The Top Fifty Albums Of 2010

30

Chew Lips
‘Unicorn’
(Kitsuné)
From the minimal-electro noodlings of ‘Slick’ to the bouncing routs of ‘Karen’ and ‘Seven’, ‘Unicorn’ was a fine example in postnoughties electro-pop minimalism. With enigmatic Tigs’ undoubted star-quality and her comrades’ synthtwiddling brilliance, 2010
cemented the Londoners as a three-piece to be reckoned with. MG

29

MGMT
‘Congratulations’
(Columbia)
MGMT’s second may have commercially gone down like a ton of bricks but, for those who didn’t want thirteen carbon copies of ‘Kids’, ‘Congratulations’ slowly revealed itself to be a record of convoluted, psychedelic, Syd Barrett-recalling treats. LW

28

The Black Keys
‘Brothers’
(V2/Co-Op)
The effects of Blackroc, The Black Keys’ side project, was felt on ‘Brothers’, with R&B grooves and hip-hop basslines taking a more prominent role than the usual throb’n’gristle blues. The Detroit soul of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ was also a career highlight. ED

27

Edwyn Collins
‘Losing Sleep’
(Heavenly)
Whilst it’d be easy to let the emotional punch of ‘Losing Sleep’ take centrestage – man climbs from deathbed, makes album of his career – it’s the songs that provide the true knockout blow. A vital, euphoric return. ND

Click HERE to watch Edwyn Collins In The Courtyard.

26

Villagers
‘Becoming A Jackal’
(Domino)
The opulent, compelling storytelling. The almost awkwardly intimate guitar. Those deceptively vulnerable vocals. For something so timeless, it’s extraordinarily difficult to pull off, but, with ‘Becoming A Jackal’, Conor O’Brien captivated completely. Troubadouring hadn’t sounded this tremendous in years. IM

Click HERE to Watch Villagers In The Courtyard.

25

Hot Chip
‘One Life Stand’
(EMI)
While the rest of the world co-opted their vivid geek-chic, Hot Chip leapt confoundingly forwards once more: ‘One Life Stand’ was both their raviest and richest offering yet, embarrassingly overstocked with life-affirming bendy-pop nuggets, yet still a triumph of art and soul. IM

24

Laura Marling
‘I Speak Because I Can’
(Virgin)
This second album saw folk’s young songbird grow into Cohen/Mitchell-sized shoes, her lyrics smattered in religious ambiguity and sex, and the endearing subtleties of her debut replaced by rumbling Celtic drums gripping Italian inspired trills and Arabian sitars. A breathtaking, timeless, coming of age soundscape. HG

23

Los Campesinos!
‘Romance Is Boring’
(Wichita)
It’s been fun watching LC! grow from precocious youngsters to absolute masters of their craft. In 4 years, Gareth has pinned lyricism down to a T – in ‘Romance Is Boring’, all the nervous energy of love and its devastating pitfalls are encapsulated perfectly. ELD

Click HERE to watch Los Campesinos! In The Courtyard.

22

Liars
‘Sisterworld’
(Mute)
Their fifth and most complete album, ‘Sisterworld’ takes you on a ramshackle journey through LA’s sinister underworld. Nightmarish strings, conveyor-belt repetition and frontman Angus Andrew’s guttural growl all resound to terrifying climaxes; ‘Sisterworld’ saw Liars outgrow their art-punk beginnings to become true heavyweight contenders. HG

21

Mystery Jets
‘Serotonin’
(Rough Trade)
2010 saw Mystery Jets develop in the most thrilling way. ‘Serotonin’ fizzed with sumptuous Supertramp-inspired indie pop as the band told tales of falling in and out of love and all the mucky stuff in-between. A masterclass in embracing maturity with style, eccentricity and vim. CP

Click HERE to watch Mystery Jets In The Courtyard.

The Top Fifty Albums Of 2010: 20-11