My Top 10 Records of 2010

This year, while being the year I was probably the most disconnected from the American music scene that I have ever been, was still the best year for music that I can remember.  There were some great tours (that I missed most of), and even better records.  I can honestly say that any of my top four records this year could have topped last year’s list.  It was just an amazing ride of a year, and while there were plenty of lows personally, there were even more highs — including the day that AP.net linked my site and I almost hit 1000 pageviews — and the music never has been better. But before we start, remember, these are my favorite records of the year, and are not necessarily the “best.” So now, without further aduei, I give you my top 10 records of 2010, starting with…

10.  The National – High Violet [4AD]

It’s a record that I came upon very late in the year –only about a month ago did I listen the whole way through — but it turns out everyone was right about it.  The National are a band that I am painfully unfamiliar with, so I really can’t write much about them as a band, but I can say that this little melancholy record hit home for me.  It’s simple, elegant and uplifting all at the same time, and it was a terrific find for me personally.

Interview With Soupy (The Wonder Years)

The Wonder Years are amazing, I just need to let you all know my bias before getting any further into this.  I reached out to The Wonder Years’ management a few weeks back not expecting a response, but instead I was met with complete cooperation and enthusiasm from Hopeless right down to Soupy himself.

So this past Wednesday I found myself in the cafe section of the Starbucks in Towson just talking with Soupy, vocalist of the band.  And I use the term “talking” because moreso than most interviews I’ve done, this just seemed like a conversation.  He shared personal stories, as well as the normal band stuff, and that impressed me completely.  He’s the real deal, and so is the rest of the band.  He’s extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the punk scene and seems to know a lot of people, which after, talking to him for a half an hour, makes complete sense.  The interview is after the jump, it’s a bit long, but it’s full of really interesting stuff.  Enjoy.