The Decemberists: ‘The King Is Dead’

The previous two offerings from The Decemberists; ‘The Crane Wife’ and ‘The Hazards of Love’ proved that this Oregon five-piece were capable of greatness. Colin Meloy seems to posses the extraordinary ability to produce music which is both musically and lyrically dense. Add to that the albums are underscored by a concept and listening to The Decemberists is not too dissimilar to reading a great fantasy fiction novel. It was, therefore, with much anticipation that I approached their sixth studio album ‘The King is Dead’

Their latest offering, however, is entirely different from its predecessors. If ‘The Hazards of Love’ was their homage to Brit-Folk; then ‘The King is Dead’ is their salute to Americana. The underlining framework for this album is predominately folk music, but it is heavily cloaked in country music. Indeed, Neil Young was cited as an influence for this album along with R.E.M. Peter Buck even plays guitar and mandolin on three of the tracks. They have also dispensed with an overall concept and it’s a much simpler affair than the other albums in musical terms if not lyrical content. According to Moley, writing and touring ‘The Hazards of Love’ proved an exhausting experience and they wanted to get back-to-basics for their next effort and that is exactly what we get with ‘The King Is Dead’.

When one is use to having a dictionary at hand for the lyrics, recurring characters, a map to guide your way through the dense musical layers, and ever-changing time signatures, such simplicity almost feels a bit of a letdown. It’s generally Middle-of-the-Road music, perfect for summer drives along the coast or a happy sing-along around the campfire. That’s not, however, to relinquish this to mediocrity. The Decemberists are, after all, great song writers no matter how the songs may be packaged.

The album demonstrates its intent straight away with opener ‘Don’t Carry It All’ and its harmonica introduction leading us into the album. I was just waiting for the distorted guitars to flourish and the forest queen to emerge from her slumber. This was not to be the case. The whole album is a solid country-folk album peppered with acoustic guitars, fiddles and harmonica. The heaviest it gets is with a pedal steel guitar! The album generally flits between simple guitar driven ballads (January Hymn) to more up-tempo numbers (Rox in a Box). ‘Down By the Water’ is undoubtedly the best song from the whole album. This is largely due to the great vocal harmonies of Moley and guest vocalist Gillian Welch who also lends her excellent vocal talents to other songs on the album. The vocal interplay is reminiscent of some of the great male/female country duos of old.

Colin Meloy’s nasal vocals as well as the re-emerging harmonica and fiddle solos do tend to grate a little after a few songs. ITt was the depth to their music which always made the Decemberists so interesting to listen to. In saying this, ‘The King Is Dead’ can certainly sit proudly among their other body of work. In fact, for many other bands this could well be considered a great album. However, when you have set the bar so high, as The Decemberists have, this is always going to come across as a bit of a letdown. It may well have been inspired by Neil Young but lacks that rock edge that Young always married so well with folk music. These are ten simple, yet very pleasant, folk songs. ‘The King Is Dead’ surely won’t be seen as a career highlight. With a band capable of greatness, ‘The King Is Dead’ may very well be an intermediary for yet another great work of fiction in the future, or once can hope at least.

Rating:6/10

England retain the Ashes for the first time in 24 years

England thrash the Aussies 3-1 and have retained the Ashes for the first time in 24 years.

ENGLAND

Andrew Strauss - 9

If the series started in the worst possible fashion for Strauss - out in the first over of the first session of the first Test for a duck - it has ended at the opposite end of the spectrum, only the third English captain in history to win the Ashes both home and away. His batting was solid - an average in the low 40s is historically very good for an England opener in Australia - but it was his captaincy that was inspired. A model of calm and control in the field, he led his side with authority, imagination and class, bringing the
absolute best from almost every one of his players.

Alastair Cook -10

This is one mark that we'll surely all agree on. Arriving in Australia as a supposed weak link at the top of the chain, Cook left it as an indomitable run-machine, breaking records with such unhurried ease that it seems impossible he had an average over eight innings last summer of just 13. His 235 not out saved the game in Brisbane; his big centuries in Adelaide and Sydney set up historic English victories. Only Wally Hammond has scored more runs in a single Test series for his country, and that was in an era of timeless Tests. Man of the series.

