SIT WOLF: Top 30 Albums of 2010

The best albums of 2010, much the same as 2009, were ridiculously hard to narrow down into a final 30. But after much of the obligatory mulling over nominees and usual bits of chopping and changing positions i’ve finally got a Top 30 Countdown. It was a pretty spectacular twelve months in terms of music. Full of all sorts of aural delights.

As customary the countdown is from Numero 30 to Numero 1 and with a short little description of each album. I’ve tried to keep it to short as i’m pushed for time and it is a school night afterall so it’s early to bed tonight for me.

30. !!! – STRANGE WEATHER ISN’T IT?

A colourful return to form from the dance punk Cali-NY group.

29. GIL SCOTT HERON – I’M NEW HERE

There’s still life in the old dog yet. Putting most of todays young guns to shame with this “post-modernised” blues album.

28. FUTURE ISLANDS – IN EVENING AIR

Fresh and backed with the unique voice of Samuel T Herring this album provided Future Islands with a huge step towards global recognition.

27. NEDRY – CONDOR

Glitch laden, echo filled debut from this seemingly ever evolving trio.

26. BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD – SUMMER HEART

Released on Christmas Day, this was the perfect stocking filler from Blackbird Blackbird. A collection of dream pop classics.

25. HOLY FUCK – LATIN

Holy Fuck? Holy Funk more like. Instrumental lords at their best but with added funkability.

24. MEURSAULT – ALL CREATURES WILL MAKE MERRY

Epic, sombre, intriguing album from the Scottish lo-fi folk experimentalists.

23. BATHS – CERULEAN

A wonderfully textured body of work forms the debut of Will Wiesenfeld aka Baths.

22. WARPAINT – THE FOOL

The all girl four piece dropped one of the most anticipated albums of 2010 and didn’t disappoint with “The Fool”.

21. THE NATIONAL – HIGH VIOLET

It had been a while, so to say, since the indie kids favourite miserablists had released a full length effort and this summer release was a blinding reminder of what they’re capable of.

20. MOUNT KIMBIE – CROOKS AND LOVERS

Blending every type of music there is into just under 40 minutes may seem impossible to most. Not to these guys though.

19. THESE NEW PURITANS – HIDDEN

The sounds of a band truly finding themselves has never been more enjoyable.

18. BEACH HOUSE – TEEN DREAM

Beguilling and warm. This mysterious offering only makes me love Beach House more than i already did.

17. WILD NOTHING – GEMINI

Unmistakably influenced by the 80’s, this wide eyed debut from Jack Tatum and co is literally summer on a disc.

16. GAYNGS – RELAYTED

The compelling tribe of artists known as Gayngs were always going to give us something special with all the collective talent they have in their possession.

15. FLYING LOTUS – COSMOGRAMMA

Giving us another multi layered odyssey was always going to be the main target for one of the most consistent IDM artists out there. He succeeded in typical mesmerising fashion.

14. SALEM – KING NIGHT

Mysterious, cold yet tender and encapsulating. A chilling album from these dark hosts.

13. ERRORS – COME DOWN WITH ME

Following up debut album “It’s Not Something…” was always gonna be hard but Errors managed to seemingly effortlessly succeed. Never has electronic instrumental music sounded so cool.

12. SURFER BLOOD – ASTRO COAST

With vocal melodies and lyrics evoking a heavier Beach Boys this was one of the first albums of 2010 that made my ears prick up and pay serious attention when it came out last January.

11. TOBACCO – MANIAC MEAT

The main man from Black Moth Super Rainbow continues his solo project in style. Roping in Beck for some guest vocals on this aggressive 16 track LP.

10. EIGHTIES MATCHBOX B-LINE DISASTER – BLOOD AND FIRE

The Brighton legends returned to form and then some with this tight, well structured sonically enticing outpouring. Sprucing up a few older tracks and adding in some amazing new ones was the perfect way to keep there notoriously loyal fans more than happy.

9. FOUR TET – THERE IS LOVE IN YOU

Keiran Hebden never lets us down and last years album was no different. Maybe more tender/softer than previous releases in some areas and certainly not as complicated but still groovy enough to make you want to dance away to your heart’s content.

8. ARCADE FIRE – THE SUBURBS

The big one that everybody was and still is talking about. The album that turned Arcade Fire from indie playlist stalwarts to world renowned epic song possessing music Gods.

7. PANTHA DU PRINCE – BLACK NOISE

Another early bird, released in February ’10, that stuck around in my head all year long. An expressive and ever expanding work of art.

