Thought I'd share thoughts on my favourite albums of 2009. I actually listened to over 75 this year, which is a massive record for me. All thanks to we7.com and Spotify Premium.
Seeing as I'd be happy to recommend about a third of those albums, I decided to list my twenty favourite albums of 2009. Albeit without a ranking order for #20 - #11 because everything kept moving around. It's all a bit arbitrary anyway. I might have titled this post as such but this isn't really the "best" albums of 2009 but the ones that connected with me.
#20 - #11 in alphabetical order
4 Or 5 Magicians - 'Empty Derivative Pop Songs'
Blue Roses - 'Blue Roses'
Frank Turner - 'Poetry Of The Deed'
Johnny Foreigner - 'Grace And The Bigger Picture'
Noah And The Whale - 'The First Days Of Spring'
Pull Tiger Tail - 'PAWS.'
Red Light Company - 'Fine Fascination'
The Antlers - 'Hospice'
Video Nasties - 'On All Fours'
White Lies - 'To Lose My Life...'
10) Grammatics - Grammatics
An ambitious operatic pop odyssey, albeit a top heavy one.
D.I.L.E.M.M.A - Grammatics - Art Rock by sentricmusic
"The blend of Owen Brinley's choirboy vocals and a raft of prog-tinged riffs is a source of promise, magic and drama." (4/5 - Uncut)
9) Dan Black - Un
Effortlessly melding electro, hip hop and pop to produce a gloriously forward-thinking album.
Dan Black - Alone by moai
"Black's chops and tunes suggest he won't stay underground" (Mojo)
8) Theoretical Girl - Divided
A bizarrely captivating mix of twee, angst, disco and haunting melodrama.
"Beguiling debut from Southend pop siren" (4/5 - Q)
7) The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning
Shoegaze meets pop? Is this even an album? Regardless of those matters, this is an edgy collection of dynamic, bewitching tracks.
"Epic, melodic, hand-shandy pop from a band who understand the true joys of life". (NME)
6) The xx - xx
A flickering beacon of despondence, from which we must celebrate the coming of age of one of Britain's finest young bands.
"The result is sexy like early Portishead and thoughtful like Young Marble Giants--a perfectly formed debut with a genuinely new sound way beyond the sum of identifiable forebears" (AV Club)
5) Jamie T - Kings & Queens
Jamie T's second album possibly tops his debut, with a sense of underlying maturity but with that caustic fire still at its heart.
Jamie T - Sticks n Stones (Explicit Version) by theinsound
"Whether he's actually been "with Louie in the shooting gallery" or been stuck listening to "baby next door screaming all evening" doesn't matter--what does is his gripping way of telling a tale" (The Guardian)
4) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
A heartening, soaring folk record that fulfils the early promise.
"Angst-ridden indiscretions aside, Sigh No More is a fine debut from a band that’s patiently picked up the tools of its trade, and chosen the right moment to give them full rein." (NME)
3) Passion Pit - Manners
Far from being one-hit wonders, 'Manners' brilliant demonstrated that Passion Pit could produce consistently high quality electro-pop.
Little Secrets / Passion Pit by eli_beaudoin
"At its most adventurous, Manners sounds like little else – a pop record that exists in a world of its own, carving a sub-genre niche which only fits their expansive, tonally decadent material." (9/10 - Clash)
2) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
An astonishing record, full to the brim with irresistable melodies, hooks and riffs. The utopian future of pop.
"Just as you're really gearing up for a night on the town with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix as your sidekick, it ends abruptly. There's only one remedy: Play it again. And Again. And again." (Filter)
1) Fight Like Apes - Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion
The most thrilling rollercoaster ride of an album, that went painfully ignored by most critics following its January release. Frenzied, spiky synth-punk complete with hilarious pop culture references. One day I will get a t-shirt that says "YOU'RE LIKE KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN BUT WITHOUT THE TASTE!"
"An astonishing debut that encompasses melancholy and whimsy (both lyrically and musically)" (Irish Times)
on Tuesday, December 29, 2009
While everyone is squeeing with delight at the new teaser trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'Inception', I'm pretty much shrugging my shoulders for the time being.
I was actually more excited by the original teaser. "What's the most resilient parasite? An idea." is a line reminiscent of 'The Matrix' but unlike 'The Matrix', this line is so awful, it even outdoes the bit where Jaden Smith tries to act all whiney and wants to go home in the new 'Karate Kid' trailer (which actually looks okay otherwise).
Ellen Page screaming "WAKE ME UP! WAKE ME UP!" was possibly the most annoying thing about this trailer. But that's probably just my personal taste. I've always had a love/hate thing with Ellen Page and I fear the worst already. Nonetheless, the other dialogue in the trailer is equally under par, at times emphasised by the hilariously melodramatic delivery.
However, it was just a teaser. Without the proper context (still not entirely sure what 'Inception' is actually about) and with Nolan's track record, it's unfair to judge too harshly at this point. And the visual imagery was stunning. Indeed, the trailer is worth watching simply for the moment when Leonardo Di Caprio and Ellen Page discover that the streets and buildings ahead are slowly enveloping them from above.
Thanks to FirstShowing.net for the embeddable trailer.
I was actually more excited by the original teaser. "What's the most resilient parasite? An idea." is a line reminiscent of 'The Matrix' but unlike 'The Matrix', this line is so awful, it even outdoes the bit where Jaden Smith tries to act all whiney and wants to go home in the new 'Karate Kid' trailer (which actually looks okay otherwise).
Ellen Page screaming "WAKE ME UP! WAKE ME UP!" was possibly the most annoying thing about this trailer. But that's probably just my personal taste. I've always had a love/hate thing with Ellen Page and I fear the worst already. Nonetheless, the other dialogue in the trailer is equally under par, at times emphasised by the hilariously melodramatic delivery.
However, it was just a teaser. Without the proper context (still not entirely sure what 'Inception' is actually about) and with Nolan's track record, it's unfair to judge too harshly at this point. And the visual imagery was stunning. Indeed, the trailer is worth watching simply for the moment when Leonardo Di Caprio and Ellen Page discover that the streets and buildings ahead are slowly enveloping them from above.
Thanks to FirstShowing.net for the embeddable trailer.
on Monday, December 28, 2009
I think 2009 was a strong year for film, culminating in the technological progress of 'Avatar'. Admittedly, I've missed a quadrillion films including 'Avatar', 'An Education', 'Anvil' etc etc but I've seen some goodies too. So I figured I'd talk a little bit about some of my favourite films of the year. First though, I'm going to mention my disappointments of 2009 (working from most disappointing down) in some mini-reviews:
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen - Just a massive WTF, after the fun first film. Inexplicable. But I wouldn't call it racist, as some have labelled it.
Slumdog Millionaire - I honestly don't understand why people love this film. Danny Boyle is a fantastic director but I think this might be his worst film. Perhaps having seen the visual destitution of Indian slums in person, I share a different perspective than other critics and film goers.
Up - A second so-so animated feature in a row from Pixar, 'Up' devolved into a mess and wasn't even the tear jerker that people claimed it to be. And I cry at everything. Seriously, I even cried during 'Star Trek'. There are touches of brilliance however, none more so than 'Meet Dug'.
Terminator Salvation - Oh, McG. I genuinely wanted to love this film. But it just wasn't good enough and failed to realise the darker vision that was promised. It would have been worth carrying through the leaked storyline as the replacement felt timid in comparison.
Fantastic Mr Fox - I enjoy Wes Anderson films and I love Roald Dahl books. But this didn't connect with me as much as I'd hoped and Anderson's stamps (Jason Schwartzman's character is exactly the same as his one in 'Rushmore', British villains, the substitution of swearwords with 'cuss' etc) proved more irritatingly savvy than charming.
Okay, enough with the overt negativity and back with the enjoyment. Before I go through ten of my favourite films of the year (only the top three are ranked, with the other entries in alphabetical order), I thought I'd give some honourable mentions: 'Away We Go', 'Bolt', 'Bruno', 'Funny People', 'Observe And Report', 'The Damned United', 'The Informant' and 'Zombieland' all have my seal of approval. I may even review them properly at some point.
Anyways, my ten favourite films of 2009 are below. The usual disclaimer that these aren't really the "best" films of 2009, just personal favourites. Which may even change when I get round to watching some of the other releases from this year.
TOP TEN FILMS OF 2009
District 9
Trailer
In 2009, Neil Blomkamp arrived. Aided by Peter Jackson as producer, director Blomkamp delivered one of the most interesting science fiction action films for many years. The CGI work to produce such believable and anthropomorphic alien creatures was astounding, only to be overshadowed by the staggering central performance by Sharlto Copley, especially when considering that this was his first major acting role.
It's a shame that the juxtaposition of aliens and apartheid gave way too soon to a melée of Michael Bay proportions, albeit fantastically produced on a fraction of a blockbuster budget.
Frost/Nixon
Tremendous credit must go to Peter Morgan for managing to script a successful film based around an interview. All the more from such widely known material. The famous David Frost-Richard Nixon exchanges are portrayed as a battle of wits by director Ron Howard, with Frank Langella's turn as Nixon being of particular delight and wonder.
Let The Right One In
The saturation of vampire narratives on both the big and the small screen lately ('Twilight', 'Tru Blood', 'Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant', 'Thirst', 'Being Human' AND SO ON AND SO ON) meant that this dark Swedish drama was somewhat overlooked by audiences in 2009. Less a story about vampires (yet still adhering to certain genre conventions) and more focused on the relationship between the young central characters of the film, Oskar and Eli.
An (unnecessary) English-language remake is due out in 2011. Watch the original instead.
Moon
'Moon', directed by first time director and son of David Bowie, Duncan Jones demonstrated that smart sci-fi could be done on a small budget. Aided by Clint Mansell's typically tremendous score, Jones manifests an intensely atmospheric world. Much of the film however is carried by Sam Rockwell. While his push for an Oscar nomination may not be getting very far, 'Moon' firmly establishes his credentials as one of the finest actors working today.
As with 'District 9', 'Moon' centred around themes of humanity and identity culminating in a remarkable sci-fi film, made for only $4 million. The nods to '2001: A Space Odyssey' are there but 'Moon' deserves to be put on its own pedestal.
The Hurt Locker
Trailer
'The Hurt Locker' manages to be an Iraq war film, without aggressive politial overtones. An achievement in itself. Instead, the notion that "war is a drug" is examined, following a US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, with Jeremy Renner starring as a maverick bomb disposal expert. Overwhelmingly however, this is an action film, and one that is supremely captured by Kathryn Bigelow.
The Wrestler
For some, The Wrestler was all about Mickey Rourke's near autobiographical role as a has-been trying to reclaim past glories. For me, The Wrestler was more about how the wrestling industry can tear lives apart. The nods to wrestling fans were all there, with references to Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Shiek, blading, Ring Of Honor and appearances from the likes of Necro Butcher and Ernest "The Cat" Miller.
However, the film's wider appeal came in its emotional heart. While the relationship between Marissa Tomei's character and Rourke's character Randy was more prominent, it was the relationship (or lack thereof) between Randy and his daughter that felt most affecting. Its reflection of the cautionary tale of Jake "The Snake" Roberts (last seen on the big screen in the fantastic behind-the-scenes documentary 'Beyond The Mat') was truly melancholic.
Watchmen
Opening Credits Sequence
To put it politely, 'Watchmen' received mixed reviews and left audiences fairly unimpressed. A superhero film that is by no means a traditional superhero film.
From the outset, when Zack Snyder skilfully creates a magnificent opening credits sequence to establish the alternate universe of 'Watchmen', I was enraptured. As someone who'd managed to digest the graphic novel prior to seeing the film, I sat through the 162 minutes in utter amazement as comic panels were seamlessly transported from page to screen.
Certainly, I can echo some of the problems that others had with the film, problems with pacing, character vagaries, plot issues and "the blue penis" but ultimately, 'Watchmen' is brave, uncompromising and visually glorious. A nod too to Jackie Earle Haley for his performance as Rorschach.
