Instead of a top 10 or 5 or 20 albums of the year, I thought I'd simplify and write about what is far and away, for me, the best album of the year: The National's High Violet.
It's an easy, stand away pick. I loved Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, but have not enjoyed listening to it as much as High Violet. No other record has spent nearly as much time on my iPod queue. I have returned to it again and again.
I wrote about the record when it first came out in May this year. Since that time, my enjoyment of the record has not waned but I find I have a much broader view.
High Violet is more than a melancholy record of symphonic indie rock. Oh yeah, it has its melanholy moments, but it is also funny, smart and insightful. Like great records it's a snapshot of the times, a contemporary barometer of mood and culture. The album has my favorite lyrical moments on any record this year. Consider the connection to our times:
From "I'm Afraid of Everyone" : Venom radio and venom television, I'm afraid of everyone. Im afraid everyone. They're the young blue bodies with the old red bodies. .. With my kid on my shoulders I try not to hurt anybody I like ... But I don't have the drugs to sort it out, sort it out.
From "Lemonworld": I gave my heart to the Army. The only sentimental thing I could think of. Cousins and cousins somewhere overseas but it will take a better war to kill a college man like me.
And my favorite refrain in "Blood Buzz Ohio": I still owe money, to the money, to the money I owe.
Singer Matt Berninger even anticipated the later half of the year's zombie craze in the song "Conversation 16," with the following chorus: I was afraid I'd eat your brains. .... 'Cause I am evil."
High Violet is a masterpiece, one that really makes the National perhaps one of the greatest rock acts of the last 10 years. The Band has been good since it's self titled debut in 2001. 2003's Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers is really good, too. But starting with 2005's Alligator and 2007's Boxer, the band has been excellent, writing songs and creating music that is as good as anyone can.
High Violet is simply an exceptional work of art. In my opinion, no one did better in 2010.
Other superlatives:
Worst record of the Year: Kings of Leon -- Come Around Sundown. A disappointing and embarrassing flop of a record. What makes it so bad for me is the fact that I at least give these guys the credit to believe they are capable of much better.
Comeback of the Year: Superchunk -- Majesty Shredding. A high energy return to form from the '90s indie icons.
Album I was wrong about: Gorillaz -- Plastic Beach. It's not a great record, but it's not as boring as I thought it was. There are some pretty neat songs in there.
Head-scratcher: Deerhunter -- Halcyon Digest. I hear only a few really good songs, "Helicopter" being the best. The rest sounds very unremarkable to me. Not bad, just nothing that belongs on a top 10 list.
For the rest of the best, just look at my recommended list in the right sidebar. That'll do it.
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