Its almost a truism to say at the end of a year that its been ‘another great year for music’, but 2010 does seem to have been a particularly fertile year. An end-of-year best albums is both a bit trite but also hard to resist. So this year I have chosen my top 10 albums but declined to name my tip top favest, listing them instead in alphabetical order. I already feel a tad guilty to leave out Band of Horses, Spoon, Frightened Rabbit, Beach House, Midlake etc – but left out they are on this occasion… sorry chaps
Admiral Fallow – Boots Met My Face
Seen supporting Frightened Rabbit at their Bristol show,this ‘forgotten-south-of-the-border ‘ album fairly reeks of good song writing and the famous Caledonian spirit
Admiral Fallow – Subbuteo
Arcade Fire – Suburbs
What’s to say that hasn’t already been said? Not seen on tour, no particular personal resonance, just a fine album in the now-tradition of Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire – Month Of May
Bonnie Prince Billy and the Cairo Gang – The Wonder Show of the World
An unspeakably beautiful album, where every note and every silence is there for a reason
Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang – That’s What Our Love Is
Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
Seen three times supporting Pavement, then in Birmingham and then at Koko with the awesome Tortoise, a roaring record five years after their last collective effort
Broken Social Scene – Forced To Love
John Grant – Queen of Denmark
A voice to die for, an album of songs with a rare beauty and raw emotion, all the things that Mr Wainwright seems no longer able to do. Looking forward to his Bristol show in 2011
Queen Of Denmark – John Grant
Halves – It Goes It Goes
I simply can’t stop playing this album. Halves music elicits the same emotions in me as the next album on the list. Music to get lost in, sound-scapes of an almost cinematic intensity
Halves – Growing & Glow
Her Name Is Calla – The Quiet Lamb
It had been a while coming but this album was so worth the wait. So far I have managed to miss any of their live shows but 2011 is promised to have some UK shows to experience this great band in a live setting
Her Name is Calla -Pour More Oil
Menomena – Mines
An album that simply wheedled its way i to my mind – strangely complex but simple, familiar but unusual. They played one night supporting The National which I missed, lets hope they return in 2011
Menomena – Five Little Rooms
The National – High Violet
A long standing passion, The National’s latest offering appears to have been that ‘crossover’ album to wider audience. Rather gluttonously their outstanding show was seen no less than three times in Bristol, Coventry and London as well as the Royal Albert Hall show earlier this year – I can’t help it, I am a National tart
The National – Conversation 16
Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago
Another sumptuous album constantly on play – there is something about Shearwater that just hits all my buttons – brilliant to see them live in a teeny tiny venue in Bristol, why are they not simply huge?
Shearwater – Landscape At Speed
My dearest RHC,
Although a little previous to talk about the end of 2010 when we are yet to enjoy Christmas – I feel that it only right and proper to thank you for a superb year where we shared a fair few hours together enjoying some absolutely joyous and fantastic musical excursions.
Here’s to 2011, where hopefully the trend will continue.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to educate me musically and enduring my over excitement – my friend.
IDS
PS. High Violet is number 1 isn’t it !?!?!?
It has been a stonker this year it seems to me – thanks for being my Midlands gig buddy! As you well know the musical passions are not always shared across the H-C household! Here’s to some good uns in 2021!