Top 33 of the Year.....Numbers 33-32

33. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record.

Five years on from their self-titled last album, uber-supergroup BSS returned with fire in bellies and this record,produced by Tortoise's John McEntire. It's the most coherent record the band has produced up to now, and despite paring down their members to a mere six it still contains as many ideas and genre-hops that most bands can only dream about over a whole career. It bears repeated listening to open up all the noise and glitches hidden behind the veneer of conventional indie pop songs.

A camel may be a horse designed by committee, but when the camel is this good you really can't complain.


32. Warpaint - The Fool.




Thankfully, this female foursome kept clear of the obvious Spectorisms of Dum Dum Girls and Best Coast to give us the frosty, Gothic The Fool. There's echoes of Cat Power, The Cure, New Romantics and Stevie Nicks in band's approach to the songs - but it sounds fresh and not in thrall to things past.


When Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman sing, "now I've got you in the undertow" on standout track 'Undertow', it feels like the most sensual threat you're ever likely to hear cooed into your ear. Marvellous work.