Albums of 2010

[Jedi Shrimper]

It's that time of year, when the music mags publish their 'Albums of the Year' lists. But who cares what they think, what have the 'Zoners favourite albums been?

Doesn't have to be in the form of a list, could just be one or two you really liked. Could provide good reccomendations for shopping in the sales after xmas.

(by the way, is it not high time we had a music related smilie Cricko?)

 

[EastStandBlue]

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Amazing production.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Not the (new) music fan I used to be but I love the Defamation of Strickland Banks by Plan B.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Here's mine...

1.Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Their best album to date, breathtaking.
2.Steve Mason - Boys Outside
Former Beta Band frontman must win comeback of the year, this is better than anything his former band made. Stone Roses psychedelia meets folktronica.
3.Four Tet - There Is Love In You
Simply immense electronica from kieron hebden, beautiful.
4.Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
Nothing new from LSF, but they do make damn fine alt-rock / punk-funk
5.Chilly Gonzales - Ivory Tower
70% piano instrumentals, but when Canada's premier jewish rapper does sing, it's ****ing funny. Features N'ever Stop' from the iPad adverts (instrumental & vocal versions).
6.Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love
Not B&S' finest, but fans of them will like it anyways.
7.Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Patchy, but occassionally brilliant. Great contributions by Mark E Smith, Mos Def, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul.
8.LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
Not as good as previous album Sound of Silver, but some great tracks all the same.
9.Vampire Weekend - Contra
Loved this album at the start of the year, but tired of it. Need to get over their paul Simon obsession.
10.Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
I love Joanna, but a triple album? It was too much - like gorging yourself on chocalte cakes and feeling sick after.​

11.Bonnie "Prince" Billy & The Cairo Gang - The Wonder Show Of The World
More excellent alt-country / folk from Will Oldham.

Warning: Super Furry Animal fans, avoid Gruff Rhys album with Tony Da Gattora. It's ****ing *****.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Misery Index - Heirs to Thievery
Fear Factory - Mechanize
The Evil Amidst - Lords of Nine
Malevalont Creation - Invidious Dominion

 

[Davros]

i would add another vote for Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks

I would also put in my personal vote for Darren Stlyes - 'Feel the Pressure'.. but im pretty sure that will be the only vote.

I also expect the as yet unreleased Bruno Mars album to be fantastic.

 

[Supernaut]

Still finalising my list, but 10 of the best for me are...

Burzum - Belus
Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
Jonas Reinhardt - Powers of Audition
Shearwater - Golden Archipelago
Midlake - The Courage of Others
Baby Dee - A Book of Songs for Anne-Marie
Clogs - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
Brave Timbers - For Every Day You Lost
A Broken Consort - Crow Autumn
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

 

[Rob Noxious]

It's that time of year, when the music mags publish their 'Albums of the Year' lists. But who cares what they think, what have the 'Zoners favourite albums been?

Doesn't have to be in the form of a list, could just be one or two you really liked. Could provide good reccomendations for shopping in the sales after xmas.

(by the way, is it not high time we had a music related smilie Cricko?)

Nice thread idea, Drastic. Here's a certain kind of retro offering ...

Dr. Feelgood - 'Going Back Home'
Devil's Creek - 'Working The Chains'
The Who - 'Live At Leeds' (deluxe reissue with 'Live At Hull')
I Am Kloot - 'The Sky At Night'

Not released this year, but I've only just heard them:-

'Dandelion Wishes & Atheist Prayers' + 'By The Time I Get Tomorrow' by Phil Burdett

Also not released this year, but enduringly inspiring (for your correspondent) in 2010:-

Dexy's Midnight Runners - 'BBC Radio One Live In Concert'
Van Morrison - 'It's Too Late To Stop Now'
The Kinks - 'The Ultimate Collection'
The Mighty Wah! - 'Songs Of Strength And Heartbreak'

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs


Poor year IMO for music, but with Radiohead, Coldplay, U2, REM, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Dr.Dre all releasing albums next year, I'm anticipating a decent 2011.

 

[Stats]

Gareth Emery - Northern Lights
Armin Van Buuren - Mirage

Yes they are both Trance/Progressive House DJ's but these albums are not your run of the mill track after track of banging tunes. Some cracking vocal tracks on both, have no doubt would do quite well if they made it into the charts. Fair play to them both for not wanting to sell out though.

