50. EUGENE McGUINNESS: The Invitation to the Voyage
49. BENJAMIN GIBBARD: Former Lives
48. DJANGO DJANGO: Django Django
47. THE CRIBS: In the Belly of the Brazen Bull
46. PAUL BANKS: Banks
45. DIRTY PROJECTORS: Swing Lo Magellan
44. BETH JEANS HOUGHTON & THE HOOVES OF DESTINY: Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose
43. PROPAGANDHI: Failed States
42. BLOOD RED SHOES: In Time to Voices
41. MINUS THE BEAR: Infinty Overhead
40. CAT POWER: Sun
39. THE MOUNTAIN GOATS: Transcendental Youth
38. CLOUD NOTHINGS: Attack on Memory
37. STARS: The North
36. OFF: Off!
35. BAND OF SKULLS: Sweet Sour
34. GRAHAM COXON: A+E
33. SLEIGH BELLS: Reign of Terror
32. MAPS AND ATLASES: Beware and Be Grateful
31. THE MAGNETIC FIELDS: Love at the Bottom of the Sea
30. HERE WE GO MAGIC: A Different Ship
29. THE MENZINGERS: On the Impossible Past
28. GRIZZLY BEAR: Shields
27. BILLY TALENT: Dead Silence
26. TAME IMPALA: Lonerism
25. ALABAMA SHAKES: Boys and Girls
24. JACK WHITE: Blunderbuss
23. FANFARLO: Rooms Filled with Light
22. HOT WATER MUSIC: Exister
21. TOY: Toy
20. TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB: Beacon
19. FUTURE OF THE LEFT: The Plot Against Common Sense
18. SUCIOPERRO: Fused
17. GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR: Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
16. THE CAST OF CHEERS: Family
15. SILVERSUN PICKUPS: Neck of the Woods
14. THE VACCINES: Come of Age
13. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Wrecking Ball
12. MARK LANEGAN BAND: Blues Funeral
11. PERFUME GENIUS: Put Your Back N 2 It
10. TITUS ANDRONICUS: Local Business
9. JIM LOCKEY AND THE SOLEMN SUN: Death
8. METRIC: Synthetica
7. PULLED APART BY HORSES: Tough Love
6. DRY THE RIVER: Shallow Bed
5. JAPANDROIDS: Celebration Rock
Certainly the shortest record of the bunch, Japandroids' 'Celebration Rock' could well be their magnum opus, an unforgiving beast of an album that pummels away at your eardrums and worms its way ever-so-pleasantly into your subconscious before you've really had time to let it all sink in. A thrilling listen and one that firmly cements the band as masters of their deliciously visceral art.
4. BLOC PARTY: 4
And the award for 'Most Pleasant Surprise of the Year' goes to the return of Bloc Party, who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes and released a record that's more Biffy Clyro than Bearstronaut. While 2009's 'Intimacy' veered more towards half-arsed electronica, and Kele's solo album even more so, '4' takes its influences primarily from Gordy and Russell's between-album projects (Young Legionnaire and, um, Ash respectively) and just fucking rocks. While it retains the angular indie sensibilities of their earlier records - particularly evident on first single 'Octopus' and 'V.A.L.I.S' - it also offers heady treats like 'Kettling', '3x3' and the really bloody mad 'We Are Not Good People'. Thank the Lord they got 'Mercury' out of their system, eh?
3. ADMIRAL FALLOW: Tree Bursts In Snow
Containing both the most uplifting song of the year - stand up 'Isn't This World Enough?' - and probably the most beautiful (the title track will make you cry, promise), Admiral Fallow's second full length is a treasure trove of greats that just improves with each and every listen. Yet another incredible Scottish band to add to your collection.
2. THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM: Handwritten
Brian Fallon and the Gaslight Anthems prove, once again, that they just cannot write a bad song; 'Handwritten' contains some of the finest music and lyrics of their career. The influences of The Horrible Crowes are felt throughout the record, Fallon adopting a more reflective, soulful stance... and, crucially, he gets his anger back. There are delectable hooks ('45', 'Handwritten'), powerful ballads ('National Anthem') and crushing rock behemoths (the 'Keepsake'/'Too Much Blood' duo is probably the best combination of songs in their arsenal). A tremendous record by any standards.
1. THE MACCABEES: Given to the Wild
Talk about a game changer. 'Given to the Wild' doesn't just prove that The Maccabees are more than a first rate indie outfit with a knack for a good hook, it rewrites their own personal rulebook and forces you to completely re-evaluate your preconceptions about this most quietly brilliant of bands. The catchy melodies are still there, of course, but they're steeped in gorgeous instrumentation, couched in cascading guitar riffs and ethereal piano solos, reworked in ways you never quite expect. There's a delicate beauty about this LP, a lush melancholy that burrows its way into every track and transforms the album into something gorgeous. More than any other release this year, 'Given to the Wild' is a record made to be listened to in one sitting; while it is possible to dip in and out and the tracks stand proudly alone (just listen to 'Forever I've Known', 'Go' or 'Grew Up At Midnight' and tell me this isn't stupendous), it's the whole that makes for the most rewarding experience, the journey that reveals the greatest riches. In years to come, 'Given to the Wild' will be considered a pivotal turning point in The Maccabees' career, and we'll all still be trying to figure out exactly how they managed to make something so darn beautiful.
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