Quality Shit I've Heard So Far This Year... or "So Far, So Good: 2010 in Music, 1st Quarter"

As this year progresses, I find that there've already been some pretty good musick releases in 2010. After spending a good bit of time determining my Best Music of 2009 list thru that November, I worried that perhaps last year's bumper crop of kick-ass would be followed up by a dryspell. And I was - thankfully - wrong about that! Since most of my life is spent working in my underground lair or driving, I get lots of unbroken listening time without too many distractions. Some stuff you like might be missing... I might not've gotten to it yet, so lemme know what else is rockin' the One-Zero... here's what's tickled my ears so far:

POST-ROCK / ELECTRONICA:

The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
The American Dollar - Atlas
Fourtet - There Is Love in You
To Rococo Rot - Speculation
Bonobo - Black Sands
...I'd recommend any of these to my post-rock + electronica listenin' friends, who are prob'ly already aware of each of em, as all of these artists have been releasing records for years... I'm most fond of the new ones from The American Dollar + The Album Leaf. Still top-notch for fans of the earlier werks, but with enough maturation in sound + scope (+ production) to remain compelling. Excellent music for late-night open highway driving...
Download the "Second Sight" MP3, a freebie offa The American Dollar's Atlas!





...and the HEAVIER STUFF:

Red Sparowes - The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer
    Consistently impressive with their ability to craft powerful tracks that develop in intensity + depth, offering up beautiful soundscapes built on the fundamental vocabulary of (post) metal (+ pedal steel) + the scope of a concept album or filmscore.

Mugstar - Sun, Broken...
White Hills - White Hills
    Wow. I'd only found these bands when Trensmat released the Sonic Attack series of split 7" singles of current bands doing Hawkwind covers (late last year). Stony-as-hell space rock at its best, vocals that don't overpower the musicks... little sonic bombs 'splodin' behind my eyes.
Check out the new Mugstar at Discogs!
Preview the new White Hills at the ThrillJockey website!


Still on the fence about these last few, though; you oughtta give em a listen anyway + then make a case for / ag'in em here...
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis (I like this one, but it doesn't seem to be a development forward in the growth of the band's sound, just more of the same.)
Dead Meadow - Three Kings (it's so no-frills that the songs either cut to the bone or fall flattr than my jokes)
High Places - High Places vs. Mankind (I sure do like the drums / percussion on this'un, though... + the lovely album cover)
Errors - Come Down with Me

So, now you've got a few new rekkids to listen to while you do whatever else there is to do besides listen to musick...