Scott B. Bomar's 40 Favorite Albums of 2010

In the past, my annual favorite albums list was distributed via email. Though I've created a list every year since 2002 (unfortunately, 2002 and 2003 are lost to history thanks to a hard drive crash over a decade ago), there were a handful of years when I didn't get around to coming up with any reviews. In those cases I didn't send it out, because it felt incomplete. Instead of trying to formulate retroactive reviews (which seems a little disingenuous), I'm simply presenting the 2010 list here - for the first time - without comments.



1. Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone (Anti)


2. Elvis Costello – National Ransom (Hear Music)



3. The Secret Sisters – The Secret Sisters (Republic)



4. Vampire Weekend – Contra (XL Recordings)



5. Just Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues (Bloodshot)



6. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More (Glassnote)



7. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Merge)



8. Aloe Blacc – Good Things (Stones Throw)



9. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang (InGrooves)



10. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid (Atlantic)



11. The Marsalis Family – Music Redeems (Marsalis Music)



12. Deer Tick – The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan)



13. The Black Keys – Brothers (Nonesuch)



14. Merle Haggard – I Am What I Am (Vanguard)



15. The Morning Benders – Big Echo (Rough Trade)



16. Hans Zimmer - Inception (WaterTower)



17. Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra/Asylum)



18. Regina Carter – Reverse Thread (E1)



19. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening (Parlophone)



20. Elton John and Leon Russell – The Union (Verve)



21. Nellie McKay - Home Sweet Mobile Home (Verve Forecast)



22. Band of Horses – Infinite Arms (Columbia)



23. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (Hollywood)



24. Brandon Flowers – Flamingo (Island)



25. Nada Surf – If I Had a Hi Fi (Mardev)



26. Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses – Junky Star (Lost Highway)



27. Michael Franti – The Sound of Sunshine (Capitol)



28. Jenny and Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now (Warner Bros.)



29. Paul Weller - Wake Up The Nation (Yep Roc)



30. Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society (Heads Up)



31. Robert Plant – Band of Joy (Rounder)



32. The Hold Steady – Heaven is Whenever (Vagrant)



33. Solomon Burke – Nothing’s Impossible (E1)



34. The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)



35. Sade – Soldier of Love (Sony)



36. John Legend and the Roots – Wake Up! (Sony)



37. Lynda Kay – Dream My Darling (Dreamphonic Records)



38. Kermit Ruffins – Happy Talk – New Orleans jazz (Basin Street)



39. Josh Ritter – So Runs the World Away (Pytheas)



40. Sharon Van Etten – Epic (Ba Da Bing)