Best Music of 2010, Pt. 2: Albums #5-1

#5
Heartland
Owen Pallett

This isn’t the first time Owen Pallett’s work appears on this list. He remains primarily known as Arcade Fire’s string arranger, working on all their albums including The Suburbs. However, few could have predicted that this Arcade Fire sideman would musically eclipse his more famous friends this year with the evocative Heartland. Although Pallett has been recording under the name Final Fantasy since the mid-2000s, Heartland is a radical artistic leap forward from anything he’s ever done. Filling out his characteristic violin loops with keyboards, horns and understated drumming, the songs on Heartland are rich with detail. “Oh Heartland, Up Yours!” pulses with subtle bass guitar, while the glistening “E Is For Estranged” simply wouldn’t work without the waltzing lilt of its piano figure. Adding in Pallett’s yearning, evocative lyricism and fragile voice, Heartland is an emotional masterpiece. It deals with the age-old themes of frustration and doubt, but does so with unmatched grace and beauty.

#4
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty
Big Boi

If this had joined The Love Below on Outkast’s legendary 2003 double album, the result would have been nothing short of the best rap record of all time. Alas, at the time, Big Boi dedicated his half of that project to the mediocre Speakerboxxx. Of course, the double album would go on to win Grammy after Grammy… but oh the possibilities! From beginning to end, Sir Lucious Left Foot is bursting with slick grooves, catchy hooks and enough witty turns of phrase to keep even the most cynical rap fan content. The bouncy synths of the lead single “Shutterbugg” are only the very beginning of what this album offers. Highlights include the exquisite Janelle Monáe guest feature “Be Still” and the smooth R&B of “Turns Me On,” which serves as a nice counterpoint to the album’s heavier tracks. Big Boi also seems determined to remind us what a fantastic and unique lyricist he is, jumping from subject to subject with playfulness and humor. While Big Boi will never have the mind-expanding experimental streak of his Outkast partner Andre 3000, that was never his style. Sir Lucious Left Foot proves that he still has a tremendous amount of talent to offer, delivering the kind of high quality, mainstream rap album that has been absent for years.

#3
Small Craft On A Milk Sea
Brian Eno

Sneaking out during the first weeks of November, Small Craft On A Milk Sea received little attention. This is surprising, given that Brian Eno remains one of the world’s true cutting-edge musicians, continuing a breathtaking career that has seen him release a handful of legendary solo albums, invent a few genres and produce some of the most successful albums of all time. Small Craft fits perfectly into that legacy. Its sixteen instrumental tracks may not have words, but Eno remains a master of atmosphere. These intricate, electronic compositions range from elegant to jarring to downright violent. Whether it’s the unexpected guitar work on “2 Forms Of Anger” or the exquisite piano progression of the opening “Emerald And Lime,” Eno’s music feels perfectly realized and controlled. It may have been five years since Eno last released a solo album, but Small Craft proves that he hasn’t lost a step.

#2
High Violet
The National

It’s not easy making bleak music anthemic. Yet, that’s exactly what the National did with High Violet, a seething pit of self-loathing dressed up as the most uplifting of indie rock. The New-York-by-way-of-Ohio band has been on quite the tear since 2005, releasing three landmark albums in succession, all fueled by Matt Berninger’s distinctive baritone croon. The National have always traded in downcast songs about literate angst, but few of their songs have ever mined the depths that High Violet plunges into. The lyrics constantly turn inward, as Berninger bemoans lost loves and his own failings. The poignant lead single “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is heavy with nostalgia and regret, taxing the very limits of Berninger’s word-weary voice. The rest of the band more than delivers musically, particularly in the chiming guitar interplay of brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Berninger’s emotional tumult is perfectly mirrored in the cascading arpeggios of “Runaway” or the claustrophobic pressure of “Afraid Of Everyone.” These songs are raw and emotional, but they also have a complex sense of dignity to them. They’re more than just personal expression. High Violet may not explicitly be a breakup album, but it might as well be one. The National take misery, doubt and regret and transform them into something universally relatable and compelling.

#1
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West

We live in a world where it’s hard to be a Kanye apologist. For those few of us who have kept the faith through all the award show stupidity, PR fiascos and overblown demonstrations of ego, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is nothing short of the holy gospel. Coming two years after his extraordinary-but-alienating 808s And Heartbreak, Kanye has finally reclaimed his throne atop the pile of mainstream rappers. Hell, that’s not even a big enough mountain for Kanye. Listening to Fantasy, it’s tempting to put Mr. West in the esteemed company of Messrs. Cobain and Mathers in the pantheon of great pop artists. Like both of those legends, Kanye’s genius manifests itself in controversial ways. It’s clear that in our celebrity-obsessed world, someone as volatile as Kanye will never be fully accepted. Yet that doesn’t matter when he makes music this strong. There was no song this year better titled than “Power,” the King-Crimson-sampling barrage that was unleashed upon the world late in the summer. It only gets better from there. You’ve got the slinky pop of “Devil In A New Dress,” blending two of Kanye’s favorite themes, religion and sex, into a seamless whole. There’s the snarling, spitting rage of “Monster,” featuring an all-star team of guests, all foaming at the mouth to rip their detractors to shreds. On top of everything, there’s “Runaway,” a shockingly personal confession regarding everything Kanye’s done in the past two years. He’s seen his stock sink to its lowest, but through sheer willpower and incomparable musical talent, he’s risen from the ashes and delivered the year’s best album. Kanye will never be a great rapper, singer or maybe even a good person. His flaws are big and very, very public. But there simply aren’t any other pop stars putting so much of themselves into their music. That Kanye can do so while still scoring hit after hit is truly astounding. As he says, “I guess every superhero needs his theme music” and with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the world’s greatest pop star has that soundtrack.