Had this been a 'new' album, it would have been much higher up the list. Though it is a very worthy contender for one of the albums of the year, I felt it only fair to devote the top slots to properly new albums.
It is testament to the genius of Darkness on the Edge of Town that the out-takes from those sessions are making end-of-year lists more than 30 years after they were recorded.
Key Track: 'Come On (Let’s Go Out Tonight)'
Say what you will about MCR, they don’t rest on their laurels. Perhaps not as good as their previous affair, The Black Parade, but you can’t help immersing yourself in the thrashy, electro-pop, fabricated future world of space cowboys and comic book villains they present here.
As the Rock Sound review states: “for fans of: Fun, ice cream, lasers, comics”
Key track: 'Planetary (GO!)'
Not too much to say about this one other than “Sting’s daughter in bloody brilliant pop album shocker”.
I can’t see where she’ll go from here, but at least one-hit-wonders get it right once.
Key track: 'Please Rewind'
When 'Stay Positive' was released in 2008, I thought it signalled the beginning of the end for The Hold Steady. No more bar fights, no more drug fuelled rampages in the twin cities and our favourite characters were consigned to the song book of history. Then Tad Kubler got pancreatitis and was told he could never drink again. Then Franz took his moustache and accordion and went home. Doom.
Or not. On their fifth album, The Hold Steady have finally found a way to make growing up fun. They’ve gone from the voice of inebriation to the voice of experience, and who better a storyteller to share their experience than Craig Finn; nowhere better illustrated than on 'Soft in the Center' with the lyrics “I know what you’re going through, I had to go through that too… Kid, you’ve gotta trust me on this one…”
If you’d fallen out with The Hold Steady, this is a perfect place to revisit. If you’ve managed to avoid them all these years (How? Why?), then you could do worse than this album as an introduction.
Key tracks: 'The Weekenders', 'Hurricane J'
Fake Problems first appeared on my radar as a support band for Frank Turner, and a pretty forgettable one at that. Also, the album they were touring at the time was average at best. For some reason the name stuck around my subconscious and I’m really glad it did.
Having cancelled an international tour to get straight into the studio when the ideas for this album started taking shape and followed by some hardcore bigging-up from Frank and The Gaslight Anthem, I realised this album may be worth a listen.
Sounding like a combination of the best bits of Cursive, Two Gallants, Bright Eyes, Frank Turner, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings and Blink-182, but with a strong voice of their own, they’ve come back with a belter of a third album.
It’s only half an hour long. Give it a go.
Key tracks: 'RSVP', 'Complaint Dept'
Oooooh haven’t things gone a bit cheery in FRabbits-land. Well, relatively speaking anyway…
This was always going to be a tricky album, having to follow up the damn near perfect predecessor, 'The Midnight Organ Fight'. In providing a worthy successor, they have succeeded. In matching it, they haven’t quite.
What they have done is create a grand pop album without losing their charm, and each song gives you something new to discover with every listen. The fact that this album is still on heavy rotation ten months after its release, in a year full to bursting with great albums goes some way to illustrate that point.
I could go on all day about each song individually, but I’ll save you the boredom. If you haven’t already, take the time out to discover stage three of the development of this amazing band.
Key tracks: 'The Loneliness and the Scream', 'The Wrestle', 'Skip the Youth', 'FootShooter', 'Not Miserable'
My discovery of the year by a country mile. In a year dominated by established bands returning with strong new albums, it was refreshing to hear something new.
Some may say he’s a (very) poor man’s Dylan, but that would be missing the point. Yes, their voices are similar. Yes, it’s mostly just him and a guitar, but with songs this strong, who cares?
Listen to the album properly and you’ll understand the true meaning of the phrase “less is more”.
Key tracks: 'King of Spain', 'Burden of Tomorrow', 'Troubles Will Be Gone', 'Kids on the Run'
To the dismay of many of their hardcore fans, Against Me! continue their metamorphosis into one of the finest pop-punk bands currently writing, releasing and touring. The songs have always been an outlet for the contents of Tom Gabel’s mind, but that mind is maturing. Gone are the dick and fart jokes, in their place the observations of a thirty-something with a young family to look after. The lyrical wit and ear for a tune are as evident as ever but the quality of song writing gets better with each album.
That Green Day are playing stadia and Against Me! are still playing 400-capacity venues defies imagination. From a personal standpoint, long may it continue (if/when I’m old and grey, the Fighting Cocks gig this year will surely still rate in my top five shows of all time) but it would be great to see them get the recognition they deserve.
Key track: 'Because of the Shame'
Perhaps a predictable entry for me, but a worthy one nonetheless. American Slang sees a (relative) departure in style for The Gaslight Anthem, lacking the ferocity of their previous two albums (and EP). In doing so, Brian Fallon and co have created a much more personal affair, and perhaps their best work to date.
Pre-release hype likened this album to London Calling and Born To Run, which may have unfairly raised (great) expectations. Time will tell whether this goes down as a classic album, but I can say for certain now that this is a band that, despite releasing a trio of genuinely brilliant albums, still appear to have their best form ahead of them. The future’s bright, bring it on.
Key tracks: 'Bring it On', 'Boxer', 'We Did It When We Were Young'
After the doom, gloom (and relative disappointment) of Neon Bible, The Suburbs sees Arcade Fire return to form. With a bang. At 16 tracks and just over an hour long, it’s incredible that not a moment is wasted. The album is damn near perfect (yes, Olly – even 'Rococo'), especially when taken in as presented on vinyl. An epic in four parts, and I can’t get enough of it. The moment when 'Sprawl I' fades into 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)' will be sending shivers down my spine for years to come.
The only potential downside is how far this album has catapulted Arcade Fire into the mainstream. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge them their success, and I can’t imagine a better band to get such recognition but I’ll miss the smaller live shows…
It would be unfair to pick out a key track. Give yourself an hour and listen to the whole thing in one go (preferably taking three breaks to flip/change the record).
Emperor’s New Clothes
Beady Eye
Look, Liam. Just do one. Nobody cares anymore. (edit: the use of the word “anymore” may be unnecessary)
It’s Good, But Not That Good
The National - High Violet
After the initial excitement, this album just sort of faded into the background. Very good in places, but lacks the punch of Alligator or the first half of Boxer.
Guilty Pleasure
Eminem ft. Rihanna - 'Love the Way You Lie'
Sue me.
Innocent Pain
Avi Buffalo –
I really should get this. But I really don’t.
Honourable Mention
Girl Talk - 'All Day'
This will have philosophy students debating for years whether it actually constitutes an “album”, seeing as it contains no original material and is made up entirely of samples. Whatever they decide, this is utterly bonkers. And ace with it.
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