Our 2010 top 10s in & out of PA (share & comment

Please consider posting ten of your favourite albums from 2010 if you can and look at and try to comment on other people choices that you know or interest you.

Similar things have been done by me and others but I wanted to make one where it can include included Prog and Non-Prog, in PA and not in PA AND where part of it is to try to look through and comment on each other's choices when possible (particularly if we know and like something). I'm hoping this might give me a better idea of what some people like through the years that maybe in and out of PA, Prog or not, and maybe help some people to connect over music that they like.

I like topics where we share our interests as well as displaying an interest in what others mention as their interests. I like that kind of interaction, and I do like it when it's mostly positive, or at least negativity is minimal, and especially when it's enthusiastic.

I did a yearly lists topic for our top 20 or less you like from each year: CLICK. And Mirakaze did a whole series covering years, but that was for Prog. And there have been many other such topics. But those lacked much commentary on other people's choices.

This can be for ten or less (or somewhat more). Ideally, I would appreciate some of the labels that rateyourmusic gives for the albums, a category at PA if applicable, or your own descriptions. That might help to better get a feel for your interests,

So where I really hope this can be different from other list topics is that we try to not only present our lists, but that we look at each others lists and try to comment on what we know or are interested in from those lists. Please try to focus on the positive; negativity and criticism can be such a downer. And I know that some prefer to vote for an comment on other people's choices rather than try to make their own lists, they should be comfortable just commenting on whatever they see and like. I would rather do these kind of topics than polls, but my issue has been the lack of interactivity amongst list makers, and the lack of comments on other people's choices.

Ten of my favourites from 2010:

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz (Art/Progressive Pop, Indietronica)
Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP (Chamber Pop, Progressive Folk)
Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me (Chamber Folk, Progressive Folk)
Kayo Dot - Coyote (Avant-Prog, Experimental Rock, Post-Rock)
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky (Experimental Rock, Post-Rock)
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock)
Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel (Art Pop, Electronic)
Shibusashirazu - Shibu-yotabi (Experimental Big Band, Jazz-Rock/Fusion)
Beach House - Teen Dream (Dream Pop, Indie Pop, Neo-Psychedelia)
Univers Zero - Clivages (Avant-Prog)

So please come up with your own lists if you can and/or comment on other people's choices. But please try to limit negativity (to each their own tastes).

Edited by Logan - Yesterday at 14:07

The 2010s were such a rich decade for me that I could post ten such lists and all the releases would still be absolutely awesome.

Having said that, from your list I have only listened to Clivages ... once, I think. Can't remember what it sounded like. Goes to show how much music is out there ...

1. (S) Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (2013, listened often) [BC, SPO]
2. (S) Ayreon - The Source (2017, listened extensively) [BC, SPO]
3. (S) Ghost - Prequelle (2018, listened extensively) [AP Prog-Adj] [BC, SPO]
4. (S) Big Big Train - Grand Tour (2019, listened extensively) [BC, SPO]
5. (S) Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream (2016, listened often)
6. (S) Haken - The Mountain (2013, listened extensively) [BC, SPO]
7. (S) Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork (2013, several listens) [AP Non-Prog] [BC, SPO]
8. (S) Between The Buried And Me - Coma Ecliptic (2015, listened extensively) [BC, SPO]
9. (S) Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary (2016, listened often) [BC, SPO]
10. (S) Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase. (2015, listened often) [BC, SPO]

These are all masterpieces IMHO, crowning achievements of these artists.

Yeah, I meant for this to be 2010 specific. Incidentally, originally I was going to do this topic for all of the 2010s asking for five per year, but then thought that was a bit too much to ask, especially if adding genre info, too limiting for me with just five per year, and I thought with ten per year we might find it easier to find albums to comment on for each year in other people's lists.

Anyway, from your list, Mike, The Raven That Refused to Sing is an album that did impress me.

EDIT: by the way, here is a playlist of one track per my ten for 2010, just in case anyone is interested in maybe hearing something they don't know yet. It's no substitute for full albums, of course.





Edited by Logan - Yesterday at 15:31

^ I have loved Yugen's Iridule, Frogg Cafe's Bateless Edge, and Jaga jazzist's One-Armed Bandit, and are all in my top 20 for 2010. Been a while since I played them, I should again very soon. Thanks. :)

Superb year for me, one of my recent favorites.

1. (S) Вежливый отказ - Гуси-лебеди (listened often) [BC, SPO]
2. (S) Pikapika TeArt - Moonberry (listened often) [BC, SPO]
3. (A) Yūgen - Iridule (listened often) [BC, SPO]
4. (A) Uz Jsme Doma - Jeskyne (Caves) (listened often) [BC, SPO]
5. (A) Aranis - RoqueForte (listened often) [BC, SPO]
6. (A) Univers Zéro - Clivages (listened extensively)
7. (?) Rational Diet - On Phenomena and Existences [BC]
8. (?) Glenn Branca - The Ascension: The Sequel [AP Prog] [BC, SPO]
9. (?) Brown Vs Brown - Odds and Unevens [BC]
10. (?) Zoë Keating - Into the Trees [AP Non-Prog] [BC, SPO]
11. (?) Richard Pinhas - Metal / Crystal [BC]
12. (?) Radio Massacre International - Time & Motion
13. (?) Xing Sa - Création de l'Univers
14. (?) Cosa Brava - Ragged Atlas
15. (B) Jaga Jazzist - One-Armed Bandit (listened often) [BC, SPO]
16. (?) Elephant9 - Walk The Nile [BC, SPO]
17. (?) Jean Louis - Morse
18. (?) Faun Fables - Light Of A Vaster Dark
19. (?) Algernon - Ghost Surveillance
20. (?) Kayo Dot - Coyote [BC, SPO]

