Best of 2011 ~ My top ten (ish) albums...

greetings my fine festive friends. Christmas is nearly upon me (ooer) and the end of the year (not days as I accidentally texted my mom sending her into a mass panic) is nigh! The lovely people at vouchercodes.co.uk asked me to put together a list of my favourite albums of the year. They did ask me to limit it to ten, but you know how waffly I am so I couldn't pin it down to just ten. So here are my top ten-ish albums that delighted me consistently in 2011... Let me know yours!! And don't forget to visit vouchercodes daily for all your money off couponing needs! Plug, plug!

THE TENS...

I couldn't narrow down the number ten album to just one so here are a number of albums that all deserve my number ten slot (and just like the x factor results, in no particular order!)

10-ISH ~ LE KID, OH ALRIGHT
There was nothing "oh alright" about the stunning pop fuelled debut album from these gorgeous Swedish maestros. Winning over pop pundits and critics alike, the album featured winning single after winning single, all with epic choruses, sleek production values and musical hooks that reel you in and never let you go. From their debut single Mercy Mercy to the throbbing post millenial I'd Rather Jack-esque We Are The Drums, it's an all filler, no killer album that makes you want to grab the one you love and shimmy. Hard. From start to finish, you'll want to wave your arms in the air like a ninny - it's so good and satisfying that you'll need a lie down afterwards :) Le Kid are le sex. Especially those foxy fellas...

10-ISH ~ SOUND OF ARROWS, VOYAGE
More Swedish bliss. The Sound of Arrows may have taken their time with their debut album, but you can't rush creativity and the results are a breathtaking array of beautifully crafted electro-pop songs designed to inspire, delight and tantalise your emotions. It covers a broad array of musical styles (Moroder, Abba, Pet Shop Boys) and it's hard just to pick a couple of stand outs for you. However, M.A.G.I.C is one of the most enchanting pop tunes in year and one of the only songs I know that can make a children's choir sound effortlessly necessary & essential, while Longest Ever Dream just pulsates with melancholy and whimsy. An album that forces you to be emotional about it - you may find yourself hugging someone after just for the sake of it :)

10-ISH ~ MATT DUSK, LIVE FROM VEGAS
Matt Dusk is one fine foxy crooning fella. Never looking anything less than perfectly dapper in a suit, he also manages to exude likeability and charm each time he sings his songs. His album Good News was one of my favourite albums of 2009, so I've really been looking forward to his live CD/DVD combo. His band in perfectly in sync with him and there's something about each vocal delivery - even on the downbeat songs - that emphasises how much he loves doing what he is doing (and that makes it so much more wonderful for the listener). Highlights include his duet with Lorna Luft on You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You & the rousing, exuberant, cheeky Wouldn't Change A Thing - a song so romantic and feelgood that it gives you a sugar rush. Essential music and viewing :)

10-ISH ~ SIMON CURTIS, RA:
Arise Lord Gaga of Pop! Independent artist, Simon Curtis, has put together a dark brooding, wickedly biting collection of electro-pop songs that showcase his canny ability to pen catchy lyrics alongside his confident vocal style. It tackles themes of love, loss, betrayal, hurt – all wrapped up in pulsing beats and addictive choruses. Whether it’s the intense call to arms of Laser Guns Up or the downright dirty & sensuous Flesh that draws you in, you’ll be glad you joined the Robot Army. Check out his soaring pop single Superhero as a fine introduction to his work. One to watch in 2012…

NINE TO TWO...

09 ~ AURYN, ENDLESS ROAD 7058
In a year that saw JLS, The Wanted and One Direction soar to the top of the charts, it seemed you couldn’t move for boy bands. However, 5 piece Spanish boy band Auryn are one you may have missed. I’m not sure whether it’s the Spanish accents and Mediterranean good looks that does it, or whether it’s the mixture of the contemporary yet classic musical sound they have opted for. Perhaps it’s all these things and more. Regardless, their debut album stands out in a crowded schedule of boy pop releases and is packed with potential singles, dreamy ballads and the now obligatory cover version of Adele’s Rolling In The Deep. Start off with Breathe Into The Light (penned by X Factor finalist Ruth Lorenzo) & you won’t be disappointed.

08 ~ THE OVERTONES, GOOD OL' FASHIONED LOVE (PLATINUM EDITION)
The album may have originally been released in late 2010, but it was 2011 that saw The Overtones become national treasures across the UK thanks to a spellbinding performance on Dancing on Ice. The album is jam packed with classics from the 50s and 60s, alongside original numbers that slot seamlessly into the doo-wop style the boys love so much. The platinum edition adds their fine, perky, spirited pop romp of a single Second Last Chance alongside the jazz infused party that is Whoops & dreamily romantic Say What I Feel. Throw in stirring cover versions of Beggin’ and Only Girl In The World and it’s a winning collection of tightly harmonised pop genius from start to finish.

