#9) Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest [4AD; released 9/27/2010]
“When you were young, you never knew which way you’d go. What once was grace, now undertows.”
“Desire Lines”
Hidden beneath the noise-rock textures of Deerhunter’s previous albums has always been hints at the type of great pop Bradford Cox and company could put out if they wanted. With Halcyon Digest, the Atlanta, Georgia quartet has rewarded listeners with such an album, and the results are striking. The ambient-punk tendencies that band likes to characterize themselves with still reamain, but songs like first single “Revival”, centerpiece “Desire Lines”, and the stunningly heartbreaking “Helicopter” show just how well this group can write straightforward songs while still maintaining their psych-pop familiarity that fans will certainly recognize from albums past. Those three songs are spread throughout the disc separated by 8 other haunting masterpieces including the fantastic opener “Earthquake” identified by an odd clacking and electronic loops overlaying an acoustic guitar and eerie vocals to the 7 minute epic closer “He Would Have Laughed”, a tribute to the late Jay Reatard. Halcyon Digest is an album about life and death and the memories made along the way and what you do with them. Sonically encapsulating that nostalgia in these 11 tracks is something that clearly was no afterthought, and thanks to the fine intimate production, Deerhunter has created their tour de force album at this point in their career.
[“Desire Lines” – Halcyon Digest]
#10) The Walkmen – Lisbon [Fat Possum; 9/14/2010]
“You took the high road, I couldn’t find you up there.”
“Angela Surf City”
This is the 2nd straight release from The Walkmen to find its way to #10 on my year end list, the previous being 2008’s You & Me, and considering Lisbon is just an extension of everything the band did so well on You & Me, it should come as no surprise to see it ranked so high. At this point in their careers, we all know what The Walkmen are selling: gritty, emotional garage rock anthems full of the wailing Dylan-like vocals of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser. These track are no different, featuring the jangly instrumentation leading to powerful climactic moments all the while encompassing the sorrowful notions that maybe only fellow New Yorkers, The National, can even come close to matching. From opening track “Juveniles”, Lisbon is instantly recognizable as a Walkmen release and the confidence always seen in these guy’s songs carries on from there. Lisbon will not to do anything to further The Walkmen’s musical journey, as it doesn’t really break any new ground for the group, but it’s clear these guys still have a lot to get off their chest and if continuing to write these mournful but rockin’ anthems is still where they need to be, I’m not complaining.
[“Angela Surf City” – Lisbon]
Posted by Hawkins 
A Round of Sound 