Top 20 Albums of 2010: Part One, 20-11

NUMBER TWENTY

CRYSTAL CASTLES: CRYSTAL CASTLES

Crystal Castles want to fuck you up. And then they want to make sweet, back alley love to you. Just check the duality of the one-two opening punch of "Fainting Spells" and "Celestia." The former packs mind-melting synths, discombobulating channel-jumping and the most abrasive vocal performance this side of an early Blood Brothers album. The latter goes in completely the opposite direction, rocking epic gothic melodies and Alice Glass' hauntingly seductive voice to create one of the greatest ballads this year. That kind of dichotomy is what makes the 2010 version of Crystal Castles interesting. Yeah, Alice Glass can destroy your brainpan, but she can also make you melt. Yeah, Ethan Kath can attack you with walls of blown-out noise, but he can also rock you to sleep. Not bad for a band once derided as a one-trick pony.

Peep numbers nineteen through eleven after the jump.

Top 50 Songs of 2010, Part One: 50-41

2010 was a weird year. In the beginning, we had the last remnants of chillwave turn dark, morph into witch house, and create something kind of wholly unsettling, but pretty awesome. We had Vampire Weekend, Titus Andronicus, and the National all releasing stellar and completely different views on indie rock. During the summer, we got glimpses or full servings from rap heavy hitters like T.I., Big Boi, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Now we're into 2011, and like last year, Racecar Brown is taking a look back at the year that was to determine the best songs and albums of 2010. Without further adieu, let's open the proceedings with Part One of the top 50 songs of 2010.

Hit the jump to see 50 through 41.