Tracks of the Year 10-1

Top ten below! Try not to hold your excitment in, embrace it, much like the excessive amount of alcohol and food you will (or currently are) going to consume over the next few days. No top album list (well not a detailed one anyway) as time is scarce. Having a family takes up more time than you think, but it's ultimately worth it. Try it, beats speaking to yourself on your laptop. Happy Holidays. Don't drink too much coke.

Click on the track names to listen/preview. cheers!

10. The National-Exile Vilify (buy)

It might have been for a videogame (remember them) but it still tore at the heartstrings effectively enough to ensure The National's most die hard fans had enough to get through 2011 with.

9. Real Estate-Green Aisles (buy)

While 'It's Real' was summery guitar pop at it's finest, 'Green Aisles' was by far the stronger song among a strong collection from Real Estate's latest album. A fine listen.

8. Daniel Bortz-Don't Call (buy)

Cracking EP from Daniel Bortz. All four tracks were belters, 'Don't Call' was my fave and I recently airplayed that fact at Soundwaves.

7. Bon Iver-Holocene (buy)

Took me a while to get into the new Bon Iver album. Might not have had the dynamic and personal touch of the first record, but with tracks as beautiful as 'Holocene', who cares.

6. Chad Van Gaalen-Sara (buy)

Chad Van Gaalen went for a 'rockier' feel to this record. On it's most 'alternative' parts it sounded like the band he has produced for, Women. On others such as 'Sara', it sounded like a heart-wrencher of the highest order. A paen to a happy long lasting relationship.

5. Maximillion Dunbar-Piano & Dream World (buy)

Quite simply stunning. Sends you into another world, possibly a dream one and definitely some kind of utopia.

4. The Antlers-Putting the Dog to Sleep (buy)

Majestic soul throwback from the best album of this year (and probably for about 5 years).

3. Genius of Time-Houston, We Have a Problem (buy)

Simplicity was all that was required for this, my tune of the summer. Rolling bass over a simple enough beat resulted in me absolutely caining my vinyl copy and playing it out wherever I played.

2. Low-Witches (buy)

"You gonna wish you were Al Green"

1. The Antlers-Corsicana (buy)

We all have often wrong intepretations of lyrics. However it's often our personal touch to a track and it's words which makes it so special to us. 'Corsicana' to me is about a doomed relationship which continues to persist due to the fact that the thought of the end is too much to bear. "We should shut that door we both left opened now". It might not be about this, but it is to me. Best piece of music I've heard in a long time, and like I said in my first blog about top tracks of the year; I listen to a lot.