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Music

Joanne Huffa’s Top 10 Albums

1. DESTROYER Kaputt (Merge)

Dan Bejar’s made some of the most interesting and at times confounding music of the past decade. His Kaputt is a controversial album the saxophone alone has caused venomous arguments. But there’s something about the combination of Bejar’s nonchalant – maybe even smug – vocals and slick musical arrangements that makes me happy. If a Patrick Nagel painting were an album, this would be it.

2. PJ HARVEY Let England Shake (Vagrant)

PJ Harvey has taken a lot of paths in her career, but by pillaging ideas from English folk music she’s upset people’s expectations and made one of the most surprising, haunting and engag-ing records of the year.

3. GRUFF RHYS Hotel Shampoo (XL)

Critics say this record is too whimsical or quirky, even by the standard set by the Super Furry Animals singer’s previous solo work. I’d counter that by saying it’s a near-perfect pop record that succeeds because of the intimacy of the vocals and the surprisingly romantic nature of many of the songs. This album inspires me to make mixtapes.

4. CAT’S EYES Cat’s Eyes (Polydor)

Dramatic, romantic and beautifully orchestrated, this is one of this year’s handful of standout debut albums. Plus, I’m fairly certain Faris Badwan is the most listenable and charismatic singer around.

5. SLOAN The Double Cross (Outside)

I’d sort of given up on Sloan’s ever producing another consistently good record, but The Double Cross ranks with their best. And Follow The Leader may be their finest opening song ever.

6. THE HORRORS Skying (XL)

Produced to the nines, Skying is a gorgeous, lush collection of songs that satisfies my need to be overwhelmed by effects-laden guitars.

7. ANIKA (Stones Throw)

She comes across as so cool, she should be off-putting, but instead her debut distills the history of women in popular music into one deliciously endearing album.

8. WILD FLAG (Merge)

No album has grown on me as much this year as Wild Flag’s debut. It’s the kind of record to play at top volume while practising your air guitar moves in the mirror.

9. WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord)

Complex, ethereal and occasionally downright terrifying, this is a transcendent record.

10. (Tie). VERONICA FALLS (Slumberland) DUM DUM GIRLS Only In Dreams (Sub Pop)

These albums could have been made 20 or 30 years ago, and I still love them. Not that either band is just a throwback it’s more that they both have a way with a pop melody and a sound that eschew modern gimmickry.

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