 

[Davros]

Gareth Emery - Northern Lights
Armin Van Buuren - Mirage

Yes they are both Trance/Progressive House DJ's but these albums are not your run of the mill track after track of banging tunes. Some cracking vocal tracks on both, have no doubt would do quite well if they made it into the charts. Fair play to them both for not wanting to sell out though.

Indeed, Armin makes Sophie Ellis Bextor somehow cool again!

Also reminds me, one of my favourite tracks of the year (off of AVB's last album 'Imagine') 'In and Out of Love' feat Sharon Den Adel, love the vocal on that

 

[Rob Noxious]

Still finalising my list, but 10 of the best for me are...

Burzum - Belus
Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
Jonas Reinhardt - Powers of Audition
Shearwater - Golden Archipelago
Midlake - The Courage of Others
Baby Dee - A Book of Songs for Anne-Marie
Clogs - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
Brave Timbers - For Every Day You Lost
A Broken Consort - Crow Autumn
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

I'd take the Midlake off it. Played it in its entireshitey last night. Boooooooooooring. :thumbdown:

 

[Lester Bangs]

2010 must be the first year since I was about ten or eleven that I havent bought an album made in the current year.

I was going to say The XX but this is a 2009 album.

 

[Supernaut]

I'd take the Midlake off it. Played it in its entireshitey last night. Boooooooooooring. :thumbdown:

On first listen I would have agreed, even after half a dozen plays it wasn't sinking in. I listened to it again after seeing them on Later and really enjoying them and it suddenly made a lot more sense. I now think it's their best work to date.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Have to think about this - but one that immediately springs to mind:-

Handmade Life - Chris Wood

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Keeping the Blues alive

Jazz.No question Mose Allison's The Way of the the World.Listen to his hilarious **** take of My Babe(My Brain).
Blues-James Cotton's Giant just wins out over Buddy Guy's Living Proof and Magic Slim's Raising the Bar.
P0p-Best "new" thing I've heard is Springsteen's The Promise.

 

[Stats]

Indeed, Armin makes Sophie Ellis Bextor somehow cool again!

Also reminds me, one of my favourite tracks of the year (off of AVB's last album 'Imagine') 'In and Out of Love' feat Sharon Den Adel, love the vocal on that

SEB has done a couple of decent vocals this year, I liked ''Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer'' colab with The Freemasons as well

Amen, In And Out Of Love is a top tune.

Chicane have remixed it recently and I think its better than the original.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Still finalising my list, but 10 of the best for me are...

Burzum - Belus
Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
Jonas Reinhardt - Powers of Audition
Shearwater - Golden Archipelago
Midlake - The Courage of Others
Baby Dee - A Book of Songs for Anne-Marie
Clogs - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
Brave Timbers - For Every Day You Lost
A Broken Consort - Crow Autumn
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Supernaut, given that I now know you're an Ian Mackaye fan, and you have Arcade Fire & Midlake on this list, I'm intrigued to know what sort of thing the other albums are in your list, as I've never heard of most of them!

 

[Supernaut]

Supernaut, given that I now know you're an Ian Mackaye fan, and you have Arcade Fire & Midlake on this list, I'm intrigued to know what sort of thing the other albums are in your list, as I've never heard of most of them!

OK, here goes...

Burzum - Belus
Norwegian black metal

Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers
Epic American alt rock with electronics, on Sub-Pop

Jonas Reinhardt - Powers of Audition
Sort of Krautrock/space rock sounding, on Kranky

Shearwater - Golden Archipelago
More moody American alt rock, sounds a lot like Mark Hollis/Talk Talk (a very good thing IMHO), on Matador

Baby Dee - A Book of Songs for Anne-Marie
Trans-gender singer/songwriter from Cleveland, plays harp and keys with Current 93 and
Antony & the Johnsons. If you can get past the unusual voice you'll find songs and arrangements to die for

Clogs - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
Beautiful contemporary alt classical, this is Bryce Dessner's (The National) other band

Brave Timbers - For Every Day You Lost
Nice electro-acoustic, a bit like Peter Broderick's non-vocal stuff

A Broken Consort - Crow Autumn
Richard Skelton side-project - dense, hypnotic and abstract instrumental pieces

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Thanks! Album Leaf & Clogs definately sound worth investigating.