The best Chicago albums of 2010

Algernon
Ghost Surveillence (Cuneiform)
Vibraphone-drenched instrumentals that even Tortoise would be hard-pressed to categorize.

Birthmark
Shaking Hands (Hidden Agenda)
Tim Kinsella’s cousin Nate ups the ante when it comes to kaleidoscopic art-pop.

CAVE
Pure Moods (Drag City)
A chugging locomotive to the outer reaches of the Milky Way.

Steve Dawson
I Will Miss the Trumpets and the Drums (Undertow)
Nashville would be wise to recruit the gifted songwriter, currently the brains behind Dolly Varden.

Disappears
Lux (Kranky)
A salad of every classic cool band into black leather and speed—Suicide, VU, the Stooges, etc.—smothered in reverb.

Herculaneum
Olives and Orchids (EF)
Savvy postbop spiked with fermented brass.

The High Confessions
Turning Lead Into Gold with… (Relapse)
A killer comeback full of melodic dirges from Chris Connelly of Revolting Cocks (and the Wicker Park Reckless). Along with CAVE and Disappears, proof that Chicago rock is now deep into heavy grooves.

Hollows
Hollows (Addenda)
These Farfisa-powered badasses would beat the Shangri-Las in a staring contest, let alone a duel.

Judson Claiborne
Time and Temperature (La Société Expéditionnaire)
Former Low Skies frontman Chris Salveter grows into his own as a songwriter, yet remains as autumal and earnest as ever.

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s
Buzzard (Mariel)
The best reason to book studio time at Engine.

Mass Shivers
Contoured Heat (Licking River)
Brett Sova’s power trio throws us a bone with this brain-melting swan song.

Miracle Condition
Miracle Condition (Tizona)
A post-rock pummeling like this could only come from members of U.S. Maple.

Qwel & Maker
Owl (Galapagos4)
Takes hip-hop back to ’92 over beats as raw as a the blues.

Rhymefest
El Che (dNBe Entertainment)
True to his blue-collar roots, the underdog for alderman proves he’s already a champ on the mic.

Secret Colours
Secret Colours (self-released)
Unconcerned with trends, these kids fish from their favorite psyche and Britpop and keep the formula fresh.