Yep, it that time of year. Compile your lists and post on here. See what we all liked this year. Good Year? Bad Year?
1. IAMX - Unified Field
1. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
Reflektor is probably my Album of the Year for pure ambition and unexpected change in direction. It wasn't just a case of doing a couple of 'dancey' tracks then falling back on their usual (like most big bands do) they totally changed! Also i can't remember an album with so much expectation as this actually delivering in quality for years. Also seeing/hearing the Reflektor video for the first time was one of those 'wow!' moments of the year for me.
BUT the thing is there is something about Chris Corner's voice (IAMX) and how it connects it's melancholy with me (especially as he has been hospitalised this year from insomnia) that feels so real to me. Add to that his unique dark 80's inspired production and arrangments it produces an album i'm always excited to play. So Unified Field is still my emotional choice as Album of The Year!
2. John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
Rather like Goldfrapp he can switch styles with each song and still make a coherent album. Don't often listen to lyrics but GMF is not only a beautiful song (amazing sinead backing v's as well) but also best lyric of the year. It's funny it could fit with any outsider (gay or straight). SONG OF THE YEAR and a great radio version as well. Vietnam is also a song I could have written about my loved one ;-)
3. Outfit - Performance
Underrated album/artist of the year. Like mashing Radiohead with Royksopp. What Atoms of Peace should have sounded like instead of the 'jam' album they actually produced. Can't believe they have been forgotten this year when artists like Alt-j win music prises.
4. Bent - From The Vaults 1998- 2006
4. Napoleon - Magpies
SImon Mills an unsung electronic genius. From the Vaults is 'just some tracks' he and Nail (who make up Bent) had laying around from the last 13 years. A double album (40 odd tracks) of that quality ....just laying around?? Amazing.
Magpies is the second album from Simon's solo project of Bent like chill. Layer upon layer of sugary electronica.
5. Sigur Ros - Kveikur
5. Daughter - If You Leave
Playing guitars with a bow never sounded so good! Sigur Ros were finally back to form with the raw Icelandic power not heard since second half of (). The Brennisteinn video was my second 'wow' moment of the year was not expecting them to come back like that!
Also saw an the amazing gig at Eden Project, a gig where they had the prefect support from Daughter, the Ros inspired Brits' with the added fragility of Elena Tonra's dulcet tones. Amazing live aswell.
6. Prefab Sprout - Crimson Red
When I first heard 'The Best Jewel Thief in the World' I thought, my god, Paddy has got his mojo back. His best since Jordan. Then found out it was written just after Jordan. Still lovely to hear him again. Just a pity they didn't send over the masters to Thomas (Dolby) to give them a polish.
7. Marnie - Crystal World
Ever since I heard Witching Hour I though there were some Marnie 'torch songs' trying to get out from the Ladytron synth backdrop. To be honest Ladytron, for me, had lost direction on the following albums. They had flashes of brilliance but didn't seem to know where they were going in direction. So this is a return to form for at least half of Ladytron (Marnie and Dan) and a much more coherent offering and proves that Ladytron was not all Daniel on the songwriting front. Apparently Gold was the last track they did so I would be intrigued if she kept going.
8. Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law
Probably unfashionable at the moment with their stadium sound but for me they are like MUSE without all the posing and pretention but with the added addition of a feisty welsh lady on lead vocals. Pop rock riffs at their finest.
9. Goldfrapp - Tales of Us
Still not sure how i feel about this record. It is beautiful, melodic, emotive, filmic, etc... but I'm not excited as i have been about past records. I think albums can be as much about timing as quality. Goldfrapp have always brought out the right sound at the right time. I just think this is the right album at the wrong time for me.
10 Frankie Rose - Herein Wild
Discovery of the year!
KeithJ_gmb said:my top 10
"One Breath" - Anna Calvi
"Push The Sky Away" - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
"Pale Green Ghosts" - John Grant
"If You Wait" - London Grammar
"Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time" - Steve Mason
"Sing to the Moon" - Laura Mvula
"Aventine" - Agnes Obel
"Tookah" - Emiliana Torrini
"Mosquito" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Just missing out on the top 10 - Sigur Ros; Lisa Knapp; Little Boots; Lanterns on the Lake; Coco Rosie.
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