Best Tracks of 2010

I've decided to start a new year-end tradition.  I'm going to count down the top tracks from the previous year.  Let me be clear.  I'm reviewing the year that ended a full year ago.  I'm not counting down the just-completed year.  It's too soon, and everybody's doing the current year.  They have editors and deadlines.  I don't.  I'm going with the previous year.  I will have had time to catch up and reflect.

So, without further ado, here are the top 40 best tracks of 2010 counted down from #40 to #1:

40) Uneven Light of Day - Howe Gelb & A Band of Gypsies (from Alegrías)
39) We Want War - These New Puritans (from Hidden)
38) From The Mouth Of Gabriel - Sufjan Stevens (from All Delighted People EP)
37) When Will the Sun Shine - Blue Giant (from Blue Giant)
36) Black Venom - The Budos Band (from The Budos Band III)
35) Wagner At The Opera - Chumbawamba (from ABCDEFG)
34) No More Excuses - The Bees (from Every Step's A Yes)
33) Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire (from The Suburbs)
32) Alike - Efterklang (from Magic Chairs)
31) Here To Fall (rjd2 Remix) - Yo La Tengo (from Here To Fall Remixes)
30) Bright Lit Blue Skies - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (from Before Today)
29) Duet - Gonjasufi (from A Sufi And A Killer)
28) Tagger - Bizingas (from Bizingas)
27) October - Broken Bells (from Broken Bells)
26) Daisy - Fang Island (from Fang Island)
25) Summer Mood - Best Coast (from Crazy For You)
24) Mossy Woodland - Javelin (from No Más)
23) Tightrope (feat. Big Boi) - Janelle Monáe (from The ArchAndroid)
22) Stranger - Dr. Dog (from Shame, Shame)
21) Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells (from Treats)
20) The Cave - Mumford & Sons (from Sigh No More)
19) I Need A Dollar - Aloe Blacc (from Good Things)
18) Swim Until You Can't See Land - Frightened Rabbit (from The Winter of Mixed Drinks)
17) El Mensajero - Gotan Project (from Tango 3.0)
16) Money - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (from I Learned The Hard Way)
15) Brightest Minds - Department of Eagles (from Brightest Minds)
14) Dust Devil - School of Seven Bells (from Disconnect From Desire)
13) Monkees '67 - Gazetteers (from We Are Here)
12) He's Not A Boy - The Like (from Release Me)
11) Wor - Django Django (from Wor / Skies Over Cairo Single)
10) It Is Not Meant To Be - Tame Impala (from InnerSpeaker)
9) Barely Breathing - The Hold Steady (from Heaven Is Whenever)
8) Marz - John Grant (from Queen of Denmark)
7) King of Spain - The Tallest Man On Earth (from The Wild Hunt)
6) The Polaroid Song - Allo Darlin' (from Allo Darlin')
5) Your Hands (Together) - The New Pornographers (from Together)
4) Back Of My Mind - The Autumn Defense (from Once Around)
3) The Mountain - Wooden Wand (from Death Seat)
2) It Was Easy - Title Tracks (from It Was Easy)
1) Waterfall - The Fresh & Onlys (from Play It Strange)

Check this space in one year to see if the new tradition continues.  Honorable mentions for 2010 go to Deerhunter for "Revival, Caribou for "Jamelia", The Books for "I Didn't Know That", Let's Wrestle for "Song for Old People", and Radio Dept. for "Heaven's On Fire".