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Getting my Hogmanay started with this bad boy, random discovery of the year. Happy New Year y’all xo
Yay, that time of year again. Allow me to force my own opinions and tastes on you dear reader. I’ll keep it brief, promise.
Please note: this list is in no particular order, its music I’m writing about not the fucking Premier League.
Adam Stafford - “Build a Harbor Immediately” Not only was this album released on groovy yellow cassette but it also contains “Fire & Theft” one of the best tunes of the year.
Metronomy - “The English Riviera” A perfect summer pop record. Quite sad I didn’t get to see them at T In The Park due to bad weather and drink (lots of drink).
Friendly Fires - “Pala” I’m including this record not because I think its as good or better than their first effort but this album sound tracked my runs round Arthurs Seat. I just took up running this year (running is fucking amazing by the way) and the songs on Pala are just the right tempo for a 40 min run, its also the right length.
Wilco - “The Whole Love” The strongest Wilco record in years, I love how confident and comfortable they sound on this album as demonstrated on “One Sunday Morning” where they just keep chipping away at that lovely refrain.
FOUND - “Factory Craft” Like a good wine FOUND just get better with every passing year. Factory Craft sees them take what appears to be a stylistic jump after the organic sound-scapes of “This Mess….” but if you check out the remixes and EPs in between its more of an evolution.
Jonnie Common - “Master of None” Is it Hip-Hop? Is it folk-tronica? Is it Electro pop? Is it Indie? Answer: none of the above. Its just fucking glorious. Never fails to put a smile on my face even after repeated listens.
We Were Promised Jet Packs - “In the Pit of the Stomach” Furious, epic, dark and angry. Just how I like my rock served. Bravo boys.
James Blake - “James Blake” A heart break album for the Dub-Step Generation. Pretty much listened to this on repeat when my relationship broke down at the start of the year, I owe this bugger a lot.
John Knox Sex Club - “Raise Ravens” The enigmatic Glasgow collective draw more on folk influences for their sophomore release but still keeping their Old Testament/Dooms Day fire and brim-stone rhetoric. They are fucking fantastic live as well.
Radiohead - “King of Limbs” Another delightful Radiohead record. Thom and the boys move the goal posts and piss off a lot of people who just don’t get it. Good work lads.
Rob St John - “Weald” A bit biased of me to add this due to it featuring some friends of mine but fuck it its a beautiful album.
Mogwai - “Hardcore will never die but you will” Best album title of the year. Great to hear the ‘gwai exploring new sounds and being just magnificent as usual.
Arctic Monkeys - “Suck it and see” Five years a go I didn’t care much for this band. I’ve now warmed to them and I think Alex Turner’s lyrics on this record are some of the wittiest I’ve heard in a while.
Edinburgh School For The Deaf - “New Youth Bible” This is such a cool record. They have blended their influences in to a magic sonic soup.
Battles - “Gloss Drop” Listening to this record is fun, the interplay and flowing of ideas is so well timed the whole thing could be one big long track. Sounds like the band were having the time of their lives making this album.
Over the Wall - “Treacherous” Yeah yeah I know it was released at the end of 2010 (its my blog and I make the rules, ok?). This album sound tracked the first half of 2011 for me. Its a fucking joyous celebration of being alive from start to finish.
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