2013 and 1/3: The Best Albums of the 2010s (So Far)

Soviet LeagueSoviet League: s/t (Angel Oven, 11/16/10)

“Shylight”

Soviet League: “Shylight”

Singer/songwriters Ben Eshbach and Matthew Kelly have separate histories in the LA underground, but from their recent collaborative project, Soviet League, the two have created a dense and masterful indie opus.

With the help of countless guest musicians, the self-titled debut presents 12 meticulously crafted tracks, tapping into orch-pop, electronica, and Western music. There are oodles of pretty guitar tones, big bass tones, and overabundant harmonies, and the music routinely crosses into baroque pop. Despite its lack of name recognition, the Soviet League debut threatens to be one of the best indie-rock albums of 2010.

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