#3 Inglourious Basterds
Trailer // Photo credit: Flicks and Bits
Five scenes. Two intertwining plotlines. One masterpiece? Characterised by his now customary motifs of visceral gore and compelling dialogue, Quentin Tarantino returned in 2009 with his spaghetti western set in WWII Germany, over a decade after he first started writing the script.
It is the dialogue and Tarantino's willingness to allow scenes to slowly unfold that captivates. More so than the not-so-subtle transmogrification of Jewish allied soldiers into inhumane Nazis with their disturbing penchant for heavy violence or the relatively simple vengeance story that forms the other part of the intertwining storyline.
Oh and if Christoph Waltz doesn't win an Oscar then something will have gone very, very wrong. Maybe some sort of punishment for having Eli Roth as a co-actor.
#2 Star Trek
It took a non-Trekkie to make 'Star Trek' culturally relevant once more. JJ Abrams took on the reins for the reboot that no-one really wanted but everyone ended up enjoying.
Credit must also go to Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman for writing a script that contained action beat after action beat after action beat, while still retaining fanboy elements like the Kobayashi Maru and "I have been and always shall be your friend". Which I'd have missed had I not seen (the somewhat hilarious) 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' just before seeing the Abrams film.
The film works successfully as an origin story and with fine performances all round, a sequel doesn't just makes sense, we deserve it.
#1 (500) Days Of Summer
This is not a love story. This is a story about love. The ever fantastic Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the doe eyed Zooey Deschanel take the lead roles, with accomplished direction provided by first timer Marc Webb. And despite a tagline reminiscent of those sexy Marks & Spencer ads, '(500) Days Of Summer' was my favourite film of 2009.
Not a traditional romantic comedy, more a post-modern take on the twists and turns of a broken relationship. With its non-linear narrative and stylistic centrepieces, '(500) Days Of Summer' successfully combined the wonderfully clever writing with Marc Webb's music video background. What resulted was charming and witty while still retaining that necessary maturity. This film has single handedly stolen the genre term 'romantic comedy' and transformed it into something with legitimate feeling.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen - Just a massive WTF, after the fun first film. Inexplicable. But I wouldn't call it racist, as some have labelled it.
Slumdog Millionaire - I honestly don't understand why people love this film. Danny Boyle is a fantastic director but I think this might be his worst film. Perhaps having seen the visual destitution of Indian slums in person, I share a different perspective than other critics and film goers.
Up - A second so-so animated feature in a row from Pixar, 'Up' devolved into a mess and wasn't even the tear jerker that people claimed it to be. And I cry at everything. Seriously, I even cried during 'Star Trek'. There are touches of brilliance however, none more so than 'Meet Dug'.
Terminator Salvation - Oh, McG. I genuinely wanted to love this film. But it just wasn't good enough and failed to realise the darker vision that was promised. It would have been worth carrying through the leaked storyline as the replacement felt timid in comparison.
Fantastic Mr Fox - I enjoy Wes Anderson films and I love Roald Dahl books. But this didn't connect with me as much as I'd hoped and Anderson's stamps (Jason Schwartzman's character is exactly the same as his one in 'Rushmore', British villains, the substitution of swearwords with 'cuss' etc) proved more irritatingly savvy than charming.
Okay, enough with the overt negativity and back with the enjoyment. Before I go through ten of my favourite films of the year (only the top three are ranked, with the other entries in alphabetical order), I thought I'd give some honourable mentions: 'Away We Go', 'Bolt', 'Bruno', 'Funny People', 'Observe And Report', 'The Damned United', 'The Informant' and 'Zombieland' all have my seal of approval. I may even review them properly at some point.
Anyways, my ten favourite films of 2009 are below. The usual disclaimer that these aren't really the "best" films of 2009, just personal favourites. Which may even change when I get round to watching some of the other releases from this year.
TOP TEN FILMS OF 2009
District 9
Trailer
In 2009, Neil Blomkamp arrived. Aided by Peter Jackson as producer, director Blomkamp delivered one of the most interesting science fiction action films for many years. The CGI work to produce such believable and anthropomorphic alien creatures was astounding, only to be overshadowed by the staggering central performance by Sharlto Copley, especially when considering that this was his first major acting role.
It's a shame that the juxtaposition of aliens and apartheid gave way too soon to a melée of Michael Bay proportions, albeit fantastically produced on a fraction of a blockbuster budget.
Frost/Nixon
Tremendous credit must go to Peter Morgan for managing to script a successful film based around an interview. All the more from such widely known material. The famous David Frost-Richard Nixon exchanges are portrayed as a battle of wits by director Ron Howard, with Frank Langella's turn as Nixon being of particular delight and wonder.
Let The Right One In
The saturation of vampire narratives on both the big and the small screen lately ('Twilight', 'Tru Blood', 'Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant', 'Thirst', 'Being Human' AND SO ON AND SO ON) meant that this dark Swedish drama was somewhat overlooked by audiences in 2009. Less a story about vampires (yet still adhering to certain genre conventions) and more focused on the relationship between the young central characters of the film, Oskar and Eli.
An (unnecessary) English-language remake is due out in 2011. Watch the original instead.
Moon
'Moon', directed by first time director and son of David Bowie, Duncan Jones demonstrated that smart sci-fi could be done on a small budget. Aided by Clint Mansell's typically tremendous score, Jones manifests an intensely atmospheric world. Much of the film however is carried by Sam Rockwell. While his push for an Oscar nomination may not be getting very far, 'Moon' firmly establishes his credentials as one of the finest actors working today.
As with 'District 9', 'Moon' centred around themes of humanity and identity culminating in a remarkable sci-fi film, made for only $4 million. The nods to '2001: A Space Odyssey' are there but 'Moon' deserves to be put on its own pedestal.
The Hurt Locker
Trailer
'The Hurt Locker' manages to be an Iraq war film, without aggressive politial overtones. An achievement in itself. Instead, the notion that "war is a drug" is examined, following a US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, with Jeremy Renner starring as a maverick bomb disposal expert. Overwhelmingly however, this is an action film, and one that is supremely captured by Kathryn Bigelow.
The Wrestler
For some, The Wrestler was all about Mickey Rourke's near autobiographical role as a has-been trying to reclaim past glories. For me, The Wrestler was more about how the wrestling industry can tear lives apart. The nods to wrestling fans were all there, with references to Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Shiek, blading, Ring Of Honor and appearances from the likes of Necro Butcher and Ernest "The Cat" Miller.
However, the film's wider appeal came in its emotional heart. While the relationship between Marissa Tomei's character and Rourke's character Randy was more prominent, it was the relationship (or lack thereof) between Randy and his daughter that felt most affecting. Its reflection of the cautionary tale of Jake "The Snake" Roberts (last seen on the big screen in the fantastic behind-the-scenes documentary 'Beyond The Mat') was truly melancholic.
Watchmen
Opening Credits Sequence
To put it politely, 'Watchmen' received mixed reviews and left audiences fairly unimpressed. A superhero film that is by no means a traditional superhero film.
From the outset, when Zack Snyder skilfully creates a magnificent opening credits sequence to establish the alternate universe of 'Watchmen', I was enraptured. As someone who'd managed to digest the graphic novel prior to seeing the film, I sat through the 162 minutes in utter amazement as comic panels were seamlessly transported from page to screen.
Certainly, I can echo some of the problems that others had with the film, problems with pacing, character vagaries, plot issues and "the blue penis" but ultimately, 'Watchmen' is brave, uncompromising and visually glorious. A nod too to Jackie Earle Haley for his performance as Rorschach.
#3 Inglourious Basterds
Trailer // Photo credit: Flicks and Bits
Five scenes. Two intertwining plotlines. One masterpiece? Characterised by his now customary motifs of visceral gore and compelling dialogue, Quentin Tarantino returned in 2009 with his spaghetti western set in WWII Germany, over a decade after he first started writing the script.
It is the dialogue and Tarantino's willingness to allow scenes to slowly unfold that captivates. More so than the not-so-subtle transmogrification of Jewish allied soldiers into inhumane Nazis with their disturbing penchant for heavy violence or the relatively simple vengeance story that forms the other part of the intertwining storyline.
Oh and if Christoph Waltz doesn't win an Oscar then something will have gone very, very wrong. Maybe some sort of punishment for having Eli Roth as a co-actor.
#2 Star Trek
It took a non-Trekkie to make 'Star Trek' culturally relevant once more. JJ Abrams took on the reins for the reboot that no-one really wanted but everyone ended up enjoying.
Credit must also go to Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman for writing a script that contained action beat after action beat after action beat, while still retaining fanboy elements like the Kobayashi Maru and "I have been and always shall be your friend". Which I'd have missed had I not seen (the somewhat hilarious) 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' just before seeing the Abrams film.
The film works successfully as an origin story and with fine performances all round, a sequel doesn't just makes sense, we deserve it.
#1 (500) Days Of Summer
This is not a love story. This is a story about love. The ever fantastic Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the doe eyed Zooey Deschanel take the lead roles, with accomplished direction provided by first timer Marc Webb. And despite a tagline reminiscent of those sexy Marks & Spencer ads, '(500) Days Of Summer' was my favourite film of 2009.
Not a traditional romantic comedy, more a post-modern take on the twists and turns of a broken relationship. With its non-linear narrative and stylistic centrepieces, '(500) Days Of Summer' successfully combined the wonderfully clever writing with Marc Webb's music video background. What resulted was charming and witty while still retaining that necessary maturity. This film has single handedly stolen the genre term 'romantic comedy' and transformed it into something with legitimate feeling.
on Sunday, December 27, 2009
So it's coming upto the Christmas Bank Holiday and I'm about to present you all with my favourite fifty singles (as well as free downloads, this year) of 2009.
All the songs should have been released in the UK in 2009 or made available for free download by the artists. No re-releases and only one song per artist. Unless I've made a mistake, in which case, anything goes.
Spotify playlist of most of the tracks here. Thoughts? Any other suggestions?
50) Flamboyant Bella - Get A Reaction
[YouTube]
Annoying. Catchy. Annoyingly catchy electro-pop.
49) La Roux - Bulletproof
See above.
48) Robbie Williams - Bodies
Painfully embarrassing lyrics ("UK and entropy, I feel like it's fucking me" being just one of many, many examples) but the electro pop elements and the "Bodies in the.." bridge just about make up for it.
47) The Antlers - Bear
Shame that the tender, intriguing moments are overpowered by retro-pop ambitions. But those tender moments are worth it.
46) Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning
For the most part, I'm not down with post-debut album Arctic Monkeys and their "mature" sound. But after repeated listens, the sense of menace on 'Crying Lightning' won me over.
45) Baddies - Open One Eye
[YouTube]
A thrilling opening which barely relents along the way from a band cited as a meeting of QOTSA and The Futureheads.
44) Chapel Club - Surfacing
[MySpace]
Imagine if Interpol covered 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me'. Intriguing. All the more so as I can't tell whether this was released on its November release date or not.
43) Blue Roses - Does Anyone Love Me Now?
This track appeared on one of my old podcasts, capturing the delight and wonder of Blue Roses' mystical folk leanings.
42) Little Comets - One Night In October
[YouTube]
Indie-pop done right, with hints of Vampire Weekend and The Maccabees.
41) Dan Black - Alone
Not quite the brilliance of last year's Festive Fifty topper 'HYPNTZ' but perfect indie dancefloor fodder.
40) Gossip - Love Long Distance
As much as I hate Beth Ditto, she has a great voice. Strong melody on the chorus to this cavorting disco number.
39) Banjo Or Freakout - Upside Down
[YouTube]
Alessio pulls it off again, this time with a burst of breezy, dream pop.
38) The Sound Of Arrows - Into The Clouds
Magical song. Magical video. Magical artwork. The future of Europop? Look out for more in 2010.
37) The Victorian English Gentlemens Club - Watching The Burglars
"Rumbling basslines, dissonant guitars, eccentric lyrics and catchy hooks" is what I said here, where you can have a listen.