6. GOLD PANDA – LUCKY SHINER

Previous EP releases from Gold Panda gave us an idea of what was gonna be in store for his debut album but nothing could have prepared us for the twist and turns that “Lucky Shiner” slides through. It’s a story of an album. One that’s worth reading over and over again.

5. DEFTONES – DIAMOND EYES

There’s no doubt about it, the Deftones are timeless. Diamond Eyes was a long time coming. The band have been through a very tough time over the last few year and if anybody deserves to be praised this year it is them. Combining styles form all of their previous albums to create an elegant piece of alternative rock. Nobody does it as good as the Deftones. They’ve been around for over two decades but show no sign of slowing up and tracks like “Royal” show they still have that bite that all other modern rock bands envy. They’ve left their calling card once again.

4. MF/MB/ – FOLDED

This was a late discovery of mine last year. I’m honest enough to admit i’d never even heard of the band until a friend recommended them to me in the winter. And what a recommendation. The material on this album ranges from the simple stuff to the extravagant experimental stuff. Staying sublime the whole way through and not losing sight of the art rock/pop stylings.

3. KANYE WEST – MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY

The best word i can think of to describe this album is primordial. It’s the beginning of a new vein of hip hop and RnB. Jam packed full of special guests ranging from Jay Z to Bon Iver and full of ideas. It’s an essential listen from start to end.

2. 65DAYSOFSTATIC – WE WERE EXPLODING ANYWAY

Colossal riffs and beats as always from the Sheffield masters of post rock. Adding that little something different with each passing song. They’re gaining an ever growing fan base throughout the world and it’s easy to hear why. They’re at the forefront of everything that is modern instrumental music. They’re the pioneers of sonic brutality and this album shows that they plan on keeping that title for a long time to come.

and the WINNER of Best Album of 2010 is…..

1. O.CHILDREN – O.CHILDREN

The self titled effort form O.Children was pretty much a shoe in for Number 1 on this list from the moment i heard it. You’d need to reform Death From Above 1979 and get them in a studio with Queens of the Stone Age to make the best album they possibly could to even make me THINK about changing my mind on this one. Back to O.Children though, being named after a Nick Cave song meant they were always going to be dark/gothic but they’ve just taken dark and made it darker. Eerie in parts,atmpospheric and always moody and intense. They wear their influences on their sleeve (Joy Divison, Echo and the Bunnymen etc) and use them to carve their own niche. They embrace the miserable side of things and somehow turn it into catchy hooks and perfectly timed choruses. They’ve sombrely embraced the world and with this album as their introduction the world will surely return the favour. They deserve it.

I’ve made ZIP files with one track from each album and posted them on mediafire. Below are the tracks included and download links.

SIT WOLF: TOP 30 ALBUMS OF 2010 (Part 1)
30. !!! – AM/FM
29. Gil Scott Heron – Me And The Devil
28. Future Islands – Tin Man
27. Nedry – A42
26. Blackbird Blackbird – Avalanche
25. Holy Fuck – Stay Lit
24. Meursault – One Day This’ll All Be Fields
23. Baths – Maximalist
22. Warpaint – Shadows
21. The National – Runaway
20. Mt. Kimbie – Ruby
19. These New Puritans – Attack Music
18. Beach House – Silver Soul
17. Wild Nothing – Live In Dreams
16. Gayngs – Crystal Rope
DOWNLOAD PART 1 (30-16)  here

SIT WOLF: TOP 30 ALBUMS OF 2010 PART 2
15. Flying Lotus – Do The Astral Plane
14. Salem – Frost
13. Errors – Antipode
12. Surfer Blood – Floating Vibes
11. Tobacco – Fresh Hex (feat. Beck)
10. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Monsieur Cutts
9. Four Tet – Sing
8. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
7. Pantha Du Prince – Lay In A Shimmer
6. Gold Panda – Parents
5. Deftones – You’ve Seen The Butcher
4. MF/MB/ – 1000 Times
3. Kanye West – So Appalled
2. 65daysofstatic – Crash Tactics
1. O.Children – Ruins
DOWNLOAD PART 2 (15-1)  here

S.I.T WOLF  X

SIT WOLF: The Top 30 Music Videos of 2010 (Part 2)

Tonight continues the countdown to Number 1 in the Best Music Videos of 2010. So let’s carry on where we left off…

15.  The Vandelles – Lovely Weather

14. Blackbird Blackbird – Pure

13. Mitchell Museum – Warning Bells

12. Warpaint -Elephants

11. Groove Armada – Paper Romance

10. O.Children – Ruins

9. Gil Scott-Heron – Me And The Devil

8. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – So Long, Goodnight

7. Chromeo – Don’t Turn The Lights On

6. Arcade Fire – We Used To Wait

5. Breakbot feat Irfane – Baby, I’m Yours

4. Wu Lyf – Split It Concrete Like The Golden Sun God

3. HEALTH – We Are Water

2. Flying Lotus – Kill Your Co Workers

AND THE WINNER IS…………….

