime
This is a great LP to get into the Oh Sees with. It has some songs that they actually play live including the strangely catchy “I was denied”. That song gets into my brain and stays there in a good way.

Harlem – Hippies
Great continuation of their previous release thats also really cool, “Free Drugs”. Catchy sloppy but tight garage pop.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti– Before Today
While not as experimental or lo-fi as his previous release – House Arrest, Before Today radiates with a similar intoxicating synth pop sound.

Fresh And Only’s – Play it Strange
These guys finally went all the way with the way and cleaned it up with some full on production. Waterfall is a perfectly crafted song and the whole album rides in on a wall of reverb.

Peach Kelli Pop – Peach Kelli Pop LP
Girl Pop to the max. Do the Egg Roll!

Magic Kids – Memphis
The instrumentation and the production on this is great. I remember seeing Bennet playing in the The Mutant Space Bats of Doom back in the day, so stoked for him making such a great sounding record! Very interested to see what he comes up with next.

The Strange Boys – Be Brave
Theres a kind of early stones thing happening on my favorite tracks on this that really works. Tight but careless 60s sounding pop and you can hear the Texas come through on a few tracks. The vocals sound cool.

Burnt Ones – Black Teeth, Golden Tounges
These guys just moved to Oakland from Indianapolis and they rule. The record has Marc Bolan written all over it and alot of the songs have a similar swagger to the T-rex song Metal Guru. Theres also this reverb slop pop thing happening that holds it all together. If you like T-rex, this is a must.

Beach Fossils
I would usually turn my nose up as this brand of dreamy college style indie rock, but its too simple and well done to pass it by. The record sounds great, good lo-fi production with lots of catchy guitar riffs. Good record for mellowing out.

Ty Segall – Melted
So good. Catchy Psych-y Garage Pop goodness. I want to hate this rich kid but his songs check out. Buy this LP.

Former Memphian Matthew Melton lives in Oakland California. He records bands onto analog tape and does the band Bare Wires. Check out the new Bare Wires music video for their upcoming UK single here.

Related articles

• Albums of 2010, No 09: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (guardian.co.uk)
• KEXP Staff & Volunteer Top 10 of 2010, Part 2 (kexp.org)
• Ty Segall lists his top 2010 albums, touring in 2011 (dates) (brooklynvegan.com)
• The Return of the Album (online.wsj.com)

In no order:

John Cale – Vintage Violence
New to me. First time hearing this record in 2010. Great!

Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
One of those records that transcends time and place.

Dungen – Skit I Allt
Saw them at the Hi-Tone here in Memphis this year promoting this record. Incredible, intimate show.

Adam Woodard – Rock & Roll Recovery
One of the most raw/honest records I’ve heard lyrically. Written and recorded in a month but sounds like it was labored over for much longer. Adam doesn’t want you to know it exists.

Tame Impala – InnerSpeaker
Love the lazy vocals and rad guitars on this.

Tobacco – Maniac Meat
Great music to play ping-pong by.

Ty Segall – Melted
Raw. Good.

Gary Wilson – You Think You Really Know Me
Another one that’s new to me in 2010. Great documentary and wonderfully, weird record.

Congotronics – Konono No 1
They have a newer one out this year (Assume Crash Position) but I’ve been listening to this older release non-stop in 2010.

Robby Grant plays in Vending Machine and Mouserocket. The new Vending Machine record – Let the People Sing – is out now. Listen to it here. Follow him on Twitter.

Check out the very first episode of my new podcast! We have a whole lot of great local bands playing holiday tunes and an in-depth interview with Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. You can download all of the music featured in this podcast here.

The Rachelandthecity Podcast with Special Guest: Jody Stephens of Big Star by Rachelandthecity

1. Personal & The Pizzas – Raw Pie

2. John Wesley Coleman – Bad Lady Goes To Jail

3. Jesu – Heartache & Dethroned

4. Eddy Current Supression Ring – Rush To Relax

5. Harvey Milk – A Small Turn Of Human Kindness

6. Limes – Rhinestone River

7. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

8. The Young – Voyagers Of Legend

9. The Fall – Your Future, Our Clutter

10. When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth – Peaced

Dan Holloway comes with high regard from metal country. He is the music booker and bar manager at the world famous Hitone Cafe located in the heart of Midtown in Memphis, TN. His likes include cooking and naps.