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10 Codeine Velvet Club 'Codeine Velvet Club'

 

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As soon as I heard something from these they reminded me of the Last Shadow Puppets. Fratellis frontman Jon Fratelli creates a new, retro inspired band with solo artist Lou Hickey. I would quite happily have never heard anything involving Jon Fratelli again after the massive disappointment of 2008's 'Here We Stand', but this came as a very pleasant surprise. It's extremely pleasant and very easy to listen to, with changing tempos making the album interesting and it has some sing a long anthems on. In 'Hollywood' it has one of the years best singles and even their cover of 'I am the Resurrection' is far from being a disgrace.

 

'Little Sister'

 

'The Black Roses'

09 Vampire Weekend 'Contra'

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It's never going to be easy following up one of the greatest debut albums in recent years, and a disappointment could always have been a decent possibility. But whilst this isn't as strong as their self titled debut, it's still a very good and consistant album. They developed their sound enough to make it sound fresh, but it's still the same distinctive sound that made 'Vampire Weekend' so good.

 

'California English'

 

'Horchata'

08 LCD Soundsystem 'This is Happening'

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This album may not be as incredible as I thought it was when I first got it, or a patch on his previous 'Sound of Silver' but that doesn't detract from this still being a great album. Lead single 'Drunk Girls' didn't exactly raise hopes for the album but luckilly it's by far the worst song on here and the only song you could possibly ever describe as being poor. On 'You Wanted a Hit" he opens with "You wanted a hit, but maybe we don't so hits" and being over two minutes shorter 'Drunk Girls' shows that. The rest of the album however, is what he does best, long and epic, nothing moreso than 'Dance Yrself Clean' which is possibly the greatest thing I've heard all year.

 

'Dance Yrself Clean'

 

'All I Want'

07 Plan B 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks'

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Unlike many, I knew and quite liked Plan B when his debut came out in 2006. For a rapper he was very refreshing, so it came as a bit if a surprise the direction he's taken with the follow up album. It's much more soulful and tells a story of a man being sent to prison, which is shown in the videos for the singles he's released so far too. 'Love Goes Down' is a beautiful love song, 'She Said' one of the best mainstream singles and desvering success stories of the year and 'The Writings on the Wall' show off his incredible soulful singing voice. I'd always quite liked this but this has been pretty much the soundtrack to my uni life in the past three months, and it's made me appreciate it so much more.

 

'The Writing's On The Wall'

 

'Welcome to Hell'

06 The Golden Filter 'Voluspa'

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I heard the single 'Solid Gold' early last year and then it all seemed to go a bit quiet as I never heard anything about these until the album was then released at the end of April. 'Solid Gold' was good enough but nothing particularly special, so this album was a very good surprise. It's impressive throughout, and very varied for an electronic album.

 

'Dance Around the Fire'

 

'Stardust'

Futureheads :wub: always been a big fan, love The Chaos, agree about how it shows they are great that an album this good is only their third best.

Yeah the Chaos is a really good album. Not sure what they were doing with News & Tributes as the others are all better, although it's still decent...

Agree about the cover of Further

 

Plastic Beach is the strongest album by Gorillaz imo. Just love the beautiful On Melancholy Hill, one of the pop songs of 2010 and Lou Reed does a great job on Some Kind of Nature.

 

Treats is one of the surprises this year. Saw them live too...Great stuff... Tell 'Em and A/B Machines are both fantastic.

 

Have you heard Big Boi's solo debut (or is it to come)?

I definitely think 'Plastic Beach' is probably at least on par with 'Demon Days', it's far more consistant but doesn't have the same high points as DD has.

 

I imagine Sleigh Bells to be great live.

 

I've not heard Big Boi's album (or anything from it actuallly). I assume you must think it's good?

Yeah the Chaos is a really good album. Not sure what they were doing with News & Tributes as the others are all better, although it's still decent...

 

I blame 679 recordings for N&T, them leaving that f***tard of a label was their best move ever. Although it does have some fantastic songs, Fallout, Back to te Sea, Burnt, Favours for Favours, Face, Cope, yeah actually looking back it is a GREAT album, with lots of brilliantly written songs, and yet somehow it's the worst out of their 4 albums, really shows what a great band they are. nothing will replace the first album for me though.

You're doing a good job of reminding me of some of the albums I didn't get round to buying this year. Several have now been added to my Christmas list :)

Good to know! :D

 

I'm not sure my last 5 will be stuff you'd like but I imagine (and hope) that the top 5 will be more to your taste.

Great list. Agree with you about "Plastic Beach", doesn't hit the heights of "Demon Days" and IMO "On Melancholy Hill" is a bit overrated but it's bloody consistent, and "Stylo" is pure amazingness.

I can never really decide about 'On Melancholy Hill'. At times I think it's great but sometimes I think it's one of the albums weaker tracks.

01 Suite II Overture

02 Dance Or Die

03 Faster

04 Locked Inside

05 Cold War

06 Tightrope

07 Sincerely, Jane

08 Violent Stars Happy Hunting!

09 Many Moons

10 Neon Gumbo

11 Oh, Maker

12 Come Alive (War Of The Roses)

13 Wondaland

14 57821

 

Ends up a reasonable 50ish mins long.

 

Thanks. I'll use that as a starting point when I get around to doing it....

I blame 679 recordings for N&T, them leaving that f***tard of a label was their best move ever. Although it does have some fantastic songs, Fallout, Back to te Sea, Burnt, Favours for Favours, Face, Cope, yeah actually looking back it is a GREAT album, with lots of brilliantly written songs, and yet somehow it's the worst out of their 4 albums, really shows what a great band they are. nothing will replace the first album for me though.

It definitely has some great songs on it, but I do think it's home to most of their weakest songs too, 'Return of the Beserker' and 'Thursday' especially.

LCD Soundsystem only #8? :o

 

Not that it will be anywhere near that high on my list but I thought you adored it?

 

It definitely has some great songs on it, but I do think it's home to most of their weakest songs too, 'Return of the Beserker' and 'Thursday' especially.

 

oh no i love Thursday, Return of the Berserker is :s, Yes/No isnt very well written but tbh made a great opener when I saw them headling London Forum on the News & Tributes tour. it's definatly overshadowed by the fact TINTW and The Futureheads don't have any weak songs.

oh no i love Thursday, Return of the Berserker is :s, Yes/No isnt very well written but tbh made a great opener when I saw them headling London Forum on the News & Tributes tour. it's definatly overshadowed by the fact TINTW and The Futureheads don't have any weak songs.

I think 'Stupid and Shallow' is the only song I don't like on their other three albums...

Good to know! :D

 

I'm not sure my last 5 will be stuff you'd like but I imagine (and hope) that the top 5 will be more to your taste.

I like Plan B more than I'd expect to. I might get round to buying the album one day :lol:

 

Futureheads are a prome example of how a band can be abandoned by the music industry because of one weak album. They never really got a chance with the third album although it is very good.

I think 'Stupid and Shallow' is the only song I don't like on their other three albums...

 

:o that's one of my favourites.

LCD Soundsystem only #8? :o

 

Not that it will be anywhere near that high on my list but I thought you adored it?

I still do, but I think it peaked to start with. It's a great album which has never got better (but certainly not worse), where as most of the ones above it keep getting better all the time. I don't think it's ever been my number one of the year at any point, but definitely number 2.

I like Plan B more than I'd expect to. I might get round to buying the album one day :lol:

 

Futureheads are a prome example of how a band can be abandoned by the music industry because of one weak album. They never really got a chance with the third album although it is very good.

I should also add that Contra would probably be in my top three so that's one decent album and one excellent one in your 6-10.