(Mostly released in 2010, mostly locallike)

1.  Caethua - “the Long Afternoon on Earth/the Dog-Dayed Night” cassette — Best five bucks I’ve ever spent at a house show, I can not get enough of this beautiful tape. Clare’s voice is so casually lovely and the music that surrounds it is a perfect union of instruments (piano, cello, sax, guitar), wind and rain, and electric noise. The lyrics are poetry.

2. Lonesome Shack - “Slidin Boa” — Other titles considered: “Climaxxx” and “Sexual Release”, I am for real. Sahweeet.
http://vimeo.com/16991243

3. Erykah Badu - “New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9oQA7Cp-MQ

4. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti “Before Today”
This video isn’t from “Before Today”, but it’s too good not to post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc_CMLGkBuE&feature=related

5. “Why did you make me human”, Mississippi Records tape #43

6.  Cock and Swan - “Unrecognize” — The mad scientists of Bothell hold the answers in a bunny cage under a blanket in their living room to be slowly revealed.
http://vimeo.com/4814437

7. Thousands “the Sound of Everything” — this was on my list last year, but it’s still killer!  It’ll be released in March ‘11 by Bella Union, so I’ll have an excuse to put it on next years list.
http://vimeo.com/thousands

8. Michael Hurley “Hi Fi Snock Uptown” (Mississippi Records re-issue) — Best cast of characters on an album.

9. Corespondents “Ur” — Don’t remember if this came out this year or last but it rules.

10. Stevie Wonder “Fulfillingness Finale Finale”
 
11. Racer Sessions!

Crawdad Cleveland, “Cleveland Cutz” Every other Thursday from 7-9pm