Upcoming Albums of 2010

If you’ve been wondering what on earth you’ll find yourself listening to this year, here’s a small taster of what we think you should keep your eyes peeled for…

12^th JAN:

Adam Green- Minor Love

Adam Green’s sixth studio album hasn’t received the same amount of praise as its predecessors, but the odd ball of New York hasn’t lost his talent for writing whimsical ditties at any rate. Minor Love is undemanding of the listener, seeing them through swaying tracks such as “Give Them a Token” and shows how Green might play as he means to carry on. Personal favourite, “Lockout” is slightly Banhart-esque in its instrumentation and will, thus, most likely prove an interesting live choice for future setlists.

Vampire Weekend- Contra

On first listen, Contra might be off-putting to some, but give it patience, give it understanding, and a second listen. You’ll reap the rewards. Vampire Weekend’s second record uses similar techniques to those of their self-titled debut, but re-moulds them and returns a refreshing array of warm, loveable songs perfect for the approaching summer months.

26^th JAN:

Beach House- Teen Dream

Don’t be fooled by this album’s title, Beach House are all grown up and sounding better than ever. Victoria Legrand’s sublime voice dominates most of Teen Dream and personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way due to how beautifully it fits into place with the melodies produced by Legrand herself and her marvellous partner in crime, Alex Scally. The fabulous “Norway” has been unleashed onto the internet, but it isn’t even the tip of the iceberg.

First Aid Kit- The Big Black and The Blue

Swedish sisters, Klara and Johanna Söderberg comfortably slot into place with their alluring debut, The Big Black and The Blue. The album features both sisters’ gorgeous voices, both apart and together and sees the girls try their hand at creating both upbeat and sombre tunes with astonishing effects. In the words of Marvin Gaye and Kim Stevenson, it does indeed take two.

Yeasayer- Odd Blood

Brooklyn’s finest, Yeasayer, return to top form in the shape of Odd Blood, an album full of dazzling melodies that pile on top of each other to create a piece that needs to be listened to several times to be fully digested. It’s probably a helpful thing that Odd Blood is so darn addictive, then. It’s difficult to see how the trio could possibly top this, just listen to “O.N.E” and you’ll hear what I mean.

9^th FEB:

Hot Chip- One Life Stand

If the recently released, eponymous track “One Life Stand” is anything to go by, this album will once again raise the bar that Hot Chip have previously set with Coming On Strong, The Warning and Ready For The Floor. Hot Chip’s complex constructions of both synths and beats constantly prove to be as contagious as the common cold and have global audiences dancing in ways we never knew existed.

16^th FEB:

Local Natives- Gorilla Manor

Already released in the UK, Gorilla Manor has gathered critical acclaim in many end of year lists for 2009, and rightly so. Local Natives as a quartet are very solid, an attribute reflected in their vocal harmonising and how effectively they slot instrumental parts, that often feature fantastic percussion, in-between those beautiful voices of theirs.

2^nd MARCH:

Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can

Having heard most of this album live or on various radio sessions, it’s safe for me to say it will easily surpass Marling’s 2007 debut, Alas, I Cannot Swim. The songs that feature on I Speak Because I Can are more passionate and determined in their sound, and yet still manage to retain softness. This trait is present in tracks like the eponymous, final song of the album, “I Speak Because I Can” and gives a beautiful partnership to darker tracks like “Devil’s Spoke”.

9^th MARCH:

Broken Bells- Broken Bells

You know those awful analogies that go something like: “this is what it’d sound like if well known contemporary artist A and well known contemporary artist B met up in a grocery store and went clay pigeon shooting”? Well, this album is literally what happened when Dangermouse and The Shins’ front man, James Mercer, teamed up and made sweet, sweet music together. Mercer’s distinctive vocals foreground all sorts of brilliant combinations created by them both, and it’s easy to hear why neither Mouse nor Mercer consider this to be a one-off album. “The Ghost Inside” is a particular highlight with its tempered rhythm and occasional handclaps set to a duet from the artists.

Other artists with albums out this year include Panda Bear, Joanna Newsom, MGMT, Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes, Sleigh Bells, Interpol, Here We Go Magic, Peggy Sue and LCD Soundsystem. Judging on the continuing reputations of these bands, we’re expecting some very special albums from all.