Top 25 Albums of the Year 3-1

Ok the time has come for my top 3. These albums are nothing short of spectacular. They are heads and shoulders above the rest but the 3 of them are hard to separate. They're the type of album that comes around once in a blue room, the type you find once in every 50 or so albums you go through, that's if you're lucky. We were lucky enough to have 3 such albums this year, at least in my opinion. Here they are

No.3
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy




Kanye West. Producer, rapper, businessman, fashionista, arsehole, and above all, a genius. Incredibly he plays all of those roles magnificently. As a producer this album is Kanye at his glorious best. Each and every track is pieced together and refined to perfection, resulting in an almost faultless display of intricate arrangements and creative samples. As a rapper his lyrics varied from the outright comical to nothing short of outrageous. As a businessman he had the best associates in the industry to work with, namely Jay-Z, RZA and Kid Cudi just to name a few. All of them providing him with brilliant verses but none more so than Nicky Minaj on Monster. Can't say much about his fashion prowess (or lack thereof) so I'll move straight onto his arsehole status. Being the complete artist he is, he uses it in his music to create a sense of self-deprecation as well as conflict in the mind of the listener between the man portrayed in the media and that heard on tracks like Runaway ('run away from me baby, run away') But what makes this album so very impressive is how Kanye has managed to utilise Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and his folk rock friendly vocals. Not only does it add to the appeal of the record but enhances an already incredible experience. When they sit down to write the "Albums of the 2010s" this is one they will most certainly be talking about.

No.2
The National - High Violet




There really is very little to add to what has already been said about this album. The BBC attributed its rewarding nature to 'songs that colour one’s waking existence, becoming vivid night-time narratives when curtains are drawn.' Pitchfork felt that Matt Berninger's impeccable vocal performance sounded 'increasing self-destructive.' NME saw the opening single of the album as 'overflowing with bombastic charisma and a longing for the open road.' while Slant believes it's highlight England exemplifies High Violet's ability to expertly handled balancing of the airy and the dense. Spin sums up the album as making 'dark and stormy seem like ideal weather' Regardless of what people might say about this record or how it might make them feel. There is one undeniable fact about High Violet, there isn't a single wasted moment on it. That in itself makes an album unforgettable.

No.1
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening



From Stairway to Heaven to November Rain to Marquee Moon, some of the greatest songs in music history have clocked in at over 7 or 8 minutes. They have been lauded for their ability to remain exciting and attention grabbing despite their lengths. So what do you do when you have half a dozen such tracks on the same album? You call it your No.1 album of the year of course. On This is Happening, principal songwriter and producer James Murphy flexed his musical genius muscles over an hour of infectious electro beats and rhythms and surprisingly powerful pieces of social commentary. At the bookends of the album we find the two tracks that define and then complete this experience. Dance Yrself Clean welcomes you warmly with a bright smile and then nearly an hour later Home farewells you reluctantly and with an air of uncertainty. If this to be LCD's swan song then they have undoubtedly gone out on the highest of highs.

That concludes my top 25 countdown. Those of you who did take the time to read it, thank you very very much. I hope this list has opened your eyes to a few albums you might have otherwise ignored. I had a wonderful time reflecting upon and writing about the best music from a undeniably excellent year in music. Let's hope 2011 is even better!