OK, so here's Keith's top 10s... To quote:
Well we just don’t have enough young, female, singer-songwriters around at the moment do we? With a tongue in cheek approach that isn’t just put there to shock (i.e. Katy Perry) and a raspy voice to authentically stand out from the crowd.
9)
Bloc Party TalonsNormally I’m very much a ‘like it or don’t’ guy when it comes to bands – even overlooking poor albums by favourite bands by finding some excuse for the poor dears. But Bloc Party I really can’t decide on. Last year’s ‘Flux’ was awful, their first single this year wasn’t much better (
Mercury) and I began to think their ‘dancey-indie’ direction was just doomed. And yet they release this cacophanous, end of the world cracker and I’m back to undecided again. Overall, better that they’re trying something different and sometimes failing than becoming the Pigeon Detectives – I really need say no more.
8)
Girls Aloud The Promise /
Sugababes GirlsCouldn’t have a Top Tens without somehow managing to mention Queen Cheryl of Cole after her barnstorming year can I? I almost felt sorry for Dannii who quickly went from ‘fresh young thing sat next to that Osbourne harridan’ to ‘obnoxious foreigner daring to criticise Cheryl’s acts whilst not cracking her face’ on the X Factor. But, we’re here to talk music aren’t we? GA’s comeback single was a corker – completely manufactured but covering all the bases as well as ever. Anyone wanting an insight into the production factory that scientifically creates their monster hits could do worse than read a recent Franz Ferdinand interview (they were going to have their new album produced by the same team, which I thought would have been awesome) where they talk about researchers listening to radio every hour of every day and noting down playlists and ‘trends’. I’d like to think that was all done in some sort of workhouse setting.
And I can’t credit GA without also applauding the genius of their rivals’ production company who covered a tune used all year to advertise Boots’ products and then sold it back to Boots to use their version on the ads. Proof that capitalism will survive any recession.
7)
Oasis I’m Outta TimeI had this one up my sleeve since I first heard it a few weeks ago and was thinking ahead to all the ‘No, Oasis can still put out some great stuff’ arguments with y’all. But then it’s in every other man and his dog’s Lists of the Year as well which I’m well annoyed about – so boooo! Liam’s voice hasn’t sounded so emotive for years and there’s not a Noel backing vocal to spoil it either.
6)
Kaiser Chiefs Never Miss A BeatNow listen, Keane and Coldplay didn’t make my top tens even though they both put out decent enough albums so I’m allowed one ‘indie-lite’ crowd-displeaser aren’t I? Catchiest chorus all year and one that’ll stick in your head until you give in and start doing choreographed moves like the bemasked young reprobates in the video. All together now…‘What do you want for tea? I want crisps!’
5)
Estelle American BoyProbably ‘man on the street’s single of the year and I can’t blame’em really. Out-US’ing her American counterparts by chatting up their fellas. Wasn’t even spoilt by Kanye West so that shows you how good it was. Estelle then went on to dis all her UK soul contemporaries so clearly spending time with Kanye taught her something.
4)
Hercules and Love Affair BlindPutting Anthony (..and the Johnsons) together with Euro-influenced US house and Turkish horns probably wasn’t the natural career progression you would have thought of but this tune was top notch. Intriguing video too – matching the song perfectly. Smoke machines are back!
3)
Ladyhawke My DeliriumHave I mentioned the 80’s were big this year? At least this harked back to ‘good 80s’ rather than ‘evil 80s’ (see
Iglu and Hartley for enough evidence of that Starship-copying, they-won’t-notice-if-we-rap-over-it tosh). This track was more on the rocky side than the rest of her album – so think more Joan Jett than Stevie Nicks and you’re probably onto something. Great video too – you never do get enough watercolours on television do you?
2)
Sam Sparro Black and Gold‘Hypnotic’ sums this track up – at least it must be as I couldn’t stand it when it first came out but then it somehow just got under the skin. One of a slew of 80’s revivalist tunes but by far the best. Word of caution though, the album has one hit wonder written all over it, so save those credit crunched pennies people!