1. Gayngs – Cry

S.I.T WOLF X

ps. one notable exclusion is the Huoratron video for “Corporate Occult”. Most video sites have taken down the embeddable link for it due to the “violence and sex” in the video. Otherwise it would have comfortably made the Top 10 at least. You can however watch it over at Take Your Pills. Enjoy.

Ignorance Is Not So Bliss #1

This is a new section that i’m starting up. It’s sole purpose is for me to be able to post things that i’ve meant to post about in the previous month (November this time) but couldn’t fit in or forgot about etc.

I’ll do an “Ignorance Is Not So Bliss” at some point during the first week of every month from now on. They’ll contain all sorts of stuff from videos and songs to stories and pictures.

As usual just right click and save as to download the MP3s

First up are Aussie electro pop kings Cut Copy. Back in July i posted the bands first teaser track titled “Where I’m Going” from their upcoming new album “Zonoscope” which is pencilled in for a release a week before Valentines Day next year. Oh the romance!

Well the synth loving boys have gave us another little reminder of their talent for providing funky basslines that make us want to dance till our feet turn into dust. “Take Me Over” is their latest offering and is confirmed to appear on the album.

The album cover features a picture of  a waterfall flooding New York city. The artwork is courtesy of Tsunehisa Kimura.

MP3: Cut Copy – Take Me Over

As if you needed a reminder of what these guys can do to your dance floor ego….you do? Ok then.

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Next up is yet another new track. This time it’s a demo from Alex Shields and his band A Grave With No Name. This new track “Streams” sticks very much in the same vein as debut album “Mountain Debris”. That angelic voice, all the vocal harmonies, the lo-fi almost underwater like sound effects. I’ve always thought that A Grave With No Name sounded like they recorded their songs in a swimming pool. This is no bad thing by the way. The new demo also reminds me of that kinda alternative americana/indie scene of Band of Horses and Grand Archives. Again, no bad thing.

I can imagine “Streams” playing whilst sitting next to a log fire in a cabin up in a snowy forest in the north of Scotland.

MP3: A Grave With No Name – Streams (Demo)

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Now for a remix and some very exciting news concerning lots of remixes!  The band in question are the phenomenal O.Children….

Up until the other week i had only heard 3 remixes of O.Children. Two amazing if not slightly creepy remixes of “Ruins” courtesy of Drop The Lime and Jokers of the Scene respectively and a remix of “Dead Disco Dancer” by the go-to-if-you-wanna-be-cool electroids The Golden Filter.

But that was then and this is now! I recently discovered a remix of “Fault Line” floating about online. It’s one of my favourite tracks on the album along with “Heels”.

MP3: O.Children – Fault Line (Shuttle remix)

As if these remixes aren’t enough we’re being spoiled with a whole albums worth of remixes set to be released a week this Monday. I’ve already pre-ordered mine  here. Seeing as there’s only 1000 copies available you probably should too.

Here’s the tracklist in full.

1. Fault Line (Canblaster remix)
2. Heels (Chad Valley)
3. Don’t Dig (Joe & Will Ask remix)
4. Fault Line (Shuttle remix)
5. Heels (Melé remix)
6. Dead Disco Dancer (The Golden Filter remix)
7. Heels (AC Slater remix)
8. Ruins (Heartbreak remix)
9. Heels (Mugwump remix)
10. Ruins (Drop The Lime remix)
11. Don’t Dig (Jam Factory remix)
12. Ruins (Jokers Of The Scene remix)

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Next up is another remix. The Bloody Beetroots are one of the most remixed acts in the blogosphere. Everyone and their dog has had a go at remixing and mashing them up. The list of remixers ranges from professional DJ’s to bedroom DJ’s to music geeks like me. The track “Warp” in all it’s different guises is one of the most popular choices for potentail remixers and it was been dissected, put back together again, spliced up and splattered all over our ears more times than i can say “Woop Woop!”……BUT one style i’ve never heard anyone tackle with The Bloody Beetroots is the issue of dubstep. Until Dirtyphonics braved it….

