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Not bad this year...
10.Silvester Anfang - II
Admittedly a bit of a default selection, a beautiful package (this year's 'Smile' by Boris) and great for clearing the house at the end of parties. It also gave me a genuine John Peel moment when I listened to the whole thing for the first time on the wrong speed. Actually, I think I prefer it at 45rpm.
9. Blyth Power - Land Sea and Sky
Final part of the Land, Sea and Sky trinity and it's more of the same from Mr Porter's boys and girl. Annie's keyboards may be sounding a bit much like the background music for a pre-school children's programme but it's always been the words that have carried Blyth Power over the last 25 years and probably will for the next 25. Solid album.
8. Future of the Left - Last Night I Saved Her From Vampires
I was at (one of) the show(s) that this album was recorded at. Fair play, it was fucking amazing, better than Mclusky - but then playing to a packed out Clwb Ifor Bach is always going to be better than playing on the back of a truck to a field half full of Valley boys out of their boxes on E and cheap cider in Bryn Bach Park. Ok, it might just be a live version of 'Curses' but finally we get a copy of 'Cloak the Dagger' that we can take home and cuddle up with naked in bed.
7. Monks - The Early Years 1964-1965
I'm usually dead against putting compilation albums in these lists but this is one that I think deserved inclusion as it's the first "new" Monks material in over 40 years. Ok, it's mostly the same songs as 'Black Monk Time' but it's still fascinating to hear the songs before they attached a philosophy to them. Some tracks from The Five Torquays as well which gets a big thumbs up.
6. Lullabye Arkestra - Threats / Worship
It seems I'm in a minority in that I like the Morricone style strings and horns of their debut album...things that have been stripped away from this album. Still, what T/W lacks in texture it makes up for with raw, doomy noise and some fucking nice songs. Katia Taylor-Small has the biggest, meanest bass tone this side of Lemmy.
5. Neil Young - Fork in the Road
It may not be the best Neil Young album of all time but it's definitely in the top 30 - which means it's well above average. 'Johnny Magic' has been on regular rotation on my local pub jukebox for months.
4. Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom
I've got to admit that this rating is based on the 8 free preview tracks that Tom put on his site and not the whole album. I've been banned from buying records until after Christmas because everyone is fed up with trying to buy me stuff only to find that I've just bought it myself. Still, if the version of 'Singapore' I've heard from this album is anything to go by I might have put this a bit low on this list.
3. MÃsia - Ruas
I hadn't heard of her until April this year when I found myself in a log cabin high in the Alps at 3:00am watching late night French TV hoping to catch a glimpse of some good, old-fashioned hairy minge to keep me awake while waiting for the bus to the airport. Instead I came across MÃsia (not literally) and sat there mesmerised. Unbelievable voice and, most importantly, a style of music that I'd never heard before, Portuguese fado. Within days of arriving home I'd bought most of her back catalogue and this new one. Brilliant.
2. William Elliott Whitmore - Animals in the Dark
Maybe a touch more accessible than his previous albums but still as powerful. A bit more angry and less introspective as well. I still maintain that he should be bigger than Seasick Steve...but that's not a slight on Steve in the slightest.
1. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Some days this is better than 'Curses', others it is merely the best album released since 'Curses'. I feel we are genuinely lucky to have FOTL, a kick-ass rock band with the old spirit and a wit that many stand up comedians would envy. I'm even luckier in that the most exciting band around at the moment by a country mile are only based a few normal miles away from me.
Come on then 2010, show us what you've got...
10.Silvester Anfang - II
Admittedly a bit of a default selection, a beautiful package (this year's 'Smile' by Boris) and great for clearing the house at the end of parties. It also gave me a genuine John Peel moment when I listened to the whole thing for the first time on the wrong speed. Actually, I think I prefer it at 45rpm.
9. Blyth Power - Land Sea and Sky
Final part of the Land, Sea and Sky trinity and it's more of the same from Mr Porter's boys and girl. Annie's keyboards may be sounding a bit much like the background music for a pre-school children's programme but it's always been the words that have carried Blyth Power over the last 25 years and probably will for the next 25. Solid album.
8. Future of the Left - Last Night I Saved Her From Vampires
I was at (one of) the show(s) that this album was recorded at. Fair play, it was fucking amazing, better than Mclusky - but then playing to a packed out Clwb Ifor Bach is always going to be better than playing on the back of a truck to a field half full of Valley boys out of their boxes on E and cheap cider in Bryn Bach Park. Ok, it might just be a live version of 'Curses' but finally we get a copy of 'Cloak the Dagger' that we can take home and cuddle up with naked in bed.
7. Monks - The Early Years 1964-1965
I'm usually dead against putting compilation albums in these lists but this is one that I think deserved inclusion as it's the first "new" Monks material in over 40 years. Ok, it's mostly the same songs as 'Black Monk Time' but it's still fascinating to hear the songs before they attached a philosophy to them. Some tracks from The Five Torquays as well which gets a big thumbs up.
6. Lullabye Arkestra - Threats / Worship
It seems I'm in a minority in that I like the Morricone style strings and horns of their debut album...things that have been stripped away from this album. Still, what T/W lacks in texture it makes up for with raw, doomy noise and some fucking nice songs. Katia Taylor-Small has the biggest, meanest bass tone this side of Lemmy.
5. Neil Young - Fork in the Road
It may not be the best Neil Young album of all time but it's definitely in the top 30 - which means it's well above average. 'Johnny Magic' has been on regular rotation on my local pub jukebox for months.
4. Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom
I've got to admit that this rating is based on the 8 free preview tracks that Tom put on his site and not the whole album. I've been banned from buying records until after Christmas because everyone is fed up with trying to buy me stuff only to find that I've just bought it myself. Still, if the version of 'Singapore' I've heard from this album is anything to go by I might have put this a bit low on this list.
3. MÃsia - Ruas
I hadn't heard of her until April this year when I found myself in a log cabin high in the Alps at 3:00am watching late night French TV hoping to catch a glimpse of some good, old-fashioned hairy minge to keep me awake while waiting for the bus to the airport. Instead I came across MÃsia (not literally) and sat there mesmerised. Unbelievable voice and, most importantly, a style of music that I'd never heard before, Portuguese fado. Within days of arriving home I'd bought most of her back catalogue and this new one. Brilliant.
2. William Elliott Whitmore - Animals in the Dark
Maybe a touch more accessible than his previous albums but still as powerful. A bit more angry and less introspective as well. I still maintain that he should be bigger than Seasick Steve...but that's not a slight on Steve in the slightest.
1. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Some days this is better than 'Curses', others it is merely the best album released since 'Curses'. I feel we are genuinely lucky to have FOTL, a kick-ass rock band with the old spirit and a wit that many stand up comedians would envy. I'm even luckier in that the most exciting band around at the moment by a country mile are only based a few normal miles away from me.
Come on then 2010, show us what you've got...
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