1)
Adele Hometown GloryShivers down the spine time, haunting piano coda, amazing vocals with real heart and soul and Alison Moyet’s chavvy child scores the single of the year. Now if only she’d let someone else co-write and she’d be able to follow it up. Youtube have removed the naughy ‘s***’ swearwords and rightly so, so don’t go complaining about me to the Beeb. I’ve never even spoken to Andrew Sachs.
Now let’s have a gander at those long players….
10) Duffy Rockferry
Halfway through the year this wasn’t going to be anywhere near my top ten because I’d grown completely sick of the ironically-titled ‘
Mercy’ but going back over it again you can see why she was so hotly-tipped in the first place – even if she does sound like Lulu in a Dusty Springfield wig. In fact it’s really disappointing when you get to track seven and you realise Mercy hasn’t been on yet and then you hear it. Clearly she wasn’t going to leave it off now was she? But it’s
Rockferry,
Warwick Avenue and
Stepping Stone that show just what a soulful, impassioned voice she has and must have Amy reaching for the crack pipe. Just don’t do a duet with Tom Jones – please!!
9) Ting Tings We Started Nothing
Success story of the year, without a doubt. Cracking singles, perfect pop and a great look equals number one status but also equals critics turning their backs. If they hadn’t been quite so successful with ‘
That’s Not My Name’ then I’m sure they’d still be adored but sadly you can go from unknown to famous to riding the backlash wave in less than a year round here. Again, some dodgy album tracks – notably ‘the one where I compare myself to a fruit machine’ (Fruit Machine) and ‘the one where I compare you to a traffic light’ (Traffic Light) take the shine off what is otherwise pop gold dust. See also
Shut Up and Let Me Go8) MGMT Oracular Spectacular
MGMT were the first of the ‘hot new bands’ to break at the start of the year and deservedly so with the brilliant
Time to Pretend about the ridiculous excesses of a pop star lifestyle. Quirky, ‘throwback yet looking forward’ in the same way as the Klaxons were the year before, though this time it was to the psychedelic ‘60’s rather than the psychedelic ‘90’s. Great singles but some of that impact was lost on a bit of an overblown album to be honest. Not that they’ll be bothered. The NME clearly love them as they gave them single and album of the year. See also
Electric Feel7) Glasvegas Glasvegas
Self-titled debut ahoy! This one definitely was the ‘one I was waiting for’ perhaps moreso that any other this year – mainly due to the hype that was generated by their deserving singles and the feeling that they really would be ‘an album band’ with quality and depth as well as heart-breaking singles. It didn’t quite work out that way however as there’s a sense that (and this isn’t the first time I’ll say this) you feel they could have done with a bit more ‘quality control’. It’s all the more maddening when they are able to release a Christmas album a few short months later – if only they’d picked the best out the two then they may have been higher. Certainly they produced some of the best lyrics of the year full of heartache, loss and longing but underpinned with that old faithful of uplifting musical backing (sound of Motown TM) just every so often it can teeter over into self-indulgence.
Daddy’s Gone got all the press but it’s
Geraldine that’s my favourite. And their drummer doesn’t sit down – class!
6) Goldfrapp Seventh Tree
What to do when your second album is heralded as being a complete u-turn on your equally heralded debut? Do the same again with your third. This time the hard, sexy, Germanic electronics of Black Cherry were replaced with gentle, airy, acoustic guitars and songs about Caravan Girls, images of Timotei-fresh summer meadows and big frocks. Never did it seem a Madonna-like ‘change to the next demographic’ marketing ploy but a heartfelt ode to a summer that never really arrived. I have to admit I hadn’t really given this much of a listen prior to my trip to Yosemite this year, but it soundtracked the amazing landscapes perfectly and probably kept us awake enough not to drive off the edge of a few big cliffs. I guess that’s good enough reason for it to be in the list. Another is anticipating whatever Allison Goldfrapp will do next. See also
A&E and
Caravan Girl5) Santogold Santogold
I was going to try and review this without resorting to what every other reviewer did and say how ‘uncategorisable’ Santi White’s debut was. But, it’s true dammit. There’s the Missy Elliott influences in the production, Pixies in the guitar lines and simply anyone you care to mention on vocals. Best comparison is to say that listening to the album is like having half of your cd collection on shuffle, which you could say for an album is a bad, disjointed thing, except she also co-produced it. I’m not even ashamed to say I bought it after I heard ‘
Creator’ advertising hair gel on telly. Bought the cd, didn’t buy the gel! Take that ‘The Man’! Comparisons to
M.I.A. are unfounded and lazy but let’s compare shall we? See also
L.E.S. Artistes and
Lights Out4) Friendly Fires Friendly Fires
Another self-titled debut I hear you moan. Hurrah! This was one of those rare albums of 2008 that actually made you feel…better. Uplifting, electo-pop with a brain – they get the ‘white boys who funk’ award graciously handed to them from Hot Chip. ‘
Jump in the Pool’ has that cool, refreshing vibe to it that makes you want to jump in a pool and ‘
Paris’…well, just makes you want to fly to Paris. Good job they didn’t have a secret track called Cut off your Ears I guess (well, they may have, but I haven’t found it – probably just as well really).
