Not liking the mellow face for Paramore Mr Self Destruct :(

Edited December 1, 200915 yr by Rich*

10

Metric - Fantasies

 

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‘Fantasies’, the fourth album by Canadian rock band Metric continues the countdown at No.10. This album’s really grown on me in recent weeks and the more I listen, the more I appreciate just how brilliant it is.

is the albums highlight for me , other standouts include ‘Help I’m Alive’, ‘Sick Muse’ and bonus track ‘Waves’ which I was sent just yesterday but has already managed to grab my attention. When I originally compiled my list this album was just inside the top 20 and has since climbed to just inside the top ten which goes to show just how much of a grower it is. It’s a remarkable effort and has made me want to check out their back catalogue of which I know very little about.

 

Amazing album, may take over as my favourite Metric album as time goes by, you really should check out their previous records.

Paramore make me hurl.

They are amazing :(

 

9

Lady GaGa - The Fame: Monster

 

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Her eccentric performances and outrageous fashion sense have made Lady GaGa one of the most talked about women of the last twelve months. She’s dominated the charts in 2009 and rightly so, ‘The Fame’ (and it’s recent companion; The Fame: Monster’) is by far the best pop album of 2009. I first heard of Lady GaGa towards the end of summer 2008 and was instantly taken a back at just how good she was. Lead single ‘Just Dance’ immediately caught my attention and ‘Poker Face’ followed suit. I was in two minds whether or not to include the album as part of my 2008 countdown and I am pleased I waited. My love for ‘The Fame’ has grown immensely over the last year, and the recent release of ‘The Fame: Monster’ has further cemented my love for this album. There are many standout moments to choose from, ‘Just Dance’, ‘Poker Face’, ‘Paparazzi’, 'Bad Romance' and ‘Boys Boys Boys’ to name but a few. Say what you want about her, but Lady GaGa is so creative and so good at what she does it’s so hard not to like her. To put it simply, she makes pop music with attitude and should be applauded.

 

I agree she is amazing at what she does, especially how she has created her image. I like a couple of singles but am not tempted to get the album.

 

Bad Romance is awesome.

Edited December 2, 200915 yr by Ashford.

'Bad Romance' is amazing :wub: Forgot to add she makes great videos as well :D

 

8

White Lies - To Lose My Life

 

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White Lies debut album ‘To Lose My Life’ is at No.8. It’s hard to believe the album was released at the beginning of 2009, it feels like I’ve had it for so much longer. White Lies first caught my attention in April of last year with the limited edition release of ‘Unfinished Business’. As soon as lead singer Harry McVeigh’s powerful vocals kicked in, I knew the band were one to watch. I, like others managed to get my hands on a few demos lying around over the summer before seeing the band perform, mid-afternoon on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds Festival. Soon after, they released ‘Death’ which builds up into the best final minute of a song ever (slight exaggeration but you get the picture) before releasing the album’s title track in support of the LP itself. Along with ‘Unfinished Business’, the album’s high point for me is

. White Lies have a knack of writing songs that build up to an almighty finish. My one problem with the album however are the two songs that follow ‘Nothing To Give’ and ‘The Price of Love’, which ruin the enjoyment of the album for me slightly. Yes, both are good but they don’t quite live up to the brilliance of the previous eight tracks. Nevertheless, ‘To Lose My Life’ is an incredibly powerful debut and one that should cement White Lies as one of the year’s best new bands.

 

Really good album, my love for it was huge (maybe even excessive) when it first came out due to the anticipation. Some great track such as 'Unfinished Business' (still my fave after about 1 year 10 months), 'Death' and 'A Place To Hide'. Along with others.

 

Don't know what you're on about though, 'The Price Of Love' is up there with the best tracks in my opinion.

I am just not AS keen on 'The Price of Love' as most of the other songs on the album Thomas :(

 

I am rather fond of the artwork, promos for this era :) I agree about the anticipation upon release, I think that's why I listened 'SO' much and may have killed it slightly

 

7

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

 

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Arctic Monkeys widely criticised third release ‘Humbug’ finishes at a respectable No.7 on my year end chart. Following two and a half years on from ‘Favorite Worst Nightmare’, the album was recorded in the desert with Queens of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. Whilst many were unimpressed by the darker sound adopted by the band, I welcomed it on board with open hands. The latter half of the album; ‘Potion Approaching’ onwards is so strong in my opinion. ‘Fire & The Thud’,

, ‘Pretty Visitors’ and ‘The Jewelers Hands’ are the albums high points, and where the band are lyrically at their best. “What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?” (Pretty Visitors) to name but a few. As others have said, the album’s downside is the lack of ‘big’ tunes, like the album’s predecessors. It’s a very good album but there does seem to be something missing. It’s only really ‘Pretty Visitors’ that is reminiscent of the bands first two records. Alex Turner is a very talented man and he knows it. The fame of the band’s first two records has gone to his head and his half arsed performance at this years Leeds festival really put me off them. If they’d put on a better show, this album may be higher.

