Top 10 Australian releases

ok so a few of these made my overall top 20 already, but I still thought it was relevant to showcase separately some of the great stuff that was put out by artists 'down under' this year. Click on the album covers to got straight to their myspace and hear.

top ten in no particular order:

Dappled Cities – Granddance

Just try turning it off once it takes hold

Jordie Lane - Lover's Ride EP

As I've said before, when I see Jordie I feel like I'm on a journey somewhere between Hank Williams and Ryan Adams, somehow familiar and yet wonderfully new....great stuff from a really talented local guy

Grinderman - Grinderman

Nick Cave leads a few of the Bad Seeds in this side project for some really enjoyable and as the Guardian described it 'foul-mouthed, noisy, hairy' music.

Angus and Julia Stone - A book like this

I can't get Tom McRae out of my head every time I hear Angus Stone (and a little bit of Joanna Newson in the voice of Julia) but that is not at all a bad thing. As the name might suggest this is an album of gorgeous stories. A brother/sister duo who are all class.

Touch Typist - You cannot kiss a laughing mouth

Released as part of a new iniative with Feral Media to showcase local artists, this is a very fun 30 minutes of self described "levitating spacerace instrumentals and flying car freakouts with lyrics about alternate realities and the beauty of household objects"

New Buffalo - Somewhere, Anywhere

Beautiful sounds from the woman who penned 'that' (ipod) song for Feist.

Ed Kuepper - Jean Lee and the Yellow Dog

A new and long awaited album from an Australian music legend. Features appearances from Warren Ellis and former Saints bandmate Chris Bailey this is a concept album which is loosely based on the life of Jean Lee, the last woman hanged in Australia. Great stuff.

Gotye - Mixed Blood

Seeing him live at Meredith only confirmed for me how great this guy is. (Clearly I'm not the only one judging by his Male Artist of the year ARIA) For a person who doesn't usually go for remix albums, I think this ones a keeper.

The Panics - Cruel Guards

Another quality release from WA band the Panics - enough to earn them last years Triple J Australian album of the year.

Midnight Juggernauts - Distopia

As quoted in Mess+Noise "the headiest brew of disco, prog and electro, not to mention Bowie and Daft Punk, you’re likely to hear"