Jonathan Trott - 9

In any other Ashes series down under, an England batsman who averaged almost 90 would be the hero of the day. That Trott's achievements have been overshadowed by those of his team-mate one place up the order will bother him not one bit. His century in Melbourne was the pick, a study in ferocious concentration and application, but throughout he was a rock in Australia's path to purgatory. England's best number three in a decade.

Kevin Pietersen - 7

This should be a no-brainer. Pietersen's 237 in Adelaide was the most complete innings of his career, as disciplined as it was destructive, the display Australians had feared from the very start. At the same time, there will be those who think Pietersen let himself down with the bat, wasting good starts and losing his wicket to impetuous shots at inopportune moments, as in the second innings in Perth and first dig in Sydney. In reality, we may be wasting our time expecting one without the other.

Paul Collingwood - 5

If his valedictory series was a poor one with the bat, Collingwood will still leave the Test arena with his head held high. His fielding set the benchmark to which all his team-mates aspire, his attitude energised the team and his bowling was an unheralded factor in allowing England to pick just four front-line bowlers. The catch to remove Ricky Ponting on the first morning in Perth will remain one of the highlights of the series. Colly, thanks for the hard work and memories.

Ian Bell - 8

Four years ago the Sherminator, this time the Terminator. Bell was the most aesthetically pleasing batsman in the series, contributing on almost every occasion despite batting too often with the tail and, through the excellence of those above him, getting far less time at the crease than anyone could have imagined. His maiden Test century against Australia at his 31st attempt was a fitting way to seal an excellent series.

Matt Prior - 8

Along with James Anderson, Prior is one of England's most improved players over the past three years. His glovework was excellent throughout the series, his foot movement sharp and his hands quick both standing back to the quick and up for Graeme Swann. Dismissed for a golden duck in his first innings of the series, he ended it with a thumping century as England compiled their highest ever Test total on Australian soil. Is there currently a better wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket?

Stuart Broad - 7

Two wickets from 70 overs across two matches doesn't sound like a great return, especially with not a single run from the bat to add into the mix. In this case, statistics fail to tell the story. Broad's control in Adelaide - he went at just 2.3 runs an over in his truncated series - built the pressure that led to wickets at the other end. He even made his debut as a TMS expert summariser in Perth, which gets him a bonus BBC mark.

Graeme Swann - 7

The Aussies were so scared of his spin wizardry, they prepared green-tinged wickets to thwart him but Swann still took 15 wickets in the series, his best 5-91 coming at Adelaide. He showed his nous to operate within his limitations if there was no spin, performing a great enabling role and tying an end of up many occasions. Not as swashbuckling with the bat as he has been, but he didn't need to be, and special praise for bringing the "sprinkler" dance to the world's attention.

Steve Finn - 8

14 wickets at 33 in your first Ashes series, at the tender age of 21, is a marvellous return for someone still at the very start of his Test career. Finn was expensive at times, and struggled with his length on the unfamiliar Waca surface. Events in Melbourne proved that England were right to bring in Tim Bresnan. But that takes nothing away from the man he replaced.

James Anderson - 9

Tonked all over various ovals four years ago, Anderson shocked the Australian players and public alike with his transformation into a bowler capable of dismissing any batsman at any time. If his line and length were exemplary, his ability to move the new ball and reverse-swing the old one wrought havoc in the Aussie ranks. If his best moment was getting rid of Ricky Ponting for that golden duck in the first over in Adelaide, he was a consistent threat on every surface. The unquestioned leader of England's attack.

Chris Tremlett - 8

Surprise package #1. Some wondered why he had been picked in the squad in the first place; others said he was the wrong man to come in for the injured Stuart Broad. All were proved wrong. Tremlett ended the series a key man in the four-man bowling assault, frightening batsmen with steep bounce and finding movement off the seam at the Waca, MCG and SCG. Built like an ogre, he performed like a prince.

Tim Bresnan - 8

Surprise package #2. He wasn't supposed to have the weapons to succeed at the highest level, but that brilliant spell at the MCG of three wickets for two runs in 18 balls after tea on the third day, including the prize wickets of Ponting and Hussey, proved the doubters wrong. Continued to pose a threat in the fifth Test, finding movement off the seam and keeping a wonderfully tight line, and gives the England attack tremendous strength in depth.

