Having mulled over my 2010 album purchases, I think I'm ready to declare my top five, except that I'm going to be awkward and have six and a special mention. Hey, they're my rules OK?
The special mention goes out to We're Here Because We're Here, the eighth studio album from Anathema which was released in 2010 but I didn't get it until 4 January. It's an extraordinarily beautiful album with multi-layered vocals and weird time signatures that just ticked every box for me on the very first listening. If I'd bought it in 2010 it would be in my top six, but I didn't.
So here are my top six album purchases of 2010:
In at six; the eponymous debut album from Yorkshire soundscapers Lost From Atlas. Instrumental math rock is alive and thriving in the hands of this late teen trio who how show a maturity transcending many of their peers who might have settled for a comfortable life of repetitive monotony. It's fantastic to see new blood producing such high quality material.
At five; The Minerva Suite the second offering from Mexicolas. Hot on the heels of their outstanding debut, X, comes this not quite so outstanding but nevertheless fantastically good bit of alt.indie from Jamie Evans.
Number four in the chart; Black Rock by Joe Bonamassa, the tenth solo album release from the 32 year old blues man. A finely crafted melange of originals and covers of songs from Leonard Cohen Jeff Beck, Otis Rush and Willie Nelson. Each track is magically transmuted into Bonamassa's unique style and polished to a high gloss.
Into the top three; Someone Here Is Missing, the eighth studio album by The Pineapple Thief and sporting cover art by Storm Thorgerson. Nine tracks of their trademark bittersweet progressive indie rock. Each song is tightly constructed and exquisitely recorded as Bruce Soord pours his heart all over his sleeve and into our ears. It's not all about the lyrics either, in between the words the rest of the band flexes quiet and loud like a musical muscle. Set the volume to 11 and stick your ears between those speakers.
Just missing the top slot, so that'll be number two then; April from Leeds fan-friendly band Hope&Social. Released on a pay-what-you-want basis this is another great album from the artists formerly known as Four Day Hombre. There's cheery great lashings of verve and energy, sing-a-long choruses, just a smidge of melancholia, then more dollops of Northern pep and wide-eyed musical wonders. But, don't just listen to the music, go and see the band live, they're even better and so much fun. Truly a joy to listen to.
And so to the number one; another eponymous debut, this time from The Union. The Union are a new band formed by Luke Morley, formerly the guitarist for legendary UK rock band Thunder, and ex-Winterville vocalist/guitarist Peter Shoulder. The album consists of twelve Americana-influenced songs with, as you might expect, superb vocals and outstanding guitar work. But don't be thinking that the tracks sound the same, oh no, each is a mini-masterpiece from the all out rock of Step up to the Plate, to the blues slide of Come Rain Come Shine, and the more stripped down acoustic tracks such as Lilies. They picked up The Classic Rock Award for Best New Band and ChildLine Rocks chose This Time Next Year as their first official charity single. Definitely the best album of 2010 and definitely the best live gig that I've seen in a long time.
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