'My heart has flown to you, just like a dove': the best of 2010
I’ll do the multi-request-blog tomorrow (requests already in have been noted), but as votes continue to ‘flood in’ for the Watsonian Best of 2010 Accolades – popularly known as the WBO2As – here are my own choices.
BEST SONG 1. Grizzly Bear, Cheerleader (mesmeric anthem from 2009′s best album, which saw me through the rewrites of ‘Eleven’); 2. New Pornographers, Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk (jaunty, addictive jangly pop); 3. Wilco, Jesus Etc. (brilliant sombre effort from years ago which I suddenly remembered)
BEST ALBUM Together by the New Pornographers, for the usual reasons: spare, impeccable songwriting, irresistible melodies, wit, three-way vocal fun, and the thrill of hardly anyone else listening to it. 2. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire: as mentioned by many other people. The world’s most interesting band at the moment. It’s only the second best Arcade Fire album, but that’s like saying Laurie was only the second best person in Fry and Laurie, or Sunday’s the second best day of the weekend. 3. One Life Stand by Hot Chip: dance meets pop, nonsense meets romance. The final track ‘Take It In’, with its goofy but somehow moving chorus (quoted above), sums the whole thing up perfectly.
BEST BOOK Despite some reservations, Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. A massive novel about human relationships, birds, America, politics, sex and really everything else. An old-school Great Big American Book that you can disappear into for weeks.
BEST FILM To my surprise I’ve got to say Toy Story III. Pixar movies are getting so visually realistic that you can’t look at an inanimate object afterwards without expecting it to talk to you in a wisecracking American voice. But they’re also getting smarter and smarter, and like Up, this was basically an adult film for kids about ageing and honour. And toys.
BEST TV SHOW Mad Men (uber-stylish advertising-sex-advertising-sex drama) or The Apprentice (nonsense figures compete for job with hugely entertaining results)
BEST PERSON My brother Paul I think. He completed his mission to become the world’s youngest international football manager, with minimal help from most of the football world and almost no funding except from the readers of this blog and the kind people who supported our charity event. This was a three-year endeavour which saw him defy logic by rebuilding the football infrastructure in one of the world’s most remote places (Pohnpei, in Micronesia) and become a local figure of legend after taking his new team – none of whom had ever left the island before – to the first win in the island’s history. He’s now publishing a book about it. In his time off he also qualified as a personal trainer. If you’re in London and want a personal trainer, he’s your man. Also, mention must go to my long-suffering tour manager Giles for driving me 70,000 miles and not flinching when I did things like trying to organise coaches and losing all my belongings.
BEST DAY
September 15. I was in Melbourne. I got up late, had breakfast with friends, ran 10km around the beautiful Botanic Gardens, and wrote for the rest of the day. It doesn’t take much to satisfy me. The most momentous day was February 23 when my son was born, and he’s provided many many amazing moments since, but it’s kind of a cliche to say the birth itself is ‘the best day of your life’. Quite a lot of the day was spent watching my wife suffer, so as a twenty-four-hour period I don’t think it should get the prize. Likewise, I could nominate Kit for Best Person, but he’s a weak candidate in some ways as he doesn’t even know who – say – Sting is and quite often gets loads of food on his trousers, so I’d be accused of favouritism.
BEST LIVE SHOW
Be Honourable! by Josie Long.
BEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT
Running a half-marathon, but mostly, raising a baby who swiftly became a very nice small boy. This is more my wife’s achievement than mine; her feats have been phenomenal and I salute her and anyone else who has done this, as it’s approximately as hard as everything else in human life put together. But I definitely did my bit. I pushed the pram a lot, made a lot of bottles, got up early a lot and wrote a song called Wooden Bear. Not bad.
MOST ANNOYING (NEW) THING
Although Keith Lemon has been around for a while now, this was the year it became impossible to switch on the TV without seeing him, or his real-life equivalent Leigh Francis, grinning and gurning and speaking in an unlikely voice. I know a lot of people find it hilarious, but, no, not for me thanks. Also, although again it’s not a new thing, the continued process whereby it’s become completely normal for 7-year-olds watching X Factor to see nearly naked women gyrating around black guys. And by extension, the continued failure of society to stop being massively sexist.
But hey. You can’t have everything in one year. 2010 was pretty good for me. Let’s see what this next one’s got.
UPDATE: ACCIDENTAL RACISM ALERT! My final comments above may have given the impression that if it was nearly-naked women gyrating around WHITE guys, that would be fine. Just to clarify, I do not have a problem with black people being on television; I’d be fighting something of a losing battle if I did. Just uneasy with the way that women are presented in certain sectors of the music industry where black artists predominate. Phew. That was close. It’d be a shame to end 2010 by being unmasked as a dreadful racist.
