2009 - the story so far

There’s an old canard that says every year is the best year for music, because not only do you have some new releases, you also have everything else that came before. Well, that’s exactly the sort of nonsense you get when hippies are allowed to express opinions on things. It’s clearly wrong. Some years are definitely better for music than others. 1997, for instance. However, I’m not here to talk about the past. The other day, I had a look at my top ten list for last year and I suddenly realized that this year has already been really, really good. Way better than 2008. So, I figured, might as well make a list now! Hey! Let’s go crazy. Here are eight for starters, then…

The Pains of Being Pure of Heart - The Pains of Being Pure of Heart

There are plenty of reasons not to like this; New York hip kids buying into a sound a continent and a generation away, with no real cultural connection. Well, there’s so much love and feedback here that it really doesn’t matter. Actually, what it comes down to is that there’s not a bad song on the record. Who cares if you can list their influences – the Smiths, the Cure, the Jesus and Mary Chain – as you go through the album, when it’s this good?

Liechtenstein – Survival Strategies in a Modern WorldUnderstated, otherworldly, a shimmering Scandinavian Classic.

The Horrors – Primary Colours

As great as their first record was bad. Somehow, they transformed themselves from a cod shock rock goth band into a My Bloody Valentine loving noise machine. With added talking parts. A fine thing

Fever Ray – Fever Ray

Really dark, really strange, almost impossibly old and melancholy and yet curiously upbeat, this is the debut solo album from Karin Dreijer Andersson, ex of the Knife. The other half, Olof Dreijer, is making an electronic ballet / opera. About Darwinism. See, this is what government support for the arts will bring you.

Bat For Lashes – Two Suns

On her second album, Natasha Khan came in the studio, found the button marked ‘MORE KATE BUSH’, and sellotaped it down. Has she released one bad song yet? She is remarkably consistent, that’s for sure.

Duchess Says – Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs

Skronky, angry, this is a record that won’t stand still. Full of strange sounds and rhythms, and yet still poptastic enough that you could hear it backing a car commercial

Florence and the Machine – A lot of Love, a Lot of Blood

Not strictly an album, but an EP, this could do for Florence and the Machine what Shut up and let me go did for the Ting Tings. Except with more Candi Staton and the Source

Projekt A-ko – Yoyodyne

Technically, this came out last year, but no-one was able to buy it then. You need to go to their website prokektako.co.uk to get a copy. It’s really the record that Sonic Youth wish they were able to make. This is a good thing.

So, there we are. And there’s more on the horizon, with Maps, The Future of the Left, Florence and the Machine all due to come out with full length releases. I’m sure I’ve missed some – tell me how I’m wrong below…