Here we are again, the final week of another year, and in true procrastinator’s fashion, I’ve put off my year end music recap until the final few days. Now, every music blogger and their uncle has a year end list – the top tens, twenties and fifties (!). Me, I’m keeping it simple for my own sanity and for the purpose of keeping a reader’s attention. Here’s a blast of my top 5′s for the year 2010…

Top 5 Songs

5. “Monster” – Kanye West | I’ve never been one of those in awe of Kanye’s music. I tend to steer clear of jackasses. But I did use my Rdio subscription (see below) to get into his new album. And when I heard “Monster”, I was hooked in pretty hard. And the main reason wasn’t Kanye himself – it was Nicki Minaj. Nicki’s multi-personality attack floored me. I was running when I first heard her spit these rhymes, and I got bona fide goosebumps. Amazing. [Amazon]

4. “No Reason To Cry” – Tom Petty | My sentimental, sappy side always wins in the end – I have a soft spot for the slow, sad songs. There are a lot of great tunes on Mojo, but none hit me as hard as Tom’s plaintive “No Reason To Cry”: “So overtake me my sweet lover / let me kiss your honey lips / could be the only thing that’s real / could be that when you get sad your memory slips / there’s no reason to cry”. Certainly one of Tom’s best love songs ever. [Amazon]

3. “I Gotta See” – Ronnie Wood | Speaking of running and goosebumps, I was also jogging when I listened to Ronnie’s new record for the first time. Track 4 came on – the bluesy, soulful, affair-of-the-heart ballad called “I Gotta See”. Ronnie and co-writer / co-vocalist Bernard Fowler absolutely nail it on the head. “I’m goin’ out / don’t wait for me / don’t bother calling my friends / they won’t know where i’ll be / I hear a voice / it’s calling me / I gotta go now / I gotta see”. It inspired this Ickmix. [Amazon]

2. “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)” – Phosphorescent | I knew nothing of this Brooklyn band at the beginning of the year, and I wish I could pinpoint exactly how I first heard this song – but I’ve listened to it in so many settings since, that I can’t recall. Sweet, folky, soulful rock – you could almost picture this in the setting of late 60′s / early 70′s country rock – maybe something that Gram Parsons and Keith Richards would have gotten together to do. [Amazon]

1. “Harlem River Blues” – Justin Townes Earle | I’ve never sung and clapped along so joyously to a song about drowning oneself, but that’s where I found myself by the second chorus, after hearing Justin’s “Harlem River Blues” for the first time. Rootsy, gospel-flavored, and catchy. Steve’s son is doin’ his dad proud. [Amazon]

Top 5 Albums

5. Here’s To Taking It Easy – Phosphorescent | As I mentioned above, I didn’t know Phosphorescent from a hole in the wall when this year started. But when “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)” hit my ears, I needed to hear me some more Phosphorescent. The album is a laid back blend of folk/country rock featuring the great vocals of Matthew Houck. His voice has a delicate, genuine, earthy feel to it, and it really draws me into the songs. Instantly catchy tunes like “Heaven, Sittin’ Down” and “Nothing Was Stolen (Love Me Foolishly)”. And beautifully crafted songs like “We’ll Be Here Soon” and especially the lovesick feel of “The Mermaid Parade“, another album highlight for me. [Amazon]

4. Mojo – Tom Petty | What a blast of fresh air from Petty and his Heartbreakers. For this record, Tom scrapped their formal studio sessions of years past for a more informal jam session vibe. The guys hung out in Tom’s warehouse studio and played music, at ease, letting it flow. Lucky for us, the tape was rolling. There’s no rushing on this record. If it takes seven minutes to jam it out, like the blissful stoner groove of “First Flash of Freedom”, then so be it. If Mike Campbell wanted his Jimmy Page moment, then he found it in “I Should Have Known It”, which bleeds blues rock in that Zeppelin vein, with a dash of 21st century Jack White vibe thrown in. I still have so much to discover with this album. It feels like I haven’t even cracked the surface. [Amazon]

