My first taste of Neon Trees came from their single, "Animal". I instantly fell in love with that song and soon after bought their debut album, Habits. The album is my favorite debut from a band this year. Every song comes complete with a massive sing-along chorus. Tyler Glenn is a vocalist that gives his all, and you can hear it on the album. My only complaint about this album is that it isn't longer.
Spoon - Transference
Transference is musically amazing. Unlike some of the other albums on this list, it doesn't rely on any outlandish style or image. Spoon's seventh album gets the award for best use of bass. For full impact, you need to hear this album on a good set of speakers. The groove of the bass adds so much to Transference. The highlight of the album is the sequence of "The Mystery Zone", "Who Makes Your Money", and "Written In Reverse".
They promote their own "Filthy Glamour" form of music. Their singer wears bigger heels than most female singers in their genre. The opening line of You Love You is "I can't pay my rent, but I'm ****ing gorgeous". Semi Precious Weapons released their second album while touring with Lady Gaga. The band's vain lyrics and fabulous sense of style has helped them gain a devoted fan base, and make You Love You one of my favorite albums of 2010.
The album from the future, Danger Day: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys, is exciting from start to finish. Narrated by Steve, Righ? (or Dr. Death Defying) the band takes on alter-egos in their musical story. The lead single, "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)", is a good example of the album's explosive energy. Danger Days is the complete opposite of what I expected from the band after their last album, The Black Parade. They've gone from black and white to full, neon, and epic color.
Leaving The Killers on a hiatus to release a solo album may have seemed like a terrible idea at first, but Brandon Flowers' Flamingo managed to avoid the curse of the failed solo career. The album differs in style from The Killers, it's more acoustic at times which allows it to be vocally impressive. Almost every melody on this album sounds like a possible track for the singer's former band. Flamingo shows that Flowers can hold his own and release a pretty solid album while he's at it. The album tends to shine the most during the pop centered singles, "Only The Young" and "Crossfire".
Treats, another debut album, is loud and annoying in the best possible way. Starting with the first blast of "Tell 'Em", Sleigh Bells have put together an album of marching beats, heavy metal guitars, and child-like vocals. The entire album is a wild mess of fun. If you don't sing along to Alexis Krauss' "oohs" and "uhs" on "Run The Heart", then you don't have the volume loud enough. The constant stream of full power energy is extremely overwhelming, but that's what makes Treats so amazing.
Check back tomorrow for part two...
