Albums of the Year: Numbers 17 - 11

And on we go....

17. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

The best rap album of the year, Mike and El-P (along with Big Boi, T.I and others) mixed classic dirty South rap with East Coast brutalism to produce the sleekest hip hop album in many a year. From the moment 'Big Beast' clatters into your ears with primitive 808s and punishing raps from KM, you know this is going to be great. Shorn of any unnecessary skits or starry guest spots, it's a politicised record that avoids being heavy-handed and even Obama comes in for some KM criticism, putting the Prez in the same bracket as Reagan and Bush, just another "talking head on a teleprompter". An unforgiving experience, and all the better for it.



16. Efterklang - Piramida

The reason that the Danish band's latest excellent album is so far down the list is that I've been spoiled by the live version of the recording. Witnessing Efterklang with the Northern Sinfonia in Edinburgh's Usher Hall in October of this year was one of the most thrilling live experiences I've had. Taking the tracks from Piramida and adding an orchestra and choir took the album to another level, a wonderful place full of wonder and symphony. On record, it's still great, an extension of the work we heard on Parades and Magic Chairs: the sound of a band willing to experiment but keeping a melodic pop heart at the core of what they do.



15. Sun Kil Moon - Among the Leaves

Mark Kozelek rarely ever puts a foot wrong. Continuing the stripped down approach of Admiral Fell Promises, it's mainly the former Red House Painter and his nylon-stringed guitar again, singing tales of what it's like to be on the road: groupies, leaving his home and having to endure bad food and weather in the UK. It's scattered with Kozelek's dark humour as always, yet there's always loss and sadness just around the corner. What's often ignored, among the beautiful playing and poetic lyrics, is how good a voice Kozelek has, and his current minimal approach means its as naked as it's ever been, and better than it's ever been. An artist that's prolific without losing quality control, some acts could take a leaf out of Sun Kil Moon's book.



14. Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't

Everyone's favourite lovelorn Swedish troubadour returned in 2012 with some of his strongest work to date; as witty and lyrically clever as he's always been, Jens this time makes us work for the goods rather than give us hook and chorus after hook and chorus. From beautiful solo piano interludes, through the saxophone of 'Erica America' to the gorgeousness of the string-laden 'The End of the World Is Bigger Than Love', the album is always sweetly swoonsome. In a world where lovelorn troubadours rule, Jens Lekman would always be top of the charts.



13. Team Me - To The Treetops!

This is the happiest record of 2012, by a long way. Back in March I wrote that this album from the Norwegian six-piece would either make you sick with twee or giddy with joy, and that still stands. A combination of Broken Social Scene, Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire on Prozac, To The Treetops remains a brilliant blast of pure fun, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink instrumentation and killer tunes.



12. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

Of all things, a "super group" that doesn't collapse under the weight of egos on show. Dan Boeckner of Handsome Furs/Wolf Parade met Spoon's Britt Daniel backstage after a show, joking they should work together...and so they ended up doing just that. Combining the taut sparseness of recent Spoon records with the glam paranoia of Boeckner's work, A Thing... is an unqualified success unworthy of being passed off as an occasional side-project. From the synth banger 'My Love Is Real' to the raw rock n roll of 'What Gets You Alone', everything the band turns its hand to comes off as a complete success, leaving more records from Divine Fits a near-certainty.



11. Grizzly Bear - Shields

Everyone knows what a wonderful band this lot are, and the only reason that the album isn't in the top ten is due to the fact that for whatever reason I've not been able to devote enough time to it. Live, they were fantastic once again a month or so ago in Glasgow and I've so much time for each member of the band (a pointer to another record that does make my top ten), and the songs on here are near-perfect: the electric clatter of 'Sleeping Ute' and 'Yet Again' show a band capable of harnessing a powerful sound, just as 'A Simple Answer' and 'Sun In Your Eyes' show off their ability to create symphonic wonders. Impeccably played, produced and constructed, they might well be the best US band we've got right now. A top three record in a world where I have more time...

The Final Countdown: Albums of the Year - Numbers 25 to 18

Howdy.

