2010: My Year in Lists

So it's a little late, like most every post I did this year, but I decided to do another "Year in Lists" posting. 2010 an amazing year for me, with a lot of new experiences that have caused me to question just where I want to take my life in the coming years. This blog quadrupled in productivity over the last year, and I hope to continue to increase my output. I took my first trip in a different country this year. I took my first steps toward figuring out whether or not I want to move forward with a job in the restaurant industry. I even peeked a little bit out of my social shell to take some chances on a girl or two. I met some new friends who continue to push my horizons further out. And reconnected with some old ones who remind me that friendships are always worthwhile. But enough mushy reflection, let's get to the entertainment portion of our show:

Concerts:

This was especially difficult for me to do this year as I saw an inordinate amount of shows. Additionally, there was an inordinate amount of really good shows this year which made selection difficult. I'm going to have to list some honorable mentions. I will say that this year's concerts seem to have a common theme of catharsis or spectacle.

1. LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells - Charlottesville Pavilion
Perhaps my love for this particular show was fueled by the fact that my opportunity to see LCD Soundsystem at Freefest was curtailed by stupidity and poor planning. Add to the fact that I drove to and from Charlottesville for this show and I had a lot invested in this show. I was not disappointed. Sleigh Bells delivered an identical set to their previous shows, which was not a surprise given their short set list. It didn't seem to detract from the fact that they still rock crazy loud. LCD opened with Dance Yrslef Clean, it caused the whole audience to erupt into a golden throbbing swarm of dancing bodies. I was worn out after the show. Completely exhausted.

2. Vampire Weekend - Penelope
I have to admit, that I didn't find their second album as entertaining/catchy as their first; but I still know that they have one of the best live shows around. Add to the fact that I'm seeing them in Spain? Get out of town! So I did, quite literally. I was able to see them in Spain while visiting a friend and taking in some of the great food, culture, sights, etc. I could not believe it when we walked up to the venue. The will call booth was located in the wall of what looked to be a re-purposed walled city. It looked as if the whole concert was taking place inside a medieval castle. It was a great show with great covers and some iTunes exclusives that don't appear on either album. Would it be as great at 9:30? Maybe. Would I have considered it for my top 5 if it didn't happen where it did? I don't think so.

3. Muse - Patriot Center
This was the first rock concert I had ever attended on this scale. I've seen large rock bands before, but only at festival shows, never as a headliner. I can tell you right now, that none of these bands had the production values or theatricality of Muse (possibly Tenacious D, but no serious rock band). I found myself constantly being shocked at moving set pieces and pyrotechnics.

4. The Dead Weather - 9:30 Club
Jack White delivers a steel toed boot to the ear with his latest side project. Alison Mosshart prowls across the stage like some kind of lioness in search of prey. There was something incredibly, primally sexual about her with the convulsive pelvic thrusts and wildly tossing her hair around as it transformed from maelstrom of rock and roll hair into sweaty mop. I've been going to shows a long time, and it's been a while since my ears have rung in the way they did when this show was over. For that alone, I feel like this band deserves recognition. The fact that they bring that kind of blues-infused garage rock that I live for? Bonus round! Which is actually a good segue to:

5. The Protomen - The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
Rock Opera based on Mega Man. Enough said. A ten piece band with 50-70 people crammed into a venue space the size of a small townhouse kitchen/dining room space. EVERYONE in this crowd knew all the words and showed it. It went berserk when band members entered the crowd, turning into a roiling mosh pit that didn't stop until the proprietors of the establishment let us know that we had to go. The band utilized makeup and costumes including mic'd helmets for both Mega Man and Proto Man characters. Include a soundtrack of epic prog rock accented with rockabilly influence and 8-bit sounds and you have the makings of a concert that tears down ceilings and bows the very floors with the weight of our rocking.

Honorable Mention:
Foals - Black Cat
Incredible live show. Perfect blend of freshman and sophomore efforts to create a truly immersive experience.