Andy Flower - 10

Appointed amid the ruins of the Pietersen-Moores regime, Flower has gradually remoulded this England team into the fittest, best-prepared and most unified side in memory. The batsmen delivered, the bowling plans worked and the fielding excelled. The squad selection was proved faultless, and the changes in personnel made during the series all came off a treat. Neither will he stop here: he has already set his targets on the World Cup and then the number one spot in the Test rankings. He may yet achieve both.

AUSTRALIA

Shane Watson - 6

435 runs is a fine return for an opening batsman, particularly in a team that's as consistently under the pump as this Australian side has been. Watson should be content. What will leave him unsatisfied is that he failed to play any innings that had a decisive effect on a match, and failed to build on so many good starts. He was also involved in three run-outs, all three of them utterly needless, and his bowling - 3-233 across the five matches - lacked any sort of menace.

Simon Katich - 5

If this was the end for Katich - and he refuses to throw in the towel, despite his advancing years - it was no sort of farewell. In the four innings before his Achilles problem ruled him out of the rest of the series he was averaging just 24, run out in that dramatic first over in Adelaide and sitting alone in the stands, far from his team-mates, for the rest of the day. If he was three years younger he would probably be Australia's next captain.

Ricky Ponting - 2

Could this Ashes series have been any worse for Ricky Ponting? Not in his most fevered nightmares could he have conjured up a total of just 113 runs, at an average of just 13. As the trot developed he looked a little unlucky to be getting out - nicking behind off his hip in Brisbane, seen off by one of the great slip catches in Perth by Paul Collingwood - but gradually the awful truth dawned: one the best batsmen of all time was on the slide. He wants to come back, and he wants to come back as captain; you'd say he had little chance, but who else is there?

Michael Clarke - 3

At his best a wonderful, free-flowing batsman, Clarke endured a miserable series. An average of just 21 would be bad enough for a number seven, let alone a number four and vice-captain, but it was the manner of many of his dismissals - wafting or pushing hard outside off - that was almost as bad. Given the captaincy after Ponting's finger injury to widespread dismay in the Aussie public, his young side was taken to the cleaners at the SCG. If he wasn't skipper, would his form be enough to keep him in the side?

Michael Hussey - 8

Australia's sole genuine success story. Had Hussey been dropped before the first Test, as so nearly happened, Australia could have lost this series 5-0. That might sound like an exaggeration, but remove his runs from the scorecards in Brisbane and Perth and then see what you think. Played beautifully in the first three Tests, showing excellent judgement outside off and driving and cutting beautifully; his relative failures in the final two Tests were the final nail in his country's coffin.

Marcus North - 2

Never popular with Australian supporters outside Western Australia, North managed just 49 runs at 16 in the first two Tests and found himself jettisoned after the thrashing in Adelaide. In some ways the timing was unfortunate - he prospers at the Waca, and at 31 years old and his state's captain he could have been an outside bet for national skipper. Steve Smith was also no improvement at six. Instead, he finds himself on the international scrapheap.

Brad Haddin - 7

Always a strong batsman, Haddin impressed with great self-control in his huge stand with Hussey at the Gabba and with attacking brio at times elsewhere. Played loose shots to get out in Melbourne and Sydney, but on both occasions he had been left in the lurch by his top order. Not the tidiest gloveman, but kept going throughout a monstrous 800 overs behind the timbers as his bowlers toiled.

Mitchell Johnson - 4

First the good news for Mitchell: he took 15 wickets, including a match-winning haul of eight on the hard bounce of the Waca, to end the series as Australia's leading wicket-taker. Now the bad news: those scalps cost him 554 runs. Everywhere but the Waca he was innocuous at best and, at worst, a liability. Scored twice as many half-centuries as his skipper Ponting, which was saying a lot less than it once was, and completed his final spell of the Ashes being mercilessly taunted by half the ground.

Xavier Doherty - 1

Brought in to be the left-armed spinner who would see off Kevin Pietersen, Doherty instead found himself another unfortunate entry on one of the longest lists in Australian cricket: spinners who have failed to replace Shane Warne. If it was bad in Brisbane, it was awful in Adelaide - a double ton for Pietersen, spell after barren spell and not a sniff of control. His Test figures? 3-306. Was he really better than Nathan Hauritz?

