WOULDNT YOU KNOW IT, ITS A BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR LIST!

Evening. Or morning/afternnon. How are you?
Good good.
I started writing this last night at about 330am. I couldnt sleep.
What I started to do, to try and help my body realise that 330am is actually as good a time as any to get some kip, is scroll through the many different types of list that have been recently published.
Oviously its that time of year again when lists are at the forefront of every major publication, and they usually end in "..of 2010" or whatever year it happens to be.This can range from "The Best albums of 2010" all the way to "The best ...erm....movies of 2010".
There are probably lists out there for the "best gardening product of 2010", and many others like it, but I have no desire to find out.
So lets stick with the music.

I bet your thinking to yourself, " Oh its such a wonderful time of year when we can read til our hearts content, lists produced by the literate world, reminding us of what a shit year its been for most things we are supposed to enjoy, ready to argue over with our loved ones whilst feasting on stuffed poultry and lies...strawberry lies! And then wash it all down with hollow promises to yourself ready for the new year."
Thats a bit cynical really, why would you think like that?! Stop being a dour bastard and embrace these lists that force there opinion on what they consider to be the best of whatever they are covering - even if you don't agree with the list at all and its missed out your favourite...whatever.
Its all relative anyway, who cares if Q Magazine have Take That's album "progress" in there top 20 of 2010. Its only there opinion. I mean, I only used to buy the magazine every month and take every word that was printed in it to be gospel. Who cares if they've included the biggest "BOY BAND" in Britain in there BEST albums of the year. Its fine. Honestly.
Robbie Williams is back in the band you know...
Its fine, it doesn't matter. Seriously. I'm not bothered.

Q Magazine aren't the only ones to do a list obviously, NME, Pitchfork etc have all contributed there own lists and they all make for some interesting reading.
Now I mentioned before that most of these lists remind you of how shit the year has been...not really the case with 2010.
Ive got a friend who will no doubt say that 2010 has been a shit year for music, and maybe 4-5 years ago I would of agreed with him. However, as Ive mentioned in previous posts and using my genius "music process" I tend to look a bit harder into these things nowadays.
You see, right now is a strange time for music. Its become easier than ever to find music your interested in and actually get to hear it - usually for free. At the same time, shows like X-Factor and the now MASSIVE celebrity culture thing where you no longer have to possess talent to be a celeb, has muddied the waters. I get the impression that these days, most people are quite content with things the way they are - blocking out the white noise of the xfactor (I like how "xfactor" can now be used as an umbrella term in which everything that's shit falls under - at least that's how its being used here) and letting in the odd 2-3 bands that break through into the light of day to stand along side Simon Cowell at the forefront of modern music (Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend...........Kings Of Leon - it only took them 3 good albums before people realised they were great, then they went limp. But whatever....you see my point). Its sad, but true.
Scratch below the surface though, just a bit, and there is great music being made, and this year is no exception. There have been some brilliant releases this year, even if my mate wont agree.
Now everyone is entitled to there opinions, and like Ive said these lists are all relative so should be taken with a pinch of salt. you might think the choices of mine below are a load of shite and Come Around Sundown was without question the best album of 2010 - you would be wrong but your entitled to your opinion. Like I am.
So without further a do, here are my favourite albums of 2010, in no order.
 Starting with.............

Arcade Fire - Suburbs

An obvious choice really but "Suburbs", the bands 3rd album, is fucking great.
Usually when a band releases 2 critically and commercially successful albums, there 3rd album is when the backlash begins. This doesn't seem to be the case with Arcade Fire who remain obscure enough to please the geeks, but accessible enough (and ultimately, have the tunes) to keep everyone else happy.
Suburbs is an altogether more "chilled out" album to the previous 2, that flows so well, mixing the best of what came before it with the new and creating an album that although boasts 16 songs never sounds dull.
You will be hard pressed to find the need to press the skip button while listening to this (except "month of may", which for me was ruined by an ITV commercial that ran for months. You bunch of cunts ITV).


The Strange Boys - Be Brave

These lads are from Texas - It might be a fucked up state for many many reasons, but Jesus Christ it produces some brilliant bands.
Influenced by the likes of Dylan, Velvet Underground, Love and no doubt many more 60's bands/artists, they produce a familiar yet engaging acoustic rock/folk sound.
The album starts off like a shotgun with songs like "I See" & "Be Brave" but does slowly calm down as the album progresses.
That's not to say the album gets worse as it goes on, tracks like "All You Can Hide Inside" are lovely acoustic ballads and Ryan Sambols vocals really add something to every track on here. See my post "Do you have to be able to sing to be a singer".


Clinic - Bubblegum

The garage rock that's featured on every Clinic release up to this point has nearly all but gone (well not completely, but compared to there other records, this is a far more chilled affair) and in its place is 60's lounge pop, jazz infused, scouse melancholy and a hint of madness.
This is probably Clinics most accessible album to date, they have changed direction and it works really really well. I feel this was a natural progression for them. Unlike the Coral, Liverpool's other standout band over the last 5-10 years, they have avoided the trap of sounding forced. Whilst the Corals change to the laid back 60's sound feels slightly forced, and on the whole quite samey and dull leaving you yearning for there earlier chaotic sound of the debut and "Invisible Invasion", Clinic remain sounding fresh and full of ideas.


