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The Top 10 Albums of 2010
9. Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History (bedshaped)
A three piece indie outfit hailing from Ireland, with no drummer. How can this possibly work? Well, it does. The percussion, drums and beats are programmed in the studio, but as a listener, you'd never know. And as far as I understand, they have a drummer who tours with them. The sound is....well....tightly produced, melodic and slick sounding in an impressive and effortless kind of way. Very pleasing to the ear and nice to see that bands are still happy to produce punchy and fairly simplistic, short songs that don't lack a polished punch.
Many of the tracks are fast, guitar driven tracks, laced with great melodies and hooks, and the vocals suit the style perfectly. Wonderful harmonizing gets interwoven when the tracks really need it and there's more than a handful of tracks found on the album that worm their way into your head. Always a good sign!
The lead singer has a nice voice, although nothing outstanding, and unless I'd researched the band more, I'd never have guessed they hailed from Ireland, since the vocals lack that common 'Oirish' slant that the likes of Snow Patrol have.
With just 10 tracks, it's a fine, fine debut album. None of the tracks sound too 'samey' and there's plenty of musical variety for the average listener to get stuck into. This Is The Life, a bright and breezy number sounds very familiar, even on first listen. If it's been used in an advert, then I can't remember which one. If it hasn't, then it just goes to show that a damned good song is a damned good song and can stick in your head for days, even weeks on end. The same goes for songs such as the up-tempo Do You Want It All?, a speedy, tempo changing sugary pop/indie song with an infectious, if slightly repetitive chorus reminiscent of the likes of The Magic Numbers or The Young Knives. Lovely.
Now, I love deep and meaningful lyrics. I find myself constantly amazed at the genius of beautiful songwriting and wondrous story-telling. Being able to connect with words of love, of woe, of ambition, heartache or whatever, where the story-telling unfolding before my ears provides me with some of my absolute favourite moments. This is not such an album. These lyrics are light, breezy, almost annoyingly upbeat and to be honest, songs like that can grate on me and leave me cold. But this is a collection of songs that are mostly positive in message and not so deep that you find yourself dissecting each and every line. And that's a good thing. No, actually, it's a great thing. After all, we all need a little light relief and entertainment.
A word of caution though. I don't find this album in the same place as the likes of The Feeling or those annoying guys; The Hoosiers. So, if that's your 'thang' then perhaps it isn't for you. And there's no ballads to be found on here either, and that suits me just fine.
Recommended to me by a friend, and described by them as upbeat pop/indie, I listened to the album not really expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised on the first listen and it's been a repeat offender on my playlist throughout the year.
Must listen to track for me is Undercover Martyn. A brisk track, driven by guitar hooks and an infectious drum pattern, this track sums up the rest of the album completely. Short and to the point. Tightly produced and squeaky clean. It's everything an indie song should be, without being scared of falling into the 'pop bracket. And with the opening line; "And she spoke words that would melt in your hand....", I was hooked.
Awesome.
Listen to: Undercover Martyn
9. Tron: Legacy OST - Daft Punk (Swisslet)
Perhaps it’s premature to include this album on this list, but I can’t resist it. I’m not even sure that I’m going to go and watch the film - as I remember it, the original was a confusing mess – but the soundtrack to the sequel is amazing.
I wonder who came up with the idea that Daft Punk should do the soundtrack first: was it the producers or the band themselves? The Frenchmen are such an obvious choice; it’s as though they only existed as a result of the first film and were born to soundtrack the second. Their whole robot “look” is perfect for outlining in blue neon, and the music they’ve always made is ideal for a film set inside a computer world (albeit I imagine there isn’t a guy in a dog costume with a ghetto blaster featuring in the film anywhere, more’s the pity).
I’m not really sure how to describe this album: it sounds exactly like a film soundtrack, but it also sounds exactly like a Daft Punk album. Does that work for you? Mind you, I should add too that, in places, it also sounds quite a lot like the Blade Runner soundtrack…. Perhaps inevitable with any synth-drenched film score.
Still. It’s an odd choice perhaps, and not a record that will be filling many dancefloors in the years to come, and I’m very much including it here on a whim, but it’s still a very satisfying string and synth-drenched listen. 22 tracks, few much over two minutes long and very clearly a film score. I’m not sure it should work or, even if it did, that I should like it. But I really do.
Listen to: Derezzed
9. Ocean Eyes - Owl City (NP)
Early in 2010, and pretty much out of nowhere, came Adam Young's Owl City. Their single Fireflies was a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic as well as countries as far flung as Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.
Ocean Eyes is actually the band's second album, with debut Maybe I'm Dreaming re-released in the UK after the success of Fireflies. It is an incredibly upbeat and chirpy record and Young's distinctive sound and vocals certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. Indeed, after enjoying it repeatedly on its release, I ended up having to put it away for a while as it did get a teensy bit annoying.
Owl City are at their best with their mid-paced tracks, of which Fireflies is an obvious example. Vanilla Twilight and Dental Care are also likeable enough (even if the latter has some particularly awful pun-style lyrics.)
Having only recently played this album again, I was reminded of how infectious and breezy it really is. It might get on some people's nerves after a while, but there's no denying it's a great pop record.