3. I Feel Like Playing – Ronnie Wood | It was a Stonesy year. Keef’s new book, the Exile on Main Street reissue, the DVD release of Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones. On top of all that, Mr. Wood was busy with a new radio show and a brand new record. Featuring guests like Slash, Bobby Womack and Lenny Kravitz, Ronnie keeps it loose and unpredictable with I Feel Like Playing, just like the man himself. I’ve already expressed my appreciation for “I Gotta See”, but there are so many other great moments on this album: the opener, “Why You Wanna Go And Do A Thing Like That For”, with its cool, sly groove; the R&B-infused “Catch You” with Bobby Womack; the fun reggae of “Sweetness My Weakness”; and one of the best tunes to get a good chuckle out of your young kids, if you have ‘em: “Fancy Pants”. I love this record because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a loose, carefree, fun hour of music – all qualities shared by Ronnie (and me, for that matter). [Amazon]

2. Infinite Arms – Band of Horses | I fell hard for Ben Bridwell and his merry Band of bearded Horses after they released their stellar second record, Cease To Begin. My expectations were very high for Infinite Arms, probably too much so. I was first struck by how much of a departure it was from Cease to Begin. But then my focus shifted to the wide variety of songs on the record, and those songs began to take hold. “Laredo”, “Blue Beard”, “On My Way Back Home” are just some of my favorites now. It’s one of those albums you can keep revisiting and finding something new you like about it every time. [Amazon]

1. Tin Can Trust – Los Lobos | The living legends from East L.A. roared back this year with a vengeance, releasing Tin Can Trust on August 3rd (my 40th birthday, no less). From spaced out blues (“Jupiter or the Moon”) to traditional Mexican (“Yo Canto”, “Mujer Ingrata”) to loose jam rock (their cover of the Dead’s “West L.A. Fadeaway”), the album is brimming with what Lobos do best: crossing genres and flavors as flawlessly as any band playing today. [Amazon]

Top 5 Live Shows

5. Pixies – Mesa Ampitheater (Mesa), Sept. 24 | During college spring break 20 some odd years ago, I was introduced to the Pixies through their album Doolittle. I loved the angst, rage, power, and melodic hooks of the songs. This year, the band took the album on the road, performing it straight through. Sure, it was a nostalgia trip, but that’s my favorite part about music – its transformative power. Even the dense cloud of cigarette smoke couldn’t ruin the effect of seeing songs like “Debaser”, “Monkey Gone to Heaven”, “and “Wave of Mutilation” performed in sequence.

4. Phish – Austin City Limits Music Festival, Oct. 8 | Almost a dozen years had passed since I last saw Phish. When I saw that they were rumored to play ACL, any doubts I had about attending were quickly squashed. It was a shortened festival set, but it was packed with old school favorites of mine like “2001″ (“Also Sprach Zarathustra”), “Possum”, “Cavern”, and of course, “You Enjoy Myself” – which, of the sixteen shows I’ve seen spanning back to 1990 – I’ve seen performed at least a dozen times. Set in the backdrop of a great music festival in one of my favorite places – Austin, Texas – it was a special experience for me.

3. Gov’t Mule, Marquee Theater (Tempe), Nov. 3 | I decided to go see Gov’t Mule on a whim with my brother. I’d seen them in a festival setting a few years ago, but not in a small venue with two full sets. Our jaws hit the floor. Led by guitar virtuoso Warren Haynes, the band tore through tasty blues like “Need Your Love So Bad”, acid jam/jazz (“Devil Likes It Slow”), and Mule staples like “32/20 Blues”, “Broke Down On The Brazos” and “About to Rage”. It was pure musicianship. Gov’t Mule are a group of pure talents that fly just under the radar, but blow the minds of their audiences wherever they play. Great show.

2. The Eagles – Austin City Limits Music Festival, Oct. 10 | Surprise of the year, by far. I’d always been a fan of the greatest hits. I mean, how can you not like “Desperado” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Lying Eyes”? And in the ACL festival setting, with tens of thousands around me, and a great spot close to the stage… well, I was primed for a good time. And the Eagles delivered. Hit after hit after hit. I absolutely loved it.

