This week's issue of New Times has Best of 2010 lists from a slew of contributors to our music section as well as Nothing Not New columnist Jay Bennett and a few other staffers.
We compiled 13 writers' lists of the top 25 albums of the year into our own little Pazz & Jop-style top 25 list which factored in each writer's rankings (25 points for their top pick, 24 for their second, etc.). I even did a locals only list of the top 10 local records of the year.
We're not the only ones in town who do best of the year lists, however. Here is a roundup of other Best of 2010 lists with other Phoenix music writers -- with commentary, natch.
First, the big boys over at The Arizona Republic.
The Rep's senior pop music critic Larry Rodgers -- it's worth noting that he now has Twitter and, apparently, a crotch rocket of some stripe -- went with Jamey Johnson's The Guitar Song at #1. Interesting pick. The record has received a lot of praise from old timey music mags (#5 from Rolling Stone) and at least one of our freelancers feels the same way, but I wasn't blown away by the album the only time I heard it (and I'm generally a sympathetic audience for that sort of stuff). From there, things get predictably more classic rockist. Robert Plant is Larry's #2 with Gaslight Anthem (remember, they "sound like Springsteen") at #3, The Dead Weather at #4 and Sharon Jones at #5. Kanye and The Roots gets nods, but I think we all know that Tom Petty record is his actual favorite.
The Republic's other music guy, Ed Masley, put The Roots at #1. Spoon took #2 and the rest of the list looked a lot like my own, with Arcade Fire, Sufjan, and LCD Soundsystem scoring high marks.
Local blogger Pete Icke is a Springsteen man who also tends to like a lot of jammy stuff. So, for 2010, his #1 album is Tin Can Trust by Los Lobos (an album I haven't heard), and the band also played his favorite concert of 2010. His second favorite record was Band of Horses' Infinite Arms and his #3 is Tom Petty's Mojo, meaning Pete is one of the rare birds that could hang out with both Larry Rodgers and me.
Mark Ward, a contributor to Pete's blog, went with Tom Petty at #1; the rest of the list betrays strong allegiance to bands NME promoted heavily in those magical months between when the Blur/Oasis thing officially crashed and when they went gaga over The Strokes.
Creamy Radio's Dog did his list -- I get a little shoutout for my "easy" pick of Band Of Horses, though I haven't seen it atop any other critic's list yet -- and the rest of it features Grace Potter, The Moondoggies and (gasp!) Johnny Cougar Mellencamp. Yes, there was a new Mellencamp album in 2010. My year was better before I knew that.
Cappy, another Creamy Radio dude, favored The Black Keys, Beach House, and some band called Husband&Wife.
Melissa Fossum, a local writer for Examiner.com favored Deerhunter, Arcade Fire, Sleigh Bells and Caribou. She also did a little list of local releases which is worth checking out.
It's also worth sharing the roundup of Tucson Weekly contributor's lists though it makes no sense to me... Some are ordered alphabetically, others by preference! The nominal music editor doesn't even have picks!
