2010: The Year In Review - Top 30 Albums

So, here we are. It's taken the best part of December to come to this final decision, but the top 30 albums of the year have been confirmed and listed, accordingly. Still, it's all been fun none the less. First and foremost, congratulations to the artists below. The respective albums listed have been a great source of enjoyment for myself over the last 12 months and I think that will continue into 2011. Staying power is important and I think these albums - for me - will hold their value over time for different reasons. Enjoy:

30. Tindersticks - Falling Down the Mountain
Label: 4AD/Constellation
Release Date: January 25th

29. Autolux - Transit Transit
Label: ATP Recordings
Release Date: August 3rd

28. Clinic - Bubblegum
Label: Domino
Release Date: October 4th

27. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
Label: Merge Records
Release Date: June 8th

26. Les Savy Fav - Root for Ruin
Label: French Kiss
Release Date: August 3rd

25. The National - High Violet
Label: 4AD
Release Date: May 7th

24. The Walkmen - Lisbon
Label: Fat Possum
Release Date: September 14th

23. Best Coast - Crazy For You
Label: Mexican Summer
Release Date: July 27th

22. Crippled Black Phoenix
Label: Invada Records
Release Date: August 30th

21. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy
Label: Dead Oceans
Release Date: May 11th

20. Gareth Liddiard - Strange Tourist
Label: ATP Recordings
Release Date: October 1st

19. The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter
Label: Domino
Release Date: August 26th

18. Steve Mason - Boys Outside
Label: Domino
Release Date: May 3rd

17. The New Pornographers - Together
Label: Matador Records
Release Date: May 3rd

16. Liars - Mute
Label: Matador Records
Release Date: March 9th 

15. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope to the Sky
Label: Young God Records
Release Date: September 21st

14. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Label: Merge Records
Release Date: August 3rd

13. Eluvium - Similies
Label: Temporary Residence
Release Date: February 23rd

12. Salem - King Night
Label: Iam Sound
Release Date: September 27th

11. Grinderman - Grinderman 2
Label: Mute
Release Date: September 14th

10. Three Mile Pilot -The Inevitable Past Is The Future Forgotten
Label: Temporary Residence
Release Date: September 27th

9. No Age - Everything In Between
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: September 27th

8. Envy - Recitation
Label: Rock Action
Release Date: October 12th

7. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: January 26th

6. Neil Young - Le Noise
Label: Reprise
Release Date: September 27th

5. Zola Jesus - Stridulum II
Label: Souterrain Transmissons
Release Date: August 31st

4. Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent
Label: Spinefarm Records
Release Date: September 27th

3. Philip Selway - Familial
Label: Nonesuch Records
Release Date: August 31st

2. The Besnard Lakes - ...Are The Roaring Night
Label: Jagjaguar
Release Date: March 9th

1. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
Label: Anti-
Release Date: May 13th










Words by Simon K.

Beady Eye??

So Noel left Oasis a little while ago and left the boys twiddling their thumbs, and without much time passing Liam and ex-Oasis members Gem Archer and Andy Bell have stuck it out together and formed "Beady Eye". I guess this will be Liams way of proving to the world whether or not he has a good record in him or not. The first single of the forthcoming album Different Gear, Still Speeding, "Bring the Light" which is available here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfdYY1Iundo. I've checked it out a few times and it's not bad but too early to call, without hearing the other material. The album comes out in February next year.

Ragged Glory anyone?

Words - Sean.

2010: The Year In Review - Honourable Mentions

Slowly but surely, we're getting there. Below is the honourable mentions list. Okay, so I know you'll all be thinking "he's over cooked it". However, as I've stated in previous posts; this year has been that damn good, that I just feel compelled to name so much because quite simply, it's all taken my fancy in a big way at one stage or another. These albums are in no particular order:

Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise
Label: Rough Trade
Release Date: February 8th

Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man
Label: Columbia
Release Date: September 20th

Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle
Label: 4AD
Release Date: September 13th

Harvey Milk - A Small Turn of Human Kindness
Label: Hyrda Head
Release Date: May 10th

Wolf Parade - Expo 86
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: June 29th

Highspire - Aquatic
Label: Reverse Reverb
Release Date: May 10th 

Citay - Dream Get Together
Label: Drag City
Release Date: January 26th

Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises
Label: Caldo Verde Records
Release Date: July 13th

Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Label: Reprise
Release Date: May 4th

Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
Label: Warp
Release Date: May 4th

Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
Label: Arts & Crafts
Release Date: May 4th

A Silver Mt. Zion - Kollaps Tradixionales
Label: Constellation
Release Date: February 16th

Scbool of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
Label: Vagrant Records
Release Date: July 13th

Growing - Pumps
Label: Vice Records
Release Date: April 6th

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Label: Vagarant Records
Release Date: March 8th

65daysofstatic - We Were Exploding Anyway
Label: Hassle Records
Release Date: April 26th

Superchunk - Majesty Shredding 
Label: Merge Records
Release Date: September 14th

Yellow Swans - Going Places
Label: Type Records
Release Date: March 1st

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
Label: Brown Records/Fat Possum
Release Date: May 18th

!!! - Strange Weather, Isn't It?
Label: Warp
Release Date: August 24th

Beach House - Teen Dream
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: January 26th

Electric Wizard - Black Masses
Label: Rise Above Records
Release Date: November 1st

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest 
Label: 4AD
Release Date: September 28th

Holy Sons - Survivalist Tales
Label: Partisan Records
Release Date: October 12th

Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
Label: Jagjaguwar
Release Date: September 14th

Windsor For the Derby - Against Love
Label: Secretly Canadian
Release Date: June 6th











Words by Simon K.