As you are aware, there is a non-negotiable clause in every music-blogger’s blogging contract that requires us to prepare our yearly “Best of” lists around this time of year. Nonetheless, there is no requirement that we create three separate year-end lists, and yet that is exactly what I plan to do. Call me an “over-achiever” if you must, but I really feel like multiple lists are necessary. You see, although I’m quite proud of my “Top Albums of 2010” list, I felt that it won’t capture how awesome 2010 was for music by a long shot (and I think 2010 was a very good year for music). So, I’ve also crafted this whittled-out-of-wood “Top 7″ Vinyl Releases of 2010” list and a roughly-hewn “Top EPs of 2010” list in addition to the “Top Albums List.” Oh, and the December 2010 mix? It will collect my favorite digital only singles released this year.
Clever readers will recognize that the artists on these two lists didn’t just release some of the best music of 2010, but that many of these artists will also be releasing some of the most anticipated debut full-lengths in 2011 (i.e. Cults, Tennis, Memoryhouse, Levek, Shabazz Palaces, Wise Blood, Seapony, and Hard Mix, for example). Others will be releasing highly anticipated follow-ups to their 2010 debuts. So while my “Top Albums of 2010” list will hopefully highlight some music you may have missed this year, these first two lists are, to some degree, my way of pointing forward as to the music to watch our for next year.
But let’s not make this a one way street. Let me know who released your favorite vinyl 7″ from 2010.
1. Cults – Go Outside 7″ :: Cults – Go Outside
2. Tennis – South Carolina 7″ :: Tennis – South Carolina
3. Memoryhouse – Caregiver 7″ :: download not available
4. Japandroids – Art Czars 7″ :: Japandroids – Art Czar
5. Best Coast – Sun Was High (So Was I) 7″ :: Best Coast – The Sun Was High (So Was I)
6. Blackbird Blackbird / Pao Pao Split 7″ :: Blackbird Blackbird – So Sorry, Girl
7. Wheels On Fire – Cherry Bomb 7″ :: Wheels on Fire – Black Wave
8. Levek – Look On The Brightside 7″ :: Levek – Look on the Bright Side
9. Shabazz Palaces / Stellar OM Source 7″ :: “Barksdale Corners” on palaceer pusher beat circa now
10. Seamonster – Two Birds 7″ EP :: Seamonster – Bearsuit
11. Wise Blood – Transparent Records 7″ :: Wise Blood – Solo (’4′ Claire)
12. Mannequin Men – Hobby Girl 7″ :: download not available
13. Reading Rainbow – Tough Love 7″ :: Reading Rainbow – Tough Love
14. Seapony – Dreaming 7″ :: Seapony – Dreaming
15. Tennis – Marathon 7″ :: Tennis – Marathon
16. Real Estate – Out of Tune 7″ :: Real Estate – Out of Tune
17. Hard Mix – Alright 7″ :: Hard Mix – Alright
18. The Liminanas – I’m Dead 7″ :: The Limiñanas – Je ne suis pas trés drogué
19. Ty Segall – Fuzzy Cat 7″ :: download not available
20. Greg Dulli – Eddie Hinton Tribute 7″ :: download not available
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