North Texas’ top five albums of 2010

by Jessica Harp, Josh Hogan, Brenna Rushing

Go out and buy these.

We are music lovers, not music elitists. We know you don't only attend local concerts. Our best of 2010 lists give credit to local musicians who have earned their crown, plus introduce you to a band or two that you haven't gotten into yet. If some of these make it into your playlist, we've done our job.

5. Truth on Tape by Smile Smile (Kirtland Records): The second album from the up-and-down pair couldn’t be more honest and delightful. Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme have found the perfect spot between conflict and teamwork. Every song chronicles one dimension of heartbreak, with Hirunrusme’s piano weighing down Hamilton’s acoustic to create light, but sad, songs. Their harmony is exact, as if they were paired together by a label.

Spooky Folk violinist Petra Kelly

4. Spooky Folk by Spooky Folk (I Love Math Records): You could argue that no local group did more with 2010 than Spooky Folk. The five-piece Denton band was the talk of the town for much of the year after releasing their self titled debut album on I Love Math Records. The masterful freshman effort catapulted the band from relative obscurity to the forefront of the local music scene.

3. Fatty Lumpkin by Fatty Lumpkin: This trio from Denton stands out from the rest of our picks for top album of 2010. This funky jam band’s first full-length self-titled album has all the ingredients to get your booty shaking. Each member of the band is a master of their perspective instrument and takes the time to craft each riff, beat, and bass line to perfection, and when you think you've had enough, they go and blow your mind with their precise time signature changes. Fatty Lumpkin infuses rock, blues, jazz, and funk in just the right way on each track, none of which you should skip. Just listen to the album in its entirety from start to finish and you will see why Fatty Lumpkin belongs on this list.

2. Suburban Nature by Sarah Jaffe (Kirtland Records): Sarah Jaffe, the jewel of Kirtland Records, broke out in a big way in 2010 with the release of her first full length album, Suburban Nature. She was already Denton’s worst kept secret heading into the year, after a series of impressive EPs. But from the moment we first heard “Clementine,” the album’s first single, we knew this one was going to be special, and it was. Not only was Suburban Nature one of the best local albums of the year, it was among the best and most intriguing releases nationwide.

O Ye Devastator by Doug Burr

1. O Ye Devastator by Doug Burr (Spune Productions): He’s as polished an artist as there is in DFW. Doug Burr is known for his deeply moving lyrics and outstanding story telling ability. Both qualities are present on Spune’s release of O Ye Devastator, an 11 track emotional journey through the good and the bad of life, love, and the conficts with God himself.