Category: The 2010’s
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Kaffetorsk ‘Coffee Breaks’ (2018)
Kaffetorsk’s album Coffee Breaks is a mellow fusion of lofi, hip-hop, and electronic influences, enriched by old folk music, Japanese styles, and the warmth of vinyl. His mix of modern production and nostalgic throwback makes for easy listening. Think Pretty Lights’ A Color Map of the Sun without all the EDM flash. Standout Songs: “Dreams”,…
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Fink ‘Hard Believer’ (2014)
Hard Believer is an album that has stuck with me since the first time I heard it. There’s a real pain underneath the surface of each and every song, a long forgotten wound that has been covered by scar tissue and hardened with the passage of time. Delicate acoustic guitar lines weave through shadowy atmospheric…
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Blink-182 ‘California’ (2016)
Blink-182’s California marked a major turning point for the band as it was their first album without founding guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge, who departed in 2015 to focus on other projects amidst a strained relationship with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. In his place they added Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, whose addition added…
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Arch Enemy ‘War Eternal’ (2014)
The Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy was already a powerhouse in the genre by the time 2014 rolled around, but War Eternal marked a new era for the band with Alissa White-Gluz as the lead vocalist. Former singer Angela Gossow, who had fronted the band for over a decade, stepped down to focus…
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Four Year Strong ‘Four Year Strong’ (2015)
It’s always funny to me when bands are like four albums into their discography, sit down to write a new album, and then someone in the room is like “Hey we never did a self-titled album, we should probably do that yeah?” and then they inevitably put it out. It was sort of commonplace for…
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Casey ‘Love Is Not Enough’ (2016)
I dearly loved Casey’s 2024 comeback album How To Disappear, and their debut album Love Is Not Enough from 2016 is equally special albeit in an entirely different way that harkens back to one of my favorite albums from the mid-2000’s. Imagine for a moment two brothers separated at birth, adopted and raised by two…
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Cherub ‘Year of the Caprese’ (2014)
If you’re looking for a hedonistic ride through a world where druggy electronica meets slick indie pop, Cherub’s Year of the Caprese is kind of made for you. The Nashville duo leans heavily into funk-laced synths, bouncy beats, and falsetto-driven hooks in an album tailor-made for late nights and hazy mornings. At the heart of…
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Fitz and The Tantrums ‘More Than Just A Dream’ (2013)
I wouldn’t call Fitz and The Tantrums a guilty pleasure because I don’t feel guilty for liking them, but I do recognize the fact that their brand of pop meets 70’s disco soul is a little heavy on the cheese factor. But damn do I ever enjoy flipping them on whenever I’m in the mood…
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Whiskey Myers ‘Firewater’ (2011)
As a huge fan of Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling, I’ve always admired the way his shows like Yellowstone and Landman (which I’m watching right now and absolutely loving) weave authentic, salt-of-the-earth country music into their soundtrack. It’s through his shows I discovered Whiskey Myers. They were featured on an episode of Yellowstone as the house band…
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Ashley McBryde ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ (2018)
With a voice as rich as the country storytelling traditions she draws from, Ashley McBryde weaves tales with a nod to the grittier side of life that’s increasingly rare in modern country music. Songs like the poignant title track underline her knack for crafting lyrics that tell a relatable story while still feeling like each…
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The Magic Beans ‘Casino Cabaret’ (2018)
The Magic Beans’ Casino Cabaret is a genre-blending shot of adrenaline that feels like a late-night celebration at the crossroads of funk, big band flair, and irresistible pop hooks. The album exudes a vibrant energy, with funky basslines and shimmering keyboards that transport listeners to a dazzling dance floor where every groove is a jackpot.…
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August Burns Red ‘Sleddin’ Hill’ (2012)
Sleddin’ Hill has fast become one of my favorite Christmas albums for a variety of reasons– for starters, the whole thing is instrumental which makes it pretty accessible for everyone in your family around the holidays. And even though it’s on the heavier side of the coin, blending the uplifting nature of Christmas music with…