Posted by Tibbs on February 15, 2011
So Kit’s 1st birthday’s coming up soon! I didn’t realise he was that old already. This is a sentiment I often have in regards the cousins I don’t see very often; they’re always growing, even when you’re not looking at them. It’s disconcerting.
And I love the fact that you wrote a song for him. How cute! Any chance we’ll get to hear it?
Posted by Weaselspoon on January 5, 2011
In a similar vein to Anji, I can’t get excited about Arcade Fire. I bought The Suburbs directly from Universal Music and the whole process left me feeling, well, dirty and angry. I gave it away quite quickly to someone who appreciates it, but whenever I hear their stuff I think my simmering resentment makes it hard to get past generic guitar based indie.
Posted by Tracey on December 30, 2010
I’m beginning to feel dreadfully old! I’m not familiar with any of the music mentioned today – I seem to be stuck in the seventies/eighties which is when I never stopped listening to music – like my fondness for reading it has to be fitted around other things now. Your brother sounds like a fantastic person. I do agree with all the Keith Lemon comments though. The man’s about as amusing as root canal work. Take care, Tracey x.
Posted by Ally on December 30, 2010
Given peoples comments I feel pleased that I don’t know who Keith Lemon is
Now I feel like making up my own list like this to remind myself how brilliant this year has been and how much more brilliant I want to make next year.
Posted by david on December 30, 2010
I missed Josie’s show, but have to say best live shows for me this year were Colin Hoult’s Enemy of the world and Nick Mohammed is Mr. Swallow. Also Bo Burnham.
Posted by ChrisP on December 29, 2010
That looks like my next Amazon order sorted then!
Julian Casablanca’s new album has just finished making it’s way onto my laptop, finally got round to buying it in town today after you put it on your playlist thingy many months ago. As a MASSIVE strokes fan I can’t believe it has taken me so long. I wonder what it will sounds like.
Posted by Hannah Mae on December 29, 2010
Nice choices. I’ll definitely check out Freedom, on your recommendation – I started The Corrections in the summer and loved it, but it’s so epic that I got distracted by uni work around 100 pages in. I love David Foster Wallace too, and I think he and Franzen were friends, so bodes well…
Which is your favourite Arcade Fire album? Funeral? Probably a silly question.
Also, I saw your show and Josie Long’s within a week of each other in the autumn. They sort of reminded me of each other, especially in terms of themes of optimism and all, so it’s pleasing to know you’re a fan. I’ve been booing people and eating porridge ever since.
Posted by Anji on December 29, 2010
I’d forgotten my dislike for Keith Lemon and how avoidance of him had been challenging this year. And certainly your not alone with the dislike.
After having a scan of best films and reading yours I was wondering why I was failing to feel such a buzz over Toy Story 3. Then remembered I took my OH for his birthday, and spent the whole film feeling slightly odd only to be rather Ill as soon as we got home and for the next 4 days! Must give it another go when I’m able to concentrate on the film and not planning my emergency exit route from the cinema!!
Posted by Anna Lowman on December 29, 2010
Lovely to read your music/literary recommendations, I will have to try Freedom for sure.
And your brother is such an inspiration – can’t wait for his book to come out.
Posted by Tom Beasley on December 29, 2010
I’m in agreement with you on the Keith Lemon point. He is not even slightly funny. Everything he does hinges on either his stupid voice or a knob gag. Either of those has the potential to be funny, but they never are when they leave his mouth. A very very annoying person.
Posted by Giles on December 29, 2010
T’was a pleasure. Here’s to Ferbruary!
Posted by Zoe Fell on December 29, 2010
Have I missed the great reveal of Wooden Bear? Or is a recording of it our New Year treat? I know for a FACT that I’m not the only one hoping to hear it…
Posted by Lisa D on December 29, 2010
It’s a bit early in the AM right now which may explain why it is that when I read that Keith Lemon got your Most Annoying New Thing, I found myself wondering what my friend from theater school did to piss you off. A quick Google search verified that we’re talking about to different Keith Lemons. (whew!) That was a weird few minutes for me. Think I should go get some sleep…
Posted by Rachael on December 29, 2010
I said the same thing a couple of months ago about the nearly naked gyrating women. Keith Lemon is incredibly annoying too, although i’m not sure if it is him that is so bad or the fact that people think he is so funny. Probably is just him though.
Posted by Misha on December 29, 2010
Luckily your dreadful racist persona has stayed well hidden with that.
I think “mistaken for” might have been better than “unmasked as”. Ahem.
Together is lovely, like a proper student type tosser I bought it in Spillers on a break between lectures then played it on a loop for days. I’m surprised my flatmates haven’t killed me yet.