36) Johnny Foreigner - Criminals
Spiralling guitar lines, crashing drums and the usual boy-girl vocals make this a bit by-numbers but still one of the singles of 2009.
35) Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
Bustling indie-pop from one of the bands I tipped for the BBC Sound of 2010 poll.
34) Metric - Help I'm Alive
After starting off in a mellow, engaging manner with echoing vocals, 'Help I'm Alive' loses its way a bit after the intro, occasionally dropping into Miley Cyrus territory before regaining composure.
33) Vampire Weekend - Horchata
Picking up where the stunning debut record left off. Magical afro-pop.
32) The XX - Crystalised
The obvious single from the self-titled album. Slow burning, brooding, pseudo-minimalism.
31) Jónsi - Boy Lilikoi
Not quite Sigur Ros but 'Boy Lilikoi' effervesces as every turn, bubbling under with a joyous sense of wonder. This fan-made video is a perfect accompaniment.
30) Phoenix - Lisztomania
Setting the tone for a brilliant album, a simple but wonderful electro pop track.
29) The High Wire - Odds & Evens
This song is so fuzzy, it's almost like it's a beautiful summer's day and your best mate has come along and just given you a massive hug.
28) Pearl Jam - The Fixer
Finally, a Pearl Jam song to put up there with 'Alive'. A punchy alt-rock track with strong melodies.
27) Ebony Bones - The Muzik
A tribal dancefloor hit by a surprisingly ignored act, possibly hurt by her (faux?) eccentricities.
26) Fight Like Apes - Something Global
"GIVE ME MY HOOK" screams May-Kay repeatedly and perhaps ironically in this unrelenting, punchy synthpop album opener.
25) Walls - Burnt Sienna
Bending the rules a bit here. A mysterious, thudding instrumental from a joint collab between Banjo Or Freakout and allez-allez.
24) Kids Love Lies - Count In My Head
The opening '1,2,3,4' gambit annoys me immensely but from there on, this is scuzzy, playful, catchy pop. Bit like Fight Like Apes' little sister.
23) Tubelord - Propeller
Hard, fast, slow, soft. If At The Drive-In did pop songs.
22) Good Shoes - The Way My Heartbeats
Interesting divergence from the immediacy of the first album but still with anthemic aspirations. Read more and download here.
21) Jack Penate - Tonight's Today
A splendidly unexpected turn from a much maligned character. His take on afro-pop.
20) Clock Opera - White Noise
Melodramatic pop song. Slightly bizarre, slightly exciting. Download b-side 'Alouette' here.
19) The Joy Formidable - Cradle
[YouTube]
"All I want to see is the end of this". I don't. The shoegaze-meets-pop comparison is lazy but that doesn't make 'Cradle' any less compelling, with its dizzying vocal hooks.
18) Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land
"The horns and string arrangements give the single a wonderful richness but I can't help feeling that it's a little tepid in comparison to Frightened Rabbit's previous output." Still, very good though. Download a live version here. The b-side 'Fun Stuff' is arguably even better, if you can see past the amateurish production.
17) Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
I'm not even sure that the song title makes sense. What I am sure about is that this is an impeccable feel good anthem that makes up for the abortion that was 'Boom Boom Pow'. Mazel tov.
16) Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This
I called this Bombay Bicycle Club's finest work (in a post which has mysteriously disappeared, obviously thanks to Blogger and the IFPI being cunts - it was a cleared James Rutledge remix), a compelling mix of Vampire Weekend and Modest Mouse.
15) Pomegranates - Everybody Come Outside
[Last.fm]
"Playful vocals are enveloped in an irresistable warm fuzz and moments of quiet intensity, recalling the likes of Radiohead and Arcade Fire, intersperse an overwhelming sense of hypnotic rhythm that a Vampire Weekend or a Strokes would be proud of." Download here.
14) Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
I've never really understood the love for Animal Collective but 'Summertime Clothes' clicked with me. Particularly due to the compelling Letterman performance. This experimental pop single has had me bouncing up and down.
13) Run Toto Run - Sleepyhead
Run Toto Run won over the blogosphere with this amazing cover of an already amazing Passion Pit song. The transitions between mandolin and violin are wonderful. Perhaps even better than the original.
12) Patrick Wolf - Hard Times
[YouTube]
Thankfully, not the single with the ridiculous bondage video but instead the one with incisive strings, Wolf's soaring vocals, and a majestic backing choir.
11) Passion Pit - Moth's Wings
[YouTube]
For a long time, I thought that Passion Pit were the new Black Kids (i.e one hit wonders with nothing left in the tank). 'Moth's Wings' proved just how wrong I was and a fantastic debut album followed. This sounds "sounds a bit like Michael Jackson covering the amazing Talking Heads track, 'Once In A Lifetime'." Download here
10) Fucked Up - Do They Know It's Christmas?
[YouTube]
"WELL TONIGHT THANK GOD IT'S THEM, INSTEAD OF JEEEEEEEEWWWWWSSS". Forget RATM. Forget X Factor Joe. This should have been UK Christmas #1. A cover of the Band Aid single, featuring all your favourite alternative heroes (Ezra Koenig, Kevin Drew, Andrew WK, Kyp Malone, Tegan And Sara, Yo La Tengo etc). And all for charity too.
9) The Big Pink - Dominos
[YouTube]
It's not big, it's not clever and it's been on a million adverts. But 'Dominos' still remains the singalong chorus of 2009. "THESE GIRLS FALL LIKE DOMINOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS"
8) Los Campesinos! - The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
This free download was another step away from their twee days and towards a dynamically moody sound, contrasting both hope and hopelessness. Amazing lyrically, beautiful musically.
7) These New Puritans - We Want War
A 7 minute "comeback" single. Would you expect anything less from one of the most progressively brilliant bands around? Hip hop influences, operatic backing vocals and an overwhelming feeling of dread.
6) Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
[Pitchfork TV]
A brilliantly exotic taste of the forthcoming second album from Brooklyn's Yeasayer. "Stick up for yourself son, never mind what else done". Download here.
5) The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
[YouTube]
Matching Peter, Bjorn and John in the whistling stakes, 'Let's Go Surfing' was a statement of intent. The Drums do pop and they do it incredibly well.
4) Just Jack - Embers
An astounding return from a bargain bin popstar. The multi-tracked vocals, handclaps and sweeping strings throughout make this stunning.
3) Jamie T - Sticks 'n' Stones
[YouTube]
A firecracker of a single, as feisty and lyrically compelling as he's ever been. Building on previous album 'Panic Prevention' and perhaps even surpassing anything from that.
2) The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
Shimmering dream pop, with a beautiful lead vocal, jangly guitars and a pulsating drum beat. The perfect soundtrack to one of the year's best films '(500 Days of) Summer'.
1) King Charles - Love Lust
"The galloping drums, shredding guitar lines, sci-fi sound effects, double tracked vocals and brilliant lyrics ("with a guitar in my hand or a gun in my hand, I'd give it all up for your hand in my hand") make this psychedelic prog-folk ballad one of the singles of the year." Or so I said a couple of months ago. And here we are, where I'm proclaiming it my favourite song of 2009.
Download a live version here.
All the songs should have been released in the UK in 2009 or made available for free download by the artists. No re-releases and only one song per artist. Unless I've made a mistake, in which case, anything goes.
Spotify playlist of most of the tracks here. Thoughts? Any other suggestions?
50) Flamboyant Bella - Get A Reaction
[YouTube]
Annoying. Catchy. Annoyingly catchy electro-pop.
49) La Roux - Bulletproof
See above.
48) Robbie Williams - Bodies
Painfully embarrassing lyrics ("UK and entropy, I feel like it's fucking me" being just one of many, many examples) but the electro pop elements and the "Bodies in the.." bridge just about make up for it.
47) The Antlers - Bear
Shame that the tender, intriguing moments are overpowered by retro-pop ambitions. But those tender moments are worth it.
46) Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning
For the most part, I'm not down with post-debut album Arctic Monkeys and their "mature" sound. But after repeated listens, the sense of menace on 'Crying Lightning' won me over.
45) Baddies - Open One Eye
[YouTube]
A thrilling opening which barely relents along the way from a band cited as a meeting of QOTSA and The Futureheads.
44) Chapel Club - Surfacing
[MySpace]
Imagine if Interpol covered 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me'. Intriguing. All the more so as I can't tell whether this was released on its November release date or not.
43) Blue Roses - Does Anyone Love Me Now?
This track appeared on one of my old podcasts, capturing the delight and wonder of Blue Roses' mystical folk leanings.
42) Little Comets - One Night In October
[YouTube]
Indie-pop done right, with hints of Vampire Weekend and The Maccabees.
41) Dan Black - Alone
Not quite the brilliance of last year's Festive Fifty topper 'HYPNTZ' but perfect indie dancefloor fodder.
40) Gossip - Love Long Distance
As much as I hate Beth Ditto, she has a great voice. Strong melody on the chorus to this cavorting disco number.
39) Banjo Or Freakout - Upside Down
[YouTube]
Alessio pulls it off again, this time with a burst of breezy, dream pop.
38) The Sound Of Arrows - Into The Clouds
Magical song. Magical video. Magical artwork. The future of Europop? Look out for more in 2010.
37) The Victorian English Gentlemens Club - Watching The Burglars
"Rumbling basslines, dissonant guitars, eccentric lyrics and catchy hooks" is what I said here, where you can have a listen.
36) Johnny Foreigner - Criminals
Spiralling guitar lines, crashing drums and the usual boy-girl vocals make this a bit by-numbers but still one of the singles of 2009.
35) Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
Bustling indie-pop from one of the bands I tipped for the BBC Sound of 2010 poll.
34) Metric - Help I'm Alive
After starting off in a mellow, engaging manner with echoing vocals, 'Help I'm Alive' loses its way a bit after the intro, occasionally dropping into Miley Cyrus territory before regaining composure.
33) Vampire Weekend - Horchata
Picking up where the stunning debut record left off. Magical afro-pop.
32) The XX - Crystalised
The obvious single from the self-titled album. Slow burning, brooding, pseudo-minimalism.
31) Jónsi - Boy Lilikoi
Not quite Sigur Ros but 'Boy Lilikoi' effervesces as every turn, bubbling under with a joyous sense of wonder. This fan-made video is a perfect accompaniment.
30) Phoenix - Lisztomania
Setting the tone for a brilliant album, a simple but wonderful electro pop track.
29) The High Wire - Odds & Evens
This song is so fuzzy, it's almost like it's a beautiful summer's day and your best mate has come along and just given you a massive hug.
28) Pearl Jam - The Fixer
Finally, a Pearl Jam song to put up there with 'Alive'. A punchy alt-rock track with strong melodies.
27) Ebony Bones - The Muzik
A tribal dancefloor hit by a surprisingly ignored act, possibly hurt by her (faux?) eccentricities.
26) Fight Like Apes - Something Global
"GIVE ME MY HOOK" screams May-Kay repeatedly and perhaps ironically in this unrelenting, punchy synthpop album opener.
25) Walls - Burnt Sienna
Bending the rules a bit here. A mysterious, thudding instrumental from a joint collab between Banjo Or Freakout and allez-allez.
24) Kids Love Lies - Count In My Head
The opening '1,2,3,4' gambit annoys me immensely but from there on, this is scuzzy, playful, catchy pop. Bit like Fight Like Apes' little sister.
23) Tubelord - Propeller
Hard, fast, slow, soft. If At The Drive-In did pop songs.
22) Good Shoes - The Way My Heartbeats
Interesting divergence from the immediacy of the first album but still with anthemic aspirations. Read more and download here.
21) Jack Penate - Tonight's Today
A splendidly unexpected turn from a much maligned character. His take on afro-pop.
20) Clock Opera - White Noise
Clock Opera - White Noise from Aoife McArdle on Vimeo.
19) The Joy Formidable - Cradle
[YouTube]
"All I want to see is the end of this". I don't. The shoegaze-meets-pop comparison is lazy but that doesn't make 'Cradle' any less compelling, with its dizzying vocal hooks.
18) Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land
"The horns and string arrangements give the single a wonderful richness but I can't help feeling that it's a little tepid in comparison to Frightened Rabbit's previous output." Still, very good though. Download a live version here. The b-side 'Fun Stuff' is arguably even better, if you can see past the amateurish production.
17) Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
I'm not even sure that the song title makes sense. What I am sure about is that this is an impeccable feel good anthem that makes up for the abortion that was 'Boom Boom Pow'. Mazel tov.
16) Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This
I called this Bombay Bicycle Club's finest work (in a post which has mysteriously disappeared, obviously thanks to Blogger and the IFPI being cunts - it was a cleared James Rutledge remix), a compelling mix of Vampire Weekend and Modest Mouse.
15) Pomegranates - Everybody Come Outside
[Last.fm]
"Playful vocals are enveloped in an irresistable warm fuzz and moments of quiet intensity, recalling the likes of Radiohead and Arcade Fire, intersperse an overwhelming sense of hypnotic rhythm that a Vampire Weekend or a Strokes would be proud of." Download here.
14) Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
I've never really understood the love for Animal Collective but 'Summertime Clothes' clicked with me. Particularly due to the compelling Letterman performance. This experimental pop single has had me bouncing up and down.
13) Run Toto Run - Sleepyhead
Run Toto Run won over the blogosphere with this amazing cover of an already amazing Passion Pit song. The transitions between mandolin and violin are wonderful. Perhaps even better than the original.
12) Patrick Wolf - Hard Times
[YouTube]
Thankfully, not the single with the ridiculous bondage video but instead the one with incisive strings, Wolf's soaring vocals, and a majestic backing choir.
11) Passion Pit - Moth's Wings
[YouTube]
For a long time, I thought that Passion Pit were the new Black Kids (i.e one hit wonders with nothing left in the tank). 'Moth's Wings' proved just how wrong I was and a fantastic debut album followed. This sounds "sounds a bit like Michael Jackson covering the amazing Talking Heads track, 'Once In A Lifetime'." Download here
10) Fucked Up - Do They Know It's Christmas?
[YouTube]
"WELL TONIGHT THANK GOD IT'S THEM, INSTEAD OF JEEEEEEEEWWWWWSSS". Forget RATM. Forget X Factor Joe. This should have been UK Christmas #1. A cover of the Band Aid single, featuring all your favourite alternative heroes (Ezra Koenig, Kevin Drew, Andrew WK, Kyp Malone, Tegan And Sara, Yo La Tengo etc). And all for charity too.
9) The Big Pink - Dominos
[YouTube]
It's not big, it's not clever and it's been on a million adverts. But 'Dominos' still remains the singalong chorus of 2009. "THESE GIRLS FALL LIKE DOMINOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS"
8) Los Campesinos! - The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
This free download was another step away from their twee days and towards a dynamically moody sound, contrasting both hope and hopelessness. Amazing lyrically, beautiful musically.
7) These New Puritans - We Want War
A 7 minute "comeback" single. Would you expect anything less from one of the most progressively brilliant bands around? Hip hop influences, operatic backing vocals and an overwhelming feeling of dread.
6) Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
[Pitchfork TV]
A brilliantly exotic taste of the forthcoming second album from Brooklyn's Yeasayer. "Stick up for yourself son, never mind what else done". Download here.
5) The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
[YouTube]
Matching Peter, Bjorn and John in the whistling stakes, 'Let's Go Surfing' was a statement of intent. The Drums do pop and they do it incredibly well.
4) Just Jack - Embers
An astounding return from a bargain bin popstar. The multi-tracked vocals, handclaps and sweeping strings throughout make this stunning.
3) Jamie T - Sticks 'n' Stones
[YouTube]
A firecracker of a single, as feisty and lyrically compelling as he's ever been. Building on previous album 'Panic Prevention' and perhaps even surpassing anything from that.
2) The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
Shimmering dream pop, with a beautiful lead vocal, jangly guitars and a pulsating drum beat. The perfect soundtrack to one of the year's best films '(500 Days of) Summer'.
1) King Charles - Love Lust
"The galloping drums, shredding guitar lines, sci-fi sound effects, double tracked vocals and brilliant lyrics ("with a guitar in my hand or a gun in my hand, I'd give it all up for your hand in my hand") make this psychedelic prog-folk ballad one of the singles of the year." Or so I said a couple of months ago. And here we are, where I'm proclaiming it my favourite song of 2009.
Download a live version here.
on Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas telly is normally gash but this year is taking the biscuit. BBC News even showed some of The Queen's Christmas speech and gave away the plot. Without spoiler tags. Bastards. Wait, I mean Merry Christmas everyone!
Anyway, there are some good/interesting things on UK telly this Christmas ('The Incredibles', 'Speed', 'Gladiator, a new 'Poirot' and the penultimate 'Dr. Who' ep with David Tennant) but they're mostly in the late evening. With not much on during the day, you can either play one of your new fangled DVDs (inevitable Christmas pressie) or alternatively, consult BBC iPlayer. Only UK users though, the rest of you are on the naughty list.
If you find yourself with a couple of hours to spare Ridley Scott's final cut of 'Blade Runner' (watchable until 10.54pm on 26/12). Just one of a million versions of the seminal science fiction film. And if you're going to watch that, you might as well watch 'The Rules Of Film Noir' (watchable until 2.24am on 31/12).
If you've got even more time to spare, 170 minutes to be exact, then multi-Oscar winning drama 'Dances With Wolves' (watchable until 7.19pm on 26/12) might be your bag. A lot of people are comparing James Cameron's 'Avatar' to this 1990 film. Apparently, because they're both racist or something.
Some might baulk at the respective lengths of those two films, especially if you've got little ones. In which case, 'Arthur's Perfect Christmas' (watchable until 1.59pm on 26/12) would be perfect. And there are plenty of the shorter episodes of Arthur and his other animal friends up on the iPlayer.
Others might be feeling a bit more retrospective about 2009. Charlie Brooker is your man. 'Screenwipe' (watchable until 10.39pm on 30/12) is back with a review of the year. In typical Brooker fashion, it's terrific caustic, satirical fare.
Otherwise, just eat, drink and be merry!
Anyway, there are some good/interesting things on UK telly this Christmas ('The Incredibles', 'Speed', 'Gladiator, a new 'Poirot' and the penultimate 'Dr. Who' ep with David Tennant) but they're mostly in the late evening. With not much on during the day, you can either play one of your new fangled DVDs (inevitable Christmas pressie) or alternatively, consult BBC iPlayer. Only UK users though, the rest of you are on the naughty list.
If you find yourself with a couple of hours to spare Ridley Scott's final cut of 'Blade Runner' (watchable until 10.54pm on 26/12). Just one of a million versions of the seminal science fiction film. And if you're going to watch that, you might as well watch 'The Rules Of Film Noir' (watchable until 2.24am on 31/12).
If you've got even more time to spare, 170 minutes to be exact, then multi-Oscar winning drama 'Dances With Wolves' (watchable until 7.19pm on 26/12) might be your bag. A lot of people are comparing James Cameron's 'Avatar' to this 1990 film. Apparently, because they're both racist or something.
Some might baulk at the respective lengths of those two films, especially if you've got little ones. In which case, 'Arthur's Perfect Christmas' (watchable until 1.59pm on 26/12) would be perfect. And there are plenty of the shorter episodes of Arthur and his other animal friends up on the iPlayer.
Others might be feeling a bit more retrospective about 2009. Charlie Brooker is your man. 'Screenwipe' (watchable until 10.39pm on 30/12) is back with a review of the year. In typical Brooker fashion, it's terrific caustic, satirical fare.
Otherwise, just eat, drink and be merry!
on Thursday, December 24, 2009
So here are the blogger choices for the British Albums Of The Decade list I published the other day, along with some blurbs which I judiciously edited to ensure this wouldn't be the longest post ever. Thanks again to everyone who took part and keep a look out for the wider poll results that I've conducted.
Honourable mentions:
- Placebo - Black Market Music, Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour, Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires, Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself, The Sunshine Underground - Raise The Alarm, Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now Youngster (Phil, There Goes The Fear)
- MIA, Klaxons, Amy Winehouse, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Test-Icicles, These New Puritans (David, It's Getting Boring By The Sea)
- The Wave Pictures - Sophie, Meursault - Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues (Matthew, Song By Toad)
The complete results of the blogger poll (all 24 entrants and their submissions) are on Google Docs and should be able to view without signing in.
Tim, funfunfun
1) Bullet Union – Ruin's Domino (Essential listening: 'Three Cherries Straight', 'Yak Yak Yak You're Fired!')
I love the sound of this record. The satisfying thud of drums, the scratchy intensity of the guitars and that croak every time lead singer, Jodie's, voice strains too hard. Every second packs in more energy than a case load of Red Bull. Ruin's Domino has given me wings since 2004.
BULLET UNION - I DON'T LIKE WHO YOU'RE HANGING OUT WITH
2)The Streets – Original Pirate Material
The heady summer of 2002 was soundtracked by 'Original Pirate Material'. My brother bought it in the airport on the way to a two-week, family holiday in Corsica and the sounds of Mike Skinner and a two-step beat filled every rented-car journey. At times epic ('Turn The Page', 'Weak Becomes Heroes'), at others witty ('The Irony Of It All', 'Don't Mug Yourself') Original Pirate Material is album of its time that still sounds vital today.
3) Thom Yorke – The Eraser (Essential listening: 'The Clock', 'Black Swan')
It took a year or so for 'The Eraser' to make sense in my head but, now, I think its fantastic. Those opening piano chords to the title track, the spitting-rain drumbeat that kicks off 'The Clock', every song has a touch of magic about it and Yorke's vocals were laden with melancholic hopefulness. Not just Radiohead offcuts.
Matthew, The Pigeon Post
1) Tom Vek - We Have Sound (Essential listening: 'Nothing But Green Lights', 'C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)')
He's an enigma, and when he is going to follow this masterpiece up, nobody knows. But it still sounds fresh, which is wonderful - 'Nothing But Green Lights' pops about with the same vigour as if it was going to be released next week, and despite the fact it's nearly 5 years old, it's more advanced than anything you're likely to hear now.
2) Forward, Russia - Give Me A Wall (Essential listening: 'Twelve', 'Thirteen')
The sound of my later teenage years. It was fast, furious and filled with some of the most ambitious and ambigous lyrics around. On record, they were excellent, in the flesh they were phenomenal - and the story of 'Give Me A Wall' completely encapsulates everything great about the DIY ethic. 'Give Me A Wall' still sends shivers down my spine.
3)The Libertines - Up The Bracket
See British Albums Of The Decade list.
Jamie, Music Fan's Mic
1) Radiohead - Amnesiac (Essential listening: 'I Might Be Wrong', 'Pyramid Song')
Perhaps accounting Thom Yorke at an absolute low, with less flow but more bona-fide songs than 'Kid A', but ten times more terrifying at times. A b-sides album this is not.
2) Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim (Essential listening: 'Ghosts', 'Cross Your Fingers')
I just get the sense that Laura Marling going to grow and grow into a really respected artist and that 'Alas...', her debut, will be looked upon as a flawless starting point. A bruised, delicate affair on growing up.
3) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
David, And Everyone's A DJ
1) Primal Scream - XTRMNTR
Coming out at the very start of the century, I remember thinking at the time that this was what I'd hoped rock'n'roll would sound like in the future. 'Accelerator' was a screaming punk beast what held no punches, and was played with a ferocity that made you bleed. 'Swastika Eyes' was an STD-ridden, disco romp, with a Sophie Dahl starring video that was dangerous, sexy and political all in one go.
In fact politics around the turn of the century was a common theme that ran through this record, from this, 'Blood Money' and the title track, even through to the albums artwork and decision by the band to include literature regarding the false imprisonment of Satpal Ram in the liner notes, for a 17 year old it was the first time I'd seen a band get political and still remain musically interesting.
2) The Streets - Original Pirate Material
See BAOTD list.