3) Kings of Leon Only By the Night
Er, hang on, didn’t you guys just have an album out last year? Trotter’s Top Tens needs variety you know, can’t you wait until January 2009 and I’ll promise you a slot then? What? The record company and the band want to cash in on all the momentum that coming third in last year’s list has generated? Well, ok. I can’t blame you really.
There’s some bands that you want to see succeed on the big stage because they’re just meant to be there (Muse being another one) and others that you want to hang onto in your little ‘indie-world’ and hope that Football Focus and X Factor don’t get their hands on them. KoL have just outgrown indie though, mainly as Caleb’s voice grew stronger, Nathan’s guns got bigger and everyone’s hair got shorter. Part of me though, just wishes that they’d hung on that bit longer and made this the best album of the year and not a ‘three quarter great, one quarter so-so’ one. Opening tracks Closer, Crawl,
Sex on Fire and
Use Somebody (even though I think that track could do with a bit more ‘oomph’ in production) surely make up the best album intro of the year and the final track Cold Desert is just the best thing they’ve ever done. There’s a haunting, edgy quality to even their most ‘stadium’ of leanings that still makes them an exciting proposition (who I finally got to see live this year). As for making their perfect album and getting to No. 1 on the list? Well, maybe next time lads.
2) Foals Antidotes
Foals were touted as one of the ‘ones to watch’ at the start of the year and yet found the Observer writing in their 2008 roundup ‘nothing in Foals’ math rock background suggested their convulsive debut would be among the highlights of the year’ (er, except they were in your ‘class of 2008’ feature 11 editions earlier – so go have a word with your editor (if you have one). Ahem!
Maybe everyone should have guessed Foals weren’t going to do the obvious when they left the very singles off the album that had gained them the ‘ones to watch’ reputation. Jerky, complex, far from instant but therefore all the better for it and not without some great pop moments. It’s also standing the test of time despite coming out at the start of the year. They also have that effortless gang mentality going for them that means you just want to be let into their little clique and hold your bass up by your armpits and face stage right. See also ‘
Olympic Airways’ and ‘
Balloons’
1) Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend
Just…joyous. And essentially number one because unlike most other albums this year this one held together throughout and sounded as if they’d cared about every track not just three quarters of it.
And in a cynical, depressing, credit-crunched world we can all do with a bit of cheering up, can’t we? So stop questioning why a bunch of preppy young Americans would create an album with Caribbean and Afro-beat guitars and rhythms and just enjoy it. Besides, anyone who can call their opening tracks
Mansard Roof,
Oxford Comma and
A-Punk and write ‘Why would you lie about how much coal you have? Why would you lie ‘bout something dumb like that?’ (I haven’t the faintest!) deserves to be number one. Oh, and nice picture of a chandelier on the front too.
You know what, I’m not going to do a Worst of the Year – weather’s miserable, economy’s down the pan and I think we should all just end on a high note don’t you?
Here’s the
Video of the Year that actually manages to capture 2008 in a nutshell. Scrilla!
Now show me yours!!!!
Jeez... reading some of that again, it's a wonder that i am friends with this fella...
