Callum: Double Page Spread Copy, Draft 1

As decided by the whole of alpha, this was 2011.  (Write-ups by Callum Petch)

50] Beady Eye

Different Gear, Still Speeding

(Beady Eye Records)

Ignore the haters.  They, after all, are the same people who believe that ‘Oasis haven't done a good record since Morning Glory!’  Idiots, essentially.  No, Different Gear... is not as good as Oasis (except Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, obviously).  No, it's not the huge, radical departure we were both promised and kind of hoping for.  But dammit all if it isn't a damn good album!  “Bring The Light” is like Give Out But Don't Give Up-era Primal Scream.  “The Beat Goes On” is so Beatles-esque it's a wonder Sir Paul hasn't gotten the lawyers out yet.  Meanwhile, “The Roller” is the best thing that Liam, Gem and Andy have ever written.  So stop expecting the non-Noel members of Oasis to go polka, ignore the internet and just enjoy a shockingly good album.

49] Chase & Status

No More Idols

(Vertigo, Mercury)

You can easily divide the tracks on No More Idols into three, easy to digest camps.  There's the terrible tracks that should be skipped as fast as humanly possible (eg: “Hypest Hype”, “Heavy”).  Then there are the damn good tracks that are enjoyable but nothing special (eg: “Fool Yourself”, “No Problem” whose major problem is not knowing when to end).  But then you get into the rest of the album and the solid gold hits.  “Blind Faith” is a euphoric piece of dance music, “Fire In Your Eyes” is relentless in its pounding force, “Let You Go” is the darkest 'ballad' since Florence + The Machine's “Girl With One Eye”, “Hitz” has Tinie Tempah's utterly cack yet strangely amusing lyrics backed by a thunderous beat and “Time” and “End Credits” are two of the best dance songs in years.  The highs are so high, that we had no choice but to put it on this list.  But seriously, skip “Hypest Hype”.  You'll be doing yourself a favour.

48] Adele

21

(XL, Columbia)

Yes; it has been cheapened by consistent overplay, Glee bastardisations and an endless parade of X-Factor rejects deludedly believing that they “Truly get the emotional pain that she went through because I went through it myself!” but Adele's second album still packs a huge emotional gut punch.  “Set Fire To The Rain” still soars, “Rumour Has It” has a great groove and “Turning Tables” is a ballad as big as any pop star can write.  But the true stars are, of course, “Someone Like You” and “Rolling In The Deep”.  “Someone Like You” (if you haven't heard it in a while) is one of the most simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting songs ever recorded and “Rolling In The Deep” is so perfect that not even Jamie xx could improve it!  Compared to her debut, 21 is a masterpiece and easily makes Adele the Year's Most Improved.

47] The Vaccines

What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

(Columbia)

In order to fully appreciate The Vaccines, you have to strip away all of the baggage they come with.  If this were 2005, they would've been dismissed as another Libertines knock off.  But this is 2011, and because they are a four piece band who write their own songs and play their own instruments everybody and their dog were practically tripping over themselves to crown them, “THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SAVE BRITISH GUITAR MUSIC!”  You know who else they said that about?  Viva Brother, and look how they turned out.  The Vaccines are just a damn good band with a great album full of sing along anthems.  “Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)”, “If You Wanna”, “Norgaard”. “Post Break-Up Sex”, “Family Friend”...  All bona fide anthems tossed out with barely a fan fare by the band.  It's a testament to how just good those songs are that, almost a full year since its release, it still gets regular spins from me.

46] Gil Scott Heron vs. Jamie xx

We're New Here

XL, Young Turks

Gil Scott Heron was very sadly taken from us this year at a time when he'd finally rediscovered his form and put out his best album in years (I'm New Here).  So this remix album from Jamie xx is, essentially, the last new release from the legendary musician.  And, make no mistake, I mean it when we say new.  Whilst the same lyrics and vocal tracks off of I'm New Here are utilised, the backing music to Heron's cracked, throaty drawl is all new.  It takes a little while to get going, but by about third listen you'll be sucked in.  The only exceptions are “NY Is Killing Me” and “I'll Take Care Of U” which genuinely astonish the first time you hear them.  This is more than a fitting tribute to the legend so great James Murphy felt the need to shout his name to the heavens on LCD Soundsystem's “Losing My Edge”.  R.I.P.

45] The Go! Team

Rolling Blackouts

Memphis Industries

If Proof Of Youth was The Go! Team remaking Thunder, Lighting, Strike, then Rolling Blackouts is them remaking Proof Of Youth if that makes sense.  Not that that's a bad thing, mind you.  Whereas Proof Of Youth featured a couple of low points, Rolling Blackouts features none.  “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.” is old-school hip-hop cranked up to 11, ditto “Apollo Throwdown” with Ninja laying down her raps at 100+mph.  The title track meanwhile, takes a trip into grunge whilst Yosemite Theme and Buy Nothing Day are The Go! Team operating at Thunder, Lightning, Strike levels of greatness.  They’re still the exact same band you knew and loved from 2004, just older, wiser and as good as they ever were.