At Last ... My 2010 Countdown!

I really didn't have my crap together last year, seeing as how I'm already more than a month late on posting my annual favorites countdown. It sure wasn't because of lack of devotion to music; I bought as much music last year as I do every year -- that is to say, adjusted for the slight "budget cut" I've been trying to make each year. I just was so preoccupied with building a particular part of my music collection (which I hope to share with y'all sometime soon) that I didn't pay as much attention to new music as I usually do -- and consequently, I didn't buy a whole lot of 2010 releases in 2010.

As a result, this countdown isn't going to be what I, and probably some of you, would expect. For instance, I rather suspect that the latest Take That and McFly albums would have appeared on the list ... if I had gotten around to buying them in time (and no, shame on me, I still haven't). Other worthy but unfortunately absent contenders: The Posies, whose latest album is fantastic but whom I didn't discover until around New Year's Day; and Jamiroquai's fresh disc, "Rock Dust Light Star", which I added to my want list thanks to the clips I listened to just the other day.

But all was not lost, as I was able to find enough titles to warrant a 15-item countdown ... though it did involve bending my own self-imposed rule of a one-year, December 2009 through November 2010, release date window. But everything on the list is something I didn't know about until 2010 (though it might have been released in 2009) and bought in 2010, so as far as I'm concerned, that's close enough. So, such as it is, and as seriously (or not) as you want to take it ... here's the list of My Top 15 Favorite CD Purchases of 2010!!

#15 ~ BJØRN JOHAN MURI ~ "Airwaves" (Universal/Norway)
The latest Norwegian "Idol" alumnus to draw me under his spell, he conjured up a dreamy batch of lush, '80s-inspired, electronica-tinged pop tunes for this stellar debut. Not perfectly up my alley, but close enough to make me a fan.

#14 ~ JUSTIN NOZUKA ~ "You I Wind Land And Sea" (Coalition)
He set aside the bluesy sound of his first album in favor of a more pop-rock vibe on his sophomore disc, but that's not at all a bad thing -- his soulful voice and his knack for a tune are in as fine form as ever.

#13 ~ TOM LEHRER ~ "The Tom Lehrer Collection" (Shout! Factory)
A "Weird Al" Yankovic for the more intellectual set (and also a big inspiration for Al), Lehrer has finally gotten the career-spanning compilation he's deserved for decades, complete with a bonus DVD ... a real treat!

#12 ~ JOHAN PALM ~ "My Antidote" (Columbia/Sweden)
Sweden's 2008 "Idol" fourth-place finisher surprised me in a big way with a platter of ear candy that's jockeying for a place in my top five favorite albums ever from an "Idol" alum. His homeland must be proud!

#11 ~ JOHNNY MATHIS ~ "Let It Be Me: Mathis In Nashville" (Columbia)
He's got a voice that, even on the muzak in a crowded, noisy restaurant, grabs my ear and is instantly recognizable. He sounds as wonderful as he ever has on this disc of classic country favorites.

#10 ~ NELLIE McKAY ~ "Home Sweet Mobile Home" (Verve Forecast)
I'll admit this is the first album of her's that I've bought since her debut -- but only because her second was packaged cheaply, and because her third was a Doris Day tribute -- but she's still one of the best female artists around. The overtly political bite and broad sonic variety of her first album are mostly absent here, but her vibrant and airy voice, her gift for a good tune, and her sardonic wit (evidenced by the album title) have never been better. Listen to: "Beneath The Underdog".

#9 ~ RANDALL BRAMBLETT ~ "The Meantime" (Blue Ceiling)
After owning and enjoying one of his discs for a few years, I finally collected the rest of this guy's back catalog last year and have grown to love his music in recent months. This latest disc is a change of pace for him, a subdued acoustic set in contrast to his dynamic and layered full-band albums. But it's no less enjoyable -- his keen songwriting, instrumental finesse, and achingly roughhewn voice give this album (and all his others) a beautiful texture that few other artists can match. Listen to: "The Grand Scheme Of Things".

#8 ~ HANSON ~ "Shout It Out" (3CG)
I'm rather surprised this album fell out of my top 5, as big a Hanson fan as I am. I'm not sure how to account for its low ranking. The horn accents and Motown influence give the album a fresh and upbeat sound and, this being Hanson and all, there's no shortage of deft songcraft and musicianship. Perhaps it's just because it was a bit short on the truly grab-your-ear-and-never-let-go hooks, coupled with the fact that last year's Tinted Windows side project made me not totally ready for the next Hanson album. Listen to: "Give a Little".

#7 ~ MATT WHITE ~ "It's The Good Crazy" (Rykodisc)
I'm really starting to like the Rykodisc label. Aside from just generally putting out good music, they rescued Matt White from label-limbo after he was unceremoniously dropped by Geffen after one album (and a pretty darn good one, not that it matters). His first release won me over unexpectedly, so I was afraid I had my expectations too high for this one -- but I needn't have worried. This follow-up has the same unabashed charm as his debut, its stylings nimbly hopsotching between Paul Simon, Elton John and Jason Mraz. Listen to: "Colorblind".

