Music: Levi's 2010 Music Watchlist

Friend and former college roommate Levi knows his stuff. He's usually ahead of the game when it comes to up-and-coming indie and alternative music. A lot of times I'll just start warming up to bands months after he's been into them. (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Vampire Weekend, The Cool Kids, Say Anything just to name a few.) He recently sent this e-mail out to friends. Enjoy!


Really feelin' that new Cudi

Yo - wanted send out a 2010 music watchlist. If this type of thing does not interest you, stop reading now.

Otherwise ... This year has gotten off to a strong start with Vampire Weekend and Spoon already - and it only looks to get stronger. 2010 is looking solid to quite solid.

Obviously, music is a subjective taste, and to each his own. However, I feel like most of the people on this email enjoy music and have at least some overlapping interests with me (although, some more than others) - so, I thought a listing would be nice to have. I do not play any instruments and do not claim to be some sort of music critic. This is not me trying to show-off some sort of "good-taste" in music. It is just a listing for your consideration, so cherry pick and dismiss anything that doesn't interest you (but don't rip on it). I have tried to group them into categories and offer release dates and time frames (as well as brief descriptions of newer stuff):

Without further adieu:

New sh*t in 2010 (these bands are either fairly new or I have recently got into them and am looking forward to a new album to dive into). This list will sit well with the pretentious indie/hipster/douche crowd (when they aren't smelling their own farts). Good stuff though:

• Yeasayer - kind of atmospheric, trippy, but melodic as hell (feb/mar 2010)
  
• Frightened Rabbit - catchy Scottish folk-rock, love what i hear so far (mar 2010). I wish I had a Scottish accent
  
• Surfer Blood - out now. Digging this so far - pixies/weezer-type mix. The album cover is terrifying though (title=astro coast).
  
• Hot chip - kind of the alt-electronica/whatever - out in the spring
  
• Rogue wave - didn't quite get into their last album, but really liked a couple songs (feb/mar 2010)
  
• The soft pack - distorted, catchy rock - looking fwd to this one (spring 2010)
  
• Mumford & sons - heard a song recently, sounded like Irish/folk, but they're British apparently. Don't know much else, intrigued nonetheless (spring)
  
• LCD Soundsysytem - been around forever, never really gotten into more than a couple songs, but been liking more recently
  

Bands who I have been into at least one album and look fwd to a new one, definite release dates early in 2010:

• Drive by truckers
  
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
  
• Alkaline Trio
  
• Gorillaz
  
• Spoon (already out, awesome)
  
• Vampire Weekend (see Spoon)
  
• K-OS (confused as to whether this is out yet or not, but I threw it on anyway - solid)
  

Old faves with potential new albums later in 2010 - no release dates yet (I tried to group in order of anticipation, but really, they are all high)

• Modest Mouse
  
• The National
  
• Against Me!
  
• Beasties
  
• Tool
  
• The Roots
  
• Blink
  
• Arcade Fire
  
• Band of Horses
  
• Kid Cudi
  
• Deftones
  
• Also, MGMT, the Hold Steady and the Cool Kids have potential albums out in 2010, didn't have a category for them - but looking forward to them. Ghostland Observatory too, maybe?
  

- Levi