Listen to: Fireflies
9. Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History (bedshaped)
A three piece indie outfit hailing from Ireland, with no drummer. How can this possibly work? Well, it does. The percussion, drums and beats are programmed in the studio, but as a listener, you'd never know. And as far as I understand, they have a drummer who tours with them. The sound is....well....tightly produced, melodic and slick sounding in an impressive and effortless kind of way. Very pleasing to the ear and nice to see that bands are still happy to produce punchy and fairly simplistic, short songs that don't lack a polished punch.Many of the tracks are fast, guitar driven tracks, laced with great melodies and hooks, and the vocals suit the style perfectly. Wonderful harmonizing gets interwoven when the tracks really need it and there's more than a handful of tracks found on the album that worm their way into your head. Always a good sign!
The lead singer has a nice voice, although nothing outstanding, and unless I'd researched the band more, I'd never have guessed they hailed from Ireland, since the vocals lack that common 'Oirish' slant that the likes of Snow Patrol have.
With just 10 tracks, it's a fine, fine debut album. None of the tracks sound too 'samey' and there's plenty of musical variety for the average listener to get stuck into. This Is The Life, a bright and breezy number sounds very familiar, even on first listen. If it's been used in an advert, then I can't remember which one. If it hasn't, then it just goes to show that a damned good song is a damned good song and can stick in your head for days, even weeks on end. The same goes for songs such as the up-tempo Do You Want It All?, a speedy, tempo changing sugary pop/indie song with an infectious, if slightly repetitive chorus reminiscent of the likes of The Magic Numbers or The Young Knives. Lovely.
Now, I love deep and meaningful lyrics. I find myself constantly amazed at the genius of beautiful songwriting and wondrous story-telling. Being able to connect with words of love, of woe, of ambition, heartache or whatever, where the story-telling unfolding before my ears provides me with some of my absolute favourite moments. This is not such an album. These lyrics are light, breezy, almost annoyingly upbeat and to be honest, songs like that can grate on me and leave me cold. But this is a collection of songs that are mostly positive in message and not so deep that you find yourself dissecting each and every line. And that's a good thing. No, actually, it's a great thing. After all, we all need a little light relief and entertainment.
A word of caution though. I don't find this album in the same place as the likes of The Feeling or those annoying guys; The Hoosiers. So, if that's your 'thang' then perhaps it isn't for you. And there's no ballads to be found on here either, and that suits me just fine.
Recommended to me by a friend, and described by them as upbeat pop/indie, I listened to the album not really expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised on the first listen and it's been a repeat offender on my playlist throughout the year.
Must listen to track for me is Undercover Martyn. A brisk track, driven by guitar hooks and an infectious drum pattern, this track sums up the rest of the album completely. Short and to the point. Tightly produced and squeaky clean. It's everything an indie song should be, without being scared of falling into the 'pop bracket. And with the opening line; "And she spoke words that would melt in your hand....", I was hooked.
Awesome.
Listen to: Undercover Martyn
9. Tron: Legacy OST - Daft Punk (Swisslet)
Perhaps it’s premature to include this album on this list, but I can’t resist it. I’m not even sure that I’m going to go and watch the film - as I remember it, the original was a confusing mess – but the soundtrack to the sequel is amazing.I wonder who came up with the idea that Daft Punk should do the soundtrack first: was it the producers or the band themselves? The Frenchmen are such an obvious choice; it’s as though they only existed as a result of the first film and were born to soundtrack the second. Their whole robot “look” is perfect for outlining in blue neon, and the music they’ve always made is ideal for a film set inside a computer world (albeit I imagine there isn’t a guy in a dog costume with a ghetto blaster featuring in the film anywhere, more’s the pity).
I’m not really sure how to describe this album: it sounds exactly like a film soundtrack, but it also sounds exactly like a Daft Punk album. Does that work for you? Mind you, I should add too that, in places, it also sounds quite a lot like the Blade Runner soundtrack…. Perhaps inevitable with any synth-drenched film score.
Still. It’s an odd choice perhaps, and not a record that will be filling many dancefloors in the years to come, and I’m very much including it here on a whim, but it’s still a very satisfying string and synth-drenched listen. 22 tracks, few much over two minutes long and very clearly a film score. I’m not sure it should work or, even if it did, that I should like it. But I really do.
Listen to: Derezzed
9. Ocean Eyes - Owl City (NP)
Early in 2010, and pretty much out of nowhere, came Adam Young's Owl City. Their single Fireflies was a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic as well as countries as far flung as Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.Ocean Eyes is actually the band's second album, with debut Maybe I'm Dreaming re-released in the UK after the success of Fireflies. It is an incredibly upbeat and chirpy record and Young's distinctive sound and vocals certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. Indeed, after enjoying it repeatedly on its release, I ended up having to put it away for a while as it did get a teensy bit annoying.
Owl City are at their best with their mid-paced tracks, of which Fireflies is an obvious example. Vanilla Twilight and Dental Care are also likeable enough (even if the latter has some particularly awful pun-style lyrics.)
Having only recently played this album again, I was reminded of how infectious and breezy it really is. It might get on some people's nerves after a while, but there's no denying it's a great pop record.
Listen to: Fireflies
delivered by LB at 9:52 AM
2 Discussions:
Right, I'll add the Two Door Cinema Club to my list. I think I may be getting them mixed up with Bombay Bicycle Club, who I tried but didn't really like....
Never been a huge Daft Punk fan, although I shall give this one a chance. Marvellous.
The Daft Punk album is deffo on my download list. The movie however, is pretty pants.
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