Roger’s Top 60 Tunes of 2010



2. Brandon Flowers – Crossfire

To decide which song to put at #1 and #2 was exceptionally hard this year. ‘Crossfire’ was #1 across 4 non-consecutive months this year on my Modern Rock chart, and always forced my #1 track of the year to the runner up position (except for one time). So why, you ask, does the track get the bridesmaid position on the most important chart of all?

‘Crossfire’ was a sure **** surprise. As mentioned, I was very weary about this solo project, concerned, if I can be quite honest. But instead, we got a sensible and mildly theatric track that heralds the sentiment of ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, and the audacious, yet underdog nature of ‘Read My Mind’. The song just stuck, never got old, and became a fixture for the year. In his live show, he introduces the song by going “Brothers and sisters of Toronto, I need to see your hands in the air” – and it’s like the whole crowd knew what was coming. “Lay your body down, lay your body down, next to mine” – a perfect falsetto, a perfect statement, but yet it didn’t get #1. When I listened to this and the #1 track one last time before making the decision, however, it couldn’t have been more clear which should take the victory. But at the end of the day, a huge amount of respect sent Mr. Flowers way as this could have been a total misfire, and instead, it was a complete pleasure.



1. The Arcade Fire – Ready To Start

Remembering that ‘Gimme Sympathy’ by Metric was the #1 song of 2009, this marks the second straight year that a Canadian act has taken the top spot on the year-end. And if you’ve been reading any of my previous commentary, this #1 for The Arcade Fire makes complete sense.

‘Ready To Start’ is a truly special song. It was probably the first, serviceable TAF track that radio could make into a hit. But that doesn’t mean quality was compromised, not in the slightest. I think what I love the most about the track is some of the atmospheric highs it gracefully hits, such as; “Now you’re knocking at my door, saying please come out with us tonight; I would rather be alone, then pretend I feel alright”. This is one of those times that I’m otherwise, truly lost for words. I just get this incredible feeling when I hear this track. My foot starts tapping, I immediately turn the volume up, and it’s almost just like the first time I heard it. I couldn’t tell you why it was always runner-up to ‘Crossfire’ throughout the year; but I know now what I didn't know then, that this is without question the best song of the year.
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Roger’s Top 10 Albums of 2010



2. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

I’ve read many reviews of this album, and their live shows, suggesting that this is nothing more than “hoedown pop”. I can definitely appreciate the suggestion, but I think it makes an unfair generalization. What I love so much about this album is that constant surge of adrenaline, which builds anticipation fueled by acoustics, soaring vocals, and all instruments in the mix which drives the audience into a frenzy of foot stomping and hand clapping. The slow build, as I call it, is a concept that could most certainly get tired if the band never strays from it in future records. But, in this current landscape, it was so incredibly refreshing to hear rich harmonies, and tracks that let the actual music do the talking.

‘Sigh No More’, ‘Thistle and Weeds’, ‘Awake My Soul’, ‘I Gave You All’, and even ‘The Cave’, are all perfect examples of how the band steer from the ominous to optimistic, and transform tracks from dreary ballads into bustling modern rock epics . ‘I Gave You All’ has some incredible songwriting; “If only I had an enemy bigger than my apathy, than I could have won. But I gave you all”. And sure, there are other tracks that are more blatant, and are destined to be pub favorites for all patrons to sing along with a pint in hand. These include ‘Little Lion Man’, ‘Winter Winds’, and ‘Roll Away Your Stone’, which bursts into the most raucous hoe-down ever at about 0:50 seconds in.

This is a band to get excited about, assuming they don’t beat a good idea to death. I saw them live, and it is obvious these guys are incredibly talented. With relentless touring behind a single album, the music is already tight fitted and the vocals are spot on. And the hoe-down throw downs can only evoke their true, deserved response in a live setting. Do yourself a favor and catch them if you can in a smaller club setting, for they are a man’s true local pub band.



1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

So is this the Thriller of our generation? I didn’t think it was possible, after all the negative hype surrounding the MTV controversy with T-Swift, the tour fallout with Lady GaGa, and all the personal turmoil, that Kanye would be able to rebound this hard. But hadn’t I learned my lesson in the past? You are allowed to be an egocentric douche bag if you have the talent to back it up. I have never heard an album like this, where every single song is the “best” song, and tracks like ‘Runaway’ and ‘Devil In A New Dress, so outstanding in every other regard, are considered the ‘weaker’ tracks. It’s just not possible right? Wrong. He did it. He came, he conquered. This was all things he designed it to be, and then some.