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Joyce Manor ‘Never Hungover Again’ (2014)
If you’re looking for an album that is a masterclass in brevity, you’ve come to the right place. Never Hungover Again packs an emotional punch into its 19-minute runtime that most albums twice its length struggle to achieve, and marked a turning point for the band which saw them refinine their punk-rooted sound into something…
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The Story So Far ‘Under Soil and Dirt’ (2011)
The Story So Far arrived in 2011 like a shot of adrenaline to a pop-punk scene that had grown relatively complacent in the late 2000’s. Recorded at the now-legendary Panda Studios in Fremont, California (which is about a 20 minute drive north of me), the album captured the Bay Area’s burgeoning pop-punk scene with anthemic…
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Dawes ‘Stories Don’t End’ (2013)
Taylor Goldsmith possesses a rare gift for distilling the quiet beauty of everyday life into poignant songs that feel deeply personal and universally relatable. It’s everywhere in Dawes music– the idiosyncratic descriptions of the mundane going-ons of everyday events, the subtle character observations of quirky personalities, the romanticization of life itself. There’s no better storyteller…
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Carrie Underwood ‘Blown Away’ (2012)
If you’re a football fan like me you’re going to immediately recognize Carrie Underwood– she’s been the voice of the NFL’s flagship program Sunday Night Football for over a decade now, with her iconic opening line “I’ve been waiting all day for Sunday night” leading viewers into the league’s biggest game of the week. Bursting…
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Alex G ‘Trick’ (2012)
Alex G is the stage alias of Alex Giannascoli, a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who built his reputation with intimate lo-fi pop that combines strong melodic sensibilities with a ragged performance style. Trick was self-recorded with an unpolished charm that’s prominent from the opening song, and the album’s bedroom pop aesthetic stands out in an increasingly…
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Arctic Monkeys ‘AM’ (2013)
Arctic Monkeys had somewhat of a second coming with their fifth studio album AM in that they did what has been nearly impossible for British rock bands over the last 40 years– completely take over American radio stations well over a decade into their career. The journey began years earlier when they harnessed the power…
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Dierks Bentley ‘Riser’ (2014)
By the time Riser was released in 2014 Dierks Bentley had come a long way. This dude legitimately spent about a decade of his life during his 20’s grinding to get his big break, spending his free time watching old country performances on video and heading to the local haunts in Nashville for research purposes…
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Phoebe Bridgers ‘Stranger in the Alps’ (2017)
Phoebe Bridgers’ debut album Stranger in the Alps is steeped in melancholy, with lyrics that expose some pretty raw emotional depths. But despite the dark themes she explores with reckless abandon, there’s a subtle, self-aware humor woven into every song on this album, as if Bridgers wants to reassure listeners that she’s somehow okay. Case…
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Tame Impala ‘Currents’ (2015)
With Currents, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker takes a bold step away from the introspective isolation that characterized his earlier albums, marking a profound evolution in his artistry. It manifests itself in many ways– the lyrical themes, the musical structure, and the instrumentation. Parker’s approach to this album reflects a desire to explore the complexities of…
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The Voidz ‘Virtue’ (2018)
When Julian Casablancas returned with The Voidz’s 2014 debut album Tyranny, it was a a surprising shift considering his earlier solo work and his garage rock career with The Strokes. The band focused surprised many critics with its focus on dystopian themes and sonic complexity that could be described as a polished sci-fi pop sound.…
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Mannequin Pussy ‘Patience’ (2019)
Outside of the stellar band name (you’re lying if this one didn’t catch your eye immediately), Mannequin Pussy is a pretty exceptional punk rock band. I first heard Patience earlier this year and was immediately gripped by its earnest accessibility. The album strikes a balance between chaotic energy and profound vulnerability, filled with intricate melodies…
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Kids See Ghosts ‘Kids See Ghosts’ (2018)
When Kanye West and Kid Cudi teamed up to drop Kids See Ghosts in 2018 it was a pretty historic moment in hip hop history. Both MC’s were at the height of their powers commercially and the subject matter they dove into was uniquely introspective. The album broke conventional boundaries in a way only a…
