6. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Now, when I first bought this album, I wanted to dislike it a little bit. The fact that it gets such slavering praise in indie circles made me want to practice some reverse-elitism and say ‘this album of theirs is better.’ As a matter of fact, I do think A Ghost Is Born is superior in most ways. However, Yankee has a much greater place in my heart. Not to say it’s not flawed; I think both Kamera and Reservations are total throwaways, but the rest of it is just Wilco at their absolute, absolute best, I think, particularly on Poor Places, for the sublime entry of the drumming/glissando riff a few minutes in, and the opener I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, which is probably their best song to date. Favourite Song: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
7. Pink Floyd – The Final Cut 20th Anniversary Reissue (1983) – I bet you no-one saw this one coming. This is probably the least-loved of Pink Floyd’s better-known albums. The follow-up to The Wall, it explores many similar themes and spends most of its time snapping at Maggie Thatcher and whingeing about World War II. However, the beauty – and precision – of the music is undeniable. David Gilmour only has about three guitar solos on here; they’re all utterly brilliant, particularly the one in Your Possible Pasts, but it’s Michael Kamen’s strings – and his arranging in conjunction with Roger Waters – that are the real stars here. The loud-quiet dynamics on this collection are tweaked to perfection (and can make it a bit impossible to listen to publicly) and the album is one long piece of beautifully crafted strings, bar Not Now John, which features some of the best, if most unnecessary, rock ‘n’ roll swearing (“where’s the fuckin’ bar, John???”). The string flourish after the “it’s the only connection they feel” line in Fletcher Memorial Home still gives me chills to this very day, at least four years after I first heard this album. Favourite Song: When The Tigers Broke Free
8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Howl (2005) – I bought this album on a whim after hearing a snatch of its lead single on the radio and thinking it was brilliant – the rest of the album is too. They’ve traded in their feedback-drenched rock ‘n’ roll for gospel choirs, big pianos and four particularly intimate acoustic sketches done individually and beautifully. Every song is lovingly crafted, right down to the often God bothering-lyrics (“they have no Jesus/and they have no soul!” from Devil’s Waitin’) and it shows. By throwing their old rulebook out of the window, BRMC have succeeded in making what is easily their best album so far. Favourite Song: Ain’t No Easy Way
9. Fony – Circles (2003) – Fony first appeared on the scene in 2001, with their debut album and the moderately successful Chore Again. Their debut album, Routine Irregular, was impressive, snappy, but bratty and immature. While there were several great moments on it, its production was too box-sized and Olly Gibbens’ vocal style didn’t quite suit the excellent words he was spitting at slutty ex-girlfriends. However, this sophomore effort shows infinite progression in the ensuing two years. Their sound now massive and polished, by Circles Fony have taken a great leap of maturity, Gibbens’ now more adult singing suited his more subtle, brooding lyrical stylings. The riffing here is superior to their debut as well, and there isn’t a duff track on it. Acoustic tracks Helium and the title track, an instrumental, also show that there is more to them than one dimensional metal. Probably the best young metal band to come out of England in recent years, I await their third album with eager anticipation, although the departure of Olly means that their new vocalist – and the album in general – will have everything to prove, especially following up this masterpiece. Favourite Song: Wishlist, End
10. Hope of the States – The Lost Riots (2004) – I can’t believe that this album comes from a band who’ve lost their guitarist, who hung himself in late 2003, delaying this album by several months. The quality of it is unbelievable; every song is an enormous anthem, with massive string arrangements. It’s pretentious, yes, but pretension has never really bothered me; in fact, I’ve found it inspiring because it oft leads to sheer beautiful music. This is all quite apart from Samuel Herlihy’s appealing lyrics, which seem to speak directly into the hearts of depressed indiekids everywhere. Favourite Track: The Red, The White, The Black, The Blue
