KEXP Staff & Volunteer Top 10 of 2010, Part 2

In Part 1, KEXP staff and volunteers shared their top 10 albums of 2010. In Part 2, you will find their top 10 favorite songs, artists, live performances and more.

Nate Prudhon – Traffic Coordinator / DJ

In addition to my Top 10 Albums of 2010, here are my Top 10 concerts of 2010. In April Denmark Soccer Jersey, I knew this year would be special… was it ever!

1. Jonsi @ Showbox SoDo, 4/10
2. Rush @ Rush at White River Ampitheater (8/7) / Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage documentary
3. Gorillaz @ Key Arena (11/2)
4. Earshot Jazz Festival (10/15-11/7)
5. Roger Waters @ Tacoma Dome (12/11) / Béla Fleck and the Flecktones feat. Alash @ Jazz Alley (12/9-12/12)
6. Beach House @ Neumos (4/12)
7. Shabazz Palaces @ Neumos (1/8)
8. High On Fire @ Chop Suey (5/4)
9. Blonde Redhead @ Showbox at the Market (11/24)
10. Jazzsteppa @ Neumos (4/27)

NOTES:

• The production design of Jónsi’s show combined with the emotional music of his debut album was unbeatable.
• Rush played the album Moving Pictures for their second set. The documentary was nominated for a Grammy. Both were fantastic.
• For musical diversity and discovery, there’s no better place than the annual Earshot Jazz Festival, which is almost 5 weeks of jazz (and world, blues, electronic, avant garde, film, etc). Highlights this year were Steve Lehman Octet (at SAM), Chicago Underground Duo (at EMP), and Heaven On Earth Band featuring James Carter, John Medeski, and Adam Rogers (at The Triple Door).
• Two shows on this list occur after deadline: Roger Waters performing The Wall, and Béla Fleck & The Flecktones featuring Tuvan throat singers. I’m just guessing.

(to see Nate’s top 10 albums, visit the KEXP DJ’s Top 10 of 2010)

Rischel Granquist – Administrative Assistant

Rischel’s Best of 2010:

Brothers by The Black Keys (Nonesuch)
The Lady Killer by Cee Lo Green (Elektra)
Guided By Voices (Classic Lineup) at Showbox SoDo, 10/5
Broken Bells by Broken Bells (Columbia)
Destroyers of the Void by Blitzen Trapper (Sub Pop)
Martha and Rufus Wainwright at the Paramount, 8/25
Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Fitz & The Tantrums (Dangerbird)
Head Like A Kite and Brite Futures @ The Mural Amphitheater (KEXP’s Concerts at the Mural)
This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Virgin)
Tom Jones @ Hollywood Theatre/MGM Grand (Las Vegas)

Brittney Bush Bollay – Photographer

I’ve been fortunate enough to witness and photograph quite a few amazing bands for KEXP this year. Here are the ten live broadcasts I attended that stand out most in my mind.

Top 10 In-Studio Performances and Live Broadcasts of 2010:

1. Dan Mangan
2. Tallest Man On Earth (Live from the Doug Fir)
3. Plants and Animals (Live from the Bumbershoot Music Lounge)
4. Elliott Brood
5. Diamond Rings
6. Colin Meloy (Live from the Ace Hotel)
7. Besnard Lakes
8. Sleepy Eyes of Death
9. Broken Social Scene
10. Fitz & The Tantrums (Live from the Triple Door)

Rebecca Campeau – Wo’Pop/Mo’Glo DJ Assistant

Top Ten World Music for 2010 (in no order):

Almaz by Seu Jorge (Now Again)
I Speak Fula by Basseko Kouyate (Next Ambiance)
Afrocubism by Afrocubism (Nonesuch)
Estudando a Bossa by Tom Ze (Luaka Bop)
School of Life by Daara J (Wrasse)
Irm by Charlotte Gainsbourg (Elektra/Asylum)
Analog Drift by Chico Mann (Wax Poetics)
Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat by Charanjit Singh (Bombay Connection)
Y Fre Mi Richy Pitch by Richy Pitch (BBE)
Topp Stemning Pa Lokal Bar by Casiokids (Polyvinyl)

Arista Burwell-Chen – Midday Show Intern

Top 10 Songs of 2010:

1. “Sun Hands” by Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (Frenchkiss)
2. “Blood” by The Middle East from It’s Kind of a Funny Story Soundtrack (Warners)
3. “Silver Screen” by Beat Connection from Surf Noir (Sub Pop)
4. “Ring Ring” by Sleigh Bells from Treats (N.E.E.T. / Mom & Pop)
5. “At Night” by Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band from Where The Messengers Meet (Dead Oceans)
6. “Twin Peaks” by Surfer Blood from Astro Coast (Kanine)
7. “Woman of Winter” by Kilcid Band
8. “My Girl” the Horse by Fences from Fences (Onto)
9. “The Fire” by The Roots from How I Got Over (Def Jam)
10. “O.N.E.” by Yeasayer from Old Blood (Secretly Canadian)

Tahirih Martin – DJ Assistant, Programming

Top 10 Artists of 2010:

