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bad music

(1) Day of BAD: 2010

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Overall, 2010 was a good year for music, but it wasn’t perfect. Here’s what made me wish I was deaf this year (and since crap is crap, there’s no need to rank each one, so they’re in alphabetical order).
Artists For Haiti – We Are The World 25 For Haiti
I can buy this song to help Haiti, or I can give my money directly to charities like the Red Cross, and a bunch of overrated musicians/artists/celebrities/wash-ups (Kanye, Jamie Foxx, Jonas Bros, Adam Levine, Pink, Fonzworth Bentley, Benji & Joel Madden…to name just a few) won’t get the tax right off?
Godsmack – Cryin’ Like A Bitch!!
I shouldn’t have to explain why any song by this band is on a list like this, but the song title and the additional exclamation mark seal the deal.
Katy Perry – California Girls (ft. Snoop Dogg)
The so-called 2010 song of Summer is one of the worst songs i’ve heard in the last ten years (if not more). Hey Katy, next time you follow up a classic song like the Beach Boys’ California Girls, with a version of your own, make sure it isn’t garbage. And shame on you too Snoop…oh how the mighty have fallen.
Ke$ha – Cannibal (entire album)
This talentless hack made our ears bleed last year with one of 2009’s worst (Animal) and unfortunately, that didn’t slow her down. 2010 was cursed with yet another full-length from Ke-Dollar-Ha.
Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown (entire album)
According to iTunes: “Capitalizing on the stripped- and slimmed-down approach of Only By the Night, Kings of Leon come back with another lean and mean collection of serious rock.” In other words, Kings of Leon released another album full of d-bag anthems this year. If you’re in need of good rock, stick to the likes of Band of Horses, The Black Keys, Cold War Kids, The Dead Weather, and/or Titus Andronicus.
Lil Wayne – Rebirth
(entire album, but especially I’m So Over You ft. Shanell)

Lil Wayne is one of the most overrated hip hop artists out there today and his “alternative rock” album, Rebirth, takes shitty music to a whole new level.


Ludacris – My Chick Bad (feat. Nicki Minaj)
I hate to say this, but Ludacris should stick to acting.
M.I.A. – /\/\/\Y/\ aka MAYA
(entire album, except for XXXO, i can tolerate that song)
You can only ride Paper Planes for so long.
Weezer – Hurley
(entire album, but especially Where’s My Sex?)
I was once a big Weezer fan, so this saddens me quite a bit, but River’s and the gang haven’t put out a decent song since Maladroit (2002), and even that’s pushing it.
Willow Smith – I Whip My Hair
I hate to say this (again), but Willow should stick to acting.
31 days of good 2010, music

(31) Days of Good: Day 23

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Crystal Castles is an experimental electronic music band from Toronto, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. Known for their chaotic live shows and their melancholic lo-fi home productions, they have been a favorite of mine since the release of their first full-length, Crystal Castles, back in 2008.
The band’s second album, also titled Crystal Castles but known as Crystal Castles II, was released this year and was one of my favorites of 2010. This is another one where it’s hard for me to pick just one. I really love Violent Dreams and Celestica, but I can’t resist the single version of Not in Love, for which Robert Smith lends his one-of-kind vocals.

Crystal Castles – Not In Love (ft. Robert Smith)

More Crystal Castles here.

Purchase on iTunes.

I stumbled upon this next pick very recently, thanks to the oh so great Hype Machine.

Amos the Transparent is a Canadien rock band from Ottawa and the brainchild of songwriter Jonathan Chandler. The band just released the Children’s EP, A is For Amos, which includes a fantastic, Fisher-Price meets Playskool instrumentation, version one of my favorites, Lemons (aka BigFishLittlePond).

Amos the Transparent – Lemons (aka BigFishLittlePond)

More Amos the Transparent here.

Purchase on iTunes.

As always, even more GOOD over at 35mmBeats.
31 days of good 2010, music

(31) Days of Good: Day 22

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Canadian musical collective, Broken Social Scene, were back this year with their latest, Forgiveness Rock Record.

The album features guest appearances by Feist, Emily Haines (Metric), Spiral Stairs (Pavement), and Sebastien Grainger (Death from Above 1979), and also marks the first time Amy Shaw, Haines, and Feist have been recorded on the same song (Sentimental X’s). My favorite track from the record (right now) is All to All, which iTunes describes as a weightless female vocal and synth dancetrip.

Broken Social Scene – All to All

More Broken Social Scene here.

Purchase Forgiveness Rock Record on iTunes.

Casiokids is a Norwegian electro-pop ensemble from Bergen, formed in 2005. NME described the band as “the best thing to come out of Norway since black metal” and have been compared to fellow Norwegian artists The Whitest Boy Alive, Royksopp, and Annie.




2010 saw the release of Topp stemning på lokal bar, which included the hit single Fot i hose. While Fot i hose is a great track, my favorite track from the album is most definitely Finn bikkjen!

Casiokids – Finn bikkjen!

More Casiokids here.

Purchase Topp stemning på lokal bar on iTunes.

31 days of good 2010, music

(31) Days of Good: Day 21

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Time flies when you’re having fun…only 10 days left of this year’s GOOD!

2010 saw the latest release from 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel…better known collectively as Gorillaz. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t think Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s animated-musical project would last this long…and i’ll be the first to admit I was dead wrong. As far as i’m concerned, Gorillaz keep getting better.



















Plastic Beach built on the foundation set by Demon Days and then some. I really enjoyed this album, (especially the collaborations with Lou Reed, Little Dragon, Mos Def and obviously, De La Soul) and the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour was one the best live shows I saw this year (if not ever).

N.E.R.D. – Hypnotize U by blackskywhite

Purchase Nothing on iTunes.

Even more GOOD courtesy of 35mmBeats.