DS Staff Picks – 10 best albums of 2010 (Xan)

Well, another year is drawing to a close. People are gearing up for the holidays and it’s almost time to start creating our New Year’s resolution lists. But before we begin looking to the future, let’s employ a different kind of list to help us appreciate the past. You know what I’m talking about. Yep, a Top Ten list! Each day I’m going to publish a different editor’s Top 10 albums of 2010 list for you to praise, completely disagree with, or just outright ignore.

Today’s list comes from Dying Scene album reviewer/band interviewer Xan (the xanimal) Mandell, and you can check out his picks for the 10 Best Albums of 2010 right here.

Haters gonna hate, but pop punk came back this year, and it’s a pretty exciting thing to watch. Sure, there were great punk albums this year, but I’ve gotta say, I got more stoked off the underdog pop punkers than the rest of punk crew. 2011 has some pretty fantastic albums in the works, and I can’t wait to see what happens there, but for now, here’s what rocked my stereo, and hopefully they’ll rock yours too.

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1. Man Overboard – “Real Talk”

There isn’t much more that can be said for Real Talk. It has received rave reviews, turned the pop punk scene upside down, and made this writer a little more relieved about the current state of music. Man Overboard’s flawless melding between the old school and new school makes Real Talk shine brighter than any record released this year…

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2. The Flatliners – “Calvacade”

Being synonymous with “punk” seems like an almost impossible task these days, but  The Flatliners pull off an almost flawless performance on Calvacade. When I received the album, I didn’t stop playing it for over two months. It’s one of those albums that just never gets old… It’s heavy, fast, and one hell of a listening experience. Songs like Here Comes Treble and Filthy Habits are perfect examples as to why The Flatliners are and will continue to be supreme forces in punk rock.

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3. Nightlights – “Long Way Home” EP

Lo-fi punk rock never sounded so good… Nightlights may just be in the beginning of their musical reign, but if this EP is any indication, than they’ve got the energy to continue down a long path of success. It may be a slightly under-produced EP, but if weren’t, than it wouldn’t work as well as it does. An emotionally charged rant, Long Way Home is a throw back to when punk rock was just a few dudes in a basement playing their hearts out.

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4. La Dispute’s side of their Touche Amore split.

This may not count as an album, or even an EP, but the two songs La Dispute released for their split with Touche Armore’ are mind blowing examples of hardcore’s progression through time. La Dispute have always been inventive, but they truly shine on the two songs on here. How I Feel and Why It Scares Me are heart on your sleeve bellows, which echoed throughout the scene as shining illustrations as to why hardcore can always prevail. Everyone is excited for their 2011 release, and with very good reason.

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5. Transit – “Keep This To Yourself”

The comeback of pop punk is a becoming a faster growth than anyone really expected, but it’s hard to worry about it burning out when albums like Keep This To Yourself are the staples of the scene. With it’s solid songwriting, throwback sound, and easily graspable lyrics, Keep This To Yourself is an album that keeps you interested song after song. I’ve been playing it for months, and it doesn’t seem to stopping any time soon.

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6. The Menzingers – “Chamberlain Waits”

Why The Menzinger’s singer sounds like he’s from the UK is beyond me, but it’s not that bad of a trait to have. His voice fits perfectly over the slightly grungy punk, solidifying their spot within the basement scene. Chamberlain Waits absolutely kills, having attitude that seems fun to join in with. Match that with solid song writing, and you’ve got a top 10 of 2010.

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7. Hostage Calm – “Hostage Calm”

It’s hard to make pop punk sound diverse, but Hostage Calm has perfected the art of using worldly influences to craft an amazing album with ups, downs, and turnarounds which sound just a little off from the mold.  It’s an interesting album that proves you don’t just have to play three chord punk to fit in with a scene..

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8. Mixtapes – “Thoughts About Growing Up”

While they’ve only been a band a little under a year, Mixtapes have snuggled themselves comfortably into their spot in the scene, putting out four solid, catchy, and pretty charming releases. Their second release, Thoughts About Growing Up, has the quick paced pop punk songs that have their individual flare while conforming to a set of standards that makes it instantly loveable. It’s hard to turn your head to the back and forth male/female singing, and don’t say you aren’t tapping you hand against your knee once you’ve got the rhythm down..

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9. Grown Ups – “More Songs”

It’s a shame not more people talk about this band. They’ve brought the guitar back to the front of punk rock., and it is always exciting to listening to their songs. While it might be a little math rocky, there is an abrasiveness to their songs that keeps you from getting annoyed. Solid in their use of tempo, Grown Ups obviously have a sense of musical understanding that can be rare to find.

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10. The Bouncing Souls – “Ghosts On The Boardwalk”

With the legacy that The Bouncing Souls have, it’s nice to see them still releasing super sick sounding albums. Ghosts On The Boardwalk still has the awesome Soul’s sound, but still sounds like they’ve grown up a lot since their debut. It may an album of EP’s, but it still rules.