The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream

BBC online are quoted as saying "Rock album of the year, if anyone's counting" and its hard to disagree with them. However, I do have my own issues with the record. Being such a fan of there first 2 I find it difficult not to pick holes in there work, and for me I think producer Dave Sardy really pulled in the reigns on this album. There is no 9 minute freak out track on her (in fact everything clocks in under 5 mins which came as a disappointment for me personally), but such is the explosiveness of each track on here you cant really knock him for doing that. You could say the band were searching for some more commercial success - cut the tracks down, hire a well known producer and include an out and out pop song called Telephone. They have done all this which is great and will help them pick up a few new fans on the way but just look at the fuckin artwork, they're called THE BLACK ANGELS, they still sound like the soundtrack to the best war film that hasn't been made yet and they will blow your fuckin head off.
The Black Angels are "The No Country For Old Men" of the music world (without the acclaim) - dark, haunting, vast rock n roll from the desert.



Moon Duo - Escape

 A side project of Wodden Shjips "singer" Erik Johnson, this is 30 mins of Krautrock psychedelia in 4 songs.
I don't know if you like krautrock, but you should do because its one of the most exciting genres of music out there. Everyone loves a persistent groove don't they? Everyone loves a pounding drum beat that wont quit on you much like a banged up Volvo. It keeps going and going and you grow to love it.
Then layer on top a ton of fuzz and feedback, hypnotic guitar solos and spaced out vocals and what have you got? Easily the best album of the year that has less than 5 songs on it.
Embrace to groove you fuckers, its a trip.



Thee Oh Sees - Warm Slime

I'm new to this lot - fuck me Ive been missing out. We all have.
You know when you stumble across a band who you think are brand new but they actually have a healthy back catalogue to sink your teeth into? Well two things come to mind.
1- your made up there is more from this band to listen to. You enjoyed them so much on first listen your happy there is further listening ahead.
2- your gutted you wernt aware of them from the get go.
That's exactly how I felt when I heard "Warm Slime" for the first time (got to be the best name for an album this year, surly?).
After a week with the album I went back to the words Nick Neyland wrote for his review for Drowned In Sound. "Occasionally a band will rend open a prodigious black hole, an all-consuming void that sucks in their sound and spits it out with such righteous fury that it’s in danger of making the rest of their music redundant." 
When I first read that, I read it as "its in danger of making other music redundant". I swear I'm dyslexic. But I wish that's what it had said because that's how I feel.
Then I listened to the album again.



The War On Drugs - Future Weather

This album is a great example of doing a bit of research into a band before listening to there music. Now I've known about this lot for a few years and loved there first release "wagonwheel blues" so when I saw they had a new record out I was made up. As with most albums, I did some reading on it and found out that although they hadn't split up, band members had been absent from recording due to other commitments which is all explained in this review.
By finding out the back story, the songs on here really shine. Its quite a sad record with a melancholy running throughout but with there Springsteen influences coming through on certain tracks there is always that ray of hope shining through.


Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

An ozzy 3 piece sounds worrying. Jet anyone? They were a 3 piece wernt they? Even if they wernt, they were still pretty lame anyway. Thankfully, Tame Impala do our in bread cousins down under a favour by releasing this mosaic of sounds that come together to form one of the most interesting albums of the year.
I fuckin hate that, "interesting music". It sounds so pretentious - but I guess that's the best way to describe this band. My brother said that they sounded "quite busy" after his first listen which I guess is fair, there is allot going on in all of these tracks which is why the album craves repeated listens. And it is "an album". It sounds best on its own, played in full. The surprises it offers after each listen is staggering. Although the songs wander around, offering the listener something new, they don't stray to far and often come back to that original hook you heard on first listen. Its a real gem.



BRMC - Beat The Devils Tattoo

Hindsight is a vertue, and used against BRMCS previous 2 offerings "The Effects Of 333" and "Baby 81" we can say, without any hesitation that they were a band on the slide. Thankfully, by going back to the well (they recorded this in the same studio they recorded there 3rd album Howl - still to this day one of my favourite albums not just this decade, but ever) they have produced an album so full of passion and soul that you could mistake it for there debut.
The clumpy plod that plagued there last album has gone and the dirt between BRMC's finger nails is back, and theyre wearing it proud.
I wasnt going to include this in my list but Ive gone back and listened to it again and its to damn enjoyable not to include.




Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

This is a difficult album to pin down, and that comes down to the fact its 11 songs basically go where they want, in whatever direction or sound they choose, happily soaring to the sound of its own beat only to be followed up by something just as rebelious and free but an althogether different monster.
And yet listeneing to the album as a whole is such a painless joy, such a pleasure, you wonder how Deerhunter have created something so striking, so "ear catching" (you like that?!) and so assured of itself whilst also achieving a charming sense of effortlessness.
So yeah, great album is what Im trying to say.






So I recon thats a good point to end on, Ive just realised Ive listed 10 albums. Top 10, makes sense.
I have missed a few out, Kanye Wests new one is meant to be superb but i havent got round to listening to that yet and there are a few titles I feel bad leaving out.
Harlem - Hippies is a great album, as is the all female 4 piece "Warpaints" debut "The Fool".
One of my favourite bands in recent years The Black Keys released and album this year entitled "Brothers" and it was met with critical, and for the first time, commercial success. I did consider including it in my list but when push came to shove I realised an album which contains a song that sounds suspiciously like the Scissor Sisters, can never make it onto a list I create.
The BJM released an album, and its fucking mental.
Hardly a masterpiece but im just happy theyre still making music. Its called "who killed sgt pepper" for fucks sake! Amazing

There were probably more, in fact theres loads more out there I've either not heard, missed out, skipped over or tossed aside but thats the great thing about these lists. Come the end of the year, if you dont fancy turkey and sprouts you can always skim through one of these lists and try something new thats passed you by.

Let me know what albums you have enjoyed this year and then we can all get together and collectively masturbate to them. Or just listen to them.
Ive had a few beers.