1. Los Lobos – Compound Grill (Scottsdale), Feb. 20th | The intimate Compound Grill hosted two shows by Los Lobos this night, an early dinner show and a late night show. My wife, some friends and I were there for both. Four hours plus of live music from one of my favorites in an intimate setting? Yes please! Highlight of the night: dancing at the foot of the stage with my lady to a cover of Shep & the Limelights’ “Daddy’s Home”, an old doo-wop ballad. It felt like a 50′s sock hop with Los Lobos as the house band.

Top 5 Music Odds & Ends

5. Prince | This year, Prince released another album for free in UK newspapers: 20Ten. While it doesn’t rank up there among his best work, it’s certainly superior to his last few efforts, as he takes a more retro approach with some old school effects like his 80′s friend, the Linn drum machine. The funk is alive & well in tunes like “Sticky Like Glue” and “Laydown” (his self-referencing “Purple Yoda” song). [Amazon]

Even more significant is his return to U.S. arenas in the last month, his first arena dates in years. In the past couple weeks, Prince has unleashed a greatest hits barrage in New York and New Jersey with his Welcome 2 America tour. Fans like me can only hope that it means more tour dates next year around the country. I have a feeling it’ll finally happen.

4. Dawes | This young band out of L.A. has a bright future. Their debut album, North Hills would have challenged for a top 5 spot if it had come out this year, but it was released in 2009. I was made aware of the band when I saw them open for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros in June. They have a southern California 70′s folk-rock vibe, and they are amazing live. “When My Time Comes” is anthemic, sing-along folk/pop music at its finest. I’ll be watching this band closely.

3. Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story | This takes top billing as the best box set I’ve owned. The remastered Darkness album (CD); The Promise (2-CD’s), a double album set of material from the Darkness sessions that somehow mostly stayed buried in the vaults all these years (“One Way Street” and “Candy’s Boy” highlights for me); The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (DVD) – a documentary showcasing Springsteen’s meticulousness and perfectionism in the studio (read slave driver!); Live at the Paramount Theater, Asbury Park, 2009 (DVD) – Bruce and the band perform the album start to finish in an otherwise empty theater. Raw and intimate; Houston ’78 Bootleg (DVD) – a full, not previously released concert from the Boss’s prime; and ALL THIS packaged in a notebook / scrapbook that replicates Bruce’s notebook of lyrics and notes from the Darkness days. Alternate lyrics, song ideas, album sequences… interspersed with photographs, flyers, and newspaper clippings from the era. Truly a treasure trove for Bruce fanatics like myself. [Amazon]

2. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street Reissue and Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones | The 2-disk Exile reissue featured a full disk of outtakes and extra tunes from the famed Exile era. Also this year, the 1974 concert movie Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones saw the light of day as a proper DVD release. It captures the band at its creative and performing peak: 1972′s U.S. tour supporting Exile. Filmed over four shows in Houston and Dallas, you get Mick in all his glam frontman glory, Keith the ragged and true rock n roll star, and you get to see Mick Taylor shine on lead and slide guitar. An amazing document – pick it up or rent it if you haven’t seen this. [Exile Deluxe | Ladies & Gentlemen The Rolling Stones]

1. Rdio | This year, the method in which I consume music changed significantly. I subscribed to a paid streaming service, Rdio (http://www.rdio.com), over the summer. For $10 a month, I can now stream on demand virtually any album or song I want to hear, both on the web and through their iPhone app. Every new release I’m curious about, all the back catalogs of artists I’ve never explored (e.g. Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson) – anything I want to hear – it’s there on Rdio. Sure, there are similar services – Mog and Rhapsody to name a couple – but it was Rdio’s clean and uncluttered interface, and their interaction with its users in social forums like Twitter and Facebook that made me select them.

I’d say I’m about 50% Rdio and 50% iTunes these days. My concept of music ownership is shifting. I still buy a lot of music, mostly in mp3 format, but with most albums now, like, for instance, James Brown’s or Bill Withers’ back catalog, or the new Kanye West or Nicki Minaj – why buy the records if they’re available on Rdio any time or place I want to hear them? Rdio makes me feel spoiled – like I’m living in the most comprehensive record store in the world. I 100% recommend them, and suggest you check out their free trial if you’re curious. Search for me and “Follow Me” if you subscribe, I’ll return the favor.