Black Keys - DAR Constitution Hall
This literally would have been in my top 5 if it had been in a venue where I could freely stand and move.

Albums:

1. LCD Soundsytem - This is Happening
Great album of dance music that ranges from incredibly, even obsessively arranged movements of electronic sound (Dance Yrself Clean) to unabashed frantic post-punk anthems (Drunk Girls). James Murphy delivers the third and rumored final installment of a truly prolific career of "making music [he] likes".

2. The Black Keys - Brothers
The Akron Duo puts out yet another smash album that takes a decidedly R&B approach to their music. From the sweet falsetto of Everlasting Light to the in your face rocking of Tighten Up, The Black Keys continue to expand their sound and mature as a band.

3. Janelle Monae - The Archandroid
She's been classified by many critics as neo-soul, but I've actually found her sound to be rather eclectic. She bounces from super-fun pop hits like Tightrope to rollicking rockabilly infused songs like Come Alive (War of the Roses). It's all over the place, but it's all good.

4. Sleigh Bells - Treats
The title says it all. This freshman release from a rather mismatched duo of a hardcore guitarist and female pop vocalist combine to reinvent loud as dangerous, yet very danc-y thing.

5. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
He does it again. Love him or hate him, you cannot deny the fact that man is an amazing producer and a talented lyricist. He brings in stellar cameos from rap mogul Jay-Z, newcomer Nicki Minaj to Baroque Pop paragon, Bon Iver.

Honorable Mentions:
Foals - Total Life Forever - The band has taken a heavy editing ear and tamed an avalanche of math rock to a very mature second effort.

The Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards - The Dead Weather creates a skilled follow-up to their debut album in less than a year giving Jack White more vocal responsibility than the previous offering.

Big Boi - Sir Lucius Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty - Super chunky club thumping funk. Grab yourself a drink and a lady and get down.

Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer - The funky vocalist of Gnarls Barkley hits us off with a great Neo Soul album with great hooks and self-deprecating humor.

Aloe Blacc - Good Things - Rebirth of Bill Withers.

Girl Talk - All Day - Nothing really innovative, but a 90 minute dance party, nonetheless.

Songs:

1. Tighten Up - The Black Keys

2. Dance Yrself Clean - LCD Soundsystem

3. Riot Rhythm - Sleigh Bells

4. Blue Blood Blues - The Dead Weather

5. Tightrope - Janelle Monae

Honorable Mention:

Monster - Kanye West featuring Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj

Shutterbug - Big Boi

The Kids - B.o.B. featuring Janelle Monae

Movies:

1. Black Swan

2. Inception

3. Kick-Ass

4. True Grit

5. Cyrus

Comics (!!Spoilers!!):

1. Ex Machina (Brian K. Vaughn/Tony Harris)
I was reading this series in the form of trades and not the usual single issues. On the one hand, I had to wait several weeks after a story arch completed before being able to read it, but on the other hand I did not have to deal with monthly cliffhangers that left me strangely angry at Vaughn. A story of a retired superhero turned mayor of New York City, this series was full of intrigue, politics, and action. Pepper in some very Whedon-esque dialogue with clever repartee and we have a recipe for a hell of a series. The story came to a close in such a realistic manner (well as realistic as a superhero book can get) that just makes you wonder if anyone really wins in politics.

2. Nemesis (Mark Millar/Steve McNiven)
From the team that brought you the ultimate Marvel Comics event: Civil War comes Nemesis. What would it be like if someone like Bruce Wayne had picked evil over justice? Chaos over order? Watch as the maniac who has murdered several of the world's top cops leaving a body count of thousands in his wake comes to DC to take on the Police Commissioner. The first issue has him attack Air Force One and kidnap the president. Issue one!

