Nick

Nick and I worked at LAS together: we bonded over our competitive and mutual love of pedantry. He also looks a bit like my brother Bernard, although he sounds a bit like Neil Morrissey so it's all a bit confusing.

Nick was the originator of the whole Top Ten thing so this'd better be good...



Here’s my top ten. It’s all a bit contemporary as the only way could only trim it down from 12 albums was to exclude stuff released prior to 1990. But I guess if people need telling how fabulous Bridge Over Troubled Water and Talking Book are, then they’ve probably grown up with their head in a concrete mixer and aren’t worthy of our attention…
Cheers!

Primal Scream: Screamadelica (Creation - 1991)
Some people criticise this for being more the work of producer Andrew Weatherall than of Primal Scream, like that’s a bad thing! All killer and no filler, this was also the first album ravers and indie kids at my school both adored so as well as being fantastic it’s also reminiscent of running back from various Cambridge venues, p1ssed up on snakebite trying to catch the last train home. And failing to acknowledge that pony tails on boys aren’t cool.
Essential Track: Loaded (of course!)

Underworld: Dubnobasswithmyheadman (Junior Boys Own – 1992)
I liked some dance music but couldn’t understand my more dance-oriented-mates’ commitment to an aural diet of compilations. Cos that’s not the proper way to listen to music is it? Then Underworld’s debut came along and blew everything else out of the water. Dance music you didn’t have to dance to, in a proper album format so you could get all elitist about it - just what I was after!
Essential Track: Dirty Epic/Cowgirl

Teenage Fanclub: Grand Prix (Creation – 1996)
Everyone I know who’s heard the ‘fannies has a favourite album of theirs and this is mine. Despite sounding more like they herald from the west coast of the US than of Scotland there’s not many moods that can’t be cheered up by the Byrdsian harmonies of their perfectly crafted pop songs. Best listened to on a lazy Sunday morning with the sun streaming through your front window as you mull over whether a Bacon Egg and Potato Waffle Sandwich© will soothe or worsen the effects of last night excesses.
Essential Track: Sparky's Dream

Spiritualized: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Dedicated – 1997)
Albums penned by someone mid break-up not quite melancholic enough for you? How about an album written by someone mid break up AND fighting a massive drug addiction? Sold (or should that be prescribed?) in a massive blister pack with mock dosage instructions, the packaging proved to be the least trippy thing about this achingly beautiful collection of tracks. Despite inspirations as eclectic as krautrock, Floyd and free jazz, it’s so emotive that I dared not listen to it for a good 18 months after a break up of my own – and there’s no finer recommendation than that. Honest.
Essential Track: I Think I'm In Love

Brendan Benson: Lapalco (V2 – 2002)
Perfect, witty, melodic, Detroit -based indie pop and far better than the stuff he does with Jack White. This was first the first album to go on my list!
Essential Track: Folk Singer

Four Tet: Rounds (Domino – 2003)
Curiously monikered instrumentals with a definite (to my ear) Eastern influence. Niiiice. Mairead claims to be immune to its undoubted syncopated charms but that can only be cos she hasn’t listened to it enough – try harder!
Essential Track: She Moves She

The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow (Sub Pop – 2003)
Standard bearers of the American alt-country scene and residents of Albuquerque, New Mexico (surely the coolest named town on earth?) The Shins write gorgeous songs which break your heart so delicately that you don’t notice till the next one sews it back together again. Lovely.
Essential Track: Pink Bullets

Adem: Homesongs (Domino – 2004)
He plays kids’ toys on stage, curates his own festival and used to be in a band with the guy behind Four Tet. This sort-of concept album focuses on the themes of love, friendship and what it means to feel safe at home. Which makes for a hair-tingling collection that my mate tells me is excellent for helping babies off to a soothing night’s sleep. Although I reckon it’s the absinthe he puts in the milk.
Essential Track: There Will Always Be

Elbow: Leaders of the Free World (V2 – 2005)
Apologies. Yes it’s another break up album, but one which celebrates lost love as if it feels this bad now it’s gone, it must have been a fabulous thing in the first place, mustn’t it? And the politically charged, witheringly angry title track has one of my favourite bass lines ever.
Essential Track: Forget Myself

The Broken Family Band: Balls (Track & Field – 2006)
I love The Broken Family Band. They sing in country accents. They only write songs about sex, drugs and religion. They compose lyrics that can be eye-moisteningly tender or teeth grindingly sarcastic (or both) for fun. But most of all their live shows rock in an orgy of self deprecating hedonism. Go out, buy all their stuff and make them bigger than Coldplay so that they can give up the day jobs and release an album every two months. Go on!
Essential Track: See How You Are