MP3: The Bloody Beetroots feat Steve Aoki – Warp (Dirtyphonics remix)

Don’t worry i’m not gonna use one of those “dirrtyy as…” or “filthhyyy as….” quotes that all those “dubstep wankers” on YouTube seem to love so much but my my just listen to that drop around 50 odd seconds in. As The Cool Kids would say, “Awesome“.

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Well we’re on the subject of remixes/mash ups…

Last month Gregg Gillies AKA Girl Talk released his 5th album proper titled “All Day”. Just like his 4 previous albums and 2 EP’s , “All Day” is made up entirely of samples from other artists song. The guy is a one man copyright assaulting legend and i love him for it!

Also, just like all his previous releases, “All Day” is available on the website Illegal Art. But unlike the rest of his discography, which when released were described as pay-what-you-want, this album is free free free! See, now before people could choose whether or not they wanted a Girl Talk album for nothing or whether or not they wanted to donate 5op or £50 to the cause. This time he’s just said “Hey, take the fucking thing, it’s yours, go on, download it. What? Money? Nah, it’s cool. I love you guys”. Or something like that anyway.

If you haven’t already then you can download your copy here and get full info and tracklisting/samples used here.

MP3: Girl Talk – Get It Get It

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Next, we move on to some new music, well for me anyway.

Yes, i’m sure there are more than a few people out there who have heard of and love “Slow Runner” (they have been around since 2004 after all) but i only just randomly and fortuitously discovered them last month. I haven’t stopped listening since.

The track i happened across was “Make You Love Me” which instantly reminded me of The Postal Service and Akron/The Family Band mangled heartbreakingly together while Dave Bazan nods in agreement in the background.

MP3: Slow Runner – Make You Love Me

They’re not just all glitchy bleeps and “love me” lyrics though. They also have a more “traditional” side of indie guitar strummingness.

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Lastly we come to the noise duo revivalists Civil Civic. These two well travelled dudes have been busting their asses touring all sorts of cities recently and they arrive in Glasgow on the 13th of December to play a show at the best cult venue in town, The 13th Note.

As a nice little pre-Christmas gift and to build the anticipation of their live shows they’ve given us a nice shiny new track “Lights On A Leash”. It starts off like The Cure swooning over Johnny Marr’s fretboard before the inevitable Civil Civic fuzzy love time kicks in and takes over. Drum beats tick like a deranged squirrel trying to crack a nut and there are sounds in there that remind me of “Just Like You Imagined” by Nine Inch Nails and that is one of the best compliments i can pay these two noise rebels. They’re definitely one of my favourite, if not THE favourite, finds of 2010. I’m looking forward to the 13th in the 13th.

MP3: Civil Civic – Lights On A Leash (Live @ Cargo, London)

I’ve included a live version of “C27” (the b-side) for download but you can buy the actual single here. Go on, it’s only 50p you tight bastards! What else are you gonna buy with that? A fudge and a packet of pickled onion Space Raiders?

On second thoughts…….i am quite hungry. I wonder if the shop’s still open?

S.I.T Wolf  X

Meet Me In The Graveyard At Midnight

So this is the first part of the Halloween mixtapes i promised. This is just a short “creepy” one. It clocks in at about 40 odd minutes. While walking home late at night earlier this week  i came up with the concept of making an atmospheric and “intimidating” mixtape that could be used at the beginning of a party, maybe just as the guests are arriving or whatever. My original idea was to make it a bit longer but i was pressed for time so just quickly recorded this one.

The songs i used are ones that i think hell (if there is one) would sound like.

I fell in love with the Drop The Lime remix of “Ruins” as soon as i heard it. The Burial Hex ones speak for themselves. The Wolf Eyes track is borderline terrifying. Aphex Twin as usual is slightly deranged and as for the A Place To Bury Strangers track…well, to me “Falling Sun” has always sounded like the noise that would be playing when the world ends.

Meet Me In The Graveyard At Midnight
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1. O.Children – Ruins (Drop The Lime remix)
2. Burial Hex – Go Crystal Tears
3. Wolf Eyes – Village Oblivia
4. A Place To Bury Strangers – Falling Sun
5. Aphex Twin – Gwely Mernans
6. Burial Hex – Will To The Chapel

just right click and save as
MP3: Someone’s In The Wolf – Meet Me In The Graveyard At Midnight

Here’s a few little bonus tracks thrown in with a skeleton theme just for good measure.