3) Tim Burgess - I Believe
While The Charlatans make what could be easily described as meat and potato guitar rock, this is a breezy, laid back acoustic adventure, taking influences from Gram Parsons, early-Beach Boys, Motown and soul. Stand-out tracks like 'Oh My Corazon', 'Years Ago' and 'Po' Boy Soul' are deliciously drenched in Americana, while album closer, 'All I Ever Do', could have easily been cut by Berry Gordy in 1965. 7 years on, and this record still sounds great to me.
JC, The Vinyl Villain
1) Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (Essential listening: 'Fast Blood', 'My Backwards Walk')
The best new band to emerge from Scotland this decade. And this is their best record to date. Not since The Smiths released 'The Queen Is Dead' have I metaphorically played a record to death - ie at least three times a week in its entirety for about six months in a row. And even now, I still cant tell you what my favourite track is as it depends on how happy/sad/drunk/melancholy I am at any particular time. Quite simply.....a record I know I will still be enjoying in its entirety until my dying day.
2) Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
See BAOTD list.
3) Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (Essential listening: 'Graffiti', 'Going Missing')
'A Certain Trigger' is an LP without a bum tune across its 13 tracks and 39 minutes - and one that made me want to pick up my tennis racket and jump round the bedroom just as I did when I was partying back in 1976/77. Pop-punk of the finest kind.
Will, The Cold Cut
1. Patrick Wolf – Lycanthropy
A precocious teenager with an obsession for Werewolf mythology arrives with a fully formed debut album. From the deeply disturbing 'The Childcatcher' and introspective 'London' to pop-tinged 'Bloodbeat', it heralded Wolf's arrival in style.
2) Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare (Essential listening: 'Teddypicker', 'Fluorescent Adolescent')
The Sheffield superstars progressed from their fantastic debut in the only way they knew how, by beefing up their sound. Alex Turner's lyrics were still verging on genius, and the rest of the band added momentum on heavy tracks including 'Teddypicker'.
3) Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
One of the best bands in recent memory emerged with their most comfortable sound to date. Recent efforts have eschewed their indie roots, but 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter' had serious crossover pedigree, emerging as club favourites.
David, It's Getting Boring By The Sea
1) The Libertines - Up The Bracket (Essential listening: 'Time For Heroes', 'I Get Along')
Everything a 15 year old from a provincial seaside town thinks rock n roll is. Romantic, exciting, dangerous and beautiful.
2) Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner (Essential listening: 'I Luv U', 'Fix Up Look Sharp')
The sound of the underground made real. Aggressive but thoughtful, funny and smart this album bursts with innovation, beats and wit. Countless have tried to follow but nobody gets near.
3) Jamie T - Panic Prevention (Essential listening: 'Salvador', 'Calm Down Dearest')
You could listen to this 1000 times and still come away with something new each time. So much going on and every song has it's own unique identity. Essential.
Anna, Flying With Anna
1) Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
See BAOTD list.
2) Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold (Essential listening: 'The Horse And I', 'Sad Eyes')
This is an album I never get tired of, Natasha Khan is without a doubt one of the most creative and original artists of the last 10 years and this album shows all of that off.
3) Mumford And Sons - Sigh No More
I loved Mumford And Sons for over a year before this album came out and had already seen them live 3 times, so I had high expectations for this album. And it completely lived up and went beyond my expectations. From the gorgeous harmonies in the starter track 'Sigh No More' to the gentle whisperings of 'After The Storm', this album is perfect.
Tara, The Music Journal
1) Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Probably not the most original choice, but you can't deny that this first album of haphazard guitars and stunningly well-crafted lyrics was beyond spectacular. Like Blur and Pulp before them, in this album Arctic Monkeys captured the hearts of people with their insightful social commentaries, ridiculously good riffs and that boyish naivete. Needless to say, Arctic Monkeys were probably the most exciting thing to happen to British music this decade, finally bringing some decent alternative rock into the mainstream.
2) Mystery Jets - 21 (Essential listening: 'Hideaway', 'Two Doors Down')
From sugary pop songs, '80s style power-ballads, dirty electro to beautifully introspective songs with quivering vocals, this album seemed to go one step on from debut album, 'Making Dens', keeping their bizarre, quirky Mystery Jets sound whilst picking up several other genres and excelling beautifully at them. It shouldn't work, but it really does, and considering this decade seems to have dedicated a lot of time to harking back to the 1980's, this album serves as a fine exemplar for just what this decade in British music was about.
MYSTERY JETS - FLAKES
3) Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
See BAOTD list.
Simon, Sweeping The Nation
1) Life Without Buildings - Any Other City
See BATD list.
2) Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas (Essential listening: 'To Hell With Good Intentions', 'Gareth Brown Says')
Andy Falkous briefly became a cause celebre earlier this year for his blog after Future Of The Left's album leak, but he should have been paraded around every town and city long ago just for being the most spiteful, funniest, angriest and most compellingly, sarcastically misanthropic British frontman in years, perhaps decades, maybe ever. With Steve Albini recording everything ends up louder than everything else, lyrical barbs and madness abound, and even the ballad's called 'Fuck This Band' ("cos they swear too much").
3) The Futureheads - The Futureheads (Essential listening: 'Le Garage', 'First Day')
Many went all angular during the decade, but none did it with the skill, speed, wit or add-ons - the four-part harmonies, the breakdowns, the almost complete lack of standard verse-chorus-verse structure and, yeah, alright, the ingenuity with a cover version - of the Mackem majesties' debut.
Jehan, Shattered Satellite
1) Elle Milano - Acres Of Dead Space Cadets (Essential listening: 'The Nightclub Is Over', 'Wonderfully Wonderful')
A record of decaying, apocalyptic beauty defined by contradictory attitudes. Complete post-modern disdain for rock 'n' roll, the "industry" and everything in between coupled with a thrilling example of the possibilities of 'rock 'n' roll' in the 21st century. Watch out for the ever-prolific Adam Crisp and his new project, Entrepreneurs. Their deranged, glitchy hip hop sound will hit the airwaves in 2010.
2) The Libertines - Up The Bracket (Essential listening: 'Death On The Stairs', 'Up The Bracket')
I never realized it was my favourite album until it I just couldn't stop playing it. Of course by this time, it was late 2004 and the band had already thrillingly dissolved. This probably only preserves the mystique further, as every other band I've wanted to see over the last decade I have. 'Death On The Stairs' is my favourite, it has a delicate poise about it that gently hints at the imminent maelstrom but kindly keeps schtum.
3) Electric Soft Parade - The American Adventure (Essential listening: 'The American Adventure', 'Chaos'
The Electric Soft Parade's criminally underrated murky prog pop masterpiece takes the bronze. The sprawling seven minute centerpiece of a title track is in my mind the best three-songs-in-one to emerge from these shores since 'Paranoid Android'. The canon that kicks in just shy of four minutes is sheer stereo perfection.
Tim, The Blue Walrus
1) Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (Essential listening: 'Take Me Out', 'Darts of Pleasure')
They really started the movement to bring clever, engaging, danceable indie back into fashion and this album was one that I never got bored of listening to it over and over again on my gap year.
2) Jamie T - Kings & Queens (Essential listening: 'Hocus Pocus', 'Emily's Heart')
I thought about putting 'Panic Prevention' on here, as Jamie T is one of my top three artists of the decade, but 'Kings & Queens' is better as it is more than overly polished versions of his fantastic demos. This shows off the breadth of his influences to a better extent.
3) The Maccabees - Colour It In (Essential listening: 'Latchmere', 'First Love')
A brilliant mixture of ballads and danceable pop about love, life and swimming pools.
David, Separated By Motorways
1) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
2. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City (Essential listening: 'The Leanover', 'The Sorrow')
Although I can't say I've listened to it that much, considering it was released in 2001, the fact it was the only proper album they ever made before splitting up makes this half spoke/half sung art pop album something I could repeatedly listen to over and over again.
3. The XX - The XX (Essential listening: 'VCR', 'Crystalised')
Despite only being out a couple of months, this is an album I can see me still reguarly listen to in a decades time when every other band will be citing them as a major influence.
Phil Singer, There Goes The Fear
1) Idlewild - The Remote Part
I caught 'American English' on the radio and it simply set my ears alight, a gem of a tune that still sounds immense live after 7 years, and I immediately checked out the album and their back catalogue. The band had ditched their heavier sound of '100 Broken Windows' for a more mainstream sound, and I loved the anthemic nature of 'Tell Me Ten Words', 'You Held The World In Your Arms' and 'Live In A Hiding Place'. At the other end of the spectrum, 'In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction' is simply beautiful, a gorgeous closing tune that just caps off the collection.
2) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
3) Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song
This is a relatively new addition to my record collection, only stumbling across Frank earlier this year. Insightful, eloquent and amusing, the collection is completely without a dud track. It's slightly folksy in places ('To Take You Home'), slightly mainstream in others ('Reasons Not To Be An Idiot'), shockingly well observed sadness ('Jet Lag') and wonderfully cathartic observations ('Long Live The Queen') mean that this hasn't been out of my iTunes playlists since January.
Matthew, Song By Toad
1) Radiohead - Kid A
See BAOTD list.
2) Blur - Think Tank (Essential listening: 'Ambulance', 'Out Of Time')
I think of Blur as one of the great 90s bands ('Parklife', 'Blur', '13', emphatically NOT 'The Great Escape'), but even without Graham Coxon to produce an album this good so long after their last recording, and despite Damon Albarn's dalliances with Gorillaz and so on, seems really rather impressive. Given all the Libertines and White Stripes hype, and the flashy comings and goings of shitty haircut bands who are no more than grist to the NME's relentlessly unimaginative mill, it seems reassuring that not one of these flash harrys managed to exceed the achievements of a band who I suppose you'd have to describe as old stagers these days.
3) King Creosote - Rocket DIY (Essential listening: 'Saffy Nool', 'Twin Tub Twin')
A record which embodies the most important trend in the music industry over the last ten years: the audience slipping from the grasp of the major labels, the childish Disney rubbish which has since taken over the Billboard Charts and the sudden opportunity for independent labels and unsigned bands to make a major impact on their own terms. King Creosote and Fence Records are just one such group, and if you ask me it's just about the most positive development I could ever have imagined when the first tremors of the Napster panic began to shake the establishment in 2000.
Robin, Breaking More Waves
1) Radiohead - In Rainbows
See BAOTD list.
2) Rachel Unthank And The Winterset - The Bairns (Essential listening: 'Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk', 'Fareweel Regality')
With 'The Bairns', Rachel Unthank and the Winterset set their stall out in tradition. That tradition was in folk music, and in particular Northumbrian folk music. From it they created something devastatingly gorgeous from songs passed down through the generations. With sparse instrumentation of subtle strings and mournful piano combining with the melancholy harmonies of Rachel and Becky Unthank, 'The Bairns' is a gut wrenchingly bleak but beautiful listen. Songs concerning domestic abuse, infant mortality and the loss of innocence may not sound like the most pleasurable of listens, but when every frosty note is arranged to such perfection, then they can become utterly and totally bewitching. 'The Bairns' is an incredible and timeless recording.
3) Girls Aloud - Chemistry
Of course it is easy to mock Girls Aloud, but here’s a funny thing - 'Chemistry' is actually a dizzyingly great pop album. It’s full of great electro pop production and big hooks, with lead single 'Biology' having about ten of them. With 'Chemistry' Girls Aloud did the unthinkable and produced something for those who were prepared to listen with open ears that was sassy, fun, sexy and packed full of brilliant tunes. It wasn’t meant for the dustbin.
1) Bullet Union – Ruin's Domino (Essential listening: 'Three Cherries Straight', 'Yak Yak Yak You're Fired!')
I love the sound of this record. The satisfying thud of drums, the scratchy intensity of the guitars and that croak every time lead singer, Jodie's, voice strains too hard. Every second packs in more energy than a case load of Red Bull. Ruin's Domino has given me wings since 2004.