So, not just The Final Countdown of this year's best albums (best  by my standards, that is) but a final countdown to the end of 78s Don't Wobble. I'm at the very least mothballing this blog for an indefinite period (think Fugazi's indefinite hiatus as a starting point) or bringing it to a permanent end following the chart rundown that'll bring us to my personal number one album of the year.

Now, as with other years this is based on the records I've heard and loved in 2012 and if there's something that's not on there that you like, then I've either not heard it or not enjoyed it enough for it to be included. Got it? Good. If there's a glaring omission that I personally have forgotten about, then I clearly haven't cared enough to remember it. So, on we go with numbers 25 to 18....

25. Sam Willis - Winterval 

2012 seemed to be the year where I rediscovered my dormant-since-1997 love of dance music. Probably inspired by my experience at Festival Number 6 where I caught excellent sets by Andrew Weatherall, Derrick Carter and Francois K, I've enjoyed electronic music more this year than in many previous years. Weatherall is probably an excellent reference point for Sam Willis' first solo album. The DJ half of Walls has, on Winterval, channeled the sound of minimal house music circa Sabres of Paradise's Haunted Dancehall and Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works. It's a record with a clear narrative, and while there are plenty beats to be found, it's more about emotion, textures and melody for Willis. An exceptional dance record.



24. Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

After having the Horse on ice since 1996's Broken Arrow (the last NY record to bear the name "and Crazy Horse") this year saw the release of not one but two NY and Crazy Horse records. Americana was a slightly daft distraction of Young and his old mates racing through feedback-damaged versions of American standards and seemed simply to pave the way for this two-disc epic. Psychedelic Pill hangs on two epic numbers: the near-30min jam of 'Driftin' Back and the controlled riffing of 'Walk Like a Giant' are evidence enough that Young, with Billy Talbot, Frank Sampedro and Ralph Molina were back on electric form, sticking two fingers up to all-and-sundry and showing that when it comes to amped soloing and psych excursions, there's never really anything better than these old warhorses.



23. El-P - Cancer for Cure

While not the best hip-hop record of 2012, Cancer for Cure served as a reminder of how brilliant El-P can be at his best. More focused than 2007's I'll Sleep When You're Dead, Jaime Meline is joined by Killer Mike, Paul Banks and Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire on a brutal and unforgiving meditation on death that serves as a reminder that this is the man responsible for the unmatched genius of Company Flow. Futuristic beats that still manage to sound antiquated, El-P spitting rhymes with an anger he's not had for a while and guest spots that don't detract from the main event all add up to fine, fine record.



22. Dark Dark Dark - Who Needs Who

The breakup of the romance between band members Nona Marie Invie and Marshall LaCount is writ large over the Minneapolis band's latest record. A collection of songs that veer from folk, to piano ballads to Eastern European jigs, the focus is generally on Invie's gorgeous voice and piano as she becomes accuser to LaCount's guilty party. Never an easy listen, it's impressive that the band managed to hold themselves together long enough to write Who Needs Who, and we should be eternally grateful that they did.



21. How To Dress Well - Total Loss

Tom Krell returned with his second full-length record of minimal R&B, an album full of intense sadness and -as the title suggests - loss. Combining his love of vocal harmony groups like Jodeci and Boyz II Men with his love of ambient acts such as Brian Eno and Grouper, and the orchestral work of Michael Nyman, Krell has produced something that's both claustrophobic (probably due to his muffled vocal delivery) and welcoming. You'd be hard pressed to find a more meticulously produced record in 2012: the beats are clear and crisp, the ambient noise never anything more than necessary and when he sings clearly Krell has the voice of an angel. This was heady stuff, and the exciting thing is that HTDW is only likely to get better and better.



20. Peter Broderick - www.itstartshear.com

The first of two releases in a year from the genius that is Peter Broderick, this album exists for all time via the website of the same name: www.itstartshear.com. Containing videos and audio, liner notes that explain the history behind each track and an overall comment on download culture, the actual music could have been overwhelmed by the concept but thankfully that's not the case. Another combination of Broderick's beautiful voice and playing, ably assisted by the excellent Nils Frahm, it's warm and welcoming and contains some of Broderick's finest writing to date; he's an artist to be cherished.



