SF’s Best Albums Of 2010
Friday, December 17th, 2010So as 2010 winds to a close (not before Xmas/my birthday!!) and 2011 comes into view it’s time for the old blogaroo to name the best albums of the year. Here goes.
13. Massive Attack – Heligoland
This one kinda came out of left field for me. Paid absolutely fuck all attention to it around the release date and it probably would’ve slid under the rug were it not for True Blood using one of the songs from it (‘Paradise Circus’) in a key scene. I had to find out who it was and when I did I got the album. I’ll admit it took a few spins before I really got into it, but when it clicked it was like magic. An absolute welcome return to form.
Listen: Massive Attack – Atlas Air ←♥♥♥♥♥
12. The Radio Dept. – Clinging To A Scheme
This one was a no-brainer that ticked all my boxes. Chiming guitars? Check. Wistful lyrics? Check. Hazy vocals low in the mix? Check. An absolute KILLER single? Fuck yah! Ideal while listening on the bus to/from work.
Listen: The Radio Dept. – Never Follow Suit ←♥♥♥♥♥
11. Mount Kimbie – Crooks & Lovers
Another great headphones album. Also really seamless – it’s hard not to (and I’d advise you to) listen to the thing as a whole. Inventive, dubby, low-key, and at 35 mins long it’s gone long before it outstays its welcome. I’m really paying attention to what these guys release from now on.
Listen: Mount Kimbie – Before I Move Off ←♥♥♥♥♥
10. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
With probably my favourite album cover of the year, ‘Before Today’ sounds like it was recorded in 1978 in a basement somewhere. Paying homage to – rather than poking fun at – music from decades past, this album is so hook-filled and stuffed to the brim with ideas that you can forget it’s 2010 while listening to it.
Listen: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – L’estat (Acc. To The Widow’s Maid) ←♥♥♥♥♥
9. Robyn – Body Talk (all 3 mini-albums)
“Play me some kind of new sound,
Something true and sincere.” ‘None Of Dem’
Not only did Robyn come back after not releasing an album in 5 years, but it was like she had been hoarding pop gems and decided this was the year to blow her wad! Not only were these songs HUGE on the dancefloors, but they were also filled with meaning! Case in point is ‘Call Your Girlfriend’, a stormer about the ‘other woman’ giving break-up tips to the new boyfriend. Too clever by half.
Listen: Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend ←♥♥♥
8. Wavves – King Of The Beach
I think everyone had pretty much written off Wavves mainman Nathan Williams after the disastrous on-stage bust-up with his own band member during a Spanish festival performance where he also insulted the crowd who then proceeded to pelt him with shoes/bottles. I don’t think anyone quite expected the massive musical “FUCK YOU” that he sent to his detractors with ‘King Of The Beach’. This album fucking rocks, like if Jay Reatard spent his summers surfing in LA instead of holed up in the middle of Missouri.
Listen: Wavves – King Of The Beach ←♥♥♥♥♥
7. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
Released back in February, I remember this album didn’t leave my ears for about 3 weeks. Completely overplayed this album to death. Catchy, precise, poppy and with hooks coming out of its arse this album is a fantastic debut from a band who (I hope) carry on making fantastic indie-pop/rock gems.
Listen: Two Door Cinema Club – Do You Want It All ←♥♥♥♥♥
6. M.I.A. – /\/\ /\ Y /\
It seems to me that you can be an absolute arsehole with a twitter account but you’ll only get shit on, and told to get your act together if you’re a woman (Hi M.I.A.) yet be praised for much worse if you’re a man – “live breakdowns, the Horus chain, the free-MP3 stunt(ing), the press blitz, the breakups, the make-ups, the dick pics” (Hi Kanye). Discuss.
After initially avoiding /\/\ /\ Y /\ after the dismal review it received on P4k (yeah, I know I’m obsessed) I finally got round to listening to it. What a surprise. I actually think it’s my favourite album of hers. Sure she acts like a bawbag sometimes, but who cares when the music’s THIS good!?
Listen: M.I.A. – It Takes A Muscle ←♥♥♥♥♥
5. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
Every time I think this band has hit its creative peak they come back and sucker-punch my kidneys. Sounding like they can write these laid back pop prizes in their sleep (literally sounding like this on ‘Helicopter’) they could have rested on their laurels and pumped out any old shite. Instead they continue to grow with each album/EP and I, personally, cannot wait to hear new material from these guys. And the cover’s not bad either.
Listen: Deerhunter – Revival ←♥♥♥♥♥
4. The Black Keys – Brothers
Did not expect this either! Kinda avoided this album thinking it would be a retread of their last album (which I wasn’t too fond of). Like Massive Attack, this was another case of discovering an album through the medium of television. Played as the outro to an episode of Eastbound & Down (which btw had THE best soundtrack to a TV show I’ve heard for years), I had to find out who it was. Turns out it was ‘I’m Not The One’ from ‘Brothers’. This album is such a return to form and, in my opinion, the best album they’ve ever released. Any other year this could easily make the number 1 spot.
Listen: The Black Keys – Tighten Up ←♥♥♥♥♥
3. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
I trust James Murphy to know what’s best with music like I trust Christopher Nolan to know what’s best with movies. At no point am I worried that he might conjure up a steaming turd of a song, especially when he keeps releasing stone-cold classic albums. I respect the man as much as Bowie, and by the sound of the influence in some of his songs I’d imagine he’d take that as the highest honour.
Listen: LCD Soundsystem – Home ←♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
2. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
Probably the biggest surprise of the year for me, this one. Was never that big on the whole Gorillaz sound/cartoon gimmick. That all changed when I played ‘Plastic Beach’ into the ground. Looks like I also picked the right Britpop band leader to idolise. If Damon Albarn can still write songs as good as these, all the while recruiting some of the biggest names in music to collaborate then he deserves a fecking knighthood or something. ‘White Flag’ pitches London rap besides a fucking Lebanese oriental arabic orchestra FFS! What’s more though, IT WORKS! It’s not perfect, but then again none of my favourite albums ever are.
Listen: Gorillaz – White Flag (Feat. Bashy, Kano & The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music) ←♥♥♥♥♥
1. Best Coast – Crazy For You
To be honest, this could easily have been number 2 but I think it just pips ‘Plastic Beach’ through sheer pop-songwriting chops! I can’t name a single duffer on this album. Cribbing from all the greats – the Beach Boys, 60s girl groups, Phil Spector’s cavernous production – they make retro-sounding jangly haze gaze that slotted in nicely with the chillwave boom of 2009/10. Couple that with one of the best female voices I’ve heard for years, the fuzzy buzzy sound (thanks Hipster Runoff) and the topics of her songs (love, weed, being lazy and her cat) and it makes the album of 2010 for me. Instantly repeatable. It being my “summer” album probably didn’t hurt its chances either…
Listen: Best Coast – Crazy For You ←♥♥♥♥♥
So that’s it. Do you agree with the list? Not the number 1 you hoped for? Tough titty it’s my blog hahaha. Let me know what your album of the year is and I’ll get back with a witty reply maybe/probably/definitely.
Anyway, this post took aaaaages to write and I’ll have another struggle doing the ‘Best Songs Of 2010′ countdown but that’ll probably be after Christmas sometime, maybe not, we’ll see.
I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and I wish you all the best for 2011! Don’t be a stranger.
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