BULLET UNION - I DON'T LIKE WHO YOU'RE HANGING OUT WITH
2)The Streets – Original Pirate Material
The heady summer of 2002 was soundtracked by 'Original Pirate Material'. My brother bought it in the airport on the way to a two-week, family holiday in Corsica and the sounds of Mike Skinner and a two-step beat filled every rented-car journey. At times epic ('Turn The Page', 'Weak Becomes Heroes'), at others witty ('The Irony Of It All', 'Don't Mug Yourself') Original Pirate Material is album of its time that still sounds vital today.
3) Thom Yorke – The Eraser (Essential listening: 'The Clock', 'Black Swan')
It took a year or so for 'The Eraser' to make sense in my head but, now, I think its fantastic. Those opening piano chords to the title track, the spitting-rain drumbeat that kicks off 'The Clock', every song has a touch of magic about it and Yorke's vocals were laden with melancholic hopefulness. Not just Radiohead offcuts.
Matthew, The Pigeon Post
1) Tom Vek - We Have Sound (Essential listening: 'Nothing But Green Lights', 'C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)')
He's an enigma, and when he is going to follow this masterpiece up, nobody knows. But it still sounds fresh, which is wonderful - 'Nothing But Green Lights' pops about with the same vigour as if it was going to be released next week, and despite the fact it's nearly 5 years old, it's more advanced than anything you're likely to hear now.
2) Forward, Russia - Give Me A Wall (Essential listening: 'Twelve', 'Thirteen')
The sound of my later teenage years. It was fast, furious and filled with some of the most ambitious and ambigous lyrics around. On record, they were excellent, in the flesh they were phenomenal - and the story of 'Give Me A Wall' completely encapsulates everything great about the DIY ethic. 'Give Me A Wall' still sends shivers down my spine.
3)The Libertines - Up The Bracket
See British Albums Of The Decade list.
Jamie, Music Fan's Mic
1) Radiohead - Amnesiac (Essential listening: 'I Might Be Wrong', 'Pyramid Song')
Perhaps accounting Thom Yorke at an absolute low, with less flow but more bona-fide songs than 'Kid A', but ten times more terrifying at times. A b-sides album this is not.
2) Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim (Essential listening: 'Ghosts', 'Cross Your Fingers')
I just get the sense that Laura Marling going to grow and grow into a really respected artist and that 'Alas...', her debut, will be looked upon as a flawless starting point. A bruised, delicate affair on growing up.
3) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
David, And Everyone's A DJ
1) Primal Scream - XTRMNTR
Coming out at the very start of the century, I remember thinking at the time that this was what I'd hoped rock'n'roll would sound like in the future. 'Accelerator' was a screaming punk beast what held no punches, and was played with a ferocity that made you bleed. 'Swastika Eyes' was an STD-ridden, disco romp, with a Sophie Dahl starring video that was dangerous, sexy and political all in one go.
In fact politics around the turn of the century was a common theme that ran through this record, from this, 'Blood Money' and the title track, even through to the albums artwork and decision by the band to include literature regarding the false imprisonment of Satpal Ram in the liner notes, for a 17 year old it was the first time I'd seen a band get political and still remain musically interesting.
2) The Streets - Original Pirate Material
See BAOTD list.
3) Tim Burgess - I Believe
While The Charlatans make what could be easily described as meat and potato guitar rock, this is a breezy, laid back acoustic adventure, taking influences from Gram Parsons, early-Beach Boys, Motown and soul. Stand-out tracks like 'Oh My Corazon', 'Years Ago' and 'Po' Boy Soul' are deliciously drenched in Americana, while album closer, 'All I Ever Do', could have easily been cut by Berry Gordy in 1965. 7 years on, and this record still sounds great to me.
JC, The Vinyl Villain
1) Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (Essential listening: 'Fast Blood', 'My Backwards Walk')
The best new band to emerge from Scotland this decade. And this is their best record to date. Not since The Smiths released 'The Queen Is Dead' have I metaphorically played a record to death - ie at least three times a week in its entirety for about six months in a row. And even now, I still cant tell you what my favourite track is as it depends on how happy/sad/drunk/melancholy I am at any particular time. Quite simply.....a record I know I will still be enjoying in its entirety until my dying day.
2) Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
See BAOTD list.
3) Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (Essential listening: 'Graffiti', 'Going Missing')
'A Certain Trigger' is an LP without a bum tune across its 13 tracks and 39 minutes - and one that made me want to pick up my tennis racket and jump round the bedroom just as I did when I was partying back in 1976/77. Pop-punk of the finest kind.
Will, The Cold Cut
1. Patrick Wolf – Lycanthropy
A precocious teenager with an obsession for Werewolf mythology arrives with a fully formed debut album. From the deeply disturbing 'The Childcatcher' and introspective 'London' to pop-tinged 'Bloodbeat', it heralded Wolf's arrival in style.
2) Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare (Essential listening: 'Teddypicker', 'Fluorescent Adolescent')
The Sheffield superstars progressed from their fantastic debut in the only way they knew how, by beefing up their sound. Alex Turner's lyrics were still verging on genius, and the rest of the band added momentum on heavy tracks including 'Teddypicker'.
3) Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
One of the best bands in recent memory emerged with their most comfortable sound to date. Recent efforts have eschewed their indie roots, but 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter' had serious crossover pedigree, emerging as club favourites.
David, It's Getting Boring By The Sea
1) The Libertines - Up The Bracket (Essential listening: 'Time For Heroes', 'I Get Along')
Everything a 15 year old from a provincial seaside town thinks rock n roll is. Romantic, exciting, dangerous and beautiful.
2) Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner (Essential listening: 'I Luv U', 'Fix Up Look Sharp')
The sound of the underground made real. Aggressive but thoughtful, funny and smart this album bursts with innovation, beats and wit. Countless have tried to follow but nobody gets near.
3) Jamie T - Panic Prevention (Essential listening: 'Salvador', 'Calm Down Dearest')
You could listen to this 1000 times and still come away with something new each time. So much going on and every song has it's own unique identity. Essential.
Anna, Flying With Anna
1) Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
See BAOTD list.
2) Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold (Essential listening: 'The Horse And I', 'Sad Eyes')
This is an album I never get tired of, Natasha Khan is without a doubt one of the most creative and original artists of the last 10 years and this album shows all of that off.
3) Mumford And Sons - Sigh No More
I loved Mumford And Sons for over a year before this album came out and had already seen them live 3 times, so I had high expectations for this album. And it completely lived up and went beyond my expectations. From the gorgeous harmonies in the starter track 'Sigh No More' to the gentle whisperings of 'After The Storm', this album is perfect.
Tara, The Music Journal
1) Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Probably not the most original choice, but you can't deny that this first album of haphazard guitars and stunningly well-crafted lyrics was beyond spectacular. Like Blur and Pulp before them, in this album Arctic Monkeys captured the hearts of people with their insightful social commentaries, ridiculously good riffs and that boyish naivete. Needless to say, Arctic Monkeys were probably the most exciting thing to happen to British music this decade, finally bringing some decent alternative rock into the mainstream.
2) Mystery Jets - 21 (Essential listening: 'Hideaway', 'Two Doors Down')
From sugary pop songs, '80s style power-ballads, dirty electro to beautifully introspective songs with quivering vocals, this album seemed to go one step on from debut album, 'Making Dens', keeping their bizarre, quirky Mystery Jets sound whilst picking up several other genres and excelling beautifully at them. It shouldn't work, but it really does, and considering this decade seems to have dedicated a lot of time to harking back to the 1980's, this album serves as a fine exemplar for just what this decade in British music was about.
MYSTERY JETS - FLAKES
3) Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
See BAOTD list.
Simon, Sweeping The Nation
1) Life Without Buildings - Any Other City
See BATD list.
2) Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas (Essential listening: 'To Hell With Good Intentions', 'Gareth Brown Says')
Andy Falkous briefly became a cause celebre earlier this year for his blog after Future Of The Left's album leak, but he should have been paraded around every town and city long ago just for being the most spiteful, funniest, angriest and most compellingly, sarcastically misanthropic British frontman in years, perhaps decades, maybe ever. With Steve Albini recording everything ends up louder than everything else, lyrical barbs and madness abound, and even the ballad's called 'Fuck This Band' ("cos they swear too much").
3) The Futureheads - The Futureheads (Essential listening: 'Le Garage', 'First Day')
Many went all angular during the decade, but none did it with the skill, speed, wit or add-ons - the four-part harmonies, the breakdowns, the almost complete lack of standard verse-chorus-verse structure and, yeah, alright, the ingenuity with a cover version - of the Mackem majesties' debut.
Jehan, Shattered Satellite
1) Elle Milano - Acres Of Dead Space Cadets (Essential listening: 'The Nightclub Is Over', 'Wonderfully Wonderful')
A record of decaying, apocalyptic beauty defined by contradictory attitudes. Complete post-modern disdain for rock 'n' roll, the "industry" and everything in between coupled with a thrilling example of the possibilities of 'rock 'n' roll' in the 21st century. Watch out for the ever-prolific Adam Crisp and his new project, Entrepreneurs. Their deranged, glitchy hip hop sound will hit the airwaves in 2010.
2) The Libertines - Up The Bracket (Essential listening: 'Death On The Stairs', 'Up The Bracket')
I never realized it was my favourite album until it I just couldn't stop playing it. Of course by this time, it was late 2004 and the band had already thrillingly dissolved. This probably only preserves the mystique further, as every other band I've wanted to see over the last decade I have. 'Death On The Stairs' is my favourite, it has a delicate poise about it that gently hints at the imminent maelstrom but kindly keeps schtum.
3) Electric Soft Parade - The American Adventure (Essential listening: 'The American Adventure', 'Chaos'
The Electric Soft Parade's criminally underrated murky prog pop masterpiece takes the bronze. The sprawling seven minute centerpiece of a title track is in my mind the best three-songs-in-one to emerge from these shores since 'Paranoid Android'. The canon that kicks in just shy of four minutes is sheer stereo perfection.
Tim, The Blue Walrus
1) Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (Essential listening: 'Take Me Out', 'Darts of Pleasure')
They really started the movement to bring clever, engaging, danceable indie back into fashion and this album was one that I never got bored of listening to it over and over again on my gap year.
2) Jamie T - Kings & Queens (Essential listening: 'Hocus Pocus', 'Emily's Heart')
I thought about putting 'Panic Prevention' on here, as Jamie T is one of my top three artists of the decade, but 'Kings & Queens' is better as it is more than overly polished versions of his fantastic demos. This shows off the breadth of his influences to a better extent.
3) The Maccabees - Colour It In (Essential listening: 'Latchmere', 'First Love')
A brilliant mixture of ballads and danceable pop about love, life and swimming pools.
David, Separated By Motorways
1) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
2. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City (Essential listening: 'The Leanover', 'The Sorrow')
Although I can't say I've listened to it that much, considering it was released in 2001, the fact it was the only proper album they ever made before splitting up makes this half spoke/half sung art pop album something I could repeatedly listen to over and over again.
3. The XX - The XX (Essential listening: 'VCR', 'Crystalised')
Despite only being out a couple of months, this is an album I can see me still reguarly listen to in a decades time when every other band will be citing them as a major influence.
Phil Singer, There Goes The Fear
1) Idlewild - The Remote Part
I caught 'American English' on the radio and it simply set my ears alight, a gem of a tune that still sounds immense live after 7 years, and I immediately checked out the album and their back catalogue. The band had ditched their heavier sound of '100 Broken Windows' for a more mainstream sound, and I loved the anthemic nature of 'Tell Me Ten Words', 'You Held The World In Your Arms' and 'Live In A Hiding Place'. At the other end of the spectrum, 'In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction' is simply beautiful, a gorgeous closing tune that just caps off the collection.
2) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
See BAOTD list.
3) Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song
This is a relatively new addition to my record collection, only stumbling across Frank earlier this year. Insightful, eloquent and amusing, the collection is completely without a dud track. It's slightly folksy in places ('To Take You Home'), slightly mainstream in others ('Reasons Not To Be An Idiot'), shockingly well observed sadness ('Jet Lag') and wonderfully cathartic observations ('Long Live The Queen') mean that this hasn't been out of my iTunes playlists since January.
