10. Touché Amore – To The Beat of a Dead Horse

Watching a typical hardcore kid with no real connection to many of the bands that Touche Amore are directly influenced by (i.e., Orchid, You And I) lose their minds to this band is inspiring. A great hope for where our music can go when we listen with an open mind.

9. Propagandhi – Supporting Caste

If these guys put out a record, I am listening. Never gets old and will always remain relevant.

8. POS – Never Better

POS keeps the hope of independent hip-hop alive with every record he releases and exposes to kids who typically don’t listen to hip-hop (the pop punk crowd). Keeping it more real than most, I love POS.

This proves that black metal doesn’t have to sound like it was recorded on a tape deck in a steel room. This two-man project keeps things fresh, dark, and most certainly evil. Most full bands wish they had this much talent.

A further continuation of their musical experiments and Thrice continue down their own path to ensure their proper place in independent music history.

5. Architects – Hollow Crown

Hands down, the band everyone has to watch out for in the coming years. Combining everything that is right about metal/hardcore/rock into a compelling package is a difficult task, but they manage to do it. Don’t sleep on this, I urge you to check them out.

Although I am very partial to this style of music (melodic hardcore), this part-time band showcases how fun it is to listen to a well-crafted record, This had me singing along in my car on many occasions.

Talk about focus. While many feel that Isis lost their heads on the last release, this just goes to show what happens when you put talented musicians in a room that all have a single focus. Hauntingly hypnotic.

I got into these guys through the ‘Lost In Translation’ soundtrack and watched them struggle with their identity on each subsequent release. Finally, these Frenchies show that they have had it in them all along. You would have to be living under a rock if you didn’t hear this record.

The record I listened to most this year. This is what every independent band should strive to be in 2010. Musically courageous, fiercely independent and insanely talented. I wish I was in Mastodon.

Honorable Mentions:

Earth Crisis – To The Death
Defeater – Travels
Silversun Pickups – Swoon
Buried Inside – Spoils Of Failure
Pains Of Being Pure at Heart – s/t
Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg
Heartsounds – Until We Surrender
Ritual – Beneath Aging Flesh and Bone
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – What It Takes To Move Forward
Katatonia – Night Is The New Day
fun – Aim and Ignite
This Town Needs Guns – Animals
Converge – Axe To Fall
Blacklisted – No One Deserves To Be Here More Than Me
The xx - x

EPs
Pianos Become The Teeth – Old Pride
Transit – Stay Home
Title Fight – The Last Thing You Forget
Defeater – Lost Ground
Foundation – Hang Your Head
Tigers Jaw – s/t

Movies
Watchmen
District 9
Up In The Air
The Cove
The Hangover
Inglorious Basterds
Until The Light Takes Us

Best TV Show
Friday Night Lights

Best Book
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

Top 5 Podcasts
1. This American Life
2. Issue Oriented
3. Sound Of Young America
4. Sound Opinions
5. You Look Nice Today

Life:
-Being married for 4 years strong and getting better by the moment
-Modern Warfare 2
-midnight events
-Burning Fight
-Unbroken/Undertow in Seattle and Pomona
-Japan and Hawaii on tour
-not having to tour the US
-Sound and Fury
-still being a kid
-6131 Records
-weddings with friends.