3. Demo Vol. 2 (Brian Wood/Becky Cloonan)
Indie favorites Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan get the support from Vertigo Comics to return to their subtle super-powered masterpiece. Six issues of one-shot stories that either directly deal with or somehow reference a person with a power or mutation. They are able to craft several types of stories that are immensely emotional or light-heartedly engaging. Bravo, here's hoping for a third volume.

4. Green Lantern franchise (Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, Tony Bedard, Various artists)
As we crawl out of the events of Blackest Night we emerge into Brightest Day. One would think that this would usher in an era of peace and enlightenment, but it seems to have only brought more questions and possibly greater dangers. There is a new force surreptitiously manipulating events and other key players to attain all the entitities that embody the emotional spectrum, but to what apocalyptic end?

5. Uncanny X-men (Matt Fraction/Terry Dodson/Greg Land)
This book is great. The struggle of the world's last remaining mutants against impossible odds. Matt Fraction's sci-fi writing that was evident in Invincible Iron Man is clear in this book as well. On top of everything, Cyclops is no longer the self-doubting sissy of the nineties but a badass no nonsense leader that he was trained to be. Add to that incredible visuals by the alternating artistic talents of Dodson and Land, and you have a wildly entertaining book.

Honorable Mention:

Invincible Iron Man (Matt Fraction/Salvador Larocca)
Batman and Robin (Grant Morrison/Various artists)
New Avengers (Brian Michael Bendis/Stuart Immonen)
Thor (Matt Fraction/Pasqual Ferry)
Action Comics (Paul Cornell/Pete Woods)
Scarlet (Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev)

TV (!!Spoilers!!):

1. The Walking Dead
A TV show about a zombie apocalypse?! It's based on the Eisner Award winning comic series, The Walking Dead?! It's being directed by Academy Award Nominated director Frank Darabont of Shawshank Redemption fame?! I'm in!!

2. Sons of Anarchy
This show continues to kick major ass. Clay and Jacks have managed to bury the hatchet with the kidnapping of Abel at the end of last season. This season takes us on a blood-soaked search that extends all the way to the Emerald Isle as Sam Cro takes on the IRA.

3. Mad Men
Sterling Cooper Draper Price has its work cut out for them. We watch as Don deals with a rough divorce and an even rougher time trying to find a woman that satisfies him mentally and physically. We see Campbell grow some backbone this year as we watch Roger lose some of his. This show has remained dynamic for a period piece, and I think it deserves recognition. It's amazing how a period piece such as this has affected so much of modern popular culture.

4. Fringe
This story just keeps getting better. What started out as a very episodic show now has great undercurrents and back story. Add to that a twist of an alternate dimension where we get to see how a different Fringe division works and you've got a recipe for a very entertaining season. Let us hope that the idea to move it to Friday nights will not murder it the way all of my beloved Fox shows have been murdered (R.I.P. Arrested Development, Firefly, Dollhouse, The Tick the Animated Series).

5. Boardwalk Empire
Finally, Steve Buscemi gets a real role that he can sink his more than worthy acting chops into. As Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, a corrupt treasurer, Steve Buscemi runs Atlantic city with the charisma and finesse of any imagined politician. With incredibly strong performances from Michael Pitt and Kelly MacDonald as James "Jimmy" Dormandy and Margaret Schroeder, respectively, the cast rounds out rather nicely. Even Gretchen Moll makes cameo appearances that are rather impressive and call to mind that she is still one stone cold fox.

Honorable Mention:

Justified - This show has a good pedigree with Timothy Oliphant essentially playing his Bullock character from Deadwood and Walton Goggins playing a perfect antagonist. The series starts with a quick draw, and to be honest I was floored by that first episode. The promos bill the show as two forces of nature hurtling at each other. But the first episode had them collide to my surprise. After that, the show becomes episodic and loses his focus. Goggins takes an almost Hannibal Lecter type role for a bit then he goes psychotic born again for a while. The show eventually returns to a slow build with the forces starting to head toward each other again. It has some strong points that I would like to see them build on next season.