19. Death Grips - The Money Store

In all the fuss that came with the leaking of Death Grips' second album of 2012, NO LOVE DEEP WEB, and discussions over whether it was a marketing ploy or proper DIY punk ethics from the band, people tended to forget just how brilliant and visceral The Money Store was. The trio of virtuoso drummer Zach Hill, MC Ride and Andy Morin produced the angriest album of the year, packed full of samples, insane drumming, mangled synths and as many crazy noises as you could possibly fit on an album. Unfocused, messy, brainless, but a fascinating and addictive listen all the same.



18. Swans - The Seer

Primal. Intense. Ambitious. Cathartic. All words we can associate with the brilliant second studio album from Michael Gira's Swans since he "got the band back together" in 2010. Nearly two hours in length it's a battle between beauty and hideousness captured by the endless battle between noise and melody that's been the focus for the entire existence of Swans. Single songs contain more ideas than most bands have in their entire careers and you have to admire Gira's still-burning passion for the music he makes. Not perfect in terms of musical content, but it's an incredible testament to a singular vision and for that it deserves your full attention.

Albums of 2011 : Number 1 - Real Estate, 'Days'

So, we reach the top of the tree (so to speak) and there we find New Jersey's Real Estate and their sophomore album Days. As the weeks closed in on the end of the year and the thought of composing this list, I found myself listening to this album more and more, two to three times a day at one point, and in the end it just pushed Korallreven to number two. I could have copped out and had a joint number one, but what would have been the point of that? Days just snuck into my life almost unnoticed until it became a part of my daily routine; one of the most lovely and affecting - and utterly simple - records I've heard in many years.

Made up of singer/guitarist Martin Courtney, guitarist Matthew Mondanile and bassist Alex Bleeker, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2009, and followed up with this one - a record of simple nostalgia, yearning and nascent romance. Beautiful guitar lines grace Days from start to finish, like 'Major Leagues'-era Pavement, or the early jangle of R.E.M.

It's the simplicity of lines like "floating on an inner tube in the sun" from gentle album opener 'Easy' that capture the essence of this record. Each song seems like a variation on the same theme, and so Days hangs together wonderfully, from 'Green Aisles'. 'It's Easy', 'Out of Tune' and 'Wonder Years' (yes, such a track name was inevitable). Given the band are childhood friends, it's hardly a surprise they share the same warm and fuzzy memories.

It's a truly glorious record, and on 'Green Aisles', one of the finest songs of 2011, we find the perfect encapsulation of the whole theme of Days:

"the phone lines, the street lights, led me to you/

and if you just sit tight I'll be there soon/

All those wasted miles/

All those endless drives/

Through green aisles/

Our careless lifestyle, it was not so unwise"

Real Estate - Green Aisles by DominoRecordCo

It's the album that's meant most to me in 2011, the one that I've enjoyed the most, and the one I catch myself singing songs from on a regular basis. If that's not reason enough, then I don't know what it. Days is a wonderful, charming guitar record, one that reaffirms that guitar music isn't quite dead yet, and shows that Real Estate are a very, very talented bunch of lads. Life-affirming music at its best.

Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Number 2 - Korallreven

Okay, okay, so I jumped the gun a little bit with my "album of the year" fanfare last month, but Korallreven's An Album by Korallreven is still the best example of the traditional album album, that is, a coherent piece of music that needs and demands to be listened to as a whole, rather than downloaded and broken apart into favourite moments.

The duo of Marcus Joons and Daniel Tjader was inspired to make this record following a visit to Samoa and witnessing the pure joy of the Catholic Church choir singing that takes place on the Pacific island - and you can hear that sunny joy throughout An Album. It's a record of fantasy summers, romance, the naturalistic joy in living things and, above all, a wonderful pop record.

Speaking to Joons after their recent marvellous show in Glasgow (and here comes some shameless self-promotion and back-patting) he said that some reviews (mine) managed to pick up on the idea that the record was a song cycle, and had to be listened to as such. This feeds into the makeup of the various mixtapes the band has released this year, and also the way that the tracks 'Sa Sa Samoa' and 'As Young As Yesterday' reflect each other and tie the first half of the record together, just like how the final trio of 'Honey Mine', 'A Surf on Endorphins' and 'Comin' Down' tie the dreamlike state of the second half of the album together.