 

Edited December 3, 200915 yr by Rich*

6

Maximo Park - Quicken The Heart

 

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For those of you that know me, this may come as quite a shock. Maximo Park’s third full release ‘Quicken The Heart’ is at No.6. The air horn sirens of opener ‘Wraithlike’ gets the album off to a very strong start. ‘The Penultimate Clinch’ and ‘Let’s Get Clinical’ are the only two songs on the album that don’t impress me. ‘Tanned’,

and ‘Calm’ are all personal highlights, the latter robbed of a single release this year. The band work best on stage, I should know, I’ve seen them over a dozen times. Frontman Paul Smith’s raw energy and ability to work any crowd is something I admire. How he is still standing up by the end of the bands hour and a half set, I don’t know. ‘Quicken The Heart’ works best in a live environment, its a very groovy record at times. The one thing lacking with the record, as is the case with ‘Humbug’ is the lack of ‘big’ songs. There are some very good songs, but there’s nothing on the record that majorly stands out. Despite my slight criticisms, by no means is ‘Quicken The Heart’ a bad album, in fact for many months it was in contention with my top 3. Sadly the bar was raised very early on, ‘A Certain Trigger’ is my favorite debut of the decade and the follow up ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ also ranks very highly with me, therefore it was always going to be a hard sell. A thoroughly enjoyable listen nonetheless and if you’ve not heard it I recommend you listen to it.

 

5

Morrissey - Years of Refusal

 

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“Life is nothing much to lose, it’s just so lonely here without you”

 

The best Morrissey album of the decade is at No.5. ‘Years of Refusal’, released in February contains some of Morrissey’s best work in over a decade. It’s an entertaining record from start to finish and a record that suggests Morrissey has rediscovered himself.

, ‘When I Last Spoke To Carol’, ‘It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore’ and ‘I’m OK By Myself’ are just few of the many standouts on the record. “Then came an arm around my shoulder, well surely the hand holds a revolver?”, as with every Morrissey album, the lyrics are full of negativity, conveying the (obvious) message Morrissey if somewhat of a loner. ‘Years of Refusal’ very much revolves around the subject of lovers, enemies and wannabes and the fierceness of Morrissey’s vocals at times is quite something. Whilst both ‘You Are The Quarry’ and ‘Ringleader of The Tormentors’ have their moments, there’s nothing that can quite compare with ‘Years of Refusal’. The album flows with ease and although it’s an easy listen, it’s an incredibly powerful one.

 

Humbug is good, not as good as 7th in my opinion, but it just lacks the intensity of their other relaeses particularly the first. Pretty Visitors is awesome though.

 

Surprised as Maximo being so low to be honest, you loved it at the time, played it alot, one of your favourite bands. DON'T GET IT.

Morrissey's album is good, not really been interested in his solo stuff before this but this showed he's still got it.

Humbug is good, not as good as 7th in my opinion, but it just lacks the intensity of their other relaeses particularly the first. Pretty Visitors is awesome though.

 

Surprised as Maximo being so low to be honest, you loved it at the time, played it alot, one of your favourite bands. DON'T GET IT.

 

I know there's a lack of love for 'Humbug' :( I agree with that you've said. Yes, 'Pretty Visitors' is awesome :wub:

 

Yes, I love Maximo a lot and 6th is still a very good position :) Just five albums I love more, GET THAT? :D

 

Morrissey's album is good, not really been interested in his solo stuff before this but this showed he's still got it.

 

MAMA, WHY DID YOU DO IT? :wub:

 

I know there's a lack of love for 'Humbug' :( I agree with that you've said. Yes, 'Pretty Visitors' is awesome :wub:

 

Yes, I love Maximo a lot and 6th is still a very good position :) Just five albums I love more, GET THAT? :D

No. NO I DO NOT.

No. NO I DO NOT.

 

On reflection, there are five albums that I think deserve to be higher than 'Quicken The Heart', hence why it is at No.6. SIMPLE MATHS :o