Top Ten Albums

Listing my top ten albums is really difficult. I have tried to only include albums which I do not get bored of and can quite happily play all the way through at any time. This is not as straightforward as it might seem. Also, I seem to change my mind a fair bit when it comes to this sort of thing. However, I can say with some confidence that this is a list of probably my top ten albums right now. Let’s go countdown-style!

10. Trombone Shorty - Backatown

This is a stunning album, mixing New Orleans-style jazz with rock. Apparently he calls his own musical style as supafunkrock, which is a fairly accurate portmanteau. Highlights include the funky as funk "Hurricane Season" replete with audience response, the confrontationally rocky "Suburbia" and "The Cure" which has literally nothing to do with Robert Smith, thankfully. There's also some chilled out stuff. It's all musically lovely and pretty upbeat. Also, horns. Fun fact about Mr Shorty is that he appeared in Treme and provided the "voices" for some of the adults in The Peanuts Movie.

9. Green Day - Dookie

Every song is just attack, attack, attack, which is great. That's actually something of a theme in this list. I seem to like songs which kick in and keep kicking. I think the majority of songs on this album are pretty iconic (Longview, When I Come Around, Basket Case, In the End, F.O.D.). I'm not really sure which of the tracks are the "famous" ones, or were released as singles, because it's all killer no filler. "American Idiot" is possibly a better written, more technical album, with more variation and some better songs, but Dookie is unashmed three-chord musical smashing. Not too complicated, but very effective.

8. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

Slight change of pace to the eponymous album by Tracy Chapman. I may be completely wrong here, as I know nothing about the inner-workings of music or how classification really works, but I feel like there's a lot of ballads which embrace classic American Country music whilst slipping in a few World-music sounds. The key element here is that our Tracy is pretty amazing at writing a song then, subsequently, singing it. She has a lovely, warm and instantly-recognisable voice. I like to listen to Baby Can I Hold You Tonight and think about how wrong Boyzone got it. Idiots.

7. Japandroids - Post-Nothing

If you like two-man rock groups who can create a bandsworth of noise using one guitar and a set of drums whilst utilising the power of frenetic instrumentalism then I can almost guarantee you'll like this Canadian rock duo. In the "bang for your buck" stakes, you cannot go far wrong. The album itself is energetic, powerful and raw. In many ways they're the band the White Stripes could have been... or not (honestly, I don't know if they're directly comparable, but I'm going there). Every single note seems to be played a fraction before it has officially been scheduled, making your heart beat that little bit faster. I would like to pick some particular gems out from the playlist, but it is pretty difficult because I love the whole damn thing. I guess this is something of an oversight on my part; by picking albums I love in their entirety, it's hard to choose favourite parts. Meh. At a push I'm going to go for "Wet Hair," followed by "Sovereignty" and then a bit of "Heart Sweats" which has lots of quality downbeat "ooooooh"-ing. The only problem with the album: it's a bit short.

6. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

I've got a feeling that the bureaucrats up on Capitol Hill wouldn't like me liking this album, but I do. Seriously, what is there not to like? The whole thing is pretty whimsical, both musically and lyrically, there're some nice harmonies, is all quite uplifting, you can sing-along to lots of the songs and the whole thing just goes together nicely. I think, with a couple of the albums above, we've established that I don't need a lot of stylistic variation, but this album provides a few changes of pace without getting too boring or weird. Also, the last song is named after the "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" staple, or the tube station, Mornington Crescent. I repeat, what's not to like?

5. Radiohead - The Bends

Now, I'm not going to go too much into discussing the album itself. The only real surprise here is that it's all the way down in fifth place. That and there aren't any number of other Radiohead albums in this list. I struggled hard to make sure that each band was only represented once. If this was a list of bands who had made albums that were all excellent, then Radiohead would be number one. I have almost no doubt of that. Go and find a bad Radiohead album, I double-dog dare you. As a rock album it has everything. Also, it was the first time that the World got to grips with how good the band actually was. Good times.

4. Arcade Fire - Funeral

Should this be number one on the list? Possibly, but it's not. For soundscapes, number of instruments, whole-album narrative and general penmanship, it's difficult to fault. It's also the only album I know which gets away with using the same song title repeatedly (the Neighbourhoods) without them being rubbish and a bit pretentious. There's a sense of euphoria in some of the songs that feels genuine and misplaced at the same time (Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies)). A very hard album to turn off once it's on.

3. Dananananaykroyd - Hey Everyone

I'm pretty sure they had at least two sets of drums and two lead vocalists who were very good at shouting simultaneously/cacophanously. The songs tend to go through stages and thus feel rather epic. It's like someone got a load of short-burst hard-rocking assault-songs (like Blur's song 2, or most things by Sum 41) and tied them all together into vignettes. Wait, a better analogy might be like taking a load of shots and turning them into a long and potent cocktail, with shouting. It's good.

2. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger

Before I even knew who Maximo Park were I saw them in a pub, had a massive cold, and kept asking if random people were Maximo Park. My second anecdote is that, whilst working at a now-defunct Kitchenware shop, I listened to this very album twelve times in a row. That's how many times you can listen to the album in normal opening hours. There is one song of negligible value, Acrobat, but the rest of the album is awesome. There are even some references to Baudrillard and general postmodernism I'm sure.

1. Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things

Yes. I could have chosen any of three Rilo Kiley albums for the top spot. I've settled for this one, because I think I like it the best, but I still can't be sure. "Take Offs and Landings" is another very strong candidate and you have to put "More Adventurous" in there for the three starting songs alone. However, I have chosen "The Execution..." and am going to stick to it. It's an album, band and singer combination that makes you feel feelings. I'm not very good at describing why these are the best albums, I understand that now, but I'm largely convinced that these choices have more than purely subjective value. Yeah, I love this album and my only real explanation for it is I like to listen to it over and over and over again.

Honourable Mentions

Some albums which were very close to being included are: Eugene McGuinness - The Early Learnings of Eugene McGuinness, Weezer - Weezer, William Shatner - Has Been, Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope, and U2 - Zooropa. I don't have much more to say about that. To be honest, reading back, it doesn't seem like I had much to say in the first place. Still, everyone loves a top ten countdown. Peace.

Christmas Songs: Top Ten

These are probably the greatest Christmas-type songs of all time. All time! That’s a lot of time. All of it in fact.

10.     Gayla Peevey – I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

I think La originally introduced me to this little gem. Gayla Peevey is vaguely annoying but think that’s the point. Also I always thought it was sung by Shirley Temple, because of that 1930s style, but it’s not. It’s certainly sung in a similar style to Annette Hanshaw’s “I Faw’ Down and Go Boom” although she didn’t have the excuse of being a child. Apparently the B-Side to this particular Hippo-based song was “Are My Ears on Straight?” That’s also on youtube. Seriously. Anyway, it’s not Christmas without wanting said aforementioned amphibious mammal.

9.       Ella Fitzgerald – The Christmas Song

Excellent use of definite article there, suggesting there are no comparable songs of this type. A real winter warmer by a singer I call “Auntie Ella” even those she’s not related as far as I’m aware; no, I don’t know where that comes from. Still, she has a lovely voice, there’s some plinky glockenspiel/xylophone going on and it’s all rather atmospheric. Shoe-in.

8.       Run DMC – Christmas Is

For a while, I thought this song was about giving up “the dope.” Actually, DJs Run and DMC are urging the more charitable act of giving up “dough,” which is apparently street parlance for money. It starts with the obligatory bells, mentions everything necessary (turkey, St Nick, (lack of) snow,  holly, etc) and has a very weird little voice that intones “merry Christmas” in an off-key during the chorus. It’s a song about Christmas that isn’t too clichéd and quite fun. Enjoy.

7.       Darlene Love – It’s Christmas Baby (Please Come Home)

To be honest, for years I’ve only known the scratchy bootleg U2 version of this song. However, the original scratchy version by Darlene Love is apparently fairly famous in America and much better. Apparently Cher was one of the original backing singers. Imagine if Cher had just been a backing singer. That would have been amazing. Anyway, the song’s awesome.

6.       The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York

This is a song which splits my own opinion. I kind of hate it, and its permanence in the lexicon of festive music. However, it’s still a bit brilliant. If all Irish drinking songs were like this, then I’d be much happier. It’s all bittersweet, sing-a-long and upbeat at the same. My ambivalence makes it an almost certain choice.

5.       Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone – It’s Cold Outside

I know it’s not the original, but it’s good. The contrasting (and distinctive) voices emphasise the “interrupting” duet beautifully. There can’t be a man alive who doesn’t want Leon Redbone’s voice, or name. Much like Ella Fitzgerald above, it’s a proper fireplace, wooden lodge, mulled wine, indoor song.

4.       The Carpenters – Merry Christmas Darling

Not a lot to say about this. The Carpenters were great and this song is great. It may feel a bit cut-and-paste from any Christmas card, but great singing and generally composition elevate it beyond the lyrics.

3.       Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas is You

Arguably the only good thing Mariah Carey has ever done. It’s just so difficult not to like. For once, her unnecessary trilling seems almost, well, necessary. It’s like there’s a (Christmas) party going on in your head and everyone’s invited. I think she’s released every other previously-recorded Christmas song since, but this is all killer.

2.       David Bowie and Bing Crosby – Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

With this song, I insist that the short pre-ballad conversation between the two legends is included. David Bowie explains that he sings “mostly contemporary stuff” and Bing suggests that modern music is “marvellous.” It’s all pretty traditional, sung in the round. It’s a lovely thing.

1.       The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping

I only know this, and “I Know What Boy’s Like” by the Waitresses. I like that the beat is progressive and fairly uncomplicated. Also, it tells a story, like a song might. I think as I’ve gone through this list, I’ve felt the choices are more and more obvious, so need less explaining.

Anyway, that is my attempt at listing the best Christmas songs in a coherent order. I’ve probably unwittingly left out something important. However, I have knowingly failed to include a number of things on this list. “Only You” by the Flying Pickets is sometimes considered to be festive, and whilst it is an excellent song that may have otherwise been in with a chance, I cannot really understand why it falls into the Christmas bracket. Similarly, “Stop the Calvalry” by Jona Lewis is not a Christmas song just because it’s got some bells in it. Also, it wouldn’t get in the top ten anyway. “In Dulci Jubilo” by Mike Oldfield was a tempter as well, but not really a song in this incarnation.

The whole of the Muppets Christmas Carol soundtrack is great, but you can’t really separate the songs and the South Park Christmas songs (particularly Swiss Colony Beef Log, Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel, and The Most Offensive Song Ever) are brilliant if generally unsuitable for playing in Asda.

That’s it. Merry Christmas songs.