Lit up by guest spots from Victoria Bergsman and Julianna Barwick, it's a joy of a dream-pop album, it's 1980s synthpop, it's futuristic 21st century electro at its finest. A good few years in the making, but worth the wait, An Album by Korallreven is just the beginning of a beautiful sun-dappled journey with these Swedish maestros.

Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Number 3 - A Winged Victory For The Sullen

If I judged this list on sheer heartbreaking beauty, the self-titled debut record from A Winged Victory For The Sullen would have walked it by a country mile. But it's about more than that, so Adam Wiltzie and Dustin O'Halloran's new project has just missed out on the top spot glory. However, each of the final three on this list are deserving of top spot, but a joint number one would have been a cop-out.

Okay, so it's very much a mood piece and you wouldn't stick AWVFTS on as a party record, but it's without question the most moving record of the year and one I've returned to time and again to uncover previously unnoticed layers of glacial genius.

An orchestral record calling on ambient, classical and post-rock, and recorded as a kind of posthumous tribute to Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous, there'a a great well of sadness and emotion to much of the record, yet it also proves to be an uplifting experience. Consisting of piano and strings (some courtesy of Peter Broderick), these instrumental movements go from barely-there teardrop keys to grand swells of string quartets, and there's also choral backing, looped gentle guitars and washes of ambient synths. O'Halloran's piano work is the star of the show, just shading it from the gorgeous strings and Wiltzie's brilliant hand in making sure everything sounds perfect.

I can't fault this record at all; staggeringly beautiful and deeply emotional, ambitious but never grandstanding for the sake of it, A Winged Victory For The Sullen is an astonishing achievement.

Albums of 2011 : The Top Ten - Number 4 : St Vincent

With Strange Mercy, the saucer-eyed, stunning, Texan Annie Clark took the beauty of her previous two albums and added a darker edge, more intricate and inventive guitar work and ended up with her best record to date.

The opening of 'Chloe in the Afternoon' sets the tone for the album, a saucy tale of S&M, sung with Clark's delightfully demure voice, and then disrupted by some metallic and destructive guitar playing. Annie Clark has to be one of the finest shredders around at the moment, and her brutal riffing and enigmatic soloing dominates Strange Mercy. Witness the hammering on the repetitive "I, I, I" of 'Cheerleader', or the tricksy yet poppy lines on 'Cruel', or even the discordant punk-funk of 'Dilettante' and you know you're in the presence of greatness.

Even though most of the sensual role-playing sung about by Clark is very much her taking on a character, this doesn't mean there's a lack of emotion on the album. In fact, compared to the surface of Actor, Clark reveals much more of herself on Strange Mercy than we've experienced before as listeners.

It's a swooning, sweet listen, a juxtaposition of Annie Clark's angelic vocals and devilish guitar playing, confirming her position as a unique artist and the finest female performer of 2011.

Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Number 5 - Josh T Pearson

5 - Josh T Pearson : Last of the Country Gentlemen

Josh T Pearson spent many years in the wilderness following his part in Lift to Experience's 2001 record The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads, an epic psychedelic rock record. Pearson suddenly quit playing music, disappeared into a series of dead-end jobs, occasionally playing and famously appearing on the cover of the sadly-missed Loose Lips Sink Ships magazine. Along the way it's clear there's been some issues : broken relationships, mental anguish, substance abuse? But suddenly this year, Pearson returned with a new record, detailing intimately what's happened in his life for the past ten years.

A confessional country record, mostly captured live, it's filled with sadness that builds across lengthy and meandering acoustic guitar lines, occasionally accompanied by the swell of strings. The centrepiece of the album is the 13-minute 'Honeymoon's Great!Wish You Were Her', a song full of Pearson's despair and inner troubles, a plea to a woman he's hurt, a long cry begging for forgiveness. It's a magnificent testament to Pearson's talents as a song writer, and is nearly matched by other moments like the anger of 'Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ' and the troubled self-help of 'Country Dumb'.

