Songs for Swingin' Cineastes: 2010 Edition













To clear up any confusion: This isn't a list of film scores or
soundtracks. It's a list of music recommended for movie lov-
ers such as myself. Some independent film fans prefer main-
stream movie fare. Similarly, some indie film fans prefer main-
stream music. There's nothing wrong with that dichotomy; I
just can't relate to it (and try to avoid giving the Man my
money whenever possible). If you share my taste in mov-
ies, there's a good chance you'll share my taste in music.



The Tops:
1. Ty Segall - Melted (Goner)
2. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here (XL Recordings)
3. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be (Sub Pop)
4. The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream (Blue Horizon)
5. Sleigh Bells - Treats (Mom & Pop Music)
6. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy/Wondaland)
7. Bill Withers - + 'Justments (Reel Music) [reissue]
8. Anika - self-titled (Stones Throw)
9. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (4AD)
10. Gray - Shades of... (Plush Safe Records)



Note: The Gray CD features Jean-Michel Basquiat. Last
year's #1: Sylvester & the Hot Band - The Blue Thumb Collection.



Runners-up:
1. Frankie Rose & the Outs - self-titled (Slumberland)
2. Endless Boogie - Full House Head (No Quarter)
3. Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker (Modular) [Australia]
4. Thee Oh Sees - Warm Slime (In the Red)
5. Aloe Blacc - Good Things (Stones Throw)
6. Wetdog - Frauhaus! (Captured Tracks)
7. Wooden Shjips - Vol. 2 (Holy Mountain)
8. Stereo Total - Baby Ouh! (Kill Rock Stars)
9. Moon Duo - Escape (Woodsist)
10. Woven Bones - In and Out and Back Again (Hozac)



Top Singles:
1. Cee-Lo Green - "Fuck You" (Elektra/Asylum)
2. Anika - "Yang Yang" (Stones Throw)
3. The Roots - "How I Got Over" (Def Jam)
4. Aloe Blacc - "I Need a Dollar" (Stones Throw)
5. Lee Perry - "Exercising" [Horsepower Remix] (Tempa)



Note: I like garage rock, R&B, funk, dub, Germans, ladies with
attitude, and cranky old geezers. No apologies. Also worth a lis-
ten: the Fall - Your Future Our Clutter (Domino), the Fresh and
Onlys - Play It Strange (In the Red), the Strange Boys - Be Brave
(In the Red), and Past Lives - Tapestry of Lies (Suicide Squeeze).
In the Red, Stones Throw, Light in the Attic: killed it this year.



Top Reissues:
1. Various Artists - Epitaph for a Legend (Snapper)
2. Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg - self-titled (Light in the Attic)
3. Jane Birkin - Di Doo Dah (Light in the Attic)
4. Andy Votel - Cock Diesel Mixtape Vol. 1 Cassette (No Label)
5. Tages - Studio Album Plus (RPM) [UK]
6. Kenny Graham & His Satellites - Moondog and Suncat Suites (Trunk)
7. Rikki Ililonga & Musi-O-Tunya - Dark Sunrise (Now Again)
8. Les Rallizes Denudes - Heavier Than a Death in the Family (Phoenix)
9. Les Rallizes Denudes - Blind Baby Has Its Mother's Eyes (Phoenix)
10. Walter Gibbons - Jungle Music (Strut)



Still to hear: Dean & Britta - 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for
Andy Warhol's Screen Tests (Double Feature), Matthew Dear -
Black City (Ghostly International), Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Kil-
ler (Warp Records), LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (D-
FA), Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves - Deluxe Edition (Uni-
versal/Island), Irmin Schmidt + Inner Space Production - Ka-
masutra Vollendung Der Liebe (Crippled Dick Hot Wax),
and Soft Moon - The Soft Moon (Captured Tracks).

Click here for the 2009 edition.



Endnote: The usual disclaimer applies. This list doesn't represent
the best music of the year, but the best music I heard. And I heard
less music than usual (I'm an underpaid freelance writer, and I had
to, you know, pay for most of it). Image from Austin Town Hall.