Peter Siddle - 6

Began with that sensational hat-trick on his birthday in Brisbane and bagged another six-for on his home ground at the MCG. In between it wasn't quite so pretty - he took just two other wickets - but at least he tried his heart out. Would he have got near an Australian side of old? Probably not. But when the cupboard is almost bare, a cheese sandwich sometimes has to suffice.

Ben Hilfenhaus - 3

Such a danger in English conditions during the Ashes of 2009, Hilfenhaus began the series with the prize scalp of the English skipper in his very first over. That was about as good as it got. Took just six more wickets in the rest of the series for an overall average of 59 and was probably relieved to have missed the mayhem in Adelaide. No English batsman feared facing him.

Ryan Harris - 7

Whole-hearted and dangerous in the right conditions, Harris was Australia's best bowler in Adelaide. That's a little like saying that Siobhan was the best singer in Bananarama, but still. Bowled beautifully during England's second innings in Perth, picking up 6-47 to blow a huge chunk in the top order, but then broke down with a stress fracture of the left ankle in Melbourne. Deserves another bite at Test cricket.

Doug Bollinger - 2

Australia's most effective bowler over the previous year, Bollinger never recovered full fitness nor momentum after being injured on the tour of India in October. Overlooked for Brisbane, he took the England skipper's wicket in his first over at Adelaide and then, in his captain's words, "hit the wall". His 1-130 ensured he would not get another chance in the series.

Phillip Hughes - 1

Picked when horribly out of form, Hughes convinced no-one in his six innings. 97 runs at an average 16 spells it out: his technique is still too flawed for him to succeed at Test level. Looked most settled in the second innings at Melbourne, only to be run out, but needs a major overhaul.

Steve Smith - 2

One day Smith might make a Test player, but not yet. Woefully out of his depth at number six, neither did he pose enough of a threat with his occasional leg-spin to be picked as a bowler, going 0-138 in the two matches where he was tossed the ball.

Usman Khawaja - 5

Brought in for his Test debut in difficult circumstances, he did enough in the first innings to suggest he has a Test future. Undone by clever bowling and field placement in the first innings, he found Anderson's swing too much in the second, fooled by a great out-swinger after a series of in-swingers. Give him time.

Michael Beer - 2

He was better than Xavier Doherty, but that's hardly praise. Went 1-112 on debut, having been denied Cook's wicket on just 46 by his own no-ball, after being left out in Perth and Melbourne despite the selectors initially insisting he would be picked. Will get another chance despite his lack of impact here.

Tim Nielsen - 3

Australia's players, with one notable exception, batted feebly. They bowled with less discipline and success and dropped more chances. The players originally selected struggled; those brought in to replace them generally did worse. Not all of this is the coach's fault. He can only work with the material he's given. But what he did do brought few results.

New Starbucks logo

Dropping the name so they can branch out into other products.

100 Things We Didn't Know From 2010

To kick off 2011, here's an almanac of the best from the past year.

