Top five albums of 2010

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.

My hair's turning white, my neck's always been red, my collar's still blue / we've always been here, just trying to sing the truth to you.

Friday 2 October - kicked off a game of two halves. Tonight we were at Fibbers for a speculative punt on a band neither 'A' or I knew, Second Skin, essentially a set of The Chameleons' songs from their studio albums from 1983-6 (Script of the Bridge, What Does Anything Mean? Basically, and Strange Times) featuring original drummer John Lever, and front-man Mark Burgess. First though, we had to endure Thatcher' Bush. TB delivered plodding formulaic punk rock 'n' roll which, frankly, wouldn't have been out of place in the back room of some smoky pub at the turn of the 80's. So, bit of a duff start then. Fibs started to get quite crowded at this point, and there was a quite a mass of people heading for the front. A few mohican-style hair cuts and a whole bunch of guys on what appeared to be a bouncers night out. Even some of the women looked as if they filed their teeth and sported tattoos on their knuckles. We lurked at bar level.

The name Second Skin comes from track four of The Chameleons' first album. Artwork for their first three albums was produced by their guitarist, Reg Smithies, now an artist of some renown. I thought I'd never heard of them before, but I was wrong. I remember them covering Bowie's John I'm Only Dancing, although I'm blowed if I can find a reference to them releasing it as a single. On the other hand, the rest of the audience knew every single word to every single track and bellowed along in a great sing-along session. It was all very strange. I felt like we'd gate-crashed a private party. I quite enjoyed the music and it was delivered in a technically competent fashion by the musicians. Burgess was a passionate and demonstrative front-man, a joy to watch him in action. I can't say that I'll be running out and buying any albums though.

Given an early finish we ventured across the road to The Terrace where The Melodicas New Reed were playing. Again, we'd never heard of these guys, but hey, the beer's much better than at Fibs. They hail from Leeds and Runcorn (Hashman aka "Ash", the drummer, was the Runcorn connection) and featured a slip of a girl, Cath, on flute which caused our eyebrows to rise slightly. They played a mixture of reggae, funk, soul, blues, jazz... well, anything and everything really. Even though we normally loathe funk with a passion, this group managed to make it sound acceptable. I can't tell you what they played, because it was all their own material, but it was a great end to the evening. Recommended.

Saturday 3 October - The Druid and I were out to see Idle Jack And The Big Sleep, a York band that we seem to keep missing. There was only one support band and while they were setting up we rested our aged bones by sitting at a table up near the mixing desk and lighting console. We didn't stay there long. Lost From Atlas started playing and immediately the whole room was in their thrall. It was like some amazing drum solo accompanied by guitar and bass (Liam Ledgeway was on drums, Dan Gallagher on guitar, and Orlando Lloyd on bass and artistic design.) They played fantastic, tight, post-rock instrumental math-rock. Dan plays with a distinctive tappy guitar sound and the band were constantly switching time signatures or at least giving that illusion. They reminded me somewhat of a band we never see anymore, Ishtar, who seem to play just one track for their set. Co-incidentally, Ishtar are a side project of Idle Jack... Anyway, Lost From Atlas kindly provided me with a free EP featuring the cracking Tom Robinson Must Die. Their debut album is due to be launched on November 14 at Fibbers, definitely a date for my diary. A band not to be missed, highly recommended.

And so to the headline act, Idle Jack And The Big Sleep. Their front man, big-hair, reminded me of someone and when he removed his sunglasses I recognised him as Rob Hughes, a chap who had once spun around rather too quickly in Fibbers and spilt his red wine down my t-shirt. That was the first and last time I ever wore a white t-shirt on a Friday night. I don't bear grudges though. This six-piece York band comprises the aforesaid Mr Hughes on vocals, guitars, theramin, banjo, Stylophone, and megaphone, Rob East on bass, Mike East on rhythm guitar, Jacob Hammerton on lead guitar and effects, Simon Himsworth on drums, and Matthew Hardy on brass; although there were two additional brass players on the stage as well. The sound was pretty unique, varying between rock, prog, metal and all stations in-between. The live show was dynamic and energetic. Sometimes the vocals took centre-stage, at others, the music flew off a dark tangents, painting vast aural soundscapes. Fantastic stuff and, again, highly recommended.