winter seemed to linger but now the swallows have arrived
Top 10 Albums of 2009
10. The Doves - Kingdom of Rust (Bedshaped)
I didn't like this album when I first heard it. Now that I've given it a plentiful helping of attention, I've completely changed my mind. I really like it. There's a lot of emotion in his lyrics this time around. Gone are the generic pictures of boy meets girl, or boy loses girl, Manchester life, these things replaced by more personal stories of a parental loss, illness, pain, fear, addiction and day to day life.
I've seen them play quite a few times now, and admittedly, they get better with each gig, but I can't help but feel like the 'album' side of things for them doesn't feature too highly in the 'we are a band and we play music' scheme of things.
As you would expect with Doves, the plunging basslines are still there, the pounding drums continue and Jimmy's somber voice meanders through tales of loss and woe.
In a complete listening, it really is a stunningly beautiful album.
It's Doves producing an out of the box sound for them. I guess, there's nothing too different here. Lots of pounding percussion, glorious basslines that talk extra long walks, and jangly guitar sounds that add hook after hook to the mix. Coupled with occasional tip of the hat to old, familiar ground (thanks Blondie, The Jam) and Jimmy's often sultry voice, Doves have once again delivered a fine and thoroughly listenable album.
Birds Flew Backwards is the outstanding track on the album for me. The gentle pace, his voice and those wonderful strings towards the end. It's a bittersweet story, delivered with compassion, empathy and sorrow. The first few times I listened to the album, I struggled. But above the initial thoughts of feeling let down by them, "Birds...." stood out. I love the whole atmosphere, hauntingly beautiful production and feel of the song.
It really is beautiful.
Listen to: Birds Fly Backwards
10. Morrissey - Years Of Refusal (Swisslet)
The critical and commercial success of 2004s You Are The Quarry saw Morrissey finally emerge from his self-imposed exile in Los Angeles and return centre-stage for the first time in years. The success of that album gave his career momentum for the perhaps first time since the breakup of the The Smiths and the release of Viva Hate in 1988.
Quarry’s follow-up, the Tony Visconti produced Ringleader of the Tormentors, sounded great, with Morrissey’s voice in particular sounding better than ever before, but it left me cold. I’ve followed Morrissey’s career for long-enough not to be surprised by this…hell, I even bought Maladjusted…. But for every stinker he delivers, I still can’t help but hope that the next album will be a good one.
With Years of Refusal, Morrissey delivered something of a curate’s egg. His voice again sounds fantastic throughout, but the themes are often too familiar: grudges are held, scores are settled and Morrissey continues to ponder in song how unappreciated and unloved he is. Still, when he gets it right, Morrissey is still capable of reaching heights that few others can touch.
Not a great album, but in a year when I haven’t yet got round to buying the albums by Muse, Florence and the Machine, Jamie T and others, this almost makes the list by default…. Mumford & Sons and Noah and the Whale in particular can probably consider themselves unfortunate that I haven’t had longer to give their albums a chance…. Ah well, what can you do?
Listen to: I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
10. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More (LB)
Considering I’ve had to leave great records by the likes of La Roux, the Red Light Company, Chantal Kreviazuk, Starsailor, Bruce Springsteen, the Pet Shop Boys and Kelly Clarkson out of the list, 2009 has been another great year for albums.
I bought this odd little record on the strength of hearing debut chart hit Little Lion Man, and it was one of those occasions where a speculative punt paid off. It's difficult to classify Mumford and Sons (a name that makes them sound like a removal company) - it has a folky feel without being folk music but isn't anything like the sort of traditional guitar indie you hear on the radio.
You may have heard Winter Winds on your radio of late - it has a Christmas feel to it - and those two songs are, I suppose, a good taster for the rest of an interesting, promising debut album.
Listen to: Little Lion Man
10. The Doves - Kingdom of Rust (Bedshaped)
I didn't like this album when I first heard it. Now that I've given it a plentiful helping of attention, I've completely changed my mind. I really like it. There's a lot of emotion in his lyrics this time around. Gone are the generic pictures of boy meets girl, or boy loses girl, Manchester life, these things replaced by more personal stories of a parental loss, illness, pain, fear, addiction and day to day life.I've seen them play quite a few times now, and admittedly, they get better with each gig, but I can't help but feel like the 'album' side of things for them doesn't feature too highly in the 'we are a band and we play music' scheme of things.
