Top Ten Music Finds of 2010

If you're looking for some groovy new tunes, here are a few suggestions. I would also love to hear your favorite CDs from 2010!

1.) Against Me "White Crosses" - their last album, New Wave, stands as the best rock album of the past decade - this follow-up plays like Springsteen's "The River" meets Rancid's "And Out Came The Wolves"

2.) Devo "Something For Everybody" - freshest, poppiest, hookiest spaz dance fest by any band in years and the best album of Devo's storied career - if you need something to soundtrack your next workout or spin class, this is it.

3.) Robyn "Body Talk" - this compilation of her 3 part EP set is sonic ear candy - best played loud - it's like Kate Bush fronting Hot Chip. "Indestructible" wins for most romantic lyrics of the year.

4.) Girls Aloud - Catalog 2002-2008 - as soon as I heard the song "Untouchable" I was hooked and snapped up the entire catalog by these UK Pop Star winners - read their fascinating Wiki page for how they avoided all of the cliches to create some of the best pop music since the peaks of Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Cheryl Cole also pumped out a few solo gems with head Pea will.i.am.

5.) Duran Duran "All You Need is Now" - believe the hype, this is their best disc since Seven and the Ragged Tiger - monster hooks, weird synths, tribal rhythms and freaky lyrics. Producer Mark Ronson is a genius.

6.) OMD "History of Modern" - another retro act comes back swinging - very enjoyable synth set revisits all of their classic styles.

7.) Lady Gaga "Pure Songs, Retroactive, Queen of Pop and Wunderland" - these four bootleg compilations of unreleased songs (Google to find them) cross paths often - but the mountain of treasure hints at spectacular things to come.

8.) Prince 20Ten - Sure he's a complete marketing idiot, but Prince also dropped his first truly good album in 20 years (thanks to the fans in Poland who shared it with me).

9.) Lillix "Tigerlilly" - former Disney soundtrack also rans grow up and release a seductive album of delicious singer/songwriter synth pop.

10.) !!! "Strange Weather, Isn't It" - this album sounds much like their previous four, but why break a perfect formula of aaahmazing off kilter beats and rhythmic rants.

Honorable mentions: Arcade Fire, Gaslight Anthem, The Airborne Toxic Event (live orchestral DVD/CD), The Mad Rad (Seattle-based hip/hop/Kraftwerk fusion) and Paul Anka's swinging cover set featuring the best re-imagining ever of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Biggest letdowns: Liz Phair's rap/comedy album "Funstyle", Thomas Dolby's yawner series of Americana EPs, MIA's overblown "Maya" and Xtina's dreadful "Bionic."

Just purchased: Heather Donavan's "Sense of Me" - so sad I missed her play the Hotel Cafe!

This blog is sleeping...

Someday, it will return. It was hacked, so I've deleted all of its content for now. Until then, please keep playing your favorite music loud and proud.