I also have to commend him for the absolutely brilliant marketing campaign that was ‘G.O.O.D. Fridays’; this guy essentially gave away half his album for free prior to his release. Plus, he dropped so many other worthwhile tracks that it makes you wonder whether this album could have been akin to a double-CD masterpiece like ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (Smashing Pumpkins). ‘Runaway Love’ is the only track in which I will give Biebs some respect, and others like ‘Christian Dior Denim Flow’, show that even A- type tracks weren’t good enough for the final product. Crazy, son.

So, what is it about the album that makes it so great. Well, there is several themes that permeate throughout. They show a side to Kanye we’ve always known (and secretly loved), but they also show signs of resiliency. Not to mention, there’s a lot less of the despair and demon exposing that we saw on ‘808’s and Heartbreaks’.

‘Monster’, had the bat **** cameo of the year from Nicki Minaj and an under-appreciated rhyming of monster villains by Jay Z; ‘Power’, had the greatest remix treatment, potentially of all time, with Jay Z absolutely shredding it and Kanye ripping one of his greatest verses ever at the end, “What do it mean to be the boss?”. Both tracks show off the ferocious Kanye, the one who tears **** up and doesn’t give a **** about the carnage left behind. It’s an absolute gong show.

Then there’s tracks like ‘Dark Fantasy’, ‘Gorgeous’, ‘So Appalled’, and ‘Blame Game’ – all of which have a gritty, yet melodramatic vibe to them. ‘Dark Fantasy’ rhymes Leona Lewis with Kings of Leon tracks, and also drops a great lyric in “too many urkels on your team that’s why your winslow”. Speaking of great lyrics, how about the one in ‘Gorgeous’; “cos the same people that tried to black ball me, forgot about two things, my black balls”. All of these tracks, along with ‘All of The Lights’ (the albums demonstration that Kanye can still pump out a great pop song), also show the depth of amazing featured artists here. Jay Z is ****ing everywhere, and is best utilized on ‘So Appalled’. Nicki Minaj kills it on the aforementioned ‘Monster’ as well as ‘Dark Fantasy’, “now gather around children, zip it listen!”. And how about John Legend, Kid Cudi, Elton John, and everyone else and their dog on ‘All of the Lights’. Honestly, only Kanye could recruit this kind of talent. It’s ****ing mind blowing.

So the question remains, why didn’t this album spawn a hit single? I mean, ‘Power’, ‘Monster’, and ‘Runaway’, were all mild hits; but nothing to the level of say ‘Gold Digger’ or ‘Stronger’. This is because the album is way too good to be reduced to single representation. Although ever track is exceptionally strong on it’s own, it is amplified by the fact that it’s a part of this even more memorable collection of tracks. On their own, ‘Runaway’ or ‘Power’, could sound overly ambitious and a little too outside of the normal realms for a casual radio listener. This is an album to appreciate for its entirety, and to recognize the man in charge; the voice, the message, and the vibe. It’s all gratifying, electric, and I’ll never forget what it was like to live in a time where this album was as good as music has ever been.

Originally posted by I Got Soul 1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy I have never heard an album like this, where every single song is the “best” song, and tracks like ‘Runaway’ and ‘Devil In A New Dress, so outstanding in every other regard, are considered the ‘weaker’ tracks. It’s just not possible right? Wrong. He did it. He came, he conquered. This was all things he designed it to be, and then some. he dropped so many other worthwhile tracks that it makes you wonder whether this album could have been akin to a double-CD masterpiece like ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ (Smashing Pumpkins). ‘Runaway Love’ is the only track in which I will give Biebs some respect, and others like ‘Christian Dior Denim Flow’, show that even A- type tracks weren’t good enough for the final product. Crazy, son. ‘Monster’, had the bat **** cameo of the year from Nicki Minaj and an under-appreciated rhyming of monster villains by Jay Z; ‘Power’, had the greatest remix treatment, potentially of all time, with Jay Z absolutely shredding it and Kanye ripping one of his greatest verses ever at the end, “What do it mean to be the boss?”. Both tracks show off the ferocious Kanye, the one who tears **** up and doesn’t give a **** about the carnage left behind. It’s an absolute gong show. ‘All of The Lights’ (the albums demonstration that Kanye can still pump out a great pop song), also show the depth of amazing featured artists here. Honestly, only Kanye could recruit this kind of talent. It’s ****ing mind blowing. the album is way too good to be reduced to single representation. Although ever track is exceptionally strong on it’s own, it is amplified by the fact that it’s a part of this even more memorable collection of tracks. On their own, ‘Runaway’ or ‘Power’, could sound overly ambitious and a little too outside of the normal realms for a casual radio listener. This is an album to appreciate for its entirety, and to recognize the man in charge; the voice, the message, and the vibe. It’s all gratifying, electric, and I’ll never forget what it was like to live in a time where this album was as good as music has ever been.