Cadenza set out to comb our collections and dig up the best releases of summer 2010. We found some things out. First, we had no love for August releases, like, seriously none. This summer’s music heated up early, but unlike St. Louis, it cooled down with the passing weeks. We also discovered that whether you’re a fan of hip-hop, punk, or the blues, there was something for you this summer. Here are those things.

The Gaslight Anthem
“American Slang”

This just in: “Spunky New Jerseyans lead the charge in American arena rock.” No, this isn’t some kind of time-warp review of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band circa 1984, it’s “American Slang,” the newest offering from (Bruce-approved) The Gaslight Anthem, though you wouldn’t be faulted for taking a double-take. Frontman Brian Fallon even has the Boss’s rough-around-the-edges voice, probably from shouting over nights and nights of singing crowds. Both covering Johnny Cash (though not on this album) and slipping in notes of their down the street neighbors the Misfits, TGA is firmly planted at the crossroads of Americana music. Across the record, and particularly on the title track, they’re classic and they’re punk; they’re something altogether new and totally familiar, part of the so-called folk-punk scene. If rock is the national music of America, TGA honors their forefathers while updating the parlance.
– Steve Hardy

Janelle Monae
“The ArchAndroid:  (Suites II and III)”

After releasing her debut EP in 2007, “Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase),” Janelle Monae made waves this summer with the release of her first full-length album, “The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III).” The Metropolis Suites tell the story of Cindy Mayweather, an android who is sent back in time to free Metropolis; the second and third suites continue this concept from the first. “The ArchAndroid” mixes R&B, pop, hip-hop dance and numerous other styles into an album that knocks all of its peers out of the water. Boasting the infectious singles “Tightrope,” featuring Outkast’s Big Boi, and “Cold War,” the album barely misses a step. “ArchAndroid” jumps between the fabulous electronic “Dance or Die,” the ethereal “57821,” and the screeching, rock-inspired “Come Alive,” all in the process of telling Cindy Mayweather’s story. This is only the first taste of what Monae has in store for us. – Alex Terrono

Christina Aguilera
“Bionic”

“Bionic” has been criticized both for its material and for its record sales. No, it is certainly not Christina’s best material. No, it didn’t sell anywhere near as well as her previous albums, moving only slightly above 100,000 copies in its first week. That said, “Bionic” is a solid album. Christina always reinvents herself with each album. She’s been sugary sweet, “dirrty” and glamorous. Now, Christina is “bionic.” When listening to the album, the electronic, bionic sound is apparent on many of the tracks, including the title track, one of the album’s highlights. Other electronic tracks “Elastic Love” and “Prima Donna” are standouts as well. Electronica aside, Aguilera makes sure to showcase the voice that made her famous on a few tracks, including her second single, “You Lost Me.” People have complained that Christina jacked Lady Gaga’s style. Maybe she did, but who hasn’t? – Alex Terrono

The Hold Steady
“Heaven is Whenever”

“Heaven is Whenever,” the fifth studio album from The Hold Steady but the first without their original keyboardist, offers some of the best songs about telepathic hoodrats around. “The Weekenders,” picking up from a storyline two albums ago, shows that singer Craig Finn can still get his anthem on and that there will still be a piano and power cords to incite his mania. But then tracks like “The Smidge” and “Barely Breathing” – not to be confused with the 1996 Duncan Sheik single – are tight, punchy and full of punchlines. The lyrics still revolve around concerts and druggy religious types, but unlike 2008’s “Stay Positive,” they’re coupled with a jaunty swagger that makes the group of bespectacled, pudgy 30-somethings feel much less dweeby than they appeared playing at the Gargoyle two years ago.
– Nick Hawco