It's never an easy listen and isn't a record you'd put on for a chilled night in, hence the appearance at number five in this list. Live, I saw Pearson twice this year, his music interspersed with a series of jokes, he had the audience in the palm of his hand throughout, commanding silence before playing his music. If we need a Hank Williams or Johnny Cash figure for the 21st Century, it's Josh T Pearson. We can only hope there's not another long silence before we hear more new music from him. Last of the Country Gentlemen is a glorious record and an incredible emotional journey that demands your attention.

Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Numbers 8, 7 and 6

8 - Oh Land : Oh Land

Nanna Oland Fabricius gave us the best pure pop album of 2011, combining carefree solid-gold tunes with an indie approach to music making. So, while the songs on Oh Land are incredibly catchy, there's layers of instrumentation, gleaming production and an understanding of art shared with kindred spirits Lykke Li and Robyn. It was sad to realise that the mainstream music industry and media would come to ignore such classic pop music, focusing instead on the latest vapid "look at me, aren't I sexy?" yelpings from the likes of Rihanna. Still, you and I shared this record together, and it was quite uplifting, wasn't it?

7 - The War On Drugs : Slave Ambient

With Slave Ambient, Adam Granduciel and his boys combined the guitar power of Bruce Springsteen with the motorik Krautrock of Neu! and Harmonia to produce a record of hazy drones, Dylanesque country meanderings and pedal-to-the-metal indie rock classics. Whether it's the driving glory of 'Baby Missiles', the swagger of 'Come to the City' or the slo-mo comedown of 'Blackwater', Slave Ambient was always a thrilling listen, and a brilliant achievement from a young man who has still got plenty to give. The new Springsteen? Maybe, although old friend and ex-bandmate Kurt Vile might have something to say about that.

6 - M83 : Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

There's just not enough double albums made any more, but thanks to Anthony Gonzales' (and guests) ambition, M83 returned with their defining statement, an album that redefined the word "epic". As always, instrumentals and spoken word interludes peppered the record, but it's the moments when everything combines, as on the magnificent 'Steve McQueen', that you can truly understand Gonzales' vision. It's as if he threw the great moments from the last three records (Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, Before the Dawn Heals Us and Saturdays = Youth) and came up with Hurry Up - a near perfect encapsulation of nostalgia, dreams and everyday life, spread across two discs of stunning music.

Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Numbers 10 and 9

10 - Wild Flag : Wild Flag

The question of whether or not Wild Flag could be as good as Sleater-Kinney was dispelled within the opening bars of first track 'Romance' - this is some seriously good shit. The supergroup of SK's Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, plus Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole are more of a jam band than SK ever were, but when you've got monstrous riffing from one of the finest guitar players today, epic Moon-esque drumming, organ breakdowns and Timony's pop sensibilities this project was never likely to fail. A fine, ragged rock and roll album, filled with passion, fun and storming tunes.

9 - The Antlers : Burst Apart

Debut album Hospital was quite an emotional journey, quiet yet epic, with gorgeously uplifting choruses lightening what might have been an otherwise spirit-crushing album about cancer and death. Returning with a slightly more electronic sound, Peter Silberman and co. produced a lush textured record filled with heartbreak and swooping melodies. Burst Apart is a record of anthems for the emotionally awkward and damaged hearts everywhere, and is dominated by the beautiful vocals of Silberman. A step forward from the debut album, who knows where The Antlers could go next.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 12 and 11

You know it's getting good if these two can't make the top ten.....

12 - The Horrors : Skying

Channeling the spirit of, amongst others, Simple Minds and Psychedelic Furs, the formerly gothic chancers stepped it up yet again. If Primary Colours was something special, The Horrors surpassed that record by adding a scintillating pop sheen to the motorik grooves found on their second album. The best British album of 2011 by a country mile, they've got their eyes set firmly on a glittering prize. If My Bloody Valentine soundtracked a John Hughes film, it might sound a heck of a lot like this.