1. The G-spot nearly came to be known as the Whipple Tickle.

2. You can assault someone without touching them.

3. Animal heaven is called Rainbow Bridge.

4. It's OK to own military medals you haven't earned, but it's illegal to wear them and pretend they are yours.

5. The first international cricket match was in the US.

6. The two most common pronunciations of Van Gogh are wrong.

7. The last remaining Royal Mail ship goes back and forth to St Helena.

8. Men's waistbands are at their highest point when men reach the age of 57, just seven inches below their armpit.

9. Swans divorce.

10. Haggis has been banned in the US since 1989.

11. Face blindness - difficulty in remembering faces - is called prosopagnosia.

12. Glass attacks in bars and pubs cause 87,000 injuries a year in England and Wales.

13. You can pay for university tuition with Tesco Clubcard points.

14. The Frisbee was originally called the Pluto Platter.

15. Parents in Japan swear by KitKats when their children are taking exams.

16. Goldie Hawn runs schools.

17. The Barbie doll has had 125 careers since 1959.

18. Australia has never had a saint. Until now.

19. There are people in the UK called Justin Case, Barb Dwyer and Stan Still.

20. Elephants growl.

21. The types of lasers that remove tattoos can also be used to clean up works of art.

22. Some chickens are half-male and half-female.

23. Fifty percent of a jumbo jet can be recycled.

24. Soldiers in Afghanistan use concrete mixers to wash their clothes.

25. The mafia use Facebook.

26. Straightening irons outsell hairdryers.

27. Fried tarantula tastes like liver.

28. The name "scrumpy" comes from a word meaning small and shrivelled.

29. In The Wizard of Oz, Toto was played by a dog called Terry.

30. Marriage over the telephone is valid under Islamic law.

31. Bebo stands for blog early, blog often.

32. MPs' parliamentary gym memberships are cancelled during the election campaign.

33. Insect museums are called insectariums.

34. British servicemen and women have had their own brand of tea since 1921.

35. Doctor Who regenerations were modelled on bad LSD trips.

36. Sir Cliff Richard split up with his first serious girlfriend by letter.

37. The Turin Shroud is woven in a herringbone pattern.

38. In the US, 30% of teenagers send more than 100 texts a day.

39. US President George Washington failed to return a library book. It's now racked up a $300,000 fine (£193,000)

40. There are vending machines that sell hot chips.

41. There are surgeons who specialise in restoring virginity.

42. Storks can be blue.

43. Downing Street's famous black front door was once green.

44. China smokes one third of the world's cigarettes.

45. Florence Nightingale used the pseudonym "Miss Smith" to evade the media.

46. A million people a month are refused a drink in a pub.

47. American and British sign language is different.

48. The European Cup was stolen in 1982 when Aston Villa players took it to a pub in the West Midlands.

49. Ken Dodd sang the third biggest-selling single of the 1960s.

50. When one police diver is under water, another four remain on dry land.

51. Wonder Woman was originally an Amazon.

52. Withdrawn banknotes are shredded and sometimes used in compost.

53. Hamburger-related injuries are on the rise in Taiwan.

54. The common octopus is the most intelligent invertebrate.

55. Gorillas play tag.

56. Having a big head may protect against dementia.

57. International athletes coming to London for the 1948 Olympics had to bring their own towels.

58. One of the world's most ancient living creatures are a breed of shrimp which live in south-west Scotland.

59. Dogs mimic their owners.

60. Buttocks are hardest to tan.

61. Pea plants can grow inside a human lung.

62. Some hardened sauna users can stand temperatures of up to 160C.

63. Honeybees are cleverer at certain times of the day.

64. The average person spends around 15 hours 45 minutes every day awake.

65. Children with squints are less likely to be invited to birthday parties.

66. Urine could be a source of renewable energy.

67. Milk used to be watered down, then coloured yellow with toxic lead chromate to make it look creamy.

68. Traffic jams can last nine days.

69. It's possible to watch 28,000 films in a lifetime.

70. Apples originated in Kazakhstan.

71. It is illegal to dry clothes in various parks in Whitstable, Kent.

72. Geoff Capes was a champion budgerigar breeder.

73. When people fall in love they lose on average two close friends.

74. Subbuteo has a rugby version.

75. The Pope's aircraft is known as "Shepherd One".

76. Elgar wrote one of the first football songs.

77. In French, the words for "inflation" and "fellatio" are very similar.

78. Squirrels can be black.

79. Chimpanzees can become addicted to smoking.

80. Men sweat more efficiently than women.

81. Noise affects taste.

82. Getting drunk quickly is genetic.

83. King penguins flirt with other penguins of the same gender but tend not to settle down with them.

84. Sparrows eavesdrop on fighting birds.

85. Crows go to school.

86. Flamingos use make-up.

87. John and Margaret were the most popular British baby names for 30 years.

88. More than half of Americans dress up for Halloween

89. Some 7.2 million British people get by without a wristwatch.

90. Tea parties were invented in the 1830s.

91. Which means that the 1773 Boston Tea Party wasn't known by that name until more than 60 years after the event. At the time it was referred to as "the destruction of the tea".

92. Having fewer brothers and sisters can be good for your education.

93. It's not just in comedy films that babies can fall from tall buildings, bounce on awnings and be caught by a passer-by.

94. Nazis coined the verb coventrierung (literally, to coventrate) to describe total annihilation of a city - Coventry - through aerial bombardment.

95. One in five people only clean their homes at weekends.

96. Aerial massed acrobatics performed by starlings at this time of year are called "murmurations".

97. David Cameron slept on the Mall the night before Prince Charles married Lady Diana.

98. German shoes are wider than Italian.

99. Badgers still occupy setts known since the Domesday Book.

100. Donald Trump's hair is real.

Sudan to split in two?