Matthew, Song By Toad
1) Radiohead - Kid A
See BAOTD list.
2) Blur - Think Tank (Essential listening: 'Ambulance', 'Out Of Time')
I think of Blur as one of the great 90s bands ('Parklife', 'Blur', '13', emphatically NOT 'The Great Escape'), but even without Graham Coxon to produce an album this good so long after their last recording, and despite Damon Albarn's dalliances with Gorillaz and so on, seems really rather impressive. Given all the Libertines and White Stripes hype, and the flashy comings and goings of shitty haircut bands who are no more than grist to the NME's relentlessly unimaginative mill, it seems reassuring that not one of these flash harrys managed to exceed the achievements of a band who I suppose you'd have to describe as old stagers these days.
3) King Creosote - Rocket DIY (Essential listening: 'Saffy Nool', 'Twin Tub Twin')
A record which embodies the most important trend in the music industry over the last ten years: the audience slipping from the grasp of the major labels, the childish Disney rubbish which has since taken over the Billboard Charts and the sudden opportunity for independent labels and unsigned bands to make a major impact on their own terms. King Creosote and Fence Records are just one such group, and if you ask me it's just about the most positive development I could ever have imagined when the first tremors of the Napster panic began to shake the establishment in 2000.
Robin, Breaking More Waves
1) Radiohead - In Rainbows
See BAOTD list.
2) Rachel Unthank And The Winterset - The Bairns (Essential listening: 'Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk', 'Fareweel Regality')
With 'The Bairns', Rachel Unthank and the Winterset set their stall out in tradition. That tradition was in folk music, and in particular Northumbrian folk music. From it they created something devastatingly gorgeous from songs passed down through the generations. With sparse instrumentation of subtle strings and mournful piano combining with the melancholy harmonies of Rachel and Becky Unthank, 'The Bairns' is a gut wrenchingly bleak but beautiful listen. Songs concerning domestic abuse, infant mortality and the loss of innocence may not sound like the most pleasurable of listens, but when every frosty note is arranged to such perfection, then they can become utterly and totally bewitching. 'The Bairns' is an incredible and timeless recording.
3) Girls Aloud - Chemistry
Of course it is easy to mock Girls Aloud, but here’s a funny thing - 'Chemistry' is actually a dizzyingly great pop album. It’s full of great electro pop production and big hooks, with lead single 'Biology' having about ten of them. With 'Chemistry' Girls Aloud did the unthinkable and produced something for those who were prepared to listen with open ears that was sassy, fun, sexy and packed full of brilliant tunes. It wasn’t meant for the dustbin.
Honourable mentions:
- Placebo - Black Market Music, Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour, Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires, Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself, The Sunshine Underground - Raise The Alarm, Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now Youngster (Phil, There Goes The Fear)
- MIA, Klaxons, Amy Winehouse, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Test-Icicles, These New Puritans (David, It's Getting Boring By The Sea)
- The Wave Pictures - Sophie, Meursault - Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues (Matthew, Song By Toad)
The complete results of the blogger poll (all 24 entrants and their submissions) are on Google Docs and should be able to view without signing in.
on Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Twenty or so British bloggers contributed to this list of their favourite British albums of the decade. I asked them to rank their top three albums and have listed the Top 10 (unfortuntely, the MySpace throwback of a Top 8 was scuppered). I attributed ten points to their #1 choices, seven points to their #2 choices and four points to their #3 choices.
This slightly bizarre scoring system was conconcted to emphasise albums which may have received multiple votes, considering the small sample size. Massive thanks to everyone who took part - Tim at The Daily Growl // Imran at Abeano // Will at The Cold Cut // David at It's Getting Boring By The Sea // Whiskas at Nyevsky Prospect // Sid at Music Liberation // Tim at funfunfun // Jamila at Fucking Dance // Ed at 17 Seconds // Tim at The Blue Walrus // Jehan at Shattered Satellite. And all the bloggers below, of course.
UPDATE: All the blogger choices can be found on this document and for more detailed blurbs, see here, here and here.
For a Spotify playlist of the tracks from this post, click this.
Over fifty albums were voted for, here are the top ten as voted for by 24 British music bloggers:
10TH. Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
Essential listening: 'The Horse And I', 'What's A Girl To Do'
2 votes - 2nd + 3rd = 11 points
JOINT 7TH. Radiohead - Kid A
Essential listening: 'Everything In Its Right Place', 'Idioteque'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
JOINT 7TH. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City
Essential listening: 'PS Exclusive', 'The Leanover'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
JOINT 7TH. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
Essential listening: 'My Manic And I', 'Ghosts'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
JOINT 5th. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Essential listening: '15 Step', 'Weird Fishes'
2 votes - 1st + 1st = 20 points
JOINT 5TH. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
Essential listening: 'I Feel Better', 'Keep Yourself Warm'
2 votes - 1st + 1st = 20 points
JOINT 3RD. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
Essential listening: 'Time For Heroes', 'Death On The Stairs'
3 votes - 1st, 2nd + 3rd = 21 points
JOINT 3RD. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Essential listening: 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor', 'When The Sun Goes Down'
3 votes - 1st, 2nd + 3rd = 21 points
2ND. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Essential listening: 'Let's Push Things Forward', 'Stay Positive'
4 votes - 1st, 1st, 2nd, + 2nd = 34 points
1ST. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Essential listening: 'So Here We Are', 'Banquet'
5 votes - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd + 3rd = 35 points
So there you have it. I genuinely expected one of the Radiohead albums to top this poll. Turns out they've made too many good albums so bloggers couldn't decide which to choose as their first choice. I should point out that disregarding my vote in this poll (as well as using a more obvious scoring system) would elevate 'Original Pirate Material' to the top spot.
All the bloggers' choices will be put up on the blog shortly, complete with blurbs (if provided). A more wide reaching poll (over 200 contributors) will be published over the weekend, with any luck.
This slightly bizarre scoring system was conconcted to emphasise albums which may have received multiple votes, considering the small sample size. Massive thanks to everyone who took part - Tim at The Daily Growl // Imran at Abeano // Will at The Cold Cut // David at It's Getting Boring By The Sea // Whiskas at Nyevsky Prospect // Sid at Music Liberation // Tim at funfunfun // Jamila at Fucking Dance // Ed at 17 Seconds // Tim at The Blue Walrus // Jehan at Shattered Satellite. And all the bloggers below, of course.
UPDATE: All the blogger choices can be found on this document and for more detailed blurbs, see here, here and here.
For a Spotify playlist of the tracks from this post, click this.
Over fifty albums were voted for, here are the top ten as voted for by 24 British music bloggers:
10TH. Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
Essential listening: 'The Horse And I', 'What's A Girl To Do'
2 votes - 2nd + 3rd = 11 points
"Out of all the female solo artists everyone's been hyping this side of 2000, Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes is by far the least annoying and contrived, and certainly the most lovely to listen to. This, her debut album, introduced the world to weird and wonderful songs about wizards and whirlwind romances, her delicate yet powerful vocals complimented by a mystical array of instruments old and new - harpsichord, anyone? 'Fur And Gold' may not have had that much mainstream success, but for those who heard it, this album is a treasure, almost like a secret shared between just you and Khan. Magical." (Tara, The Music Journal)
JOINT 7TH. Radiohead - Kid A
Essential listening: 'Everything In Its Right Place', 'Idioteque'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
"In terms of influence, impact and sheer courageous brilliance I can't really look beyond 'Kid A' by Radiohead. I remember the nervous excitement when it was released. It was thrillingly shocking - even after 'OK Computer' people still thought of Radiohead as a guitar band, for the most part, and the idea of anything that weird smashing its way into the charts the way it did just seemed crazy. It effectively blasted away the cobwebs forming around guitar-based pop music which had been accumulating since the decline of Britpop and announced in no uncertain terms that as far as music was concerned the nineties were OVER! And when I hear the likes of Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective I really do think that the effects of that album are still being felt today, irrespective of the fact that as far as I am concerned Radiohead haven't released anything even decent since Amnesiac." (Matthew, Song, By Toad )
JOINT 7TH. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City
Essential listening: 'PS Exclusive', 'The Leanover'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
"It may have drawn from a similar post-punk well to many of those that followed and been namechecked by Bloc Party and Maximo Park among others as key inspirations, but nobody has since come near the sheer incongruous power of this, their only album, let alone Sue Tompkins' scatter graph of a stream of conscious sung-spoken vocal style. Nearly nine years on it still sounds ultra-fresh and vital." (Simon, Sweeping The Nation)
JOINT 7TH. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
Essential listening: 'My Manic And I', 'Ghosts'
2 votes - 1st + 2nd = 17 points
"This album opened my eyes to British folk. Without this album I would not be blogging, I would not go to a crazy amount of gigs and I probably wouldn't be listening to any of the British music I listen to today. The album screams beauty, and her haunting voice and poetry still amazes me. This album quite literally changed by life, and especially my view on music, and this is why it is my album of the decade." (Anna, Flying With Anna)
JOINT 5th. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Essential listening: '15 Step', 'Weird Fishes'
2 votes - 1st + 1st = 20 points
"As the decade closes, illegal downloading is the singular most complex issue the established music industry has had to deal with for years. 'In Rainbows' is one of the most important albums of the decade not just because of the music, but also because of its method of sales and distribution.
However, once the excitement of what Radiohead were doing with In Rainbows subsided, what we are left with is the music. This is where In Rainbows stands the test of time. From the floating ambience of 'Nude', which gathered further fame by being used in haunting and visually sexual trailer for the TV show 'Skins', to the beguiling ghost blues of 'House Of Cards', 'In Rainbows' is a beautiful album that remains their simplest and warmest piece of work. You cannot put a price on beauty." (Robin, Breaking More Waves)
JOINT 5TH. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
Essential listening: 'I Feel Better', 'Keep Yourself Warm'
2 votes - 1st + 1st = 20 points
"For the past few years the music blogosphere has been dominated by namecheck-friendly American bands such as The National, Band Of Horses, Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Wilco and TV On The Radio. But 'Midnight Organ Fight' changed all that and finally ensured Britain had a group who would be revered - globally - for their creative talents. The record confirmed Scott Hutchison as a devastatingly sharp songwriter and Frightened Rabbit as a pop band like no other." (Jason, The Pop Cop)
JOINT 3RD. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
Essential listening: 'Time For Heroes', 'Death On The Stairs'
3 votes - 1st, 2nd + 3rd = 21 points
"Though I may have listened to the follow-up a lot more, the debut still rings true. of course, the slew of terrible bands trying to copy the formula soon followed, as well as Pete and Carl later trotting out several boring records, but the energy and excitement is still all there. I barely still listen to it, but there's no way that this isn't one of the most important albums of the decade, like it or not." (Matthew, The Pigeon Post)
JOINT 3RD. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Essential listening: 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor', 'When The Sun Goes Down'
3 votes - 1st, 2nd + 3rd = 21 points
"OK, so it's a bit obvious. But what's not to like about a debut that had top tunes combined with the some of the most incisive and hilarious lyrics put to paper since Mozza was in his prime with his old band. It proved once again that its not so grim up north." (JC, The Vinyl Villain)
2ND. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Essential listening: 'Let's Push Things Forward', 'Stay Positive'
4 votes - 1st, 1st, 2nd, + 2nd = 34 points
"What I love about this record is that it's quite literally the record dreams are made of. Anyone who has even a passing interest in music, has thought to themselves ".....I love that tune, wish I could do something like that" but they've always been a bit too shy to ask someone for help, or opinion, so they stay in their bedroom working on their "music". But 'Original Pirate Material' changed the game, and with the advent of modern technology, making well produced records in bedrooms was no longer the impossible dream.