11 - Girls : Father, Son, Holy Ghost

It wouldn't surprise me if this was Pitchfork's album of 2011, and to be honest any other year it would probably make my top three of the year. Cribbing from the past yet sounding utterly fresh, Christopher Owens has an understanding of pop music like few other young men of his age. It's The Beatles, R&B, VU, Jonathan Richman and The Rolling Stones, yet none of them at the same time. A friend of mine said "they know how to play those 'sad girl songs' chords, don't they?" and that might best describe Father, Son, Holy Ghost - a record full of emotion, feeling, and wonderful songs.

Below is a link to a Spotify playlist for numbers 20 down to 11:

http://open.spotify.com/user/andrewahannah/playlist/3wIrwooNyfCSICApKDyAL2

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 14 and 13

14 - Papercuts : Fading Parade

In 2011, I've reviewed their album, spoken to Jason Quever and shared my thoughts on a live show (all for The Line Of Best Fit) so it's perhaps not a surprise to see Papercuts make an appearance in my end of year list. Fading Parade is a fine example of fuzzy, dreamy, indie pop music about breaking up, girls and stuff. You can file alongside Galaxie 500, Beach Boys (and House) and The Clientele - charming stuff, with a real pop heart.

13 - Wilco : The Whole Love

Following a couple of albums that really didn't live up to the name of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy and the rest of the fine, fine musicians in the band regrouped and found a bit of passion. The Whole Love proved to be a mix of the band's YHF and A Ghost Is Born experimentalism and the country pop of Being There. Showing once again why the band are more innovative and interesting than most of their alt. rock classmates, the record was bookended by the finest examples of the two sides of Wilco. Opener 'Art of Almost' revisited the Krautrock moments of Ghost and was a pounding epic, whilst closing track 'One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)' was a 12minute gentle acoustic meditation on religion, containing Tweedy's knack for a melody, and his always intriguing lyrics. In between these, just little nuggets of pop, country and rock...business as usual, then. Live, they were bloody amazing.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 16 and 15

....in which we get all folky and introspective.

16 - Loch Lomond : Little Me Will Start a Storm

The Portland, Oregon, band kicked up a quiet storm with this lovely record, their fourth full-length. Combining the lush instrumentation and harmonies of Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire and The Decemberists, and with Ritchie Young's voice calling to mind Michael Stipe, Colin Meloy and Jonathan Meiburg, such a mix was unlikely to fail. Whether it's the slowly rousing 'Blood Bank' or the fragile gems of 'Elephants and Little Girls' and 'Egg Song', the beauty unfolded slowly on what was the definitive "grower" of 2011.

15 - Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues

Things got darker and broodier on Fleet Foxes' second album, but at the same time the brilliance of Robin Pecknold's song writing seemed to double and strengthen. This album delved deeper into folk and blues territory, songs lasted longer and were allowed to meander and make fascinating diversions. At times it was almost a Pecknold solo record, but the instrumental passages showed that this was very much a band effort, from a bunch of guys who still have so much to give. Stunning.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 18 and 17

18 - Mogwai : Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

It's hard to think of Mogwai now as veterans of the post-rock scene, and even of the Scottish music scene as a whole, but almost 15 years on from debut Young Team that's the reality. Following a rather hit and miss period which produced a couple of below-par studio albums but also a thrilling live record, Hardcore came across like an overview of the various 'Gwai guises over the years - thunderous riffs, noise, quietly beautiful passages, and even some straight-ahead indie rock. More than that, it was definite return to form, and by adding a second disc of orchestral magnificence and then the Earth Division EP, 2o11 was Mogwai's finest year for some time.



17 - Low : C'Mon

Another band in the veteran category, Duluth's finest have been going quietly at it since 1994, and with C'Mon they easily proved there's life in the old dog yet. I honestly thought that 2005's The Great Destroyer sounded like something of a goodbye from the band, and with suddenly appearing to have a revolving door of bassists since the departure of Zak Sally, it seemed to me that Low might be no more. But regrouping after the drab Drums and Guns, Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker found their mojo again. All you need to do is listen to opener 'Try to Sleep' to know you're in the presence of classic Low, and epic centrepiece 'Nothing But Heart' is simply stunning, and one of the band's finest moments of the past 17 years. Welcome back, and here's hoping there's still plenty more to come.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 20 and 19

20 - Radiohead : The King of Limbs
Announced suddenly, released ahead of schedule and almost more of an EP than a proper full-length, yet Oxford's most famous sons' eighth studio record was still something of a triumph of the experimentalist married to the band's more traditional sound. There was the skittering, off-kilter dance of 'Lotus Flower' and 'Bloom', but the final trio of 'Codex', 'Giving Up the Ghost' and 'Separator' point straight to why a Radiohead album is awaited with such baited breath by most music fans. Sure, it might have been something we've kinda heard before, but it was done brilliantly. Add in the remixes found on TKOL RMX 1234567 and it's a mighty fine body of work.

