The best albums of 2010

[Chris P]

Cath & Phil Tyler's 'The Hind Wheels of Bad Luck' album.

Thought they were brilliant live when I saw them a month ago - very powerful, unaffected, almost elemental, no bullshit or prissiness. Deep and spare - and great time-served songs & tunes too !

[Chris P]

I want to add NY Greek Annabouboula's new disc (19 years since their last one !) 'Immortal Water' into my top ten for the year, but I can't make my mind up which of the existing 10 to nudge out..



"Product of Greece, Bottled in Brooklyn NY"
Buy the download - it's mucho cheaper than the tangible object

[Jamie Renton]

I want to add NY Greek Annabouboula's new disc (19 years since their last one !) 'Immortal Water' into my top ten for the year,

it is a good 'un isn't it. hope you've seen my review in the current issue of fRoots

[Chris P]

I want to add NY Greek Annabouboula's new disc (19 years since their last one !) 'Immortal Water' into my top ten for the year,

it is a good 'un isn't it. hope you've seen my review in the current issue of fRoots

Yep - twas a combination of being a fRoots listening pick and your review that pricked up my ears - thanks Jamie

[Dominic]

I haven't keep a list or anything, but my albums of the year would have to include - Chamber Music by Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal, Poets And Lighthouses by Albert Kuvezin & Yat-Kha- both mentioned already - and Zumra by Amira & Merima Klujo, especially after seeing them live on consequitive evenings and chatting to Amira about Nick Cave and Dutch architect/shoes designer Rem D Koolhaas.

Poets & Lighthouses is more Albert and friends than Yat-Kha - electric guitar riffage, no Rasputin on drums replaced by Japanese poetry and (on one track) small Scottish pipes. Albert's voice is as immense as ever, I'm pleased to say. Lu tells me that (the real) Yat-Kha have been touring Siberia again with various former members who'd been off on maternity & paternity leave back in the fold.

I also like the Brazilian compilation recommended by Howard (Oi! A Nova Musica Brasileira!) and would love to have a copy of Studies Of Tom Ze: Explaining Things So I Can Confuse You, a boxed set of the three "studies" LPs, a 7" single recorded live at the Barbican with Tortoise, and a "conversation" CD with Tom Ze, David Byrne and Arto Lindsay. oh and an essay as well. Luaka Bop's website has a nice piece about how it was physically put together: http://luakabop.com/bloggo/tom-ze-box-set/

Confession time: I included Aou Amwin by Danyel Waro in my list for fRoots even though I hadn't heard it. I still haven't but I just know it belongs in my top 10 of '10.

[matt m]

here's a spotify playlist of various things from this year that I've liked:

http://open.spotify.com/user/mattmilton ... 4P5VWAguEh

[MurkeyChris]

My top 8:

1. Chris Wood - Handmade Life
2. The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (actually 09, but you know)
3. Jean 'Binta' Breeze - Eena Me Corner
4. Anais Mitchell - Hadestown
5. The Imagined Village - Empire and Love
6. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
7. Bellowhead - Hedonism
8. Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back

It was almost a relief not to consider the promising albums I've not got round to listening to yet: Eliza Carthy and Norma Waterson, Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal, MIA, Andy Cutting, Cerys Matthews, Gil Scott-Heron, Kronos Quartet, Gorillaz, the Abramson Singers, Janelle Monae, Kele, Breabach, Four Tet...

Chris

[RussellC]

I couldn't see a response to Will Vine's suggestion:

Who would dare to step into Charlie's shoes?

As someone who's got well behind on his world music homework I need the annual compilation that Charlie used to put together. So,in its sad absence this year, and without expecting you to licence and market it, perhaps those of you who have done your homework could post your best compilation of tracks of 2010 -( I could then sample and download them from Itunes). So, Howard, Jamie, Ritu, Rob, Garth, Chris,...et al maybe you could have some fun and give us something Charlie would've been proud of.

I appreciate there are suggestions (but not that many). I'd go further. Could we see a Sound of the World 2011 from a compilation from contributors on this forum?
As I see it we'd need
1) Charlie's familiy's agreement;
2) Warner Classics and Jazz support to produce it (or another willing record co.);
3) Agreement by those on this site (perhaps through a vote) on a shortlist of 40 tracks to include (to allow for a few for which clearances couldn't be obtained);

Am I a suggesting a fairly impossible task or one that could be achieved? The annual SOTW will defintiely be a big hole in my listening this year otherwise.

[Jamie Renton]

[quote="RussellC"]I couldn't see a response to Will Vine's suggestion:

Hi Russell, I had a go at a response here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16843

I hope you find things you enjoy!