Best Albums of 2010: #30-21 (John's Picks)

In the site's more recent, less updated form, we've failed to really cover music the way we have in the past. While that will not be changing for the time being, we still felt compelled to put together some lists to coincide with the end of 2010. Also, just because we haven't been blogging mean we haven't been listening to this year's slate of new releases. On the contrary, writing less about what's new has allowed us to better enjoy it. And now, we'd like to invite you to enjoy our much scaled-down 2010 end-of-year coverage.

John's Top Albums of 2010: #30-21

30. Gorilla Manor -- Local Natives

Top Track: "Airplanes"

29. Majesty Shredding -- Superchunk

Top Track: "My Gap Feels Weird"

28. Odd Blood -- Yeasayer

Top Track: "O.N.E."

27. Play It Strange -- The Fresh & Onlys

Top Track: "Waterfall"

26. The Archandroid -- Janelle Monae

Top Track: "Tightrope" (Feat. Big Boi)

25. I Learned the Hard Way -- Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Top Track: "I Learned the Hard Way"

24. Cosmogramma -- Flying Lotus

Top Track: "... And the World Laughs With You" (Feat. Thom Yorke)

23. Album of the Year -- Black Milk

Top Track: "Welcome (Gotta Go)"

22. Before Today -- Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Top Track: "Round and Round"

21. Treats -- Sleigh Bells

Top Track: "Rill Rill"

Matt's Track of the Week: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti "Round and Round"

Song: Round and Round

Artist: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Album: Round and Round (Single)

Rating: 7.0

There's an obsession in many circles of the indie music scene for bringing back the imagery of yesteryear. Whether it be implementing the use of analog synths, vintage amplifiers, or just a classic, thrift-shop wardrobe, it has become more than accepted, and in some cases, the norm to look far beyond your years. Personally, I think it can be comforting. Even if you weren't personally around for when the it was new, you still feel a connection to it, and sometimes it almost brings you back to a time that seems better than the one you're currently living in. "Round and Round" is an example of that. It's okay that it isn't the next big thing, because sometimes moving things backwards can strangely be a progression.

The first thing you notice when listening to "Round and Round" is precisely this aged-charm. This is something that Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is known for, and is even considered a pioneer of (or as much a pioneer as someone trying to sound like older music could be), having done this since 2002. Granted, this song is slightly more polished than some of his older work, but it remains nonetheless true to form for what a fan would expect. Check it out below.