Hello everybody out there in the big wide world music-loving world. It’s a bank holiday over here, nobody’s at work, making it all the more important we give you a playlist to peruse, consume, and enjoy to your hearts content today. We’ve got a good one for you all, with Kev Atkinson’s 2010 So Far – it’s been one hell of a year so far hasn’t it, and there are still… 1.. 2.. 3.. 4 months to go!
Incidentally, we’ve got a particularly eclectic week planned over the next 5 days, so make sure you’re keeping up with us! If you’re just too busy to check, be sure to sign up to our Newsletter, and we’ll email you the occasional update of all our favourite recent content!
Now, here’s Kev’s rundown of this fantastic year so far.
2010 So Far – Blurby stuff
Ok so we are now halfway through 2010 and to be honest there has been a lot of great music released in the last eight months. Here I have put together a collection of tracks from some of the albums that I have been listening to in the first half of the year, but it”™s by no means a comprehensive collection.
Coming into the year there were two albums that I was really looking forward to, the first was Intriguer by my all time favourite band Crowded House, unfortunately this isn”™t currently on Spotify so I couldn’tt add a track, but I do highly recommend the album so check it out if you get a chance.
Second was the sophomore release from The Depreciation Guild. I think Spirit Youth is a more mature and accessible album than In Her Gentle Jaws and on first listen there were many great tracks but November was one of those that initially stood out for me.
I wont go over every single album in the playlist but I will give a run down on some of my personal highlights of the year so far.
I will admit that Bonobo isn”™t an artist that I have listened to much but earlier in the year Dave recommended their new album Black Sands and I am glad that he did, from first listen I was hooked by the whole feel of the album and have listen to it many times since.
Band Of Horses are one of those bands that struck a chord with me right from the off and they have returned this year with another strong release in Infinite Arms. A switch to a major label for this release and a more spacious sound could easily see Band Of Horses start to reach a wider audience.
Broken Bells have been mentioned by me, and other members of Spotisfaction, before. A combination of James Mercer (The Shins) and Danger Mouse has produced what I can definitely say is my surprise hit of the year so far. James Mercer”™s vocal styling is very unique and listening to The Shins last album, Chutes Too Narrow, you can easily see where he was heading and what he has carried into this collaboration.
The National have been around for over a decade now but it”™s only over the last few years that I have become aware of them and they have grown to be one of my favourite bands. My first listening of High Violet didn”™t initially grab me in the same way their earlier albums had done, I thought it was a good album but not outstanding. With repeated listening however the album has grown on me considerably.
Forgiveness Rock Record is probably the most accessible album from the collective known as Broken Social Scene and is fast becoming my favourite or their albums and seeing them live a couple of weeks ago was certainly a musical highlight of the year so far.