October's big month of releases always yields a few surprise eh's among a sea of glistening critical oohs and awes, but this year's iteration of the pattern was particularly middling. Some disapointing outings from artists we admire. Also thinking doctors should start prescribing Twin Shadow in place of routine sleeping pills.
The Most Average Releases of October 2010
Avey Tare, Down There (Paw Tracks)
Bruno Mars, Doo-Wops and Hooligans (Elektra)
Clinic, Bubblegum (Domino)
Twin Shadow, Forget (4AD / Terrible)
Die Antwoord, $O$ (Interscope / Cherrytree)
Warpaint, The Fool (Rough Trade)
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Mercury)
Badly Drawn Boy, It's What I'm Thinking, Pt. 1: Photographing
Snowflakes (One Last Fruit)
Lil Wayne, I Am Not A Human Being (Universal Motown)
Shakira, Sale el Sol (Sony)
Sufjan Stevens, The Age of Adz (Asthmatic Kitty)
Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown (RCA)
Mark Ronson, Record Collection (Columbia)
Soundgarden, Telephantasm (A&M Records)
Simian Mobile Disco, Is Fixed (Defend Music Inc.)