#6 ~ TONY LUCCA ~ "Rendezvous With The Angels" (Rock Ridge)
Since a Tony Lucca album I'd briefly owned several years ago never grew on me and I ended up trading it in, I had few expectations when I found this one in the $2.99 rack at Rhino Records and half-heartedly bought it. Much to my surprise, this talented folk-rock troubadour's latest disc has grown on me so much in the four months that followed, that even the songs that first made me cringe I now find myself tapping my toe to or humming along with. I guess that means I'm going to have to go buy "Shotgun" again...! Listen to: "Anchored".

#5 ~ DAVID ARCHULETA ~ "The Other Side Of Down" (Jive)
I hadn't realized how much I'd missed hearing new material from my favorite finalist from my first year of "American Idol" until his sophomore studio album arrived. I was just as happy to see that he mostly stuck to the same young-adult-pop sound that graced his first album, but with a perfectly natural bit of maturity added here and there. It was also nice to see him have the chance to stretch his songwriting wings. But the best part of all? Getting to hear that beautiful, soaring voice of his again. Listen to: "Parachutes And Airplanes".

#4 ~ MATT MORRIS ~ "When Everything Breaks Open" (Interscope)
I've always had a soft spot for artists and albums that are a bit hard to define, a bit all-over-the-place. By that token, it would stand to reason that I'd find this one enjoyable. The listener hears some Jack Johnson here, a bit of Justin Timberlake there, and even dashes of Paul Simon and Randy Newman on other tracks. There's so much variety on this one, everybody's bound to like something. (Trivia note: this happens to be the second "Mickey Mouse Club" alum on this year's list, Tony Lucca being the other.) Listen to: "The Un-American".

#3 ~ BOYZONE ~ "Brother" (Polydor/UK)
It was supposed to be their big, triumphant reunion album, but after Stephen Gately's sudden and untimely death in the midst of its recording, it took on the guise of a tribute. But aside from the poignant highlight of Gately's angelic vocals on a few tracks, as well as the beautiful tear-jerker of a eulogy, "One More Song", the album is their brightest and liveliest -- which, in a way, is entirely fitting -- and just might be their best yet. It's as if their friend's death gave their music a new infusion of life. Listen to: "Gave It All Away".

#2 ~ STEVE APPLETON ~ "When The Sun Comes Up" (RCA/UK)
I took a gamble (well, if you can call five bucks a "gamble") buying this unknown (to me) singer-songwriter, and I ended up winning big-time. Not only is the cover reminiscent of Ryan Cabrera, but he also has the same breezy, tuneful style ... just with a heaping tablespoon of funk and a teaspoon of hip-hop blended in. Each and every song makes me tap my toes, hum along, and like it a little bit more each and every time I hear it. His music is hard not to love, and just as hard to get out of your head. Listen to: "That's Life".

#1 ~ THE YEAH YOU'S ~ "Seeing Through You" (Island/UK)
If you love The Feeling and have been waiting for their next album as much as I, then you'll love these guys too. Mike Kintish and Nick Ingram are a pair of Londoners who have crafted the most Supertramp-a-licious '80s-inspired electro-pop since Dan Gillespie-Sells and company. I came to love it so quickly that I had to stop myself from listening to this album too much too soon for fear of it losing its appeal. Word has it that they're no longer recording, at least not under this moniker ... a real pity, but at least the one album we did get from them was heaven. A special thanks to KulPop for bringing them to my attention. Listen to: "If I Could".

#0 ~ RON JONES ~ "Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Ron Jones Project" (Film Score Monthly)
I simply couldn't let my annual countdown go without mentioning this one. It's a box set -- make that an enormous box set, at 14 discs -- packed full of music from some 40 episodes of "Star Trek: TNG", much of which I'd been waiting to hear, uncluttered by dialogue and sound effects, for over 20 years. In every way, measurable and unmeasurable, it just wouldn't be fair -- either to itself or to the other releases -- to compare it to the rest of the titles in this countdown, so that's why it's in the "number zero" position, which leaves it mathematically ambiguous, so I'll let you decide whether it should be at the top or bottom of the list. Call it an "honorable mention" (I'm sure Worf would be proud).

Well, I hope you enjoyed my Favorite Purchases of 2010 countdown, despite its tardiness. The new year is already looking up, with spankin' new Teddy Thompson and Nick Carter albums just days away, as well as an unexpected opportunity that I seized to obtain the three albums I mentioned at the beginning of this post, all of which are now on their way to me. Here's to 2011 being an active year for this blog, even though it's gotten off to a sluggish start.