Dang, we’re already half way through 2010. Holy Fuck! With no further adieu, Grimy Goods presents its Staff Picks – Top Albums for the First Half of 2010. What were some of yours?

P.S. – We listed Local Natives – “Gorilla Manor” for 2009.
T

Sandy B.
Editor-in-Chief

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Spoon – “Transference” (Merge)
  • Yeasayer – “Odd Blood” (Mute/Secretly Canadian)
  • Archie Bronson Outfit – “Coconut” (Domino Records)
  • Sleigh Bells – “Treats” (N.E.E.T./Mom + Pop Records)
  • Morning Benders – “Big Echo” (Rough Trade Records)
  • The National – “High Violet” (4AD)
  • The Ferocious Few – “Juices” (Birdman Records)
  • Drink Up Buttercup – “Born And Thrown On A Hook” (Yep Roc Records)
  • Beach House – “Teen Dream” (Sub Pop)
  • The Dead Weather – “Sea of Cowards” (Warner Bros/Third Man Records)

Bummers …

  • Vampire Weekend – “Contra” (XL Recordings)
  • Tokyo Police Club – “Champ” (Mom + Pop Records))
  • MGMT – “Congratulations” (Sony)
  • She and Him- “Volume 2.” (Merge)
  • Eels – “End Times” (Vagrant Records)
  • How to Destroy Angels- “ST” (Self Released / Null Corp.)

Matt Draper
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Caribou- “Swim” (Merge)
  • Four Tet- “There is Love in You” (Domino)
  • The Radio Dept.- “Clinging To A Scheme” (Labrador Sweden
  • Galaxie 500- “Today” (Reissue) (20/20/20)
  • Yeasayer- Odd Blood (Mute/Secretly Canadian)
  • LCD Soundsystem- “This is Happening” (DFA/EMI/Virgin)
  • Dum Dum Girls- “I Will Be” (Sub Pop)
  • Holy Fuck- “Latin” / “+ Ghost” (Young Turks)
  • Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti- “Before Today” (4AD)
  • The Depreciation Guild- “Spirit Youth” (Kanine)

Bummers …

  • MGMT – “Congratulations” (Sony)
  • How to Destroy Angels- “ST” (Self Released / Null Corp.)
  • Ratatat- “LP4” (XL)

Lori Bartlett
Writer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • The Dead Weather – “Sea of Cowards” (Warner Bros/Third Man Records)
  • Vampire Weekend – “Contra” (XL Recordings)
  • Broken Bells – “Broken Bells” (Sony)
  • Yeasayer – “Odd Blood” (Mute/Secretly Canadian)
  • She & Him – “Volume 2″ (Merge)

Bummers …

  • Plants and Animals – “La La Land” (Secret City Records)

Wei Shi
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Foals – “Total Life Forever” (Sub Pop)
  • Delphic – “Acolyte” (Dangerbird)
  • Sleigh Bells – “Treats” (N.E.E.T./Mom + Pop Records)
  • Crystal Castles – “ST” (Motown / Universal)
  • Beach House- “Teen Dream” (Sub Pop)

Bummers …

  • Pantha du Prince – “Black Noise” (Rough Trade Records)
  • Vampire Weekend – “Contra” (XL Recordings)

Roxy Roknian
Writer

  • Avi Buffalo – “Avi Buffalo” (Sub Pop)
  • Walking Sleep – “Measures” (Self Released)
  • The Morning Benders – “The Big Echo” (Rough Trade Records)
  • Shugo Tokumaru – “Port Entropy” (P-VINE RECORDS)
  • Broken Bells – “Broken Bells” (Sony)
  • Delta Spirit – “History From Below” (Rounder / Umgd)
  • Devo – “Something For Everybody” (Warner Bros.)

Bummers …

  • MGMT – “Congratulations” (Sony)
  • She and Him- “Volume 2.” (Merge)

Ciera Leisenfelder
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Broken Bells – “Broken Bells” (Sony)
  • Cold War Kids – “Behave Yourself” EP (Downtown)
  • Deftones – “Diamond Eyes” (Reprise Records)
  • Dillinger Escape Plan – “Option Paralysis” (Season of Mist)
  • Daughters – “ST” (Hydra Head )
  • Veil Of Maya – “ID” (Sumerian Records)

Bummers …

  • Circa Survive – “Blue Sky Noise” (Atlantic)
  • As I Lay Dying – “The Powerless Rise” (Metal Blade)

Ivette Orenos
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Ted Leo and The Pharmacists – “The Brutalist Bricks” (Matador )
  • Broken Social Scene – “Forgiveness Rock Record” (Arts & Crafts)
  • Born Ruffians – “Say It” (Warp Records)
  • Surfer Blood – “Astro Coast” (Kanine Records)
  • Los Campesinos! – “Romance is Boring” (Arts & Crafts)

Bummers …

  • Caribou – “Swim” (Merge)
  • Minus The Bear – “Omni” (Dangerbird)

Walter Burciaga
Writer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Apparatjik– “We are Here” (Meta Merge Un Recordings)
  • RFD2 – “Inversions of the Colossus”
  • Deastro – “Mind Altar” EP (Ghostly International)
  • Unkle – “Where Did the Night Fall” (Surrender All)
  • Crystal Castles – “ST” (Motown / Universal)
  • Future Islands – “In Evening Air” (Thrill Jockey)
  • Midnight Juggernauts – “The Crystal Axis” (101 DISTRIBUTION)
  • Ellen Allien – “Dust” (Bpitch Control)
  • Ulrich Schnauss – “Missing Deadlines” (Phantasm Imports)

Monique Hernandez
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • Broken Social Scene – “Forgiveness Rock Record” (Arts & Crafts)
  • The Black Keys – “Brothers” (Nonesuch)
  • The National – “High Violet” (4AD)
  • Dr. Dog – “Shame, Shame” (Anti)
  • Beach House – “Teen Dream” (Sub Pop)
  • Surfer Blood – “Astro Coast” (Kanine Records)
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg -“IRM” (Elektra/Asylum)
  • matt pond PA – “The Dark Leaves” (Attitude Records)
  • The Drums- “The Drums” (Island UK)

Roxanne Hilburn
Photographer

Top Albums for First Half of 2010

  • She and Him- “Volume 2.” (Merge)
  • Beach House- “Teen Dream” (Sub Pop)
  • The Soft Pack – “ST” (Kemado)
  • Ok Go – “Of the Colour of the Blue Sky” (Capitol)
  • Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Beyond Tomorrow” (4AD)