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Sleep ‘The Sciences’ (2018)
Sleep’s stoner rock bonafides were cemented during the 90’s but in 2018’s The Sciences the band cemented their place as stoner doom metal legends. The album was a triumphant return after a two-decade layoff, and features all of the things that made Sleep such a cult favorite in a bygone era– copious references to marijuana,…
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Hot Snakes ‘Jericho Sirens’ (2018)
Hot Snakes’ Jericho Sirens marked a triumphant return for the garage punk band, delivering a raw, electrifying blend of punk rock and post-hardcore that captured the ferocious energy and unrefined edge that defined Hot Snakes’ sound during the mid-aughts. The record is notable for its urgent, driving rhythms and jagged guitar riffs, hallmarks of their…
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Open Mike Eagle ‘Brick Body Kids Still Daydream’ (2017)
Brick Body Kids Still Daydream pays tribute to Open Mike Eagle’s housing project, the Robert Taylor Homes, which he grew up in on Chicago’s South Side. Amidst the album Open Mike Eagle subtly navigates the dynamics of that upbringing– the hopes, the dreams, the bruised reality of living in a housing project filled with violence.…
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Nicki Minaj ‘Pink Friday’ (2010)
Pink Friday reshaped the hip hop landscape in a way that has a lot of parallels to Lil’ Kim’s magnum opus Hard Core. It marked the rise of Minaj as a multifaceted artist, blending rap with pop, and broadening hip hop’s appeal to a more diverse audience. And like Kim before her, Minaj’s dynamic persona…
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Vince Staples ‘Big Fish Theory’ (2017)
Following the success of his breakthrough 2015 album Summertime ’06 Vince Staples was at somewhat of a career and personal crossroads. On one hand Staples was free from the shackles of his upbringing in Long Beach that saw him experience gang violence and poverty on a daily basis. On the other hand, Staples was now…
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Fucked Up ‘David Comes To Life’ (2011)
The words “rock opera” and “hardcore punk” usually don’t go together for obvious reasons– rock operas are typically self-indulgent affairs with highly detailed musical accompaniment that unveils the story over a protracted period of time, while hardcore punk is raw and emotionally charged that attempts to get to the point quickly. Marrying the two together…
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Okilly Dokilly ‘Howdilly Doodilly’ (2016)
It’s not often you run into a heavy metal band dressed up as Ned Flanders from The Simpsons singing lyrics from Homer’s dorky neighbor, but here we are living our best lives. The band Okilly Dokilly rose to prominence in 2019 after their song “White Wine Spritzer” was featured during the closing credits of a…
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Pianos Become The Teeth ‘Keep You’ (2014)
I first heard Pianos Become The Teeth a few months ago and was immediately taken by their sound. It’s moody, somber, introspective, and brooding in a way that reminded me a lot of some of my favorite albums of all-time– the dark storytelling and enunciation of Jesse Lacey on Brand New’s The Devil & God…
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Rüfüs Du Sol ‘Bloom’ (2016)
Rüfüs Du Sol’s ability to take atmospheric electronic music and transform it into something that feels inspirational is a true gift. 2016’s Bloom, probably the most popular album in their discography, saw the band operating at their creative zenith. The Australian trio crafts a compelling soundscape that blends gorgeously blended vocals with sophisticated production, creating…
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Turnpike Troubadours ‘Diamonds & Gasoline’ (2010)
Turnpike Troubadours’ sophomore album Diamonds and Gasoline is the embodiment of what I would define as contemporary Americana music. Blending country, folk, and roots rock, the band weaves together a captivating tapestry of storytelling and musical craftsmanship that ruminate on love, loss, and life. These themes are set on top of familiar backdrops of Americana…
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Two Door Cinema Club ‘Tourist History’ (2010)
Jangly and energetic guitar-driven Indie Rock was all the rage during the late aughts and early 2010’s, especially across the pond in Europe. Irish-based Two Door Cinema Club’s debut album Tourist History (aptly named after their hometown of Bangor which is a popular tourist destination) is one of those albums that somewhat flew under the…
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Forever The Sickest Kids ‘Forever The Sickest Kids’ (2010)
There was a brief moment in the late aughts where neon pop punk reigned supreme. That genre adopted all the elements from the early 2000’s pop punk wave of bands like Blink-182, The Starting Line, and Fall Out Boy and took it a step further, introducing even more formal power pop song structural elements and…
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