Let’s finally get part 2 down.
15. M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
This is possibly the most epic album ever. From the soaring opening of Intro, Anthony Gonzalez never lets up with huge sounds, from pop songs to the gentle ambient tracks. It’s quite dense being a 22-track double album but it’s never boring and is pure fun.
14. PJ Harvey- Let England Shake
This really is as good as everyone says it is. Lyrically it’s absolutely genius, it seems to perfectly encapsulate the paranoia and uncertainty of the times, to a gorgeous backdrop of minimal sounds and rustic instruments. It’s extremely powerful and definitely deserving of the accolades it’s got.
13. Chapel Club- Palace
Chapel Club never seemed to get the acclaim I thought they deserved this year, which is a shame cos their debut album is a collection of excellent indie rock songs. Each song is very well written, with brilliant riffs and great emotional lyrics. There’s a bit of a shoegaze vibe to the album which is one of the finest of its kind this year.
12. Guillemots- Walk the River
Again, another album that seemed to be ignored but I couldn’t get enough of. Guillemots’ third album is dark and fragile, featuring some incredibly mature songs on love and loss. The second half in particular is absolutely stunning, with some near perfect song writing varying from epic ballads, weird pop songs and huge symphonies of sound. It’s a shame no one seemed to notice its brilliance.
11. Radiohead- The King of Limbs
I didn’t understand the muted response The King of Limbs either. No, it’s not as good as Kid A or OK Computer, but it is still an incredible album. It’s very minimal and quite a subtle album, which reveals its pop side very slowly. It features some incredibly gorgeous moments however, with Codex being one of the finest piano ballads the band have ever written, while electronics and guitars blend more murkily than they’ve managed to achieve before. It’s pretty mind blowing from start to finish.
More tomorrow.
