True Endeavors Presents: music, tours, tickets, mp3 downloads, concert pictures, videos, Madison WI.

If you’re a member of our Facebook group (and why wouldn’t you be!?), then you have Chris Lay to thank for keeping you up-to-date with the latest concert invitations and ticket giveaways.

Read on to check out the tunes and shows that blew his mind over the last 365 days.

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Favorite Albums of 2010

BEST COAST – Make You Mine EP / Something In The Way EP

I haven’t gotten around to checking out the full-length yet, but these two EPs were stellar from front to back.

JAMES BLAKE - CMYK EP

I really like the wonderfully weird directions JAMES BLAKE is pushing in the dubstep aesthetic, and this was something I found myself coming back to extremely often.

CARIBOU – Swim / FOUR TET – There is Love In You

I don’t know why, but these two albums seemed to compliment each other really well, and I often think of them as opposite sides of the same musical coin. Also, they’re both the musical peaks for their respective creators in my book.

KYLE KINANE – Death Of The Party

I find myself listening to more and more comedy records these days, so one snuck onto the list. KYLE KINANE opened for PATTON OSWALT when he came through Madison this past spring, and by all accounts he blew the elder statesman of indie comedy off the stage.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – This Is Happening

They titled the album after the words you mouth whilst listening to it, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot.

JULIAN LYNCH – Mare

I got to see JULIAN LYNCH play with a full band at the Project Lodge a month or two ago and was truly blown away. The album differs from the live show I saw considerably, but it definitely lives up the amount of blown-away-ness I was feeling after seeing him perform.

ART PAUL SCHLOSSER – Some Tape I Bought From Him On The Street

I am so happy to live in a world where ART PAUL is able to put whatever ridiculousness it is that’s in his head onto a tape and then sell it to me while I am drunk on State Street.

DUSTIN WONG - Infinite Love

The guitar player from PONYTAIL all solo-like, looping his guitar through damn near a dozen pedals. This is the album that I have listened to the most this year, and seeing him pull this off flawlessly sitting on the edge of the stage at the Project Lodge for only a handful of people was the high point of my year as far as live music is concerned, but we’ll get to those in a minute.

SYL JOHNSON – Complete Mythology

This collection of lovingly reissued albums from an obscure soul legend was put together by the always impeccable fellas at Chicago’s NUMERO GROUP. It’s a tad towards the pricey end of things at $75, but they reissued the hell outta this thing, and it’s well-worth every penny.

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Favorite Shows of 2010

DUSTIN WONG @ The Project Lodge

This was the show of the year for me, and only, like, seven people saw it.

FANG ISLAND & DELICATE STEVE @ The High Noon Saloon (Click for live photos)

I gotta say, DELICATE STEVE was the reason I came to this show (after them, FANG ISLAND was a bit of a let down, in my opinion), and the reason I knew about DELICATE STEVE was from DUSTIN WONG, who loves these guys. Check out “Butterfly” and see why. David Byrne’s record label, Luaka Bop, is putting out their album this spring.

PHANTOGRAM @ The High Noon Saloon (Click for live photos)

Saw these guys do a really cool stripped-down performance (sans drummer) in the basement of Strictly Discs that afternoon and then saw the full-on live show that evening.

WALKMEN & JAPANDROIDS @ The Barrymore

Like FANG ISLAND, this was another case of the opening band being upstaging the main act in almost every conceivable way. We gotta get JAPANDROIDS back as headliners ASAP!

THERMALS @ The Annex (Click for free MP3)

This was easily the best sounding show I saw all year. Their sound guy made every other touring band sound like the animatronic Showbiz Pizza band.

VALIENT THORR @ The Frequency

Such a strange mix of bands were on this bill. Three openers that were all completely different strains of metal (Providence, Rhode Island’s HOWL were a real highlight), leading into VALIENT THORR who are not really all that metal at all. This doesn’t mean they can’t be the denim vest clad illegitimate love children of ANDREW WK and LES SAVY FAV though, which, in my book, is a huge compliement.

MENOMENA @ The High Noon Saloon (Click for live photos)

I’ve been a fan of these guys for a while now, and it’s been great to see them get really comfortable on stage. This was a solid show full of old faves and some really excellent new stuff too.

BUILT TO SPILL @ The High Noon Saloon

Everyone says, “Holy shit, those guys are amazing live!” for a reason.

LOUIS CK @ The Overture

More comedy, this time from the guy who, just about every comedian will agree, is basically the best out there right now.

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS @ The Orpheum

I spent half the show passionately defending my love of Neko Case’s solo work, and then randomly ended up having post-show drinks with A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar at, of all places, The Paradise.

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Filed under: Comedy, Indie, Metal, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Sounding Board Blog Tagged: | best music of 2010, best shows of 2010, Madison WI concerts, madison wi music