weworemasks.

i definitely haven’t been as present as i would like to have been towards the last quarter of 2010, but that doesn’t mean i wasn’t around. i definitely have to give the biggest panda thank you ever to grizzly for holding down the fort as always. after the cut you’ll find my lists for albums of the year, mixtapes of the year, and some random ramblings towards the end. you know what to do.

- panda

TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2010

50. Tom Jones – Praises and Blames
49. Daughters – Untitled
48. Murder By Death- Good Morning, Magpie
47. Matt Skiba – Demos
46. Sleigh Bells – Treats
45. Rocky Votolato – True Devotion
44. Portugal. The Man – American Ghetto
43. Minus The Bear – OMNI
42. Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
41. Outasight – Never Say Never

40. Black Milk – Album Of The Year
39. How To Dress Well – Love Remains
38. Eminem – Recovery
37. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Operation: Paralysis
36. Trophy Scars – Darkness, Oh Hell
35. The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity
34. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
33. The-Dream – Love King
32. Paper Tiger – Made Like Us
31. Air Dubai – Wonder Age

30. Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here
29. Francis and the Lights – It’ll Be Better
28. Jimmy Eat World – Invented
27. Vampire Weekend – Contra
26. N.E.R.D. – Nothing
25. Bilal – Airtight’s Revenge
24. Reflection Eternal – Revelations Per Minute
23. Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
22. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
21. Eli Paperboy Reed – Come And Get It

20. The Stuyvesants – Brooklyn’s Finest
19. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
18. Drake – Thank Me Later
17. Rick Ross – Teflon Don
16. Dustin Cavazos – I Think In The Shower, I Dream On My Bike
15. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid
14. Lazerbeak – Legend Recognize Legend
13. The Niceguys – The Show
12. The Roots – How I Got Over
11. John Legend & The Roots – Wake Up!

10. Chromeo – Business Casual

Business Casual gets weekly play in my household. Whether it’s drinking, driving, sexting, or all three at the same time, there’s not a whole lot this album can’t provide the soundtrack to.

9. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Big Boi did everything right on this album. He shot down any notion of not being considered equally as blessed on the mic as his Outkast counterpart, and made an album full of absolute smashes.

8. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – I Learned The Hard Way

Miss Jones, Miss Jones, Miss Jones. 2010 will forever be the year I fell in love with Miss Jones.

7. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor

Like The Black Keys, Local Natives blew the indie shit up this year, becoming a household name with their incredible debut album. Let me just take this moment to say we told you so.

6. The Black Keys – Brothers

With the release of Brothers, The Black Keys became everyone’s favorite band this year. And for damn good reason.

5. Plan B – The Defimation Of Strickland Banks

It took one verse from “She Said” to know that this album was going to end up in the top 5 this year. The accompanying music videos for the album only made me love it more. It’ll be interesting to see where Plan B goes as he’s planning to go back to his grime-based roots on his next album, but dude has a classic on his hands with this one.

4. Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer

The lady killing legend made all the right moves this year, teaming with the perfect collection of producers and making the masterpiece that he’s always had in him. as an album, it’s every bit as cinematic as the music we’ve come to love and expect from gnarles barkley, but with green’s personal brand of magic spread throughout.

3. Aloe Blacc – Good Things

I have a hard time even call this man a revivalist. After releasing an inconsistent but promising debut LP in ‘06, Aloe switched up his style on his follow-up. Only time will tell at this point, but I have a feeling when all is said and done, this man’s name will deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as Marvin, Otis, and Bill’s.

2. Tim Kasher – The Game Of Monogamy

I turned 28 in 2010, I’m single/unrealistically picky, I have a very prevalent drinking problem, and I watched my best friends and ex’s get engaged, married, and have children. How could this album NOT have had a huge impact on me?

1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Fuck the herd mentality over this album, everything everyone else said and then some. With every move, we constantly question who has the audacity to do what Kanye does (whether it be musical or publicly). And with every release, Kanye sets a new standard for hip hop music that others constantly fail to replicate, proving that only Kanye West can do what Kanye West does.

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TOP 10 MIXTAPES OF 2010

I know, I know, mine and Grizzly’s mixtape lists are strikingly similar. I assure you though, they were written without seeing each other’s lists. Great bear minds…

10. Fabolous – There Is No Competition 2: The Funeral Service [DOWNLOAD.]
9. Consequence – Movies On Demand [DOWNLOAD.]
8. Wiz Khalifa – Kush & Orange Juice [DOWNLOAD.]
7. Mansions on the Moon – Paradise Falls [DOWNLOAD.]
6. Big K.R.I.T. – Wuz Here [DOWNLOAD.]
5. Kendrick Lamar – Overly Dedicated [DOWNLOAD.]
4. Wale – More about Nothing [DOWNLOAD.]

3. B.o.B. – No Genre [DOWNLOAD.

Bobby Ray went and lost his damn mind on No Genre. Combining ridiculous flows over massive beats, he pretty much gave hip-hop heads what they felt was missing from The Adventures Of...

2. J. Cole - Friday Night Lights
[DOWNLOAD.]

J. Cole is the epitome of everything that is exciting about hip-hop music. Self-producing, unmatched lyrical ability, true passion, and a constant state of hustle. Now we’re all just waiting for him to blow. Any second now…

1. Theophilus London – I Want You
[DOWNLOAD.]

Mr. London is driving in his own lane at this point (most likely in an early ‘90s benz with wood grain interior). A lane that doesn’t have so much to do with being that much better than his peers, but more about making music that is equally reflective of his style, charisma, and talent.

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i would have added a favorite shows lists, but let’s be honest, i was drunk as all get out at most of, if not all of the shows i went to this year. sharon jones & the dap-kings, chromeo, and minus the bear are definitely three dallas shows i (fuzzily) remember enjoying.

as far as television goes, i have to thank roshan and my good friend melissa for finally getting me to watch every season of how i met your mother sequentially. definitely made 2010 not suck as much.

i know we talk a lot of shit, but it’s gonna get real, real serious around here in 2011 so stay tuned. bloggers, step your games up. readers, spread the word. ladies, spread…happy new year ya’ll. on to the next one…

- panda