As usual there were a few near misses to the Ten (including stuff still on Santa's sleigh as we speak) so do feel free to chime in as ever with your faves. Most notably for once I'm just listing ten and not trying to cram 11 in here. This means sacrificing Chvrches sophomore long player 'Every Open Eye', perhaps for the sole reason that I was expecting so much more from them and was therefore left rather disappointed despite some cracking tunes such as 'Leave a Trace' and 'Bury It' when their trademark saccharine vocals and deceptively dark lyrics combine to great effect but sadly don't completely succeed throughout. Expectations for Britain's next great intelligent pop band lowered unfortunately; though they did crack the US Top Ten with it.
10) 'Music Complete' by New Order (UK Chart Number 2)So pipping Churches are one of their clear influencers who, by my way of thinking, get into the ten by virtue of exceeding low expectations rather than not reaching high ones (fickle eh?). Despite the good reviews I didn't bite until multiple recommendations from friends who I knew wouldn't oversell it's worth. I've been a fan long enough to be wary of those 'best album since Technique' claims that come out every time. I'd say it was nearly up there with 'Regret' if we're comparing - and frankly that seems fair considering how much harking back to the past they do here. Ironic given the absence of Hooky, whose absence, sadly, isn't actually felt much at all. Take the high hat intro on 'Singularity' that echoes 'Vanishing Point', the slowed-down spoken vocal on 'Tutti Frutti' that mirrors 'Fine Time' and the quintessential New Order guitar of 'Academic'. A lot to like then, even if sometimes they also do a good job of reminding you of below average late-Electronic album tracks!
Look at: 'Restless' and 'Tutti Frutti' (feat. La Roux) live from Maida Vale - including a rather stunning version of Temptation' at the end which literally brought a tear to my eye! So good, even Gillian cracked a smile!
9) 'Get to Heaven' by Everything Everything (UK Chart Number 7) I always feel a tad sorry for Everything Everything because their music style is never instantly 'get-able' and does require a bit of an effort to get your head round - which doesn't fit the skip to the next track nature of music nowadays. Thus I seem to under mark them every year and look back later and wonder why i didn't put them higher. So...let's not buck a trend, eh? 'Get to Heaven' probably contains some of their most accessible tunes yet to be honest, but it's still all relative. 'Distant Past' seems to take its cues from any daytime 80's quiz show theme (in a good way) and when I first heard the intro to 'Regret' I thought someone was shamelessly ripping off Duran Duran's 'Reflex' until I realised it was Everything Everything and instantly forgave them. I only realised how indebted they are to Talking Heads after hearing the title track a few times (think 'Once in a Lifetime' whilst listening) - again, no bad thing. Their quirkiness in music and lyrics is still there ('like a fat child in a pushchair old enough to run, old enough to fire a gun'....anyone?) just slightly smoothed out for our impatient ears I suppose.
Look at: 'Distant Past', 'Regret', 'Spring/Summer/Winter/Dread' and 'No Reptiles'
8) 'Undertow' by Drenge (UK Chart Number 14) The Loveless Bros' second album, now expanded to a three piece, skillfully avoided the age-old problem of whether to replicate what worked on your debut or do something completely different, by just doing what they did before but better. There's not currently a better band that melds dirty, loud noises with such catchy melodies - evoking early-90's guitar bands without sounding like nostalgic rip-off merchants. 'We Can Do What We Want' is a fine example of this as well as the snarling, urgent 'Favourite Son'. 'Undertow' is aptly named with that feeling of uneasy menace proliferating throughout the record. Then they deliver the rather beautiful 'The Woods' with its comparisons to The Cribs at the forefront (maybe it's a brother thing?). Here, and on 'Side by Side' they summon up whole worlds of memories incredibly effectively for a band who could, on face value, just be dismissed as noisy young upstarts.
Look at: 'We Can Do What We Want', 'The Woods' and 'Side by Side (live)'
7) 'Marks to Prove It' by The Maccabees (UK Chart Number 1) The first UK Number One album on the list and the band's first. They'd set themselves up nicely as a breakthrough next big thing through a series of fuller sounding albums and I was expecting this to be their 'Rush of Blood to the Head' to be honest. The title track and lead single certainly cemented the expectations - an almost ideal opener after a three-year absence, brashly and urgently demanding your attention from its opening clanging guitars and screaming intro, it's certainly one of the tunes of the year. Bonus points for featuring Elephant and Castle in the vid where they recorded the whole album. Other tracks are perhaps more 'Maccabees by numbers' and it's this mid-section of the album that really loses energy and, well, frankly meanders for a bit before the finale: 'Dawn Chorus'. Although a lament like several of the other tracks here, it just feels far more authentic and a perfect closing counterpoint to the powerful first track. It just about pulls things together and makes you want to listen to the whole thing again.
Look at: 'Marks to Prove It', 'Something Like Happiness', 'Spit it Out'
6) 'The Magic Whip' by Blur (UK Chart Number 1) Continuing a 90's theme, as unlikely as a New Order album being good enough to make the Top Ten may have sounded a few years ago, a new Blur album actually being made was probably even more unlikely. But then you saw how well received their reunion gigs were and how much they just seemed to _enjoy_ it all and you had to pray that they'd see sense and start crafting some new stuff. Egos seemed to be put aside, Damon made a great solo album last year (finally) and the time seemed right for them. You can even play the 'which Blur album would this track sit well in' game as they seemed to revel in picking elements throughout their (now) long and varied musical career. 'Go Out' from '13', the spiky, everyday narrative of 'I Broadcast' from 'Modern Life...' and 'Lonesome Street' from 'Parklife'. It's both comforting and disappointing that this sounds sooo Blur but better that than nothing at all! It's on 'There Are Too Many of Us' that you get the full reminder of how much their particular sound has been missed when they pull out their unique brand of melancholy to great effect.