As you would expect with Doves, the plunging basslines are still there, the pounding drums continue and Jimmy's somber voice meanders through tales of loss and woe.
In a complete listening, it really is a stunningly beautiful album.
It's Doves producing an out of the box sound for them. I guess, there's nothing too different here. Lots of pounding percussion, glorious basslines that talk extra long walks, and jangly guitar sounds that add hook after hook to the mix. Coupled with occasional tip of the hat to old, familiar ground (thanks Blondie, The Jam) and Jimmy's often sultry voice, Doves have once again delivered a fine and thoroughly listenable album.
Birds Flew Backwards is the outstanding track on the album for me. The gentle pace, his voice and those wonderful strings towards the end. It's a bittersweet story, delivered with compassion, empathy and sorrow. The first few times I listened to the album, I struggled. But above the initial thoughts of feeling let down by them, "Birds...." stood out. I love the whole atmosphere, hauntingly beautiful production and feel of the song.
It really is beautiful.
Listen to: Birds Fly Backwards
10. Morrissey - Years Of Refusal (Swisslet)
The critical and commercial success of 2004s You Are The Quarry saw Morrissey finally emerge from his self-imposed exile in Los Angeles and return centre-stage for the first time in years. The success of that album gave his career momentum for the perhaps first time since the breakup of the The Smiths and the release of Viva Hate in 1988.Quarry’s follow-up, the Tony Visconti produced Ringleader of the Tormentors, sounded great, with Morrissey’s voice in particular sounding better than ever before, but it left me cold. I’ve followed Morrissey’s career for long-enough not to be surprised by this…hell, I even bought Maladjusted…. But for every stinker he delivers, I still can’t help but hope that the next album will be a good one.
With Years of Refusal, Morrissey delivered something of a curate’s egg. His voice again sounds fantastic throughout, but the themes are often too familiar: grudges are held, scores are settled and Morrissey continues to ponder in song how unappreciated and unloved he is. Still, when he gets it right, Morrissey is still capable of reaching heights that few others can touch.
Not a great album, but in a year when I haven’t yet got round to buying the albums by Muse, Florence and the Machine, Jamie T and others, this almost makes the list by default…. Mumford & Sons and Noah and the Whale in particular can probably consider themselves unfortunate that I haven’t had longer to give their albums a chance…. Ah well, what can you do?
Listen to: I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
10. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More (LB)
Considering I’ve had to leave great records by the likes of La Roux, the Red Light Company, Chantal Kreviazuk, Starsailor, Bruce Springsteen, the Pet Shop Boys and Kelly Clarkson out of the list, 2009 has been another great year for albums.
I bought this odd little record on the strength of hearing debut chart hit Little Lion Man, and it was one of those occasions where a speculative punt paid off. It's difficult to classify Mumford and Sons (a name that makes them sound like a removal company) - it has a folky feel without being folk music but isn't anything like the sort of traditional guitar indie you hear on the radio.
You may have heard Winter Winds on your radio of late - it has a Christmas feel to it - and those two songs are, I suppose, a good taster for the rest of an interesting, promising debut album.
Listen to: Little Lion Man
delivered by LB at 9:35 AM
2 Discussions:
Can't say I was taken at all by Morrissey's offering this year. I do love the Mozza though, so this year I've settled for yet another collection of his past treasures.
I think I've heard some Mumford & Sons on the radio. In fact, yeah, I'm pretty sure I have. It didn't dig itself into me enough to stop and take note, but I think I'm gonna give this album a complete whirl and see what the skinny is.
Cheers guys!
Oh, and small b please, LB.
As you can probably tell, I'm in two minds about that Morrissey record. Parts of it are sublime, and he sounds great (he's clearly had some record company budget after his recent success - proper orchestras where quarry only had synthesised ones).... but some of it is dirge. I say that with love, but it's not very good. That said, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris is a beautiful little song, and there are others on here that are sublime too.
I haven't listened to loads of new albums this year, so my hands were a little tied in my choices (I suspect it will be 2010 before I get round to some of this year's releases that I should have listened to already by now -- not least the Doves, who I loved when I saw them live this year, but still haven't got round to the record), but this was my hardest one to pick, for sure.
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