I might as well get this over with.

1. Broken Bells - Broken Bells Of all 2010 releases this got the most play in my house. The perfect laid-back summer driving around album, with enough catchy grooves to last a long time. I expect this will be in rotation for years.

2. The Extra Lens - Undercard I love the Mountain goat's John Darnielle, and the songs here are some of his best in years. This album is literate, concise yet catchy, like a glimpse of a great painter's sketchbook.

3. Josh Ritter - So Runs the World Away Ritter just gets better at what he does, namely storytelling set to music. This one has fewer hooky homeruns than Historical Conquests, but overall is more consistantly solid.

4. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor Maybe the most divisive album on Obner this year? Bombastic and sometimes over the top, I can understand the dislike for this one... but don't care. It's just too much fun. It's like some abandoned lovechild of Oberst and Springsteen grew up in Shane MacGowan's orphanage for disgruntled teens, formed a band in art school, and toured the deep south in fishnet stockings.

5. The National - High Violet 401k Cardigan and martini rock of the highest caliber. A pervasive gloom haunts me whenever I listen to this album, but sometimes that is exactly what I need. Plus the drums and bass kick my ass every damn time.

6. The Walkmen - Lisbon
7. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
8. The Books - The Way Out
9. Vampire Weekend - Contra
10. Unwelcome Guests - Don't Go Swimming

11. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack
12. The Drums - The Drums
13. Four Tet - There is Love in You
14. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
15. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
16. Caribou - Swim
17. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
18. Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
19. Spoon - Transference
20. Warpaint - The Fool

In an alternate Universe this could be my list. The Books was overlooked this year... really interesting pastiche of sounds and ideas and found sounds and cynical new age meditation prompts. I'll have to go back and listen again to Broken Bells...given your list. I just could hook in to that one.

I keep thinking I should listen to Broken Bells again. It didn't grab me at all when it came out but I'm a moody bastard sometimes.

I listened to it again yesterday... strong songs, nifty hooks, his voice is always appealing... I had it 82 on my top 100 and it should be much higher. It's the production that I originally had a problem with and still do... just some parts of it seem way too slick and over-produced.