Looking back on this year i've noticed a lot of the big acts i had been looking forward to (PJ Harvey, Eels, Muse, Mastodon) kinda disappointed me. That said, still a pretty good year even though i haven't listened to as much as i'd have liked. Here's my top 10-ish, fairly noisy stuff!
1. Morrissey - Years of Refusal
This isn't even him at his best but a half-arsed Morrissey is still going to appeal to me more than most stuff, a fair few tracks i'd rate along with some of his best stuff as well.
2. Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
A brilliant 2nd album delivering everything i really wanted, loud off-kilter noise rock. Couple this with the great live album they released and i'd have to say they're the best british rock band i think of right now.
3. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
Believe all the hype, this is a great example of interesting yet accessible music that absorbs you all the way through.
4. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
I think i've only had this for a month but this has been constant evening music within that time. Gorgeous experimental music that everyone should try.
5. Polvo - In Prism
A briliant exercise in post-rock songwrting, brilliant production and and old band still being consistantly good.
6. Part Chimp - Thriller
5 dudes making the most epic music in the world while making your speakers hate you. They're on Mogwai's music record and frankly this puts their last effort to shame.
7. Lightning Bolt - Earthly Delights
Lightning Bolt are turning into an enormously consistent band now, as long as you can stomach them in the first place. A little bit more accessible this time round maybe, still visceral as hell though.
8. Health - Get Color
I liked their first album but this is twice that, there's so much more depth to them now. Die Slow is a song of the year as well.
9. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
I have to admit, me rating it quite so highly is mostly due to that voice, though this is the best chillout album here. The title track is quite possibly the highlight of the year.
10. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Horrific lyrics beside, this album is one of the best examples of no-thrills rock you'll get this year. Congrats to them for knocking Sonic Youth out of the top 10 as well!
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