2010 is over, it's a bank holiday weekend and i'm currently waiting to be able to move back home... so i figured i'd make one of those "favourite albums" of the last year type things only without an arbitrary ranking system. i've included previews in case i cause any intrigue and you'd like to sample something i've listed (also because i think i'm a nice person). ANYWAY in sort-of alphabetic order, here goes:
nb: salvaged this from google cache, might format properly later!
arcade fire - the suburbs (alt rock)
any year arcade fire release an album, it's going to show up in the end of year lists. some (very uninformed/tasteless) people claimed to me that these aren't a worthy festival headline act. bullshit. live, they know exactly what each one is doing and they pull it off to perfection, their chemistry only gets stronger with each new release. the suburbs then carries the same tension and mystery as their previous works, but with a new found accessibility. must have.
beach house - teen dream (dream pop)
i had the fortune of seeing these guys quite early in the year. i had heard very little beforehand, only a couple of tracks from last.fm but i spent their entire set in a state of awe. infact amazing as teen dream is, i still believe it doesn't quite do their live act justice. if you have the opportunity to see these, do it. but yeah, it's catchy, it's lo-fi, it's ethereal, and it's very very pop.
broken social scene - forgiveness rock record (indie rock)
it could be because they headlined the best gig i've ever been to, it could be because johnny marr joined them on stage, or it could just be that they can't stop putting out amazing indie-rock records. post-rock rivaling crescendos meet catchy pop hooks and as always, they nail it
four tet - there is love in you (idm)
yet another who i managed to see this year and oh boy was it worth it. hebden's music works in many situations, whether bumming about at the computer, doing some work, cooking, throwing a party. i think the only thing i couldn't do to this album is sleep, but only because it is far too interesting
gorillaz - plastic beach (alt/hip-hop)
stylo threw plastic beach in to the public consciousness not in a way dissimilar to how clint eastwood brought the entire world to gorillaz back in 2001. i can't actually think of another group that i've managed to consistently love for 9 years, even if they are imaginary. anyway, i doubt this album really needs an introduction, you should already have it
los campesinos! - romance is boring (indie pop)
this band tops my "most seen live" by quite a long way so to hear this at the start of the year and actually not like it was quite perplexing. that changed pretty quickly though. it's different (to their older stuff) but also yet another improvement. they still have their typical emotionally charged heartbreak riddled lyrics but all of a sudden it's far less chaotic... to me at least
major lazer & la roux - lazerproof (dancehall, dub)
the collaboration between switch and diplo that gave us the by now ridiculously overplayed (but still ridiculously catchy) club hit "Pon de Floor" came up with the idea of throwing synth pop together with the reggae/dancehall formula they have going on. definitely not lacking in ambition then... replace heavy synth with haunting piano and strings and suddenly la roux doesn't sound as so self-assured. but it works.
pulled apart by horses - s/t ("post-hardcore"?)
this band (actually from my hometown) has been making waves in the uk with their loud and ridiculously energetic live performances. i wouldn't say this is my kind of music at all yet each time i see them i leave more and more exhausted. i'm not sure why i like it or why i feel so involved but for that it makes my 2010 list
tame impala - innerspeaker (psychedelic rock)
a reasonably new aussie band but their latest record is garnering impressive acclaim. they're playing this year at a gig (which by the way i can't wait for) alongside foo fighters, biffy clyro and death cab for cutie so i can only assume it's going well for them. the album is pretty refreshing and i can't really think of anything to directly compare it to. poppy guitars run over the top of interesting grand electronic sounds with some surprisingly soothing vocals. it's very easy to lose yourself in this album and i can see these guys getting very big in 2011
LATE ADDITION:
kanye west - my beautiful dark twisted fantasy (hip-hop)
really kanye? i really didn't think anyone this much of a tit would be producing something to make this list but well, i finally got around to listening to this and oh shit how i eat my words. and i clearly went for the fucking buffet because i literally cannot think of anything to say about this record that does it justice. GET IT.
and there you have it, also worth mentioning
biggest disappointments of 2010
crystal castles - crystal castles II... alice glass is a waster
deadmau5 - live at play vol 3... boring
most surprisingly decent album of 2010
swedish house mafia - until one... i didn't really wanna write about this because well... most club music needs to stay "in the club" so to speak. i definitely don't need to hear taio cruz during breakfast. HOWEVER, as an album, this is actually great.
and 2011?
as of posting we are less than a fortnight into the new decade and already we have or are very close to releases from peter bjorn & john, british sea power, deerhoof and the decemberists. it's a promising start to say the least.
this list is probably more for me than the public (as the lack of any literary standard might hint at) so if you've read through all this then i can only apologise. peace xx
