The votes have been counted, and we can now reveal the Album of the Year for 2010 as voted for by is this music? writers…
1. The Phantom Band – The Wants
The greatest achievement about this is that it followed so closely (barely 18 months) on the tail of the majestic beast that is debut Checkmate Savage. No ‘difficult second album’ syndrome. Just another intelligent work with more ideas in one song than most bands have in a lifetime. At this rate, next one early 2012. Can’t wait.
If you don’t, you really need to go out and buy a copy, it’s special. You need The Wants in your life.
2. The National – High Violet
To some, High Violet may be considered the “difficult second album” by US troubadours The National as the 2007 album Boxer was most people’s introduction to this sublime band (this writer included).
However, it is actually their fifth effort and arguably their finest. There has been great anticipation over this record due to the brilliance of its predecessor and from the opening track ‘Terrible Love’ onwards it is clear this is a band who have hit an extremely rich vein of form…
Recorded once again with Peter Katis (Interpol, Frightened Rabbit) his trademark sound is all over the record with distinctive orchestral arrangement and military drumming aplenty. It is quite simply a beautiful record and there is a space on your shelf reserved for it.
3. The Vaselines – Sex With An X
It might be another example of the sense of humour of Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly, but the explosion of noise that opens this, the first release in 20-odd years from “Kurt Cobain’s favourite band” (© all media) is one to rival Nirvana themselves – sporting a grungy hook and truly rocking out, it is rather unlike the twee Vaselines of yore.
…This time, it’s a bit more Phil Spector than Butch Vig, with a real echoey drum-heavy feel to many of the tracks that follow. The wall of sound, the boy-girl vocals, the buzzsaw guitars, and, simply, the ear for a stonking good tune, all somehow hark back to the band’s original incarnation, despite sounding very, well, now.
Of course, it may all be a bit of fun – but if the duo are still bitter, then given the quality of this album, they’re certainly making up for lost time.
4.Mitchell Museum – St Peter’s Port Memorial Service
Pop with an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Mitchell Museum have crafted an ear-boggling slab of extravagant pop bliss. Unforgiving eccentricity leaps forth from the stereo with every turn….
Time and again, the album delivers an abundance of ideas and a depth of intelligence to challenge any of the band’s notable musical influences, think Of Montreal, WHY?, or a budget Flaming Lips and your head’s in the right space, but to compare Mitchell Museum directly to any singular band or record however would be doing them an injustice.
The album’s title derives from the town on the Isle of Benebecula in Scotland where vocalist and song-writer Cammy MacFarlane was shipped out to live as a kid by his parents, where he was treated for ‘losing his mind’. Whether he found his mind is anyone’s guess but he certainly didn’t lose his creative spirit or imagination, he’s definitely got those, and they’re right here for us all to marvel.
5.Vampire Weekend – Contra
Many people have talked about this tiny disc’s entry into the world, its progenitors’ social status, comparisons with Paul Simon, (perhaps the Noughties’ answer to ‘Oasis rip off the Beatles’ in the Most Popular Lazy Comparison stakes)…
Not only is it proof that the guitar is alive and well but it’s also confirms that there are people out there that know how to use it. And not in the ‘I’ve-got-a-pentatonic-blues-scale-or-barre-cord-and-I-know-how-to-use-it’ sense. No. That’s what got indie into this trouble in the first place.
Vampire Weekend’s two albums present a suggestion of how indie should proceed over the next decade – the guitar is patently not dead, it’s just going down a less egocentric root. The existence of the less desirable elements that comprise the mainstream indie scene fully justify this re-evaluation of the guitar’s place. Now is a time of such interplay between genres that anything should be acceptable as long as it’s good and isn’t The Enemy.
6. Dinosaur Pileup – Growing-Pains
7. The Unwinding Hours
8. Super Adventure Club – Avoid Zombies
9. Curators – Is This A Private Fight?
10. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
the rest…
11. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
12. Being747 – From Amoeba to Zebra
13. Grinderman – Grinderman 2
14. The Thermals – Personal Life
15. Efterklang – Magic Chairs
16. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti – Round And Round
17. Serena Maneesh – S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor
18. How To Swim – Retina (Or More Fun Than A Vat of Love)
19. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
20. Working For A Nuclear Free City – Jojo Burger Tempest
21. The Scottish Enlightenment – St Thomas
22. Janelle Monae – The Arch Android
23. Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip – The Logic of Chance
24. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse – Dark Night of The Soul
25. Chrome Hoof – Crush Depth
26. Eels – End Times
27. The Fall – Your Future, Our Clutter
28. Gonjasufi – A Sufi And A Killer
29. Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
30. Rolo Tomassi – Cosmology
Agree? Vehemently against all our choices? Drop us an email with your choice!