MP3: Adebisi Shank – Bones

MP3: The Cramps – Rockin’ Bones

MP3: This Song Is A Mess But So Am I – Bones Bones Bones

MP3: The Beets – My Bones, My Flesh and Me

MP3: Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy

MP3: Radiohead – Bones

I’ll get another mixtape up before the weekend is out. I’ve also made a massive 5 hour one for my friends party so i’ll try post some tracks off of that as well and i’ll get some more Halloween themed stuff up too before Hallow’s Eve eventually arrives…

S.I.T Wolf  X

Nice Children Or Sleazy Children?

O.Children live at Nice N Sleazys was a proposition i couldn’t afford to miss out on.

I’ll be honest i wasn’t even aware the band were playing in Glasgow until i was casually dragging my cheap converse down Argylle Street and noticed a torn poster bearing the bands name and gig details. And that was it, before i know it i was there.

O.Children are a band i’ve only really gotten into over the last year or so. I first came across the band when reading an article in Artrocker magazine. The first song i heard of theres was Ruins and i was almost immediately taken in by the pulsating, constant rhythm of the track and the synths that gave the song a wash over of gothic knowingness.  Their influences were clear from the get go. Bauhaus, The Cure and Joy Division. Then when you take into account that they’re named after a Nick Cave song it all starts to make sense. I was sold.

Their debut album came out in July this year. By that time i had heard “Dead Disco Dancer” and “Radio Waves” alongside the aforementioned “Ruins”. So i stuck on my headphones and settled down onto the couch. One full album listen later and i was engrossed in their sound to the point of playing it three to four times a day. Every listen offering new avenues of love, fear and heartbreak with a strong image of the dark side of the 80’s shining through. Just like Interpol, Stellastarr and She Wants Revenge before them this band are proud to keep their dark wave influences and heroes in full view.

That was then, this is now. The band stand patiently on the edge of coolness, waiting for that big break and it’s coming their way sometime soon. They’ve already taken a step towards the hip side of things in the form of being remixed by ultra hipster electro mini gods and famed remixers The Golden Filter.

MP3: O.Children – Dead Disco Dancer (The Golden Filter Remix)

But enough bigging them and the album up. Could they cut it live?

Silly question, of course they could!

Armed with their debut album and a sense of fashion that The Horrors could only wish they had O’Children and their frontman Tobi O’Kandi bring an immediate presence to the small dingy basement area of the Nice n Sleazys venue. I’ve seen many a band in here but i somehow feel something special is brewing. I take a look around though and discover that apart from myself and Luisa there are only another 21 people in the room. That’s including the band, ticket lady, merchandise dude and bar staff! The gig could go either way here, the band could let it get to them and play a nightmare show or use it as fire and play a blinding set. They do the latter and show an admirable amount of confidence to put on an epic, intense display. For all they care they could be playing to 14 people or 14,000 people. Who cares? The lucky ones are here tonight.

Frontman O’Kandi towers over his mic stands, lingering his giant frame in the centre of the stage and bellowing notes from the very lowest pit of his 6ft 8in structure. The voice and look that O’Kandi possesses conjure up images of Nick Cave having a baritone contest with Mark Lanegan in the body of an even taller male version of Grace Jones. A nice mixture. He’s charismatic, enigmatic and hard not to love. His size alone is intriguing but you know that at the soul of this booming voice is a poet with a lyrical talent reminiscent of Ian Curtis and Robert Smith. That gives him an aura that you have to see live to truly capture and appreciate. He’s almost shaman like. The rest of the band aren’t bad either, going around their business with a sense of tightness only capapble by band members that know what each other is thinking before a chord has been struck or a drum skin even slightly brushed. The music itself evokes the darkest of emotions yet is somehow also very danceable. And although i myself refrain, from shaking my thang, the gangly singer has arms flailing and jelly legs throughout some of the more beat based numbers. Often encouraging the small devoted audience to join in with him. I’ve seen the idea of a singer using two mics before as well but not like the way O’Kandi does. He uses them to alternate between an eerie delay effect and one that shows off his deep, almost ironically evil yet dulcet tones. The sounds being produced from the amps takes over every corner of the venue and the dark mood they create makes an already darkened room just that little bit darker.

MP3: O.Children – Malo

So O.Children at the moment, by next year O.Teenagers maybe? And in a few years time i would be surprised if they’re mentioned in the same breath as their peers. O.Adults anyone? The album is currently on sale for a measly 5 pounds in Fopp on Union Street Glasgow. Buy now! Bargain of the year.

We took a lot of pictures. Here’s the two i like the most.

S.I.T Wolf  X

ps. if by chance the guy who was at the left of the stage the entire gig and was filming is reading this then i would appreciate a copy!