Bryne is a news editor at Punknews.org - ed.
2010 wraps up the first decade of the new millenium, and what a year it was. As you'll read in my list and the lists of other staff members, there were a lot of really great records to contend with this year, which in the Internet age seems to be becoming a recurring annual theme. Too much media, too much information, too many bands. Can one really have too much of a good thing, though? Who knows; I'm just glad to be alive to see it and hear it.
On a personal note, 2010 was a big year for me. In addition to it being my first full year as a part of the editing staff here at the 'Org, I rounded up a freelancing gig for Alternative Press as well as a curator position for MySpace Music. Here at home, we launched the Punknews Podcast back in July, a project that was months in the making and remains very near and dear to my heart.
I also moved from the 'burbs to downtown Orlando, quit my job as a janitor/barback in one of the sleaziest "ultra lounges" in town, and, at 25 years young, enrolled in college for the first time. Pretty good year.
The Greatest Records Ever Released in 2010
20
Tigers Jaw: Two Worlds
Run For Cover
Two Worlds would probably be much higher on this list had it come out earlier in the year. I'm only just now getting my head around it and realizing how good it is, but the calendar simply ran out of days. Still, Two Worlds is morose and moody and catchy, which is all I or anyone should ever want from a Tigers Jaw release.
19
The Measure [SA]: Notes
No Idea
Gritty, passionate, earnest pop-punk that's far too catchy for its own good. This band really can do no wrong.
18
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: Let It Sway
Polyvinyl
This band will never get their due solely because of how ridiculous their name is. It's a shame, too, because Let It Sway is a fun record that combines Midwestern emo with Southern-tinged folkiness that would please most fans of pre-"Stacy's Mom" Fountains of Wayne.
17
The Menzingers: Chamberlain Waits
Red Scare
I thought the hype behind Chamberlain Waits was a tad overblown, but it's hard to deny the hooks and just overall uniqueness of it. Add those components to the unrivaled vocal harmonies of Tom May and Greg Barnett, and it's a winner.
16
None More Black: Icons
Fat Wreck
Four years after the classic-but-grower This Is Satire, None More Black have returned in a big way. I wasn't expecting this album to just plain rock as much as it does, but I'm glad these guys can pull off those riffs without it sounding forced. Jason Shevchuk's intensely personal lyrics are great, as always.
15
Bad Religion: The Dissent of Man
Epitaph
The Dissent of Man isn't a great Bad Religion record in the way that Suffer, Generator or The Process of Belief is, but it's still an impressive release for a group that stands alone as far as continued relevancy and staying power within our scene.
14
Motion City Soundtrack: My Dinosaur Life
Columbia
Generally, we're supposed to be wary of major label debuts, right? Isn't that what the punx handbook says? Well, My Dinosaur Life is the best MCS release since I Am the Movie, because unlike so many other major label debuts, it's fully realized and not watered down.
13
The Gamits: Parts
Paper + Plastick / Suburban Home
Raise your hand if you thought the Gamits would release a comeback record like this. After the elaborate brilliance of 2004's Antidote, six years and what sounds like thousands of cigarettes smoked by Chris Fogal later, the band's reunion is, more or less, a straight-up (but lyrically intelligent) Midwestern-influenced pop-punk record with little frills. The fact that it's so awesome despite what could be perceived as a creative regression makes Parts all the more impressive.
12
The Dopamines: Expect The Worst
Paper + Plastick
Snotty, sardonic pop-punk is probably a lot more difficult to pull off than a lot of us realize, so let us give props where they're due.
11
The Wonder Years: The Upsides
No Sleep
It's almost unbelievable how much better the Wonder Years became after they started taking themselves seriously, began writing lyrics about social issues and problems within the scene while simultaneously upping the hooks and infectiousness. I can't remember the last time I looked forward to a Hopeless Records release as much as I do the band's next album.
10
Dirty Tactics: It Is What It Is
Say-10
An unexpected, quirky album from a bunch of guys who sound like they don't like each other or their band very much, with that dissent yielding a finished product that's just crazy and unpredictable enough to be great.
9
Fake Problems: Real Ghosts Caught on Tape
Side One Dummy
Real Ghosts Caught on Tape is both a far cry and a massive improvement over 2009's overblown (but still great in its own right) It's Great to Be Alive. Taking a more austere approach to instrumentation has allowed Fake Problems to really put their talent on display, and they're better off for ditching all the bells and whistles.
8
RVIVR: LP
Rumbletowne
The best band associated with Latterman, including Latterman. People talk about the cheesiness of some of the lyrics here, but it's conducted in a manner too earnest for me to notice. Don't you hear those lead guitar parts?!
7
The Gaslight Anthem: American Slang
SideOneDummy
Brian Fallon and the boys keep churning out the hits, but this time around it seems like the hype that surrounded The '59 Sound has largely vanished from the punk community, when American Slang is not only just as great as the band's prior work, but perhaps even better.
6
Unwelcome Guests: Don't Go Swimming
Kiss of Death
Extremely talented, criminally underlooked. Don't let the Kiss of Death logo fool you here–this is far from the usual gruff pop-punk with which the label is mostly associated. It's smart, catchy, fuzzy punk rock with great vocals and killer hooks.
5
Balance and Composure / Tigers Jaw: split
No Sleep / Run for Cover
The best four songs B&C have ever written by far, and another four quality jams from Tigers Jaw. Two thumbs up.
4
Against Me!: White Crosses
Sire
While Tom Gabel has become a pariah to so many folks hopelessly jaded by the band's rise in popularity, his songwriting has never been more intelligent, personal or brave than on White Crosses. Against Me! finally and unabashedly incorporated some of their biggest influences (Springsteen, the Replacements, the Who) into their sound and the end result is nothing short of fantastic.
3
Make Do and Mend: End Measured Mile
Paper + Plastick / Panic
Simply put, the most impressive debut full-length of the year. The way Make Do and Mend merge aggression with melody is unrivaled.
2
Mixtapes: Maps
Death to False Hope
If there was a category for Band of the Year on this list, these guys and girl would top mine. Out of nowhere (seriously, they've been together less than a year), Mixtapes exploded onto the scene with great male/female harmonies, catchy melodies and relatable lyrics that don't feel contrived or overwrought. Even more impressive is the overall quality of the group's discography despite their prolific nature (in addition to Maps, the band also released two EPs and one split 7-inch with Direct Hit! in 2010). I can't wait to see what the future holds for them.
1
The Flatliners: Cavalcade
Fat Wreck Chords
The Flatliners became an exponentially better band when they largely abandoned the ska trappings of their previous work, which is funny considering the one ska track here, "He Was a Jazzman," might be the strongest song on the record. Cavalcade is a thoroughly engrossing album without ever feeling too encompassing or heavy; it's the sound of a band finding their niche without the growing pains usually associated with such a transition. It's the best punk record of 2010.