19 - The Middle East : I Want That You Are Always Happy
Formed in 2005, released a record in 2008, split up, reunited to release this album in 2011, and now they've gone and split up again. Australia's The Middle East have never made things easy for themselves, and also never really seemed entirely happy being in the belly of the music industry machine. It's a shame, because with I Want, they produced an epically beautiful record of, at turns, fragile and rousing alt. country. Cracking harmonies, layers of instrumentation, wonderful songwriting....they'll be sadly missed.

Albums of 2011 : Numbers 25 - 21

Alright? Let's go!

25 - Okkervil River : I Am Very Far
Will Sheff's band couldn't quite match the majesty of their last two records, but I Am Very Far still contained some wonderful tunes, rousing moments ('The Valley'), beautiful interludes ('We Need a Myth') and some of the most personal songwriting Sheff's committed to record . If you want your indie rock well-read and wearing a crumpled suit, Okkervil River are still the premier band, and the go-to guys.

24 - EMA : Past Life Martyred Saints
Erika M Anderson produced one of the most intense and visceral experiences of 2011 with this album, laying bare her personal demons on top of abrasive Sonic Youth style guitar abuse, and sparse folk interludes. Thankfully, Anderson seems to have avoided the problems that led to the implosion of previous band, Gowns, and found a fitting outlet for her immense talent.

23 - My Morning Jacket : Circuital
After the distinctly dodgy Evil Urges, Jim James and co returned to something approaching their best form with this record. It's the usual mix of country beauty, Disney soundtracks and heads-down rocking, but done with a passion that's been missing for a few years. Live, they're still something special, and a must-see. With Circuital, MMJ edge a little closer to capturing that spirit on record.

22 - I Break Horses : Hearts
Scandinavia is where it's at this year, with many fine records coming from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. This album, a Swedish entry, contained some of the finest shoegazing married to solid pop tunes that I've heard in a while, with Maria Linden's honeyed voice soaring over the MBV-esque guitars and programmed beats. It was released on 4AD, the perfect home for the band's icy cool.

21 - TV On the Radio : Nine Types of Light
Recovering from the death of Gerard Smith, TVOTR surprised everyone with the low-key release of what turned out to be testament to the power of the band. Switching from soaring balladry to confrontational rants, the key to the joy of the record was, as usual, the wonderful vocals of Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, married to the genius production of David Andrew Sitek.

To hear a selection of tracks from these albums, there's a handy Spotify playlist via the link below:

http://open.spotify.com/user/andrewahannah/playlist/1JSSXOvJVU8yIbiGw6fNGA

Albums of the Year : apologies and explanations

I always thought I was John Cusack's character. Turns out I'm really Todd Louiso....

Aye, it's that time of year again.

By way of introducing the start of the countdown tomorrow, I'm here to explain my reasoning in compiling my top 25 of the year. Basically, it's records I've heard and loved in 2011, not influenced by other websites or magazines, just me and my thoughts on what I've loved this year.

There are some fine records that haven't made the final cut, so apologies in advance to, in no particular order: Treefight for Sunlight, Mountains, Peggy Sue, When Saints Go Machine, Gang Gang Dance (really sorry, that was tough), Tyler, Battles, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Jonathan Wilson, Beirut, Destroyer, Braids, The Dodos and Julianna Barwick. Still, Julianna's on Korallreven's album...

I should also add that I've not really listened to either Bon Iver's or PJ Harvey's records. I admire both, but for some reason I've just not listened to the albums from start to end. I'm sure youse'll get over it.

So that's it. Tomorrow, we kick off from number 25......ooooh, who will it be?