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Stephen Harris's 2010 Top Ten

1.

The Flatliners - Cavalcade
From my review: “Cavalcade isn’t the sort of album that redefines genres or pushes sonic boundaries into new realms, but we are lucky – an album like that is rarely as well done as The Flatliners’ newest achievement. To put it simply, for fans of great, blistering, in-your-face punk rock, Cavalcade is essential.” I stand by my previous assessment, and in retrospect, I wish I had given this album a perfect score. This album hasn’t left my mind since I first heard it, and it is just as amazing every time it assaults my ears. Punk rock at its finest.
2.

Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
From my review: “Although there have been some great releases recently in the old-timey folk revival in today’s music scene, Mumford and Sons are obviously and deservedly vying to be kings of the scene. While staying true to central tenets of folk and bluegrass, they have infused their music with urgency, relevance, depth and beauty. Sigh No More is lush, dense, beautiful and just plain irresistible. To put it bluntly, this is a near flawless album that needs to be listened to.” Another one that I know deserved a perfect score. The radio might be overplaying hit single “Little Lion Man”, but this band deserves every accolade they get. It’s astounding that a debut album can propel a band into the pantheon of rock greatness, but Mumford and Sons deserve it like none other.
3.

Iron Chic - Not like This
It’s hard to come out and say what makes this album so great. The songwriting is solid, the guitars are interesting and always complementary. The tempos and parts vary enough to keep it dynamically interesting, and the vocals are adequately strained in their attempt to explain the pains of growing up. All this is nice, but none of it is great on its own, but somehow, when it all comes together, Not Like This becomes a monumental album that balances the bombast and grittiness of beard-punk, the driving force of the Long Island Sound, and the awkward, painful fun of those who refuse to grow up and become another nobody “slouching their way to an early grave”.
4.

The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
To borrow a line from the prophet Garth Algar, American Slang is “like a new pair of underwear. At first it's constrictive, but after a while it becomes a part of you”. Gaslight Anthem are my favorite band, but compared to their previous output, this album felt so small and tame. But even after disappointing listens, the album beckoned me back, and after some digging I found a treasure trove that set me off. People can complain all they want about this band ripping off Springsteen and Petty, but I really don’t care. We need to embrace beauty and soul wherever we can find it, and Gaslight Anthem have given the world a piece of art that needs to be treasured.
5.

Vampire Weekend - Contra
Most people probably thought this band was simply a novelty, an indie rock circus that would either leave town on its own or be ran out on a rail. But Contra dropped and blew everyone away. The band retained all of giddy, cheesy, preppy silliness, but still grew up and gave us a deep, layered sophomore album that proves the band can write killer songs and prove rock critics wrong at the same time. On paper, Vampire Weekend should be a disaster befitting the worst middle school talent show, but on Contra, they are confident, cocky and irresistibly talented.
6.

RVIVR - RVIVR
We were all bummed when Long Island luminaries Latterman broke up, but that is because none of us anticipated what would rise up from their demise. RVIVR and their self-titled debut album is everything that made Latterman great, plus more refined songwriting, more exciting dynamics and some cute-and-spunky female vocals. Equal parts catchy, intense and beckoning, RVIVR doesn’t just show the band to be someone we have to look for in the future – it makes them a band to watch right now.
7.

Dangers - Messy, Isn't It?
I thought I had grown out of hardcore, but then Messy, Isn’t It? came along and knocked me out cold. From the striking cover art of a middle-aged mother holding a gun under her chin to the lyrics questioning a life without meaning, Dangers hits some fragile chords with absolute fury and vehemence. With wit and venom hearkening back to the golden age of Black Flag and Minor threat, Dangers prove that there is still life in the old, decaying bones of hardcore.
8.

The Menzingers - Chamberlain Waits
Instead of going the easy route and giving us bigger choruses or more gigantic gang vocal chants, The Menzingers took a step back on their latest album and left some things unsaid. It might have been a little less accessible at first, but by dialing back the band released an album that has much more to sink your teeth into. The big moments are there, but just a little more subtle and elusive, which makes them all the more special when you finally get to them and are unable to keep your body from reacting.
9.

Off With Their Heads - In Desolation
I don’t mind admitting that this album isn’t as good as From The Bottom, but few things are, and this album is still phenomenal. Off With Their Heads gritty, nihilistic sophomore album is classic punk run through the ringer of postmodern, damaged America. The songs are catchy, fast, loud and a couple levels above most other punk bands. What more could you ask for?
10.

Fake Problems - Real Ghosts Caught On Tape
From my review: “Gone are the chicken cluck vocals, the forays into gypsy-punk and most everything else that made Fake Problems the musical equivalent of that kid in your high school who, while brilliant, never really figured out how to not be a complete spazz in social situations. That kid is still there, but he takes less drugs and has grown up. He isn’t done maturing, but he has become something subtly special and new while retaining the indomitable spirit that made him a brilliant, yet misunderstood youngster. Real Ghosts Caught on Tape may not be the Fake Problems we were all expecting, but their maturation is going better than any of us could have guessed. Growing up has never gone so smoothly.”