Top Music 2010

In the last four years that I have been documenting the sounds of the year this has been the best year for music So here it is, the top albums and songs for 2010

1. MumFord and Sons – Sigh no More
Best Song(s) The Cave, Little Lion Man, Dust bowl dance, Sigh no More, I gave you all
On a flight back in early January I gave this album a listen and that was to be the end of it. I bought the CD in November and is in my opinion the best debut of the year. Everyone who's listened to it since agrees that the CD is the reason why people like me stay up all night listening to the same song on repeat till daylight breaks. I can't think of a better collection of songs put together in a long long time.

2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs.
Best Song(s): Ready to Start, Month of May, Empty Room
Watching the intense video for Ready to Start and the crescendo it builds up at the end of the track makes it the best song of the year. You might live anywhere in the world but no CD brings back the memories of the suburbs you grew up in than this CD.

3. Kulashaker – Pilgrim’s Progress
Best Song(s): All Dressed up, Modern Blues. A smashing return to form by one of my favourite bands. I admit its the nostalgia that makes them rank higher than some of the other gems on this list but that's fine. Nostalgia is what we need more of.

4. The National – High Violet
Best Song(s): I’m afraid of Everyone, Terrible Love, BloodBuzz Ohio. Will be watching this band live in early 2011. Very strong and improves on its predecessor (but only just)

5. Wolfgang Amadeus – Phoenix
Best Song(s) 1901, Love Like a Sunset Part II, Lisztomania, Girlfriend (a bit late, this CD came out in ’09 and fully deserved the Grammy for Best Alternative)

6. Hurts – Happiness
Best Song (s): Wonderful Life, Stay, Evelyn. This is the record Depeche Mode never made. Very strong debut; The Hurts are going to be around for some time to come

7. Flight of the Conchords - I Told you I was freaky: What a brilliant album really. One of the best TV shows that I've seen and it's really a shame that the show is over. The songs are yes very funny but they are so well crafted.

8. Florence and the Machine - Lungs.
Best Song(s): Kiss with a fist, Dog days are over, Rabbit Heart
Its a tough one for grammy voters for the best new artist. Either go for the soul stealing Mumford or the more popular Florence. (Well...Justin Bieber is in the running and with the world's collective IQ going south you never know....) To really understand Florence's vocal range you got to hear her cover of 'Halo' I guarantee you'll like it better than the original

9. Kings of Leon - Come around Sundown.
Best song(s): Radioactive, Pyro, The End
Well on their way to becoming a stadium selling out band comparable to the best in the business

10. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
Best song(s): No one loves me and Neither do I, New fang (one angry, monster of a rock albumn)

11. Bruno Mars and the Doo Wop Hooligans - Normally don't listen to this radio friendly stuff but the kid has a really good voice - reminds me of a young Micheal Jackson

12. Broken Bells - Broken Bells. A super collaboration between Danger Mouse (one half of Gnarls Barkley) and James Mercer- The shins to a brilliant CD. More time with this and it would have broken into the top 5 for the year.
Best Song(s): The High Road, Vaporize

13. The social network soundtrack. Trent Reznor made the movie cool. There's no way that Social Network would've been interesting without the background score

14. Entourage Season 7 Soundtrack

15.Foundling - David Gray
Best Song(s) A Moment Changes Everything, Davey Jones Locker

16. Vampire Weekend – Contra
Best Song(s): Cousins, Contra, Horchata
Actually this should be #15 but I can't be asked to edit!)

17. Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer
Best Song(s) (The internet sensation) F**k you, Bright lights

18. I and Love and You – The Avett Brothers

19. Maroon 5 – Hands All Over
Best Song(s): How, Stutter, Crazy Little Thing called love
I got a special spot for Maroon 5 and wish the albumn was better.

20. Kanye West - My dark twisted fantasy
Best Song(s)(special mention to the song Monster for the line: 'Have you ever had sex with a pharaoh, I'll put the pussy in a sarcophagus' Power, Runaway

Assorted songs that I heard and stood out

• Can’t keep no good boy down – The Parlor Mob
• Blood Like Lemonade – Morcheeba (Skye has rejoined the band and they've discovered some of their old mojo)
• War – These New Puritans
• Bring the Light – Beady Eye. (Oasis Reloaded: The new band without Noel Gallagher; everything about the band from the art work to the opening song screams Rubber Soul
• The Roller - Beady Eye
• She Said – Plan B
• Space – M.I.A
• WTP – Eminem
• I Need a dollar – Aloe Blacc (mark my words; this guy is a major talent in the making)
• Girl I love you – Massive Attack (one slinky Attack number, too bad the rest of Heligoland is crap)
• Are you Ready – RPA and the United Nations of Sound (Richard Ashcroft’s new band)
• Born Again – RPA and the United Nations of Sound
• Swimming in the Flood – Passion Pit
• Meet me at the Equinox – Death Cab for Cutie
• Resistance – Muse

Another year passes us by and the search for the perfect playlist continues....but there are songs here that comes very close to that list. See you at the end of 2011.

I'll leave you with a gem of a song. This was recorded by Mumford and Sons when they toured India. It will give you a taste of the wonderful music they make:
To darkness - Mumford and Sons & Dharohar Project