1. Bear Hands (Cantora)
2. Cloud Cult (Earthology)
3. The Lonely Forest (Trans)
4. Dead Confederate (TAO)
5. Deftones (Reprise)
6. S (Suicide Squeeze)*
7. The Black Keys (Nonesuch)
8. Yeasayer (Secretly Canadian)
9. Spoon (Merge)
10. Broken Bells (Columbia)

*new album is self-released

Dylan Flesch – Information Intern

Top 10 Northwest Albums of 2010:

1. Saint Bartlett by Damien Jurado (Secretly Canadian)
2. The Head and the Heart by The Head and the Heart (self-released)
3. Demons and Lakes by Ravenna Woods (self-released)
4. Infinite Arms by Band of Horses (Columbia)
5. Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives by Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives (Amigo/Amiga)
6. Fences by Fences (Onto)
7. Jack Wilson by Jack Wilson (self-released)
8. Where the Messengers Meet by Mt St Helens Vietnam Band (Dead Oceans)
9. Tidelands by the Moondoggies (Hardly Art)
10. My Mother the Pacific by Drew Victor (self-released)

Ryan Bort – Online Content Intern

Top 10 Songs of 2010:

1. “Down In The Hole” by Sunday Evening Whiskey Club from Andesite (self-released)
2. “Bright Lit Blue Skies” by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti from Before Today (4AD)
3. “Mange” by Deer Tick from The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan Records)
4. “Lucidity” by Tame Impala from Innerspeaker (Modular)
5. “Next Girl” by The Black Keys from Brothers (Nonesuch)
6. “Revival” and “Desire Lines” by Deerhunter from Halcyon Digest (4AD)
7. “Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass” by !!! from Strange Weather, Isn’t It? (Warp)
8. “Blue Streak Mama” by Frazey Ford from Obadiah (Nettwerk)
9. “Action/Reaction” by Choir of Young Believers from Live at KEXP Volume 6
10. “Walk Alone” by The Roots from How I Got Over (Def Jam)

Sam Lakin – Intern, Best Ambiance

Top 10 Hip Hop Records of 2010:

1. Vessel by Dark Time Sushine (Fake Four Inc.)
2. My Fanbase Will Destroy You by 2Mex (Strange Famous)
3. The One Man Band Broke Up by Ceschi (Fake Four Inc.)
4. What’s It Gonna Be? by Baje One & J. Howells Werthman (Modern Shark)
5. $O$ by Die Antwoord (Cherrytree Records)
6. Cosomogramma by Flying Lotus (Warp Records)
7. Li(f)e by Sage Francis (Strange Famous)
8. A Miraculous Kinda Machine by Junk Science (Modern Shark)
9. Lawson Graham by Factor (Fake Four Inc.)
10. Dragon Slayer by Pigeon John (Quannum Projects)

Tamar Cohen, Morning Show in NYC intern

Top 10 Records of 2010:

High Violet by The National (4AD)
The Suburbs by Arcade Fire (Merge)
The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
Heliogland by Massive Attack (Virgin/EMI)
Odd Blood by Yeasayer (Secretly Canadian)
Total Life Forever by Foals (Sub Pop)
Phosphene Dream by The Black Angels (Blue Horizon)
The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae (Bad Boy)
Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter (4AD)
Strand of Oaks by Pope Killdragon (eMusic Select)

Kari Stark – Calendar Intern / DJ Assistant

Top 10 Songs of 2010:

1. “Tell ‘Em” from by Sleigh Bells from Treats (Mom+Pop)
2. “I Don’t Believe You” by The Thermals from Personal Life (Kill Rock Stars)
3. “Punk Rock And Roll” by Street Dogs from Street Dogs (Hellcat)
4. “Lost In My Mind” by The Head And The Heart from The Head And The Heart (self-released)
5. “Cave-O-Sapien” by Wolf Parade from Expo ’86 (Sub Pop)
6. “Let’s Get Out of Here” by Les Savy Fav from Root For Ruin (Frenchkiss)
7. “Let’s Go Surfing” by The Drums from The Drums (Downtown)
8. “Glitter” by No Age from Everything In Between (Sub Pop)
9. “Hochata” by Vampire Weekend from Contra (XL)
10. “Hallelujah” by Erika Krumbeck from Lixuiod (self-released)

Jon Harthum – Online Content Intern

Top 10 Songs of 2010:

1. “Thistled Spring” by Horse Feathers from Thistled Spring (Kill Rock Stars)
2. “Heavy in Your Arms by Florence + the Machine from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack (Atlantic)
3. “Rattling Locks” by Josh Ritter from So Runs The World Away (Pytheas)
4. “Black Acid Queen” by Menomena from Mines (Barsuk)
5. “Difficult” by Uffie from Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans (Ed Banger Records)
6. “Don’t Send the Searchlights” by Gold Motel from Summer House (Good as Gold)
7. “It Takes a Muscle” by MIA from /\/\/\Y/\ (Interscope)
8. “The Ghost Inside” by Broken Bells from Broken Bells (Columbia)
9. “10 Mile Stereo” by Beach House from Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
10. “Alley Cats” by Hot Chip from One Life Stand (EMI)