Culch.ie’s Albums of 2010

Every newspaper, magazine and website worth its weight in salt is currently counting down their top picks of 2010. And the music writers here at Culch.ie have decided to hop on this list-making bandwagon; sure if it’s good enough for Santy, it’s good enough for us. Forthwith, each writer gives us their top three choices of the year: Sweary’s Picks 1 – Been Listening – Johnny Flynn Yeah, like you’re surprised. Mr. Flynn’s second album, Been Listening is a triumph from start (the breezily addictive Kentucky Pill) to gentle crescendo (touching yarn The Prizefighter And The Heiress). Reconquering ground covered by debut A Larum, there’s nothing pretentiously risky in Been Listening; it’s the sound of an artist who’s confident about where he is, and good God, is this ever “nu-folk” at its best. Mournful without being mawkish, charming without being twee, it’s earthy and evocative and rousing, all melodies your … There’s more

Album Review: Jónsi - Go

A week or two ago I had a discussion with someone who had the complete opposite reaction to me while listening to this album. He found the album to be boring and not a patch on the early work of Sigur Rós. I disagreed, my point being that the album had to be viewed on its own merits and not in comparison to any of Jónsi (Jon Thor Birgisson) previous work. Luckily for me I don’t suffer from the burden of knowledge as Sigur Rós are a band that has always existed just on the edge of my musical radar. I have heard a couple of their albums but I’ve probably never given them the time they deserve and as a result I have no real feelings about them either way. This album on the other hand I have some fairly strong feelings about. Listening to “Go” is akin to … There’s more