Sudan - Africa's biggest country - seems to be on the verge of splitting in two. Southerners will vote on Sunday whether or not to leave the north. These maps show the extent to which Sudan is already two nations - a richer, Arabic-speaking, Muslim north and a poorer south devastated by years of conflict and neglect.

The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. Southern Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest.

My Top 20 Albums of 2010

1. Janelle Monae: ‘The ArchAndroid’

Given that this is Janelle Monae’s first album and her young age, this album is of staggering proportions. The ArchAndroid is loosely based around the 1927 film Metropolis. She adopts the alter ego of Cindi Mayweather, an android sent back in time from the 28^th century, with the directive to liberate a fictitious community from a society of oppressors. It’s long and baffling at times, but quite astounding. It straddles every genre from Broadway, neo-classical, jazz, big-band, funk, soul and hip-hop. Reading this would probably scare off the casual music listener but this would be a mistake as it is one of the most accessible albums this year. This is not to be missed, prepared to be wowed.

Essential Tracks: ‘Tightrope’, ‘Cold War’, ‘Sir Greendown’

2. The Black Keys: ‘Brothers’

Very rarely am I captivated by an album from start to end; even rarer does this occur with a blues rock album. The Black Keys have, however, managed just that with ‘Brothers’. This album combines the classic elements of blues, R&B, and soul with contemporary elements to firmly place this in 2010. It’s also great to see a band that seemed so lost in direction just a few years ago hit back with something so accomplished and progressive that now they are the ones setting trends for others. The raw funk grooves, deep rhythm riffs, and falsetto; combined with interesting choices of instruments for this genre of music (harpsichord and sleigh bells) make this a must have album of 2010. There is not a duff track in sight!

Essential Tracks: ‘Too Afraid to Love you’, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, ‘Tighten Up’

3. Gorillaz: ‘Plastic Beach’

Start with a dose of Bobby Womack, add a dash of Snoop Dog and the Lebanese National Orchestra, next a generous portion of Mark E.Smith, a pinch of Lou Reed and Mos Def, and top off with The Clash and Daman Albarn, mix together and what do we have? A recipe for disaster! However, in the capable hands of the genius that is Daman Albarn, the result not only works but is sublime. Whether he is battling for Britpop supremacy, creating Mandarin operas, or operating under the guise of a band that doesn’t exist, Albarn always seems to deliver. Plastic Beach is daring and innovative; muddled yet magnificent. The album flits between hip-hop, Shinto Bollywood, pure pop, trashy Casio beats, 80 synths, soul and rap. That’s three legendary albums in row for Gorillaz now.

Essential Tracks: ‘Stylo’, ‘Melancholy Hill’, ‘White Flag’

4. Robert Plant: ‘Band of Joy’

As if being part of one of the greatest bands ever to have graced the music world wasn’t enough; Robert Plant has done the impossible yet again and produced a classic with Band of Joy to sit proudly alongside his others (‘Mighty Rearranger’ and ‘Raising Sands’). This guy can do no wrong. He has the ability to pick the right musicians, producers, and songs and the rest appear to just come naturally and effortlessly. Unlike most hexagenarians, Plant is not content to rest on his amazing back catalogue and reveal in the pantheon of rock royalty. He has managed to pluck obscure songs like Richard Thompson’s ‘House of Cards’ and Los Lobos’ ‘Angel Dance’ and make them seem like modern classics. Underpinning the album is certainly a country vibe, yet this if often disguised with strong vocals, tremolo-drenched guitar, and feedback. Robert Plant always looks to the future when he is expected to look back on the past; that is what makes this artist so special.

Essential Tracks: ‘Angel Dance’, ‘House of Cards’, ‘Monkey’

5. Goldfrapp: ‘Head First’

If there was ever any doubt that Goldfrapp are indeed one of the greatest talents Britain has produced in their generation then this finally puts it to rest. Goldfrapp have disrobed their pagan gowns of 2007s’ ‘Seventh Tree’ and Alison has raided the wardrobe for Spandex and shoulder pads, premed her hair, and headed for the roller disco. Head First is an all out 80s synth-pop affair and it’s great. At 38 minutes it’s short, but everything here works. With disconnected melodies, dramatic key shifts and synths pouring out of everywhere, this album can be summed up in one word; fun! The wonderful vocals are the icing on the cake here. It’s as if Giorgio Moroder and ABBA have shared production duties here. Goldfrapp are back and as good as ever, they are one of the greatest duos of the 21^st century.

