In Reflection...The Painting Over Silence Blog Readers' Poll - 2K10 Edition

It’s that time again, Dear Readers.

Time for yours truly to start compiling and listening to the intimidating number of 2010 releases I've amassed over the past 365 or so (over 100+ new albums), then whittling down the albums into a tidy, easy-on-the-eyes, and (hopefully) conversation-starting "Top Ten Records of 2K10 List". And then pen a few comments about why I simply lived for each pick.

Like last year, I invite you to take part in all the zany fun that comes with list-making. Here’s how it’ll work:

Email me, by December 18th @ noon CST, a list of your favourite records released between January 1, 2010 and now. I will compile all the results and, on December 21st, publish the "Top 10 Albums of the Year…as Voted by Painting Over Silence Blog Readers" end-all results.

And if the sheer bliss that comes with list-making isn’t enough incentive, I’ve got further encouragement: those who submit a top-ten list to me will be entered to win $20 worth of gift certificates to our much-loved indie-music shop Music Trader.

A few things:

1. I realize not everyone will have ten favourite records released in 2010. That’s okay. The minimum number is one and the maximum is, of course, ten. So, if Spoon’s Transference is the only album you really liked this year, you may still email it in to me.

2. Order matters…to an extent. The top album on your list gets three points; the second best two; 3-10 are awarded one point. If you only liked one album this year, it gets three points.

3. Feel free to write something about that album, but please aim for brevity - a sentence or two. For example, say you worshipped Beach House’s Teen Dream. Your comment could be a pithy “Hypnotic…like watching a lava lamp or Homer Simpson on a treadmill” or longer “I played this album in my car, at the gym, at home…pretty much everywhere. It’s THAT good”. Write-ups are optional. If you just want to submit a list, that’s coolio with me.

4. If you do write a comment about an album AND it makes the final top 10 cut, I’ll be posting all comments about that record. However, out of respect to privacy, I’ll just write your first name. If you don’t want that, then PLMK and I’ll write Anonymous (or Anon for short).

5. Please do not send attachments. Simply paste your list and the optional comments in the body of an email.

6. EPs may be included.

7. No re-released/re-mastered/re-packaged/re-imagined albums.

8. My email is on the right side, under “About Me”.

Happy list constructin’!

Oh, and for last year's results click here.