Edited by Nogbad_The_Bad - 21 hours 43 minutes ago at 18:14

From the early 2000 and up to about 2010-2012, I was much deeper into all things related to prog. On your lists I notice all these bands and albums that I haven't listened to in 12-15 years. I was somewhat a fan of Aranis, Yūgen, Jean Louis, Faun Fables and enjoyed several more here. Then I just stopped. I suppose I experienced an "avant-rock-fatigue". The new band I checked out started sounding like the band I was listening to prior to them. To be honest I don't think I've listened to Coyote in a decade either, but I've quite recently relistened to two-three of the other Kayo Dot albums. (Like black midi) They always felt like they carved out their own sonic path and palette.   

I listen to and discover more music than ever, but new prog rarely exite me anymore. It happens, but I couldn't make a top 20 or even 10 of PA favorites for any recent year.

^ Thanks, 2010, 2010s, easy to confuse. I confuse myself every day multiple times a day -- not a joke, that's the sad truth. Surprised I missed Motorpsycho's Heavy Metal Fruit in my list (I have added it to my AP list), that is a great album. I did accidentally overwrite some AP lists before. Gotta say, that feature has enriched my life. Thank you so much for it. I used that for my list here as I have done lists there for every year back to the 1950s, but I put it here in plain text as I wanted to add RYM genre tags. I do like having genre tags with my list and find RYM is excellent for that.

And to Ian (Nogbad). I recommend Shibusashirazu' Shibu-yotabi if you have not heard it. My first by the band was Shibuboshi, which is awesome.

Saperlipopette! wrote: From the early 2000 and up to about 2010-2012, I was much deeper into all things related to prog. On your lists I notice all these bands and albums that I haven't listened to in 12-15 years. I was somewhat a fan of Aranis, Yūgen, Jean Louis, Faun Fables and enjoyed several more here. Then I just stopped. I suppose I experienced an "avant-rock-fatigue". The new band I checked out started sounding like the band I was listening to prior to them. To be honest I don't think I've listened to Coyote in a decade either, but I've quite recently relistened to two-three of the other Kayo Dot albums. (Like black midi) They always felt like they carved out their own sonic path and palette.    I listen to and discover more music than ever, but new prog rarely excite me anymore. It happens, but I couldn't make a top 20 or even 10 of PA favorites for any recent year.

I get that "avant-rock fatigue", and I have experienced the same. I discover new and old, and in between music very regularly. And the listings can be much shorter if one cares. Kayo Dot is one I liked in 2010 that I appreciate more now than ever. It has about eight albums that I have listened to. I guess Blue Lambency Downwards and Coyote where the first two KD albums I really loved. Then I got into earlier ones, and later ones like Hubbardo and Coffins on Io. Toby Driver and his various projects used to get much more attention at PA than he does now. kayo Dot is set to release Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason in August of this year, and barring something unexpected, I will be listening.

I have considered it to be sort of duty to listen to albums for the Album of the Year events, not that I always participate, but I lhave liked how that kept me listened to new music. My issue with that has been that so much of what I listen to is not in PA, or Prog-specific, so I'm glad we now have in PA and not in PA lists that are linked to the event.

Still quite bit of avant-prog of recent years I have enjoyed, love black midi. There's a lot of neo-psych kinds of projects or recent years I love, and many post-rock projects I enjoy. There's lot of modern experimental music I like, electronic, Indie, alternative and quite a bit of folk (Richard Dawson as mentioned).

I listen to a lot of contemporary music, but a good chunk of it is not Prog per se -- Weyes Blood, Lingua Ignota (thank you), Beach House, Beth Gibbons, I love Julia Holter's music, stuff by St. Vincent (lot of female singer-songwriters) etc.. I love lots and lots of music from every decade from the 60s up. As I have mentioned in topics, Fishmans is one I have been very into for its 90s music, especially for its 1998 live concert album. Sufjan Stevens has been so important to me of late. And Godspeed You! Black Emperor... Swans obviously. I'm hoping for a new Portishead and Boards of Canada release. I like The Smile releases.

I actually listen to more 90s up music these days than earlier years, but that will change depending on mood, current interests. Some days I don't wish to listen to music at all.

Edited by Logan - 9 hours 1 minutes ago at 06:56

^ Another of my favourites on the metal side fr 2010, or post-metal side anyway, but I have not listened in quite some time which means they tend to rank lower, is Alcest's Écailles de lune. I have found it interesting that some have stated that they much prefer Prog Archives categorisation system that places all of the releases of an act under one loose category. Alien thinking to me. At least one said earnestly, apparently, that they would rather see no labels at all period. That would make shopping, for instance, one hell of a challenge. Cap'n Crunch cereal looks a lot like the pellets in rat poison. And hopefully I won't get my appendix removed by a sanitation worker since the position was not labelled using an axe because scalpels were not labelled and he could not tell the difference.