Look at: 'Lonesome Street', 'Go Out', 'I Broadcast (live)' and 'There are Too Many of Us'
5) 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' by Florence and the Machine (UK Chart Number 1) Someone who definitely did transition to the big leagues this year was Florence Welch with the release of this album and her headline slot at Glastonbury. While I'm still not 100% convinced she pinned down the headline slot as well as she could, she certainly gave it her all. I've liked most of her albums and singles and yet not truly loved very much of it, perhaps because of a sense she's trying too hard that hopefully will diminish now she feels she just doesn't have as much to prove anymore. This album didn't immediately stand out but there's much to be said for a piece of work that grows on you over time the more you experience it and this certainly did. 'Ship to Wreck' and 'What Kind of Man' were radio-friendly tracks demanding to be taken notice of, but it's the more subtle 'Queen of Peace' and 'St Jude' that are the jewels here - where some genuine emotion pierces through the professionally well-played, sung and produced veneer. The brass section on the title track is also definitely worth highlighting, so effectively used and too rarely heard in music these days (don't y'know).
Look at: 'St. Jude', 'Queen of Peace', 'What Kind of Man' and 'Ship to Wreck'
4) '+ -' by Mew (UK Chart Number 59) I'm fully resigned to the fact that if I haven't convinced you to check out Mew by now then I probably never will, so no hard sell here (well, okay, a bit). At least they outdid Ed Sheehan in naming their album what it took him two albums to do. That has to be worth something, right? So if you're hankering for Scandi-angelic vocals, enchanted guitars and soaring electronics then you're in luck again. That it's paired with some of the heaviest drumming of the year and their usual nordic-noir lyrics helps take any saccharine taste out of the equation. Heck, in parts 'Witness' isn't even sung in falsetto - groundbreaking! It's one of the highlights here - pounding, restless and full of the staccato drums and guitars they've become (relatively) well-known for. 'Water Slides' is just one of the most beautiful songs of the year (just don't spend too long on the lyrics, okay?)
Look at: 'Satellite', 'Witness', 'Water Slides' and 'The Night Believer'
3) 'My Love is Cool' by Wolf Alice (UK Chart Number 2) So to the Top Three, and pretty much standing out by a country mile. First up is the debut from a very well-hyped band (even by me in the Top Ten Tracks of last year) that actually lived up to expectations - and were kept from Number One by Florence by just 500 copies. That said, it wasn't immediately what I was expecting but it's now all the better for it. Instead of track after track of scuzzy, brash, female-fronted indie there was strength in depth on display here and a genuine range of emotions to be mined. Be it the evocative childhood-friend sweetness of 'Bros' - channelling The Cranberries of all folk, or the epic-rock of 'Giant Peach', to the bright and breezy manifesto of 'Freazy'. That said, there's still more than enough quiet-loud-quiet-loud fuzziness to keep you more than satisfied. On top of all that, their videos are actually by turns funny and interesting too - which is quite something these days to be honest. There's absolutely enough here to live up to the hype and plenty of promise for the future too.
Look at: 'Bros', 'Moaning Lisa Smile', 'Giant Peach' 'Freazy' and 'You're a Germ'
2) 'What Went Down' by Foals (UK Chart Number 3)Oh I SO wanted to give Foals the number one slot. Their album was probably my most anticipated of the year and the lead single and title track just stoked the anticipation even further. It gives you everything you want in a comeback - anticipation building, pent up aggression (matched perfectly in the wonderful video) and an explosive, muscular pay-off that, for a live band as good as Foals, makes you salivate to see live. I haven't yet, but their performance of it on 'Later...' gives you a good idea of what it'll be like. The contrast between this and 'Give It All' is immense and it's a well-needed breather but doesn't quite match the intensity or funk of the other tracks at their disposal so was an odd choice of a second single - if those things matter anymore, that is. They seem to have smoothed out rough edges, which is understandable for a band on their fourth album, but it was one of the things that made them most appealing. Still, in place of that they've delivered their best album and most well-rounded one at that. There may not be as many high points as on some of their previous efforts but there certainly aren't as many dips. Not many bands could start a track ('Night Swimmers') on an afro-beat groove and end it on a right old mosh or keep a groove going as well as on 'Albatross'. Just brilliant.
Look at: 'What Went Down', 'What Went Down (live on 'Later...'), 'Give It All', and 'Mountain at my Gates'
1) 'Matador' by Gaz Coombes (UK Chart Number 18) So this is why I couldn't bring myself to give one of my favourite bands' best album to date the number one slot. it would feel far too much like cheating considering Gaz Coombes' second solo album has been my go-to play since January. How could I cruelly dump Gaz after all his fine service? I always liked Supergrass even though they stopped being cool as soon as we all heard the piano riff of 'Alright', so I was sad when they sort of fizzled out in the end and never seemed to be given much due by new bands at all. So the critical success of Gaz's solo effort is that much sweeter considering he's just ploughed his own furrow and let the world come back round to him. The songwriting here is confident and assured, mixing Supergrass-style melodies with pared-down electronics and sparingly-used church-choral-styled backings. '20/20' has to be one of my favourite songs for years, deceptively simplistic, almost child-like keyboards and a soaring chorus about what you'd do for love that you'll have nestled in your brain for days afterwards. That's exactly what led me to the album in the first place. 'Detroit' is just beautiful - I've tried to describe it in more detail but just can't do it justice so that will have to do. You're given slow and faster tempos over the course of the album but the quality on display never falters. He turns 40 next year, there's hope for us all!
Look at: '20/20', 'Detroit'
And for a good old round up of tracks from these fine long-players go here and then you can peruse the Top Ten Tracks of the year over here and listen to them and a few others here at no extra cost except your valuable time x
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