07 ~ WILLIAM YOUNG, ECHOES
In the 10 years since Will took to the stage of Pop Idol to audition, he’s managed to blossom into a fine, credible artist with a sustainable career. His latest collection of tunes infuses his established signature sound and vocals with elements of dance floor eleganza added to the songs. The single Jealousy is an excellent example of this and rewarded Will with his biggest hit for several years. There are teardrops on the disco floor as he embraces the influence of producer Richard X, but of course his ballads are appropriately devastating and heartbreaking both lyrically and in the way he delivers each crushing word. A beautiful, heartfelt, nuanced and sincere collection from Britain’s still premiere Pop Idol…

06 ~ CHRISTOPHE WILLEM, PRISMOPHONIC
If you are looking for an album that is a glittering celebration of pop, dance, life and love then you could not do any better than this rapturous collection of new tunes from French pop star, Christophe Willem. Ably guided by Steve Anderson (who has worked with Kylie Minogue and Westlife), this album explodes with an innate love of pop that shines through in each collaborative track. And what a list of collaborators there are – Kylie, Richard X, Richard Stannard, Karen Poole, Izabel Guzman, Sarah de Courcy… Incredibly, there is still an admirable sense of cohesion about the project and Christophe’s beguiling vocal style holds it all together, urging you to go back for more once the experience is over. An essential piece of pop whether French is your language or not...

05 ~ KYLIE MINOGUE, APHRODITE LES FOLIES (LIVE)
From her humble beginnings on Neighbours, Kylie has exploded as a genuine star whose albums and tours have become events rather than releases. This live recording from her latest tour not only reminds the world of what an essential pop album Aphrodite still is (All The Lovers sounds tremendous both as a studio recording and as a live anthem), but proves that Kylie can sing & has a stage presence that transcends the visual. Her long time collaborator Steve Anderson has given well beloved tracks (including a healthy smattering of her best loved hits) inventive new arrangements, whilst keeping the charm of the original scores. To top it all off there is a stunning cover version of Euryhtmic’s There Must Be An Angel which will blow your socks off. Tremendous!

04 ~ THE FEELING, TOGETHER WE WERE MADE:
You can still rely on Dan Gillespie-Sells & the band to produce a compelling set of songs that are heavy on harmony, tightly produced and have some of the most mesmerising & hypnotic melodies this side of Abba. They may not be as successful as they once were, but that doesn’t mean the quality has dipped. There are singalong anthems (particularly A Hundred Sinners, Set My World On Fire), dabbling with dance (Dance For The Lights, Searched Every Corner) and even a dazzling duet with Sophie Ellis Bextor (Leave Me Out Of It) that is like a modern day take on the Peter Gabriel-Kate Bush classic Don’t Give Up. Available as a single disc, my recommendation would be to plump for the double set if only for the collaboration with none other than Betty Boo on Virtually Art.

03 ~ SAME DIFFERENCE, THE REST IS HISTORY
2007 X Factor finalists have sadly not set the pop charts alight with their perky brand of pop. This is quite the shame and you should leave any preconceptions at the door and dive straight into their second album which is the duo being bigger, harder, faster and catchier than they have ever been before. They’ve graduated from the High School Musical sound and now have a sleeker, dance infused groove the likes of which we haven’t heard since Girls Aloud took a break. Check out the blistering pop of Karma Karma or the funky vibe of Best Mistake – you won’t be disappointed. Steps had better watch their backs…

02 ~ BOOK OF MORMON BROADWAY
From the creators of South Park comes one of the most wickedly inventive musicals to hit Time Square New York in some years. Of course it pokes fun at religion, but the songs presented here tell a story of faith and redemption with real heart and conviction. There are songs that parody other musicals so adeptly that they could easily feature in any episode of The Simpsons, while the rest of the time you are tittering so hard at the lyrics that you have to go back to check what you’ve missed out on. It’s all good natured, and not mean spirited at all, but there are some naughty words in there so if that’s not your thing, then perhaps stick with the Same Difference album :)

THE ONES...

I couldn't pick one album - I spent ages pontificating between a Swedish pop genius and a powerhouse chanteuse. And as you can see below, I had to cheat a little bit with both of them... :)

01 ~ ELOUISE, THE EPS
As I say, bit of a cheat this one – new chanteuse on the block Elouise has yet to release an album, but collect her 3 EPs together (Stardust, Stardust Melodies and Santa’s Little Belter) and you have a sensational collection of tunes that touch the soul and lift the spirits. Mainly cover versions of tracks like You’ll Never Walk Alone, Tainted Love, The Winner Takes It All – Elouise positions herself as the storyteller of these tunes amidst some genuinely insightful new musical arrangements and her powerful, evocative vocal style. Do be sure to check out the cheeky flirtatiousness on Fireman Of My Dreams & if you’re feeling festive then the camp, disco epic Dear Santa will get any Christmas party going. Elouise is the real deal and will surely shine in 2012.

01 ~ ERIC SAADE, SAADE VOL 1 & 2
Young Eric Saade has taken Sweden pop world by storm. With following up his epic debut from 2010 Masquerade, he decided to put together two albums in 2011. The first volume featured some of the finest, most addictive pop I've heard in years including his second place Eurovision smash Popular and the slightly arrogant, swagger cockiness of Made of Pop (sample lyric - got my degree in the big P.O.P!) The second volume has just been released and features more scintialling dance pop grooves lead off by the ridiculously addictive first single Hotter Than Fire featuring new pop tart on the block Dev. To produce two high quality, totally enjoyable pop albums in a year is quite the accomplishment - he just needs to come to England now and show us how it's done, because I hear his live shows are spectacular and completely made of pop!