Original Pirate Material doesn't answer any of the great questions of life. It's just an album about smoking weed, London Underground Travel Cards, bangin' garage nights, and 64's and Playstations. Simple aspects of modern life that we can all relate to. Sadly for the majority of us, it's pretty hard to make something this good, that's this simple, but for Mike Skinner, the everyman poet, the quiet Brummie kid of the Barrett Homes class, a true diamond geezer, it would appear it wasn't that hard at all." (David, And Everyone's A DJ)
1ST. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Essential listening: 'So Here We Are', 'Banquet'
5 votes - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd + 3rd = 35 points
"The Quintessential indie album of the 00's and probably the one I've spent the most time listening to. 'This Modern Love' and 'So Here We Are' still give me shivers, 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter' still make me want to just lose it." (David, Separated By Motorways)
"From the spiky, angry "why'd you have to get..." refrain of 'Positive Tension' to the modern day festival anthem of 'So Here We Are', it's not got a dud track on it." (Phil, There Goes The Fear)
"Angst and nothing but; Bloc Party's debut is a glorious, rarely flawed debut effort with so much energy and emotion it never has and never will be topped by the band." (Jamie, Music Fan's Mic)
++++++
So there you have it. I genuinely expected one of the Radiohead albums to top this poll. Turns out they've made too many good albums so bloggers couldn't decide which to choose as their first choice. I should point out that disregarding my vote in this poll (as well as using a more obvious scoring system) would elevate 'Original Pirate Material' to the top spot.
All the bloggers' choices will be put up on the blog shortly, complete with blurbs (if provided). A more wide reaching poll (over 200 contributors) will be published over the weekend, with any luck.
on Sunday, December 20, 2009
Rage Against The Machine are Christmas #1. I still think it was a stupid campaign. Life goes on. After publishing Jamila Fucking Dance's three favourite British albums of the decade, I'm now about to share another blogger's set, Whiskas of Nyevsky Prospect. Whiskas might be more familiar to some of you as a member of ¡Forward, Russia! or former head honcho of the Dance To The Radio record label. These days, he's focusing more on production and his "solo" project (Honour Before Glory), as well as some other bits and bobs.
The results of the blogger poll will be up shortly (with the results of a wider poll out not long after) but with none of Whiskas' choices making the top list, you can check them out below.
3. Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies - Let's Get Going.... You're Fracturing Me With Your Misery
Essential listening: 'Give An Infinity For, Or Leave The Building' and 'The If Works'
Technically a mini-album, but from the opening guitar assault and woop, this music leaves you confused, like the warm feeling where you've drunk a little too much. Destined to be the mainstream poster boys for the UK underground, but never were, this is a beautiful album of naive ideas thrown together by ambition and exuberance.
2. Duels - The Barbarians Move In
Essential listening: 'Sleeping Giants' and 'Forgotten Babies'
The closest the UK got to an unashamed, unblemished album of scope and grandeur of one pure and dogged vision. Critically lauded just doesn't cut it enough in the UK.
1. This Ain't Vegas - The Black Lung Captain
Essential listening: 'Promotion' and 'Ku Jumping'
This album was everything I hoped the stale mainstream post-punk genre would become, more Fugazi, less... I don't know. You wanted dance beats? Leave it to James Murphy. I wanted vitriol. Bloc Party's early singles hinted at it, and The Rakes flirted with it, but nothing came close to this.
Thanks again to Whiskas, head over to his blog, Nyevsky Prospect. Also if anyone fancies joining in, I'm running a more open poll (200 entries already compiled) on people's favourite British albums of the decade. Firstly, check the criteria below then list your three favourite (note: not "best", whatever that means) British albums, ranked in order of importance. Email me at music[at]fadedglamour.co.uk with your choices. You have until midnight on the 21st so have a think and act fast.
CRITERIA:
- UK release date from Jan 1 2000 - well, now.
- Sorry, no Irish albums. Bit of an arbitrary decision, nothing against Northern Ireland/Eire.
- No compilations/soundtracks/reissues.
The results of the blogger poll will be up shortly (with the results of a wider poll out not long after) but with none of Whiskas' choices making the top list, you can check them out below.
3. Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies - Let's Get Going.... You're Fracturing Me With Your Misery
Essential listening: 'Give An Infinity For, Or Leave The Building' and 'The If Works'
Technically a mini-album, but from the opening guitar assault and woop, this music leaves you confused, like the warm feeling where you've drunk a little too much. Destined to be the mainstream poster boys for the UK underground, but never were, this is a beautiful album of naive ideas thrown together by ambition and exuberance.
2. Duels - The Barbarians Move In
Essential listening: 'Sleeping Giants' and 'Forgotten Babies'
The closest the UK got to an unashamed, unblemished album of scope and grandeur of one pure and dogged vision. Critically lauded just doesn't cut it enough in the UK.
1. This Ain't Vegas - The Black Lung Captain
Essential listening: 'Promotion' and 'Ku Jumping'
This album was everything I hoped the stale mainstream post-punk genre would become, more Fugazi, less... I don't know. You wanted dance beats? Leave it to James Murphy. I wanted vitriol. Bloc Party's early singles hinted at it, and The Rakes flirted with it, but nothing came close to this.
+++++
Thanks again to Whiskas, head over to his blog, Nyevsky Prospect. Also if anyone fancies joining in, I'm running a more open poll (200 entries already compiled) on people's favourite British albums of the decade. Firstly, check the criteria below then list your three favourite (note: not "best", whatever that means) British albums, ranked in order of importance. Email me at music[at]fadedglamour.co.uk with your choices. You have until midnight on the 21st so have a think and act fast.
CRITERIA:
- UK release date from Jan 1 2000 - well, now.
- Sorry, no Irish albums. Bit of an arbitrary decision, nothing against Northern Ireland/Eire.
- No compilations/soundtracks/reissues.
on Saturday, December 19, 2009
Over the last few weeks, I asked British bloggers to join in a feature I'll be running on 'British Albums Of The Decade'. The final scores have been totted up so I thought it'd be a good idea to give some of the albums which haven't come in the Top 8 (MySpace was a pretty big feature of the Noughties right?) some due care and attention.
The first set of albums comes from Jamila, who runs the effortlessly cool Fucking Dance blog. She sent me a disclaimer saying she was only 10 years old when the decade started. Which makes me feel a bit like a pensioner, even though I'd only just turned 13. It's my 23rd birthday today, by the way. Shower me with gifts. Anyways, here's what Jamila had to say about her favourite three British albums from 2000-2009.
3. M.I.A - Arular (2005)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'Galang' and 'Bucky Done Gun'
"What. An. Album. This was like nothing I’d ever heard before because it was like nothing anyone had heard before. Truly a unique collection of songs, and whilst ‘Kala’ miiiight just be better, it didn’t have the same “wtf is this” impact as ‘Arular’ did. Lots of middle ages white people began throwing around the word ‘urban’ to show how in touch they were with the “yoof” after Dizzee’s ‘Boy In Da Corner’ but that is almost incomparable to the amount of people who (wrongly) began to feel like they were on the same page as hyper-intelligent, politically minded inner city kids after they heard tracks like ‘Galang’ and ‘Bucky Done Gun’. A genuine British talent with a mind-expanding album."
2. Whitey – The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train (2005)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'Non Stop' and 'Y.U.H.2.B.M.2'
"Whitey’s debut forced an appreciation of music in a time gone by. Kraftwerk, Heaven 17, The Human League. As a direct consequence of bands of that ilk, there was this fantastic musical moment in this album where the past merged with the present as well as the future. Electronic synth pop meets angular guitars in oodles of thudding bass. Hah. It doesn’t exactly sound that innovative today, but to my 15-year-old brain it was bizarre, fantastical and one-of-a-kind."
1. PJ Harvey – Uh Huh Her (2004)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'The Letter' and 'Who The Fuck'
"My musical timeline is all over the place, but one of the first albums of this decade that hit me significantly at its time of release was 2004’s ‘Uh Huh Her’ by PJ Harvey. I was a rowdy 14 year old struggling to find my niche, and this album grabbed me by the proverbial balls, shook me up, spun me round then threw me back down. Like nothing I’d heard before, this was my gateway drug to imperfection as perfection and all things distortion. The sleaze of it was (and still is) incredibly intelligent, a world away from the clean-cut R&B pop I was used to listening to. If it weren’t for this album I’d probably be wearing some kind of velvet tracksuit contraption and appearing on Jezza Kyle soon."
Massive thanks to Jamila for writing up her choices. Pop over to Fucking Dance for her ahead-of-the-game musings. More blogger choices to come over the next week.
I'm running a more open poll (200 entries already compiled) on people's favourite British albums of the decade if anyone fancies joining in. Firstly, check the criteria below then list your three favourite (note: not "best", whatever that means) British albums, ranked in order of importance. Email me at music[at]fadedglamour.co.uk with your choices. You have until midnight on the 21st so have a think and act fast.
CRITERIA:
- UK release date from Jan 1 2000 - well, now.
- Sorry, no Irish albums. Bit of an arbitrary decision, nothing against Northern Ireland/Eire.
- No compilations/soundtracks/reissues.
The first set of albums comes from Jamila, who runs the effortlessly cool Fucking Dance blog. She sent me a disclaimer saying she was only 10 years old when the decade started. Which makes me feel a bit like a pensioner, even though I'd only just turned 13. It's my 23rd birthday today, by the way. Shower me with gifts. Anyways, here's what Jamila had to say about her favourite three British albums from 2000-2009.
3. M.I.A - Arular (2005)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'Galang' and 'Bucky Done Gun'
"What. An. Album. This was like nothing I’d ever heard before because it was like nothing anyone had heard before. Truly a unique collection of songs, and whilst ‘Kala’ miiiight just be better, it didn’t have the same “wtf is this” impact as ‘Arular’ did. Lots of middle ages white people began throwing around the word ‘urban’ to show how in touch they were with the “yoof” after Dizzee’s ‘Boy In Da Corner’ but that is almost incomparable to the amount of people who (wrongly) began to feel like they were on the same page as hyper-intelligent, politically minded inner city kids after they heard tracks like ‘Galang’ and ‘Bucky Done Gun’. A genuine British talent with a mind-expanding album."
2. Whitey – The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train (2005)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'Non Stop' and 'Y.U.H.2.B.M.2'
"Whitey’s debut forced an appreciation of music in a time gone by. Kraftwerk, Heaven 17, The Human League. As a direct consequence of bands of that ilk, there was this fantastic musical moment in this album where the past merged with the present as well as the future. Electronic synth pop meets angular guitars in oodles of thudding bass. Hah. It doesn’t exactly sound that innovative today, but to my 15-year-old brain it was bizarre, fantastical and one-of-a-kind."
1. PJ Harvey – Uh Huh Her (2004)
Stream at we7.com
Essential listening: 'The Letter' and 'Who The Fuck'
"My musical timeline is all over the place, but one of the first albums of this decade that hit me significantly at its time of release was 2004’s ‘Uh Huh Her’ by PJ Harvey. I was a rowdy 14 year old struggling to find my niche, and this album grabbed me by the proverbial balls, shook me up, spun me round then threw me back down. Like nothing I’d heard before, this was my gateway drug to imperfection as perfection and all things distortion. The sleaze of it was (and still is) incredibly intelligent, a world away from the clean-cut R&B pop I was used to listening to. If it weren’t for this album I’d probably be wearing some kind of velvet tracksuit contraption and appearing on Jezza Kyle soon."
+++++
Massive thanks to Jamila for writing up her choices. Pop over to Fucking Dance for her ahead-of-the-game musings. More blogger choices to come over the next week.
I'm running a more open poll (200 entries already compiled) on people's favourite British albums of the decade if anyone fancies joining in. Firstly, check the criteria below then list your three favourite (note: not "best", whatever that means) British albums, ranked in order of importance. Email me at music[at]fadedglamour.co.uk with your choices. You have until midnight on the 21st so have a think and act fast.
CRITERIA:
- UK release date from Jan 1 2000 - well, now.
- Sorry, no Irish albums. Bit of an arbitrary decision, nothing against Northern Ireland/Eire.
- No compilations/soundtracks/reissues.
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