Albums to look out for in 2010
Happy new decade! The Musical Chairs is back, recharged and refreshed for 2010 with lots of exciting things to happen throughout the year. They’ll be known to year when the time is right but for today I want to focus on the albums that I’m looking forward to in 2010. Last year provided us with a rich tapestry of new releases, making it one of the best years for music in some time. 2010 looks set to carry on with this stream of good music, at least in the first few months of the year at least. So, without further ado, here is the list of what I’m looking forward to this year. I’ve broken it up into two lists – artists with albums definitely coming out in the next few months and then artists who I’m anticipating will be releasing something later in the year. Here’s the former list first:
Vampire Weekend – Contra – We only have to wait one more week for the second Vampire Weekend album to hit the shelves, making it one of the few reasons to get excited so early on in the year. Their 2008 debut was, aside from being this website’s fifth favourite album of that year, an album that set the indie world alight as they found their way onto the hype machine very quickly. It was justified. Early singles like Cousins suggest that not much has changed in their sound so here’s hoping that this new batch of songs is just as impressive (hopefully more) than their earlier work.
Eels – End Times – Hombre Lobo, Eels’ last album, was released four years after the magnum opus of Mr E’s career, Blinking Lights And Other Revelations. We’ve only had to wait a few months for the follow-up this time around. End Times looks set to be his most personal and minimal album yet, recorded in his own home on his own with all the instruments played by himself. The signs could point towards a return to the confessionals of his past work that have made his work so enthralling.
Hot Chip – One Life Stand – Nearly two years after they released their commercial breakthrough, Made In The Dark, Hot Chip return with a new batch of songs on their fourth album, One Life Stand. Early reports suggest it will be more playful and more soulful than ever before. Their consistency suggests that this is going to be another solid slice of electropop.
Los Campesinos! – Romance Is Boring – Despite having not managed to crack the elusive art of making an album that is great for its entire duration, Los Campesinos! have always been fun to have around with their unabashed sense of joy and enthusiasm. Romance Is Boring will be their third album and this time I really do have faith that they can deliver the goods. Then again, I’ve been disappointed once before.
Massive Attack – Heligoland - Of all the albums to come out in 2010, this is easily the most anticipated. It’s been nearly seven years since the Bristol collective (well, just 3D really) released 100th Window. After several scrapped albums and many guest star rumours, Heligoland is finally going to be released. We’ve had plenty of tasters in the form of Splitting The Atom, Pray For Rain, and Paradise Circus (this song gets the Song Analysis treatment on Thursday) and what I’ve heard so far fills my heart with glee.
Jónsi – Go – Whilst everyone was expecting that Sigur Rós might have been releasing a new album in 2010, their angelic frontman has taken us all by surprise and announced an English-language solo album. Any fears that anyone had were soon dashed by the free download, Boy Lilikoi, which was one of the unexpected treats of last year. Don’t dismiss this as ‘just another solo record’. It might be something more than that.
Goldfrapp – Head First – Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory have had so many different kinds of albums it is hard to keep up. From downbeat trip-hop esque melancholy, to electronica, to glam, to cutesy folk, they’re unafraid of doing something new. Head First, their fifth, has been described with words including ‘fantasy’ and ‘euphoria’. It’s anyone’s guess as to what we’re in for.
And then you have these artists who will all be releasing new material:
Gorillaz – Their third album, Plastic Tramp, follows up the genre-hopping Demon Days with guest stars including Mos Def and Snoop Dogg.
65daysofstatic – Their fourth album is near-finished and looks set to be released in the spring, with more emphasis on electro beats than ever before.
Three Trapped Tigers – As revealed in our interview late last year, a debut album from the hottest new band around comes out later in the year.
Pulled Apart By Horses – After spending the last year or so gigging in every venue of the country, the Leeds rockers release their debut album.
The Divine Comedy – Neil Hannon looks set to release the tenth (yes, tenth!) Divine Comedy album in the first half of this year.
Patrick Wolf – The talented singer-songwriter releases The Conqueror, the antithesis of last year’s career highpoint, The Bachelor.
Arcade Fire – The band are still working with Neon Bible producer Markus Dravs and are hoping to release it in the second half of the year.
LCD Soundsystem – One of the most influential artists of the last decade will unleash his third album in the spring/summer time.
So there you have it. That’s what I’m looking forward to, but what about you? Comment with your wishlist of albums for 2010!
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Posted on January 4th, 2010 by Max
Filed under: Albums, Features
New albums by Field Music – out Feb, Darren Hayman, Fleet Foxes and Broken Bells, the Danger Mouse and Shins’ James Mercer collaboration, are the ones I’m looking out for. Here’s a few others as well http://www.neonfiller.com/page4.htm#2010. Like your list btw…given me food for thought.
I’m not sure what to think about Broken Bells at the moment but the next Fleet Foxes album will be interesting I think.