TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2010 SO FAR

1. The Suburbs Arcade Fire
After this album was released, I had to retract so many of my past complaints about what a borefest AF were. This album single handedly made me fall in love with the multi-instrumental swooners, to the point I now have all their records and I danced so ecstatically during their Reading Festival headline set that I nearly broke my ankles (Wellies = hazard).



2. Total Life Forever Foals

This was a very close second. The Oxford 4-piece moved into a house together last year and the result was a story of emotion that can only be told by the best musicians. Putting synths and keyboards to good use, ‘Total Life Forever’ is an intimate yet atmospheric romp of prog rock mastery; a 250% improvement on their disappointing debut.



3. Treats Sleigh Bells

Right now I feel like putting this album at number one. Noisy as fuck with those chilling female vocals scribbled all over the loudest guitars I have ever heard on a recorded album. This is what M.I.A was trying to achieve with /\/\ /\ Y /\; feminine machine gun noise pop, enough to shatter windows and hurricane through dance floors. It takes talented musicians to make hellish noise like this into something catchy and delicious and Sleigh Bells have just done that. Mmmm yummy.



4. Teen Dream Beach House

In contrast, Teen Dream is a mellow, unaffected basket of love songs and tales of growing up. This is the album you listen to before you go to sleep. Victoria LeGrand is queen of the lullabies and with the help of Alex Scally, the Maryland duo have produced an album that basks in melancholy without being depressing. Gorgeous



5. The Family Jewels Marina & The Diamonds

This is an album I loved more for its message than its melodies. Whereas Marina’s poppy ditties have lost their appeal slightly now everyone is a bit bored of the album, I like to think all of her ravings about ‘journos in heat’ and being ‘hollywood infected’ have struck a chord with young girls and might just make a difference. It’s still an amazing album – I just overplayed it – and she’s really great live, so The Family Jewels is still one of my top albums of the year.



6. Man Alive Everything Everything

Everything Everything have been gaining quite a bit of momentum recently, what with their recent album release and some flawless appearances at Reading & Leeds. I have trouble sometimes believing synth pop can be anything but heartless, but Man Alive is really addictive and there’s so much character and emotion in Jonathan’s vocals that it’s hard not to fall in love with them.



7. Crazy For You Best Coast

Am I really including this on my list? Nothing grates me more than lo-fi; making your record sound like it was made in your bedroom when you do actually have the means to make the production pristine. But I have fallen a little bit for Bethany Cosentino. 'Crazy for You’ is like the record equivalent of a chick flick in my opinion; it’s all slushy love songs for people who like to dream about California and guess what? Out of context, I find the Best Coast record pretty impressive and original. Within the context of all the chill wave shit wave NME hype, it irks me but as a standalone record, it’s definitely one of 2010’s best.



8. Gorilla Manor Local Natives

Why aren’t Local Natives bigger? They’ve been cropping up on the smaller festival stages, frequenting the music press but still seem to be waiting for a break, whilst bands like Everything Everything are becoming the talk of the town (god that was a terrible line). For me personally, I have Gorilla Manor but it’s not an album I seem to have time for; I don’t sometimes think to myself, “ooh I feel like listening to Local Natives” because they haven’t quite made a suitable impact yet. But all that’s about to change! People need to realise they’re underrated and go listen to them!



9. /\/\ /\ Y /\ M.I.A

She might not be Sleigh Bells, but she still wrote some epic tracks this year, especially XXXO and Born Free. Do I need to say anything except XXXO XXXO? M.I – M. I – M.I –A! I think she’s incredibly nutso and paranoid and her music’s saturation with politics annoys me but she’s made an amazingly innovative record with Maya so I’ll let her on the list.


10. My Best Friend is You Kate Nash

I LIKED IT OK. Fair enough, it wasn’t as good as her debut, and she went in this weird, riot grrl direction that ended up alienating the majority of her fans but at least she had the guts to make the music that she wanted to instead of sticking to the template that worked before. Kate has strayed away from pop here and hit this darker, heavier side of herself that doesn’t always work (I can’t figure out if ‘Mansion song’ is absolute genius or absolute shit) but like I said, she had the guts to do it and for that I salute her.


Bands I would NEVER consider putting on this list: Gorillaz ‘Plastic Beach’, Mark Ronson & the Business International, DELPHIC (I think that was 2009 but any excuse for some broadcasted hate). Etc.

THOUGHTS! OPINIONS! TELL ME! XXX