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Albums of the Year 2010
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Fitter Stoke
Fitter Stoke
2600 posts

Edited Dec 05, 2010, 12:45
Re: Albums of the Year 2010
Dec 05, 2010, 12:42
Have to confess to not having heard much new music this year. Maybe it's my time of life, or the fact that it's been such a lousy year in every other respect that I've drawn succour from tried and tested old aural friends. Whatever, the following have impressed me greatly:

Johnny Cash 'Ain't No Grave' (far from the barrel scraping exercise this could have been);
Clive Gregson 'Forward Into Reverse' (proving the man's outtakes to be at least as strong as his released output);
Paul Weller 'Wake Up The Nation' (Weller by numbers perhaps, and nothing like as inventive as '22 Dreams', but there's real staying power in these songs);
Urs Leimgruber & Evan Parker 'Twine' (where two stellar sax improvisers create a mesmerising racket at once both heavenly and unheavenly. Clear the vermin from your house with this!);
Eels 'Tomorrow Morning' (delicate songs from a contented - for once - Mr E);
Richard Thompson 'Dream Attic' (typically brilliant songs from a man at the top of his art - and dig that anti-Sting jibe);
Wyatt/Atzmon/Stephen 'For The Ghosts Within' (just lovely. Nuff said);
Elton John & Leon Russell 'The Union' (where the presence of a hero inspires old Reg to make his best album in decades);
Neil Young 'Le Noise' (over-produced in places, but Shakey's still on song in this unaccompanied yet electric - and often electrifying - new album);
Airbourne 'No Guts, No Glory' (cliched, sexist, offensive and predictable AC/DC ripoff metal. Thoroughly entertaining!).

Honourable mentions for these especially impressive remasters:

Deep Purple 'Come Taste The Band' (my favourite release of the year, for what it's worth);
Wigwam 'Being';
John & Yoko 'Some Time In New York City';
Soft Machine 'Bundles', 'Softs' and 'Land Of Cockaigne';
Thin Lizzy 'Thin Lizzy' 'Shades Of A Blue Orphanage' and 'Vagabonds Of The Western World';
David Bowie 'David Bowie' (i.e., the Deram debut);
Jackson Heights 'Bump'n'Grind';
James Taylor 'James Taylor';
and the stunning 180g vinyl reissue of The Doors 'Absolutely Live'.

Two fine box set anthologies worth anyone's money: Caravan's 'The World Is Yours' and Kevin Coyne's 'I Want My Crown'. English rock never got more distinctive than this. I'll no doubt want to include the massive Sandy Denny box as well, but I've only just bought it and there's a lot to take in!
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