Formed out of a mutual appreciation for 10CC and all things prog. Relayted is a funky trip that flows seamlessly from track to track. A supergroup of sorts, star of the show for me is Bon Iver's Justin Vernon who's unmistakeable falsetto slots in nicely to the mix, and it's quite satisfying to hear it out of context. This had to make the final 10 if only for the outstanding cover of Godley & Creme's 'Cry'.
9: Wolf Parade - Expo 86
I'm not sure what it is about Wolf Parade, they seem to have this knack for writing amazingly monumental rock music that is ultimately destined to go woefully un-noticed. They recently announced an Indefinite hiatus which is a shame, as ironically, Expo 86 showcases the band sounding more confident and unified than ever. Hopefully this is not the end for Wolf Parade but, but if it is, we thankfully still have the Handsome Furs and Sunset Rubdown.
Gorilla Manor took me by surprise. It wasn't really until track eight came on during the first spin - a cover of Talking heads 'Warning Sign' - that my ears pricked up. The 'Natives' tightly woven vocal harmonies are treated like instruments in their own right (obvious comparisons point to Fleet Foxes) and sit amid lush instrumentation backed by forceful and urgent percussion. It's a pleasing combination that lasts the whole 12 tracks.
Pop on some big headphones, turn out the lights, sit back and enjoy. Watery keyboards wash from speaker to speaker, Dan Snaith's fragile vocals humanise the songs and meander their way between possessive beats, whilst little sonic surprises catch you off guard and fill in the cracks. Seeing it performed by a band live on stage just makes it all the more impressive. Why can't more dance music be this good?
6: Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
Debut albums don't come much finer than Avi buffalo's. First listen; impressed, second; hooked! Then, when I discover that frontman Avigor Zahner-Isenberg (let's just call him Avi for now) is just 18 years old, I was amazed. Beautiful, honest and innocent yet somehow mature beyond his years. Doesn't break any new ground, but this is indie-rock that deserves great attention. Avi Buffalo is yet another great find for Sub Pop.
Public Strain is an energetic and lean beast of an album. It makes for a cold, challenging and somewhat uneasy first listen, leaving behind it a sense of schizophrenia (beauty versus dissonant noise), but persevere and you'll be aptly rewarded. If at any point you doubt that Women are capable of making anything of beauty, six-and-a-half minute epic closer 'Eyesore' will reassure you. Like Joy Division, The Velvet Underground and a bit of noise? This might just be your new favourite band.
Gather round children. Take a seat, grab yourself some milk and let me tell you the tale of the dragon who fell in love a princess, after that we could take a nap and maybe later on we could go swimming… Magic Central is a gentle, fantastical, indie-folk gem. It's quirky yet emotive. Fans of Silver Jews, Smog and Nick Drake should love this one.
3: Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
I thought poor old Sufjan had lost it. The ability to edit himself that is. So many bleeps, glitches and squirgles, yet somehow this album has charmed it's way right under my skin, and here it now sits in my end-of-year top ten. Kind of like it when that happens. No doubt about it, 'Adz' is an impressively dense piece of work. But once you find your way through the foliage, you realise it's a pretty spectacular view.
NPR's (much violated) First Listen feature comes in rather handy from time to time, and I'd been looking forward to this one for months. I wasn't dissapointed. Lisbon has a kind of suave, irresistible charm that keeps you coming back for more and it just gets better. Leithauser's desperate croon is the main feature while the paired back vintage sounding instrumentation lends the perfect backdrop. This is a band at the very top of their game.
Oh, Arcade Fire. How I do adore thee. You've crafted such a wonderful masterpiece of an album, that I simply cannot live without it. Despite your success I shall not punish thee, for an album as good as this, it is one that's worthy of the highest praise…
Despite rolling in at a hefty 16 tracks, The Suburbs rattles along surprisingly quickly. I think, key to that is the wealth of variety on offer here. Arcade Fire sound comfortable in all guises, expertly shifting gear, dropping the pace and picking it back up again, they sound unstoppable and the result is a record that comes off having a sort of very well put together mixtape feel. Influences come thick and fast. It's diverse yet somehow still works best as a whole. A real album lovers, album. Clever bunch, that Arcade Fire.
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