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2010 Album of the Year

(So, it turns out this didn't go live when it was supposed to - which I'm sure is user error, but I'm going to blame Typepad anyway. So there.)

Albums of the Year - Superlatives

Best Comeback: Eminem – Em would have won this just for his guest verses on B.o.B's “Airplanes pt. 2” and the leaked “I Need A Doctor” with Dr. Dre.

Album of the Year: #3 and #2

 

3 – Dessa, A Badly Broken Code

Part singer, part rapper and all poet, Dessa's lyrics are unlike the words of any other artist in hip-hop today, running the gamut from introspective to braggadocio without missing a beat. And unlike some other great hip-hop lyricists, she gets stellar production work from her Doomtree brethren like Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak. A Badly Broken Code might be the most underrated album  of any genre of 2010.

Standout Tracks: Seamstress, Dutch, Dixon's Girl

Albums Of The Year: #5 and #4

 

5 – Broken Social Scene, Forgiveness Rock Record

The flagship band for the Toronto indie scene slimmed down considerably for the follow-up to its 2005 self-titled record. With only a seven-member recording core, the sound is more straight-forward than its predecessors. Songs that once would have been lost under layers of distortion are “stripped down” to their basic elements. While it may not have any songs that can match the band's more anthemic songs from previous albums (like “Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl” or “Ibi Dreams Of Pavement”), on the whole “Forgiveness Rock Record” might be the band's most cohesive album to date.

Standout Tracks: All To All, Sweetest Kill, Forced To Love 

2010 Album of the Year - Introduction And Honorable Mention

The lists have started – Spin, Rolling Stone, Onion A/V Club. I don't listen to nearly as much music as most professional critics, but between my work for amNew York and CBS Radio, I listen to a lot of music on my own. I've never tried this before, but was encouraged to (thanks, Madrid!) … so let's see what happens.

NOTE: If I don't mention your favorite band, it's likely because a) I didn't get to hear the album or b) Your favorite band sucks.