i didn't queue for an hour to leave straight away

The Top 10 Albums of 2011

10. The Wombats - This Modern Glitch (LB)

It's not been a stunning year for albums in 2011.  Despite listening to far more new albums than usual (many of which have been reviewed here), picking a top ten was easier than normal.

Saying all that, there were good albums that I left off the list, so credit should go to the likes of the Pierces, the Arctic Monkeys and Panic! At The Disco for producing decent albums.  And, huge kudos to Duran Duran for their All You Need Is Now album which is as good as anything they have ever done.

Still, onto the top 10.  I'll start with a band who I never would have envisaged having on this list.  Material from The Wombats' first album and singer Matt Murphy's voice annoyed me immensely and I had already marked them down as someone to ignore in future.  Then I heard a couple of their 2011 singles on the radio - Anti-D and Techno Fan - and I was suddenty converted.

This Modern Glitch is by no means a classic album - it's daft guitar and synth pop - but it's jaunty and catchy enough to put a smile on your face.  I don't love all of this record, but when The Wombats are good, they are very, very good.

Listen to: Techno Fan

10. Birdy - Birdy (bedshaped)

At just fifteen years old, you really have to take your hat off to this young girl. Where as most young teenagers, given the opportunity to record some of their favourite tracks in a professional recording studio would choose upbeat, probably angsty, but certainly well known songs to lay down, here Jasmine van den Bogaerde has hand picked some absolute gems to mould into her own style.

She’s not unique by any means, but the arrangements and her style are such that most people might assume them to be original works handed down to her by writers and producers. It’s only when she delivers that slightly familiar line that as a listener, I found myself thinking, “where have I heard that before?”. And then all the pieces would fall into place like a luscious jigsaw puzzle.

For such a young girl, bearing in mind that she caught the attention of the music industry three years ago, when she won an open mic talent competition singing one of her own compositions, she has such a....well....a stunningly mature voice. I would challenge anybody who didn’t know her to listen to any of the songs on this album and not be stunned to discover she’s just fifteen. Signed shortly after winning the competition, the decision was made that she should spend the majority of her time concentrating on finishing her education, hence this album of covers, save the stunning Without A Word.

I’ve heard people call this album sombre and depressingly downbeat. I disagree. I find it extremely moving. Melancholy. Haunting. Intimate. Quite simply, it’s gorgeous. The production is bang on too, even though many of the songs are stripped back to bare bones in places with her delicate vocals and piano playing, it’s secretly dressed with loops, strings and vocal play. I can just imagine going to see her play live and the audience watching in stunned and respectful silence, desperate to make an enthusiastic and appreciative noise in between the songs.

A wonderfully sensitive album. A collection of hand picked songs delivered with grace, respect and emotion. It’s a perfect end of evening album. Delicate and pure.

Listen to – Without A Word

10. Fixit Kid - Three (Swisslet)

Bit out of left field this one, but much though I love the new records by old favourites like Coldplay and the Foo Fighters, the simple truth is that I’ve listened to this album far more.  Sorry Chris, sorry Dave, but it’s more honest to include this one in my list at the expense of more famous and successful albums. 

Derby based Fixit Kid first got together in 2000, and this is their third album.  Fixit Kid, when it comes down to it, a good old-fashioned punk band, but there is also a real sense of purpose and intent about these songs.  When opening track Release the Dogs really kicks in after a deceptively gentle intro, it is clear that this band mean business. The band claim influences from a cross-section of classic rock bands like Sabbath, Maiden and Kiss as well as noiseniks like the Jesus & Mary Chain, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.  Both sets of influences are apparent in the music, with the end result hardcore punk with a distinctly metallic edge.

Too many bands in this genre sound as though they’re fronted by an angry town crier, but here the screaming has both fury and a purpose, as singer Mat spits out his black tales of horror, murder, perversion and violence.  It’s hard to pick out a standout track, as the album works well as an intense 35-minute hit.  Special mention should however be given to Dredge the Lake.  Perhaps that (brilliant) title is a deliberate Elvis Costello reference, but the song’s ominous bassline, screaming guitar and anguished vocals soon leave the ghost of Watching the Detectives far behind. Recommended.  Definitely worth looking them up.

Listen to - Dredge the Lake