What Were Your Favorite Indie Albums of 2010?

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December 21, 2010{ 25 Comments }

iStock 000000363419XSmall 300x199 What Were Your Favorite Indie Albums of 2010?What were your top-3 favorite new indie releases of the last year?

With only a few days left until Christmas, we thought it’d be a great time to compile an end-of-year Best Of list, and potentially help out anyone who needs some very last-minute gift recommendations.

So, in the comments section below, let us know what your favorite indie albums of 2010 were.They don’t need to be available on CD Baby, but if they are, please include the URL.

-Chris R. at CD Baby

Chris Robley's Author Bio

  • mostlyunaware

    Ryan Kelly’s In Time
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ryankelly1

    Awesome. A great first effort from a great singer/songwriter.

  • http://recklessrenditions.com Danzig

    1.) Young Turks – Halfhearted … Its Free http://youngheartsbefreetonight.com/post/2386565072/listen-to-halfhearted

    2.) Asteroid M – Song Title …http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/asteroidm2

    3.) Anne – Mixtape …http://www.annepdx.com/

  • http://www.tentimesone.com Nico

    Just love The National’s High Violet, esp the last two songs on the album.

  • http://brephophagist.tumblr.com brephophagist

    1. Shlomoshun Deluxe by Shlohmo – Fried Nintendo slathered on LA wonky beats. Good songs.

    2. Host of the Winged by Agrimonia – Big epic metal from Sweden. I guess you could call it black metal but it’s really not about hobbits and kings and stuff. And it’s 100% badass.

    3. Oversteps by Autechre – Like the past 5 or 6 Autechre records, you will actually start to appreciate how good this is sometime in summer 2011.

  • http://stopstartingbands.weebly.com/ Brian K.

    Was really hard to pick only three… So here’s four!

    THE DABBERS – And I Was Like, And They Were All
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/Dabbers

    LION CUT – (Self-Titled)
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/LionCut

    BUTTERY LORDS – Famous In Portland
    http://music.butterylords.com/

    COOLZEY AND THE SEARCH FOR THE HIP HOP HEARTS – Volume I: He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper
    http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Coolzey/Coolzey_and_the_Search_for_the_Hip_Hop_Hearts_-_Volume_I_Hes_the_DJ_Im_the_Rapper

  • http://www.dirtymittensmusic.com Ben Moral

    So many! Just from Portland there are like a million:

    Typhoon – Hunger and Thirst
    Red River – Little Songs about the Big Picture
    Tu Fawning – Hearts on Hold
    The Thermals – Personal Life
    Rainy States – The Push and the Plan
    Portland Cello Project – Thousand Words
    Pony Village – Pony Village
    Pancake Breakfast – Pancake Breakfast
    Midnight Callers – Fab Fiasco
    Y La Bamba – Lupon

    and tons more I’m forgetting!

  • Chris B

    I like what I’ve heard of Brothers by The Black Keys.

    Though I think I’m still stuck in the mid 2000′s.

  • PJ

    Hmm, what a year for music!

    I would say Strength – Mind Reader http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/Strength3 They didn’t reinvent themselves, and no one wanted them to! Just good dancin music!

    Next, if you haven’t heard of Hannibal Buress, get to know him with his disc ‘My Name is Hannibal’, quite possibly the best stand-up album I have ever heard.

    Last, a little record called ‘Secret Things’ by a French group called Motorifik (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/Motorifik) I know everyone is all over ‘The Suburbs’ but if you want your indie-pop a little more personal without losing bombast, these guys have you covered!

  • D.O.M.

    This year I’ve been totally sucked into the wonky LA instrumental hip-hop sound. It was hard to pick just three.

    Lorn – Nothing Else
    Tokimonsta – Midnight Menu
    Dibiase – Machines Hate Me

  • Brett

    Veio – Victus per Leo EP
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/veio5

  • Kev

    Paul Clancy is an Irish songwriter who died in February, one week before he was due to launch this album. This fact makes an already beautiful album even more poignant and moving. Straightforward, wise songs with a deft lyrical touch…

    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/clancysongs

  • http://www.shaolinRECORDS.com Richard Del Connor

    American Zen’s fourth album: LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon’s Temple.

    If there is an award for the longest title on any album, we may have won it.

    This was a double album, the second half will be released in 2011.

    Coyote wrote, sang, and performed all the instruments on all songs.

    Check out the BASS POETRY: “Horses And Harleys”

    The Hippy Coyote is one of the best bass players in the world.

    It’s gotta be the best ONE-MAN-BAND album of 2011.

    http://www.KungFuCowboy.com

  • http://cdbaby.com Pacmac

    These albums rock!

    Number 1- The Strange Boys “Be Brave”

    Number 2- Deerhunter “Halcyon Digest”

    Number 3- Jeff the Brotherhood “Heavy Days”

  • JoAnne

    Easiest question I’ve ever had to answer…hands down it was Ryan Kelly “In time” new CD. What a fabulous talent.

  • http://www.icanlickanysob.com/ Mole Harris

    Two Cow Garage – Sweet Saint Me
    Suburban Home Records
    http://store.vinylcollective.com/products/5397

    Hillstomp – Darker the Night
    In Music We Trust Records
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hillstompsongs

  • db

    There’s a ton so three is tough to narrow down. But to name a few fun ones on the Techno/Electro front…

    Maetrik – Gliding Blind E.P.
    Gesaffelstein – Variations
    Fatboy Slim/Herve – Machines can do the work

  • lisa

    ARRESTED IN MAYBERRY – “SOME FOLKS”

    best album! Americana/Rock influence, creative blend of many musical genres… and those Mayberry boys are hot!

  • http://www.beatlessongwriting.blogspot.com Matt Blick

    LIONS AND LIARS – SHO BARAKA best album by a million miles
    REHAB – LECRAE (both albums on reach records)

    CONTRA – VAMPIRE WEEKEND son of graceland but a great album all the same (XL Records)

  • Joanne

    MGMT – Congratulations

  • Tracy

    Joe Hedges’ ‘Alchemy’ is one of my favorites of 2010. Let it rain, grab a cup of joe and turn up the volume.

  • http://roseannsmith.co.cc/ Roseann Smith

    American Zen’s fourth album: LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon’s Temple. If there is an award for the longest title on any album, we may have won it. This was a double album, the second half will be released in 2011. Coyote wrote, sang, and performed all the instruments on all songs. Check out the BASS POETRY: “Horses And Harleys” The Hippy Coyote is one of the best bass players in the world. It’s gotta be the best ONE-MAN-BAND album of 2011. http://www.KungFuCowboy.com

  • Mat

    Imogen Heap – Eclipse (www.imogenheap.com)

    Martin Herzberg – No Fear Required (www.martinherzberg.com)

    Ludovico Einaudi – Divenire (www.ludovioeinaudi.com)

    both three were the soundtrack to my life in 2010!
    enjoy!
    mat

  • Beafy

    therhythmisodd a new progressive rock group!!

    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rhythmisodd

  • Grunge Dude

    Nukeateen – Reginald’s Revenge

  • sparky

    mullymusic – “state of the art lo-fi”
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mullymusic3
    great retro pop, upbeat, catchy, strong melodies and harmonies.

    mullymusic – “volume two alt mixes”
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mullymusic4
    alternate mixes of the songs from “state of the art lo-fi” adds new perspective and gives a bit of insight to the creative process behind these songs.

    drugstore fanatics – “what’s born in the basement”
    http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DrugstoreFanatics
    released in 2009 but i only discovered them this year.