nothing's going to hurt as much as that final touch

The Top 10 Albums of 2011


7. Lady Antebellum - Own The Night (LB)

Last year, the second album from Lady Antebellum, Need You Now, was my #3 album of the year. Over the intervening twelve months it's not shifted from that position and remains one of the best records I've bought in the last few years.

Despite being country music's biggest stars, there's plenty to like about this lot. Lush production, great songs and a lovely mix of male and female vocals mean that Own the Night pretty much takes on where Need You Now leaves off, but there's not a lot wrong with that.

While they may not have hit it big on this side of the Atlantic, Lady Antebellum are massive in America and it's not hard to see why. While this record won't covert you to their cause if you didn't like them anyway, if you are a fan you'll be delighted with it.

Listen to: As You Turn Away


7. Katy B - On A Mission (bedshaped)

I had such high hopes for Jessie J. But she failed me, miserably. Then from out of nowhere, along comes Katy B.

I first heard her when she did vocals for Magnetic Man on a couple of tracks on his album. Which I also loved, by the way! Then I heard Katy On A Mission; a fantastic dancefloor pounder, with so many hooks it must be illegal! And from then, I was pretty much hooked.

She’s not got the best voice in the world, but for the style she’s dropping, it’s perfect. This album is choc-a-block full of dirty grime, pulsating beats, filthy basslines, samples and loops, and hooks bigger than an ambitious fisherman on his maiden voyage. There’s some brief encounters with the drum ‘n’ bass posse, but in the most it’s clubtastic, with the occasional surprising slow beat, chill-out track.

The production is great, although to me, it feels a little too polished. With all the sampled loops, programmed beats and emulated sounds, I can’t help feeling just how much of this album could have produced entirely on a Mac. It’s not gonna give any listener the best lyrics in the world. There’s no twisted lyrics or deep meanings here, it’s all about the clubbing, the dancing, the guys and the music. It’s dance beats in the finest style, with a great vocalist adding more depth and interest in the songs. For great songs to lighten the mood, you couldn’t really go wrong with this. It’s shallow with meaning, but deep in vibes.

Listen to: Broken Record

7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver (Swisslet)

On paper, 2008’s For Emma, Forever Ago ticked all my musical boxes: mournful, enigmatic and absolutely indie-er than-thou. In practice though, it just didn’t float my boat and I could not seem to find the key that would help me really get into it. I really wanted to like it, but was forced, a little reluctantly, to write it off as basically slightly annoying.

Not surprisingly then, I didn’t rush out and buy the follow up. In the end, although I could ignore the deluge of rave reviews in the music press, it was the recommendations of friends that persuaded me to give it a go. I’m so glad that I did. The addition of a full band gives a fuller, richer sound to this record, and for me makes Justin Vernon’s distinctive voice seem so much more accessible (even if I’ve now got almost no idea what he’s singing about most of the time).

Thematically, this record is not just about heartache and loss this time around either, and the wider palate makes the whole record a little less… well, limited.  Beth/Rest is perhaps a little bit too Richard Marx for my tastes, but the rest of this record is so stunning that I’ve even been persuaded to revisit the other one again, and you can’t argue with tracks as good as Calgary, Towers and Holocene. Beautiful record.

Listen to: Calgary