Essential Tracks: ‘Rocket’, ‘Believer’, ‘Dreaming’

6. Mark Ronson: ‘Record Collection’

This is undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the year. Although Mark Ronson is a great producer, it seems he found his niche in the music industry creating retro Motown hits for the likes of Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen and reworking pop tracks into a big-band mould. Quite frankly, I was expecting something very similar with ‘Record Collection’ which, although may still have been good, would have been rather repetitive. However; gone are the horns and quirky beats and in are the raps, synths, electronics, and pop. It’s very catchy pop music. ‘Somebody to Love’ is probably the greatest single of 2010 aided by the perfect choice of Boy George to pour his heart out on this number.

Essential Tracks: ‘Somebody To Love Me’, ‘Record Collection’, ‘You Gave Me Nothing’ ‘Lose it in the End’

7. Kanye West: ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’

If you had told me at the start of the year that a mainstream hip-hop album would make my top ten list I would have found it rather hard to believe. Tell me then that the artist would be Kanye West and I would have slapped some sense into you. Quite unbelievably an artist I have very little time for from a genre I rarely listen to has created something quite stunning. West has experimented with elements such as hard rock and Moby to create an excellent and cohesive album. There are also great uses of samples along the way. The lyrics prove that he is just as arrogant and deluded as ever; nonetheless, the music clearly works. Proof that all genres of music are good if done well!

Essential Tracks: ‘Dark Fantasy’, ‘Devil In A New Dress’, ‘Runaway’

8. Hot Chip: ‘One Life Stand’

Hot Chip finally produce a classic upbeat dancefloor album. It is pure electronic pop perfection. This album has it all fantastic melodies, smart arrangements, memorable hooks, intelligent lyrics, all melded into one infectious sound. The vocals of Taylor interplay perfectly with the harmonies created by Goddard to create the best classic house-inspired dance album of 2010. This is an album to cheer you up when you’re down; getting ready for a night on the town or even a great workout album for the gym.. This is Hot Chip’s best album to date so far.

Essential Tracks: ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’, ‘One Life Stand’, ‘I Feel Better’

9. Groove Armada: ‘Black Light’

The chameleons of pop music are back with probably their strongest album to date. Given past efforts, I expected a frustrating listen from the duo flitting between dance and chill out songs. Instead they have not only re-invented themselves into an electro-pop outfit but provided us with a consistently good album. Black Light is all about synths, electro bass and big choruses. The lyrical content is darker than previous outings but is underlined by their solid production and songwriting skills as well as their wise selections of guest vocals, especially Bryan Ferry and Will Young. One can only imagine what guise they will adopt for their next offering.

Essential Tracks: ‘Shameless’, ‘History’, ‘Paper Romance’, ‘I Won’t Kneel’

10. Midlake: ‘The Courage of Others’

Dull, boring, melodies which go nowhere, let down of the year. These are just some of the comments I have read from music critics of this album. I’m not sure what they were listening to as it surely couldn’t have been this! Maybe this is because this is the first album of this group I have listened to so I don’t have any preconceptions but this album is beautiful. The rich harmonies, trilling flutes and pastoral acoustic guitars almost feel that we are listening to a band from Tudor England serenading the royal courts of Henry VIII circa 1540. It is like a cross between Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull; and yes, that is a good thing. The Courage of Others doesn’t belong in 2010 but it is by far the best folk-rock album of the year.

Essential Tracks: ‘Acts of Man’, ‘’, ‘Small Mountain’, ‘Core of Nature’

11. Antony and the Johnsons: ‘Swanlights’

Antony and the Johnsons are back again with their fourth release proving yet again he is a great songwriter, arranger and singer. The sparse arrangements are augmented with luscious string arrangements and a chamber orchestra. Lyrically it is rather obscure with a tendency to use vocals to play with melodies. There are certainly many classical folk and rock influences but all blended together to produce Antony’s own unique form of art pop. Certainly not for everyone but this guy is one gifted artist, and that voice. Wow!

