My Year In Music 2010 - Albums 40 - 31
My Year In Music 2010 - Albums 30 - 21
Another now-tro album that was produced by Jeff Tweedy and you can definitely smell his cooking on this album, a couple of songs could have fit on Sky Blue Sky quite nicely like title track You Are Not Alone but benefit more from someone older and with a bigger voice singing them.
Fave Track - I Belong To The Band
An album that could have been crushed by the hype surrounding it when it was released managed to do that rare trick and be better than you hoped it could be. Having been a very late-comer to James Murphy's music (in doing this list I realise I ignore a load of bands because of hype!) I can't really compare it to his other releases but all I know is this is an album that you can constantly have on repeat and not get tired of it too quick
Fave Track - You Wanted A Hit
After a few promising E.P.s and singles, The Rags finally released their debut album and didn't disappoint. This album is full of great catchy guitar riffs and hooks, and their sincere, sharp and poetic lyrics deal with modern day Ireland for the most part and they even namecheck some of Ireland's great writers of the past, questioning what they'd make of it all now on the title track. Razors and Ropes, Murderous Chant, Gatling Gun and Love is a Lie are also as good as anything you'd hear on any other album this year.
Fave Track - Gatling Gun
From Memphis Tennessee came one of the most sunshine drenched albums of the year with it's Beach Boys-esque harmonies which will either cause you to smile or get really annoyed. With myself being the former, this album provided me with plenty of songs to sing and clap along to.
Fave Track - Hey Boy
Definitely the Irish success story of the year, this album could have been your typcial singer-songwriter album, but he manages to have a varied enough sound throughout the album, which is all the more impressive considering he played all the instruments on the album himself. It's his seemingly innate sense of a melody and just sheer songwriting skill that shines out from the album and also hints at a lot more to come.
Fave Track - The Pact (I'll Be Your Fever)
The thing that's interesting for me about the National is that they are a stadium rock band in small venue band's body. There are touches of U2 and bands of that size but they never get to be anywhere near that cringey or embarrassing, and all of their songs remain heartfelt and genuine. Their staure in music reminds me of REM before they went absolutely global, and if that's the case be interesting to see where the next album takes them.
Fave Track - Anyone's Ghost
The Roots just keep on doing it, and doing a lot of it. Supporting John Legend this year and being Jimmy Fallon's house band just simply isn't enough for them they had to come out with another superb album, which while spelling out how bleak things are at the moment there is a bit of hope, and some good tunes. Also features Joanna Newsom, Jim James, Dirty Pojectors and a load more else.
Fave Track - How I Got Over
The "Still-Got-It" album from the Candians was met with almost universal praise by most critics and fans, but I must admit it took a long while for me to warm to it. Songs like Sprawl II, Modern Man and Ready To Start were strong enough to keep drawing me back to the album and listening to it in full. Watching them live, at The O2 recently, confirmed they are probably still the most essential live act going.
Fave Track - Modern Man
How To Make It In America may have been pants (that's a bad pun for people who've seen the show, it's Entourage about people making designer jeans and t-shirts) but the opening credits was soundtracked by this man's I Need A Dollar which was a modern day soulful blues song about being jobless and broke and is probably my song of the year. The album is of similar calibre with Loving You Is Killing Me, as good as any R&B song you'll hear, and his mind-blowingly brilliant cover of the Velvet Undergrounds Femme Fatale being highlights.
Fave Track - I Need A Dollar
If you told me at the start of the year that an R&B concept album based around the film Metropolis would have been one of my favourite albums of the year, I probably would have punched you in the face, or at least not talked to you again. So imagine my complete shock and surprise that this album is so damn good. Everything single thing on this album is interesting to listen to and most of it very very catchy and showcases a songwriter without any boundaries.
Fave Track - Wondaland
Now for My Year In Music - Top Ten Albums