2010

I haven't written anything here for awhile, but damn, I just have to say that 2010 has been an incredible year for music so far. In March, the White Stripes released one of the great live albums of all time, Under Great White Northern Lights. In July, the Books returned with their fourth album, The Way Out, further cementing their place as one of my all-time favorite bands, and Big Boi finally released the long-delayed Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, the first great Outkast-related album since 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. There have also been excellent albums from LCD Soundsystem, Gorillaz, Rihanna, Beach House, M.I.A., Robyn, and Born Ruffians just to name a few, not to mention all the ones I haven't heard yet (I have a long list of things to listen to). And finally, last week, Arcade Fire released their mindblowing third album, The Suburbs. Their first, Funeral, was one of my favorite albums of the past decade, and though I haven't gotten as into Neon Bible, I liked it a lot as well. Honestly, though, I think this is the best thing they've ever done. Maybe it's because I'm still under the spell of having just discovered it and being blown away, but man, I'm blown away.