Best of 2010

24 December 2010

As you may have noticed by the glut of list-based posts that have flooded the internet in recent weeks (and months, some people being far too eager), it’s the end of another year and hence roundup time.

Last year I elected to eschew the traditional albums of the year thing, as it was more of a singles year. This year, in all honesty, it feels like it’s neither a singles or albums year this year; lots of good music, don’t get me wrong, but a distinct lack of knock-out greatness.

In the spirt of the year then it feels prudent to do a slightly half arsed, less fully baked rundown, but make up for it in quantity (everyone likes lists, right?):

Albums of the Year

#20 Caribou – Swim

Rough Trade put this as their album of the year which is overstating it a bit, but it is rather lovely.

#19 Tinie Tempah – Disc-Overy

What? Good pop, innit.

#18 Delorean – Subiza

Perfect summer pop. Mystifying they’re not far bigger then they are.

#17 Hot Chip – One Life Stand

This seems to have fallen slightly flat critically, but it’s my favourite Hot Chip album I think (none of the others have quite ‘clicked’).

#16 Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

IT’S NOISY BUT I LIKE IT.

#15 Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Not been a fan previously, but – whilst a little bit inconsistent – this is a cracking album.

#14 Perfume Genius – Learning

Now we’re getting to the meat of the list; if you haven’t got this album, get it – it’s brilliant.

#13 Blood Red Shoes – Fire Like This

I’m always a sucker for a boy/girl duo, especially when they’ve listened to lots of Nirvana.

#12 Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here

I would have loved to hear more proper tracks on this album, but what we do get are sublime.

#11 Efterklang – Modern Drift

Criminally overlooked; again if you haven’t checked them out it is well worth your time.

#10 Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

Better then the last one but not as good as the first.

#09 Warpaint – The Fool

In some ways this album is a slight letdown, as it hints at greatness often but then meanders off in a completely different direction. The journey is still quite something, though.

#08 Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Overlong – please, someone get Damon an editor – but definitely the best Gorillaz album.

#07 Sleigh bells – Treats

IT’S NOISY (with actual songs) BUT I LIKE IT.

#06 LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

Their weakest album yet, but a weak album by LCD is still a great album.

#05 Twin Shadow – Forget

Out LCDs LCD.

#04 Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

Fits together as an album amazingly well. Brilliant.

#03 The National – High Violet

I was going to say that The National are managing the impossible by making all their albums equally good, but then I remembered the two early ones which aren’t as good. Still, a trilogy of great albums is nothing to be sniffed at.

#02 Vampire Weekend – Contra

A few months ago I was talking to Bradford Cox (what? If I guy can’t name drop on his own blog where can he?) and he said that when Vampire Weekend announced Contra along with an ambient looping sound clip (which tuned out was from ‘I Think UR A Contra’, the last track) he thought they were about to release their ‘Kid A’, as it sounded so out there. Sadly, they didn’t quite manage that but what they did was a huge progression from their debut, with more depth then almost any other pop album this year.

#01 Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

There’s no doubt this is one of those landmark albums, and in fact its release date – coming at the end of November – has made a mockery of a lot of premature ‘best of 2010’ lists. Sadly it’s not perfect – a little to much traditional rap nonsense in the lyrics at times – but when it all comes together, as it does on Runaway, Power, Lost in the World and a bunch more, it is truly great.