Best of 2010

Best of 2010: Mikexdude's picksMikexdude's picks (2010)
staff picks

Reviewer Rating: 5

Contributed by: mikexdudemikexdude
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 24th 2010mikexdude is a staff reviewer for Punknews.org - ed. INTRODUCTION In 2010, I slept on the couch of the illustrious Scott Brown, I endured the sudden death of a friend, and strangely enough, I didn't listen to much new music as I would have liked. On this list, I hope you find something goo.

mikexdude is a staff reviewer for Punknews.org - ed.

INTRODUCTION

In 2010, I slept on the couch of the illustrious Scott Brown, I endured the sudden death of a friend, and strangely enough, I didn't listen to much new music as I would have liked. On this list, I hope you find something good on here that you haven't heard of before; if not, then that means you're awesome.

FULL-LENGTHS

10

Elvis Costello: National Ransom

Hear Music

When the King isn't penning Grade-A rock 'n' roll, it's usually because he's too busy crafting elaborate and appreciative celebrations for his infinite list of influences. If I've learned anything from Mr. MacManus, it's the importance of homage.

9

Nobunny: First Blood

Goner

First Blood is a barrage-one immediately infectious garage pop jam after immediately infectious garage pop gem. Shit will never leave your head, but why would you want it to?

8

1994!: FCKYRHED

Square of Opposition

1994! is a presumably sloppy post-hardcore two-piece from PA. Their sophomore hardly-a-full-length, FCKYRHEAD, has an intriguing depth to it that brings the guitars up front, while the sing-alongs linger in your head like a distant, childhood memory.

7

Alkaline Trio: This Addiction

Heart & Skull / Epitaph

While Agony & Irony seemed to me like an exhausting battle between two different creative directions, This Addiction thrives on cooperation. Call me a Trio apologist, but "Off the Map" and "Eating Me Alive" are easily some of the best material the band has ever written.

6

Everyone Everywhere: Everyone Everywhere

Tiny Engines

I'm glad more bands listen to the Promise Ring: You can still noodle on your guitar, be obscure, pretentious, moody and conceptual-etc. etc.-while still writing an actual song. But whatever, I have bigger fish to fry.

5

Make Do and Mend: End Measured Mile

Paper + Plastick / Panic

End Measured Mile is the exact moment when your high school girlfriend finally decided to put out after all those years of waiting. That's for you, Anthony Dye.

4

Dead Mechanical: Addict Rhythms

Traffic Street / Toxic Pop

Sure, Baltimore has a lot of sweet hardcore bands, but what about Dead Mechanical? Without shoving the hooks down your throat, Dead Mechanical produces the most underrated punk rock record of the year. It's effortless.

3

The Wonder Years: The Upsides

No Sleep

The Upsides is a collection of uplifting and nostalgia-inducing tunes. It reminds me of all those "gateway" bands that were around when I was getting into punk, except with...talent. In a nutshell, it's just got ridiculous amounts of playability.

2

Stephen Egerton: The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton

Paper + Plastick

Egerton executes brilliant, jagged and quirky patterns and progressions over a mind-boggling cast. Yeah, a lot of the vocalists may not live up to their pedigree; however, my personal guitar hero delivers 110%.

1

Hostage Calm: Hostage Calm

Run for Cover

Hostage Calm's self-titled isn't necessarily relevant, nor is it irrelevant. And it most certainly isn't the sound *you* wanted to hear from them: This is a true don't-give-a-fuck record. It will ignite you like Change Is a Sound, yet it spins as smoothly as My Aim Is True.

EPs/SINGLES

5

Frodus: Soundlab 1

Lovitt

Leave it to the old men to show us how it's done.

4

Vaccine: Human Hatred

Painkiller

EP, full-length, whatever-this record is a rager.

3

Swingin' Utters: Brand New Lungs

Fat Wreck Chords

I want a full-length.

2

GIVE: Boots of Faith

Deranged

Maryland's own seems to know Washington, D.C. like the back of their hand. This band has the potential to "give" End of a Year a real run for their money.

1

Sacred Love: Dividing Lines

Youngblood

A perfect mix of nineties and eighties hardcore: catchy, fast, and progressive.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Riot Before: Rebellion; Off with Their Heads: In Desolation; Praise: Growing.Changing.Healing. EP; End of a Year: You Are Beneath Me; Nails: Unsilent Death; We Were Skeletons: We Were Skeletons; Castevet: The Echo & The Light; Black Breath: Heavy Breathing; OFF!: First Four EPs

MOST ANTICIPATED OF 2011

Capital
Pulling Teeth
Polar Bear Club

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

spoon_of_grimbo (December 26, 2010)

hostage calm for the fucking win. i went into that record with no preconceptions, having not heard "lens" at the time, and i fucking loved it. "war on a feeling" is the PERFECT closer - when those epic vocal harmonies come in en masse after the bridge, it makes me feel all tingly...

Cos (December 26, 2010)

All of these picks are terrible.

XOXO,
Cos

publichousing (December 25, 2010)

Great list, but lack of The Rival Mob leaves me confused and upset.

Mystereohasmono (December 25, 2010)

Wait wait wait, mikexdude has a best of list here on the Org? Well this is the first I've heard of it.

edgelife (December 25, 2010)

Most anticipated of 2011-
Jared Leto- rumored solo record

edgelife (December 25, 2010)

Honorable Mentions from 2010-
Broken Bodies- Demo

fo real

Jelone (December 25, 2010)

Why do you hate punk rock so much?

greg0rb (December 25, 2010)

Mike, didn't we have like the same list last year? What happened? We've grown so distant!

Hey, get on FB by the way. It's worth it for the staff group alone.

ramblinboyofpleasure (December 24, 2010)

As you'd expect.

jacknife737 (December 24, 2010)

Nice to see the Upsides is getting some love: it's a super fun album.

Also, glad to see This Addiction on there: though its not in my top ten of the year, it's still a really good album.

overdefined (December 24, 2010)

Mikexshortlist

kylewagoner (December 24, 2010)

Capital. Yes.

GarrettIrish (December 24, 2010)

Glad Dead Mechanical is on the list. Seen them a couple of times, always been impressed, and they've always been nice.

Thepopeofchili-town (December 24, 2010)

Other than The Wonder Years, pretty damn solid. Good job, Mr. Xdude.

culturerevolution (December 24, 2010)

Nice list, glad to see Everyone Everywhere get some recognition.

quickattack (December 24, 2010)

Great list, i usually dig a lot of your choices. MDAM, The Upsides and Hostage Calm are definitely in my top 10.