In last week's paper, I listed my picks the eight best local album releases of the year. Mostly because, well, it's been a hell of a year. From expected delights from Erykah Badu to unanticipated treats from The Beaten Sea, yes, the first half of 2010 has been an incredibly fruitful one.
On their own, these first six months (which we can now officially look back on with nine days' hindsight) just might be as impressive as the whole of 2009. And, y'know what? I think I'd take it when stacked against 2008, too. Actually, I know would.
Call me crazy, but I think that's saying something.
What specifically is it saying? That, well, OK, fine, I should probably pair up that albums list with one for the blog in which I list my favorite songs of 2010.5, too. After the jump, check out the list of my top 50 local jams of the year (so far), listed in alphabetical order. (We'll save any actual countdown of this list for the end of the year.)
It's a deep, varied list--with streams and downloads at the ready. So buckle up, block off your next few hours and enjoy.
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Analog Rebellion - "Marla Singer Doesn't Take Standardized Tests (Disposable Smile)"
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Ariel Pink with Added Pizzazz - "In The Heat Of The Night" (download at Gorilla Vs. Bear)
Automorrow - "Get Your Own Friends"
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The Beaten Sea - "Lonesome Tune"
Big Chief - "Da Boss"
Bone - "Homegurl"
Bridges & Blinking Lights - "Undercover"
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The Burning Hotels - "Austin's Birthday"
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Cadillac Sky - "Trash Bag"
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Damaged Good$ - "WEHATEDAMAGEDGOOD$TOO"
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Darktown Strutters - "Lucifer Rising" (download at Weekly Tape Deck)
Dear Human - "Waiting"
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DeepSpace5 - "Killing With Kindness"
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Dondria - "You're The One"
Doug Burr - "At The Public Dance"
Dustin Cavazos - "Fresh"
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Eleven Hundred Springs - "This Crazy Life"
Erykah Badu - "Fall In Love (Your Funeral)"
Fergus & Geronimo - "Girls With English Accents"
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Final Club - "Ruded" (download at Weekly Tape Deck)
FUR (feat. Alan Palomo) - "Black Castles"
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Florene - "Parc Bitch"
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Hoyotoho - "Born Black"
Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights - "Devil's Basement"
Katie Carroll - "Paper Girl"
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Kimberly - "Sociopath"
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Maleveller - "Astronomer's Fyre"
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Menkena - "Red in the Morning"
Midlake - "Acts of Man"
Mind Spiders - "World's Destroyed" (download at Weekly Tape Deck)
Mount Righteous - "Eat Your Wife and Kiss The Barbecue" (download)
Museum Creatures - "Song ABC"
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Neon Indian - "Sleep Paralysist" (download at Green Label Sound)
Ocelot - "Beating Hearts"
The Orbans - "Like A Liar"
Power Trip - "Armageddon Blues"
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The Rocket Summer - "Walls"
Sarah Jaffe - "Clementine"
School of Seven Bells - "Windstorm"
Sextape - "Lubricated Intimacy"
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Sir Silky - "The Squeeze (The Answer)"
Smile Smile - "Cancer"
Spector 45 - "Try, Try, Try"
Spooky Folk - "Bible Belt"
St. Vincent (with Beck's Record Club) - "Never Tear Us Apart (INXS Cover)"
The Strange Boys - "Be Brave"
Sundress - "Locust"
Treal Lee & Prince Rick - "Mr. Hit Dat Hoe"
Whiskey Folk Ramblers - "Curtains"
...and there you have it.