12. The National: ‘High Violet’

If nothing else this band wins hands down from the most depressing album of the year. The monotone baritone vocals, melodies and themes will surely have the happiest person searching for the nearest razorblade. However, let that not detract from this wonderfully beautiful album. This album certainly rewards repeated listens and demands the listener’s full attention. Delve into those rich textures and be taken on a journey with this. Wonderfully produced, not a bad song in sight, this is exactly how indie music should be made.

13. Vampire Weekend: ‘Contra’

The New York city boys are back with their intelligent word play and broad musical palette of African, reggae, ska, pop, calypso and rockabilly all fused together to produce ’Contra’. Not many bands can successfully use the Nicaraguan Counter-Revolutionary movement as a metaphor for a failed relationship. It’s a mixed package but when it works it really works! Diplomat’s Son, White Sky and Cousins are clear examples of this.

14. Joanna Newsom: Have One On Me

At three discs and over two hours in length this is a massive offering from Joanna, so much so that it is rightly a little overwhelming for most. That is a shame as this is a fantastic album touching on Appalachian folk via pop, country, soul, gospel and oriental melodies. Add to that the, at times, otherworldly finely polished lyrics as she interchanges between piano and harp perfectly and we have a classic here. It’s so dense that one always finds something new to listen to on every listen. That’s two stunning albums in a row from this lady now.

15. David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: Here Lies Love

This is undoubtedly one of the most unique offerings from one of the strangest collaborations of 2010. ‘Here Lies Love’ is a concept album tracing the life of the former first lady of The Philippines, Imelda Marcos, from her impoverished beginnings to keptocracy and eventual demise and exile. Somehow the ambition is realized by Byrne and Cook who, with the help of guest vocals including Cyndi Lauper, Florence Welch and Marta Wainwright to name a few, help make this rather fun. The styles of the day dominate the album; from disco, Afro-pop, Broadway and soul. Certainly one of the most fun releases of the year.

16. Charlotte Gainsbourg: ‘IRM’

Gainsbourg’s life threatening accident of 2007 provides the backdrop to this album embracing the physical and spiritual. Yet it somehow is not depressing, in fact it is optimistic and uplifting. The main reason this works is down to one man; Beck who produced and composed the material here however Charlotte is certainly not his muse here, it is her putting her stamp on this as well. The album ranges from a cappella to full on psychedelic rock. This is fine adult pop proving that Charlotte can not only act but be treated as a musical artist too.

17. These New Puritans: ‘Hidden’

It’s great to see an Essex band producing such great quality music. These New Puritans have evolved from a post-punk band on their debut album to, well, I’m not really sure what this is. I suppose art rock is the best description. The opening track would be a fitting soundtrack for a montage of photos from a visit to a former concentration camp. After that everything appears to be thrown into the mix pitting brass and woodwind against digital, hip-hop and dancehall beats. It’s ambitious, complex and innovative. I only wish I had more time to take in everything from this album as it certainly has more potential to be much higher on this list.

18. Anais Mitchell: ‘Hadestown’

Get this; a folk opera retelling the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice transported to Depression-era New Orleans. If that doesn’t incite awfulness and revulsion in equal measure then I don’t know what does. Rather surprisingly, however, it is a fantastic album. The interplay between Orpheus, Eurydice, Persephone and the lord of the underworld is fantastic. It’s all the more better due to its relevance in 2010’s economic downfall, a very clever album.

19. Laura Marling: ‘I Speak Because I Can’

I have one word to describe this album; emotional. Marling can evoke joy one minute and tears the next both with her lyrics and vocal talents. With purely her vocals, acoustic guitar and understated accompaniment she sings of betrayal, flaws and breakups all at the age of 20. It’s elegant, the production, the songwriting, in fact near enough everything is quite brilliant.

20. Sleigh Bells: ‘Treats’

Krauss and Miller couldn’t be further away on the musical spectrum with his hard rock and punk beginnings and her pop band roots. However, that is precisely what seems to make this duo work. I’m not even sure how to classify this genre of music, it would appear they have fused many together and smashed it around into one new devastating hybrid. At times, with the distorted synths and guitars, angular rifss and chugging electronic beats its so loud and brash that’s is almost too much. However, there are moments of subtle beauty on this album too. They seem to be capable of anything. It’s raw, at times shocking, but most of all fun!